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Articles by Garrett Shaffer
SHAFFER: Women’s basketball presents double-trouble
The Virginia women’s basketball team got off to a slow start this season — to say the least. At the start of this year, the Cavaliers had NCAA Tournament expectations following a superb showing from their freshman class last season and plenty of returning upperclassmen. In a recent stretch of inspired play, Virginia (16-9, 9-3 ACC) opened in-conference play with an impressive five-game winning streak and currently sits at nine ACC wins.
Virginia women’s basketball faces tough No. 4 Louisville team
The Virginia women’s basketball team faces its toughest challenge of the season when No. 4 Louisville rolls into John Paul Jones Arena — a clash between two teams that have dominated their ACC opponents to this point. Virginia (15-7, 8-1 ACC) comes off an impressive 62-56 victory over Georgia Tech on Sunday — another step on their path to redemption following non-conference play.
Women’s basketball defeats Georgia Tech, 62-56
The Virginia women’s basketball team traveled to Atlanta Sunday afternoon to face off against Georgia Tech, hoping to remain atop the ACC standings with only one loss in conference play. The Cavaliers (15-7, 8-1 ACC) struggled to separate themselves at halftime but came away with the 62-56 victory over the Yellow Jackets (13-9, 2-7 ACC). Five different Cavaliers scored in the opening five minutes of the contest, holding a slight 12-11 early lead.
Women’s basketball defeats North Carolina
The Virginia women’s basketball team hosted its second straight contest at John Paul Jones Arena Thursday night in a battle against North Carolina. The Cavaliers (14-7, 7-1 ACC) continued their torrid run in ACC play with an 82-70 victory, a streak that has lead them to a three-way tie for first place in the conference. Senior guard Aliyah Huland El opened hot from the floor with 10 points in the first six minutes of play.
Women’s basketball wins Commonwealth Clash 61-52
The Virginia women’s basketball team returned to John Paul Jones Arena for a battle with in-state rival Virginia Tech in a very important Commonwealth Clash. The Cavaliers (13-7, 6-1 ACC) improved to 6-1 in ACC play in their 61-52 victory, a game that came down to the wire after expanding the lead to as much as 15 in the first half. “It was a very hard-fought game by two teams. I give a lot of credit to Virginia Tech,” Virginia Coach Joanne Boyle said.
Women’s basketball falls to No. 16 Duke, 55-48
Virginia women’s basketball traveled to the harsh environment of Cameron Indoor Stadium and experienced a narrow defeat at the hands of No. 16 Duke. The Cavaliers (12-7, 5-1 ACC) jumped out to a quick double-digit advantage but could not hang on and fell 55-48. After their hot start and a quick 13-2 lead, the Cavaliers ended the first quarter shooting 70 percent from the field and maintained an 18-11 advantage. Senior guard Aliyah Huland El led the team in the opening 10 minutes with seven points.
Women’s basketball defeats Boston College to extend winning streak to eight
Virginia women’s basketball took care of business on the road Thursday night, traveling to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to defeat Boston College, 68-57. The victory marks eight straight for the Cavaliers (12-6, 5-0 ACC) who have hit their stride at the perfect time, right at the beginning of ACC play. After taking an early lead in the opening five minutes of play, Virginia took control of play and led throughout the remainder of the contest.
Women’s basketball wins sixth straight over NC State
Virginia women’s basketball traveled to Raleigh, N.C.to take on NC State in a key in-conference battle. The Cavaliers (10-6, 3-0 ACC) picked up a decisive 73-63 victory to improve to 3-0 in ACC play. Holding a lead for all 40 minutes of the contest, Virginia exploded out of the gates and never looked back. Senior guard J’Kyra Brown came off the bench for the Cavaliers to score a team-high 18 points with four three-point field goals.
Women’s basketball defeats Manhattan, 69-47
Virginia women’s basketball returned to John Paul Jones Arena for its final contest of non-conference play Thursday night, taking on Manhattan after an extended hiatus due to final exams at the start of December. The team grabbed a much-needed 69-47 victory heading into ACC play. The Cavaliers (7-6) opened hot from the floor with an eight-nothing run, a continuation of their recent string of solid play after picking up two victories over the weekend.
Women’s basketball defeats Indiana 82-72 in overtime thriller
Virginia fans received free basketball Monday as the women’s basketball team defeated Indiana in overtime of the second round of the West Palm Invitational. The Cavaliers (6-6) received a huge boost off their bench as senior guard J’Kyra Brown put in a career-high 24 points to give them a 82-72 victory. Getting off to a much better start then their first round matchup against Ohio, Virginia opened up with a 10-8 lead.
Women’s basketball defeats Ohio, 77-59
Virginia escaped the Charlottesville weather, heading to Florida to face off against Ohio in the West Palm Invitational. They walked away from the first round with an impressive 77-59 victory. The Cavaliers (5-6) came off an extended 13-day break for final exams after falling to Rutgers in their last contest. They did not get off to the intended start, giving up six first-quarter three-point makes to the Bobcats (5-4). After one quarter, Virginia found themselves in a 28-19 hole.
Women’s basketball falls to Rutgers, 52-43
The Virginia women’s basketball team took on Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. for the last game before a short break for final exams. The Cavaliers (4-6) picked up the 900th win in the program’s history, defeating UNC-Greensboro 68-50 Saturday night. The Cavaliers shot 60 percent from the three-point line in the contest, a welcome sight after struggling offensively in recent contests.
Virginia women’s basketball picks up 68-50 victory over UNCG
The Cavaliers (4-5, 0-0 ACC) are looking to string together victories to gain momentum following tough losses at the start of the season, and found success with a 68-50 victory over the Spartans (4-4, 0-0 ACC). Senior guard J’Kyra Brown finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. Fellow senior guard Aliyah Huland El added 13 points, three boards and two assists.
Fordham upsets men’s soccer in second round of NCAA tournament
No. 8 Virginia hosted Fordham on a chilly Sunday evening at Klöckner Stadium for the second-round of the NCAA Tournament. The matchup makes the first meeting between the schools in the history of their programs and the Rams (13-5-2, 5-2-1 Atlantic 10) made the most of it, scoring in the 83rd minute to end the Cavaliers’ tournament with a 1-0 defeat.
Virginia women’s basketball falls to Dayton, 61-46 in defensive slugfest
Virginia headed to Dayton, Ohio to take on the Flyers in what needed to be a bounce-back game following a tough loss to Georgia. But the Cavaliers (1-3, 0-0 ACC) were unable to recover from the start, and headed back to Charlottesville with a 61-46 defeat. Freshman guard Brianna Tinsley received her first career start in the contest as Virginia Coach Joanne Boyle adjusted her opening lineup, trying to find a five-player lineup that could combine both chemistry and production.
Virginia men’s soccer falls 0-0 in penalty kicks of ACC Championship final
No. 17 Virginia took on first-seeded and No. 1 Wake Forest in the ACC Championship final to determine who would receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament from the toughest conference in college soccer. The Cavaliers (12-4-4, 3-2-3 ACC) entered the contest with 19 previous ACC Championship final appearances, leading all other ACC schools. Their last appearance in 2013 ended in a 1-0 loss to Maryland.
No. 17 men’s soccer defeats No. 13 Notre Dame 2-1 in ACC Semifinal
The No. 17 Virginia men’s soccer team hosted No 13. Notre Dame for their ACC Semifinal matchup in an extremely important contest for seeding in the NCAA tournament, defeating their opponent, 2-1. The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in their only meeting of the regular season at South Bend, Ind. The Cavaliers (11-3-4, 0-0-0 ACC) had not hosted an ACC Semifinal at Klöckner Stadium in over 20 years and had not played in one since 2013.
No. 16 men’s soccer defeats Louisville in penalty kicks to advance to ACC Semifinals
No. 16 Virginia traveled to Louisville, Ky., to take on No. 6 Louisville for a Sunday afternoon ACC Quarterfinals matchup. The Cavaliers (11-3-4, 3-2-3 ACC) came out victorious 0-0 (4-3 PKs), advancing in a thrilling penalty kick shootout. The contest was special for Virginia Coach George Gelnovatch as he had to face his son, Louisville redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jake Gelnovatch.
Men’s soccer defeats Boston College, 4-0
No. 16 Virginia hosted Boston College at Klöckner Stadium for a Wednesday night matchup in the first round of the ACC Tournament. The contest was decided before the first half ended, with four goals in the opening 45 minutes for the home team. The sixth-seeded Cavaliers (11-3-3, 3-2-3 ACC) moved past the 11th-seeded Eagles (6-10-1, 1-6-1 ACC) and made their way to the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.
Virginia men’s soccer rocks Klöckner with 2-1 golden goal victory
In its final regular season game in Charlottesville, the No. 10 Virginia men’s soccer team honored its six seniors — goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell, defender Nate Odusote, midfielder Hayes Fountain, midfielder Pablo Aguilar, defender Bay Kurtz and defender Sheldon Sullivan. The Cavaliers (10-2-3, 3-1-3 ACC) hosted Pittsburgh in a contest that also recognized the 1992 NCAA Championship team.
Men’s soccer loses to Radford, 1-0
No. 10 Virginia hosted one of the Big South leading schools, Radford, in their second to last regular season home game of the season. The Cavaliers (9-2-3, 2-1-3 ACC) could not take care of business against the in-state opponent and were defeated 1-0. “Their personnel has a feel for us,” Coach George Gelnovatch said.
No. 10 men’s soccer draws at NC State, 0-0
No. 10 Virginia continued to pick up points against ACC opponents in its 0-0 draw against NC State. The Cavaliers are tied for third place in the ACC Coastal Division with No. 7 Duke at nine points, trailing No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 3 North Carolina. Virginia played in its seventh overtime game of the season, taking 110 minutes only to come up with zero goals. In the first half, the game was a battle of possession with each team only getting off three shots.
Men’s soccer finishes home stand with 4-2 victory over Lehigh
No. 10 Virginia concluded its three game home stand with a 4-2 comeback victory over Lehigh. Chemistry and confidence are two things that cannot be overlooked, and the Cavaliers (9-1-2, 2-1-2 ACC) are building plenty of momentum heading down the stretch. The Cavaliers couldn’t look past the Mountain Hawks (7-4-1, 2-1-1 Patriot League) and now have only one remaining non-conference game in their regular season schedule.
Men’s soccer takes care of Boston College 1-0 on Bicentennial weekend
No. 11 Virginia hosted Boston College on an eventful Bicentennial weekend and came away with the 1-0 victory due to a masterful free kick from junior defender Sergi Nus. The Cavaliers (8-1-2, 2-1-2 ACC) needed to continue on the right track against ACC opponents — with a number of great teams vying for position, every in-conference victory is monumental.
Virginia men’s soccer defeats Davidson, 2-1 in final seconds
No. 9 Virginia hosted Davidson Monday night in a game that surprised everyone with its excitement. The matchup, which was not touted with the same fervor as some of the surrounding ACC battles, ended with late game heroics for the Cavaliers (6-1-1, 1-1-1 ACC) in a 2-1 victory. Virginia junior midfielder Jean-Christophe Koffi picked up the game-winning goal in the last possible moments.
Men’s soccer suffers tough 2-1 OT loss to North Carolina
The No. 9 Virginia men’s soccer team hosted its biggest matchup of the season to date, facing off against No. 7 North Carolina. On a beautiful Friday night at Klöckner Stadium, in front of the biggest crowd of the year, they were unable remain unbeaten against ACC opponents in a 2-1 overtime defeat. Klöckner had been a great place for the Cavaliers (5-1-1, 1-1-1 ACC) to play all season long, riding a 21-game unbeaten streak going back to 2015.
Men’s soccer defeats Marquette, 2-0
No. 12 Virginia and Marquette matched up for the third time in history Tuesday night, finishing off a five-game home for the Cavaliers (4-0-1) that showed the team has a high ceiling. The Golden Eagles (0-4-1) looked to come in and play the spoiler, searching for their first victory of the young season. Marquette put up its best effort, but could not outpace the high-octane Virginia offense, which entered the match scoring 2.75 goals per game.
Men’s soccer ties Syracuse 2-2 in overtime of ACC opener
No. 11 Virginia men’s soccer was not defeated on its home turf, tying No. 7 Syracuse 2-2 in a gigantic ACC opener. The comeback, after being down 1-0 early, showed the toughness of a squad in a real battle for supremacy in a conference with seven of the top 11 teams. The Cavaliers (3-0-1) had not hosted a conference opener since 2014 — a 1-0 victory over Virginia Tech. They proved their resilience and sent a notice to the rest of the ACC with their ability to come back.
Men’s soccer opens ACC play against Syracuse
No. 11 Virginia has opened up the season with an offensive explosion, scoring nine goals in three games. The Cavaliers (3-0-0) will look to continue to press the attack Friday night when they take on No. 7 Syracuse. The opening schedule has not been a cakewalk for Virginia, facing tough early season opponents in Villanova and UNC-Wilmington. Both teams gave the Cavaliers a scare, and it took a game winner from junior defender Sergi Nus in each to move on with a victory.
Virginia men’s soccer defeats UNC-Wilmington in overtime
No. 12 Virginia continued to roll in front of an amazing home crowd, defeating UNC-Wilmington 2-1 in overtime to move to 3-0 on the young season. Junior defender Sergi Nus hit his second game-winner of the year, this time in a header off a corner from freshman midfielder Faris Abdi. The matchup was pivotal for both teams who entered the evening undefeated. The Seahawks (3-1-0) entered the season capable of beating any team they played.
Men’s soccer defeats Hofstra to push home win streak to 18
No 12. Virginia’s offense struck early and often, discouraging any chance of a Hofstra comeback in a sound 4-0 victory Thursday. The Cavaliers (2-0-0) came off their opening contest against Villanova looking much sharper on all sides of the ball, allowing the win streak at Klöckner Stadium to grow to 18. Coach George Gelnovatch never has anything but praise for the home crowd, who came out in droves to support the Cavaliers in their second contest of the season.
Men's soccer gears up to face Hofstra at Klöckner Stadium
The No. 12 Cavaliers look to continue their winning ways at home to open the season, facing off against Hofstra Thursday at 6 p.m. Virginia (1-0-0) comes off an impressive 3-2 double overtime victory against a tough opponent in Villanova. The home opener saw the Cavaliers start slow, giving up an early goal in the seventh minute before taking command of the offense en route to a hefty shots advantage.
Men’s soccer wins home opener against Villanova 3-2 with Golden Goal
It took nearly two full 10-minute overtime periods before junior defender Sergi Nus knocked in a penalty kick in the 105th minute to down Villanova, 3-2, and to extend the Cavaliers winning streak at Klöckner to 17-straight games. With the victory, Coach George Gelnovatch became No. 13 Virginia’s all-time wins leader — a great accomplishment for the man who has guided the team to multiple national championships.
Men’s soccer poised for successful season
The Virginia men’s soccer team has history on its side — the Cavaliers have claimed seven national championships, 15 conference titles and 36 straight years of NCAA tournament appearances. With a seasoned group of returning players, the team is prepared for another deep tournament run to Pennsylvania.
Virginia student-athletes cash out on spring awards
Student-athletes at Virginia perform on the field and in the classroom everyday at the highest level. Hard work becomes tangible, as accolades and awards came in bunches for Virginia’s spring athletes. Virginia teams were loaded with student-athletes that received All-ACC honors, achieved draft selections or garnered rookie or player of the year honors. Five Virginia baseball players were selected in the first ten rounds of the MLB Draft.
Virginia promotes graduate assistant Vic So’oto to defensive line coach
Within a week of assistant head coach Ruffin McNeill’s departure, head coach Bronco Mendenhall had found his new man. Graduate assistant Vic So’oto has been named defensive line coach as McNeill moved on to join the staff at Oklahoma as assistant head coach/defensive tackles under head coach Lincoln Riley. As an assistant in 2016, So’oto mainly worked with the defensive line.
Baseball eliminated from NCAA tournament play
The second-seeded Cavaliers played their third NCAA tournament game in Fort Worth, Texas Monday. They faced off against the third-seeded Dallas Baptist Patriots in a game where the winner received a chance to move on in the tournament and play first-seeded Texas Christian. Virginia (43-16, 18-12 ACC) came off a tough ACC tournament, looking to return to form on both ends.
Baseball opens regional play on the road
No. 2 seed Virginia enters its 14th-straight NCAA Tournament Friday as it faces off against No. 3 seed Dallas Baptist at Texas Christian’s Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. The Cavaliers (42-14, 18-12 ACC) enter the double-elimination regional on the road in Fort Worth — only the fifth time Virginia is opening away from Charlottesville in its 14 tournament appearances.
Virginia Baseball crushes Clemson in final game of ACC Tournament
The fourth-seeded Cavaliers (42-14, 18-12 ACC) played their second ACC tournament game in Louisville, Ky. Friday against the fifth-seeded Clemson Tigers (39-19, 17-13 ACC), in a matchup where Virginia was not able to advance to the next round. The Cavaliers came off a tough loss to ninth-seeded Duke in their first matchup of the tournament.
Baseball falls to Duke in ACC Tournament
The fourth-seeded Cavaliers entered the ACC tournament in Louisville, Ky. looking to make some noise. They began tournament play Thursday afternoon against the ninth-seeded Duke Blue Devils. Virginia (41-14, 18-12 ACC) was hot down the stretch of the regular season, winning its final six ACC series. In their final series against Georgia Tech, the Cavaliers showed power in a dominant 16-3 victory and exposed their clutch gene, winning 10-9 in their final regular season game.
No. 9 baseball wins two of three against Georgia Tech
The No. 9 Virginia baseball team headed to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech at Russ Chandler Stadium for their final series before ACC Tournament play. The Cavaliers (41-13, 18-12 ACC) came off a mid-week victory against Richmond, and continued their dominance against the Yellow Jackets (27-26, 11-19 ACC) — winning two of three to capture their sixth-straight ACC series.
Women’s lacrosse loses in ACC Championship Semifinals
The third-seeded Cavaliers came up short to the second-seeded Orange, 15-12, after a hard fought battle in Richmond. The Cavaliers (11-8, 4-3 ACC) quickly racked up three goals, but could not finish off Syracuse (15-5, 5-2 ACC) to move past the ACC Championship Semifinals. For the Cavaliers, sophomore midfielder Maggie Jackson had three goals and two assists for a team high five points, and sophomore attacker Avery Shoemaker added a hat trick as well.
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