CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 7 Virginia women’s soccer team (8-0-1, 1-0-0 ACC) opened ACC play with a furious rally, scoring three second-half goals to take down No. 2 North Carolina (7-2-0, 0-1-0 ACC) by a score of 3-2 at Dorrance Field on Saturday (Sept. 17).
Lia Godfrey hit the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute off a pass from Maggie Cagle to cap a rally that saw the Cavaliers score three goals in 18 minutes to roar back from a 2-0 deficit at the half. Rebecca Jarrett sparked the rally with a goal in the 54th minute before Alexa Spaanstra hit the equalizer in the 61st minute.
GOALS
14’ – UNC: Emily Murphy (Avery Patterson)
25’ – UNC: Ally Sentnor (Avery Patterson, Sam Meza)
54’ – UVA: Rebecca Jarrett (unassisted)
61’ – UVA: Alexa Spaanstra (Lacey McCormack)
72’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (Maggie Cagle)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing by two at the half and held without a shot through the first 45 minutes, the Cavaliers came out in the second half looking to chip away and get back into the match. That moment presented itself in the 54th minute when Rebecca Jarrett scored the first of what would be three goals in less than 20 minutes for the visiting team.
The Jarrett goal that sparked the rally came after she cut in along the top of the box from the right side, creating her own opportunity as she dribbled past a pair of defenders and turned for the left-footed shot near the circle. The forward slotted it in back past the near post on the ground.
The Hoos tied it up in the 61st minute when Godfrey’s service off a corner was headed back toward the top of the box by a UNC player. The ball didn’t clear the box and Lacey McCormack headed it back toward goal where Alexa Spaanstra finished it with a header of her own flicked in for the equalizer.
Virginia moved in front in the 72nd minute when Maggie Cagle received the ball out wide on the left side and dribbled in toward the box before laying it off to Lia Godfrey near the circle. Godfrey took the strike and slipped it in past the near post for what proved to be the deciding goal.
NOTES ON THE GAME
• It’s Virginia’s win over UNC since the 2014 season and the fifth in program history over the Tar Heels.
• Each win by the Cavaliers in the series has come in Chapel Hill or in a neutral-site match.
• Virginia’s three goals is the most scored by the Cavaliers against UNC in the history of the series.
• It’s the first time a team has scored three goals on UNC in Chapel Hill since…