In 2009, the Cavaliers left the preseason winless. Saturday evening, they look to complete a perfect run through the 2010 preseason, when they will travel to Fairfax, Va. to take on George Mason for their third and final exhibition game.
The first two preseason matches this year saw the defense pick up where it left off last year, with both VCU and VMI struggling to break through Virginia's lines. With senior Diego Restrepo, a Soccer America preseason all-American, between the goalposts, the Cavaliers have yet to allow a goal.
Virginia's attack, despite losing several starters from its potent midfield, also has done well in the preseason. Soccer America preseason all-American sophomore forward Will Bates and company kept steady pressure on both opponents, despite struggling to find a consistent finishing touch until the second half of the VMI match, which ended 4-0.
"We've defended well," Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said. "And the other night, we got better at attacking."
George Mason also has won its first two preseason matches; however, the team is in somewhat of a rebuilding stage. After winning the CAA and advancing to the second round in 2008, the Patriots succeeded in the early stages of the 2009 season. They won seven of their first nine games, including a 2-0 victory over Maryland, ranked No. 2 at the time, before faltering during the closing half of the season.
Virginia plays just four of its 17 regular season matches on the road this year, but the team opens ACC play on the road against No. 10 Duke in little more than two weeks' time. Still, Gelnovatch hopes the match against the Patriots will help Virginia prepare for its few upcoming road experiences.
"We felt that this would be a good opportunity to put ourselves in kind of a hostile environment," Gelnovatch said. "They'll have a couple thousand people there, and it'll be a tough game for us."\nJunior defender Hunter Jumper said he expects the match to be competitive but added that the team would be ready for the task.
"We're taking this one as serious as possible because this is our last one before the season gets going," Jumper said.
Additionally, Gelnovatch said he may use fewer players in the match than in the previous exhibition matches. Virginia has used similar starting lineups in both matches, but nevertheless has used a plethora of substitutes.
"In this game we might not necessarily play everybody," Gelnovatch said. "We are with each game and each day and week progressing more toward game-like situations, which means you keep your strongest team on the field to win the game."
After tomorrow's match at 7 p.m., Virginia will open its regular season at home against the University of Alabama at Birmingham Sept. 3.
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