NCAA News: Virginia Women’s Soccer Defeats Milwaukee in NCAA Second Round
No.1 seed Virginia women’s soccer team continues its advance towards the College Cup after beating Milwaukee in the second round courtesy of ACC Offensive Player of the Year Ordoñez’ brace. Next up for Virginia is a date with BYU, which marks a reprisal of last season’s second-round match in the tournament.
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No.1 Virginia Cavaliers took another step forward in the NCAA women’s soccer Championship Thursday, reaching the round of Sweet 16 after clinching the 2-0 win over Milwaukee Panthers on their home turf at Klockner Stadium. The win follows a solid 6-0 win over High Point last Friday to kick-start the tournament on a high note.
Diana Ordoñez lifted the Panthers to the victory with her two goals on each side of the halfway mark. The Cavaliers were opportunistic from start to finish, pressing Milwaukee’s defense at every turn. In the first half, the Cavaliers outshot the Panthers 9-0.
The victory could have been much greater had it not been for some stoic defending from Milwaukee. It took the Hoos until halfway through the first half to crack the scoreboard.
Ordoñez’ headed the first goal off a brilliant long cross from Samar Guidry in the 26th minute. In the second half, the Panthers applied more pressure, putting two shots on goal. However, Virginia goalkeeper Laurel Ivory stood tall and denied both attempts.
In the 83rd minute, though, Milwaukee picked up its insurance goal. Ordoñez picked up a lovely pass from Alexa Spaanstra to score the second goal and her 18th goal this season.
In scoring her 18th goal, Ordoñez ties for third-most goals in the program’s history in a single season, matching Angela Hucles (1997). She also improved to third overall in UVA history with a total career tally of 45 goals. However, if Virginia continues its advance in this competition, she’s likely to top up her goal tally on both scores. Separately, goalie Laurel Ivory recorded her 68th win with the Cavaliers, bringing her one shy of the program record of 69.
Head coach Steve Swanson was well pleased with his side’s performance and especially with Ordoñez’s play, praising her efforts to the media in his post-game presser. “Diana, like she often does, found a way to get on the end of things,” said Swanson. [Source NBC 29]
Ordoñez graciously complimented the team in turn, crediting team ethos for the victory. “I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” says Ordoñez. “The service on each of those goals is world-class. They put it right where it needs to be, and I just have to finish.”
Next up for Virginia is BYU, who defeated Alabama 4-1 in the second round earlier that day. This marks the second-straight meeting in the competition between Virginia and BYU. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at Klocker Stadium.
High expectations preceded the Crimson Tide into the tournament according to NCAA soccer betting forums, but it all ended in the second round at Klockner Stadium on Thursday afternoon as they fell to BYU.
Alabama was making its first-ever appearance in the second round. Although this was unchartered territory, historical achievements lend nicely to the potential for a Cinderella runs. Hope springs eternal, so they say. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be for the Crimson Tide, despite reaching a milestone in the program’s history.
It was always going to be a tough ask for Crimson Tide. They were facing the high-octane Cougars offense, which went into Thursday’s contest as the leading program in the nation on goals scored.
The game barely started and BYU was up 1-0 with a goal from Cameron Tucker to give the Cougars the 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. Sixteen minutes later, BYU advanced its lead to 2-0 after Mikayla Colohan scored on a penalty kick. Colohan added a second goal less than two minutes from halftime to lift her side to the commanding 3-0 lead.
Alabama started the second half brightly and in the 65th minute, a goal from Felicia Knox shaved BYU’s lead to just two goals. However, less than ten minutes later Colohan’s hat-trick third goal restored BYU’s lead to three goals.
Colohan’s hat-trick marked only her second career hat-trick, but the timing of it couldn’t have been better as she singlehandedly propelled the Cougars into the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA soccer tournament.
BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood was full of praise for Colohan after the game. “What a great performance and hard-fought battle between us and Alabama,” said Rockwood in a press release. “We haven’t seen that type of pressure in a while. Such a great night for Kayla. She put on a show.”
BYU’s victory sets up a date with Virginia in the third round, which is a reprisal of last’s season’s second-round clash between these two programs. Virginia dismissed BYU last season from the tournament.
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