Last-Minute Goal Gives Virginia Men's Soccer Thrilling Win Over No. 8 JMU

Wyatt Wetzler | Oct 9, 2024

Virginia Athletics

Virginia men's soccer secured a 1-0 victory against the No. 8-ranked James Madison Dukes on Tuesday night at Klockner Stadium. After a six-game no-win streak, this second consecutive win over ranked teams, as Coach Gelnovatch stated, "puts wind in the sails." The ninety minutes of energetic, scrappy soccer make the season's trajectory look more promising.

Early in the first half, the Cavaliers dominated possession and the attack. Cycling between their defensive line and the midfield, UVA rarely turned it over in the middle third, even when JMU high-pressed into the UVA half. In the first ten minutes, UVA kept the ball tethered to the JMU half but could not find shots. There was intensity and enthusiasm from both sides, but the nifty footwork from the Cavaliers outclassed the JMU pressure.

About twenty minutes into the game, the momentum noticeably shifted. Both teams started throwing attacks at the other, with a more even split in possession and chances. JMU was finding success in building through their left wing, and a slow pass tucked just behind the momentum of a UVA defender gave JMU their first threatening possession. Ten minutes later, the JMU keeper collected a UVA corner and launched the ball to midfield, where Evan Southern took it down and switched it to Jeffrey Aguilar, who fired JMU's first unguarded shot top right. It passed just over the crossbar.

After another twenty minutes of scrappy battling in the center of the field, both teams created opportunities in the final five minutes of the half, but neither capitalized with a goal. Halftime hit with 45 minutes played, four shots taken, and zero goals scored. While the statistics might make the first half seem uneventful, it was anything but dull. The scrappy fighting, close chances, sliding tackles, and aggression had the entire stadium riled up.

Two minutes into the second half, Nick Dang connected on a header from a UVA free kick. The header deflected the ball on frame, but it ricocheted off a Duke for a corner. JMU found some traction in the second half and started to string together passes going forward, but UVA's backline withheld the attempts. Nick Dang had a "heroic" defensive performance, stemming many JMU attacks at their start.

With 22 minutes left in the game, Cesar Cordova drove a shot from the top of the box, hitting a JMU player in the arm. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and blew the whistle: UVA penalty kick. Klockner Stadium shook with glee as the home fans as it seemed UVA's momentum would finally reflect in the score. But they would have to wait, as after review, the referee withdrew the penalty call because the defender's arm was deemed to be in a natural position.

The following 21 minutes witnessed many more shots, fouls, and turnovers as a renewed energy from both teams created quite the spectacle to watch. However, following the precedent of the first 68 minutes, neither team could put the ball in the back of the net.

89 minutes in, UVA was still playing with "contagious energy." With possession, Brendan Lambe sent a ball to Umberto Pelà on the right side of the JMU box, who drilled a cross into the 6-yard box in front of the JMU goal. JMU defender Enrique Garcia Barelles connected with the ball, attempting a clearance. The attempt was unsuccessful, and instead, the ball shot the wrong way and into the right side of JMU's net for an own goal. UVA took the lead, leaving JMU just 56 seconds to respond.

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!!!!!!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/4ljop6wct4

— Virginia Men's Soccer (@UVAMenSoccer) October 9, 2024

JMU lined all their players up on the half line and passed the ball back to their keeper, who launched it into the left side of the UVA half. JMU collected the contested ball and crossed it to the backside of the UVA goal. But the ball sailed wide and went out, taking with it JMU's chance to come back.

The story of Tuesday's game is one of energy and quality. UVA played to the final whistle, and they earned a result. The game "highlights belief," a belief that could be just what the Cavaliers need as they head into their last few games. As Coach Gelnovatch puts it, "You could see the will to win, drive, and the quality that we are used to. We got a good taste of that and put ourselves in a much better situation going to Boston College."

Now 4-4-3 overall, Virginia will look to keep the momentum going on the road at Boston College on Friday at 7pm.