We Speak Soccer

Izzy Engle and Notre Dame Face Virginia, Duke Faces North Carolina as ACC Women’s Soccer Semifinals Resume Thursday

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

Duke women's soccer players in blue jerseys celebrating together on the field after a win at Wake Forest.

Duke players celebrate after advancing to the ACC Women's Soccer Championship semifinals at Wake Forest. Photo: ACC

Both ACC women’s soccer semifinals in Cary on Thursday are rematches: Virginia gets another shot at top seed Notre Dame after Izzy Engle’s late winner decided their first meeting, and Duke and North Carolina meet for the 59th time, with a place in Sunday’s final on the line.

The 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship continues Thursday, November 12, with semifinal action from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

After a pair of upsets in the first round, No. 5 seed Virginia faces top-seeded Notre Dame at 11 a.m. ET, while No. 6 seed Duke takes on No. 2 seed North Carolina at 2 p.m. ET. Both matchups will air live on ACC Network. The two upsets marked the first time since 2021 that both lower-seeded teams advanced to the semifinals.

The first semifinal contest is a rematch of an October 8 clash in which Notre Dame edged Virginia, 1-0, in South Bend from a late goal off the foot of Fighting Irish striker Izzy Engle. Engle’s 83rd-minute strike helped snap a two-match winless stretch and began a six-match winning streak entering the postseason. The Cavaliers are in the semifinals for the second straight season after not appearing since 2021, while the Fighting Irish are in the semifinals for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

North Carolina and Duke will also meet for the second time this season, as the Tar Heels earned a 4-2 victory in the first matchup on September 17. Lilliah Blum scored twice in the win. Thursday’s match will mark the 59th meeting all-time between the in-state rivals and 15th in the Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship. Duke is making its third straight appearance in the semifinals, while North Carolina returns for the 35th time.

Ticket books are $40 for all six matches of the ACC Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships. Single-game tickets for the semifinal matches are $10 in advance and $15 on game day, while championship game tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on game day. Tickets are available online only and no walk-up sales will be available.

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 — First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.): #5 Virginia vs. #1 Notre Dame, 11 a.m., ACC Network; #6 Duke vs. #2 North Carolina, 2 p.m., ACC Network. Final | Sunday, Nov. 15, Noon, ESPNU.

Noting ACC Women’s Soccer: the ACC has seven teams in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, most of any conference, and nine teams in the RPI top 30; ACC teams have combined for 86 non-conference wins and a .801 winning percentage, both leading the nation; 12 ACC standouts were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List.

North Carolina Faces Virginia Sunday for the 2026 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

Published

23 hours ago

November 14, 2026

We Speak Media

North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer players in white warmup tops laughing together on the field before a match at Dorrance Field

North Carolina chases a record 23rd ACC tournament title and Virginia chases its first since 2012 when the Tar Heels and Cavaliers meet Sunday at noon ET in Cary on ESPNU.

Second-seeded North Carolina and fifth-seeded Virginia will play for the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship Sunday at noon ET from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will meet in the title match for the fifth time, with previous matchups in 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2019. North Carolina is 3-1 in those matchups, with UVA’s lone win coming in 2004. It will also be the first time since a No. 2 seed has faced a No. 5 seed in the final since 2012, when fifth-seeded Virginia defeated second-seeded Maryland, 4-0. That season was the last time the Cavaliers have won the ACC title.

UNC is in the ACC Championship final for the 30th time and seeks its record 23rd tournament title. The Tar Heels have dropped their last three final appearances (2020, 2022 and 2024) and have not won the ACC crown since defeating Virginia in the 2019 title match. UNC looks to become the first No. 2 seed since Florida State in 2022 to win the women’s soccer championship.

Virginia returns to the ACC title match for the first time since 2021, having won the championship twice (2004 and 2012). The Cavaliers have not allowed a goal in their last four matches and five of their last six contests. It marks the first time a team has advanced to the title match from the first round without allowing a goal since 2020.

Sunday’s final will be broadcast live on ESPNU at noon ET. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on game day and are available online only; no walk-up sales will be available.

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

First Round | Sunday, Nov. 8 – Campus Sites

#6 Duke 5, at #3 Wake Forest 4 (OT)
#5 Virginia 3, at #4 Florida State 0

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#5 Virginia 1, #1 Notre Dame 0
#2 North Carolina 1, #6 Duke 0

Final | Sunday, Nov. 15 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#2 North Carolina vs. #5 Virginia | Noon | ESPNU
All times Eastern

Noting ACC Women’s Soccer

• The 40th season of ACC Women’s Soccer got underway on Wednesday, August 12, while the 39th Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship concludes Sunday, November 15, with the championship final from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

• The ACC has seven teams in the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll, the most of any conference.

• The poll includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 Wake Forest, No. 10 Virginia, No. 12 Duke, No. 16 Florida State and No. 16 Stanford (tie). Clemson and Virginia Tech are receiving votes.

• The ACC has eight teams ranked among the top 30 in the RPI, also the most of any conference.

• The RPI top 30 includes No. 1 North Carolina, No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 11 Virginia, No. 13 Duke, No. 15 Stanford, No. 28 Florida State and No. 29 Clemson.

• Four ACC teams were named to the initial NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee Top 16, announced on Monday, October 26: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 11 Stanford.

• ACC teams have combined for 86 non-conference wins and a .801 winning percentage, both of which lead the nation.

• A total of 12 ACC standouts were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, the most among all conferences. The next-closest conference had six.

• Florida State earned the ACC’s 27th national championship (24th since the ACC began sponsoring women’s soccer) a season ago, bringing the total to 33 national championships among current ACC institutions. No school outside the ACC has won more than two championships.

• The Seminoles defeated Stanford, 1-0, in the 2025 national championship match, marking the second straight year that two ACC teams met for the national title and the third consecutive championship match featuring current ACC members.