CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s soccer team (4-4-1, 2-1 ACC) is set to take on Virginia Tech (5-3-1, 2-1-1 ACC) on Friday (Oct. 2) at Klöckner Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on ACC Network. Friday night's game will feature a scarf givaway where fans in attendance will recieve a UVA Men's Soccer scarf while supplies lasts.
Scarf Giveaway!
— Virginia Men's Soccer (@UVAMenSoccer) October 1, 2026
Get to Klöckner early tomorrow night to claim your men's soccer scarf!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/4tScL9ee5R
How to Follow:
Friday night’s match against Virginia Tech will be streamed on ACC Network (ACCN) which is available through the ESPN app and at WatchESPN.com for customers who have the ACC Network as part of their TV subscription. Links to both the broadcast and live stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAMenSoccer).
For Openers:
- Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch’s next victory will mark No. 400 for his career. He would become the fifth active coach in NCAA Division I with 400 career wins joining Sasho Cirovski (Maryland), Dave Masur (St. John’s), Tony Martone (Merrimack) and Mike Noonan (Clemson). He would become the 28th NCAA Division I coach to reach the mark all-time.
- The Cavaliers are set to take on Virginia Tech for the 58th time in a series that dates to 1960. Virginia is unbeaten against the Hokies in four consecutive meetings (3-0-1) since 2022.
- Under Gelnovatch, the Cavaliers are 17-4-7 against the Hokies
- In 2025 Virginia took an early lead but trailed 2-1 at Thompson Field. Bacary Tandjigora recorded his first career assist after an impressive run through the midfield to earn a draw which helped kickstart a 14-game unbeaten run to the ACC Final.
- Tandjigora and Marco Dos Santos both logged assists in the last meeting between the teams.
Smith In Form:
- Virginia striker AJ Smith has started all nine games of the season and already surpassed single-season career highs in goals (5) and points (11).
- Smith’s goal tally through 10 games (5) is on the same pace as Nicholas Simmonds (5) 2025 campaign which saw the freshman go on to score 10 goals on the season.
- Smith’s 2025 season saw him score four goals and one assist to total nine points over the course of 19 appearances and five starts.
- The Tyler JC product has had a knack for scoring in big moments with five of his 11 career goals coming in postseason play.
- Smith’s most impactful postseason moments include scoring the game-winning goal in the 2025 ACC Semifinal as well as a 1 goal/1 assist performance in a 2-1 win over West Virginia in the 2024 NCAA Second Round.
Noting the 2026 Cavaliers
- AJ Smith leads the team with five goals, surpassing a single-season career high.
- Fourth-year captain Brendan Lambe leads the team with five assists and is tied with Smith for the team lead with 11 points
- Lambe leads the ACC and ranks 12 nationally in total assists.
- Fourth-year captain Marco Dos Santos has accounted for four goals on the season – a single-season career high, he ranks second on the team with 10 points.
- Virginia has scored 19 goals on the season coming from eight different goal scorers
The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash
- The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge (2005-2007), has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. It is an all-sports, points-based program with the Commonwealth Clash trophy presented to the winning school each year for its dominance in head-to-head competitions.
- This meeting will mark the first Commonwealth Clash event of the 2026-27 athletic season. Virginia won the competition in 2025-26.
On the Horizon:
The Cavaliers will be back in action on Tuesday (Oct. 6) when they host Queens. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).