Cavaliers reviewed following spring match

Article Written By Joe Mauceri, ESNN

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College Park, MD - The DC United reserve team beat both the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia recently with a pair of 1-0 victories while Virginia crushed Maryland 4-1 in the final game of the 3 team round-robin exhibition.

Because of the limited amount of DC United reserve players, each mini-game involving DC was 40 minutes in length while the Virginia and Maryland matchup was 45 minutes.

DC United reserves were significantly better than either university - but given that the colleges are in their off-season and the pros have been formally training for almost 2 months, it shouldn't be too surprising.
Maryland played DC United reserves better than Virginia, but Virginia was a different team against ACC rival Maryland.

All 3 teams play a vanilla 4-4-2 diamond midfield.
Today we will look at the lineup and performance of the Virginia Cavaliers. Monday we will look at the Maryland Terrapins.

Virginia
Starting Line-ups:

Virginia against DC United reserves

F: Brian Ownby, Will Bates

M: Ari Dimas, Brian Span, Marcus Douglas, Felipe Libreros

D: Hunter Jumper, Greg Monaco, Mike Volk, Kevin McBride

GK: Calle Brown

Virginia against Maryland

F: Brian Ownby, Will Bates

M: Ari Dimas, Brian Span, Marcus Douglas, Felipe Libreros

D: Hunter Jumper, Greg Monaco, Mike Volk, Kevin McBride

GK: Spencer LaCivita

Virginia Observations:

Virginia lacked any ideas on how to get the ball into dangerous attacking positions against DC United reserves, but appeared to be playing without an opponent against Maryland, as forward Will Bates struck for four goals in the opening 29 minutes.

Virginia's Hunter JumperI was delighted to see Hunter Jumper return to playing left back after playing defensive midfield in 2010. Jumper did admirably defensively against 2010 MLS rookie-of-the-year Andy Najar. Jumper had an assist in the 29th minute driving a cross that was barely deflected and Will Bates touched for his fourth goal. Jumper could be a solid MLS left back.

Bates scored his first goal in the 1st minute. The play started with Brian Ownby beating London Woodberry on the dribble, unleashed a shot that Maryland's Will Swaim deflected to Bates who fired in a 5 yard shot for the goal.

In the 8th minute, Bates scored his second goal on transition. Brian Span stole the ball off Maryland left back Taylor Kemp's foot at midfield. Span pushed the ball forward to Bates. With 2 defenders on him, Bates advanced the ball toward the top of the box before finding a small opening and driving the ball powerfully with his right foot into the far post.

In the 14th minute, Bates scored with his left foot. Felipe Libreros crossed the ball and the ball skidded off the top of Maryland "emergency" center back Helge Leikvang's head and onto the foot of Bates in the box. Again, he crushed the ball into the far post for the hat trick.

Bates did not get the ball enough against DC United reserves to be productive. But, scoring 4 goals in less than a half against a quality ACC side is a full day's work - for some forwards that would be a career.
Brian Ownby played confidently against DC United reserves - one of the few players to do so. In the 14th minute against DC United reserves, Ownby headed an Ari Dimas 30 yard free kick off the post that Mike Volk followed and touched in from 2 yards - but Volk was ruled off-side. Ownby confidently dribbled against DC United reserves Kurt Morsink before finding space to release his cross to Dimas (who was dispossessed by Najar). Against Maryland, Libreros delivered a cross to Ownby who tipped it to Bates in the middle. Bates quickly got his shot off, the ball got under Swaim who was able to reach back and save the ball from squirting across the goal line.

I was surprised to see Brian Span playing attacking midfielder and Libreros playing right midfield. I wouldn't be surprised if this was gamesmanship by George Gelnovatch and that Span and Libreros will be back to their usual positions in the fall. However, in Ross LaBeaux's senior spring season, LaBeaux was moved to defensive midfield - which is where he played in the fall. Perhaps, this is foreshadowing in the fall for Virginia.

Span picked up a needless yellow against Maryland's Patrick Mullins while Virginia enjoyed a 3-1 lead. Not a smart play from a talented, athletic player.

I was glad to see Sean Hiller coming off the bench to play left midfield rather than starting at left back.

Returning starting right back Sean Murnane did not play on the day.