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No. 11 Virginia Opens Home Slate Monday vs. Richmond
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 11 Virginia men’s soccer team begins its 2011 home schedule at 7 p.m. Monday when it battles Richmond at Klöckner Stadium. Live statistics will be available at VirginiaSports.com.
Reserved seats are $9, while general admission seats are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors (60 and over), youth (18 and under) and faculty/staff.
Tickets may be ordered online at VirginiaSports.com and also are available for purchase by phone at (800) 542-8821 or in person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Advance ticket sales end three hours prior to the game. Tickets are available on game day at the Klöckner Stadium ticket windows, subject to availability, beginning one hour prior to the match.
In its season opener last Friday, Virginia (0-1-0) fell, 1-0, to No. 17 West Virginia in the ACC/Big East Challenge in Germantown, Md. WVU’s Eric Schoenle scored the game’s lone goal with 22 seconds left in the first half. WVU posted an 11-3 edge in shots, including 5-0 on shots on goal. WVU also held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.
Playing a man down for much of the second half, Virginia put considerably more pressure on the WVU defense during the final 45 minutes. UVa’s best scoring opportunity came in the 66th minute following an Ari Dimas corner kick. Freshman Eric Bird put a head on it, but the ball clanged off the post.
Eight Virginia freshmen earned their first playing time at UVa on Friday vs. WVU. Spencer LaCivita (GK), Chris Somerville (F) and Kyler Sullivan (D) each started for the Cavaliers, while Eric Bird, Calvin Rezende, Conner Rezende, Grant Silvester and Ryan Zinkhan all saw significant time off the bench. LaCivita played all 90 minutes, while Zinkhan played 61 to top the first-years.
Virginia holds a 14-1-1 series edge over Richmond. The programs last met in 2007, a 2-0 UVa win in Charlottesville. Just two of the 16 previous meetings have come since 1996; UVa defeated the Spiders, 3-0, in George Gelnovatch’s first season as head coach in 1996. UR’s lone win in the series came in 1989, a 1-0 victory in Richmond during UVa’s co-national championship season.
Led by head coach and UVa alum Clint Peay (‘96), Richmond is opening its season Monday after its Saturday match at James Madison was postponed because of Hurricane Irene. UR went 5-12-1 (4-5-0 A-10) last season. The Spiders’ leading scorer in 2010, midfielder Houston Oldham (4-2-10), returns to highlight the UR offense.
Virginia’s next three matches will be away from the friendly pitch at Klöckner Stadium. UVa will play in the Hilton Garden Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg this weekend, taking on Cincinnati Friday and Wisconsin Sunday. UVa opens ACC play Sept. 9 at Duke before returning home Sept. 13 vs. Liberty.
Season tickets remain available for Virginia men’s and women’s soccer. Fans can order 2011 season tickets online, in person or by telephone. To purchase tickets online, visit VirginiaSports.com. In-person sales can be made at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).
The 2011 All-Soccer Reserved Season Pass (reserved seats for all home men’s and women’s games) is $90. Reserved Season Passes for Men’s Soccer or Women’s Soccer only are $50. General Admission All-Soccer Season Passes are also available for adults ($40), Youth/Senior ($30) and Faculty/Staff ($30).