No pep talks will be required from Virginia coach George Gelnovatch when the No. 3 seed men's soccer team takes on No. 2 seed Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
Just one week after the Demon Deacons handed Virginia their first home loss of the season, 2-1, on a soggy senior night, the Cavaliers have a chance for redemption tonight.
Despite the disappointing final result, Virginia handled Wake Forest throughout much of the match. Their ball control and shots on goal far surpassed the competition. This gives the Cavaliers confidence that they can pull of the win this time around in Germantown, Md.
"Sometimes that happens in soccer, but I'm not bent out of shape," senior goalie Ryan Burke said. "I bet you we take 11 more chances just like that and we score five of them, so it just didn't fall for us tonight."
The shots did find the net Wednesday night, however, as the Cavaliers dispatched the No. 6-seeded Clemson Tigers. Sophomore forward Yannick Reyering, who has been fighting an injury, was forced to sit on the sidelines for most of the second half against Wake Forest.
"He's nursing a little bit of an injury," Gelnovatch said. "So I didn't think he was moving as well as he's usually moving."
Reyering certainly moved well Wednesday when he scored the first goal of the match, nailing a long drive from junior midfielder Nico Colaluca to give Virginia a 1-0 lead over Clemson. His ninth goal of the year gives fans hope that his injury will not stop him from hitting the big one against Wake Forest.
Senior forward Adam Cristman added another goal just a few moments later to put Clemson back on their heels and wrap up a solid first-round victory. He has scored five of the last seven Cavalier goals and could be a huge factor today as Virginia tries to reach its third ACC final in four years.
Virginia was once again anchored by a solid defensive performance from senior goalie Ryan Burke. Burke has 27 career shutouts, tied with Jeff Causey for most in program history. The biggest play, however, came from senior midfielder Ian Holder who headed away a potential Clemson goal early in the second half which could have completely turned the momentum around.
The Cavalier defense shut down ACC First Team member Dane Richards for the second time this season and hopes to do the same to Wake Forest. Julian Valentin and Cody Arnoux, who only have a combined five goals all year, were the ones who scored against Virginia the first time these teams clashed. They represent a team with a very well-balanced offense. Thirteen players have scored a goal, and no one has scored more than six.
The rematch almost did not take place; Wake Forest dueled with North Carolina in their first-round match to a scoreless tie. The penalty kick session was intense but the Demon Deacons prevailed, 5-4, to set up the rematch.
"We had to get better at all the little intangibles of the team and the guys responded." Gelnovatch said.
How Virginia responds today will go a long way toward their seeding and prospects of a national championship.
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