Second-half slump dooms Cavs
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 20, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Showcasing a promising, new-look offense, it appeared to be the perfect storm.

In the end, it was anything but ideal and essentially more of the same for Virginia.

Collapsing down the stretch on offense, defense and special teams, the Cavaliers bid for an upset at Southern Mississippi went awry in monumental fashion during a 37-34 setback at M.M. Roberts Stadium.

The loss, which included 20 unanswered points by Southern Miss (3-0), marked the seventh straight for Virginia (0-3). It also marks the first time the Cavaliers have opened a campaign winless after three games since 1982.

“In the long run, we didn’t do quite enough,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “[Southern Miss] did a little bit more than we did.”

The road loss ruined a day that saw the return of an offensive operation that could actually produce points, something that was missing in a 12-point loss to William & Mary and a 16-point defeat to Texas Christian.

In fact, Virginia jumped out to a 34-17 lead after quarterback Jameel Sewell raced a yard to his right and into the end zone on a designed keeper with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter.

Just 12 seconds later, however, Southern Miss was officially on the comeback trail as Freddie Parham sprinted 100 yards on the ensuing kickoff for the longest return in Southern Miss history.

“Clearly that was a big momentum-changer,” Groh said. “I saw it coming. We didn’t fit on the blocks properly at a number of spots.

“Special teams, every play it’s a jamboree.”

Virginia, which had 353 yards of total offense at that point, suddenly became stagnant. With little protection, Sewell managed to guide the offense to just 37 yards over the Cavaliers’ final 34 plays.

The Golden Eagles, who had 197 of their 344 yards of total offense in the second half, did not have the same issues.

Virginia, of course, aided USM in a critical spot.

Facing a 3rd-and-37 situation late in the third quarter, USM quarterback Austin Davis heaved a desperation pass towards wideout Andre Davis. After contact with Virginia safety Corey Mosley, pass interference was called, giving the Golden Eagles a first down that had seemed unlikely.

Five plays later, Southern Miss made Virginia’s miscue hurt as Damion Fletcher took a direct snap in the “Eagle formation” and sprinted up the middle for a 10-yard carry.

The Cavaliers helped again in the fourth quarter when they failed to convert a 4th-and-7 play at the Southern Miss 32.

After giving up an 11-yard run by Fletcher, Tony Harrison broke free for 57 yards, scoring a touchdown that gave Southern Miss its first lead at 37-34 with 8:01 left.

Virginia ran just two more offensive plays in Southern Miss territory and was unable to reach the Golden Eagles’ 25-yard line, the desired spot needed Groh said to try a game-tying field goal.

“It was a tough game,” Virginia linebacker Denzel Burrell said. “We really felt we came together as a team today. We really felt the cohesion was there, but unfortunately we couldn’t pull it off.

“It sucks for us because it is the same story. Eventually victories will come, but what we have to continue to preach right now as a team is that we can’t divide.”

In the first half, Virginia shocked Southern Miss with an offensive approach that had not been previously unveiled and was given to the players on Tuesday.

Coupled with two first-quarter fumbles by Southern Miss, it led to a 69-yard touchdown pass from Sewell to Tim Smith and a pair of field goals from Robert Randolph.

Southern Miss scored its first points in the second quarter as Fletcher reached the end zone on a 6-yard scamper.

Virginia answered.

Sewell, who finished 24 for 46 passing for 312 yards, found sophomore Kris Burd in the front of the end zone for a 29-yard scoring strike with 7:38 left in the opening half.

After Southern Miss connected on a 27-yard field goal by Justin Estes, Sewell closed out the first half with a 4-yard touchdown run just 19 seconds before halftime, giving the Cavaliers an improbable 27-10advantage.

“I don’t know how we could put ourselves in a worse situation than we did in the first half with balls on the ground, dropped passes. You name it, we did it,” Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. “At halftime there was not a lot of yelling and screaming. Basically it was just that we are going to find out what you are made of, what is inside you and what kind of team we have.

“Until you face adversity, you really never know and that is the first real adversity that we have faced this year.”

For the game, USM rushed for 250 yards. Fletcher, who set the program record with his 40th career rushing touchdown, was the biggest culprit — he ran 26 times for 115 yards.

“It’s very big to beat [Virginia],” Fletcher said. “They are considered a bigger school and we’re considered a smaller school. But we go out there and work hard, and we show that we can play with the best of them.”

Virginia, which played the game without quarterback Vic Hall (hip) and all but one play without cornerback Chris Cook (groin), will have a well-timed bye week to work on its newly installed offense and prep for a road game at North Carolina (3-0).

“We have to make a lot of use out of this week,” Groh said. “[UNC] is a real good team that we are playing. They are on a real good roll. We made progress, but we could have made more progress.

“Let’s not misinterpret to say that we are thrilled or pleased. [Our locker room is a] pretty hurtful place … a lot of players dramatically affected by the loss. The shame of it is not to be able to look at them laughing and smiling on the way home, which is the greatest reward in winning.”
 

Cavaliers can’t maintain offensive momentum
By Ted Lewis
Published: September 20, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Mississippi went into Saturday’s game here against Virginia not quite knowing what kind of opponent it would be facing.

Would the 0-2 Cavaliers be a back-to-the-wall, fighting-to-save-their season — and maybe their coach’s job — team? Or would they be one whose spirit had been sapped so much by losses to William & Mary and Texas Christian that they would succumb to the first adversity presented by an unbeaten foe, one highly motivated to prove its BCS-buster chops in front of a raucous home crowd?

For the better part of three quarters, the Golden Eagles saw the former. But for the last 20-something minutes, it was just enough of the latter for USM to score the game’s final 20 points, overcoming a 17-point deficit in a 37-34 victory.

“They fought to the end,” Eagles junior linebacker Martez Smith said. “But you just tell that when we really we really got after them and got going, they kind of gave up because they knew we wanted it more.”

Still, USM sophomore quarterback Austin Davis saw in UVa a team much like the Eagles were a year ago, when they started 2-6, only to win their last five games in a streak that’s now reached eight.

“We remembered what it was like when we were struggling, so we knew it would be a challenge,” he said. “You’re 0-2 and on the road, but this was a game they thought they could win.

“We thought we could get them down early and maybe get that negative mindset of ‘Here we go again,’ going. But we made our own mistakes and it gave them a lot of confidence.”

Enough confidence for the Cavaliers to lead 27-10 at halftime, amassing more yards in the first two quarters (267) than they had averaged in their first two games.

It was no surprise to USM coach Larry Fedora.

“We knew they would come in here and fight and not lay down,” he said. “Virginia is a well-coached football team that fought us all the way. All you have to do is look at the recruiting rankings to know how good their players are.

“But we feel like if we hit somebody longer and harder and keep doing it and keep doing it, things will eventually go our way. We were better than they were at the end of this day, and that’s all that matters.”

Fedora was especially impressed with UVa quarterback Jameel Sewell.

“They ran 90 plays and Sewell was involved in 69 of them — that’s amazing,” he said. “He did a heck of a job and showed a lot of guts and his receivers were making catches with our guys all over them. He’s playing in a system that suits him well, and if had another year in it, he’d be pretty dang good.”

But, Fedora acknowledged, it was UVa going back to its system of years past for much of the game — more of a traditional pro set, keeping the backs in for protection as opposed to the pure spread the Cavaliers had shown in their first two games — that gave his team trouble.

“You’ve got so many things to go over in the spread that it’s almost impossible to go back and cover the things they’ve run in the pro style in the past,” he said. “We made decisions based on what we’ve seen on film, and when they showed us something else, we made our adjustments on the sidelines.”

However, that didn’t happen until after the Cavs drove 86 yards on their opening possession of the second half with Sewell’s 1-yard touchdown run give UVa a 34-17 lead.

After that, though, the Cavs would net only 46 yards, with Sewell getting sacked five times.

“We didn’t expect them to come in double protection or with the quarterback under center,” sophomore defensive tackle Terrance Pope said. “We were getting a little frustrated on the sidelines, but we kept saying, ‘Keep going. Next play. Don’t worry about the next play because it’s gone.’

“We adjusted to it on the run. When they crowded the ball, we crowded the ball.”

Meanwhile, the USM offense, which had sometimes been its own worst enemy came to life, thanks first to Freddie Parham’s 100-yard kickoff return that made it 34-24 and a pass interference call on third-and-37 that kept the Eagles’ next TD drive alive, cutting their deficit to three points with 13:27 left.

“It was a lot different from the beginning of the game,” USM senior tackle Ryan Hebert said. “They weren’t ready for our tempo.

“They were long and physical, but I think the humidity go to them a little bit. They had talked all week about it, but it wasn’t too bad for us because we practice in a lot worse back in August.”

Still, the Cavs had a chance at the end, at least to send the game into overtime when they moved from their 4 to a first down at the USM 41.

Three incompletions and the final sack of Sewell ended that notion.

“They’re a pretty good team and didn’t quit,” USM senior safety Michael McGee said. “But we’d come too far to let it get away from us.

“We play hard from the beginning, but we like the fourth quarter best.”
 

Offensive switch not enough for UVa
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: September 20, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss.

Al Groh’s offense was broken and he did his best to fix it.

After his Virginia football team couldn’t grasp the wide-open, no-huddle spread offense in the first two games of the season, Groh returned to what his players knew best. In only three days of practice, the Cavaliers ditched the Star Wars stuff and just played football.

On Saturday at Southern Mississippi, the Cavaliers looked more like Groh’s former teams. None of that designer stuff. This one was bought right off the rack. Simple as well water.

Virginia easily put up a season high in total offense with 390 yards, ran the ball better against a team that’s stingy against the run, opened up the passing game and watched as several young running backs and receivers began to carve out their reputations.

In spite of all the changes, it was the same old result. Groh’s Cavaliers fell to Oh-and-Three in a 37-34 loss to Southern Miss, the first time since 1982 (George Welsh’s first year in the program) that UVa dropped its first three games.

“We made a lot of progress today,” said the embattled Groh in the face of defeat. ““We’re going down a different track now ... In the long run, we didn’t do quite enough. I’m very encouraged and very positive of all the efforts of the players today.”

Quarterback Jameel Sewell, who showed signs of shaking off the rust of a year away from the game in last week’s loss to 15th-ranked Texas Christian, looked like his old self — or at least the Sewell of the 2007 Gator Bowl season — as he passed for 312 yards and two touchdowns.

Sewell’s completion percentage wasn’t quite what it used to be (26 of 46 with one interception), but he appeared more comfortable in this offense than the spread where everything looked disjointed in losses to TCU and William & Mary.

We saw true freshman Tim Smith, redshirt freshman Javaris Brown and sophomore Kris Burd develop before our very eyes and perhaps offer some optimism for what lies ahead.

Sewell hooked up with Smith on a 69-yard touchdown pass early in the game that helped lift the Cavaliers’ spirits. It was the second scoring connection between the two in the past two weekends.

“That one felt like high school, just throwing it up there and letting the boys go get it,” Sewell grinned about the 69-yarder. “I’m trying to work on every throw I make because I’m not as accurate a quarterback as I need to be.”

Meanwhile, with starting running back Mikell Simpson hampered by a leg injury, Groh called upon redshirt freshman Torrey Mack and true freshman Dominique Wallace, players that the coach has referred to as Wali Lundy-like and potentially Thomas Jones-like, respectively, to carry the mail.

Virginia’s O-line did away with the wider splits from the spread and closed the ranks as they pounded out 148 yards on the ground with the help of Sewell’s ability to scramble when his protection broke down. The Cavaliers would have been the first team to crack the 100-yard rushing mark against the tough Golden Eagles in the last eight games, had it not been for 56 yards in sacks of Sewell when the protection broke down.

Yeah, four sacks are a lot, but better than the stunning eight that TCU stuck on the Cavs a week ago.

USM’s blitzing tactics late in the game was more than Virginia’s line could handle at times as the Golden Eagles fought back from a 34-17 deficit with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter. The Cavaliers never scored again after that and managed to only post 36 yards of total offense from that point on, a time when they needed it most.

While the offense had shouldered most of the blame for the first two losses, 34 points should be enough to win a game.

This time, Virginia’s defense failed in the clutch and special teams ... well, they weren’t so special, allowing the second-longest kickoff return (100) yards in Southern Miss history to swing the momentum, plus another return that helped start the comeback.

The Cavaliers’ early domination of the game, often capitalizing on USM mistakes, threw a scare into Golden Eagles’ coach Larry Fedora, who said that Groh’s offensive changes caught him completely by surprise. However, his staff made adjustments throughout the game and found a way to stop Virginia when it mattered most.

Stuck with another loss, the Cavaliers did leave town with their self-respect intact.

“The offense showed that we have a potential to score,” Sewell said, noting that the team feels better about the prospects of still turning this season around than it did a week ago. “We can move the ball down the field for the most part. Even though we lost, we did have bright spots.”

Bright spots that Groh believes can improve during the upcoming bye week for his squad. Virginia doesn’t play again until Oct. 3 at North Carolina.

“We got back to our roots this week,” Groh said. “Clearly, after what we got accomplished this week in only three days, there’s more we can do to make what we did today better. We can expand what we’re doing with the extra time. The players embraced it and went to work on it. How they fought and stuck together was impressive.”

Sewell said that he knew everyone on the team wanted to win, but it’s not that easy.

“You’ve got to go out there and work and if we take that attitude then this bye week can be an advantage for us,” the quarterback said.

If Groh truly is at his best when his back’s against the wall, then it may require his best magic yet to make the Cavaliers contenders in the upcoming ACC schedule. Anything less seems mighty risky.
 

Groin injury keeps Cook on bench for most of Cavs’ loss
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 20, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Virginia cornerback Chris Cook wanted desperately to play.

In fact, despite having been injured in practice this week, the senior cornerback threw on his helmet for the first defensive play of the game.

That was all it took for Cook, a team captain, to realize he would be unable to play further.

“It was my groin,” he said. “I just tried to test it in the game.”

Without Cook, the team’s top cornerback, Virginia was forced to use sophomore Chase Minnifield in the 37-34 loss at Southern Mississippi.

That experiment worked well at times and the reserve cornerback finished with 10 tackles, including nine solo stops, and recovered a fumble.

Minnifield also held DeAndre Brown, the top receiver for Southern Miss last year, to just two catches and seven yards.

“I think we all could have played better,” Virginia coach Al Groh said, failing to offer praise. “If we had all done a better job, we probably would be a lot happier.”

Virginia also played most of the game without Mikell Simpson, the top running back on the depth chart.

He did not appear in the game until the fourth quarter and did not have a carry.

Groh said Simpson was hit in the shin in practice Wednesday and required stitches, limiting his mobility and keeping him out of practice on Thursday.

Virginia quarterback Vic Hall dressed for the contest, as he did against Texas Christian, but did not play as he continues to nurse a hip injury.

Sack attack

Virginia had a pair of sacks in the contest.

Rookie inside linebacker Steve Greer and sophomore Nick Jenkins made their way into the backfield to tackle USM quarterback Austin Davis.

It was the first sack of their respective careers.

“It felt good, but we lost,” Jenkins said. “There is not much to feel good about right now.”

Sounding off

“That was a very physical game. Through the weather, the duration of the game, the back-and-forth of it and the big plays, I think we have two pretty worn out teams. I don’t think either team would want to play again today.” - Virginia coach Al Groh

Extra points

Virginia defensive end Nate Collins was credited with 10 tackles, which tied with Minnifield for the most on the team. … The Cavaliers finished with 25 first downs, which was five more than the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss did manage 5.1 yards per play, bettering Virginia’s production (4.3 ypp). … Another redshirt was burned in the contest as Virginia rookie LaRoy Reynolds made his season debut. The rookie from Norfolk played on special teams, becoming the sixth to play this season. … Virginia’s traveling party was missing several notable names. Linebacker Jared Detrick, wide receiver Raynard Horne, wide receiver Staton Jobe and offensive lineman Lamar Milstead were among those that remained in Charlottesville.
 

UVa Game Notes
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/20/2009

UVa played its first game in the state of Mississippi and its first ever against Southern Miss.
Nineteen Cavaliers played in their first career road game - WR Javaris Brown, QB Kyle McCartin, WR Matt Snyder, WR Tim Smith, RB Dominique Wallace, TB Torrey Mack, DB LaRoy Reynolds, LB Daniel Childress, P Nathan Rathjen, RB Perry Jones, S Matt Leemhuis, WR Patch Duda, CB Devin Wallace, LB Steve Greer, T Matt Mihalik, LB Bill Schautz, T Aaron Van Kuiken, TE Colter Phillips, DE Will Hill.
The combined scoring output (71 points) was the most in a UVa game a 45-33 loss to Maryland on Oct. 1, 2005.
UVa's lead of 17 points was its largest this season. UVa had 7-0 and 14-7 leads against William & Mary.
Jameel Sewell passed for a career-high 312 yards. His high was 288, set in 2007 at Miami. It marked the first 300-yard passing game for a UVa QB since Marques Hagens tossed for 358 in the 2005 Music City Bowl vs. Minnesota. Sewell also tied a career high for completions (24) and surpassed his career high in attempts with 47.
Sewell also tied a career high with two rushing touchdowns. He also had two TD runs against Miami in 2006 and Virginia Tech in 2007.
Robert Randolph made two field goals in the game, setting a career high. He made one field goal in three games last year. The two field goals also were his first attempts this season.
Redshirt freshman LB Steve Greer recorded his first career sack in the first quarter, while sophomore NT Nick Jenkins recorded his first career sack in the second quarter.
True freshman LaRoy Reynolds played in his first game as a Cavalier. He is the sixth true freshman to see playing time this season for Virginia, joining Will Hill, Quintin Hunter, Perry Jones, Tim Smith and Dominique Wallace.
Redshirt freshmen Kyle McCartin and Bill Schautz each made their first career appearance on kickoff returns. McCartin made his first appearance in the second quarter, while Schautz played in the third quarter.
Senior T Will Barker made his 40th career start.
TE Joe Torchia made his first career reception in the second quarter. It marked Virginia's first reception by a tight end this season. He finished with a pair of receptions for 27 yards.
WR Kris Burd's 29-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his first career TD catch. He set a career high with 79 yards receiving and tied a high with six receptions.
UVa's 27-point first half was the Cavaliers' highest-scoring first half in a road game since tallying 31 in the first half at Miami (Fla.) on Nov. 10, 2007.
The Southern Miss kickoff return for a touchdown was the first against Virginia since 2002 when South Carolina's Matthew Thomas took a kick back 95 yards for a score.
Corey Mosley recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter. It was Virginia's second interception this season.
Chase Minnifield had a career-high 10 tackles, topping his previous best of four. Nate Collins also had a career-high 10 stops.
 

Virginia Player Quotes
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/19/2009

Chase Minnifield, Defensive Back
On how frustrating it is to lose again:
"It's a little frustrating, but as a team we're going to take this as a building stone and go back to work tomorrow. We keep on getting better because obviously our hard work has paid off. I mean, this is the best game of the three."
On if the heat took a toll on Southern Miss' running backs getting yards:
"I'm not going to blame it on the heat. We, as a defense, just need to beat blocks."
On how frustrating it was to give Southern the momentum right back after the half:
"It's pretty frustrating because we are really trying to focus on special teams this year. We're not used to that, and we work really hard on special teams at practice everyday so we'll go see what happened and we'll work to fix it."
On what he saw during the 100 yard return:
"We were bringing people in and out because of the heat. We had people cramping and just coming in and out and it just broke."
On how they felt about the lead before the half:
"When we were in the locker room, we were pretty comfortable as a team. We weren't going to let up, that was our MO. We were disappointed today, but you're going to hear from us. We're not going to stop from there."
Nick Jenkins, Nose Tackle
On the flow of the game:
"They were a physical team, they played well up front. They hit, but we didn't match."
On if they started getting worn down by the end of the game:
"No, I don't think so. Just a couple breaks here and there, but we didn't come out on top."
On how 4-5 plays can change a game:
"That's any week. Foul play here, replay there can change the outcome during the game for sure."
On how well Southern Miss running back Damion Fletcher played:
"He's shifty. He's good. I have to give a hat off. The kid is a pretty good back."
 

Head Coach Al Groh Quotes
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/19/2009

Opening Statement:
"We made a lot of progress today. I'm really proud of the fight the players showed and the unity they showed in sticking together and continuing to grind away. We're going down a different track now than we were previously. We made a lot of progress in a lot of ways. In the long run, we didn't do quite enough. The other team did a little bit more than we did. I'm very encouraged and very positive of all the efforts of the players today."
On the kickoff return to open the second half:
"That was certainly a significant play. One of the things we talked about at half time was to not let Southern Miss get back into the game fast. Then they get a fluke play like that and it has the same result. We had a chance to make a lot of plays in a lot of different areas and it would be easy to look at one unit or player or circumstance, but we believe that when we scored some of those touchdowns, there were a lot of guys who weren't on the field who celebrated and felt really good about it. So when those scores got on us, it was all of us that got scored on."
On decision to go for it on fourth down in Southern Miss territory:
"We're not going to punt the ball from the 32 then everyone would ask 'Why did you punt the ball from the 32?' It was a little bit beyond the effective range of our field goal kicker so that was one of the easier decisions."
On quarterback Jameel Sewell:
"Obviously the quarterback had a real good game and he's finding his stride. I'm very pleased with what Jameel did, both in his performance and the competiveness that he showed. He showed his teammates that they can jump on his back and he's going to try to carry them. He made some good throws and the receivers made some good catches. There was a lot of activity though."
On the kickoff return for a touchdown:
"Clearly that was a big momentum changer. I saw it coming. We didn't fit on the blocks properly at a number of spots. Special teams, every play it's a jamboree. You can make a tackle on the 15-yard line and get creased on the next one. We fit on them very well early on. On that one, we had a number of players who did not fit properly on that one."
On the physicality of the game:
"That was a very physical game. Through the weather, the duration of the game, the back-and-forth of it, and the big plays, I think we have two pretty worn out teams. I don't think either team would want to play."
On the performance of the offensive line:
"It seemed as the game went on, maybe we weren't as air tight as we were earlier. We did a good job with the pressures but the quarterback was forced to hold the ball longer. It was a cohesive effort."
 

U.Va.‘s 17-point lead erased in loss to Southern Mississippi
By Michael Phillips
Published: September 20, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Jameel Sewell's feistiness has helped sustain him as a quarterback. It also makes him a target for criticism.

At his best early in yesterday's game, Sewell created a big lead for Virginia. The Hermitage graduate danced around in the pocket longer than should have been possible then found one of his receivers for a big gain.

Later in the game -- a four-hour slog in brutal heat and humidity -- his refusal to give up on a play made fans shout to just throw the ball away already.

Both Sewells were on display in a 37-34 loss in which the Wahoos led for the first 52 minutes and ultimately surrendered the advantage to a Southern Mississippi squad that had no clue what hit it early.

That's because coach Al Groh and his staff threw back the clock this week in practice, dumping elements of the new spread offense and instead opting for a more traditional U.Va. attack. The first sign that it worked was a 69-yard touchdown strike out of the gate.

"We got back to our roots this week," Groh said. "It was good to see that play in and good to see it pay off."

It also flummoxed the Southern Miss defense, which struggled to contain Sewell's athleticism. In fact, about the only thing that could bring him down was the heat.

He gained 79 yards rushing but gave back 56 on four costly sacks. In the final minutes, the Golden Eagles were ready to play two, and the Cavs were ready for a breather.

Down 34-17 in the early stages of the third quarter, Southern Miss turned to its bruising rushing game, ultimately breaking through with Tory Harrison's 57-yard run that brought a crowd of more than 30,000 back to life after a slow start.

That left a sour taste in the mouths of U.Va.'s players as they filed out afterward. But they also cited numerous breakthroughs early in the game that the altered offense produced.

It started on the offensive line, which got help from the running backs for the first time this year. On many plays, Sewell had two backs on either side of him to help with protection. That allowed him to get his footwork set and deliver strikes like the 69-yard scoring pass to Tim Smith at the 9:18 mark of the first quarter.

"That first long ball felt like high school," Sewell said. "Me throwing the ball out there and letting the boys go get it."

The boys were his young receivers, who also emerged from their shadows this week. On various drives, it was Smith, Kris Burd and Javaris Brown who took turns making plays.

Burd led the group with six catches for 79 yards, including a series of remarkable catches on which he hooked up with Sewell long after the routes had been abandoned and the quarterback was still scrambling.

"He makes a lot of time in the pocket," Burd said. "Every game we go in trying to make plays and trying to be playmakers on offense -- we just went in with that mentality."

It's what the offense needed to come to life, though the Wahoos also received an assist when Southern Miss fumbled the ball deep in its territory twice early in the game.

After the Golden Eagles cut the lead to three, it look as if turnovers would strike again, as a trick play involving a halfback pass turned into a Corey Mosley interception.

But the offensive line was losing its touch, Sewell was feeling the heat and the Cavs had to send the ball back to Southern Miss, which started its game-winning drive.

Now the offense will try to perfect a system that offered improvements, building on Groh's changes as the team enters its bye week. He said that there would be "an eraser" brought out to simplify the playbook to just what worked.

The message the coach had was simple -- this is what we can do in three days. Wait until we really get this right.

"A lot of guys are packing their bags with an increased sense of confidence," he said. "Now we've just got to tie it all together."
 

U.Va. notes
Published: September 20, 2009

Special teams in slump
For the third consecutive week, Virginia's special-teams unit was caught unprepared in key situations.

On the game's first punt, Devin Wallace forgot to take the field, making it only 10 men on the unit. After a delay-of-game penalty, the problem was corrected. Wallace was celebrating having broken up a pass on third down.

The big problems occurred in the second half, after what coach Al Groh thought was a strong first half from the unit.

"That's why on special teams, every play is a jamboree," he said. "In the second half, we went the other direction, and that tipped the scales dramatically."

The unit also gave up a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

In all, the kickoff team allowed 40.7 yards per return. It wasn't a steady group of players, as cramping and fatigue forced rotation among the players who were part of the unit.

This is special teams coordinator Ron Prince's first year serving in that capacity.

Mack's new role
With Mikell Simpson sidelined because of a leg injury, the running back duties fell to Rashawn Jackson and Dominique Wallace.

Wallace got the majority of the carries, though quarterback Jameel Sewell was the game's leading rusher.

Freshman Torrey Mack, who was impressive coming out of fall practices, has been used mostly as a receiver this season, and also has a role on special teams. When he was lined up in the slot, he occasionally went in motion to get into a pass-catching position.

Simpson eventually entered the game for a few plays on the final drive. After the game, Groh said that Simpson had been kicked in the shin during practice and required stitches.

A new face at CB
Devin Wallace joined the cornerback rotation in a prominent role yesterday.

He started the day by breaking up a pass intended for DeAndre Brown. Brown, a 6-6 sophomore receiver who has been on national award watch lists, was held in check by the U.Va. defense, finishing without a catch.

Late in the first quarter, Wallace was picked on in a third-and-long situation, allowing Southern Miss to continue its first scoring drive.

Mosley has another game-changer
Safety Corey Mosley can't seem to avoid the spotlight.

After a questionable call last week extended a TCU drive, it was a less-subtle move this week that drew a flag.

With Southern Miss facing third and 37 from its 20-yard line, Mosley drew a pass interference call while running into Brown, missing that the ball was coming. The tragedy of the call was that it wasn't even necessary -- Chase Minnifield was there in coverage and nearly intercepted the ball.

"I was pretty shocked on that pass interference call," Minnifield said. "But it goes both ways, I guess."

U.Va. had six penalties to Southern Miss' nine.

Extra points
Cornerback Chris Cook played only the game's first play before leaving because of an injury. . . . Virginia's 34 points were the most allowed by Southern Miss this year. . . . Southern Miss running back Tory Harrison ran for 101 yards on three carries. . . . Chase Minnifield and Nate Collins led Virginia with 10 tackles each. Matt Conrath and Nate Jenkins both had a sack. . . . Junior tight end Joe Torchia logged his first career reception. -- Michael Phillips
 

Grading the three keys for UVa
Published: September 20, 2009

Grading the three keys (A) Strike early. U.Va. jumped out to a 13-0 lead, stunning the crowd in Hattiesburg, which was expecting to take down a BCS team handily. Two turnovers by the Golden Eagles contributed to the Hoos' early success, with both turning into field goals. U.Va. opted not to go for it on fourth and 1 from inside the red zone, instead playing it safe and taking the points to go up 13-0. (B-) Three's all they need. Kicker Robert Randolph had a perfect day on the scoresheet because his lone missed kick, a 39-yard attempt that fell short, was negated by a running-into-the-kicker penalty. He might not have the range for long kicks, but Randolph was consistent from short range and gives the team another point-scoring option. (B-) Who's the playmaker? A young receiving crew stepped up when given the opportunity, and Jared Green, Kris Burd and Javaris Brown each took a turn leading a drive for the Cavaliers. They also all had dropped passes they should have caught, so the unit is a work in progress, but for now, it appears it will be serviceable -- especially with Jameel Sewell throwing tight spirals as he did yesterday.
 

U.Va. Quick kicks
Published: September 20, 2009

QUICK KICKS Score: Southern Miss 37, Virginia 34 For starters: Virginia opened with a 13-0 lead, aided by two Southern Miss turnovers deep in Golden Eagles territory. Turning point: When Southern Miss started blitzing, the Golden Eagles seemed to be able to stop Jameel Sewell from making big passes. Offensively, a few big runs from Damion Fletcher gave the team confidence, and Virginia was on its way to blowing a 17-point lead in fewer than 15 minutes. Star of the game: Despite being unable to lead a winning drive late, Sewell kept the team afloat early with decisive passing and an ability to buy himself enough time to allow a receiver to get open. Big picture: The Cavaliers are a team that has holes, but they're not the laughingstock of the conference that they were portrayed as after the William and Mary game. That said, it'll be an uphill climb, even in a weak ACC. Go figure: 31.4 net yards per kickoff, after factoring in returns. That was on kickoffs that averaged 69.1 yards from Chris Hinkebein. Next: Virginia is off next week. The team travels to North Carolina on Oct. 3. Game time has not yet been announced.
 

UVa's special teams hardly such
The Cavaliers allow a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD in another loss.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- This was the year Virginia's special teams were going to be special.

Clearly, that was coach Al Groh's intention when he said there was no area where his football team had greater potential for improvement.

Identifying the problem is one thing. Solving it is another.

Southern Mississippi had 205 return yards in the third quarter alone Saturday and rallied for a 37-34 victory over 14 12-point underdog Virginia.

It was the eighth straight victory going back to the 2008 season for the Golden Eagles, who needed less than 15 minutes to overcome a 17-point third-quarter deficit.

UVa lost its seventh straight game on an afternoon when the Cavaliers outgained Southern Mississippi 390-344.

Fifth-year quarterback Jameel Sewell passed for a career-high 312 yards and accounted for four touchdowns -- two rushing and two passing -- but was also sacked six times.

Sewell's 1-yard touchdown run with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter put the Cavaliers on top 34-17 and it appeared that Virginia had regained the momentum after matching a USM touchdown to start the second half.

UVa's celebration was short-lived, however, as the Golden Eagles' Freddie Parham returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

"That's why special teams are a jamboree," Groh said. "You can tackle one on the 15-yard line and get creased on the next one."

Groh had hoped for special teams improvement by hiring ex-Kansas State head coach Ron Prince to coordinate that unit, but snafus in the return game have victimized UVa in each of its three season-opening losses.

Parham's kickoff return for a touchdown -- the Golden Eagles' first since 2004 -- wasn't an isolated circumstance. Southern Mississippi, down 27-10 at halftime, returned the second-half kickoff to the Virginia 32.

It appeared the Cavaliers had Parham stopped at the USM 35, but the ball came loose and was picked up by teammate Jamie Collins, who advanced it another 33 yards.

"I didn't know who had the ball," UVa defensive back Chase Minnifield said. "What can you say? The officials reviewed it and kept it."

Groh, who referred to the Parham-Collins return as "fluky," said there were three critical plays in his mind.

Two of them were the kickoff returns. The third was an interference call on UVa safety Corey Mosley after the Golden Eagles had been backed into a third-and-37 hole at their 20-yard line.

It was Mosley's third major penalty in as many weeks.

The Cavaliers were leading 34-24 at the time and a defensive stop would have given them good field position as the third quarter drew to a close.

Instead, Southern Miss was awarded a first down at its 35-yard line and scored five plays later on an 11-yard run by senior running back Darion Fletcher.

Fletcher, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, rushed for 59 yards in six fourth-quarter carries after carrying the ball 20 times for 59 yards in the first three periods.

Fletcher frequently lined up in USM's "Eagle Formation" and took a direct snap from center, often with quarterback Austin Davis lined up in the slot. The eventual winning touchdown came on a reverse on which Fletcher took a direct snap and then handed off to Tory Harrison, who went 57 yards on a reverse.

"We ran one play of it last week and did not really give it a chance," Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. "This week, we got after it a little bit more."

Virginia had 90 offensive plays, compared to 68 for the Golden Eagles, and Sewell admitted he was "gassed" in the fourth quarter. He had 23 rushing attempts to go with 46 pass attempts.

The Cavaliers, who ranked 112th among 120 Division I-A teams in total offense after the first two games, tweaked the "spread" offense installed by new offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon and occasionally had Sewell behind center after working exclusively out of the shotgun before Saturday.

"Gregg had a lot of years in coaching before all these spread offenses became prevalent," Groh said. "It looked like we were a lot more on track today."

With an open date coming up, special teams is certain to get some more attention. In addition to the kickoff returns, Southern Miss got punt returns of 15 and 22 yards from Tracey Lampley.

"You can't do this," Groh said, "but if you had assessed [the special teams] performance at the half, you would have said it was their outstanding performance of the season. It went the other direction in the second half and tilted the scales dramatically."

Groh said his players were visibly shaken by the outcome.

"The shame of it is not be able to look at them laughing and smiling on the way home," he said. "It's not that we need [to make] more plays. We need an eraser. We need to erase the bad ones."
 

Sewell sets UVa record for offensive plays
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- If Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell looked a little worn out by the end of a 37-34 loss to Southern Mississippi, he had reason to be.

Sewell attempted 46 passes and had 23 rushing attempts, meaning he was personally involved in 69 of Virginia's 90 offensive plays.

Sewell was credited with more plays (69) than the entire Southern Miss team (68) and set a UVa record in the process.

The previous record for plays was 64, set by Matt Schaub in a 2002 game against Georgia Tech.

Schaub attempted 58 passes in that game and probably didn't take the pounding that was absorbed by Sewell, who was helped from the field at one point in the third quarter but did not miss a snap.

Sewell rushed for two touchdowns and connected on touchdown passes of 69 yards to Tim Smith and 29 yards to Kris Burd. Sewell finished 24-of-46 for a career-high 312 yards.

"He was their leading rusher and passer; he did it all," Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. "They go by him. They are going to make or break themselves by what he does. He is a good player and a kid that the system fits.

"If he had another year in that system, he would be pretty dang good in it now."

Actually, freshman Dominique Wallace was UVa's leading rusher, carrying 11 times for 35 yards. Sewell had 79 yards in gains that were offset by 56 yards in losses.

Sewell passed for 200 yards or more five times in a six-game stretch of the 2007 season but has been slow in rounding into shape after missing the 2008 season while on academic suspension.

He was intercepted three times in the Cavaliers' opener against William and Mary, but the two interceptions he has yielded in the last two games have come on balls that have bounced off of receivers.

"I feel like I'm all the way back," said Sewell, who became the seventh player in UVa history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a career. "I've still got a lot of work to do, obviously."

Injury report

Mikell Simpson, the Cavaliers' No. 1 running back coming into the season, had spoken in an early Wednesday interview of his eagerness to go on the road. But, he did not play Saturday until the final two series.

"Mikell got kicked on the shin in practice Wednesday and required stitches," UVa coach Al Groh said.

"There was quite a bit of swelling in the shin. He missed practice Wednesday, missed practice Thursday. We were enthusiastic about these two young backs [Wallace and Torrey Mack] and decided it was time to play them."

n Another veteran player, fifth-year cornerback Chris Cook, was injured on the first play of the game and did not return. Cook was listed with a hip injury earlier in the week.

Personnel

Sophomore Cam Johnson made his first start at outside linebacker after being moved ahead of fifth-year Aaron Clark earlier in the week. UVa coach Al Groh said one factor in the decision was Clark's ability to play both sides.

n Making his first trip for the Cavaliers was Ray Keys, a sophomore wide receiver from Franklin County. Keys' father, Raymond, was the leading rusher for UVa's 1976 team.

Virginia next week

The Cavaliers will have an open date before beginning ACC play Oct. 3 at North Carolina, which raised its record to 3-0 on Saturday with a 31-17 victory over East Carolina. In the interim, the Tar Heels will visit Georgia Tech.
 

UVa-Southern Miss odds 'n ends
Doug Doughty

SATURDAY'S STAR

Jameel Sewell

Virginia QB

Sewell had a hand in all four Virginia touchdowns -- two rushing and two passing -- on a day when he passed for a career-high 312 yards.

IT WAS OVER WHEN

Sewell was sacked on second-and-10 from the Golden Eagles' 41 with 1:35 remaining. That put the Cavaliers in a third-and-19 situation and the UVa offensive line couldn't hold up long enough for Sewell to go downfield.

GOOD CALL?

With 8:37 remaining and the Cavaliers ahead 34-31, the coaches elected to go for a first down on fourth-and-7 from the USM 32. Sewell threw incomplete to Javaris Brown, Southern Miss took over on downs and the Golden Eagles scored two plays later on a 57-yard run by Tory Harrison.

THEY SAID IT

"It was a very physical game. Between the weather and the duration [3:41] of the game and the back and forth and big plays, you've got two pretty worn-out teams today. As time went on, it didn't seem we were as airtight as we had been earlier."

-- UVa head coach Al Groh

CRITICAL NUMBERS

6 Career-high catches for UVa's Kris Burd

7 Consecutive UVa losses

8 Consecutive USM victories

40 School-record touchdowns for Southern Miss TB Damion Fletcher

69 UVa TB Tim Smith's touchdown yardage

101 USM's Tory Harrison's rushing yards on three carries

335 Total offense for Jameel Sewell
 

Cavaliers off to their worst start since '82
By Tyler Cleveland
Correspondent
September 20, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Jameel Sewell threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more, but it wasn't enough as Virginia dropped its third straight game to Southern Miss 37-34 on Saturday.

The Virginia offense seemed to grow by leaps and bounds but stalled in the second half on its final seven possessions while the Golden Eagles (3-0) mounted a comeback.

"We made a lot of progress today," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "I'm really proud of the fight the players showed and the unity they showed in sticking together and continuing to grind away. We're going down a different track now than we were previously."

Groh's point is tough to argue considering the Cavalier offense surpassed its offensive yard total from its second game against TCU in the first half of Saturday's game.

Sewell dominated the first two quarters, throwing for 197 yards and scoring once passing and once rushing. But when it mattered in the fourth quarter, Sewell was four of 12 passing for 35 yards and was sacked twice.

The senior quarterback was involved in 69 of Virginia's 90 offensive plays either passing or rushing.

"I was gassed," Sewell said. "But what are you going to do? You just have to keep working and keep playing."

After the Golden Eagle offense scored a touchdown on its first possession of the second half on a field shortened to 32 yards by return man Freddie Parham, the Cavalier offense picked up right where it left off in the first half.

Sewell marched Virginia 86 yards in 11 plays and capped the drive himself with a one-yard run.

But Parham returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, pulling the Eagles to 34-17.

"Clearly that was a big momentum changer," Groh said. "I saw it coming. We didn't fit on the blocks properly at a number of spots. Special teams, every play it's a jamboree."

After the return, the bottom seemed to fall out for Virginia.

The Cavalier defense had held Southern Miss to 57 rushing yards in the first half but was gashed for 157 in the second half.

The Eagles put together two more touchdown drives on their next four possessions, one an eight-play march, the other a 57-yard run by tailback Tori Harrison.

"Going into the game, we knew we would face diversity," Harrison said. "We had to play hard to win this game. To be honest, at that point in the game, I think their defense was tired."

Virginia had one possession to change the outcome at the end but stalled at its own 45 when Sewell's final two passes of the game were batted down along the sideline.

Groh said he sees growth in his quarterback.

"Obviously the quarterback had a real good game and he's finding his stride," Groh said. "I'm very pleased with what Jameel did, both in his performance and the competitiveness that he showed. He showed his teammates that they can jump on his back, he's going to try to carry them."

For the Cavaliers, who are 0-3 for the first time since the 1982 season, it was a different way to lose but apparently left the same bitter taste.

"I would say it's even more frustrating," cornerback Chris Minnifield said. "But as a team, we're going to take this as a building stone and go back to work tomorrow. We keep on getting better because obviously, our hard work has paid off.

"I mean, this is the best game of the three."
 

Sewell impresses in losing effort
By Tyler Cleveland
Correspondent
September 20, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Jameel Sewell impressed more than just his own head coach in Saturday's 37-34 loss to Southern Miss. The senior from Richmond did everything but carry the Cavaliers to victory on his shoulders, and he could have done that with a little help.

Nearly every Southern Miss player mentioned him after the game — three of them calling him a "difference-maker."

"For a quarterback to do what he did in this game is a heck of a deal," Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora said. "I thought he did one heck of a job and showed he has a lot of guts."

Fellow quarterback Vic Hall was still struggling with a hip injury suffered in Virginia's opening game against William and Mary, but Sewell didn't need much backup.

His 79 rushing yards would have been good enough to lead the Cavaliers if not for the four sacks he took for 56 yards. But the number of times he evaded sacks far outweighed the number of times the Southern Miss defense caught up to him.

"He was tough to bring down," Southern Miss defensive tackle Terrance Pope said. "I mean he was just solid back there. That's the first time I've ever played against a team with a quarterback who I just couldn't seem to bring down. I mean the guy just kept running."

Sewell wasn't celebrating any personal accomplishments after the loss, and instead talked about the experience his team will use from this game to get better.

"We showed we have the potential to score," Sewell said. "We had yet to do that this year, and that's something we can take back home to Virginia and build on."
 

Cavs' offense vastly more productive
By Tyler Cleveland
Correspondent
September 20, 2009
The Virginia offense came into Saturday ranked No. 112 nationally, but quickly asserted itself against the Southern Miss defense with 268 yards in the first half. Jameel Sewell threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters. The Cavaliers outgained Southern Miss 390-344 and had 25 first downs, six more than in their first two games combined. "We made a lot of progress in this game as an offense," Sewell said. "We just didn't execute like we could have in the second half and lost."

Shutting down Brown
Coach Al Groh's plan for shutting down Freshman All-American receiver DeAndre Brown began and ended with Chase Minnifield. The sophomore cornerback from Lexington, Ky., didn't start in the first two games but was asked to cover Brown starting early. "He played well, but everyone could have played a little bit better," Groh said. Minnifield had 10 tackles (nine solos), one pass breakup and one fumble recovery.

Second-half woes
Through three losses, the Cavaliers have been outscored 56-21 in the second half. Saturday, Virginia was outscored 27-7. Nearly 200 of Southern Miss' 344 yards came in the second half, and the Cavs lost the ball on downs twice in the final quarter.

"The Golden Eagle"
The U.Va. defense seemed thrown off against USM's version of the Wildcat. Tori Harrison's 57-yard run from that formation sealed the game. "We practiced against it all week," Minnifield said. "They didn't do anything we weren't expecting, they were just more physical than we were."
 

Baseball's 2009 Recruiting Class Ranked 10th Nationally by Collegiate Baseball
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/18/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia's 2009 baseball recruiting class has been ranked 10th nationally by Collegiate Baseball, the newspaper announced Thursday. UVa's class is tied for 10th with Stanford.
"I am very excited about this new group of players," Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor said. "It is a very talented class with some players who will make an immediate impact in our program. This is a group of athletic position players and pitchers who possess the ability to compete right away. Above all, this class of young men is a great fit for The University of Virginia. Our assistant coaches, Kevin McMullan and Karl Kuhn, have once again brought another stellar Top-10 recruiting class to Charlottesville. Kevin and Karl deserve all the credit in bringing these young men into our program."
UVa's class consists of 10 freshmen and two junior-college transfers. Five of the 12 players were selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft - freshmen Stephen Bruno (Audubon, N.J.), Reed Gragnani (Richmond, Va.), Branden Kline (Frederick, Md.) and Rob Amaro (Bensalem, Pa.) as well as Young Harris Junior College transfer Kenny Swab (Kernersville, N.C.).
The rest of the class is highly-regarded as well and consists of freshmen Chris Taylor (Virginia Beach, Va.), Colin Harrington (Johnstown, Pa.), Ryan Briggs (Omaha, Neb.), Ryan Levine (Hackensack, N.J.), Aaron Stull (Newport, N.C.) and Whit Mayberry (Alexandria, Va.) as well as transfer Cody Winiarski (Franksville, Wis./Madison Area Tech).
UVa's class is ranked second best among ACC programs, behind only No. 9 Miami. Florida brought in the nation's top incoming class according to Collegiate Baseball. A full story on the top recruits in each of the top 10 classes will be in the Oct. 2 edition of Collegiate Baseball.
In addition to the 12 newcomers, UVa returns 23 letterwinners, including its entire starting lineup, from the 2009 team, which reached the College World Series for the first time in program history and posted a school-record 49 wins.
Virginia is in the midst of fall practice and has two open practices remaining - Sept. 20 (6-9 p.m.) and Sept. 26 (8:30-11 a.m.). These practices are free of charge and open to the public. UVa begins its annual Orange and Blue World Series on Monday, Oct. 5 at Davenport Field. All seven games of the series are free of charge.
Collegiate Baseball 2009 Recruiting Rankings
1. Florida
2. Arizona State
3. LSU
4. UCF
5. Cal State Fullerton
6. Kentucky
7. TCU
8. Vanderbilt
9. Miami
10. Virginia
10. Stanford
 

Virginia Downs Virginia Tech in ACC Opener
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/18/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team extended its home win streak Friday evening to four-straight matches by defeating conference-foe Virginia Tech, 3-1 (29-27, 25-19, 22-25, 11-25) in Memorial Gymnasium on the first day of the Marriott Cavalier Invitational. The win moves Virginia to 6-4 on the season and 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and keeps the Cavaliers undefeated at home this season with a 4-0 mark. The loss was the first for Virginia’s in-state rival, as the Hokies fall to 9-1 this year and 0-1 in the league.

Sophomore Simone Asque led all players with 16 kills, while senior Lauren Dickson knocked down 15 kills and freshman Tobi Farrar had a personal-best 10 kills. Junior Sydney Hill hit a personal-best .636, landing seven kills on 11 attempts, while committing zero errors.

Defensively, junior AJ Cushman led all players with 19 digs and freshman Jessica O’Shoney and Asque contributed four blocks each.

For Virginia Tech, Justine Record led the way with 13 kills, while Erin Leaser collected a double-double of 38 assists and 11 digs. Jill Gergen had 13 digs.

In a battle of a first frame, it was the Cavaliers that prevailed. Led by Asque’s eight kills on 16 swings and no errors, Virginia was able to maintain the advantage throughout the later portion of the match after the Hokies forced extra points. It wasn’t until an even score of 27-27, though, that the Cavaliers were able to string together two-consecutive points, a kill from Farrar followed by a kill from Dickson, to win the set, 29-27.

Behind a 12-2 run in favor of the Cavaliers late in the second set, Virginia was able to come-from-behind, 13-17, and following a service ace from Dickson, end the frame on top, 25-19.

The Cavaliers looked to have carried the momentum into the third frame, but the Hokies nipped Virginia’s chance to sweep the match, as Tech landed a service ace to break open a 22-22 score and finish the set on a 4-0 run, taking a 25-22 victory.

O’Shoney knocked down a kill to get the fourth frame rolling and Dickson followed that up with another kill, as Virginia cruised to a 4-0 lead and never looked back. Virginia extended its lead to 11, by 16-5, and went on to win 25-11 for the 3-1 match win.

Virginia will be back in action tomorrow, facing Villanova at 1 p.m. and Albany in the tournament finale at 7 p.m.
 

Great Danes Sweep Cavaliers in Marriott Cavalier Invitational Finale
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/19/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia volleyball team dropped its second-straight match Saturday evening, 3-0 (21-25, 20-25, 16-25), to Albany in the Marriott Cavalier Invitational finale. The loss drops the Cavaliers to 6-6 on the season, while Albany moves to 5-8.
Sophomore Simone Asque paced the Cavaliers, contributing 10 kills, while freshman Rachel Gray tallied 26 assists. AJ Cushman, a member of the all-tournament team, and Brittani Rendina each dug nine attacks.
For the Great Danes, Valerie Sourbeer had 14 kills. Brooke Stanley, another all-tournament team member, dished out 37 assists and Hillary White had 10 digs.
The score was tight early in the first set with Virginia and Albany seeing seven tie scores in the first 14 points. The Great Danes used a timely seven-point run to amass a nine-point lead on the Cavaliers. Virginia put up a six-point streak of its own, but fell short as Albany took the frame, 25-21.
Albany jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second frame, opening the set with three kills. The Cavaliers responded by eventually tying the score at 11, but the Great Danes strung together three more kills, forcing Virginia to call a timeout. Virginia pulled within one after the break, but the Cavaliers were unable to even the score, and Albany finished the frame on top, 20-25.
The third set played out much like the first two, with Albany breaking away from the Cavaliers. The Great Danes capitalized on a pair of 3-0 runs to take the set and the match with a 25-16 victory.
Virginia will be back in action on Friday as they travel to face Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers will then take on Florida State in Tallahassee on Suday at noon.
All-Tournament Team
Krista Andersen, Villanova - MVP
Courtney Oertli, Villanova
Kim Maroon, Villanova
AJ Cushman, Virginia
Jennifer Wiker, Virginia Tech
Brooke Stanley, Albany
 

Virginia Falls to Villanova in Marriott Cavalier Invitational
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/19/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia volleyball team saw its home match win streak come to an end Saturday afternoon against Villanova in the second day of the Marriott Cavalier Invitational. The Wildcats defeated the Cavaliers, 3-1 (25-19, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16), to improve to 10-3 on the season, while Virginia falls to 6-5 on the season and 4-1 at home.

Senior Lauren Dickson led Virginia with a double-double of 13 kills and 10 digs, while freshman Rachel Gray collected her second career double-double of 34 assists and 12 digs. Sophomore Simone Asque landed 10 kills to help the attack, while Brittani Rendina led the defense with 16 digs and junior AJ Cushman contributed 11. Cushman also added three service aces.

For Villanova, Krista Anderson and Maggie Mergen led all players with 15 kills each. Anderson also had 20 digs, while Kim Maroon led all players with 25 digs and seven service aces. Courtney Oertli dished out a match-high 51 assists.

With the score tied at six in the first set, Villanova went on a 4-0 run, breaking the deadlock and pulling ahead 10-6. The Wildcats went on to extend their lead to seven, but the Cavaliers responded with a 4-0 run of their own to pull within three. The rally wasn’t enough to top the Wildcats, though, as Virginia fell, 19-25.

The second set was a tight one punctuated by 11 tie scores and four lead changes. With the score tied at 19, the Wildcats went on a 3-0 run. The teams alternated points for the remainder of the frame, but Virginia could not overcome the deficit. Villanova took the set, 21-25.

In the third frame, the Cavaliers pulled out to a nine-point lead and never looked back. Dickson led the offense, tallying seven kills in the frame, en route to a 25-20 victory.

The Wildcats capitalized on a 7-0 run early in the fourth set, maintaining the lead for the entire frame and sealing a match with the 25-16 set win.

Virginia will look to rebound this evening in the tournament finale. The Cavaliers will face Albany at 7 p.m.
 

No. 20 UVa Upsets No. 2 Wake Forest, 1-0
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/18/2009

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Junior defender Mike Volk’s first career goal as a Cavalier was the difference in the match, as the No. 20 Virginia men’s soccer team upset No. 2 Wake Forest, 1-0, on the road Friday night. The Virginia win snapped a Wake Forest home unbeaten streak of 35 games, and was the first Cavalier victory in Winston-Salem since 2005.

Virginia improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in ACC play with the win, while Wake Forest's record dropped to 3-1-1 (1-1 ACC).
“All week we’ve been working on restarts, and and we just really felt like we could score on a restart tonight,” Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. “Statistically we won that battle, we out-shot them and out-cornered them. It was a great performance and we feel good about it. Everybody played a part in executing the game plan.”

In front of a crowd of 1,752 at Spry Stadium, the Cavaliers were able to capitalize on a scoring opportunity off of a corner kick in the 24th minute. Neil Barlow (Herndon, Va.) served the ball and Volk fired a shot from close range that trickled over the goal line.

Volk (Bear, Del.) transferred from Rutgers prior to the start of the 2008 season, and scored his first goal and point as a Cavalier in the match. For Barlow, it was his team-high second assist of the year.

Junior goalkeeper Diego Restrepo (West Palm Beach, Fla.) posted the shutout, his second of the year and Virginia's third. Restrepo had five saves. Tony Tchani (Norfolk, Va.) and Chris Agorsor (Severn, Md.) had three shots apiece to lead UVa's offensive effort.

The win marked No. 199 for UVa head coach George Gelnovatch, who will go for his 200th-career victory when Virginia returns home on Tuesday, Sept. 22, vs. George Washington.

It was Virginia's second-straight victory over Wake Forest, as the Wahoos got the best of then-No. 1 Wake Forest at last year's ACC Tournament, 3-2, in double overtime. In the all-time series with the Demon Deacons, Virginia improved to 32-6-5.

The Cavaliers out-shot the Demon Deacons, 14-13, and held a 8-7 advantage in corner kicks.

Wake Forest goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald had four saves in defeat for the Demon Deacons, while Corben Bone led the team offensively with three shots. It marked the first time Wake Forest had been shut out this season.

Virginia returns to Klöckner Stadium on Tuesday (Sept. 22) when it faces George Washington. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

MATCH NOTES: Mike Volk scored his first career goal (at Virginia) ... the game-winning assist was Neil Barlow's second of the year and the 10th of his career ... Jimmy Simpson earned his first start of 2009 ... Diego Restrepo totaled a season-high five saves to earn his second complete game shutout ... head coach George Gelnovatch improved his career record to 199-77-22, and his record against Wake Forest to 16-4-3.
 

Cavaliers Dominate Lou Onesty Invitational
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/19/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia men’s and women’s cross country teams dominated their season openers on Saturday morning at Panorama Farms with both teams winning their respective Lou Onesty Invitational titles. Senior Lauretta Dezubay won her second-consecutive crown to lead the women’s squad to the title with 19 points, while junior All-American Emil Heineking ran away with the men’s title and the squad captured the victory with 28 points.

Dezubay won her second Lou Onesty title finishing the race in a personal-best time of 17:42.5. Senior Stephanie Garcia followed Dezubay across the line, finishing second and completing the course in 18:15.3. Junior Laurel MacMillan finished fourth in 18:44.3 before a slew of Cavaliers came in at 8-9-10-11, led by senior Samantha Stafford who finished eighth in 19:19.5. Senior Ariane Sloan finished ninth in 19:25.0, sophomore Anna Corrigan was 10th with a time of 19:33.4 and sophomore Erin Klein wrapped up the Cavalier finishers, claiming 14th in 19:44.4

For the men, Heineking won the title by almost a minute, finishing in 24:04.8. Sophomore Sean Keveren finished fourth for Virginia in 25:13.4, while junior Andrew Revelle took sixth in 25:22.4. Finishing in a pack of three and taking 10th-place was sophomore Sintayehu Taye, clocking in at 25:27.6. Junior Andrew Mearns finished 12th in 25:43.2 and junior Robbie Eckardt was 17th with a time of 26:23.9.

The women won the meet with a total of 19 points, while UNC-Greensboro finished runner up with 67 points, narrowly edging George Mason, which earned 68 points. Norfolk State finished fourth with 98 points.

On the men’s side, the Cavaliers won with 28 points. Norfolk State finished second with 58 points and UNC-Greensboro rounded out the top-three with 65 points, narrowly defeating George Mason’s 67 points.

The Cavaliers will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 3 when they head to Fairfax, Va., for the George Mason Invitational.