Men’s soccer: No. 16 UVA downs William & Mary, 3-0

The No. 16 UVA men’s soccer team scored a 3-0 triumph over William & Mary Tuesday evening at Klöckner Stadium. Virginia (8-2-4) extended its unbeaten streak to seven straight matches while prevailing in its final non-conference match of the regular season, finishing 6-0-2 against non-league foes.

“I think up until where we scored our second goal, we were excellent,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “We were really good and after that goal, I think we were flat. I think the second goal and a man down gave us an excuse to be a little bit less intense. We have had a lot more Tuesday-Friday, Tuesday-Friday, Tuesday-Friday games, but I can’t be too upset with them. It was three goals and a shutout win, but I think we know we need to be better down the stretch, and we will regenerate and get ready for another ACC game against Pitt on Friday.”

Led by goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell (Jr., Todd, N.C.), UVA recorded its sixth clean sheet of the season, including the Cavaliers’ fifth in the seven-match unbeaten streak in which the Cavaliers have outscored their opponents, 12-2. Edward Opoku (So., Rye, N.Y.), Jean-Christophe Koffi (So., Potomac, Md.) and Wesley Wade (So., South Orange, N.J.) each scored for Virginia.

The match shifted in the 26th minute when the Cavaliers’ Marcus Salandy-Defour (R-Sr., Kensington, Md.) charged toward the box and was taken down from behind by Marcel Berry, who was sent off with a red card. The reigning ACC Offensive Player of the Week, Opoku took the free kick and sent it just inside the far post for his team-leading sixth goal of the year.

With William & Mary playing with just 10 men, UVA needed only three more minutes to score once again as Koffi unleashed a rocket from 30 yards out that found the top of the net for his first goal of the season.

While Virginia carried the majority of the possession in the first half, William & Mary (7-6-2) was the aggressor for much of the second half, holding a 13-6 edge in shots while prompting Caldwell to make three saves.

Virginia struck for one final score in the 84th minute as Sheldon Sullivan (R-Jr., Fredericksburg, Va.) sprung Raheem Taylor-Parkes (Fr., Tampa, Fla.) with a pass down the left flank before Taylor-Parkes sent a great cross into the six-yard box, where Wade tapped the ball home for his fifth goal of 2016.

The ACC Defensive Player of the Week for three weeks running, Caldwell finished with five saves. W&M keeper Phil Breno finished with three saves. W&M out-shot Virginia, 17-11, and held a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.

Virginia travels to Pitt Friday (Oct. 21) for a 7 p.m. ACC match with the Panthers before returning home Oct. 28 for the regular-season finale against Duke.