Fourth-ranked Virginia scored three times in the second half to break open a close game on the scoreboard on its way to a 4-0 win over Howard on Sunday at Klöckner Stadium.
UVA (7-0-0) got on the board first in the 21st minute. Samar Guidry cleaned up a deflected ball off a shot from Allie Ross, and after an attack, the ‘Hoos reset the offense with a ball out wide to the right for Laney Rouse.
Rouse cut in and played the ball in to Ross between the top of the six and the penalty mark. The shot was saved by the keeper, but the deflection bounced out to the left where Guidry was making her run, and the defender slotted it back across goal and in past the right post.
UVA doubled the lead in the 56th minute on an Ella Carter goal. Alexis Theoret played the ball out wide on the right side to Sophia Bradley, who pulled up and served the ball toward the back post.
Carter pulled up on her run and volleyed the ball between two defenders for the score and the 2-0 lead.
The third goal came in the 74th minute off a corner kick for the ‘Hoos. Linda Mittermair sent the ball in toward the near post, where the ball got caught up between Maki and the keeper, and dropped for the strike from Maki and the 3-0 Virginia lead.
Virginia’s fourth and final goal came in the 86th minute on a penalty kick from Ross.
“It was really good to be back at home. What a crowd, and what a beautiful day for soccer,” UVA coach Steve Swanson said. “We’re happy to get the win, but we didn’t perform as well as we would have liked. We weren’t as sharp as we’re going to need to be in the ACC. There are things we can get better in, but there is a lot of positive to take away from the non-conference portion of the season and some momentum going into the first ACC game on the road at Miami.”
Virginia jumps into ACC play this week and kicks things off on the road at Miami on Thursday. Kick against the Hurricanes is set for 7 p.m. on ACCNX.