Rutgers scored late in the fourth quarter to make things interesting, but #5 Virginia held on to complete a 2-1 win in the squad’s opening match of the Big 10/ACC Challenge at the Bauer Track and Field Complex in Piscataway, N.J., on Friday.
UVA (2-0) got on the board midway through the second quarter when Emily Eaton found Catalina Quinteros with a long pass, and Quinteros got a shot past Rutgers’ Emily Nichols for the first goal of the match at the 21:56 mark.
With the time winding down in the first half, Kate Logsdon gave UVA a 2-0 lead heading into the break with a turnaround shot that got through the Scarlet Knight goalkeeper at the 27:46 mark.
UVA keeper Nilou Lempers made a pair of key saves to maintain the Cavalier two-goal lead through a scoreless third quarter.
The lone Rutgers (1-2) goal of the afternoon came with just over four minutes left in regulation on a penalty corner from Laura Loycke.
“A hard-fought team win today,” Virginia head coach Ole Keusgen said. “We played a very good first half but lost some control at the end of the game. We had too many turnovers but defended well and took pride in our defense to grind this win out.”
UVA will continue the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Sunday with a match at 11 a.m. against Ohio State that will be broadcast on Big Ten+.
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Chris Graham
