The top five teams in the Soccer America Men's Top 25 — four ACC teams, plus SMU — all remained perfect through Saturday action.
Freshman midfielder Zach Loyd drove home the game’s only goal in the 68th minute to lift No. 1 North Carolina (3-0-0) to a 1-0 shutout of No. 20 Ohio State Friday at the Carolina Nike Classic. Senior goalkeeper Justin Hughes picked up his third shutout in three game, giving him 16 shutouts in 28 career starts. No. 11 Wake Forest posted a 2-0 win over No. 21 Penn State in the other game.
No. 2 SMU (4-0-0) picked up its third and fourth shutouts of the season, beating Cincinnati (6-0) and California (1-0) to win the SMU Radisson Hotel Invitational. SMU's Adrian Chevannes, back after sitting out the 2004 season, claimed MVP honors with two goals and one assist. SMU senior Mynor Gonzalez and Cal's Matt Holtrust were the recipients of red cards after elbows to the face were exchanged.
Midfielders Nico Colaluca and Ian Holder scored for No. 3 Virginia (3-0-0), which picked up its third shutout in defeating George Mason, 2-0, on Saturday afternoon at Klockner Stadium in a game delayed a day because of bad weather.
No. 4 Maryland (3-0-0) also had its game with No. 6 UCLA moved to Saturday because of bad weather. The Terps used goals from freshmen Jason Herrick and Jeremy Hall, sophomore Graham Zusi and junior Stephen King to defeat the Bruins, 4-1. King added two assists. Despite the inclement weather due to the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto, 4,020 fans watched the match, the fifth-largest crowd in Ludwig Field history.
Pat Viray had a goal and an assist to lead VCU to a 3-1 win over No. 7 UNC Greensboro. Fred Owusu Sekyere and Matthijs Maruanaya (25-yard free kick) also scored for the Rams.
Jamaica international Akeem Priestley scored his first gal since transferring to No. 16 Connecticut striking the tying goal in the Huskies' 1-1 tie with No. 8 Indiana Friday night at Bill Armstrong Stadium in front of 4,467 fans. IU had outshot UConn, 17-3. Saint Louis and No. 18 Notre Dame played to a scoreless draw in the other game.
No. 9 Duke beat American, 3-1, and No. 24 South Florida defeated N.C. State, 2-0, on the first day of the Duke/adidas Classic.
No. 12 Virginia Tech earned a huge road victory Friday night with a 2-1 win over St. John's. Sophomore Patrick Nyarko's third goal of the season came just 23 seconds into the second half and proved to be the game-winner. Junior Marcus Reed also scored for the Hokies.
In a surprise, Mercer held UAB to a 0-0 tie at the UAB Classic. The No. 17 New Mexico dropped a 1-0 decision at Michigan State Friday. Kenzo Webster scored in the 64th minute to give the Spartans the upset win at the MSU/Radisson Fall Classic. No. 22 Cal State Northridge lost, 3-2, at unbeaten West Virginia.