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Cavaliers have had to rely on youngsters this sea- son. What has been astonishing, though, is how well the underclassmen have responded to playing key roles on a team that has faced such a challeng- ing non-conference schedule while playing in the always-tough ACC. "I've had a couple of seasons where we have W started five or six freshmen, but not in combination with so many sophomores starting as well," said head coach George Gelnovatch, who is in his 17th year at UVa. "On the overall roster, 18 of our 26 players are either in their first or second years. It is, by far, my youngest roster and youngest starting group. On most occasions, we're starting between nine and 11 first or second-years." Virginia started five rookies and four second-years in a 2-1 conquest of then-No. 22 California, and then opened with a season-high six true first-years in a 1-0 triumph over Duke in its ACC opener. "I think it's just a talented group," the coach said. "They're also a very confident group; they're not easily intimidated. When we played against Duke, nobody was intimidated. Those guys stepped out on the field like they were going to win." The seven-man class of rookies is led by center back Zach Carroll, who was the 2011 National Soc- cer Coaches Association of America National Boys High School Player of the Year and was ranked as the No. 17 recruit in the land by TopDrawerSoccer. com. Through five games, he is tied for second on BY RYAN TICE ITH JUST ONE fourth-year on the roster and almost three-quarters of the remain- ing players in their first or second year of college soc- cer, it's no surprise that the the squad with four points and two goals, including the game winner over Cal. However, he is far from the only first-year that has stood out. "When you recruit, you have a vision of this guy playing this role and that guy playing that role. When we were piecing this team together — especially with this first-year class — most of what we envisioned has panned out," Gelnovatch said. "Everybody we had envisioned in certain sports has worked out, and one or two guys that we thought would take a little bit longer are ahead of schedule. "I've been impressed by the group on a lot of levels. Just about every one of our true freshmen are in our starting lineup. There is just one who is not. "The other thing about them is they are all first- "I've told them, 'Let's not wait for next year; let's do it this year.' The challenge is out there and, when I look into their eyes, I can see that they're up for it." HEAD COACH GEORGE GELNOVATCH class young men. They are good students, they are good people and they work hard. It's hard to find the full package, and a lot of these guys are the full package." Rookie mistakes have cost the team in two games — both overtime losses — so far this sea- son, but that's part of the learning process, accord- ing to the coach. Positives have come out of those tough games, and the team is building on those experiences. "Even when we lost to UCLA and Georgetown, the next day it was, 'Hey, let's get on with it,'" he said. "There was nobody that was thrown off; there was nobody that didn't believe in them- CAVALIER CORNER ◆ OCTOBER 2012 ◆ 38