As the rest of the University prepares for Halloween festivities tonight, the Virginia men’s soccer team has other things on its mind. Tonight Virginia will host No. 5 Maryland at Klöckner Stadium in a game with major ACC Tournament implications. The high-octane Terrapins travel to Charlottesville with the No. 8 offense in the nation, sporting an average of 2.25 goals per game. Virginia (9-5-1, 4-2 ACC) will look to knock off the favored Terrapins (13-3-0, 4-2 ACC) in the Cavaliers’ penultimate conference contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
“They’re a good team, we know them very well, they know us well; I’m sure they were here [Tuesday] watching [us play],” Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said.
Virginia enters tonight’s game coming off the heels of an important victory: a 4-2 win Tuesday night against a tough and competitive American squad. The win was Virginia’s first in three games and was also the first game during which the Cavaliers managed more than two goals in nearly three weeks. Furthermore, junior midfielder Jonathan Villanueva — an important member of Virginia’s attack — netted his first two goals of the season while also recording two assists.
Maryland comes to Charlottesville as one of the hottest teams in the country. The Terrapins have won six straight games and have put up big wins against UCLA, Duke, Boston College, N.C. State and Virginia Tech. Maryland’s most recent loss came nearly a month ago when the Terrapins suffered a 5-3 loss at Clemson.
Unfortunately for Virginia, Maryland’s relentless offense will also be making the trip to Virginia. The Terrapins boast two players with 10 goals each and two others with at least four goals. Virginia, on the other hand, has three players each with four goals or more, none of whom has more than nine. Furthermore, two of Virginia’s three leading scorers have sustained major injuries. Junior midfielder Jeremy Hall and freshman forward Casey Townsend form a dynamic scoring duo that has given Maryland opponents headaches all season long.
“We’re on our home field, and I think we just need to play well,” Gelnovatch said. “If we play like Tuesday in terms of being able to keep the ball and move the ball, hopefully we can keep [Townsend and Hall] contained.”
Despite the problems Maryland will present, Virginia remains confident that it can knock off the high-ranked Terrapins. With the ACC’s two best teams traveling to Charlottesville during successive Fridays, tonight’s contest will go a long way toward determining Virginia’s seeding in the upcoming ACC Tournament. A victory could set up Virginia with an easier path, while a defeat could set Virginia back in the pack and make things much more difficult. Whatever the case may be, Virginia remains confident that it can avoid a Halloween nightmare.
“We feel with the talent that we have that we can come out here and beat anybody, especially at home,” Villanueva said. “Anything less than a draw is really a disappointment for us.”
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