Photo courtesy of Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics Communication
Staude’s Last-Minute Goal Lifts No. 7 UVA Women’s Soccer over NC State
As the final minute ticked off the clock in a match tied at one goal apiece, it appeared that the Cavaliers and Wolf Pack were destined to go to overtime.
Junior Talia Staude decided they didn’t need the added time.
Staude headed in a rebound in the 90th minute to lead No. 7 Virginia women’s soccer to a 2-1 victory over NC State on Sunday afternoon in Raleigh.
Virginia drew first blood on a goal by fifth-year midfielder Sydney Zandi, her first goal of the season. Haley Hopkins played the ball from the left side across the field to Zandi a few yards outside the box. Zandi dribbled the ball forward before cutting to the left and taking a left-footed strike that went just past the outstretched arm of Wolf Pack goalkeeper Maria Echezaretta and into the back left corner of the net.
With a little over five minutes remaining in the first half, NC State was able to find an equalizer. Antoine Denae got loose and took a blazing shot from the left corner of the box that glanced off of the far post and into the goal to tie the match.
Virginia outshot NC State 14-12 and had seven shots on goal compared to four for NC State. Echezaretta made five saves, including three in the first half, to keep the game tied. UVA goalkeeper Cayla White, starting in place of Laurel Ivory, made three saves and allowed one goal.
It seemed that we would be getting some bonus soccer as the match entered its final minute of regulation with the score still knotted at one goal apiece.
In the 90th minute, Diana Ordonez headed a shot towards the cage that struck the frame and the ball bounced back to Talia Staude, who headed it back in for the game-winning goal. It was Staude’s first goal of the season and second of her UVA career.
With the win, Virginia improves to 10-1 overall and 3-0 in the ACC and extends its winning streak to four games.
Up next, the Cavaliers have another huge ACC matchup at No. 4 North Carolina in Chapel Hill next Sunday.
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