No. 3 seed Virginia takes on Xavier Friday in NCAA Second Round

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The third-seeded Virginia women’s soccer team will take on Xavier in an NCAA second-round match on Friday. Kick is set for 2 p.m. at Jeffrey Field, in the match hosted by Penn State.

It is the first-ever meeting in women’s soccer between the Cavaliers and Xavier.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION

Friday’s contest between the Cavaliers (14-3-3) and Musketeers (14-3-5) will be available to stream on ESPN+. Live stats will also be provided. Links to both the live stream and stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAWomenSoccer).

QUICK KICKS

• UVA’s 29 consecutive NCAA appearances is the second-longest active streak while the Hoos’ 35 total appearances is the second most total appearances by a program in NCAA history.
• UVA is coming off a 4-0 win over Fairleigh Dickinson and is sixth nationally in shutouts (13).
• Virginia has advanced to the second round for the 26th straight year and has advanced to the third round of competition 16 times in the last 17 seasons.
• The Hoos had five players earn placement on an All-ACC team this season with Lia Godfrey (1st), Haley Hopkins (2nd), Maggie Cagle (3rd/Freshman), Alexa Spaanstra (3rd) and Jill Flammia (Freshman) all being recognized by the league’s coaches.
• Spaanstra is tied for third in total assists among active NCAA D1 players (34).
• Cayla White has nine solo shutouts this year – tied for ninth all-time at UVA in season shutouts. Her 11 career shutouts is tied for seventh all-time and one shy of seventh at UVA.
• White’s 11 shutouts leads the ACC this season and is 24th nationally in the category.
• Hopkins leads UVA with 12 goals this season and is third among active NCAA D1 players in career goals scored (54) and 133 points to date. She is 23rd nationally in goals (12) this season.
• Cagle leads UVA with 10 assists, is 19th nationally in assists/game (0.50) and 11th in total assists.
• As a team, Virginia in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense (14th – 2.45 gpg), total goals (12th – 49) and total points (14th – 138). UVA is top four in the ACC in all three categories.
• Claire Constant is one game away from her 100th game played and would become the third UVA player to hit that mark this season along with Hopkins and Spaanstra having already hit the mark.

HOOS A MAINSTAY IN NCAA TOURNAMENT WITH MULTIPLE DEEP RUNS

• Virginia has been a mainstay in the NCAA postseason and has made several deep runs in the tournament
• The appearance in the Sweet 16 last year was the 16th in the last 17 years for the Cavaliers
• Virginia had an active streak of 14 consecutive appearances in the Sweet 16 until the 2019 season’s loss to eventual College Cup participant Washington State in the second round
• Virginia has made seven appearances in the quarterfinals under head coach Steve Swanson – making it in 2001, 2005, 2011 2013, 2014. 2015 and the 2020-21 COVID season
• UVA advanced to the College Cup in the 2013, 2014 and 2020 seasons – making a finals appearance in 2014
• UVA also advanced to the quarterfinals in 1991 when Virginia went on to make its first semifinal appearance

A LOOK AT THE REGIONAL POD

• Virginia advanced to the second-round with a 4-0 win over Fairleigh Dickinson in the opening round.
• The pod of teams this weekend includes Xavier, No. 2 seed Penn State and No. 7 seed West Virginia.
• Xavier was runner-up in the Big East tournament, while Penn State and West Virginia each won their respective conference championships at their tournaments
• The winner of Friday’s match between Virginia and Xavier will advance to the third round and face either Penn State or West Virginia in a 5 p.m. match on Sunday (Nov. 20) at Jeffrey Field.