UVA Soccer: Top-seeded ‘Hoos defeat Penn State, advance to NCAA Round of 16

Virginia got its second win over Penn State in 2025, getting an early goal from Maggie Cagle and a second-half insurance goal from Lia Godfrey to go on to a 2-0 victory in an NCAA Tournament matchup Thursday at Klöckner Stadium.

With the win, the top-seeded ‘Hoos (14-3-4) advance to the Round of 16, and will face #4 seed Washington (15-2-6), a 1-0 winner over #5 seed Arkansas, on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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UVA and Penn State (10-8-1), the #8 seed, had met earlier in the season, with the Cavaliers getting the 1-0 win in the Sept. 4 matchup, on the strength of a goal in the second minute from Cagle.

The icebreaker in last night’s game came in the 33rd minute. Lia Godfrey dribbled into the box and played a ball off to Jill Flammia for a shot on her right. The shot from Flammia was saved by the Nittany Lions keeper, but deflected back out to Cagle, who sent it back up and in over the keeper for the goal.

Virginia doubled the lead in the 68th minute with a strike from Godfrey. The ‘Hoos played a short corner from the right side to Cagle at the edge of the 18. Cagle sent it back out to Ella Carter, who served it to the six where Tatum Galvin headed it back to Godfrey on the back side. Godfrey fired the shot back across the face of goal and into the side netting past the right post for the 2-0 lead and final margin of victory.

“We knew it would be a tough game. Penn State has an excellent team, and we knew it would be like playing a game in a much later round of the tournament,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. “We did a good job. We created a lot of chances and scored two good goals. At times we controlled the game, though I think the second half got away from us a little bit at times. To get a win against a team as good as Penn State, and shutout especially, was good. Hopefully we can keep this ball rolling as we get ready for Washington this weekend.”