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First-year midfielder Jordan Allen and a young men's team were ahead of schedule this year, overcoming a slow start to compile a 13-6-5 record en route to a berth in the College Cup. PHOTO BY JIM DAVES/COURTESY UVA said his team's 13-6-5 season was a major success. "If you had asked me before the season if we were going to be a College Cup team, I would have said that I think in 2014 we would be a College Cup team," he said. "So I think this team was a little bit ahead of schedule … with so many guys returning, we should be back." "It's crazy how far we've come," Wharton added. "In the beginning of the season, we struggled to score goals and we struggled to keep the ball moving … "After the game, I just stood there and looked around and took it all in because it's a terrible feeling to lose, but we made it here with a really young team. Personally I think we outplayed them, so the fact that we lost really leaves a bad taste in our mouth, but it only gives us more fuel i20-21.Soccer Success.indd 4 for next year and in the offseason to get better and get back here." Although Virginia lost Allen prematurely to the professional ranks — he signed a homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer — redshirt third-year goalie Calle Brown definitely expects that to be the case. "It's a young team," said Brown, one of the team's few upperclassmen. "It was young last year. I think the experience from last year helped this year. I think moving forward, we're just going to get better every game. We're looking forward to the offseason and working harder to get back to the College Cup and hopefully get to the final next year." In 2014, both the men's and women's programs are expected to be among the favorites to win the national championship. ◆ 1/16/14 12:15 PM