No. 11 Virginia Travels to Virginia Tech Saturday Night

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – The 11th-ranked Virginia men’s soccer team starts the second half of Atlantic Coast Conference play Saturday night, when it travels to Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers (7-3-1, 1-3 ACC) and Hokies (3-7-2, 2-2 ACC) are scheduled to square off at 7 p.m. Live statistics will be available at VirginiaSports.com.

Virginia, ranked No. 11 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and No. 17 by Soccer America, is coming off of a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Liberty Tuesday (Oct. 13) night. Will Bates (Chester, Va.) scored the Cavaliers’ goal in the 78th minute, but the Flames tallied the equalizing goal in the 80th minute and the teams remained tied at the end of two overtime periods.

Through four ACC matches, the Cavaliers have a 1-3 conference record. UVa defeated then-No. 2 Wake Forest on Sept. 18 and have four ACC games left on the slate. Boston College (Oct. 25) and NC State (Nov. 7) come to Klöckner Stadium, while the Cavaliers take on Virginia Tech and Maryland (Oct. 31) on the road. The 2009 ACC Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 10-15 in Cary, N.C.

Senior Neil Barlow (Herndon, Va.) continues to lead the Cavaliers with three goals and two assists, while sophomore Tony Tchani (Norfolk, Va.) also has tallied three goals. Sophomore Chris Agorsor (Severn, Md.) has also provided an offensive spark recently, scoring two goals and assisting on two others.

In goal for UVa, Diego Restrepo (West Palm Beach, Fla.) has started 10 out of the Cavaliers’ 11 games and allowed six goals for a 0.53 goals-against average.

Virginia Tech is led by Clarke Bentley (three goals, two assists) and Emmanuel Akogyeram (three goals, two assists). Goalkeeper Brendan Dunn has started 12 games and allowed 16 goals (1.56 goals-against average).

Virginia leads the all-time series with Tech, 33-4-1. Last season, the Cavaliers came away with a 2-1 victory on Sept. 26, 2008, in Blacksburg, Va.

Up next, the Cavaliers return home for a Tuesday non-conference contest vs. Howard on Oct. 20. Kick-off from Klöckner Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.