The sixth-ranked Cavaliers men’s soccer team battled one of its toughest opponents thus far in the team’s ACC home opener in front of a packed crowd at Klöckner stadium on Friday night.
Virginia (4-0-2, 1-0-1 ACC) showcased its depth, creativity and toughness to beat an NC State Wolfpack (5-2-0, 1-1-0 ACC) team that has four two-goal scorers thus far this year. Boosted by the play of sophomore midfielder Jake Rozhansky — who scored his team-leading third goal of the season — the Cavaliers dictated the pace, en route to a 1-0 win.
“Three points is everything,” coach George Gelnovatch said, “You’ve got to get your three points at home. NC State is a good team … I think they’re going to have some success this year and be a playoff team. That was good for us.”
Though the Wolfpack seemed to generate as many opportunities as they wished in the opening 45 minutes — winning three corners — the Cavaliers withstood the test.
“We knew they were going to start strong against us and we were prepared for it,” senior midfielder Todd Wharton said. “We weathered the early storm and once we did that I think we settled into the game really well.”
In the 35th minute, after receiving the ball about 30 yards out, Rozhansky streaked up the field and orchestrated a nifty one-two combination with junior midfielder Nicko Corriveau. Corriveau flicked the ball on to Rozhansky, who maneuvered around two Wolfpack defenders to get a touch and fire it across the goal to put Virginia ahead 1-0.
“I saw Nicko open, and when I play I always try to continue running,” Rozhansky said, “It actually looked like I wasn’t going to get the ball but the defender overcommitted and I ran around him…and passed it into the side netting.”
In the second half, both teams traded opportunities, but neither could get a clear shot at goal until the 55th minute, when freshman forward Edward Opoku — who the Cavaliers midfielders have noticeably targeted on long balls — got behind the NC State defense and had a breakaway against senior goalkeeper Alex McCauley. The Millbrook School product looked to be primed for his first career goal but his effort was snuffed out on a diving save.
“I thought Edward was going to break through in our first game but the thing is, he’s creating chances and that’s all you can ask for,” Wharton said, “maybe if he keeps doing this, getting some breakaways, he’ll get one. We didn’t get those chances last year so to get them this early this year is big for our confidence.”
Although not pegged as a top team in the ACC this season—voted to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division—the Wolfpack proved resilient, finding ways to foil Virginia chances just before they yielded a shot on goal.
Though usually composed, Cavaliers players and coaches looked to become frustrated with the lack of clear shots on goal and accumulation of NC State fouls.
“We’re a team that catches you in transition and, when you’re caught in transition you’re vulnerable,” Genovatch said, “so that’s when they foul. When we catch them and go, they stop it by committing a foul and I think…it’s a function of us going at them in transition.”
As Virginia looked to close in on the win, NC State stepped up its physicality, sensed some urgency and looked to do anything to break through the staunch Cavalier defense.
In this chaotic period, referee Vito Testa looked to lose control, issuing foul calls for soft tackles and missing relatively obvious cautions on dangerous plays.
“No team is going to want to let a team to run on them all game so they try to break up the play,” Wharton said, “When we string a few passes together in their half, they’re going to get frustrated.”
Even as time wound down and the situation became dire for the Wolfpack, the Virginia defense held strong as the offense. Led by Opoku’s show-stopping play, the Cavaliers worked off the final minutes to clinch the win and remain undefeated in ACC play.
“In ACC games, 80% of the time it’s going to be a 1-goal game,” Gelnovatch said, “and if you happen to be on the winning end of it you have to close it out. These are great opportunities to work on closing the game.”
The Cavaliers have two games away from home this week; first at VCU, and then at Notre Dame — a team the Cavaliers tied in double overtime last season.
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