The No. 6 Virginia men's soccer team defeated No. 20 N.C. State 1-0 to win the ACC Tournament Sunday in Cary, N.C, grabbing the ACC's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Sophomore defender Hunter Jumper whipped a cross into the box to senior midfielder Jordan Evans, who flicked a header to freshman forward Will Bates. Bates shot into the side netting, giving Virginia (14-3-3) a 1-0 advantage in the 16th minute, a lead the Cavaliers would never relinquish. It was Bates' team-high eighth goal of the season.
The fifth-seeded Cavaliers out-shot the seventh-seeded Wolfpack 15-8 and held a 3-2 advantage on corner kicks. The victory marks the program's 10th conference title, their first since 2004 and fourth during the tenure of coach George Gelnovatch.
Junior goalkeeper Diego Restrepo, sophomore midfielder Tony Tchani, Jumper and Bates were named to the ACC All-Tournament team. Restrepo, who recorded his eighth consecutive shutout Sunday, earned the tournament's MVP honors. Virginia has now played 837 minutes of soccer without surrendering a goal.
The 48 teams competing in the NCAA Tournament will be officially announced tonight.
-compiled by Nick Eilerson