Virginia Punches Its Ticket To NCAA College Cup With 3-0 Win Over Maryland

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – The No. 2 Virginia men’s soccer team advanced to the NCAA College Cup with a 3-0 victory over ACC foe Maryland Friday night at Klöckner Stadium. The quarterfinal victory in front of 4,900 fans sends UVa back to the College Cup for the first time since 2006 and third time in head coach George Gelnovatch’s tenure.

The 2009 NCAA College Cup begins Friday, Dec. 11 in Cary, N.C., and Virginia will play Wake Forest in the national semifinal at 5 p.m. General admission ticket booklets will go on sale Monday (Dec. 7) at 9 a.m. for $35 to Virginia Athletics Foundation donors and University of Virginia students. If tickets remain on Tuesday, they will go on sale to the general public. Please call the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 800-542-8821 or 434-924-8821.

Virginia (17-3-3) has not allowed a goal in this year’s NCAA Tournament, shut out its 11th-consecutive opponent and posted its 16th shutout of the season. Goalkeeper Diego Restrepo extended his school record to 14 shutouts this season and 1,107 minutes and 34 seconds without allowing a goal.

With the loss, Maryland finished its season with a 15-6-2 overall record. The Terrapins were the 2008 NCAA Champions.

“Other than some seconds in the first half after we scored, I thought we were very good,” UVa head coach George Gelnovatch said. “Some of our seniors are going to the second College Cup of their careers, and there are a lot of great stories on our team this year.”

The Cavaliers struck early, as senior midfielder Neil Barlow (Herndon, Va.) finished a 20-yard shot in the sixth minute to put UVa up, 1-0. Barlow’s shot deflected off a Terp defender from the left sideline and found the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

Virginia extended its lead in the 59th minute, when Barlow sent a cross from the left sideline and freshman Will Bates (Chester, Va.) headed it to the far post for his team-high 12th goal of the season.

Restrepo came up big in the 66th minute, saving a penalty kick by Jason Herrick to preserve the 2-0 lead.

Jordan Evans (Chester, Va.) added an insurance goal in the 78th minute, one-timing a through ball from Tony Tchani (Norfolk, Va.) for his first goal of the season.