Sep 30, 2012

MLS Video Highlights: D.C. at Portland


D.C. United, led by Chris Pontius travel out west to take on Darlington Nagbe and the Portland Timbers.

No. 3 UVA Women Beat No. 5 Duke, 1-0; Doniak Postgame Video


CHARLOTTESVILLE – Makenzy Doniak’s goal in the 88th minute broke a scoreless draw and gave No. 3 Virginia a 1-0 win over No. 5 Duke on Sunday in front of 1,589 fans at Klöckner Stadium.  It was the first ranked-win of the season for the Cavaliers (10-2-1, 3-1-1 ACC), while the Blue Devils (8-3-1, 2-2-1) suffered their second road loss of the season to a top-five team. 


“Games like these are what the ACC is all about,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “Coming off a tough loss at Maryland on Thursday, we knew it was going to be a similar type of game today. We played well, especially defensively, and shutout one of the highest scoring teams in the nation in Duke. As they pushed more people forward late in the game, we felt like we could attack them on the counter. That opportunity came and we took advantage of that situation with a great pass by Caroline (Miller) and a great finish by Makenzy.”

The first half was even with each team totaling seven shots, including ones off the post at both ends. It marked the third consecutive game between the Cavaliers and Blue Devils that went to intermission scoreless.  

The game remained 0-0 into the final 10 minutes as the teams continued to trade chances, but neither able to find the back of the net. Virginia nearly took the lead in the 81st minute as Kate Norbo’s (Roanoke, Va.) header off a corner kick was saved off the line by a Duke defender.

The Cavaliers scored the game’s lone goal with just under three minutes to play. Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.) took a clearance by the Virginia defense and started a counterattack. She dribbled past midfield before threading a through ball into the run of Doniak. The Cavalier freshman took the pass, dribbled into the box and slotted home her eighth goal of the season. It would be her third game-winning goal of her rookie campaign.

“Caroline gave me a great ball through,” said Doniak. “I had already started my run and she gave me the perfect ball to my feet. I saw the goalie come off her line and was able to slip it past her. It was a great feeling to score a goal that gave our team such an important win.”

The Blue Devils outshot the Cavaliers 19-14 and had a 4-3 corner-kick advantage. Danielle DeLisle (Baltimore, Md.) made four saves to post her third shutout of the season in goal for Virginia. Tara Campbell made five saves at the other end for Duke.

The Cavaliers return to action on Friday as they host No. 13 Wake Forest. Game time at Klöckner Stadium is 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast online by the ACC Digital Network, available on YouTube.

UMW Women Blowout Wesley College, 5-0

Freshman Jessica Bednarcik scored one goal and assisted on three others and junior Erin Reynolds added a pair of goals to lead the University of Mary Washington women's soccer team to a 5-0 win over Wesley College on Saturday in Capital Athletic Conference action at the Battleground. The Eagles improve to 7-1-1 on the year.

Freshman Adrian Newcomb opened the scoring on a Bednarcik assist at 13:26, and Bednarcik followed with her eighth goal of the season at 17:06. UMW held the 2-0 lead at halftime.

In the second, Reynolds scored on Bednarcik assists at 52:41 and 57:48. Freshman Anna Brauch scored her first goal on a Caitlyn Denkler corner kick to cap the scoring at 88:45.

The Eagles led in shots, 32-2, and in corner kicks, 8-2. Charlotte Owens made one save in UMW goal, splitting the shutout with Alyssa Goodwin and Alexa Faraone. Sydney Kahan had nine saves and Samantha Brannigan had seven for Wesley.

The Eagles will return to action on Tuesday when they host Division I Howard University at 4:00 p.m.

Longwood Women Fall to Coastal Carolina, 2-0

LONGWOOD FALLS IN BIG SOUTH ROAD MATCH AT COASTAL CAROLINA 2-0

Longwood Freshman, Olivia Colella


CONWAY, S.C. -- 
Longwood University dropped its first Big South Conference women’s soccer decision on Saturday afternoon, falling 2-0 on the road at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.  The host Chanticleers (5-6, 2-2 Big South) scored a pair of second-half goals to secure their victory against the Lancers (8-4, 3-1 Big South).  Longwood will return home to play again on Thursday, October 4, against visiting Big South member Winthrop University at the Athletics Complex in Farmville at 5:30 p.m.
    
“Looking back on the whole 90 minutes, Coastal Carolina deserved that result,” said 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93.  “They put us under a lot of pressure and we just didn’t deal with it well enough.  Offensively, we weren’t a consistent threat and that freed up their backs to get forward and create problems for us.
    
“We are capable of playing at a higher level and we have to show that against a strong Winthrop squad.”
    
Longwood and Coastal Carolina battled through a scoreless first half before Ashley Day scored the first goal in the 61st minute, assisted by Fia Jonsson.  The Chanticleers added a late insurance goal in the 87th minute by Kacey Kelley.  Keeper Megan Spencer did the rest with five saves en route to the shutout. 
    
Coastal Carolina took a 12-7 advantage in shots, though it was 5-5 in attempts on goal, and 2-2 on corner kicks.  JuniorKelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) had three shots, two on goal, and freshman Olivia Colella|Herndon (Chantilly)added two shots, both on goal, to lead Longwood.  Senior keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played the duration in front of the net for the Lancers with three saves.
    
Day and Kelley each had two shots for CCU, while Spencer played the duration for the Chanticleers with the five saves.
    
Longwood and Coastal Carolina were playing for the sixth time in the sport of women’s soccer, and the Chanticleers now lead the series, 5-1.

Tribe Men Fall to Drexel, 3-0


WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary men's soccer team fell to Drexel, 3-0, Friday evening from Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field.  With the loss, the Tribe falls to 2-6-2 on the year and 0-1-1 in CAA play, while the Dragons improve to 6-2-1 overall and 2-0 in league action.  Due to thunderstorms in the region, Friday night's match was delayed one hour and 25 minutes, finally getting underway at 8:25 p.m.

courtesy of TribeAthletics.com


After a back and forth opening 30 minutes, Drexel got on the scoreboard when sophomore Guido Pena connected on a free-kick goal in the 31st minute.  For the half, the Green and Gold generated two shots with one coming on frame, while sophomore keeper Bennett Jones ended the half with one save.

Drexel pushed its advantage to 2-0 after tallying another free-kick score in the 55th minute.  This time, sophomore John Grosh connected on goal from 22-yards away.   Attempting to close the gap, the Tribe generated a quality look in the 79th minute.  On a counter attack, junior Chris Perezraced over mid-field and slipped a pass to freshman Jackson Eskay, who was occupying the middle.  Eskay then sent a beautiful through ball to the right-side of the 18, finding classmateRyan Flesch, who flipped a shot over Drexel's sliding keeper, but missed just wide right of goal.  Late in the contest, the Dragons connected on the night's third goal.

For the match, W&M outshot Drexel, 18-12, and owned the edge in shots on goal, 6-4.  The Tribe also held the advantage in corner kicks, 6-5.

W&M returns to the pitch on Wednesday, Oct. 3, as it host UNCW in a contest slated to get underway at 7 p.m.

Sep 29, 2012

Tribe Women Beat George Mason 1-0


Fairfax, Va. - The William and Mary women's soccer team opened Colonial Athletic Association road play with a 1-0 victory at George Mason Friday night.  Behind senior Cortlyn Bristol's third goal of the season in the 60th minute, the Tribe improved to 8-3 on the season and 2-0 in CAA action, while the Patriots fell to 4-7-1 overall and 0-2-1 in league play.

Tribe Senior, Cortlyn Bristol, Courtesy TribeAthletics.com

  
"We defended very well tonight," stated head coach John Daly. "We generated some good opportunities in the first-half but had some difficulty connecting on the chances we could have taken.  Emory (Camper) turned well in their area but the keeper saved well.  Cortlyn (Bristol) scored spectacular winner, carrying the ball from near half way and hitting the upper 90 with a tremendous shot.  Caroline (Casey) made a terrific save in the first half. Emory and Dani (Rutter) both played very well, as did Mallory (Schaffer) and Aly (Shaughnessy)."

In first-half action, sophomore Emory Camper sent a rocket on frame in the 4th minute, but was turned away by Mason's junior keeper Lyndse Hokanson.  After the College tallied four more shots, the Patriots made an attempt to counter in the 37th minute.  However, the Green and Gold's freshman keeper Caroline Casey denied GMU's freshman Sydney Mitchel, en route to keeping the contest scoreless going into intermission.

After registering two shots to open the second-half, the Tribe got on the scoreboard off the foot of Bristol in the 60th minute.  From the near corner, the Chantilly, Va., native fired a shot from 18-yards away that sailed into the upper right corner of goal.  The score was Bristol's second game-winner of the year and the 11th for her career.  Needing the equalizer, the Patriots put three more shots on frame, but resulted in Casey saves.
For the match, the Tribe recorded nine shots with three coming on frame, while Mason tallied 11 attempts, which included five on goal.  Casey finished the night with five saves and her sixth shutout of the season.   With the win, the College improves to 19-13-4 all-time against George Mason.

The Tribe returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 30, when it travels to Towson for a 1 p.m. match.  Fans can follow the match online at TribeAthletics.com with live stats.

Video: Fox Soccer NSCAA Game of the Week Highlights: #14 Old Dominion 3, George Mason 2

NSCAA Game of the Week featured the nationally ranked Old Dominion Monarchs knocking off George Mason 3 to 2 in front of the largest home crowd of the season of 1,577 nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel.

ODU Men Beat Mason 3-2 on FOX Soccer Channel Friday

NORFOLK, VA--- Alex DeJohn, Yannick Smith and Jordan LeBlanc each scored goals to lead the nationally ranked Monarchs (7-1/1-1) to a 3-2 victory over George Mason (7-2/1-1) in front of the largest home crowd of the season of 1,577 nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel.

Full Story: Click Here

Sep 28, 2012

NSCAA College Game of The Week - ODU vs. George Mason on FOXSoccer


Old Dominion and George Mason are set to square off in a Colonial Athletic Association contest in this week’s NSCAA College Game of the Week on FOX Soccer.

 Full Story: Sept 28 game

Longwood Women Shutout Charleston Southern, 2-0

LONGWOOD WINS BIG SOUTH ROAD OPENER AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 2-0


Longwood Sophomore Kelsey McDonald

CHARLESTON, S.C. --
Longwood University won its third consecutive Big South Conference women’s soccer match Thursday afternoon, and first league game on the road, taking a 2-0 win at Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina.  Junior Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) scored the game-winning goal in the 18th minute for the Lancers (8-3, 3-0 Big South), assisted by sophomore Kelsey McDonald|Kennett Square, Pa. (Unionville), and freshman Haylea Witz|Chesapeake (Grassfield) added the second goal against the Buccaneers (3-6-1, 1-2 Big South), assisted by Pardue.  Senior keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) posted the shutout.  Longwood will play again on Saturday, September 29, remaining on the road at Big South member Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina at 1 p.m.
  
“That being our first road test, we feel pretty good about the result,” said 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93.  “We had a good start in terms of our ball movement and that helped us settle in and get that critical first goal … and the way we defended today, that one was all we needed.  Now it’s time to move on to Coastal.”
  
Longwood took control early at CSU when Pardue, this week’s Big South Conference Attacking Player of the Week, scored her fifth goal of the season at 17:32 with a shot to the upper right corner while assisted by McDonald.  Pardue, who had three goals and two assists in two conference matches last week, contributed her fourth assist this fall when she played a long through ball into the box to Witz who finished successfully at 36:41.  It was the second goal this year for Witz, and also the second assist earlier for McDonald.  Byron took care of the rest for the Lancers, making three saves en route to her fourth shutout this season, and the 11th shutout of her career.
  
Longwood took a 20-10 advantage in shots, and it was 10-3 in attempts on goal, while a 5-1 margin on corner kicks.  Pardue had five shots, one on goal, and freshman Olivia Colella|Herndon (Chantilly) added three shots, two on goal, to lead Longwood.  As mentioned, Byron played the duration in front of the net with three saves and the shutout for the Lancers.
  
Gina Cox had three shots for CSU, while keeper Caitlin Cody played the duration for the Buccaneers with eight saves.
  
Longwood and Charleston Southern were playing for the ninth time in the sport of women’s soccer, and the Lancers now lead the closely-played series, 5-4.


UVA Men Host Clemson Friday

Virginia Men's Soccer Returns Home at 7 p.m. Friday to Face Clemson
Cavaliers are 1-1 in league play this season
 
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Fresh off a thrilling win Tuesday at VCU, the Virginia men’s soccer comes home at Friday to battle the Clemson Tigers in ACC play at Klöckner Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Live Coverage
A live video webcast will be available on VirginiaSports.com through Cavaliers Live (subscription required). Live statistics will be available on VirginiaSports.com.

Tickets
Single-game tickets for Virginia men's soccer currently are on sale through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office. 

To purchase tickets online, visit VirginiaSports.com/Tickets. In-person purchases can be made at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821). 

Records
Virginia: 5-3-1 (ACC: 1-1-0/3 points)
Clemson: 2-5-1 (ACC: 1-1-1/3 points)

Virginia-Clemson Series
Virginia holds a 27-21-5 edge in its series with Clemson. The Cavaliers have won back-to-back matches with Clemson, with both coming on the Tigers’ home pitch. UVa was a 2-0 victor last year.

In its last trip to Virginia in 2009, Clemson pulled out a 1-0 win, one of just three UVa losses during its national championship season. Virginia has won seven of the last 10 matches between the schools.

Tuesday Recap: UVa Upends VCU in Double OT
Cameron Chavira (Jr., Roanoke, Va.) scored his first career goal just over two minutes into double overtime to push the Virginia men’s soccer team to a 1-0 triumph at VCU Tuesday evening in Richmond, Va. Chavira’s golden goal helped Virginia hand VCU (4-1-2) its first loss of the year.

Virginia made its first scoring opportunity in double overtime count when Marcus Douglas (R-So., Washington, D.C.) sliced a cross from the right flank to the middle of the box to find a wide open Chavira, who tapped it home from five yards out for the winning score. 

VCU finished with a 19-15 edge in shots and put seven shots on goal, compared to six for UVa. The Rams took seven corner kicks, while UVa earned three corners. The Cavaliers committed 16 fouls, while VCU was whistled for 15.

Cavalier Quick Hits
• The Cavaliers’ nine opponents thus far have a combined 44-16-11 record.
• Virginia finishes a tough stretch of seven matches in 21 days on Friday; three of the previous six games have gone into overtime. 
• For the fifth straight match, UVa will face a rested team that has had at least six days off coming into its game against the Cavaliers.
• Seven of Virginia’s nine matches have been decided by a single goal or tie.
• UVa crossed the midway point in the regular season on Tuesday.
• Sixteen players saw action on Tuesday as UVa went deep into its bench with four regular contributors out of the lineup.
• Spencer LaCivita recorded his third shutout of the year and 10th career shutout on Tuesday; he now ranks 10th in that category in UVa history.



Noting Clemson
Clemson enters with a 2-5-1 record and is 1-1-1 in the ACC after a 2-1 upset win over then-No. 17 NC State last Friday. Clemson has recorded five goals this year, all from different scorers. Manolo Sanchez leads the team with four points (1g, 2a).

Like Virginia, the Tigers have played an extremely tough schedule this year, inclduing top 25 foes Indiana, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, UAB and NC State.

Up Next
Virginia gets a week off before traveling to College Park, Md., next Friday to take on top-ranked Maryland. The game will be televised by FOX Soccer Channel. 

The Cavaliers then come back to Charlottesville for their final four home regular-season games, beginning Oct. 9 against High Point.

JMU Women Fall to Northeastern, 2-0

HARRISONBURG, Va., Sept. 27, 2012 -- Northeastern scored two breakaway goals in the first half and beat James Madison 2-0 in Colonial Athletic Association women's soccer Thursday evening at University Park.

courtesy JMU Athletics Photography

The Huskies (4-7-0, 2-1-0) won for the third time in their last four starts, while JMU (3-8-0, 1-2-0) dropped its second game in a row.


Northeastern got an early lead as the Huskies scored on their first shot in the opening minutes of the match. 
Senior Sandra Magnusdottir (Reykjavik, Iceland/Verslunarskoli Islands) delivered a pass from behind the midfield line to redshirt sophomore Hannah O’Donnell (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park).  O'Donnell raced ahead of the JMU defense and took control of the ball about 25 yards from the goal.  She dribbled into the box and sent a 16-yard shot past redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Kate Courter (Lincoln Park, N.J./Immaculate Heart) and into the right corner of the goal.

Just before halftime the Huskies scored a second goal in a similar fashion.  This time junior
Hanna Terry (Park City, Utah/Park City) sent a ball from behind the midfield stripe to redshirt sophomore Devin Griffin (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson).  Griffin controlled the ball a few yards outside the box, ahead of JMU's defenders, dribbled into the box and slipped a low shot into the right corner of the goal from 16 yards.

The Dukes had several quality scoring opportunities but Northeastern sophomore goalkeeper
Paige Burnett (Placentia, Calif./Cypress) denied JMU five times to get her third shutout of the year.

Game Highlights


First Half:
* NU - Sandra Magnusdottir sends a ball from behind the midfield line to Hannah O'Donnell, who breaks ahead of the JMU defense.  O'Donnell dribbles toward the goal from 25 yards out and beats goalie Kate Courter
with a shot from 16 yards to the right corner.
* NU - Hanna Terry sends a pass from behind the midfield line to Devin Griffin.  Griffin dribbles into the box and shoots from the left side from 16 yards to the lower right corner.


Second Half:
* JMU - Redshirt senior Kelly Germain (McLean, Va./Langley) gets her foot on a ball sent into the box, but her shot from five yards is just wide of the goal, 55:34.
* JMU - Junior Becky Sparks (Laurel Springs, N.J./Paul VI) crosses a ball into the box, where a header from six yards by sophomore Katie Hyland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) is saved by Paige Burnett, 64:45.
* JMU - A header by Sparks is saved by Burnett, 70:39.
* NU - A shot by O'Donnell sails just over the goal, 72:33.
* JMU - Freshman Elissa Halik (Spring, Texas/Klein Collins) controls the ball after a defensive play by Sparks gives the Dukes possession.  She sends a pass ahead to redshirt freshman Madyson Brown (Herndon, Va./Chantilly).  Brown's point-blank shot from three yards is stopped by Burnett, 76:02.
* NU - A shot by Terry from 15 yards out hits the crossbar, 84:15

Of Note
* The Dukes' next game is at home against Hofstra on Sunday (Sept. 30, 1 p.m.). 

Game Stats

Shots: 
JMU 9, Northeastern 11
Saves:  JMU, Kate Courter 1 (45:00); Marlee Stynchula 1 (45:00); Northeastern, Paige Burnett 5 (90:00)
Corner kicks:  JMU 3, Northeastern 3
Scoring:
NU - Hannah O'Donnell (Sandra Magnusdottir), 3:56), 36:48
NU - Devin Griffin (Hanna Terry), 42:52

Sep 27, 2012

Elite Tournaments Looking for WAGS Tournament Workers

Fairfax, VA – Elite Tournaments is looking for responsible individuals to help run the 2012 WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament. The event will take place on October 6-8 in the Fairfax, VA area and workers will be paid $125 per day. A typical tournament day will last from about 7:00AM to 5:00PM, lunch and hotels will be provided if needed. Workers will be directed by a site coordinator and will most likely be in charge of field marshaling duties or parking. If interested, please contact Megan Schdmit at mschmidt@elitetournaments.com by Thursday, September 27, 2012.

Longwood Men fall to Campbell, 1-0


LONGWOOD DROPS 1-0 DECISION TO CAMPBELL
 
FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to Big South Conference opponent Campbell University (5-2-1, 1-1 BSC), who recorded a last minute goal to seal the victory on Wednesday evening at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Senior Vinnie Llana|Raleigh, N.C. (Broughton) and freshman Mike Durr|Brandon, Miss. (Brandon) led the Lancers (2-7-1, 2-5-1 BSC) with one shot apiece in the outing. Longwood returns to action on Saturday, September 29 when the squad travels to George Washington University for a 1 p.m. tilt.

“We can take heart from the fact that we worked hard and looked the most organized that we have all season,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “To concede with an own goal with seconds to go is a tough pill to swallow, but knowing the character of our lads, I know we will bounce back and continue to improve.”

The teams battled back and forth in the middle of the field early in the game, as neither squad was able to get a shot off until the Camels hit the post on a header in the 19th minute. Campbell posted three more shots in the first half before the game was delayed over 20 minutes due to a Longwood injury in the 38th minute of the match. When play resumed, Longwood and Campbell traded possessions until time expired, sending the teams into the break knotted at 0-0.

Coming out of halftime, the Lancers had a chance to get on the board in the 55th minute when a good cross found Durr inside the box for the redirect, but his shot skidded just right of the net. The stalemate continued through most of the second half, but Campbell’s Mitchell Cardenas took control of the ball with just over 30 seconds remaining in regulation and lofted a shot towards the net that hit the crossbar before bouncing off the back of sophomore goalkeeper Paul Hegedus|Ashburn ( Broad Run) and into the goal, securing the slim, 1-0 victory for the Camels.

Campbell outshot Longwood, 9-2, in the outing and forced more corner kicks, 6-2. Wednesday’s match marked the first meeting ever between Longwood and Campbell in the sport of men’s soccer.

UMW Men Beat NC Wesleyan in OT Thriller, 3-2


The University of Mary Washington men's soccer team fought back from an early two goal deficit to earn a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory Wednesday over North Carolina Wesleyan College at the Battleground on the campus of the University of Mary Washington. The Eagles improve to 5-4 on the season with the victory, while handing the Battling Bishops their first loss of the year.

NC Wesleyan took an early one goal advantage when Andri Bjarnason scored an unassisted goal just 17 seconds into the game on a strike from 40 yards out. Bjarnason added a second goal at the 36:16 mark in the first half from about the same distance to put NC Wesleyan up 2-0 heading into halftime.

The Eagles stormed back in the second half to tie the match with two goals. Junior Kevin Murphy scored Mary Washington's first goal 20 minutes into the second half to pull the Eagles within one. Junior David Heller evened the score 10 minutes later with a well-placed header off a corner kick from junior Tommy Sangbousy.

The Eagles took control early in the first overtime period, keeping the pressure on NC Wesleyan goaltender Nathan Mangione. With just over two minutes off the clock, Murphy found Sangbouasy in front of the goal for the winning strike. Sangbouasy had a hand in all three Mary Washington goals with two assists and one goal on the day.

Mary Washington will be in action again Saturday as they travel to Marymount (Va.) University for a 7 P.M. match.

UMW Women Beat Randolph-Macon, 4-1


Four different players scored goals as the University of Mary Washington women's soccer team defeated Randolph-Macon College, 4-1, on Wednesday in Ashland, Va. The Eagles improve to 6-1-1 on the year.

The Eagles opened the scoring at 6:59 when junior Tina Rader scored on a Jessica Bednarcik assist. Freshman Lizzie Weast upped the edge to 2-0 at 17:22 on a pass from Adrian Newcomb, and UMW held the 2-0 until halftime.

Randolph-Macon scored its tally at 49:55 on an Erin Hauser goal. The Eagles answered at 68:02 on a score from Erin Reynolds on a Weast, and junior Kelsey Carter capped the scoring at 74:44 on a penalty kick.

The Eagles led in shots, 17-8, and had one corner kick to three for the hosts. Charlotte Owens had three saves in 80 minutes and Alyssa Goodwin none in 10 minutes of play in goal for UMW, while Briana Housekeeper had nine saves for RMC.

Mary Washington will host Wesley College in Capital Athletic Conference play on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Video: UVA Goalkeeper Danielle DeLisle Previews Maryland Match

University of Virginia women's soccer goalkeeper Danielle DeLisle discusses her role as a starter, the beginning of the season and previews the Maryland game.

No. 3 UVA Women at No. 10 Maryland Thursday

CHARLOTTESVILLEThe No. 3 Virginia women’s soccer team returns to action Thursday with a visit to No. 10 Maryland for a matchup of the top two teams in the ACC standings. Game time at Ludwig Field in College Park is 7 p.m. There will be a live webcast of the game at umterps.com (subscription required, but Cavaliers Live subscribers can use their login to access the broadcast for no extra charge).

The Cavaliers (9-1-1, 2-0-1 ACC) enters the match riding a 10-game unbeaten streak (9-0-1), their longest streak since a 13-game unbeaten streak in 2007. Virginia, coming off a 1-0 win at Clemson on Sunday, moved up to No. 3 in this week’s Soccer America rankings, its highest spot in the poll in five years.

Maryland (7-2-2, 3-0-1 ACC) currently leads the ACC with 10 points through their first four conference games. The Terrapins are coming off a road trip that saw them tie Duke 2-2 and win 2-1 at Wake Forest.

Virginia leads the all-time series 26-4-4 as the Cavaliers have more wins over the Terrapins than any other opponent. The Cavaliers have an 8-4-2 all-time record in College Park, but are 1-3-1 at Ludwig Field since 2002. Last season Virginia won both meetings between the schools, 4-1 in the regular season matchup and 2-0 in the ACC quarterfinals. In the last matchup in College Park in 2010, the Terrapins edged the Cavaliers 3-2 in a game played in the midst of Tropical Storm Nicole.

The Cavaliers return home Sunday to host No. 5 Duke in a matchup televised nationally by ESPNU. In order to accommodate the broadcast, game time for the contest has been moved to 2 p.m. 

Sep 26, 2012

JMU Soccer Weekly Notes

Scouting Towson:  Towson has a 3-4 overall record and is 1-0 in CAA play after opening league competition with a 1-0 home win over Georgia State on Sept. 22.

The Series with Towson: JMU leads the series 14-10-1.  In the 12 meetings since Towson joined the CAA in 2002, only once has a team has won consecutive games.  That happened the last three seasons, when JMU claimed victories over the Tigers.
     Four of the last six meetings were one-goal decisions.

Close Losses
:  JMU's 1-0 loss to No. 11/5 Georgetown on Sept. 25 marked the Dukes' third one-goal defeat this season.

Hoyas End School Home Unbeaten Streak Record:  JMU's 1-0 loss to No. 11/5 Georgetown on Sept. 25 ended the Dukes' home unbeaten streak at a school-record 15 games (13-0-2).

Tribe Men Fall at High Point

High Point, N.C. - The William and Mary men's soccer team concluded non-conference action dropping a hard-fought, 1-0, decision at High Point Tuesday evening. The Panther's netted the night's lone score early in the first-half, as quality Tribe advances in the second period were unable to yield the equalizer. For the year, W&M falls to 2-5-2, while High Point improves to 9-0.
"Credit must be given to High Point. They are a good team this year and started the game with far greater determination than we did," stated head coach Chris Norris. "We dug ourselves an early hole and although we worked hard to rectify it, we were not able to equalize. We now have CAA play on which to focus, right some of our early season wrongs, and become the team I know we can be."
In the early going, High Point struck first when Shane Malcolm netted a through ball in the third minute. For the remainder of the half, the Panthers put two more shots on frame but were turned away by sophomore keeper Bennett Jones. For the half, High Point registered nine shots, while it managed to keep the Tribe's potent attack shot less.
 
Just moments into the second-half, the Tribe generated a scoring opportunity with a corner kick in the 46th minute. Taking the set piece was freshman Ryan Flesch, who sent a service to sophomore Marcus Luster. Looking to tie the affair, Luster's attempt was blocked by a HU defender. On the Tribe's fifth shot attempt of the half, senior Ben Anderson sent an opportunistic corner kick into the box. This time, junior Roshan Patel's header missed just wide of frame. With time winding down in the contest, sophomore Chris Albistonand Luster sent two attempts, just moments apart, sailing high of goal.
For the match, the Tribe tallied eight shots while the Panthers registered 14. High Point owned a slight edge in corner kicks, 5-4.
The College returns to action on Friday, Sept. 28, as it plays hosts to CAA foe Drexel. Kickoff from Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field is slated for 7 p.m., and fans can follow the action online at TribeAthletics.com with live video and stats.

UVA Beats VCU in Double OT, Video: Cameron Chavira Postgame

RICHMOND, Va. – Cameron Chavira (Jr., Roanoke, Va.) scored his first career goal just over two minutes into double overtime to push the Virginia men’s soccer team to a 1-0 triumph at VCU Tuesday evening in front of a record 2,242 spectators at Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond, Va. Chavira’s golden goal helped Virginia (5-3-1) hand VCU (4-1-2) its first loss of the year.
 
 
“I think we’re making progress,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “We tied in our last overtime game and this one we one against a very good VCU team which was rested. It was on the road with their biggest crowd in stadium history. It was a very good performance in terms of gutting it out. We’re tired and banged up, and we found a way to get one chance in overtime, and we finished it.”

While neither team registered a strong scoring chance in an uneventful first overtime stanza, Virginia made its first opportunity in double overtime count when Marcus Douglas (R-So., Washington, D.C.) sliced a cross from the right flank to the middle of the box to find a wide open Chavira, who tapped it home from five yards out for the winning score. Douglas was credited with his first assist of 2012 as the Cavaliers earned their first overtime win of the year in four attempts (1-2-1).

VCU controlled the run of play for most of the first half, although UVa got two booming shots from Will Bates (Sr., Chester, Va.), but VCU goalkeeper Andrew Wells made great diving saves on each.

The Rams put five shots on goal in the first half, with Spencer LaCivita (So., Raleigh, N.C.) making four saves. The Cavaliers were credited with a team save in the 31st minute; after LaCivita deflected a Jason Johnson shot, Johnson took the rebound and flicked a shot over LaCivita but Matt Brown (So., Charlotte, N.C.) knocked the ball away in front of the goal line to keep the stalemate intact.

VCU again was thwarted by LaCivita in the 75th minute. Joseph Haboush made a beautiful slip pass into the box to Devon Fisher to create a one-on-one situation, but LaCivita charged forward and made a tremendous sliding save to stuff Fisher. LaCivita also made a diving save on a Mario Herrera Meraz shot in the 67th minute.

LaCivita was credited with seven saves, one off his career best. Wells made five saves for VCU. Bates took a team-high four shots (three on goal) for Virginia, while Fisher racked up six shots for the Rams.

VCU finished with a 19-15 edge in shots and put seven shots on goal, compared to six for UVa. The Rams took seven corner kicks, while UVa earned three corners. The Cavaliers committed 16 fouls, while VCU was whistled for 15.

With three starters out because of injuries, UVa went deep into its bench and played 16 players in the game. Freshman Jordan Poarch (Middletown, Del.) made his first career start; all seven UVa rookies have earned at least one start now this season.

Virginia returns home at 7 p.m. Friday to take on Clemson in an ACC encounter.
 

Sep 25, 2012

InsideNova.Com: Junior Flores Heads to Spain with U.S. U-17 National Team


Manassas Park resident Junior Flores was one of 20 players named to the U.S. U-17 National Team for its trip Sept. 29-Oct. 6 to Alicante Spain for the 2012 AGS Cup.

Full Story: Junior Flores heads to Spain with U.S. U-17 National Team

NSCAA Women's Poll No. 6: UVA Moving Up, Va. Tech Falling

The UVA women have moved up the latest NSCAA polls two positions from 9th to 7th while Virginia Tech have slipped all the way down to number 16 from last weeks 8th spot.

NSCAA Men's Rankings No. 5: ODU Slip to 14

In the latest NSCAA men's rankings, the lone program representing the state of Virginia, ODU dropped from 11 to 14 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Men's - National - Poll 5 - September 25, 2012.

2012 NVSC Battlefield Tournament Schedules Posted


Schedules have officially been posted for the upcoming 2012 Battlefield Tournament hosted by Northern Virginia Soccer Club October 6th & 7th.

Battlefield Tournament 2012 Schedules Page


D.C. United Academy Update

Washington D.C. (September 24, 2012) – D.C. United’s U-18 and U-16 Academy teams played their third games of the USSDA season over the weekend at Long Bridge Park in Arlington, Virginia. The U-18’s lost by a score of 4-2 to go 2-1 on the season while the U-16’s won 5-0 to go 3-0 on the season.

U-18 Recap:
D.C. United’s U-18 Academy team picked up their first loss of the USSDA season against Pennsylvania Classics on Saturday by a score of 4-2. 

PA Classics scored twice in the opening five minutes to put United in a hole early. The Classics added a third goal just before halftime to take a 3-0 lead at the break.  Despite an attempt to battle back in the second half, United could only pull back two late goals in an eventual 4-2 defeat.  United’s goals came from Chike Nwaezeapu (Washington D.C./Maret School) in the 80th minute and Denis Najar, brother of first team defender and academy system product Andy Najar (Alexandria, Va.) in the 85th minute. 

"It is a disappointing result,” said Nolan Sheldon, head coach of D.C. United’s U-18 Academy team. “We looked naïve in the opening minutes of the match against a team that we know quite well and respect.  PA Classics are a very well-organized team, with some very dangerous players.  To their credit, they started the match with the right intensity, we didn't."

The U-18 squad returns to action this weekend with a USSDA match against McLean Youth Soccer Academy on Saturday morning at Long Bridge Park and a friendly match against Philadelphia Union Academy team on Sunday. 

U-16 Recap:
D.C. United’s U-16 Academy team improved to 3-0 on the season following a resounding 5-0 win over PA Classics on Saturday afternoon. 

After a lot of back and forth between the two teams during the opening 15 minutes of the match, D.C. United began to defend as a unit and were able to get into a rhythm. United’s composed, group effort was rewarded after Gerson Umana (Lorton, Va.) put away the first goal of the match after a quality combination and a through ball from Christophe Koffi (Potomac, Md). Umana was just getting started, as he finished the day having a hand in each of United’s five goals, tallying three goals and two assists. “Gerson had a great match and really showed his quality,” said Tom Torres, head coach of D.C. United’s U-16 Academy team. “Being on the younger side of the 15/16s, he's showing maturity well beyond his age. If he keeps his work rate high and stays humble, it will be fun to watch his progression.”

Julian Cummings (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford HS) and Graydon Hester (Middleburg, Va.) were the other goal scorers of the match, each recording their first goal of the season.  Noah Pilato (Oak Hill, Va.) notched an assist on Umana’s second goal of the day. “It was a solid effort from every position,” added Torres.  “The score did not reflect the quality both clubs showed for the first 20 minutes.  We had some great individual performances, which led to a really strong group effort.  We finished a high percentage of our chances, which is all we could ask the boys to do.”  

The U-16 squad returns to action this weekend with a match against McLean Youth Soccer Academy on Saturday afternoon at Long Bridge Park.

Sep 24, 2012

UMW Women Suffer First Loss of Season at Salisbury


The University of Mary Washington women's soccer team fell for the first time this season on Saturday with a 1-0 loss at Salisbury University in Capital Athletic Conference play. The Eagles fall to 5-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 in league play.

Saturday's game saw the game kept scoreless for 70 minutes, before the Sea Gulls scored the game's only goal on a free kick from Erin Mooney. The Sea Gulls led in shots, 22-10, and in corner kicks, 8-5. UMW goalkeeper Charlotte Owens had 13 saves, while SU's Michelle Conrad had five stops in gaining the shutout.

The Eagles will return to action on Wednesday when they visit Randolph-Macon College at 4:15 p.m.

Lancers Women Beat Presbyterian in OT, 200th Career Win for Todd Dyer

LONGWOOD DEFEATS BIG SOUTH OPPONENT PRESBYTERIAN 2-1 IN OT

Lancers’ 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer Earns Win #200


FARMVILLE, Va. -- 
Longwood University won its second consecutive Big South Conference women’s soccer match Saturday afternoon, taking a 2-1 home win in overtime past Presbyterian College at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.  Junior Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) scored the exciting game-winning goal in the fifth minute of OT for the Lancers (7-3, 2-0 Big South), unassisted, and sophomore Kylie Dyer|Farmville (Prince Edward) added the first goal against the Blue Hose (0-9, 0-2 Big South), assisted by senior captainLindsey Ottavio|Fairfax (W.T. Woodson).  The league triumph was also the 200th career coaching victoryfor 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93 (200-122-20).  Longwood will play again on Thursday, September 27, on the road at Big South member Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina at 3 p.m.  

Lancers Women's Head Coach Todd Dyer

    
“Throughout the course of a season, you’re going to face moments of adversity,” said Coach Dyer.  “This was one of those moments and we responded in a positive way by gutting out a result against a very organized and resilient Presbyterian squad.  We have to be better as we move forward and now we have a good idea of what we have to work on in training this week.”
    
Longwood and Presbyterian were scoreless at the intermission before Kylie Dyer, the daughter of the head coach, received a nice ball into the box from Ottavio and promptly finished to the left corner of the net at 50:46 for the 1-0 advantage.  It was Dyer’s second goal this season, and the third assist for Ottavio.  The Blue Hose, however, battled back and were able to tie it at 1-1 on a goal from Brittany Whitson at 65:57.  The Lancers nearly won it at the end of regulation but missed an opportunity from point-blank range in the 89th minute. Pardue, who had two goals and two assists on Thursday during a 4-0 shutout past UNC Asheville, tallied the game-winner at 94:59 when she dribbled up the middle through traffic and shot successfully to the right upper 90 to give Coach Dyer his 200th coaching win.  It was Pardue's fourth goal this fall, including her third game-winning goal.
    
“200 is a nice milestone and what it really reflects is that I’ve been fortunate to do what I love, at a place I love, for a long, long time,” added Coach Dyer.  “I’m blessed to have had the privilege of working with so many great people these past 19 years.  Our program’s future is very bright due to all of their hard work.”
    
Longwood took a 14-7 advantage in shots, and it was 6-4 in attempts on goal, while a 9-1 margin on corner kicks.  Ottavio had four shots, three on goal, and Kylie Dyer added two shots, one on goal, to lead Longwood.  How appropriate that Kylie Dyer scored a goal on this special day for her father.  Senior keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played the duration in front of the net with three saves for the Lancers.
    
Presbyterian had seven shots from seven different players, while keeper Jordan Broadway played the duration for the Blue Hose with four saves.
    
Longwood and Presbyterian were playing for the fourth time in the sport of women’s soccer, and the Blue Hose still lead the series, 2-1-1.
    
It was also Joshua Bolt Day as the Longwood women’s soccer program recognized Joshua and the Bolt family during a special pre-game ceremony, and dedicated the match against Presbyterian to Joshua.

UVA Men Falls to No. 8 UNC 1-0




CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 8 North Carolina scored an early second-half goal and then withstood constant pressure throughout the second half from the Virginia men’s soccer team in posting a 1-0 win over the Cavaliers Friday evening at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C. The tightly-contested match was the NSCAA’s National Game of the Week on FOX Soccer Channel. UVa (4-3-1, 1-1 ACC) had its four-match unbeaten streak snapped.

“I’m very proud of the team,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve come here and, in my opinion, outplayed our opponent. After the first 25 or 30 minutes of the first half, I thought we started to take the game over, and I thought the second half belonged to us. It doesn’t quite ease the pain of losing, but I think our future is bright. We need to get ready for another tough road game at VCU Tuesday.”

After a scoreless and evenly-played first half, North Carolina (5-1-1, 2-0-1 ACC) struck quickly in the second half when Danny Garcia found Andy Craven streaking down the right flank. Craven then beat UVa goalkeeper Spencer LaCivita (So., Raleigh, N.C.) through the wickets from five yards out for the score.

UVa’s offense pressed forward for most of the second half as the Cavaliers controlled possession and stayed in the UNC side of the field. The Cavaliers out-shot the Tar Heels 6-2 in the second half, while UNC did not attempt a shot in the final 25 minutes. 

“It turned into a possession game for us with good passing and good chances, which is what we work on,” Gelnovatch said. “That’s all you can ask for.”

The momentum ebbed and flowed through the first half. Carolina controlled possession for the first 25 minutes and challenged LaCivita with three shots, two of which were on goal. UVa took its first shot 25 minutes into the game, and the match tide began to turn from there as the Cavaliers countered with pressure for the next 20 minutes heading into intermission. 

One of UVa’s best scoring opportunities came in the 36th minute following a corner kick when Matt Brown (So., Charlotte) had his header saved by UNC goalkeeper Scott Goodwin; Brown got the rebound but his second shot was blocked near the post. UVa then took another corner, and Eric Bird (So., Virginia Beach, Va.) floated a shot from the top of the box which Goodwin made a leaping save to swat away at the crossbar.

LaCivita made three saves – all in the first half – for Virginia. Goodwin made six saves to earn the shutout for UNC. UVa out-shot UNC, 10-6, and both teams took six corner kicks. The match was riddled with 41 fouls – 23 for UNC and 18 for Virginia – as well as five yellow cards.

Virginia travels to Richmond, Va., at 7 p.m. Tuesday to battle VCU at Sports Backer Stadium. The Rams are unbeaten at 4-0-2 and receiving votes in the NSCAA poll.

Tribe Women Fall 2-1 to VCU


WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary women's soccer team fell to in-state foe VCU, 2-1, Thursday night from Martin-Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field.  Freshman Nicole Baxter gave the Tribe an early, 1-0, first-half lead, but the Rams rallied to score the night's final two goals.  The Tribe falls to 6-3 in on the year, while VCU improves to 4-2-3.

courtesy of TribeAthletics.com


The Green and Gold struck first with a score in the seventh minute, as Baxter beat a Rams defender in a foot race and proceeded to punch home senior Cortlyn Bristol's through ball.  After the Rams were turned away on multiple occasions by W&M's backline and freshman keeperCaroline Casey, VCU finally got on the board when junior Courtney Conrad netted a goal in the 33rd minute. With the contest now tied, W&M went back on the attack as Baxter shifted around VCU defenders.  Before the Pennington, N.J., natvie registered a shot on frame, she was taken down in the box. Stepping in to take W&M's PK was senior Mallory Schaffer, who sent the penalty kick tracking to the net, but VCU's senior keeper Kristin Carden was there to make the diving save   For the half, the Tribe outshot the Rams, 10-5, and owned the edge in shots on goal, 4-3.

In second-half action, Schaffer generated a quality look in the 50th minute but was turned away by senior Carden.  In the 78th minute, sophomore Aly Shaughnessy's shot sailed just wide of frame as the College was on the verge of going ahead.   The Rams connected on the game-winner in the 80th minute, when Conrad netted her second goal of the night off a rebound.  For the match, the College outshot the Rams, 18-16, while VCU owned a slight edge in shots on goal, 8-6.

Baxter's goal in the seventh minute was her second of the season, while the assist marked Bristol's fifth of the season, which leads the College.

W&M returns to the pitch on Sunday, Sept. 23, as it hosts James Madison in its CAA opener.  Sunday's contest against the Dukes is slated for a 2 p.m. kickoff and fans can follow the action online at TribeAthleics.com with live video and stats.