WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- No. 11 Virginia ended its regular season on a high note Friday evening with an exhilarating 2-1 overtime victory at No. 17 Wake Forest (10-6-2, 1-5-2 ACC). Senior midfielder Joe Vide scored the golden goal for the Cavaliers (12-3-2, 6-2-0 ACC) just over two minutes into the overtime period. With the win, Virginia clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament.
"We bent a lot in this game but we didn't break," Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said. "We started to control the game in the last 15 minutes of the second half, so I felt like it was coming and it did."
Vide displayed the true meaning of senior leadership by coming off the bench in the latter part of the second half and then securing the victory for Virginia in overtime. He received a pass from junior forward Adam Cristman at the top of the Clemson box and then ripped a shot past the leaping Wake Forest goalkeeper. The goal was Vide's second of the year.
"That was the best goal of my career," Vide said. "Lee Sandwina made a great tackle and spread the ball out wide to Adam [Cristman]. I got a great ball from Adam and put it in the net. I couldn't ask for more."
The Cavaliers certainly did not play their best defensive game of the year, as Wake Forest consistently was able to penetrate deep into Virginia's side of the field. The Demon Deacons out-shot the Cavaliers 15-8. On more than one occasion, however, Virginia was bailed out by junior goalkeeper Ryan Burke, who recorded a season-high seven saves.
"They got the ball behind our defenders several times, but Burke played very well," Gelnovatch said.
The referees called a tight first half, whistling both teams for a combined 31 fouls. Having established control of a game highlighted by physical play, the referees called only 17 fouls in the second half and one in overtime. Virginia defender Robby Rogers received a yellow card in the first half as did Cristman in the second. Wake Forest also had yellow cards issued to two of its players.
Virginia fell behind 1-0 in the eighth minute of the second half. Wake Forest forward Justin Moose threaded a beautiful pass to forward Michael Lahoud in the box, and Lahoud easily scored his sixth goal of the season.
Sophomore midfielder Nico Colaluca drew the ire of the Wake Forest crowd with his aggressive style of play and brash demeanor. Colaluca was booed every time he touched the ball but silenced the crowd in the 56th minute with his second goal of the season, tying the game at 1-1. Sophomore midfielder Dane Murphy was credited with the assist.
For the third straight game, Colaluca played on the right side of Gelnovatch's midfield diamond.
"We try to get him set up in those situations, and he pulled off a great play," Gelnovatch said. "Everywhere we go people get on him because he is a talented player. For him to score that goal was a big boost for him."
Virginia will look to carry the momentum gained from Friday's victory into the ACC Tournament.
"We were very happy to get this win because it gives us a good feeling heading into the postseason," forward Yannick Reyering said.
For their first tournament game, the Cavaliers are scheduled to face the No. 7 seed, the Clemson Tigers, Wednesday in Cary, N.C.
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