TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 11 Cavalier women’s soccer team captured its third consecutive victory, downing Arizona 4-1 Friday afternoon in the first game of the Sun Devil Desert Classic on the campus of Arizona State. Four different players scored for Virginia, who won its first game west of the Mississippi River since 2000.
 
“This was a very good result for us,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “Given the travel yesterday and the heat, I am proud of the effort. We got a total team effort tonight.”
 
The Cavaliers (3-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute of play. Amanda Stewart (West Chester, Pa.) found Lindsey Miller (Nashua, N.H.) at the top of the box, who placed a shot just inside the far post for her first goal of the season. Virginia would take that 1-0 lead into the break.
 
“Lindsey and Amanda did a good job coming off the bench and giving us a spark at the right time,” said Swanson. “The first goal was huge and let us settle down. It allowed us to keep adding on in the second half and put the game away.”
 
Early in the second half, the Cavaliers doubled their lead as Jess Rostedt (Kent, Ohio) scored off a cross from Caitlin Miskel in the 50th minute for her third goal of the season. Miskel set up another goal off a cross in the 64th minute as Sinead Farrelly (Havertown, Pa.) tallied her second goal of the season. Kika Toulouse (Arlington, Va.) made the score 4-0 on her free kick goal in the 72nd minute. The shutout was spoiled by Arizona (0-3-1) as Samantha Drees scored on a penalty kick with one second remaining.
 
“We finished some great goals tonight,” said Swanson. “We didn’t move the ball as well as we can early in the game, but after the first goal and throughout the second half, we played some good soccer and took advantage of the chances we were creating.”
 
Virginia outshot Arizona 18-6 in the game. Chantel Jones (Midlothian, Va.) made one save, but had her 353-minute shutout streak snapped with the last second penalty. Devon Wharf made four saves for the Wildcats.
 
The Cavaliers conclude play in the tournament on Sunday as they meet host Arizona State. Game time is slated for 1:30 p.m. MST (4:30 p.m. ET)