Deny, deny, deny. Virginia’s last task to finish off a furious comeback was to pack the box, denying Wake Forest’s attempts at a last-minute goal. After a series of deflections that kept finding the feet of Wake Forest, a costly deflection off the hand of a Cavalier led to a Wake Forest penalty kick with 14 seconds left. It went in, deflating what had been a wild game.
The 66th edition of the brewing rivalry between the two ACC juggernauts in the Cavaliers (3-4-1, 1-1-0 ACC) and the Demon Deacons (5-2, 2-1-0 ACC) at Spry Stadium did not disappoint. After a 6-3 beatdown last year by the Cavaliers at Klöckner Stadium, the Demon Deacons avenged the loss.
Controlling possession, creating chances, but failing to capitalize was the tale of the Cavaliers’ first half. Both teams were even-keeled in playmaking with opportunities to score, but the difference was how clinical the Demon Deacons were.
For Virginia, an early chance from fourth-year Marco Dos Santos came when he danced his way into the box within the first 10 minutes of the match. Less than five minutes later, third-year AJ Smith found himself lurking with an opportunity of his own outside the box but was immediately negated by the opposing keeper.
As for Wake Forest, the first set play of the match was a corner kick lofted well above fourth-year goalkeeper Caleb Tunks’ reach, leading to Wake Forest sophomore Ronnie Garcia slipping through the back door that was left unlocked by the Virginia defense to head in the opening goal of the match.
The Demon Deacons added to their tally eight minutes later when sophomore Joby Reid smashed in a rebound.
A concerning, consistent trend that came up again for Virginia is that they have now trailed in the first halves of four out of eight games, and lost all of those games.
But despite being down 2-0, Virginia finished the half with 54 percent possession and six shots to four for Wake Forest. At the start of the second half, Virginia began surgically dictating the tempo and rhythm of the match even more than before. Still searching for life but remaining composed, answers started to trickle in with Dos Santos and Smith both getting chances to right their wrongs from the first half.
Pressing with the attack, Dos Santos squeezed a shot into a tight window from a feed by fourth-year Brendan Lambe to get the Cavaliers on the board in the 53rd minute. A much-needed breakthrough. A sigh of relief. All Virginia needed was one. Lambe’s brilliance continues to pay dividends for the team as he contributed with his sixth goal or assist of the season.
Shortly after, Smith smelled the opportunity for an equalizer and wasted no time in delivering. The Cavaliers and the Demon Deacons juggled possession, the ball found Smith and he scored a team-leading fifth goal, evading the goalkeeper to secure Virginia’s second goal in two minutes.
The equalizer was just the beginning of more for the Cavaliers. Smith flirted with another chance as his kick sailed wide right past the net.
Moments later the first of two decisive penalty kicks was in the 67th minute. After a gritty foul on Dos Santos alongside the outskirts of the box, Virginia was awarded a penalty after review by the referees.
The reliable Smith took a crack at giving Virginia the lead but had his shot erased immediately to keep the score deadlocked.
In the waning moments of the match a flurry of late chances for Wake Forest in the box allowed them to apply immense pressure on the Cavaliers. Virginia folded under the pressure as a penalty shot was awarded to Wake Forest for a handball in the box.
All four of Virginia’s losses have been the result of 80th minute or later breakthroughs by their opponents. Figuring out how to maintain form in matches of this nature will be monumental in securing points in ACC play in the coming days.
There will be no time for slow starts against No.1 Stanford as Virginia travels for a battle on the West Coast Friday. The last time Virginia played a No. 1 team in the country resulted in the 6-3 victory of last year’s Wake Forest. The Cavaliers will be hoping history repeats itself.
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