Cavs’ freshmen light it up against Pack

By Whitey Reid

Published: September 19, 2008

George Gelnovatch wasn’t the least bit discouraged by his team’s 2-3 record — the program’s worst start since the 1983 season.
Heading into Friday night’s ACC opener against N.C. State, the Virginia coach continually expressed confidence that his squad — featuring a plethora of freshmen — would eventually find its stride. It was only a matter of time, Gelnovatch said, before his talented newcomers started to click.
Against the Wolfpack, Virginia’s fledglings did just that.
Paced by four first-half goals from three freshmen, the Cavaliers steamrolled their way to a 5-0 win in front of a crowd of 3,040 at Klockner Stadium.
The last time Virginia had scored four goals in a half came during a win over Temple in 2002.
“I would like to say that we were due this kind of game,” said Gelnovatch, whose team hosts Central Connecticut State on Tuesday before traveling to Blacksburg for its first ACC road clash with Virginia Tech next Friday night. “But when you start five freshmen and you count on them for a lot of minutes and goals, you kind of hold your breath from time to time — but tonight they stepped up.”
Virginia (3-3, 1-0) got on the board first in the 16th minute when freshmen Tony Tchani and Chris Agorsor connected beautifully.
Tchani caught N.C. State’s defense unsettled and knifed a pass around two defenders to Agorsor. Racing into the box from the left-hand side, Agorsor delicately placed a shot toward the far right post that beat Wolfpack goalie Christopher Widman for his fourth goal.
“It was me timing the run,” Agorsor explained. “Tony saw me making it and he put it right where I needed it so I could put it in the net.”
N.C. State (1-4-1, 0-2) struggled to get anything going offensively. The Wolfpack’s best chance to score came in the 23rd minute when Chris Zuerner made a cross that teammate Alan Sanchez nearly headed into the net. UVa goalie Michael Giallombardo, making his first start of the season in place of Dan Louisignau, lunged to his right to make the stop.
“Mike has a little more experience in terms of settling things down and organizing and talking,” said Gelnovatch, when asked about the switch, “but by no means have we decided our goalkeeping situation — but he did a good job tonight.”
In the 37th minute, Agorsor and Tchani hooked up again. Agorsor was fouled in the box which led to a penalty lick that Tchani converted.
Agorsor says he has started to develop some nice chemistry with Tchani, who is also his roommate.
“We go out to eat together and do lots of stuff together,” Agorsor said, “so I think it comes naturally in terms of understanding each other on the field.”
Just 57 seconds later, defender Hunter Jumper, another freshmen, scored his first career goal when he pushed the ball upfield and blasted a shot from just outside the box that hooked around Widman.
A little over two minutes later, Tchani headed in a crossing pass by Ross LaBauex to give Virginia a commanding 4-0 lead. It was Tchani’s team-leading fifth goal of the season.
In the second half, UVa widened its cushion when sophomore Jimmy Simpson maneuvered around Wolfpack defender Romulo Manzano and beat Widman.
For the game, Virginia outshot N.C. State 14-5 and held an 8-1 edge in corner kicks. All in all, Gelnovatch couldn’t have been more pleased.
“To be at home and pound five goals in and keep a clean sheet, to be 1-0 in the conference for this young team — it’s just a good shot in the arm,” he said.