With just 26 seconds left in regulation, senior midfielder Ian Holder saved Virginia from potentially one of its most embarrassing losses of the season. Holder headed in the game-tying goal off of Jeremy Barlow's corner kick fifteen minutes after St. Francis (1-5) went up 1-0.
"We were scrambling the last ten minutes -- we had to get a goal." Holder said. "Jeremy put a nice ball in there on the corner. I just went up there and got it."
Holder's goal sent the game into overtime, when junior midfielder Dane Murphy netted the game-winner past St. Francis goalkeeper Brad Williams just two minutes into the period. Murphy received a pass from junior Matt Ayotte and one-touched the ball into the upper right corner of the goal.
"I was screaming to Ayotte to play it in," Murphy said. "I got in behind and put my head down and tried to curl it around him [Williams]. It actually curled over him and went in."
Despite not scoring until the final minute, the Cavalier's offense put pressure on the defense of the Red Flash for the majority of the second half. Virginia outshot St. Francis 23-10 and threatened on multiple occasions late in the game but was unable to capitalize until Holder's goal. Perhaps the best opportunity to tie the game came on a barrage of Cavalier shots with ten minutes left in regulation.
Holder initiated the pressure with a strong shot on net. On the ensuing Cavalier possession, sophomore forward Yannik Reyering found himself on the right side with the ball and just one defender to beat but missed the goal wide-right. Despite the offensive pressure, St. Francis's defense held strong and denied Virginia the game-tying goal until the final seconds.
"They had a game plan of just sitting back and playing defense and they stuck to it," Murphy said. "They were one of the better defensive organizations that we have played against. Obviously we were sluggish, but they just stayed in a 25-yard zone and didn't leave it."
Despite the win, head coach George Gelnovatch reminded the players afterwards that their game management must improve in order to not only avoid let-downs but to win big ACC games.
"We have to learn to get up early and manage the game better," Holder said. "[Gelnovatch] just wanted to remind us that we're not invincible. We're a good team and destined to do well, but there's always bumps in the road."
The Cavaliers found themselves in a battle with St. Francis, who has scored just three goals in their first five games, from the beginning of the match.
"The first 45 minutes -- it looked like we were having practice," Holder said.
Coach George Gelnovatch held some of Virginia's more prominent players out of the starting lineup, including senior Adam Christman, freshman standout Jonathan Villanueva, senior goalkeeper Ryan Burke, Murphy and Holder. Gelnovatch recognized that the different mix of players on the field could have contributed to the sluggish play in the first half.
"We had six or seven different guys starting, so it was a little disjointed," Gelnovatch said. "You're 0-0 at half and then you're trying to put guys in to do patchwork."
The Cavaliers, who improved to 6-0 on the season, take on Boston College on Friday night.
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