Virginia Women’s Soccer Takes Down Northwestern

For as long as I have been paying attention (maybe five years now) the Virginia women’s soccer team once again inaugurated a new sports season and were in firm control throughout against a Northwestern team that went to the NCAAs last season.

In case you missed my season preview, this is a new look Cavalier team as head coach Steve Swanson has moved on from his long-favored 4 – 3 – 3 for a more modern 3 – 5 – 2. That may very well be what he is calling it, but it looks to me like it’s a 5 – 2 – 2 – 1. Prized Miami transfer, Gio Canali, is up top with a pair of attacking mid, on this night Sophia Bradley and Allie Ross. Addison Halpern and Jordyn Hardeman deployed in a double pivot in front of the back three.

Why Halpern, you might ask? Because Ella Carter was sitting on the bench alongside Jill Flammia, who will also be out for a while. Swanson was being his usual, annoying self with regards to injury status, but he did tell the game announcer that he thought that hoped Carter would be back soon. For the game, Carter was walking easily with only what looked like a compression sock on her right ankle. Maybe it will just be a couple of weeks and Carter can come back before the start of the ACC slate.

On a day when Notre Dame may very have lost standout defender Morgan Roy for the season, can we just stipulate that injuries suck?

As for the game, Virginia, as they did pretty much all of last season, came out blazing and Tatum Galvin scored just three minutes in. It was offsides, but the tone had been set.

It didn’t matter as Halpern scored three and a half minutes later from a fine Hardeman cross. It has been just this game and an exhibition game over the weekend, but Halpern seems much more comfortable as a midfielder. She seems more attentive on defense and she’s roaming all over the pitch, both as target and as facilitator. I think the space agrees with her. Halpern has stated that she is more relaxed this season. First, she has shed some of the baggage that comes with being the incoming high schooler of the year. Secondly, there was apparently some serious “locker room tension” last year, that shall we say, has graduated away. Everybody seems to be having more fun this year.

7' | UVA 1, NW 0

Addison Halpern finds the net for the Hoos!

Jordyn Hardeman with the service and Gio Canali with the flick for the Halpern finish.#GoHoos | #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/Xd4YrYmSBT
— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) August 12, 2026

Three minutes later, Virginia had a penalty shout which was denied after Swanson challenged the no-call. (And in the it-was-news-to-me casefile, coaches this year are allowed two challenges per game. Like just about every other sport, if your challenge is successful, it doesn’t count against the two-per-game limit. If the challenge is unsuccessful, you’ve burned one.)

Virginia continued pressing, and a minute later we saw our first moment of brilliance from Canali as she fizzed a full volley just over the cross bar. It was thrilling as Virginia hasn’t really had a central striker for three years now. This was a shot that Meredith McDermott wouldn’t have even tried in her dreams.

And then at the 20 minute mark, Canali pulled this off:

21' | UVA 2, NW 0

A little magic from Gio! 💃

The Hoos double the lead!#GoHoos | #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/wI8lxDiujx
— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) August 12, 2026

Virginia hasn’t had anyone who could do this in the decade I’ve been watching. Not Meg McCool, not Diana Ordonez, not Hailey Hopkins. This was not against some out-gunned Richmond or William & Mary. Northwestern, while a mid-table Big 12 team, did make the NCAA tournament last season. This could be a game-changer for Virginia.

And then, to complete the first-half trifecta, with just under five minutes remaining in the half, Aniyah Collier had deft a little header into the back of the net.

41' | UVA 3, NW 0

Aniyah Collier with the first colleigate goal!#GoHoos | #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/fizJXh0B2T
— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) August 13, 2026

Collier only played 29 minutes – it has been well over 1000 days since her last game – and it takes a while to get up to game speed, but let me tell you, Collier looks ready to go. Collier generated a team-high four shots in those 29 minutes, including a lovely blast from the edge of the six-yard box that was just inches wide.

I wrote about my concerns that Pearl Cecil’s participation in the women’s U20 World Cup would set this team back because defense is built upon repetition and familiarity. That’s the story line of the season for me; how well does the team respond to Cecil’s departure, and then more importantly, how do they respond to her return.

I am not so worried about Canali’s departure, despite her wonder goal today. Striker is much more of a lone wolf kind of position, and Canali’s absence should give Collier ample time to get her touch back. When Canali returns, Collier’s presence as a second scorer, off the bench, will be a luxury that Swanson hasn’t had in a while.

Freshman Kyndal Shuler impressed today. You know who she reminded of? Jill Flammia. Shuler goes directly to goal at every opportunity, much like Flammia. And she may have a better shot. She scored against Maryland in the first exhibition match and on this night, she had a lovely shot from outside the box that was just parried away. With Lia Godfrey departed and Ella Carter injured, Virginia needs just one player who is a threat from deep. Shuler could be that player.

The most interesting quote of the night came from Swanson as he was talking about Helen Olszewski who redshirted last year and has played sparingly so far this young season. Swanson claimed Olszewski is the fastest player of the past 10 years. Think about that. Faster than Rebecca Jarrett, who only had wings on her feet. Swanson has to figure out a way to get both Collier and Olszewski on the pitch at the same time.

Virginia did give up a late goal off a free kick. The Hoos also gave up one against a pretty lousy Maryland team in the first exhibition game. I have only seen both goals from a single angle, but it appears that Sophie Bradley was victimized on both occasions. This bears watching on the season. Swanson did challenge this call as well, and like the first, he lost the appeal. It was a meaningless challenge – there was only one minute remaining in the game – but learning how, and when, to challenge a call in one of the needed skills of the modern coach. Whatever the sport.

Next Up: Virginia hosts Liberty on Sunday, August 16th. Game time is 5:00pm and the game is on ACC Network Extra.

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