In a rematch of last year’s season-opening loss in Oklahoma, the second-ranked Virginia men’s soccer team squared off against Tulsa looking to open the season 2-0 following its victory over Charlotte to open the campaign.
The Cavaliers (1-0-1) battled through a steady rain from kickoff to tie the Golden Hurricane (1-2-1) 1-1. However, after a pregame lightning delay briefly threatened the 7 PM start time, any game action was a welcome sign for both sides.
“It was a good game,” coach George Gelnovatch said, “Obviously we wanted to win, but it’s a good Tulsa team and we’re going to get ready for the next one.”
The Golden Hurricane — who dominated play in the matchup one year ago as a heavy underdog — stuck to their game plan of keeping a high defensive line and putting pressure on Virginia’s back four.
“They’re a very athletic team that goes on the counter attack,” junior forward Riggs Lennon said. “They’re very forward-oriented, so we’re getting chances, but they have the ball for the majority of the time. Their play is just very difficult for us to play against.”
Although seemingly outmatched early on, Virginia fought back, gaining the first solid goal scoring opportunity just six minutes into the match when freshman forward Malcolm Dixon’s shot went high.
The Cavaliers’ defense — which ranked thirteenth nationally in goals against average at a minute .7 last season — held its ground time and time again, blocking numerous shots and holding Tulsa to just four shots for in the first half, none of which required any activity from former U-20 National Team member sophomore goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell.
“I think our defense played really well,” Lennon said, “Everyone was blocking, we were winning headers, and I think overall it was really good.”
With a change of side and a weakened rain, the Cavaliers’ offense took control in the second half. After tallying a run-of-the-mill six shots in the first half, Virginia consistently pressed Tulsa’s stout back line, peppering 12 shots on goal in the second half and overtime.
In the 49th minute, after redshirt sophomore midfielder Pablo Aguilar was fouled just outside of the penalty box, Lennon stepped up for the free kick. After a brief discussion with Aguilar, the Paradise Valley, Arizona native curled a left-footed strike around the five-man wall, inches below the crossbar and out of reach of the diving goalkeeper into the upper 90 for his first goal of the season.
“It was a great free kick,” Gelnovatch said, “He’s played really well with a very blue-collar, workmanlike mentality. I’ve been really happy with that.”
Following a goalless regular season before his explosion in the NCAA tournament in 2014, a strong free kick should lift Lennon’s confidence and cement his job in the starting xi at his new position, right midfield.
“It’s really big for my confidence because last year I went through an injury,” Lennon said, “and coming out this season…to get one early is great for my confidence.”
Although the Cavaliers continued their pressure up top, Tulsa’s plan, to work the ball up the flanks before sending in crosses, began to pay dividends. In the span of 20 seconds in the 65th minute, Caldwell saw his first tense moments, being called into action to parry two headed attempts from within the six-yard box.
“They were getting at us on our right side,” Gelnovatch said, “and the guy who played the ball in had a lot of time to pick his head up…didn’t have much pressure.
For Tulsa, the saying ‘the third time’s a charm’ rang true on this balmy Friday night in September. Less than three minutes later, after a passage of impressive individual play, freshman forward Miguel Velasquez sent a left-footed cross that found the head of Dutch sophomore midfielder Kay Duit, who directed his try into the top of the net, knotting the game at 1.
“It was kind of similar to the situation a couple minutes before, it was a great ball in,” Caldwell said. “Whenever you’re under sustained pressure like that you’ve got to find a way to absorb it and get out. It was a good ball, tightly marked, the guy just got one step and it was a really good low, driving header inside the 6.”
For the final 20 minutes, both sides exchanged brief threats on goal but neither offense could break the tie, sending the two squads to overtime for the second meeting in a row.
“When we went into the group [before overtime] we said to each other that we know this position,” Lennon said. “Last year it was there and they had a cracker from 30 out, which was devastating, and we made sure not to let that happen this year, we tried to get a goal that just didn’t come.”
In the first 10 overtime minutes the humidity of the night seemed to get to both teams, as 90+ minutes of action induced — predictably — somewhat sloppy passages of play.
“I think both teams were gassed,” Gelnovatch said, “it’s the beginning of the season so you’re still not really fit. When you get into these games that go into double overtime, it adds up and you could see that from both teams.”
The one moment of brilliance — or anxiety for Cavalier fans — came in the 95th minute, when Velazquez ripped a driving strike from outside the box that clanged off the crossbar, a deafening sound that echoed through the suddenly silent Klöckner stadium.
The second overtime period didn’t feature any scoring, however Tulsa freshman Cole Poppen defender brought silence to the crowd when he hit the crossbar on a free kick with just over one minute remaining.
“I gave the crossbar a nice big kiss after the game,” Caldwell said, “It definitely earned it; two great shots, that guy got that free kick up and down real quick, and hats off to them. If they beat you like that then you give them a little wave and move on to the next one.”
The Cavaliers have just three days off before they welcome George Mason to Klöckner stadium Tuesday night.
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