No. 3-seeded Virginia women’s soccer ended a heartbreaking season at the hands of No. 1 UCLA on Saturday night. The Cavaliers (16-4-3, 6-2-2 ACC) found the equalizing goal in the second half before eventually scoring the deciding goal to the Bruins (20-2-1, 9-2 PAC 12). I admitted it in the first period of overtime. .
Virginia started the game with controlled possession and created several chances towards goal in the first passage of play. In the 10th minute, grad student forward Hayley Hopkins scored the first shot of the game, challenging UCLA grad student goaltender Lauren Budziksey.
The Cavaliers kept the pressure on for the next few minutes when the ball was deflected near the top of the box by senior midfielder Emma Dawson. Dawson was able to make solid contact, but the shot was easily saved by Brzykcy.
Less than a minute later, Bruin senior forward Sunshine Fontes (UCLA’s leading goalscorer) found space and sent the ball to sophomore forward Lexi Wright just outside the 18-yard box. Wright flicked it to Streaking Fontes, who fired a shot toward Virginia’s senior goaltender Kayla White. A powerful shot slipped past White’s hand, but in the 15th minute, he shook the goal net and scored the first goal.
In the 24th minute, Wright scored what appeared to be the Bruins’ second goal. This could have been a devastating blow to Virginia’s comeback chances, but the score was disallowed due to his call for offside.
The rest of the first half was played relatively evenly, with the Bruins striking out three more to the Cavaliers two.
Virginia created a solid chance to play within five minutes of the first half when Hopkins gave the ball to graduate student forward Alexa Spanstra. Spaanstra took on several defenders before falling inside the box. Despite the pleas of several Cavaliers on the field, the referee did not award the penalty kick, ending the opportunity.
Virginia started the second half again on offense. Just two minutes into the frame he found junior midfielder Ria his Godfrey with a beautiful thru his ball through freshman midfielder Jill his Flammia. However, Flammia’s first touch pushed the ball too far and landed on Brzykcy’s waiting arm.
Godfrey continued to create scoring chances, dribbling over the end line in the 53rd minute before delivering a pass to Hopkins who squandered the opportunity with a shot over the crossbar.
In the 66th and 68th minutes Spanstra and Flammia had shots. Neither were really dangerous, but it was a sign that the momentum was starting to shift to the Cavaliers as he was outscoring UCLA 4-1 by that point in the half.
Virginia found a much-needed equalizer in the 75th minute from a corner kick. Godfrey, who has mastered set pieces for the Cavaliers, made a perfect cross in the box. Hopkins put his head on the ball and flicked it out of Bríkci’s reach for the goal.
The rest of the half was played with each team getting another solid chance towards goal. In the 82nd minute, White was forced to dive save a shot from freshman midfielder Sophia Cooke.
Just two minutes later, Virginia created another great chance from a Godfrey connection to Hopkins on a corner kick. This time, however, Brzykcy was able to get in front of Hopkins’ header to prevent another goal.
With the score tied at the end of 90 minutes, the Cavaliers are looking for a second straight win in overtime. Defeated Penn State 3-2 on Nov. 20.
After strong plays on both sides to open the first overtime period, UCLA found a winner in the 98th minute. Cook, who tried to clear him with a header from the Virginia back line, sent the home crowd into a frenzy with his single touch on the outside of his right foot for a stunning goal.
The Cavaliers gave several equalizer chances in the second overtime, but never really threatened Brzykcy, ending the contest with a 2–1 Bruins victory.
This heartbreaking loss not only ended another spectacular season for Virginia, but it also ended the careers of elite attackers such as Spanstra and Hopkins, as well as many other key cogs for the Cavaliers. Virginia is still searching for the program’s first national championship, but with coach Steve Swanson at the helm and the talent the Cavaliers are trotting on the field each year, a rise to the top of women’s college football is inevitable. It seems that.
“Obviously it was tough to lose,” Swanson said. “We are really proud of the team, the effort and the incredible resilience they have shown throughout the season. We were in a good position to win, which would have been easy to get out of here and that’s part of why it’s been so hard.”
