The No. 3 Virginia men's soccer team heads into this weekend's Fila/Maryland Invitational Tournament at Ludwig Field in College Park, Md., taking its 2-0 record up against South Carolina and defending NCAA champion Indiana.
Friday's matchup pits the Cavaliers against No. 22 South Carolina at 5 p.m. Virginia has not lost in four meetings with the Gamecocks, including a 2-0 win in the 1993 NCAA Tournament championship game.
While the Cavs (2-0) had success against USC (1-1) in the past, sophomore midfielder Kyle Martino said a friend on the Duke soccer team warned him not to look ahead to the Hoosiers.
"South Carolina is a very strong team," Martino said. "Taking them lightly would be a big mistake. South Carolina is a team full of solid players."
Sunday, the Cavaliers will play the No. 15 Hoosiers (0-2) at noon. Indiana returns seven players from last year's national championship team, including preseason All-America goalkeeper and national Player of the Year candidate T.J Hannig. The senior keeper holds a 56-7-0 career record with 37 shutouts.
With Hannig posing a threat to Virginia's offensive game, the Cav defense also will be severely tested by Hoosier midfielder Ryan Mack, another preseason All-America pick and Player of the Year finalist.
For the Cavaliers, senior Ryan Trout and freshman Alecko Eskandarian lead a frighteningly deep attack. Eskandarian won ACC Player of the Week honors by scoring three goals and recording one assist against South Florida and Jacksonville last week.
Cavalier coach George Gelnovatch emphasized the depth of this Virginia team, saying the 2000 squad, though perhaps not as talented as the national title teams of the early 1990s, is "certainly deeper than any other team we've had here in the past 10 years"
Read More
Lacrosse defenseman Cole Kastner announces transfer to Stanford basketball
By Michael Liebermann | 19 hours agoKastner is reviving a hoops career that has lain dormant since he graduated high school.
Virginia gets second Notre Dame rematch in a dynamic ACC Tournament bout Friday
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayThe Cavaliers will get a shot at redemption against a vaunted ACC foe, in a game with serious postseason seeding implications.
Mel Josephson and women’s lacrosse prepare to take center stage
By Xander Tilock | 2 days agoJosephson's ability to perform throughout a game's biggest moments is crucial for the Cavaliers.
