Second-ranked Virginia got a pair of goals in a three-minute span in the second half to break away from Miami in a 3-1 win in Coral Gables on Thursday night.
The ‘Hoos (8-0-0, 1-0-0 ACC) opened the scoring in the ninth minute, striking off a free kick about five yards outside the left corner of the box. Alexis Theoret served the ball in toward the six, and Allie Ross flicked it on, with the ball bending in past the back post off her header.
Miami (3-3-1, 0-1-0 ACC) evened things in the 42nd minute off a corner kick. Tori Grambo served the ball to the back post, where Crosby Nicholson was waiting and leaped for the header over her defender for the score.
Virginia took the lead in the 77th minute when Ross found the back of the net a second time. An outlet played to freshman Sophia Bradley at midfield led to a footrace down the left side as Ross ran with her down the middle of the field.
Bradley cut into the box and took a shot that was deflected by a defender on toward goal, where Ross finished her run by tapping the ball into the net.
The third Cavalier goal came two minutes later off another free kick. Along the touch line in front of the Virginia bench, Theoret sent the ball into the six, where it dropped in front of Tatum Galvin at the near post, and the defender tapped it in for the score.
“This was a tough game, as we knew it would be,” UVA coach Steve Swanson said. “Full credit to Miami, as they were organized and played very hard. We competed much better in the second half and won more first and second balls, which led to some good attacks for us.”
Up Next: Virginia returns home to host Wake Forest on Sunday. Kick is set for noon on ACC Network, and tickets are available at UVATix.com.
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Chris Graham
