Home Men’s soccer: Late Etienne goal Lifts No. 6 Virginia to 1-0 win at VCU
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Men’s soccer: Late Etienne goal Lifts No. 6 Virginia to 1-0 win at VCU

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uva soccerFreshman Derrick Etienne (Paterson, N.J.) scored in the 84th minute to propel the No. 6 Virginia men’s soccer team to a 1-0 win over VCU on Monday evening at Sports Backers Stadium. Etienne’s highlight-reel goal was the first score of his college career and kept Virginia unbeaten on the season at 5-0-2. UVa is unbeaten in its last 12 matches, dating to the start of the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

“It was a great result for us tonight,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “In the first half I thought we were in control of the game and to be fair, I thought we put enough pressure on them that we should have scored. The first 30 minutes of the second half, they put the pressure on us. We withstood those 30 minutes and took their best shot and they expended a lot of energy. The final 15 minutes, we came out, got after them and started moving the ball.”

VCU (2-5-1) out-shot Virginia, 16-11, but put just one of its shots on frame. Virginia goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell (So., Todd, N.C.) made one save, while VCU goalkeeper Pierre Gardan stopped five shots on goal.

UVa held a 5-4 advantage in corners, while VCU committed nine fouls to seven for the Cavaliers.

Etienne did all the work in netting his first college goal in the 84th minute. After taking the ball near the touch line at midfield, he charged downfield and through several VCU defenders into the box before chipping it over the charging Gardan and inside the far post for the incredible score.

UVa created some quality chances in the first half but failed to connect. In the 34th minute Nicko Corriveau (Jr., Potomac, Md.) corralled a loose ball off a deflection in the box, but Gardan charged in and deflected the shot away.

VCU came out and dominated play for much of the second half while creating a wealth of quality scoring chances. After a bad bounce off a UVa player near midfield in the 65th minute led to a potential breakaway for Ivan Sakou, Sheldon Sullivan (R-So., Stafford, Va.) made a great sliding tackle at the top of box to knock the ball away.

The Cavaliers head to No. 2 Notre Dame on Friday (Sept. 25) for an ACC match. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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