Virginia Escapes Happy Valley With Overtime Win, Advances to Elite Eight
In the NCAA Tournament, no matter the sport or the matchup or the circumstances, all that matters is surviving and advancing.
That's exactly what the Cavaliers did in the face of long odds and frigid temperatures on Sunday in Happy Valley. UVA trailed its third round NCAA match against Penn State for 50 minutes, including a 2-1 deficit with as little as three minutes left in the match. It seemed that for the second season in a row, Virginia's run in the NCAA Tournament would end in the third round.
Then, the Cavaliers flipped a switch thanks to the heroic efforts of a true freshman. Maggie Cagle assisted the equalizing goal from Maya Carter with just over two minutes left in regulation and then Cagle had the assist on Haley Hopkins' game-winner early in the first overtime period to power No. 3 seed Virginia to a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 2 seed Penn State on a cold Sunday night in State College, Pennsylvania. The win keeps UVA's season and hopes for a berth in the College Cup alive as the Cavaliers advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.
Perhaps it was the effective Penn State defense or maybe it was the chilly conditions, but the Cavaliers came out flat-footed to start the match, attempting only two shots through the first 45 minutes. The Nittany Lions didn't generate many scoring chances either, attempting only four shots in the first half, but two of those shots went on goal and one of them found the back of the net. In the 30th minute, Ally Schlegel sent an accurate through ball behind the UVA defense and Payton Linnehan chased it down in the box. UVA goalkeeper Cayla White came up and slid towards the ball but Linnehan touched it forward at the last second and then deposited a left-footed shot in the back right corner of the goal to give Penn State a 1-0 lead.
Virginia turned up the offensive pressure in the second half, taking 16 shots. But, goalkeeper Katherine Asman was phenomenal in cage for the Nittany Lions, denying eight of UVA's shots on goal, including six saves in the second half.
Finally, in the 74th minute, the Cavaliers broke through. Haley Hopkins worked the ball on the left side of the box and sent in a cross that found the head of freshman Jill Flammia, whose header was stopped at the last second by a diving Katherine Asman. The rebound came right back to Flammia, who opportunistically swept the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer.
The 1-1 score lasted for less than nine minutes, as the Nittany Lions pounced on defensive miscue by the Cavaliers deep in their own zone and Amelia White finished a pass from Payton Linnehan after it deflected off the left post to put Penn State back on top in the 82nd minute.
Suddenly trailing again and with their backs up against the wall, the Hoos again turned towards their freshmen class to spark the rally. With less than two and a half minutes to play, Maggie Cagle made the play of the game, hustling to save a ball in bounds at the end line and beating the PSU defender who tried to box her out. Cagle moved the ball into the box from the right side and chipped in a cross that found fellow freshman Maya Carter, who headed it into the back of the net to tie the match at 2-2.
Virginia seized all momentum as Penn State reeled from losing not one, but two leads in the second half. The Cavaliers pressed the issue to start the first overtime period and they notched the game-winning goal less than three and a half minutes in. Again, Maggie Cagle assisted the goal as she sent a cross from the right wing that just barely lifted above Asman's hand and found Haley Hopkins, who guided the ball across the goal line to give Virginia the lead.
Penn State had two shots on goal in overtime, but Cayla White saved both attempts and the Cavaliers kept the Nittany Lions out of the goal to seal a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Virginia outshot Penn State 22-12 in the match and had an 11-3 advantage in corner opportunities. Those chances didn't materialize into goals until it was almost too late, but the Cavaliers got the job done just in the nick of time to force overtime and ultimately kept their season alive.
UVA advances to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship and will face No. 1 UCLA on November 26th.
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