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Video Highlights from ACC Tournament
CHARLOTTESVILLE No. 19 Virginia begins its 29th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance Tuesday night when it hosts No. 22 Connecticut. Kick-off from Klockner Stadium is 7 p.m., and live statistics are available at VirginiaSports.com.
Virginia (11-8-1, 4-4-0 ACC) has won five NCAA titles, the most recent coming in 1994. This season the Cavaliers are seeded 10th and received a first-round bye. The 29-straight NCAA appearances is the longest active streak in the nation.
The Cavaliers advanced to the second round last season, falling in a 1-0 game at West Virginia.
In their last outing, the Cavaliers fell in the ACC Championship game, 1-0, to Maryland. In the semifinal match, UVa took down No. 1 ranked and previously unbeaten Wake Forest, 3-2.
Several Cavaliers earned ACC honors. Tony Tchani was selected the ACC Freshman of the Year and named to the second team, while Shawn Barry, Brian Ownby and Tchani were named to the All-Freshman team.
Matt Poole, Jonathan Villanueva and Ownby were all named to the 2008 ACC All-Tournament team.
Tchani leads the team with nine goals, but suffered a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 21 vs. Longwood. Jimmy Simpson (six goals) ranks second on the team, followed by Ownby (five goals) and Chris Agorsor (four goals). Agorsor, another freshman standout for Virginia, also suffered a season-ending knee injury (Sept. 23).
Eight different players have at least two goals for Virginia, and nine players have recorded at least one point.
Connecticut, ranked No. 22 (NSCAA) and No. 24 (Soccer America) won its first round game against Fairfield, 1-0, and has an overall record of 10-4-6.
Connecticut is led by O’Brian White with six goals and Akeem Priestley and Dori Arad with three goals apiece.
In goal for the Huskies, Josh Ford has started every game and has allowed 12 goals for a 0.56 goals against average.
Tickets for Tuesday’s game are $9 for reserved seats, $7 for adult general admission, and $5 for youth/student general admission. Fans can order tickets for the tournament online on the UVa Athletics Tickets Web site and by phone through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 800-542-UVA1 (8821) or 434-924-UVA1 (8821). Tickets are also available at the gate beginning one hour prior to the start of play.
Game-day parking is $5 per day. Due to the men’s basketball contest vs. Liberty at John Paul Jones Arena, soccer parking is available at the Emmet Ivy Parking Garage.