No. 8 Penn State weathered an early storm of goals by No. 4 Virginia but responded with a tempest of their own in a 5-2 route of the Cavaliers in the program's biggest win in years in front of a Jeffrey Field regular season record of 2,768 fans.

Prior to last year's first round home loss in the first round of the College Cup, the Lions had a 39-game win streak at Jeffrey Field.

Until just over a minute left into the first half in Sunday, it appeared that they were on their way to dropping two of their last five at home.

"It took us a little bit to relax," Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins said. "They've faced some opponents, like Notre Dame and Michigan, who have tested them a little bit more."

Virginia dominated much of the first half, as the Lions found themselves bogged down in their own third of the field.

Penn State got on the board first courtesy of an arrant pass break up. Senior forward Carmelina Moscato centered a ball from the right wing, trying to hit senior forward Tiffany Weimer. Cavalier defender Nikki Krzysik attempted to intercept the ball, but the ensuing deflection found the back of the net, resulting in a Virginia own goal.

Virginia responded nine minutes later with an unassisted goal by Kelly Hammond.

Just two minutes later, the Lions found themselves in a whole. Senior defender Lindsay Davis got beat on the left wing. Senior goalie Erin McLeod came out to help the co-captain. A centering pass then found Hammond again, who inched the ball past the feet-first slide of senior defender Natalie Jacobs, giving the Cavs a 2-1 lead.

The aggressiveness continued, but it cost Virginia four minutes later. Sophomore midfielder Aubrey Aden-Buie boomed a clearing pass down the left wing. With the Cavaliers drawn forward, Weimer had only one defender and the goalkeeper to beat. She did just that, beating the defender around the corner and finding the right hand side of the net at 30:44.

As the game progressed, it became more physical and less-wide open, playing right into the Lions' hands as it resembled more of a Big Ten game.

A foul in the box at 43:54 gave Weimer a penalty kick. Virginia goalie Christina de Vries cheated to her right, but guessed wrong as the M.A.C. Hermann candidate went right.

Going into half, the Cavaliers liked where they were, but the inexperience in front of de Vries really hurt Virginia's effort to come back.

"I thought our inexperience showed," Virginia coach Steve Swanson. "I thought we created enough chances to score four goals in the first half."

Moscato scored her first goal of the season following a melee in front. Weimer shifted through the box, but de Vries made one of her three saves on the afternoon. Weimer's shot off the rebound found the cross bar, but Moscato cleaned up the mess, burying it early in the second half.

"I really felt like we had to hold them to three goals, but that goal really took the wind out of our sails," Swanson said.

Redshirt freshman Zoe Bouchelle, who appeared in only four games last year before a stress fracture in her foot, netted her first career goal, finishing the route.

At midfield, Weimer found a streaking Sheree Gray down the right side. Gray led Moscato, who crossed to Bouchelle who was flying by the farside goalpost, heading it past de Vries.

"It looked huge; it was so perfectly placed," Zoe said on the centering pass from Moscato. "It was the most beautiful ball. Easy finish."

The win marked the Lions' third win over a top-five team in the history of the program, and the first since 1999 when then-No. 12 Penn State beat No. 2 UCLA in double overtime.

The Cavs, meanwhile, mounted their steeds and headed back to Charlottesville -- with their 21-game non-conference win streak snapped.

"I think that was the best half we played all year," Weimer said on the second half. "I think we made a big statement to the rest of the country."