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Nov 16, 2019, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Radford University Women's Soccer vs UVA in the first round of the NCAA tournament.Photo Credit: Bob Donnan
Bob Donnan
0
Radford RAD (16-6-0, 7-3-0)
3
Winner Virginia UVA (17-1-3, 6-0-3)
Radford RAD
(16-6-0, 7-3-0)
0
Final
3
Virginia UVA
(17-1-3, 6-0-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Radford RAD 0 0 0
Virginia UVA 2 1 3

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

HIGHLANDERS FALL TO VIRGINIA DESPITE STRONG SHOWING IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 2019 season came to an end on Saturday night for the Radford women's soccer team, but not without a strong showing in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament that ended with the Highlanders falling to top-seeded Virginia, 3-0, at Klöckner Stadium.
 
The opening whistle blew and the 2019 NCAA Tournament had begun. The Cavaliers controlled most of the possession in the early stages and fired four shots within the first 15 minutes of play. Courtenay Kaplan made three impressive saves to keep the match scoreless.
 
With the match still scoreless Lily McLane corralled a misplayed ball by the Virginia defense. She made a move past one defender and fired a shot as another defender blocked it. Four minutes later Sydney Zandi put the Cavaliers on the board in the 23rd minute taking a strike from just inside the 18-yard box.
 
The Cavaliers added another score 10 minutes before halftime to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. UVA had 17 shots in the half to Radford's one.
 
However, the Highlanders kept fighting and scratching their way back. The first major scoring opportunity for Radford came midway through the second half when Nelia Perez made a breakaway run towards the goal leaving the Virginia defenders in the dust. Michaela Moran, the UVA goalkeeper, made a great play on the ball during the one-on-one matchup and saved Perez's shot.
 
That came five minutes after Virginia scored its final goal of the match and would have cut the deficit to two scores.
 
Radford had three other scoring chances between the 74th and 77th minute. Perez took her second shot of the match in the 74th minute but Moran came away with her second save. Just two minutes later Radford had a three-on-two offensive opportunity.
 
Perez found McLane, who got around the defense and took her second shot of the contest but it was saved. The saved shot bounced back into play and found Katie Oliver. The freshman had an open look and fired a shot but it was blocked by the quick defense.
 
Kaplan and Lexi Dean each had seven saves through 45 minutes of play. Kaplan allowed the pair of goals in the first half, while Dean surrendered one in the second. Virginia controlled possession for 80 percent of the match and took 34 total shots.
 
Radford finished the season with a record-tying 16 wins for the second consecutive year. It's the third time the Highlanders have had 16 wins during a season and the first time it has happened in back-to-back years.
 
TWEET OF THE MATCH  
QUOTABLE
"Congratulations to Virginia and good luck to them the rest of the tournament," Ben Sohrabi opened. "I thought we definitely competed tonight. I thought we were tough and well organized defensively and frustrated a very good UVA team. I thought we did well when we won the ball to have the courage to connect some passes. We created maybe the best chance of the game in the second half and Nelia almost finished it. It's been a special year and I'm proud of what this team has accomplished. Radford University should be proud of this group."
 
FOLLOW WOMEN'S SOCCER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford women's soccer team follow @RadfordWSOC on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Soccer on Facebook.
 
 
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