Women’s Soccer: #1 UVA, NC State play to scoreless draw

The No. 1 UVA women’s soccer team (10-0-3, 2-0-3 ACC) put five shots on frame, but couldn’t find the back of the net as the Cavaliers played NC State (6-4-3, 1-1-3 ACC) to a scoreless draw on Wednesday night at Dail Stadium.

It’s only the second time this season the Cavalier have been held without a goal with the other being a scoreless draw against then No. 10 Duke. All three draws have come in conference play. It was the ninth time this season the Cavaliers have shutout an opponent and fourth consecutive match without surrendering a goal.

“We expected a challenging game and we got one,” said Virginia head coach Steve Swanson. “NC State did a good job of limiting our attacking space and denying us quality chances. I thought we had some good stretches, but not enough to really make a difference.”

Meghan McCool (Glenside, Pa.) missed on a great chance in the eighth minute, taking a ball at the top of the box and sending it toward the far post that would sail just over the crossbar.

Diana Ordonez (Prosper, Texas) got a pair of chances in the second half, both saved by the NC State keeper. The first came in the 77th minute when the freshman forward sent a shot toward the far post from the top of the box that was saved by Berlin. The second came in the 85th minute off a free kick. Ordonez bent her shot around the wall, but again a diving save kept the Cavaliers off the scoreboard.

Virginia had the only three chances of the first overtime period, including a shot blocked and a second turned away following a corner kick in the 92nd minute.

The Wolfpack had the edge in shots in the second overtime period with a 4-to-1 edge, three of them from the home team coming from distance. Rebecca Jarrett (Washington Township, N.J.) had the only strike of the period for Virginia, putting her shot from outside the top of the box on frame, but right into the arms of NC State’s keeper.

The Cavaliers and Wolfpack have played to a scoreless draw in the last two meetings at Dail Stadium.

Virginia will close out its three-match road trip with a top-five showdown on Sunday (Oct. 13) when the Cavaliers face No. 5 Florida State at 1 p.m. on ACC Network.