Sunday afternoon’s matchup between Denver and No. 9 Virginia was filled with wind gusts reaching whopping speeds of 18 miles per hour, sweeping through Klöckner Stadium. Trees were shaking left to right and leaves were getting blown around, but they were not the only things that had to be shaken this afternoon.
The Cavaliers (8-1-4, 3-0-3 ACC) had to shake off a tough stalemate in the first half against the Pioneers (7-7-1, 2-1 Summit League), scoring two goals in the second half and staving off potential late-game equalizers to grind out a 2-1 victory.
“This team is formidable and a tough team to break down,” Coach George Genovatch said of Denver. “It was important to take a two-goal lead today, and I’m proud of the way our team played.”
Virginia closed out its non-conference schedule against a Denver team with championship-level experience. The Pioneers reached the College Cup last season. The level of aggression and intentionality with every dribble was on full display for both squads.
Over the majority of the season, the Cavaliers have had no issue creating scoring opportunities throughout their matches. The trend was no different this afternoon. They took seven shots in the first half, placing two on goal but not breaking through.
With the ball slicing through the Pioneers’ stout first-half defense, freshman forward Nicholas Simmonds found himself on the outskirts of the penalty area with a promising chance to score — a quick shot to the net resulted in a quicker deflection, summing up the scoreless first half.
A flurry of substitutions coming out of halftime proved to be the spark of electricity the Cavaliers needed to get over the hump. Within nine minutes of action, two quick shots set the tone for Virginia, with a third try being the charm.
A clean setup from freshman midfielder Bacary Tandjigora put junior forward Marcos Dos Santos in prime position for a one-touch cross into the danger zone, leading to an automatic header into the back of the net for senior midfielder Umberto Pela’s fourth goal of the season.
“I thought that was good, almost an icebreaker, for lack of a better term,” Pelà said. “I think that really helped us give us some energy.”
The opening goal was a jolt of energy that boosted the Cavaliers toward putting another one into the net three minutes later. The second was not just any goal. It was one that was a year in the making for senior defender Reese Miller.
Miller suffered a season-ending ACL injury 13 months ago, and his last goal was in that same game, a 1-1 draw against Wake Forest. Slowly but surely over the last month, though, he has worked his way back into the rotation, chipping in and playing quality minutes.
In the 57th minute, a left side pass found the Miller's left leg and then the goal. It was a breakthrough that not only gave Virginia a cushion, but brought joy to a team that celebrated their teammate’s comeback story.
“It feels great man, all glory to God,” Miller said. “I couldn't have got through what I got through with the ACL without him, without my family, without my teammates. I mean, that celebration, all my boys coming up to me, it was the best feeling. It's been a long time coming. I'm just glad we could get the result, but I could do my part.”
After the jubilee, it was back to work for the Cavaliers as Denver answered two minutes later with a goal of their own to put them within striking distance.
Up until the last seconds, the Pioneers gave Virginia a run for their money, but graduate goalkeeper Casper Mols, two-time ACC defensive player of the week, was up to the task and delivered a clutch defensive stand.
Extending their unbeaten streak to 10 matches, Virginia seems to have forgotten how to lose, and continues to find ways to win in unique fashion.
Stellar performances at home also continued for the Cavaliers, as they still have yet to drop one at Klöckner, posting a record of 6-0-3. The Cavaliers have a chance to solidify an undefeated home record for the regular season with their home finale against Clemson Saturday at 6 p.m.
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