Michigan
0-1-2, 0-0-0
Virginia
2-0-1, 0-0-0
Michigan Holds Fifth-Ranked Virginia Scoreless En Route to Draw
8/24/2023 11:16:00 PM | Women's Soccer
» Michigan's lone shot of the second half was the best chance of the match for either side, as a Kali Burrell breakaway was saved with 31 seconds to play.
» The Virginia offense entered the contest averaging 5.00 goals/match, and the U-M defense held the unit to only two shots on goal and scoreless overall.
» The Wolverines improve to 8-8-2 all-time against ranked teams under head coach Jennifer Klein.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against the No. 5-ranked Virginia Cavaliers Thursday (Aug. 24) at UVA's Klockner Stadium.
Michigan deployed a high-press defensive tactic against the highly-rated Virginia attack that entered the matchup averaging five goals per match.
With the game scoreless and the Wolverines fully committed to a defensive shape over the final 20 minutes of play, the best chance of the match for either side came with 31 seconds to go in the contest. U-M sophomore Kali Burrell beat her defender to earn a breakaway chance, but UVA goalkeeper Cayla White punched away her last-ditch effort just outside the six-yard box to preserve the 0-0 final.
Michigan improved to 8-8-2 against ranked teams under head coach Jennifer Klein, and the result is the sixth draw against a top-five team in program history.
Michigan (0-1-2) earned consecutive chances in the 16th and 19th minutes of the opening half, with both coming from senior Sammi Woods. Her first effort came from 20 yards out top left and was saved, while the latter was the result of a high work rate that Woods collected and fired wide right.
Virginia (2-0-1) led the shot category 7-4 at the halftime break but only had two shots on frame. Each of the attempts were handled with relative ease by U-M senior goalkeeper Stephanie Sparkowski.
UVA took control of the match in the second half, holding an 8-0 lead in the shot category over the first 44:29 of the second stanza before Burrell gave U-M its best chance of the night with a shot on goal in the final minute.
Freshman Lilley Bosley made her first collegiate start as a second holding midfielder, logging 77 minutes of action. Midfield partners junior Avery Kalitta and junior Avery Peters were the pair of Wolverine field players to play the full 90 minutes.
Next up, Michigan hosts its first home match of the 2023 season with a contest against the Boston College Eagles on Thursday (Aug. 31) at 7 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+.
