A trio of goals flipped Friday night’s match in UNC women’s soccer’s favor, as the No. 1 Tar Heels rode a wave of offense in the first half to win on the road vs. No. 16 Virginia.
In their first game returning to the top ranking in the country, Carolina used two scores from sophomore forward Bella Devey to quickly seize control. She received a pass in the goalkeeper’s box from senior Lilliah Blum, who dispossessed a Cavalier in the attacking third, and fired a one-timer right-footed shot past the Virginia keeper to make it 1-0 in the ninth minute.
Just 30 seconds later, she found the back of the net again. After Virginia turned the ball over from play resuming, UNC junior defender Bella Gaetino sent a long aerial pass upfield to Devey, who dashed past a defender to collect it and slot the ball to the goalkeeper’s right again. The goal marked Devey’s third brace of the season and 12th goal.
Bella Devey, you are unreal.
Two goals in less than 30 seconds tonight ?#GoHeels x @NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/XKsMkOPzcq
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 25, 2026
Carolina earned its third goal just two minutes later, with a Virginia defender committing a handball in the keeper’s box and the referee awarding an automatic penalty kick. Grad student and midfielder Summer Denigan stepped up and finished off her fifth PK goal of 2026 and eighth overall, just beating the Cavaliers keeper’s outstretched hands to the right side of the net.
While Virginia’s offense picked up momentum after the opening 12 minutes, the Tar Heel defense limited their success. The lone goal by the home team came in the 55th, after a Carolina handball similarly led to Virginia earning and scoring off a penalty kick. Sophomore forward Addison Halpern buried her shot into the bottom right corner, with UNC goalkeeper Hannah Johann staying put in the middle of the goal. Still, Johann finished Friday with a season high five saves.
Friday’s victory is the seventh consecutive for UNC head coach Damon Nehas’ team, the second ranked win of the season, and moved them to 10-1 this fall. Meanwhile, the win also marked Carolina’s first road game vs. Virginia since a 1-0 victory in 2023 and maintains their unbeaten streak in Charlottesville dating back decades. The Tar Heels hold a dominant series lead vs. the Cavaliers of 42-5-5.
Up next for Carolina is a return home and week-long break before hosting Notre Dame on Friday, October 2.
Featured image via UNC Athletics Communications.
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