Women's Soccer Drops UCLA, Heads to 2014 College Cup

While much of the attention of the Virginia fan base was down in Blacksburg or up in Brooklyn, the Virginia women's soccer team was in Los Angeles fighting for a spot in the 2014 College Cup. In the end, they did what the men's team did - pushed ahead and hung on for the win, downing previously unbeaten UCLA 2-1.

Junior Emily Sonnett got the Cavaliers on the board first. In the 33rd minute she got the rebound off a blocked shot by Makenzy Doniak and found the back of the net past the Bruins' keeper. Prior to that goal, UCLA had not allowed a goal in 969 minutes - more than ten games! Virginia would hold the 1-0 lead through halftime.

Senior Morgan Brian gave the Wahoos an insurance goal in the 71st minute. A UCLA clear went straight to Brian who calmly set up and drilled a shot to the far post. That goal would mark the first time in the entire season that UCLA had given up multiple goals in a single game.

The insurance by Brian proved necessary as it took just three more minutes for the Bruins to answer. Caprice Dydasco sent a shot from the end line that ricocheted off the far post and snuck past the Virginia keeper, Sophomore Morgan Stearns.

But that was all the response that UCLA could muster and when the final whistle blew, the Virginia Cavaliers stood victorious over the #1 team in the country.

Virginia plays the first game of the College Cup at 5pm next Friday in Boca Raton, Florida, but they'll have to wait a little bit longer to find out their opponent. Texas A&M hosts Penn State tonight at 8pm for the right to face the Cavaliers. On the other side of the bracket, #2 Florida State trounced South Carolina 5-0 and Stanford squeaked out a win on penalty kicks over Florida. Those two teams meet at 7:30pm on Friday. The winners will play Sunday at 1pm. All three matches of the College Cup are televised on ESPNU.