The Virginia men's soccer team has been on a roll.
With last week's wins over Mount St. Mary's and No. 4 North Carolina, the Cavaliers have climbed back into the national rankings and head into tonight's game against William & Mary at No. 18. The Cavaliers host the Tribe at 7 p.m. at Klockner.
Despite their recent success, the Cavaliers opened the season on a bit of a rocky note. They lost tough matches against traditional powerhouses St. Louis and UCLA and suffered a disappointing defeat to Seton Hall.
The team used these early tests as learning experiences and has begun to find its stride. Sunday's victory over the Tar Heels was their second straight conference win over a top-five team. It also bumped the team over the .500 mark and gave them a boost of confidence for tonight's contest.
Coach George Gelnovatch has begun to notice the change in his team.
"Here's what I think is starting to evolve with this team: They're getting a taste for winning," he said. "You can see it in their eyes."
Similarly, junior Mike Littlefield, who was named ACC Player of the Week after scoring two game-winning goals last week, is beginning to see the team's new determination.
"People talking about us said U.Va. was going to be bad this year, that it was going to be a long road, but we knew together that if we did well the first few games that would boost our confidence for the rest of the year," he said.
The rivalry between the Virginia and William & Mary soccer programs has been a heated one. Although Virginia leads the all-time series 14-7-4, since 1998 the Tribe has had the better of it, going 4-1-1. Last year the Tribe upset the 18th-ranked Cavaliers during the regular season, 1-0, and then again in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 3-2, by way of a penalty kick shootout.
Last year's tournament loss was representative of the fierce rivalry. The game was tight throughout and marked by physical play from both sides. Each team registered 26 fouls with the Cavaliers earning four cards, including one red card, and the Tribe receiving two.
The team is aware of William & Mary's scrappy style of play and are preparing accordingly.
"William & Mary always finds a way to win," Littlefield said. "I think we're going to come out firing, come out ready to go."
Tonight's match may be decided by the Cavaliers' ability to continue the style of play that has sparked their current winning streak. Getting off to a quick start and keeping possession will be key for Virginia.
"We have made teams the last three games chase the game," Gelnovatch said. "When you're chasing the game, it's not easy."
William & Mary enter tonight's game with a 4-2 record. They defeated Marshall Friday, Sept. 19, 4-1, and already have two victories over ACC teams, defeating both Duke and NC State by 2-1 tallies earlier in the season.
While the game will be physical, the Cavaliers will need to slow down the William & Mary attack if they hope to continue their winning ways. The Tribe has scored 17 goals in six games. Virginia will look to Littlefield to continue his goal streak and the team's three-game winning streak.
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