#4 Virginia Men's Soccer Set To Face #1 Ranked New Mexico In NCAA Tournament Third Round

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Nov. 24, 2004

VIRGINIA’S RECORD & RANKINGS: Virginia (18-4-0, 4-3-0 ACC) is ranked #4 by Soccer America, #3 by NSCAA/adidas, #3 by Soccer Times and #4 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 #4 ranked Virginia Cavaliers (18-4-0, 4-3-0 ACC) will face the #1 ranked New Mexico Lobos (17-1-1, 10-1-1 MPSF) in the Third Round of the 2004 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship on Saturday, November 27rd at 7:00 PM at Klockner Stadium. UVa is seeded #4 and UNM is seeded #13 in the NCAA Tournament.

CAVALIERS AGAINST #1 RANKED TEAMS: When it comes to facing the #1 ranked team in the nation, the Cavaliers are no strangers to the challenge – or to a good outcome. Virginia has faced nine opponents ranked #1 in the nation according to Soccer America’s Top-25 Poll history and stands 3-4-2 all-time against the #1 ranked team in the nation. The Cavaliers are 3-1-2 in their last six meetings against a #1 ranked team. UVa’s last win over a #1 ranked team occurred on November 15, 2002 against then undefeated Wake Forest in the 2002 ACC Tournament. NOTE: Virginia has been ranked #1 in the country in 71 Soccer America Polls. Here is a look at Virginia’s all-time results against the #1 ranked team in the nation according to Soccer America:

Date		Opponents	Score	Location9/7/03		UCLA		L, 4-0	College Park, Md.11/15/02	Wake Forest	W, 1-0	Cary, N.C.12/11/94	Indiana		W, 1-0	Davidson, N.C.10/28/90	Clemson		T, 1-1	Clemson, S.C.12/3/89		Santa Clara	T, 1-1	New Brunswick, NJ11/1/85		Clemson		W, 2-0	Charlottesville, Va.9/8/84		Indiana 		L, 1-0	Bloomington, Ind.10/30/83	Duke 		L, 1-0	Durham, N.C.10/18/80	Connecticut 	L, 4-0	Storrs, Conn.

THE SERIES WITH NEW MEXICO: Virginia and New Mexico have never met before in men’s soccer.

UVA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: With its 2-1 victory over American in the Second Round of the 2004 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, UVa now stands 43-20-2 all-time in the history of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship. Thanks to its automatic bid into the NCAAs this season, Virginia advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 24th consecutive time and will be making its 66th appearance in a NCAA Tournament contest when it faces New Mexico. The Cavaliers have won five National Championships after claiming the title in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994.

VIRGINIA TOPS AMERICAN 2-1 IN NCAA TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND: Virginia recorded a 2-1 victory over the visiting American Eagles in a second round match of the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Virginia turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win by scoring back-to-back goals after falling behind 1-0 early in the second period to record their 18th victory of the season. The Cavaliers’ Will Hall scored the game-winning goal at 67:10 to break a 1-1 tie, giving Virginia the one-goal victory. UVa’s Hunter Freeman scored the Cavaliers’ first goal of the match. UVa’s Nico Colaluca had an assist and goalkeeper Ryan Burke made two saves in the victory.

`HOOS AGAINST THE TOP-25: New Mexico, ranked #1 in the country according to Soccer America, will mark the ninth ranked team Virginia will face this season. UVa has won six games against a ranked opponent this season. Here is a look at UVa’s matches against the Top 25 this year:

Date	Opponents		Score	Location9/12	#8 Saint Louis		L, 2-1	Saint Louis, Mo.9/17	#2 Wake Forest		W, 2-1	Winston-Salem, NC10/23	#13 Duke		W, 3-2	Charlottesville, Va.10/27	#24 Old Dominion	W, 4-1	Charlottesville, Va.11/5	#12 Maryland		L, 1-0	Charlottesville, Va.11/10	#14 Duke		W, 3-1	Cary, N.C.11/12	#8 Wake Forest		W, 2-1	Cary, N.C.11/14	#5 Maryland		W, 2-1	Cary, N.C.

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. Twenty one games into the 2004 season, Freeman has scored 27 points to more than quadruple his two-year point total from the previous two seasons. Freeman’s 27 points are from 21 assists and three goals. His 21 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.

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: UVa has been a force to deal with this season in men’s soccer. Virginia has scored 49 goals to its opponents 20 this year. UVa has also outscored its opponents in total points (150-to-57), dished out more assists (52-to-17) and has taken more shots (311-to-197) 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 156-23-7 at Klöckner Stadium. The Cavaliers are currently 12-1-0 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 143 wins as a head coach at Virginia with a career record of 143-49-14, including a mark of 33-16-6 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).

ALMOST PERFECT AT HOME: Virginia is currently 12-1-0 at home this season. Virginia was a perfect 11-0-0 in its first 11 games played at home at Klöckner Stadium this season before losing 1-0 against #12 Maryland on Senior Night in UVa’s regular season finale. The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a home record of 11-1-0 at Klöckner Stadium.

VIRGINIA AWARDED THE FOURTH SEED IN THE NCAA & ACC TOURNAMENTS: Virginia was awarded the number four (4) seed in the 2004 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship and was the number four seed in the 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Championship.

VIRGINIA IN THE ACC TOURNAMENT: Virginia stands 29-9-5 all-time in the history of the ACC Championship. UVa has advanced to the ACC Finals 15 of the 18 times the tournament has been played and has won the ACC Tournament title on nine occasions. The Cavaliers claimed the ACC Tournament title in: 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003 and 2004. Virginia has competed in the ACC Finals the past six consecutive seasons (1999-2004).

CAVALIERS DEFENDED THEIR ACC TITLE, AGAIN: Virginia, the 2003 ACC Champions, defended their title from last season by winning the 2004 ACC Championship. It marked the seventh time in school history that UVa defended its ACC title by winning the conference title the following year.

FIVE PLAYERS NAMED TO ACC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM, BARLOW NAMED ACC TOURNAMENT MVP: Five Virginia players: Jeremy Barlow, Ryan Burke, Adam Cristman, Nico Colaluca and Mike Littlefield, were named to the2004 ACC All-Tournament Team. Barlow was named the tournament’s MVP.

FOUR CAVALIERS NAMED TO ALL-ACC TEAMS: Four Virginia men’s soccer players were named to the 2004 All-ACC Soccer Teams. UVa’s Hunter Freeman and Matt Oliver were chosen as First Team All-ACC selections, Nico Colaluca was a named a Second Team All-ACC choice, and Jeremy Barlow and Colaluca were named to the All-ACC Freshman Team. Wake Forest’s Scott Sealy was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and WFU’s Michael Parkhurst was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The Demon Deacons’ Jay Vidovich was named the ACC Coach of the Year. Duke’s Michael Videira was named the ACC Freshman of the Year.