Men’s Soccer Advances to Elite Eight for First Time Since 2007 Following 1-0 Win Over No. 11 Virginia
UMass is heading to the Elite Eight of the NCAA men’s soccer tournament for the first time since 2007 after defeating No. 11 Virginia, 1-0, in their Sweet 16 matchup Saturday evening. The Minutemen (13-3-5 overall) will now travel to Colorado to face off against third-seeded Denver on Saturday, Dec. 7 with a trip to the 2024 College Cup in Cary, N.C., on the line. Kickoff at University of Denver Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET with the match streaming live on ESPN+.
The Minutemen punched their ticket to the next round of the tournament in the 72nd minute of the match when Matt Fordham sent a ball across the byline that deflected off of both Virginia keeper Joey Batrouni and one of his defenders into the net for the lone goal of the contest.
UMass senior goalkeeper Alex Geczy recorded his 10th clean sheet of the season – and second-consecutive shutout this postseason against top-15 ranked teams – to tie Zach Simmons for the all-time program record for most shutouts in a single season.
The UMass defense was stout throughout the match, holding the Cavaliers to just three shots on goal and eight shots total.
For updates on the team throughout the week in the lead-up to Saturday’s match, visit UMassAthletics.com or follow @umassmsoccer on Instagram.