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Men's Soccer Ranked Fourth in Preseason Poll
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August 19, 1998
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia men’s soccer team has been picked No. 4 in the nation by Soccer America in its 1998 preseason poll. The Cavaliers are one of four Atlantic Coast Conference teams to be ranked in the top 10, along with No. 5 Maryland, No. 7 Clemson and No. 9 Duke. No other conference placed more than two teams in the top 10.
The Cavaliers return seven starters from the 1997 squad which posted an overall record of 19-4-3, won the ACC title and finished as the runner-up in the NCAA Tournament. Included among the returning players are two-time All-American Matt Chulis (Central Islip, N.Y.) and 1997 ACC Rookie of the Year Jason Moore (Lawrenceville, Ga.).
The top four teams in the Soccer America poll are the same four teams which advanced to the NCAA semifinals last season. Defending national champion UCLA is the preseason No. 1 team, while semifinalists Indiana and Saint Louis are ranked second and third, respectively.
Virginia, which begins preseason practice tomorrow (Aug. 20), opens the season with a pair of exhibition games against teams which are ranked in the top 20. The Cavaliers play host to No. 10 St. John’s this Sunday, Aug. 23, in a 7:00 p.m. game at Klckner Stadium. UVa will then take on No. 18 Connecticut at Klckner in a 7:00 p.m. contest next Wednesday, Aug. 26.
The Soccer America preseason top 20 follows:
1998 Soccer America Preseason Men's Top 20Rk School 1997 Record Final 1997 Rank 1. UCLA 22-2-0 2 2. Indiana 23-1-0 1 3. Saint Louis 16-5-4 12 4. VIRGINIA 19-4-3 6 5. Maryland 16-6-1 9 6. Stanford 13-5-2 15 7. Clemson 11-7-2 16 8. Rutgers 14-7-2 13 9. Duke 15-5-0 1110. St. John's 18-4-2 1011. Brown 11-6-1 -12. Portland 11-7-1 -13. Dartmouth 10-4-4 -14. Boston University 14-6-2 1915. Southern Methodist 19-2-1 316. Furman 14-6-0 -17. Creighton 16-5-1 718. Connecticut 11-7-2 -19. Georgetown 15-7-0 -20. UNC Greensboro 14-7-0 -