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Cavaliers Now

Virginia Women’s Soccer Shuts Out Louisville

An Addison Halpern brace and a Jordyn Hardeman strike give the Cavaliers a 3 – 0 win over the #12 Louisville Cardinals.
Val Prochaska|
The Cavaliers celebrate Addison Halpern's game-winnger over Louisville.
The Cavaliers celebrate Addison Halpern's game-winnger over Louisville. | Virginia Athletics

Louisville has never beaten Virginia in women’s soccer and they brought in a series record of 0 – 11 – 2 against the Cavaliers.  Even Tony Bennett, who lived rent free in the Yum! Center, didn’t sport that kind of record against the Cardinals.  But this Louisville team was also undefeated in ACC play, was undefeated in their past 13 games, and was the second-leading scoring team in the ACC.

Virginia built on the former streak while demolishing the second streak and got their first statement win of the season.

Slow starts have plagued Virginia this ACC season, but the Cavaliers came out quite brightly earning a free kick five yards outside of the box just two and a half minutes in.  Jordyn Hardeman struck a lovely take that drew an all-world save from Louisville keeper Brielle Baker.  At the half, head coach Steve Swanson would say that he had hoped Hardeman would have just struck the ball harder, opting for pace over placement.  (Hold that thought.)

Six minutes into the match and I wrote in my game notes that “Virginia was starting off much better compared to past games.”  Literally as the ink was drying, Louisville sprang AG Gibson behind Kathryn Kelly and she served in a lovely cross to Louisville’s leading scorer, Karina Peat, who was wide open (and I do mean wide open) at the top of the six-yard box.  Peat’s header was half a foot too high, and Virginia was lucky to still be level.  Peat really should have buried it.

And then the Cavaliers fell apart, and the culprit, as always, was needless, largely unforced, turnovers in their own half; six in seven minutes.  The game announcers termed it a “comedy of errors,” which has been a running theme this season.  We’ve also heard announcers describe Virginia’s travails as a “clown show” and an “adventure.”  The announcers also hyped up Louisville’s press, which to be frank, was nowhere in evidence in this game.  This was just the Cavaliers turning over the ball too easily.  Twenty minutes in and Louisville had a 4 – 1 shot advantage over Virginia, though not one had been on target.

Virginia lined up for this game in a 5 – 3 – 2 with Halpern playing more as straight midfielder and with Hardeman in the center and Ella Carter deployed to the right.  I’m not sure why Swanson opted for Carter on the right because she's more comfortable, and more impactful, playing in the center and with about 20 minutes remaining in the opening frame, Swanson subbed in Kyndal Shuler for Hardeman which moved Carter back into the center.  The dividends were immediate and Virginia closed out the half very much on the front foot.  Kyra Koopman also entered the game at that point the right-side trio of Koopman, Shuler and Sophia Bradley took over the game and Virginia never looked back.

Five minutes after these subs came on, Halpern won a free kick in the exact same spot as Hardeman’s free kick, only with Jordyn out, Halpern strode up to take the kick.  The fan in me was screaming in my head, “No! No! No! Let Ella Carter take it instead!”  Halpern ignored my inner voice and struck a rocket into the left corner, almost to the exact same spot that Hardeman had shot at.  And keeper Baker made another good jump on the ball, but the pace of Halpern’s shot carried the ball into the back of the net.

One-nothing at the half, and Virginia was in control.

Coming out of the halftime tunnel, Louisville coach Hunter Norton allowed that his press wasn’t as intense as he wanted and he said that the Cardinals were going to come out pressing harder and higher.

It only worked for about a minute.  Two minutes in, Halpern and Tatum Galvin combined for a hard tackle near right in front of the Louisville bench.  Halpern won the ball, drove towards the box and then slipped the ball off to Hardeman.  I’m not sure why the Louisville defense backed up, but back up they did, and Hardeman drove to the edge of the box and hit a thunderbolt for the goal and 2 – 0 lead.

I’d say that she atoned for not converting on her free kick.

Less than a minute later, Bradley found Koopman to the right of the box.  Gio Canali made a great run to the near post which cleared out space for Halpern, who calmly headed in Koopman’s cross for the third goal.  I don’t think Canali is the answer to Virginia’s goal scoring woes, but I do love her off-ball movement, and her chemistry with Halpern is better with every passing game.

For the next two or three minutes, Virginia smelled blood in the water, and to be frank, they got a little stretched looking for that fourth goal.  Swanson demonstrably used his official challenge of a hair-pulling non-call to get the Cavaliers to settle down and take the air out of the ball and just run out the clock.  Which they did.  Louisville huffed and puffed up and down the pitch, but really weren’t much of a threat.  Baker made two more great saves to keep the score from ballooning.  When your best player is your goal keeper, who still let in three goals, well, it just wasn’t Louisville’s night.

The Verdict:  Virginia played their most complete game of the season as Pearl Cecil, Sophia Bradley and Liv Rademaker also had superb games.  After dropping two points against Clemson, this was as close to a must-win, (as in, Virgina had to win this game to have any shot of making the ACC tournament) as they will have this season.  And knocking off the team just ahead of you is the best way to keep the table tight.

Next Up:  Virginia travels to Durham next Thursday, November 5th, to take on Duke in the ACC season finale.  Both teams have the weekend off, but Duke was just beaten by Florida State.  The winner of the game is likely in the ACC tournament while the loser will be watching from home.  Should be a great match.

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Val Prochaska
VAL PROCHASKA

Val graduated from the University of Virginia in the last millennium, back when writing one's senior thesis by hand was still a thing. He is a lifelong fan of the ACC, having chosen the Tobacco Road conference ahead of the Big East. Again, when that was still a thing. Val has covered Virginia men's basketball for ten years, first with HoosPlace and then with StreakingTheLawn, before joining us here at Virginia Cavaliers on SI in August of 2023, continuing to cover UVA men's basketball and also writing about women's soccer and women's basketball.

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