It's been nearly two weeks since the Virginia men's soccer team has played a game.
After a heartbreaking loss to Wake Forest in penalty kicks, the Cavaliers received the good news that they would have one of the top-four spots in the NCAA Tournament, giving them a first-round bye and home field advantage until a potential semifinal berth in St. Louis for the College Cup.
"We're very happy about our seeding," Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said. "We've been working hard all season, and it was nice to be rewarded for that hard work."
Virginia's quest towards postseason glory begins tonight as the Cavaliers (14-3-1) host the Bucknell Bison (9-7-6) at Klöckner Stadium.
The Bison made it to Charlottesville by winning the Patriot League Tournament as a No. 4 seed. Then they became one of only six teams to win on the road in the first round when they upset the George Mason Patriots 1-0 in overtime. The win was not only the school's second victory in the NCAA Tournament in school history but its first in 32 years.
Virginia defeated the Patriots 2-0 earlier this season but know better than to look past a Bucknell team which is gaining confidence as the season continues.
"As a coach, the one reference I gave them is when we played Monmouth [last season]," Gelnovatch said. "I felt like we took them too lightly, just didn't step on the field and do the things we needed to do. That got their attention."
What has the attention of most Virginia fans is the health status of senior forward and second-team All-ACC player Adam Cristman. Cristman had been on a tear down the stretch. Against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament, however, he left in the 46th minute with anundisclosed injury and did not return. The time off has given him time to heal, and he is expected to see action tonight for his final NCAA Tournament in the orange and blue.
However, Cristman is not the only senior who will be thankful to step on the pitch. Senior defender Lee Sandwina, who started 18 games last year, will make his first and potentially only start this year.
Sandwina gets the nod in the starting rotation because of the red card freshman defender Bakare Soumare was given in the Wake Forest game. The opportunity is one Sandwina does not plan to take lightly.
"He is just a great team player," Gelnovatch said. "He has been nothing but understanding and accepting of the situation, and now he gets his chance. I couldn't be happier for him."
Cristman and Sandwina represent a senior class whose night of celebration was doused with torrential rains, frigid weather and their first home loss of the season to Wake Forest 2-1.
As so rarely happens in life, these seniors get a reprieve. They get one more chance to continue their Klöckner Stadium careers -- to create a finish more indicative of their four years of excellence as Cavaliers.
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