Liberty Notches 2-0 Win over No. 10 Cavaliers

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Liberty scored a pair of goals in a three-minute span during the second half to break a scoreless deadlock in winning 2-0 against the No. 10 Virginia men’s soccer team Tuesday evening at Klöckner Stadium. It marked the Flames’ first win in 20 tries against Virginia (18-1-1).

Liberty (3-1-0) finished with a 16-12 edge in shots, but after UVa (4-2-0) held a 7-3 advantage in shots in the first half, the Flames controlled play for much of the second half and ran up a 13-5 edge in shots, including six on goal.

UVa goalkeeper Spencer LaCivita made a career-best six saves. Liberty goalkeeper Josh Pacella did not record a save. The Flames had seven corner kicks to six for Virginia.

The teams played 71 scoreless minutes before Liberty hit paydirt in the 72nd minute. After a Uriah Bentick corner kick to the far post, Sam Duininck’s header was blocked, but Chris Phillips headed the loose ball into the back of the net for his second goal of the year.

Liberty then took advantage of a Virginia turnover in the 75th minute, and after Timothy Bullock was able to avoid a diving LaCivita near the goal line, he chipped the ball to Phillip Aseweh, who easily scored into the open net from 10 yards out.

Virginia controlled play for much of the first half, but was unable to finish on its opportunities. The Cavaliers’ best chance came in the 33rd minute when Chris Somerville passed to Will Bates, who broke loose and knocked a shot from the top corner of the box past Pacella to the far corner of the goal, but the ball rolled just inches to the outside of the post.

Virginia continues its four-game homestand at 7 p.m. Friday when it plays host to No. 19 Charlotte.