No. 22 UVA (3-0-2) scored a goal in each half in a 2-0 victory over FIU (2-4) at Klöckner Stadium. The clean sheet was the Cavaliers’ fourth in five games this season.
While the Cavalier back line kept the Panthers off the scoreboard, an own goal in the 40th minute proved to be the game-winner. Cabrel Happi Kamseu (Harare, Zimbabwe) gave the Cavaliers a two-goal advantage in the 53rd minute, his second goal in as many games.
“It was a little bit of a slow start for us but we were pleased to be up a goal at the half,” head coach George Gelnovatch said. “In the second half we turned up the screws a bit and getting the second goal mostly put the game to bed.”
Both UVA scores came off corner kick services by Joe Bell (Wanaka, New Zealand). The sophomore delivered a ball to the head of an elevated Happi Kamseu for the second goal of the night. The assist was Bell’s first of the season and second of his career.
Virginia peppered the FIU defense with 19 shots, including 11 in the second half of play. All four of Panther goalie Hugo Fauroux’s saves came in the final 45 minutes of the match.
The Cavaliers have allowed one goal in 490 minutes of soccer this season. Coming into the match, Virginia ranked seventh in the country in goals against average, which lowered to 0.18.
“It’s (the UVA defense) a mentality that we’ve taken ownership of, making sure during this early part of the season where we’re getting better at scoring, we’re going to make sure we don’t concede.”
Goalkeeper Colin Shutler (Broadlands, Va.), the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Week, has been in between the pipes for all 490 minutes this season and made one stop in his fourth clean sheet of the year.
UVA has held opponents scoreless in back-to-back games and have not allowed a goal in 289-straight minutes.
Virginia will hit the road for the first time this season on Friday evening (Sept. 21) with an ACC match at Syracuse. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and the contest will be carried live on ACC Network Extra.
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Chris Graham
