No. 24 Campbell travels up to Charlottesville to play No. 1 Virginia Sunday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Camels (17-2-2, 8-0-0 Big South) rode a three-goal second half to defeat James Madison 3-1 Thursday night in order to face the Cavaliers (17-1-1, 6-1-1 ACC), who earned a first-round bye as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.
This is the third game between the two teams in the last 12 years, with Virginia emerging victorious at home in 2007 and 2010. Despite James Madison being the only top-25 team Campbell has defeated this season, the Camels are sure to be a difficult test as they come into Klockner Stadium riding a 15-match unbeaten streak.
Players to watch
Junior defender Henry Kessler
The New York native has been a defensive anchor for the Cavaliers this season, earning second-team All-ACC honors along with ACC Tournament MVP. Kessler played a critical role in quelling a dynamic Clemson offense — who has with the most goals in the nation — and will need to do the same against Campbell. The Camels come into the match with the third-ranked scoring offense in the nation, and have outscored their opponents 59-15 this season. Look for Kessler to shut down Campbell on the counterattack and provide clearing headers on set pieces.
Junior midfielder Joe Bell
After making his New Zealand full national team debut last week — effectively missing the ACC tournament semifinal and final — Bell returns to Virginia looking to lead the Cavaliers to another trophy celebration. The ACC Midfielder of the Year and first-team All-ACC selection, Bell has been a Swiss Army knife for Virginia, providing pinpoint passes on offense while also making crucial defensive stops. Against a high-octane Campbell offense, Bell will need to be at his best on both sides of the ball in order to slow down the Camels and catalyze Virginia counterattacks.
Campbell junior forward Thibaut Jacquel
Jacquel has been an offensive workhorse for Campbell, scoring 18 goals and tallying five assists this season — including a three-goal, two-assist effort against Presbyterian. Jacquel’s lethal shot and imposing size make him an offensive threat on set pieces and during build-up play. It will be up to Bell and Cavalier center backs Kessler and freshman Andreas Ueland to prevent Jacquel from streaking in space down the middle to challenge junior goalkeeper Colin Shutler.
Virginia’s Keys to the Game
Slow down Jacquel
Virginia’s defense will have more than enough on their hands Sunday afternoon, as the Campbell midfielders will push the ball to Jacquel to plunge through the middle of the Cavaliers’ defense. If Kessler and Ueland are able to make Jacquel to pass the ball out wide, it will force the Camels’ wingers into crossing the ball. 6-foot-4 Kessler and 6-foot-4 Ueland should have no trouble clearing these. With these clearances, the Cavaliers can then go on the counterattack and find star forward sophomore Daryl Dike streaking up the field.
Allow Dike to use his strength advantage
This season, Dike leads Virginia in both goals and assists, with seven in both categories. His performance led him to second-team All-ACC honors. The Oklahoma native has made it clear to the nation that despite his size, he is more than capable of creating offensive opportunities for himself and others using footwork and agility. In fact, it was Dike’s speed that led to a penalty kick that sealed the ACC Championship for Virginia. Look for Dike to use his quick bursts of speed and strength to gain separation from the Campbell defenders and potentially score for Virginia.
Kickoff at Klockner Stadium is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, and the match will be broadcasted live on ACC Network Extra.
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