Story Links
Video Highlights from ACC Tournament
CARY, N.C. – Maryland midfielder Jeremy Hall scored the game’s lone goal in the third minute, and Maryland held on to defeat Virginia for the ACC Championship, 1-0.
“Congratulations to Maryland,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “They played hard and are a good team. We looked like a team that had played three games, including two overtimes against the best team in the country.”
Virginia defeated consecutive ranked opponents (No. 23 Duke and No. 1 Wake Forest) to advance to the final, and now awaits it NCAA Tournament fate when the field is announced on Monday, Nov. 17.
Brian Ownby, Jonathan Villanueva and Matt Poole were named to the 2008 ACC All-Tournament team for fourth-seeded Virginia (11-8-1).
Maryland (18-3-0), ranked No. 4 and seeded second in the tournament, was on the offensive early, as UVa goalkeeper Michael Giallombardo was forced to make a save on a long shot off the opening kick-off. Shortly after in the third minute, Doug Rodkey played a through ball up the right sideline to Casey Townsend, who crossed the ball. Hall one-touched the ball into the back of the net to put Maryland up, 1-0.
Virginia had six shots in the first half, including three by Villanueva and one apiece by Hunter Jumper, Ownby and Howard Turk, but could not capitalize. Maryland goalkeeper Zac MacMath made five saves on all five of UVa’s shots on goal.
In the second half, Virginia’s best shot at tying the game came in the 88th minute, when Ownby headed a shot just wide right of the goal.
Giallombardo finished with five saves, as did MacMath. Maryland out-shot Virginia, 15-12, and held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.