Virginia Battles No. 19 Xavier to 1-1 Draw

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Sept. 14, 2012

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s soccer team played No. 19 Xavier to a 1-1 draw Friday evening at Klöckner Stadium. Brian James (Fr., Sunrise, Fla.) tallied the Cavaliers’ goal in the 67th minute for his first career score, but the Musketeers scored the equalizer with just over five minutes remaining in the second half to salvage a tie.

“I’m disappointed in that we were winning with five minutes left and weren’t able to see it through,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “But Xavier is a good, playoff caliber team. They are a tough, experienced team with some very good college soccer players. We will be hardened and better for playing them.”

Virginia (3-2-1) scored the match’s first goal in the 67th minute. James drove into the left side of the box near the goal line and took a tough-angle shot which bounced off and through a pair of Xavier defenders and slipped into the far corner of the net for the goal.

Xavier (4-0-2) knotted the score in the 85th minute. Gino De Paoli took a free kick from about 30 yards out and perfectly placed it just inside the far upper 90 for his second goal of the season.

UVa nearly took the lead right back from Xavier just moments after the second-half equalizer, but Darius Madison (Fr., Philadelphia, Pa.), after breaking loose to create a 1-on-1 situation, had his shot denied by a hard-charging Marshall.

Both teams had great opportunities in a scoreless first half. UVa’s Will Bates (Sr., Chester, Pa.) headed a shot to the upper corner in the 14th minute which goalkeeper Justin Marshall made a terrific leaping save to deflect. In the 38th minute the Musketeers saw a pair of close shots clang off the post within seven seconds of each other.

Virginia held a 15-12 advantage in shots and a 13-7 edge in corner kicks. The Cavaliers held a 3-2 shots advantage in the overtime periods in earning their first tie this year after losing their previous two overtime contests.

Marshall made four saves for Xavier, while UVa goalkeeper Spencer LaCivita (So., Raleigh, N.C.) recorded a pair of saves.

Virginia’s six-match homestand comes to a conclusion at 7 p.m. Tuesday when Drexel visits Klöckner Stadium. UVa plays reigning national champion North Carolina next Friday (Sept. 21) in a nationally televised match in Chapel Hill (FOX Soccer Channel).