Top-ranked UVA (10-0, 4-0 ACC) stretched its win streak to double-digits with a 2-0 win over #24 Louisville (5-2-2, 1-2-1 ACC) at Klöckner Stadium on Friday night.
The Cavaliers have won their first 10 games of the season and are 4-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play for the first time since 2008.
The Cavaliers led for more than 88 minutes of the contest thanks to a goal 61 seconds into the match by Daryl Dike (Edmond, Okla.). The sophomore headed in a corner kick served by Joe Bell (Wanaka, New Zealand) for his team-leading, third tally of the year. The goal was the quickest of the season and fastest since the Cavaliers scored 91 seconds into last year’s draw against Virginia Tech.
“We had a very energetic start and anytime, in an ACC match, you can get a goal that early, it’s really going to help,” head coach George Gelnovatch said. “We’re halfway through the conference (schedule) and you can see guys are mentally and physically tired. I’m just proud the way they got through this game with the win obviously and (also) staying disciplined. Now we can come up for air a little bit.”
The Cavaliers were beneficiaries of a Louisville red card in the 21st minute, allowing a man-up advantage for the final 69 minutes of match.
The game’s second goal was sparked by a defensive stop on the goal line that was touched twice by goalkeeper Colin Shutler (Middleburg, Va.). The clearance by Andreas Ueland (Bryne, Norway) setup a one-on-one breakaway opportunity for Dike who slipped pass across the box to Irakoze Donasiyano (Roanoke, Va.) who then was able to touch it over to a streaking Spencer Patton (Morrisville, Pa.) on the back post for a wide-open goal.
The tally for Patton was his second of the season, both have come in ACC play. The assist from Dike capped a three-point night. Dike now leads the team in goals (3) and assists (5).
The clean sheet for Shutler and the Cavalier defense was their sixth in-a-row. Virginia has not allowed a goal in its last 627 minutes of action and the six-consecutive shutouts are the most since 2009. Shutler matched a season-high with four saves on the night and recorded his 17th career shutout tying him with Tony Meola for 7th most in UVA history.
Virginia will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 11 when it travels to Boston College. The ACC match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start on ACCNX.
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Chris Graham
