University of Virginia Library

Cavaliers Cop Soccer Title

UNC Stuns Maryland,
NCAA Regional Set

"The only thing that we are sure
of is that we are 1969 ACC Soccer
Champions." In the midst of the
chaos of this year's success Coach
Burris has been swamped by phone
calls and other communications
from State Tournament officials to
the NCAA.

Just a little over a week ago the
Virginia soccer team along with the
entire University community was
ecstatic over a 2-2 tie against the
Maryland Terps, the first undefeated
season ever, and a draw with
the defending National Champion
Terrapins for the ACC title.

The Cavaliers had done everything
humanly possible during a
ten-game schedule, and as far as
everyone was concerned they had
produced one of the greatest
success stories in recent Virginia
athletic history. Evidently the gods
had something more planned for
Burris' booters, for who would have
predicted that the mediocre UNC
Tar Heels with three embarrassing
losses on their record were destined
to dethrone the Terps by virtue of a
3-2 victory.

For the first time in the history
of the ACC Maryland lost the
Atlantic Coast Conference soccer
title - lost it to Virginia. The Terp
coach, Doyle Royal, sports an
internationally flavored team with
an explosive offense and an uncanny
varsity soccer record of 78
victories, no losses, and two ties
over 23 years that is, he did until
this year.

This year the Terrapins were
beatable as Virginia, Navy, and
Carolina found the capacity to keep
up with the perennial champions.
The Cavaliers tied Maryland, 2-2, in
regular season; however, an invitation
to the NCAA Southern Regionals
provides Virginia with
another opportunity to face the
Terps in the first round as a matter
of fact.

The winner of that match,
which will be played at College
Park on Monday afternoon, would
meet whichever team survives the
contest between Navy, ranked fifteenth
in the national polls, and
South Florida, which boasts a 10-0
record and an eighteenth ranking.

With the Virginia State Tournament
final against Roanoke College
this weekend and the Maryland
rematch immediately afterwards,
no doubt remains that prospects for
national prominence are being laid
on the line. Ready to meet those
challenges will be a young, determined
soccer team and three
capable and eager coaches Gordon
Burris, Ian Faulconer, and
Richard Lewis.

Jay Connor Moves On Ball In 2-0 Win Over Virginia Tech Earlier This Fall At U Hall

Since the Virginia booters
haven't taken the field in over a
week, Coach Burris expects the
offense to show a little rustiness in
the opening periods of the two
games, but he has utmost confidence
in the airtight defense led by
All-American candidate Danny
Abramson in the goal.

Although the sixteen-player
limit in NCAA play will definitely
act in favor of Maryland due to the
Cavaliers' hustling style of play and
two-platoon system, Virginia has
been seeded fourth in the Regionals
and therefore has nothing to lose
and a lot to prove. The showdown
on Monday at 2 p.m. should offer
some of the best soccer action all
season: for when the buzzer sounds
at the end of the game only one
team will have finished the 1969
soccer season.