Virginia Rolls to the NCAA Second Round with 6-0 Victory over High Point

The cavaliers scored four goals in the first half en route to a dominant win over the Panthers in the first round of the NCAA Championship

Photo courtesy of Virginia Athletics Communications

The first step of Virginia’s journey to the College Cup went exactly as planned. The No. 1 seed UVA women’s soccer team welcomed High Point to Klockner Stadium on Friday night for the first round of the NCAA Championship. The Cavaliers dominated the Panthers from start to finish, scoring four goals in the first half and rolling into the second round with a 6-0 victory.

Virginia scored first in the 12th minute on an own goal by High Point. Sydney Zandi took a hard left-footed shot that High Point goalkeeper Morgan Hairston got a hand on to knock the ball out of bounds. On the ensuing corner kick, the ball hit a High Point defender near the back post and bounced in the goal to put the Cavaliers up 1-0.

Five minutes later, the Hoos scored properly, with Sydney Zandi putting the ball in the back of the net on a left-footed strike to make it 2-0.

In the 20th minute, Virginia got a third goal as Laney Rouse passed to Alexis Theoret, who placed her rocket of a shot perfectly in the top right corner of the net for the goal.

Virginia possessed the ball for nearly the entire first half and High Point did not even attempt a shot before halftime. UVA outshot High Point 12-0, with nine of those shots going on goal.

In the 41st minute, sophomore Sarah Brunner scored the first goal of her career to make it 4-0 going into halftime.

The Cavaliers took their foot slightly off the gas in the second half, content to possess the ball passively and nurse their 4-0 lead.

But, the victory wouldn’t be complete without a goal from Diana Ordonez off an assist by Haley Hopkins, a connection which has produced several goals for the Cavaliers this season. Ordonez got the feed from Hopkins and put the ball in the top left corner of the goal to make it 5-0 in the 60th minute.

Virginia added one final goal as Kira Maguire found the back of the net off of a pass from Emma Dawson.

UVA outshot High Point 23-2 in the match and shots on goal were 15-1 in favor of Virginia. It was an admirable effort by goalkeeper Morgan Hairston, who made 10 saves for the Panthers. UVA’s starting goalkeeper Laurel Ivory did not face a shot on goal, and reserve goalie Cayla White saved the only shot she faced.

With the win, Virginia (17-2-2) advances to the round of 32 and will face the winner of Xavier and Milwaukee on November 19th at Klockner Stadium. 

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