The second-ranked UVA women’s soccer team suffered its first loss of the season, falling to No. 5 Florida State 1-0 Sunday at the Seminole Soccer Complex. The Cavaliers, who entered the game as the nation’s only undefeated/untied team, fell to 10-1 overall (2-1 ACC), while the Seminoles improved to 10-1 overall (3-0 ACC).
The loss snapped Virginia’s 17-game ACC regular season win streak, its 31-game regular season win streak and its 10-game road win streak. It also snapped a streak of 44 consecutive games in which the Cavaliers scored a goal. All three streaks began following a 1-0 overtime loss to Florida State in 2012, Virginia’s last trip to Tallahassee.
“It was a very even match and one strike was the difference in the game,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “I thought we created enough chances to get back into the match, but we couldn’t convert. They are a tough team to break down. I thought we did some good things in the second half, but we didn’t have a good start. We can learn a lot from this game and we will be better team because of it. I was happy with the effort and the approach to the game. We just didn’t impose our style of play on the game and that was the difference today. Give Florida State credit, they finished their chance and we didn’t finish our chances.”
The Seminoles took an early 1-0 lead in the ninth minute of play. Iceland international Dagny Brynjarsdottir fired a shot from the top of the box inside the far post for her seventh goal of the season. Virginia’s best chance of the first half came in the 24th minute as a clearance of a corner kick came right to Alexis Shaffer (Cary, N.C.), who hit a shot that was headed inside the far post, but was saved off the line by a Florida State defender. Each team finished the opening half with four shots, but the Seminoles took the 1-0 lead into the break.
The Cavaliers controlled play in the second half, having a majority of possession and outshooting the Seminoles 9-4, but neither team could find the back of the net. The best scoring chance came in the 74th minute as Danielle Colaprico’s (Freehold, N.J.) long-range shot was saved by FSU keeper Cassie Miller, and the rebound went just wide of Morgan Brian (St. Simons Island, Ga.), who was in position to knock in the rebound.
Overall, Virginia outshot Florida State 13-8 and had a 7-2 corner kick advantage. Morgan Stearns (San Antonio, Texas) made two saves in net for the Cavaliers, while Miller made three at the other end for the Seminoles.
The Cavaliers will continue their road trip next Sunday as they visit No. 16 Notre Dame. Game time in South Bend is 1 p.m.
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Chris Graham
