Maggie Cagle’s game-sealing goal dooms Syracuse in loss vs. UVA
UVA attacker Maggie Cagle is marked by Julia Arbelaez and Jasmine Nixon. Cagle constantly pestered SU's defense in its 3-0 loss to Virginia. Aaron Hammer | Staff Photographer
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Nicky Thrasher Adams knows it all too well.
When Adams was selected in the third round of the 2002 Women’s United Soccer Association Draft by the Atlanta Beat, Kelly Cagle was already waiting. The 26-year-old had been selected in the WUSA’s inaugural draft two years before. In 12 games in 2001, she scored two goals, earning a reputation from Adams as a technical forward and a natural finisher. For Adams, Kelly was a teammate to chase.
While Adams’ professional career with the Beat ended years ago, reminders of Kelly still surface. Not through a video highlight, or the occasional message from a former teammate. Instead, Adams is reminded by the opposite sideline.
As Syracuse lined up against Virginia Saturday, Kelly’s daughter, Maggie Cagle, took the field for UVA. Maggie has established herself as a stalwart for the Cavaliers, with 22 goals and 25 assists through four years entering the two teams’ contest.
It was the latest chapter in a story that started over 20 years ago. With the senior Maggie potentially playing her final career game against the Orange, she made sure to close the book on a high note for herself.
In Syracuse’s (4-3-4, 0-2-1 Atlantic Coast) 3-0 loss to No. 1 Virginia (8-0-1, 2-0-0 Atlantic Coast), SU felt Maggie’s presence. She scored UVA’s final goal, a strike that sealed SU’s fate and extended its winless streak in ACC play, which dates back to 2022.
“She plays just like her mama. Hardworking. So technical. Great goal scorer,” Adams said postgame. “She’s a fantastic player.”
Virginia is the No. 1-ranked team in the nation for a reason. The Cavaliers spread the ball, and their defense is nearly impossible to crack, conceding two goals so far.
Though so highly ranked, Virginia doesn’t break the top 40 in assists per game, points per game, shots per game and scoring offense. The blueprint was there. Syracuse needed to punish UVA’s defense with its own attack, while dealing with Virginia’s mediocre one. But it couldn’t do so, and Maggie was a key reason why.
Her movement opened space, her distribution turned half-chances into threats and in return, SU couldn’t focus on scoring. It constantly clung to Maggie. Each time the Orange pushed forward, she pulled them back.
Virginia was firing early, with two shots under three minutes into play. First, Maggie sprinted down the right flank, trailed by SU midfielder Gabby Wisbeck. Wisbeck applied pressure on Maggie, but the senior still attempted a shot on goal, which goalkeeper Shea Vanderbosch leapt to reject.
That was just the beginning.
Fifteen minutes in, Maggie again found herself pushing down the right channel with the ball.
The forward scored just six days ago against Virginia Commonwealth. She danced through VCU’s backline, advancing into the goalie box to punish Rams goalkeeper Mia Pongratz.
But it all started with a simple rush down the sideline. The start of Saturday’s sequence mirrored Maggie’s score versus VCU. Yet, the sequence ended with a different result.
Mia Klammer dashed from outside the 18-yard box to catch Maggie’s cross just in time. She cleared it out before UVA midfielder Lia Godfrey’s shot nearly got past Vanderbosch, who punched it over the net to keep the game scoreless.
“When you scout (Virginia), there’s not a lot of interchanges,” Adams said of UVA’s attack. “But every single player they have is so technical. Their ability to pass and move away from defenders is so dangerous.”
As the first half drew to a close, Maggie remained in her spot down the right sideline. Ahead of her was SU defender Jasmine Nixon. With Nixon attached to Maggie’s hip, Godfrey put the Cavaliers on the board with a scorcher past the outstretched dive of Vanderbosch. Nixon never left Maggie’s side.
“You think you scout Cagle and then you got Godfrey,” Adams said. “It’s nonstop.”
Through 45 minutes against the nation’s best, Syracuse was still contending. Then, its one-goal deficit grew to two with just over 16 minutes left in the game.
Finally, Maggie broke it open.
A foul in the box by Aleena Ulke gave her a chance to put the game out of reach. She wound up, and as Vanderbosch dove right, Maggie’s penalty went left and into the back of the net.
It had always been a running story: Cagle and Adams. Three goals, one assist across three matchups against the Orange.
But Saturday might’ve been the final chapter. If it truly was, Maggie got the last laugh.
“We go way back,” Adams said jokingly. “We will miss her.”
