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Oct. 28, 2004
VIRGINIA’S RECORD & RANKINGS: Virginia (14-2-0, 4-1-0 ACC) is ranked #7 by Soccer America, #2 by NSCAA/adidas, #3 by Soccer Times and #2 by College Soccer News in the Top-25 polls. UVa began the 2004 season ranked #8 in College Soccer News’ Preseason Top-30 poll, #11 in Soccer America’s Preseason Top-25 poll, #13 in the Soccer Times Preseason Top-25 poll and #20 in the NSCAA/adidas Preseason Top-25 poll.
`HOOS UP NEXT?: The #2/#7 ranked Virginia Cavaliers (14-2-0, 4-1-0 ACC) will face the Virginia Tech Hokies (8-8-0, 1-4-0 ACC) in a key Atlantic Coast Conference match at Virginia Tech Soccer Stadium at 7:00 PM.
THE SERIES WITH VIRGINIA TECH: Virginia leads the all-time series with Virginia Tech in men’s soccer 31-2-0 in a series that dates back to 1960. UVa’s only two losses to VT came on October 5, 1965 (2-0) and October 4, 1966 (1-0). After suffering back-to-back losses to the Hokies in 1965 and 1966, the Cavaliers have won 27 consecutive matches against Virginia Tech.
LAST TIME THEY MET: Virginia defeated Virginia Tech by the score of 2-1 on September 22, 1999 in Charlottesville, Va.
VIRGINIA EXTENDS SEASON-HIGH WINNING STREAK TO NINE GAMES: With its 4-1 victory over Old Dominion on October 27th, Virginia extended its season-high win streak to nine games.
CAVALIERS HAVE THE TOP SEED IN SIGHT: With two ACC games remaining on its regular season schedule, Virginia finds itself in the drivers seat in the conference standings with its 4-1-0 record and is in line to secure the #1 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament (November 10-14). Only one other team in the ACC (Wake Forest) has just one loss in the conference and that loss came against Virginia. Here’s a look at the current ACC standings:
1. Virginia, 4-1-02. Wake Forest, 3-1-03. North Carolina, 3-2-04. Duke, 3-3-05. Maryland, 2-2-16. Clemson, 2-3-07. Virginia Tech, 1-3-08. N.C. State, 1-4-1
VIRGINIA WINS ITS THIRD MATCH OVER A RANKED OPPONENT THIS YEAR: With its 4-1 victory over #24 Old Dominion on October 27th, Virginia recorded its third win over a ranked opponent this season. UVa also posted a 3-2 victory over #13 ranked Duke on October 23rd and defeated #2 Wake Forest 2-1 on September 17th in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Cavaliers only loss to a ranked opponent this season happened when Virginia lost to #8 Saint Louis 2-1 on September 12th in St. Louis, Mo. The Cavaliers were 4-4-1 against ranked teams last season (2003).
ELEVEN DIFFERENT CAVALIERS HAVE SCORED A GAME-WINNING GOAL FOR UVA THIS SEASON: Talk about getting production from various players. UVa has had 11 different players score a game-winning goal this season. In fact, in Virginia’s first ten victories of the season, nine different Cavalier scored the game-winning goal. UVa has received one or more game-winning goal from: Adam Cristman, Hunter Freeman, Ian Holder, Matt Ayotte, Nico Colaluca, John Hartman, Will Hall, Jeremy Barlow, David Rosenbaum, Matt Oliver and Mike Littlefield this season.
FREEMAN LEADING THE NATION IN ASSISTS: Virginia’s Hunter Freeman, a third-year defender/midfielder, entered this season with just four points resulting from four assists after two years of action. Sixteen games into the 2004 season, Freeman has scored 23 points to more than quadruple his two-year point total from the previous two seasons. Freeman’s 23 points are from 19 assists and two goals. His 19 assists currently leads the NCAA in Division I men’s soccer. During a seven-game stretch from September 21st – October 12th, Freeman scored 13 points by posting one goal and dishing out 11 assists against Manhattan, North Carolina, UMBC, N.C. State, Liberty, Davidson and Saint Francis.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!: Virginia is a perfect 11-0-0 in games played at home at Klöckner Stadium this season. The Cavaliers have a minimum total of 12 home contests (regular season games) scheduled this year.
NO GOALS FOR YOU!: Virginia has recorded six victories by shutouts this season. UVa has shutout Marshall (3-0), Long Island (2-0), Cincinnati (1-0), Liberty (3-0), Clemson (2-0) and Longwood (1-0).
UVA HAVING ITS WAY WITH OPPONENTS THIS SEASON: Heading into its game with Virginia Tech on October 30th, Virginia is outscoring its opponents by a three goals to one ratio. UVa has scored 39 goals to it opponents 13. Virginia has also outscored its opponents in total points (120-to-35), dished out more assists (42-to-9) and has taken more shots (257-to-125) than its opponents.
HOME SWEET HOME: Virginia has enjoyed much success playing in the friendly confines of Klöckner Stadium. One of the finest college soccer facilities in the country, Klöckner Stadium has been a very tough place for opponents to record a win. Since its opening in 1992, UVa has posted an eye-opening record of 155-22-7 at Klöckner Stadium. The Cavaliers are currently 11-0-0 at home this season (2004). Virginia finished the 2003 season with a home record of 8-5-0 including a mark of 1-1-0 in the NCAA Tournament at home. In 2002, the Cavaliers finished the regular season a perfect 12-0-0 at home and finished the 2002 season 12-1-0 at home. Virginia is 21-7 in NCAA Tournament games held at Klöckner Stadium during the past 12 seasons, outscoring its opposition 63-26 in those games.
GELNOVATCH CLOSING IN ON 150 CAREER VICTORIES: UVa men’s soccer head soccer coach George Gelnovatch recorded his 100th career head coaching victory on August 30th, 2002 when Virginia defeated #25 Kentucky by the score of 3-2. Gelnovatch has coached eight season at UVa, and has recorded 139 wins as a head coach at Virginia with a career record of 139-47-14, including a mark of 33-14-6 in the ACC. By reaching the 100-win mark, it makes him only the second UVa men’s soccer coach to record the milestone. Former Virginia men’s soccer head coach Bruce Arena holds UVa’s all-time coaching victory mark with 295 (295-59-31, 74-21-11 ACC).
HUNTER FREEMAN NAMED TO THE SOCCER AMERICA AND COLLEGE SOCCER NEWS TEAMS OF THE WEEK: Virginia’s Hunter Freeman keeps pulling in the awards for his stellar play this season. Freeman, who was recently named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Week on October 25th, was named to Soccer America’s Team of the Week (for Week 8, October 18-24) and was also selected to College Soccer News’ Team of the Week (week ending October 24th). It marks the second time this season Freeman has been named to Soccer America’s Team of the Week. He was also selected to the team last week for Week 7 (October 11-17). Freeman is also the second Cavalier to be named to College Soccer News’ Team of the Week this year after UVa’s Jeremy Barlow made the team on October 11th.
HUNTER FREEMAN NAMED THE ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Virginia’s Hunter Freeman was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Week. Freeman, a third-year defender/midfielder, had a hand in all four goals for the Cavaliers last week in Virginia’s wins over Longwood (1-0 on October 20th) and Duke (3-2 in overtime on October 23rd). Freeman scored one goal against Duke and had three assists (two against Duke, one against Longwood), including the game-winning assist in both of the victories. Freeman’s three assists last week brings his NCAA-leading total up to 16 assists for the year.
HUNTER FREEMAN NAMED TO SOCCER AMERICA’S TEAM OF THE WEEK: Virginia’s Hunter Freeman was named to Soccer America’s Team of the Week for Week 7 (October 11-17). Freeman, a third-year defender/midfielder, dished out two assists and helped the UVa defense surrender just one goal in two games after he started in both of Virginia’s victories over Saint Francis – NY (3-1) and Clemson (2-0) on October 12th and 17th, respectively.
UVA’S Jeremy Barlow NAMED TO COLLEGE SOCCER NEWS’ NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK: University of Virginia men’s soccer player Jeremy Barlow was named to College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week for the week ending October 10th. Barlow, a first-year midfielder, scored three goals for the Cavaliers to lead UVa to a pair of victories over the Liberty Flames and the Davidson Wildcats last week. He scored his first collegiate goal, the game-winner, in Virginia’s 3-0 win over Liberty on October 6th before scoring two goals in UVa’s 4-1 victory over Davidson on October 9th.
GELNOVATCH STAYING PUT AT UVA: Virginia men’s soccer head coach George Gelnovatch announced he is not considering leaving UVa to pursue the head coaching position with the United States Under-17 National Team Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. Following weeks of speculation that he might leave Virginia for the U-17s, Gelnovatch issued a statement to put rumors of his possible departure to rest. “Recently there have been rumors and speculation circulating about me taking over the U-17 Team. I hoped these rumors would go away, but they have not. In fact, they have become a distraction to what we are are trying to accomplish here at UVa,” said Gelnovatch. “I have had no official conversations with any of the U.S. Soccer administration with regards to the job. My part time involvement with the U.S. National Teams, as always, is the decision of (former UVa head coach) Bruce Arena. I will remain involved with Coach Arena if and when he needs me. However, I am fully committed to the University of Virginia, my team and everything we are striving to accomplish here at UVa and I have no plans to go anywhere.”
FIVE CAVALIERS HAVE SCORED THEIR FIRST COLLEGIATE GOAL THIS SEASON: The first-year group of Matt Ayotte, Nico Colaluca, Jeremy Barlow, Chris Tierney and David Rosenbaum have each scored their first collegiate goal this season for UVa. The first goals scored by Ayotte, Colaluca, Barlow and Rosenbaum were game-winners for Virginia.
GELNOVATCH RECORDS 30TH ACC VICTORY IN WIN OVER WAKE FOREST: With Virginia’s 2-1 victory over Wake Forest on September 17th, UVa head coach George Gelnovatch recorded his 30th career ACC coaching victory. The win lifted Gelnovatch to 30-13-6 all-time in ACC contests as of 9/17/04. Gelnovatch’s 30 ACC wins are second to only Bruce Arena’s 74 ACC victories (74-21-11) in UVa men’s soccer history. The third highest ACC win total behind Gelnovatch and Arena is 10 conference victories.
VIRGINIA WINS 150TH GAME AT KLOCKNER STADIUM: With its 3-0 shutout victory over Liberty on October 6th, Virginia won its 150th game at Klockner Stadium. It took UVa just 179 games to reach the 150-win plateau after the Cavaliers posted a mark of 150-22-7 during the stretch to 150 wins at home.