After a 3-2 win at Clemson Sunday, the Virginia men's soccer team prepares to face off against Elon tonight at 5 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.
"Coming off a big win, we're always a little bit concerned," Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said. "We're going to try not to take the game too lightly."
The Cavaliers do not know quite how to gauge the Phoenix (6-7) since the two teams have never crossed paths before. No. 10 Virginia (9-3-1, 4-0 ACC) is coming off the victory over Clemson while unranked Elon suffered a 2-0 defeat Wednesday against North Carolina state rival High Point.
"We don't really know anything about Elon, which makes things even harder," sophomore center midfielder Kyle Martino said. "The thing about Elon is that they're going to come here and we're going to have to figure out how they play in the first 20 minutes of the game."
Virginia is averaging just under three goals per game, but Phoenix senior goalkeeper Scot Wahl could prove tough to beat. Wahl has all-conference potential and entered the season fifth in Elon history in career saves.
|
Phoenix junior forward Duran Martin also has made a name for himself. Martin led Elon in scoring as a freshman last season, with nine goals and three assists. With Wahl and Martin playing the field, the Cavs will have to be ready with an attack of their own.
The Cavaliers are more than ready for the challenge. Freshman forward Alecko Eskandarian leads the team with 25 points (11 goals, three assists), while forwards Ryan Gibbs and Sheldon Barnes are tied for second with 14 points. Gibbs said the Cavs' biggest test may be remaining focused through the entire 90 minutes. In the Oct. 6 match against Fairfield, Virginia jumped out to a 2-0 lead but relaxed in the second half and had to settle for a 2-2 tie.
"We'll definitely score in the first half and then we just have to concentrate throughout the whole game," Gibbs predicted.
The sophomore forward maintained Virginia will avoid the mistakes it made against the Stags.
"If we play our game right, we should win," Gibbs said. "The team is definitely ready for them"
Read More
Lacrosse defenseman Cole Kastner announces transfer to Stanford basketball
By Michael Liebermann | 4 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 | 16 hours agoThe 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 | YesterdayJosephson's ability to perform throughout a game's biggest moments is crucial for the Cavaliers.
