The No. 15 Virginia women's soccer team secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Syracuse on Saturday, October 13, at Klöckner Stadium. This marked a significant achievement for the Cavaliers, improving their record to 6-2-2 overall and 2-2-0 in the ACC, while Syracuse fell to 4-6-2 and 1-4-0 in the conference.
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Virginia took an early lead in the ninth minute when Gio Canali scored with a header, assisted by Ella Carter’s well-placed corner kick. The Cavaliers extended their lead in the 80th minute through Aniyah Collier, who capitalized on a transition play initiated by Addison Halpern. Collier received the ball on the left side and found the back of the net to make it 2-0.
Jordyn Hardeman added to the Cavaliers’ score with two goals in quick succession: the first came in the 84th minute with a left-footed shot, followed by a penalty kick in the 85th minute after a Syracuse handball.
Key highlights from the match include Canali netting her third goal of the season after returning from the U20 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Halpern has now contributed to goals in 8 of the 10 matches played this season, and Collier has scored three times this season, with two of those goals during ACC play. Hardeman's brace was also notable, marking the first time she scored twice in a single match.
Head coach Steve Swanson praised Canali's performance, remarking on the difficulties of returning from international play and expressing admiration for her reintegration into the team. He also acknowledged the emotional significance of Senior Night, commending the senior class for their sacrifices and contributions to the program.
Looking ahead, Virginia will face a challenging week of ACC competition, traveling to No. 12 Notre Dame on Thursday, October 8, followed by a match at SMU on October 11.