The rain, which came down in tempestuous waves all day Tuesday, held off long enough during the night for the Virginia men’s soccer team to notch a 2-0 win against Drexel.
The Cavaliers (4-2-1, 1-0-0 ACC) seized the lead in the 30th minute off freshman midfielder Todd Wharton’s first career goal and never relinquished it, mustering a strong performance in the absence of senior tri-captain Ari Dimas.
Tuesday’s contest against the Dragons (3-2-1) marked the third consecutive game that Virginia played without Dimas, but the first since news broke Monday that Dimas had been ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season by the NCAA.
According to NCAA bylaws, Dimas’ first year at the University — in which he played for the school’s club team — counted as a year of varsity competition. As a result, the NCAA ruled Dimas’ eligibility had actually expired at the conclusion of last season, his third year with the varsity squad.
Dimas has decided to remain with the team for the duration of the season as a volunteer coach, and his continued presence paid dividends against Drexel. With Dimas as a motivating force, the Cavaliers played an inspired game against an opponent somewhat lacking in pedigree to arouse excitement on its own.
“I think we’re all rallying around Ari,” coach George Gelnovatch said. “He’s a leader in a different capacity, and he’s already taken on that role … The guys have kind of moved on from it, and have embraced him in his new role.”
Without Dimas, the Cavaliers still looked potent and in control throughout the evening, dominating both the possession and tempo battle.
After a slow and sloppy start, Virginia took the lead after senior forward Will Bates found freshman midfielder Scott Thomsen free down the left sideline. With a defender closing, Thomsen whipped a low, hard cross into the center of the box, where a gaggle of players from both teams were waiting.
Wharton came streaking in from the top of the box and aggressively forced his way past two Drexel defenders. He managed to make contact with the incoming cross and redirected it into the back of the net to put the Cavaliers ahead.
“It was really exciting,” Thomsen said of notching his first collegiate goal. “I’m just glad we got the win, too.”
Drexel had a few opportunities of their own in the first half, racking up five corner kicks in the opening period, compared to zero for the Cavaliers. In the 24th minute, the Dragons had one of their best chances to score, as junior midfielder Ken Tribbett elevated to meet a corner with his head and directed it accurately towards goal. But sophomore goalkeeper Spencer LaCivita easily corralled the shot to preserve the clean sheet.
The second period started off similarly to the first, with the Cavaliers controlling the ball in the middle of the field and the Dragons still forcing seemingly interminable corner kicks.
“I think sometimes those [corner] statistics can be misleading,” Gelnovatch said. “I think we were very economical. We were in control most of the time.”
In the 60th minute, Drexel had a prime chance to even the score, as another corner was sent dangerously into the Cavalier box. The ball bounced around in a scramble and eventually landed at senior Brandon Zeller’s feet. Zeller was standing open near the far post, but the midfielder appeared to slip on the wet field as he steadied himself for the shot, causing him to whiff on the shot attempt.
The Cavaliers then added an insurance goal late, courtesy of Bates’ team-leading fifth goal of the season. Bates struck in the 77th minute on a play created when freshman midfielder Brian James fired a hard cross across the box from the right flank. The ball looked to be headed toward freshman Marcus Salandy-Defour, who was standing on the front post, but the midfielder smartly faked at the ball and let it pass by him. Waiting to receive the ball at the back post was Bates, who fired a shot hard enough that it was able to trickle into the goal even though Drexel senior keeper Tim Washam got a hand on it.
“They were both really good goals,” Gelnovatch said. “Patient and economical and very well executed. I think the second goal deflated the game … To take the air out of the game, and to take their energy and momentum away, it was huge.”
The Cavaliers, although firmly controlling the possession of the game, actually trailed in total shots 13-8 and finished with 10 fewer corner kicks than Drexel — two figures that are usually not harbingers of success.
But with the field slick and mucky from a day of downpours, the Cavaliers were simply happy to come away with the victory.
“As many wins and as much confidence as we can get with this group, the better,” Gelnovatch said.
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