The sixth-ranked Virginia women’s soccer team went on the road Sunday and remained undefeated with a 2-1 win over No. 11 Penn State in Happy Valley.
The matchup was the first of a tough four-game road stretch, and Steve Swanson’s Wahoos (7-0-0) passed the first test. It was also their final non-conference opponent of the regular season.
Coming off of a dominating 6-0 drubbing of Liberty Thursday, the Cavaliers got first-half goals Sunday from Brianna Westrup and Rebecca Jarrett and led 2-0 at the half. Virginia was able to hold off a late Penn State rally to escape with the win.
Last season, the ‘Hoos saw their share of quality chances (15.7 a game), but only averaged 1.57 goals a game. Finishing doesn’t seem to be much of an issue up to this point in 2018. This year’s team is rattling off 22 shots per game and averaging 3.14 goals.
Despite having several key players join the team late in the preseason, Swanson has been encouraged by the steady improvement he’s seen thus far.
“I think these last few games, we’ve scored some good goals that have come from some good build-up play and some good creativity in the attacking third, and some good finishing,” said Swanson. “Those are good signs, and we need to see if we can keep our conversion rate high even though we may not have as many shots or chances because we realize that’s not going to be the case every game.”
So far, Virginia has outscored opponents, 22-3, with 19 assists already (only 26 all of last season), and has outshot the opposition, 155-30.
Senior midfielder Betsy Brandon, who scored twice against Liberty and is tied with Westrup and Jarrett for the team lead with three goals, touched on how depth has led to the uptick in offensive output, as 12 different players have scored so far.
“We definitely did struggle a bit [scoring-wise] last year,” said Brandon, who tallied three goals as a junior. “I think it’s a constant challenge we face. We tend to be a little bit of an unselfish team — a little too unselfish at times — but I would say that it’s been awesome because people are being more creative around the box.”
Second-year goalkeeper Laurel Ivory had not allowed a goal all season until the 74th minute against the Nittany Lions Sunday. Ivory has started six games and has posted three solo shutouts, saving nine of the 10 shots she’s seen.
“We’re definitely going to be facing teams that can play,” said Ivory of the upcoming schedule, “so I’m ready for it and I’ve been ready for it these past couple games, but we’ve been doing a really good job defensively to avoid me having to do much.
“So I hope I don’t have to do too much coming up,” she said with a grin, “but if I am called upon, hopefully I can do my job and I’ll be ready for it.”
The ‘Hoos will begin conference play Friday at Virginia Tech before traveling to Clemson and then No. 14 Duke next week.
“Obviously the competition is going to amp up,” said Swanson, “and I think it’ll present some new challenges for us, and we’ve got to be ready for those, but I think the team is — the pieces that we’ve been working on and the things that we’ve done I think has prepared us for this next stage.”
MEN’S SOCCER
After picking up a season-opening win against New Hampshire on a late Joe Bell goal, George Gelnovatch’s 10th-ranked squad (1-0-2, 0-0-1) has played to a draw in its last two matches — a scoreless tie against Maryland in the Nation’s Capital on Labor Day and a 1-1 finish against No. 21 Virginia Tech Friday night.
The team’s second game (against Elon) was postponed on Aug. 30.
Against the Hokies, Nathaniel Crofts scored his first goal as a Cavalier to quickly even things up after Tech scored just 52 seconds into the contest, marking the first and only goal the team has allowed this season.
Neither side could push past the equalizer, as goalkeeper Colin Shutler came away with two huge stops in double overtime and posted a career-high eight saves on the evening, the most for a Wahoo goalie in nearly eight years.
UVa hosts Marshall Tuesday and No. 12 Notre Dame Friday.
FIELD HOCKEY
The eighth-ranked UVa field hockey team (3-2, 1-0) dropped its second contest of the season Sunday, falling 2-1 in overtime against No. 21 Old Dominion.
The Cavaliers held a 1-0 lead 20 minutes into the second half and appeared to have doubled the tally, but the visiting Monarchs successfully challenged the goal, tied it up late and then prevailed in the extra session.
Two days earlier, the ‘Hoos emerged victorious in the ACC opener in thrilling fashion against 10th-ranked Syracuse, with a pair of freshmen providing the heroics. In double overtime Friday, Grace Wallis found Greer Gill for the game winner to knock off the visiting Orange.
Reigning ACC Coach of the Year Michele Madison’s group will hit the road to face two more challenging ranked foes this week — Friday at second-ranked, undefeated North Carolina and Sunday at No. 16 Liberty, who has one of the nation’s top scorers in Agueda Moroni.
VOLLEYBALL
After dropping its first four matches of the season, Virginia has won four of its last five. UVa (4-5) hosted The Jefferson Cup at Mem Gym this past weekend, coming away with a pair of wins in three matches.
The Wahoos split a pair of Friday matches — a sweep of Youngstown State to start the day and a hard-fought, five-set loss to UNC-Wilmington in the nightcap.
UVa then got a career-best 25 kills from sophomore Sarah Billiard in the Saturday finale win against George Mason. Billiard, who finished the weekend with 55 kills, joined Jelena Novakovic on the All-Tournament Team.
Up next is a trip to Lynchburg to face Liberty Tuesday before wrapping up non-conference play with three matches at the VCU Invitational this weekend in Richmond against the host Rams, South Carolina and Toledo.
CROSS COUNTRY
The men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the UVA Duals on Sept. 1 to open the 2018 campaign.
The 17th-ranked men’s team notched the event’s top five finishes, led by junior AJ Ernst (12:05:41), while a pair of freshmen sparked the women with Abbey Green coming in second and Helena Lindsay third overall.
The teams will host the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational Friday morning in Earlysville.
GOLF
The Virginia men’s golf team kicked off the fall season over the weekend, finishing tied for 7th at the Carpet Capital Collegiate tournament in Georgia.
Coach Bowen Sargent’s ‘Hoos were paced by senior All-American Thomas Walsh, who placed 16th overall at even par for the weekend.
The men’s squad returns to action in two weeks (Sept. 24-25) at the Inverness Invitational in Toledo, OH.
Meanwhile, new women’s coach Ria Scott will officially tee off her Wahoo tenure next weekend as the team travels to participate in the Mary Fossum Invitational, hosted by Michigan State.