With four first-year starters, the Virginia men's soccer team knows its future looks bright.
But judging from Saturday night, the future is now.
The No. 17 Cavaliers (5-2-1, 1-1-1 ACC) overcame a late surge by No. 18 North Carolina (6-2-0, 1-1-0) to pull out a 2-1 victory at Klockner Stadium Saturday night.
"The win gave the Cavs their first ACC victory after a loss to Maryland and last week's tie with Wake Forest.
This win means a lot to us," first year Kyle Martino said. "Being an ACC game, these are always going to be big, and, if you're going to be a good team, you need to win them."
The Tar Heels left their locker room with a five-game winning streak and thoughts of early goals, but things did not go the way they planned.
North Carolina's leading scorer, sophomore forward Chris Carrieri, created the Heels' best scoring chance of the night even before the crowd of 2,560 was able to collect their free hot dogs on Youth Day. In the third minute, Carrieri maneuvered himself to the center of the goal box, with nothing between him and the goal except Virginia keeper Kyle Singer. Carrieri, perhaps shocked by how open he was, launched a shot that sailed wide left.
Singer, after that fortuitous miscue by Carrieri, turned in the best performance of his short career. The redshirt freshman registered four saves and frustrated the Tar Heels' forward all night with his aggressiveness and keen judgment.
"Kyle came up with two big saves," Cav coach George Gelnovatch said. "I think he needed this game. He needed to make a couple of big saves and turn in a good game. He was very steady all game long."
As Singer was tending goal, two first years, Kyle Gibbs and Martino, provided all the Virginia offense. In the 10th minute, Martino found Gibbs open at the top of the box for a scorcher that the forward sent past Carolina keeper Michael Ueltschey.
Nineteen minutes later, the roommates connected again - this time with Martino on the receiving end. Gibbs pushed past the Tar Heel defender down the right side and spotted Martino streaking towards the middle. Martino took Gibbs' pass and sent it effortlessly into the back of the net for the Cavaliers' second and final goal of the contest.
"Gibbs is an absolute handful," Gelnovatch said. "He just keeps getting better and better every game."
With two early goals to work with, the Virginia defense set up camp on the Cavs' side and made their living denying North Carolina's talented goal-scorers. The Heels entered the match averaging three goals per game but were unable to overcome the speed and physical play of a Cavalier defense that allowed only 10 shots on goal.
"The Virginia defense plays very professionally," Carolina coach Elmar Bolowich said. "Our guys didn't know how to react and adjust. To get behind them is not easy. I think our guys were intimidated by that."
Carolina's lone goal came off the foot of Carrier in the 78th minute. He booted one flush to the right side of the goal, where Singer was able to grab it, but not before it passed the goal line.
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