Alexa Spaanstra scored and assisted on a second goal to key a 2-1 win for #2 Virginia over #17 Notre Dame on Sunday at Klöckner Stadium.
The game was tied at nil-nil into the 82nd minute when Diana Ordoñez played a counter to Lia Godfrey, who picked it up in stride and sent it forward to Spaanstra in the box.
Spaanstra took a couple of dribbles and sent her shot in over sliding Notre Dame keeper.
Virginia struck again 37 seconds later when Hopkins played a ball out to Spaanstra on the right wing. Spaanstra approached the box before sending a cross toward the penalty mark. A defender was caught behind Ordoñez as she marked her which allowed Hopkins to leap and launch a header in up and to the right of the keeper on a goal that put UVA (13-1-1, 6-0-1 ACC) up 2-0.
Notre Dame (12-2-1, 6-1-0 ACC) would get on the board in the 85th minute when Korbin Albert lifted a shot from almost 35 yards out into the upper left corner out of the reach of a leaping Laurel Ivory.
“It was a great win for us,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. “We owe a lot to the fans. They were fantastic and what an atmosphere here. It was great to see us come out on the winning end. Notre Dame is a great team. We knew what we were going to get and we got it. It was a great college soccer game. It’s something we can build on and we have to. We have another tough week coming up. We can enjoy this now, but we have to turn our focus to Louisville and get ready for that one.”
Virginia continues to play at home next week with two matches at Klöckner Stadium. It kicks off on Thursday night when the Cavaliers host Louisville in a 7 p.m. match.
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Chris Graham
