It might as well be the national championship.
Tonight’s Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer tournament semifinals feature four of the top six teams in Soccer America’s current rankings. The defending national-champion Terrapins, at No. 6, are the lowest ranked of the group.
Fifth-ranked Virginia was all set to be on top at the end of the regular season until a 2-1 loss last weekend to now No. 1 Wake Forest.
With an expected legion of traveling fans at the Maryland SoccerPlex that could come closest to matching those of the hometown-favorite Terps, the Cavaliers are anxious for a rematch with the Demon Deacons and a chance to further distance themselves from last year’s early ACC tournament exit.
“There’s no animosity, but we really want to get back on the field and put things right,” said Cavs junior defender Zola Short (Arlington/Washington-Lee), one of two Washington-area natives helping anchor a defense that has eight shutouts and has allowed just 11 goals all season.
Short never played defense until last season, when he started 17 of 20 matches on the right side of Virginia’s backline next to sophomore center back Matt Poole (Reston/Langley).
“We did really well for the first three-fourths of the year, but toward the end we kind of fizzled out,” said Poole. The Cavaliers were bounced by Clemson in last season’s quarterfinals, their earliest exit in tournament history. “That whole year gave us experience to do better during the more important part of the season.”
The Cavaliers boast two of the country’s most exciting midfielders – All-ACC pick Nico Colaluca (6 goals, 6 assists) and All-freshman selection Jonathan Villanueva (2 goals, 4 assists – as well as second team All-ACC forwards Adam Cristman and Yannick Reyering (16 goals combined).
“Those guys are very good players, and they deserve the recognition they receive, but we’re a team,” said Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch. “I think that’s one of the things that we weren’t so great at last year, and one of the things that we’ve really been concentrating on.”
ACC men’s soccer semifinals
» Where: Maryland SoccerPlex, Germantown
» Games:
Virginia (14-3) vs. Wake Forest (15-2-2), 5:30 p.m.
Maryland (15-3-1) vs. Duke (14-3-1), 8
