W&M Men’s Soccer Upsets #7 Virginia, 3-2, in OT

Tribe’s Bryan Hinkle Knocks in Gamewinner

09/24/03 10:36PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - William and Mary junior midfielder Bryan Hinkle (Fredericksburg, VA) scored the gamewinning goal with 1:59 left in the first overtime period, as the Tribe men’s soccer team upset seventh-ranked Virginia, 3-2, at Klockner Stadium this evening.

The third consecutive win for the College over the Cavaliers, the win improves W&M’s record to 5-2-0 this season, while UVA drops to 4-4-0. W&M defeated Virginia twice last year, once in the regular season and then later in Charlottesville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in a contest decided by penalty kicks. The Tribe is 5-1-1 against the Cavaliers in their last seven matchups, all played since 1998, and tonight’s game improved its record this season to 3-0 against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents (including wins against Duke and North Carolina State).

“This was a result that we really needed,” said W&M coach Al Albert, who earned his 397th career victory. “I’m very happy for our players tonight.”

W&M opened the game with a goal by senior forward Phil Hucles (Virginia Beach, VA) in the 14th minute, gathering a loose ball and firing it into the box for his team-high fifth goal of the season. However, the lead was short-lived, as Virginia evened the score at one just 46 seconds later on a header by Jeff Tuman following a free kick by Will Hall. The Tribe regained the advantage in the 37th minute, as senior back Kris Feldmann (Charlottesville, VA) headed in his first goal of the year on a corner kick by Hinkle.

Virginia retied the score in the 73rd minute, when freshman Sean Hinkle, the brother of the Tribe’s Bryan Hinkle, scored from the middle of the penalty box on a pass from Mike Littlefield. Each team had solid chances to break the deadlock in regulation, including a point blank shot from Tribe senior midfielder Graham Albert (Williamsburg, VA) that was saved by Cavalier goalkeeper Ryan Burke, but neither side could convert and the game went to the first 10-minute overtime period.

Hucles had a chance to give the Tribe the win in the 94th minute, as his header off a pass from Bryan Hinkle went just over the goal. W&M continued to pressure the Cavalier defense from that point and finally scored the decisive goal following a series of three corner kicks by senior back Alex Brown (Newport News, VA). The first two resulted in headed shots by Feldmann, one saved by Burke and another sent off the endline by a UVA defender. The third time was the charm for W&M, as Hinkle one-timed a failed Virginia clear, rocketing a shot from 25 yards away into the back of the net for his second goal of the year.

“I thought Phil was the best player on the field tonight,” said Al Albert. “Along with seniors Graham [Albert], Kris [Feldmann] and Alex [Brown], they really led us to the win.”

W&M outshot the Cavaliers, 16-14, while Virginia held a 11-8 advantage in corner kicks. Tribe freshman keeper Kris Rake (Flower Mound, TX) made one save while playing the full 98:01. Ryan Best played the first half in goal for the Cavaliers, without making a save, before giving way to Burke at halftime, who made three saves in the final 53:01

Box Score