Women’s Soccer: No. 19 Hoos fall in hard-fought battle at No. 4 UNC, 3-2

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

A game that saw two ties and three lead changes went the way of the home team on Friday in Chapel Hill, as No. 19 Virginia fell at No. 4 North Carolina by a score of 3-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Cavaliers (8-3-0, 1-3-0 ACC) struck first with a penalty kick from Maggie Cagle in the 18th minute, as she had her ankles clipped from behind as she entered the box on the left side to set up the chance.

North Carolina (11-1-0, 4-0-0) tied things up in the 30th minute when Maddie Dahlien picked up a ball down the left side and sent a centering pass to Linda Ullmark near the spot. Ullmark redirected with her left foot and slipped it in past the left post for the score.

Virginia took the lead back five minutes later on a goal from Yuna McCormack. Maggie Cagle played a ball ahead to McCormack on the left side that the sophomore midfielder picked up in stride behind the defense.

McCormack took two touches as she glided into the box and got the one-on-one chance against the UNC keeper. McCormack finished with the shot slotted between the keeper and the left post.

The Tar Heels returned the favor in the 38th minute with a similar play, as Ullmark played a ball ahead to Kate Faasse on the run. Fassee also got a one-on-one chance and finished her chance to the top center of the goal.

North Carolina took the lead for the first time in the 74th minute when Ullmark struck for the second time on the evening. She picked up the ball near the top left corner of the box, moved back and to her right to create space against her defender, and sent the shot across and into the side netting by the back post.

GOALS
UVA: 18’ – Maggie Cagle (Penalty Kick)
UNC: 30’ – Linda Ullmark (Maddie Dahlien)
UVA: 35’ – Yuna McCormack (unassisted)
UNC: 38’ – Kate Faasse (Linda Ullmark)
UNC: 74’ – Linda Ullmark (unassisted)

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Yuna McCormack started in her first match back with the Cavaliers after missing the last five weeks in service with the U.S. U20 Women’s Youth National Team at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
• McCormack’s first-half goal was her first of the season and gave UVA its second lead of the game.
• Maggie Cagle scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season with her penalty kick strike in the first half.
• The two goals came on five shots for the Cavaliers on the night.

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON

“I’m proud of the way our team competed tonight, but we are all disappointed in the result. We need to find ways to win games like these and right now we are doing the opposite. We had some good stretches, though, which we can take from the game, but also a lot of lessons.”

UP NEXT

Virginia continues to play on the road next week with a game at No. 3 Duke on Thursday.