The No. 3 Virginia men's soccer team (2-0-0) will look to continue their winning ways this weekend when they take on the George Mason Patriots (1-0-0) and the No. 6 UCLA Bruins (0-0-1) in what will be a star-studded affair.
All three teams have big name soccer players competing for their squads, and each of these matchups could have a critical impact on the teams' respective seasons.
For Virginia, the man to watch will be sophomore forward Yannick Reyering. The Cavalier offense, despite ample opportunities, has had trouble getting the ball in the net, managing only two goals so far this season. Still, Reyering led Virginia in almost every offensive statistical category last year and has the firepower to single-handedly get Virginia out of its funk.
"It's still the beginning of the season," Reyering said. "[No one] is at their peak, so we're prepared and looking forward."
Virginia's defense has been the real star this season. Senior goalie Ryan Burke has played aggressively, using his tall frame to snatch corner kicks in midair and flying towards the defender in any one-on-one situation. His calmness under pressure speaks to his experience behind the net and has allowed Virginia the chance to squeak out two victories.
The star power does not end on the Cavalier side of the ball though. While Virginia freshman midfielder Jonathan Villanueva has garnered a great deal of attention, George Mason has a rookie sensation as well. Patriot midfielder Richard Edgar earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors after his header in the 98th minute of play helped earn George Mason a 1-0 victory over the Monmouth Hawks.
The Cavaliers and Patriots have not played against each other since 1997, when Virginia prevailed 3-1. That year, their season ended in a 2-1 against UCLA in the championship game.
UCLA looks to be a challenge again this year too. The Bruins have an All-American goalie in Eric Reed, and sophomore midfielder Sal Zizzo is a candidate for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy. Their most recognizable player however, may be defender Mike Zaher, who recently starred as the male lead in musical artist JoJo's video "Too Little, Too Late".
The Bruins are coming off a 1-1 tie with Cal State- Northridge and will look to gain back some of their preseason momentum. Victories, however, will be tough to come by for UCLA this weekend. Before playing Virginia Sunday night, they must do battle with the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins (1-0-0) on the road tonight. These three schools have combined to win 11 national championships. If UCLA wants to prove it has the ability to compete for an NCAA title, this will be the weekend to show it.
For Virginia, it will be about proving they can take down a ranked opponent for the second straight week.
"This gets you ready for tournament games later on in the season," midfielder Jeremy Barlow said. "They're closer, harder and you just have to gut them out."
Read More
With last-second three-pointer, SMU silences men’s basketball
By Michael Liebermann and Thomas Baxter | 19 hours agoThe late shot crushed a bouncing arena.
With dominance and high hopes, women’s tennis opens the spring season
By Gracie Genereux | 20 hours agoA commanding opening victory set the stage for the season to come.
No. 6 women’s squash falls to No. 5 Stanford in first match of the new year
By Peter Kratz | 2 days agoThe Cavaliers fall to 0-1 in conference play after their first clash with the Cardinal.
