Women’s soccer: UVA hosts Monmouth in NCAA Tournament first round Friday

The UVA women’s soccer team is one of four No. 3 seeds in the NCAA Tournament and will host Monmouth (14-4-2) in a first-round matchup at Klöckner Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday, the NCAA announced with the release of the tournament bracket on Monday (Nov. 7).

Tickets for the game are $9 for reserved seats, $7 for adult general admission and $5 for youth/UVA students/senior citizen general admission. Fans can order tickets for the tournament online at VirginiaSports.com and by phone through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 800-542-UVA1 (8821) or 434-924-UVA1 (8821). Tickets are also available at the gate beginning one hour prior to the start of play.

Free public parking will be available in the Emmet/Ivy Garage. Paid parking will be available in the University Hall and cage lots for $5. The Virginia women’s basketball team hosts Middle Tennessee State at 7 p.m. on Friday, so the John Paul Jones Arena garage and surface parking lots are reserved for women’s basketball.

This season marks the 19th time in the past 23 years the Cavaliers have hosted NCAA Tournament play at Klöckner Stadium. Overall, Virginia has a 31-12-4 record in home NCAA Tournament games.

Virginia is making its 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and its 29th overall. Only North Carolina and Notre Dame have longer active streaks of tournament appearances. Last year, Virginia advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and played Rutgers to a draw. The Knights won the penalty kick shootout, ending the Cavaliers’ season.

This season, Virginia holds a 13-4-2 record entering the NCAA Tournament and is undefeated at home, posting a 10-0-1 mark at Klöckner Stadium. The Cavaliers’ four losses all came on the road, with three of them to teams who have been ranked in the top five at some point in the 2016 season.

The Cavaliers boast five All-ACC players on this year’s squad, including senior Alexis Shaffer (Cary, N.C.) who was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year. The Cavaliers have been stout defensively with senior goalkeeper Morgan Stearns (San Antonio, Texas) and a back line that posted 10 shutout victories and allowed only 15 goals this season.

Monmouth claimed the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship this season, posting a 5-2 win over Quinnipiac in the finals to secure the win. The Hawks went 9-0-1 in conference play, led by Madie Gibson with 12 goals and Rachelle Ross with 10 goals. Alexis McTamney was the top ball distributor with 10 assists on the season.

In goal, Amanda Knaub posted nine solo shutouts and allowed only eight goals on the season.

The winner of Friday’s contest will advance to play the winner of a first-round matchup between Bucknell and defending NCAA Champion Penn State on Friday, Nov. 18.