After three consecutive gritty home games, the No. 2 Virginia men’s soccer team (4-1-1, 1-0-1 ACC) will conclude its four-game homestand Wednesday night when it hosts Davidson (3-0-2, 0-0-0 A-10).
As Virginia prepares for its next foe, its players must recover from an emotional, double overtime draw against No. 5 Notre Dame Sunday.
The Cavaliers expected the Fighting Irish — the defending national champions — to give them a fight, but never expected to play the final 46 minutes a man down.
In the 65th minute, a Notre Dame forward got behind the Cavalier defense for a clear look on goal. But before he could fire off the shot, Virginia freshman defender Wesley Suggs brought him down from behind in the Virginia penalty box, resulting in a red card and Suggs’s ejection in addition to a converted penalty kick.
Just three minutes later, senior midfielder Eric Bird snuck a shot between a defender’s legs to even the game at one. Both teams traded blows, but neither could connect for a go ahead goal, resulting in Virginia’s first tie of the season and extending its unbeaten streak to four games.
“Obviously we would have liked to win, but considering the circumstances, we’re very proud and [coach] George [Gelnovatch] is saying good things to us on the huddle,” Bird said. “We won’t treat it like a victory, but we’re positive about what happened.”
Though Davidson is unranked, it will present a unique dilemma for Gelnovatch’s team, as Wednesday will mark the first meeting between the two programs since 2006, when the Cavaliers won, 2-0. Still, Virginia is focused on recovering from both exhaustion and injuries.
Against Notre Dame, the Cavaliers played under the sweltering Charlottesville sun, forcing Gelnovatch to rotate in and out six different substitutes. Only three Cavalier players — not including senior goalkeeper Calle Brown — played the entire 110 minutes.
“This was the hottest day we’ve played in,” Gelnovatch said. “It definitely took its toll.”
Gelnovatch will likely substitute frequently among the midfielders and forwards Wednesday — just as he did on Sunday — in an effort to help the players recover after a short week.
“The biggest way to prepare is to get rest, proper nutrition and hydration, and get these guys rested,” Gelnovatch said. “I’m going to have to play some different people for sure.”
Thankfully for the Cavaliers, two of their substitutes are players that are well on their way into the starting lineup — junior forward Darius Madison and sophomore forward Nicko Corriveau.
As both continue to work their ways back from preseason injuries, they have provided the Cavalier offense with more and more of a boost each game. On Sunday, Madison played a season high 60 minutes while taking three shots. Meanwhile, Corriveau saw frequent action in the second half and overtime, adding two shots, including one on goal.
“The team is only going to get better when you get those two caliber of players back,” Bird said. “I’m really looking forward to them getting more and more fit every single game.”
Meanwhile, the Virginia defense has held strong through the season’s first six games. Despite losing Suggs against Notre Dame, the unit held strong with senior defender Matt Brown at center back.
With the return of Suggs, Virginia should be more prepared for a Davidson offense that boasts several impressive scorers.
Wildcat junior forward Valeriy Sviderskiy — a first team A-10 conference selection in 2013 — scored eight goals last season, including four game winners. Through five games in 2014, he has already netted two goals and an assist.
A surprise emergence for Davidson has been senior midfielder Alan Reiter — a NC State transfer. After scoring just two goals and adding two assists last year — his first with the wildcats — he has already matched that total this season, leading Davidson in scoring.
Both will likely face the challenge of sending their shots past senior goalkeeper Calle Brown Wednesday. Despite not starting the season opener against Old Dominion, Brown has started the last five games with satisfying results.
Brown recorded two shutouts against Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth, and also came up with several keys saves Sunday, including a diving stop that prevented the Fighting Irish from taking a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute.
“I thought Calle [Brown] was good,” Gelnovatch said. “He did the things he had to do.”
Though it would be easy to overlook the Wildcats after a hard fought win Sunday and a trip to Syracuse on the horizon, the Cavaliers maintain they will be well rested and well prepared for Wednesday’s tilt.
“We’ll get down to work, just taking it one game at a time,” Bird said.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.
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