Top-ranked UVA looks for eighth national title tonight against Georgetown

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Posted on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, 1:55 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

No. 1 overall seed Virginia vies for its eighth National Championship when they take on third-seeded Georgetown in the NCAA College Cup Final on Sunday at Sahlen’s Stadium. The title game will air live on ESPNU at 6 p.m.

Game Coverage: In addition to the ESPNU broadcast, the game can also be streamed on the ESPN app for authenticated subscribers of ESPN. Links to the stream and in-game live stats will be available on VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also follow the Virginia men’s soccer official twitter account (@UVAMenSoccer) for in-game updates.

FOR STARTERS

  • Statistically, the National Championship will feature the top two defenses in the country in Virginia (0.43 GAA – 10 GA) and Georgetown (0.46 GAA – 11 GA)
  • Virginia (21-1-1) is in the National Championship game for the ninth time in program history and fourth under head coach George Gelnovatch. The Cavaliers are in their 13th College Cup appearance and sixth under Gelnovatch.
  • The 13 College Cup appearances are the fifth most in men’s DI soccer history.
  • The Cavaliers are seeking their eighth National Championship and third since 2009.
  • Virginia comes into the final winners of 10-straight matches, the longest active win streak in the NCAA. It the first time in program history the Cavaliers have two double-digit win streaks in the same season.
  • Seven opponents on the ten-game win streak have been ranked, four of them in the top-10.
  • The Cavaliers are 11-0 against teams from the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 in 2019 and 4-0 against teams in the top-five.
  • Virginia has been part of each of the last 39 NCAA Tournaments, the longest streak in the history of college soccer.
  • The Cavaliers are the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed for the second time (1995) in school history and first time under Gelnovatch. The last No. 1 overall seed to win the National Championship was North Carolina in 2011.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

  • Virginia has won 11 of its last 12 matches at Sahlen’s Stadium including two ACC Championships (2009, 2019) and two NCAA titles (2009, 2014).
  • Virginia has won two National Championships (2009 & 2014) and four ACC Titles (2002, 2003 & 2009, 2019) all-time in Cary.
  • Last month in Cary, the Cavaliers hoisted the ACC Tournament Championship trophy after a 3-1, come-from-behind victory over top-seeded Clemson.
  • The Cavaliers have been in Cary for 11 ACC Tournaments (2002-05; 2007-11; 2019) and two College Cups (2009 & 2014). Virginia owns a 18-5-3 all-time record at Sahlen’s Stadium.

UNITED SOCCER COACHES TOP TWO

  • Friday’s final will be the second time this season Virginia has been part match that has featured the top two teams in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
  • The Cavaliers have squared off against the No. 1 team twice (Maryland/Clemson) and the No. 2 team two other occasions (Duke/Georgetown).

VIRGINIA IN NO. 1 VS. NO. 2 GAMES

(2) Virginia vs. (1) Clemson (Nov. 17, 2019) – W, 3-1

(1) Virginia vs. (2) Akron (Dec. 13, 2009) – T, 0-0*

(1) Virginia vs. (2) Duke (Oct. 5, 1992) – L, 1-1

(1) Virginia vs. (2) Santa Clara (Dec. 8, 1991) – T, 0-0*

(2) Virginia vs. (1) Santa Clara (Dec. 3, 1989) – T, 1-1 *

(1) Virginia vs. (2) Indiana (Sept. 2, 1989) – W, 1-0

*National Championship games

NATIONAL RANKINGS

  • Despite conceding its second penalty kick goal in as many games, the lowest goals against average (0.43), the highest save percentage (.861) and the most shutouts (15) in the country.
  • Virginia’s 21 wins and .935 win percentage are tops in college soccer.
  • Virginia and Georgetown (19-1-3) are two of the three one-loss teams in the country (Missouri State)
  • The Cavaliers have conceded 10 goals this season, tied with Navy (17 games) for the fewest in the country.

TRENDING

  • Virginia scored its two goals in the first 22 minutes against Wake Forest in the semifinals. A total of 17 of the 43 (40%) Virginia goals have come in the first 30 minutes of play. On the flip side, of the 10 goals conceded, six have come after the 61st minute.
  • Friday night’s semifinal marked the third time Virginia was out-shot in a match. The Cavaliers are 3-0 in games that it has less shot attempts than their opponent.
  • The goal first goal allowed against SMU (Dec. 6) snapped a 320-minute opponent scoreless streak and was the first surrendered in 11 matches against non-ACC schools.
  • A Virginia opponent has scored multiple goals five times in the last 49 matches and only twice this season.
  • Virginia has trailed three times this season for a total of 177:59 of 2,108 minutes played this season.
  • Including its three NCAA Tournament wins, Virginia is 16-0 when leading at halftime and 19-0-1 when scoring first.
  • Virginia has held opponents to five or less shots eight times this season, including two of the four games of the NCAA Tournament.

THE DIKE EFFECT

  • Sophomore Daryl Dike leads the Cavaliers in goals (9), assists (8) and points (26).
  • He snapped a six-match scoring drought with his second brace of the season and third of his career. In the six matches he didn’t score he was responsible for seven of the nine Cavalier goals either with an assist (2) or drawing a penalty in the box that led to a goal (5).
  • His eight assists are the most by a Cavalier since Scott Thomsen’s eight in 2014. A Cavalier hasn’t reached nine assists since Nico Colaluca in 2006.
  • Dike drew two fouls in the box in the NCAA Quarterfinal against SMU that directly led to Cavalier goals. It marked the sixth and seventh time this season he’s drawn fouls that have directly led to scores, making him a part of 22 of the Cavaliers 41 tallies (54%) this season.