Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics
UVA Men's Soccer Bounces Back, Downs American 2-0
It took 50 minutes longer than they expected, but the Cavaliers eventually got back on track.
After suffering a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Notre Dame on Friday via last-second goal, the Virginia men's soccer team used two-second half goals to bounce back and beat American 2-0 on Tuesday night at Klockner Stadium.
Virginia outshot American 7-1 in the opening 45 minutes, but thanks to four saves from goaltender Dominic Dominguez, the Eagles kept the game scoreless through the first half.
In the 50th minute, the Cavaliers finally took the lead and the breakthrough goal came off the foot of a true freshman. Daniel Mangarov's corner kick was initially headed out of harm's way by an American defender, but the ball came right to freshman Andy Sullins, who had just been subbed into the match. Sullins took a swing with his left foot and crushed the ball into the top left corner of the net for his first-career goal.
The match remained 1-0 for nearly the entire second half, with the Eagles staying just one lucky bounce away from stealing an equalizer. The Cavaliers did not seal the victory with an insurance goal until the 83rd minute.
American goalkeeper Dominic Dominguez misplayed the ball near the edge of the box and, thanks to some pressure from junior Philip Horton, the ball came right to sophomore Kome Ubogu, who easily sent the ball into the wide-open goal to double to UVA lead. That goal was Ubogu's team-leading fifth of the season.
American took seven shots in the second half, but only one went on cage and was saved by UVA goalkeeper Holden Brown as the Cavaliers went on to secure their fourth clean sheet of the season.
Winners of three of the last four games, Virginia (5-3) now faces its toughest challenge of the season so far, as the Cavaliers hit the road to take on No. 3 Syracuse in a key ACC matchup on Saturday at 7pm.
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