Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Despite a tough, come-back effort, a scrum goal proved lethal this evening, as the No. 1-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team lost, 2-1, in double-overtime to No. 10 Virginia at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
 
After falling behind 1-0 in the 68th minute, the Mountaineers (1-1) rode the energy of 2,421 fans to an equalizer 10 minutes later, as senior midfielder Alli Magaletta found the back of the net for her first score of the season.
 
A WVU foul midway through the second overtime dashed the home squad's hopes of starting the young season 2-0, as midfielder Montana Sutton directed a free kick into the box, and defender Megan Reid turned with a WVU deflected ball before sending a game-winning shot toward the far left post in the 106th minute.
 
"It's tough, it's tough," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said of UVA's game-winner. "It was a tough scramble; tough call. We needed to clear it.
 
"A tie would have been a better result, probably a more fair result. Credit to Virginia. They capitalized on their first goal off a West Virginia mistake, and obviously they found a way to win.
 
UVA's Taylor Ziemer broke a scoreless game with hard shot from the top of the box that sailed toward the upper right corner, away from the reach of Mountaineer sophomore Rylee Foster.
 
WVU did not allow much time to pass before it answered. Following a Cavalier foul, junior defender Bianca St. Georges sent a deep free kick into the box, where Magaletta was waiting near the far left post. She met the ball in flight and immediately headed it toward the right pocket.
 
The teams finished with 12 shots and four corner kicks apiece. UVA (2-0) forced Foster into five saves, while Laurel Ivory made her first three stops of the season.
 
"We're finding ways to score, and that's important," Izzo-Brown added. "I do think teams are going to play us in a certain way that benefits their team chemistry and performance to disrupt us."
 
WVU had two quick chances in the first overtime, but a shot by junior forward Sh'Nia Gordon in the 92nd minute went high, and a free kick by senior midfielder Carla Portillo above the box in the 95th minute was caught at the line by Ivory.
 
Just prior to the game-winner, UVA's Taryn Torres placed a header from inside the box toward the net, but Foster stood her ground for her final save.
 
The energy-filled second half started with a great transition by the Mountaineers. After successfully defending the Cavaliers' third corner kick in the 51st minute, WVU quickly flipped the field. Gordon found senior defender Amandine Pierre-Louis wide, and she immediately sent the ball inside to Portillo, who successfully weaved through defenders before sending a through ball toward senior forward Michaela Abam. At the last minute, Ivory left her line and halted the chance.
 
Eleven minutes later, WVU was again pressing in the final third. Portillo had a shot blocked from the top of the box. The Mountaineers retained possession and worked the ball to Pierre-Louis, but her shot from deep was stopped by Ivory.
 
Most of the first half was played between the boxes, as the Mountaineers and the Cavaliers struggled to get through midfield.
 
WVU had a quality chance in the 27th minute. Portillo broke the UVA backline down before taking a shot from just above the box, but it was blocked. Abam pounced on the ball and followed with a sliding shot, but Ivory was there for the save.
 
Less than one minute later, a WVU foul set-up a UVA free kick above the box. Ziemer lined up for the kick and sent an arching shot above the Mountaineers' defending line. Foster made the right first move and easily came up with a catching save.
 
Portillo and Ziemer each finished with a game-best three shots.
 
With the loss, WVU drops to 3-10-1 all-time against UVA and 2-3-1 in matches played in Morgantown. The Mountaineers are now 15-6-1 in home openers.
 
Of note, tonight's attendance ranks No. 3 in the Mountaineer record book.
 
WVU returns to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium this Sunday, Aug. 27, for a 5 p.m. match against Duquesne. It's the first-ever Dog Day, and fans can bring their dog to the stadium with a completed attendance waiver. Dog Day attendance waivers can be found HERE. Additionally, the Mountaineers will meet with fans and sign autographs following the match.