WACO, Texas – No. 11 Baylor soccer (20-5-0) grinded out a hard-fought win over No. 12 Virginia (17-4-1), securing the program’s first-ever back-to-back trip into the Elite 8 on Sunday evening at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field.
Carrying a No. 2 national seed, the Bears maintained their perfect record at home in 2018, finishing off the season with a program record 13-0 standing.
Baylor came out firing, scoring in the first 15 minutes in each of its first three NCAA matches and scoring in the first six minutes in the second-straight outing.
BU caught the net in the sixth minute, with Ally Henderson taking the corner and finding Julie James for the header goal.
After Virginia found an equalizer goal in the 17th minute, the two sides stayed in lock step in a 1-1 tie through the opening period.
The Bears were able to take advantage on one of just two shots in the second period, with Raegan Padgett making a run down the right side and finding a window for a cross in front of the box.
Kennedy Brown cut through the UVA defense, heading a score in that would stand as the game-winner and clinch the 2-1 victory for the Bears.
Baylor will travel to Washington, D.C., for a Saturday matchup with the No. 1 seed and No. 4-ranked Georgetown Hoyas at 11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET.
