Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 28, 1993 TAG: 9311280036
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A major knee injury left Clint Peay thinking he would be fortunate to play half the season for Virginia's men's soccer team.
Rehabilitation from reconstructive surgery went more smoothly than expected, but that didn't keep Peay from missing 10 games.
"It was very frustrating," said Peay, who returned last week from a hamstring injury suffered in mid-October. "I never had a problem with my hamstring until I hurt my knee. One thing goes and you get into problems trying to compensate."
Peay, a second-team All-American last year as a sophomore, played 30 minutes in Virginia's 2-1 victory over Loyola (Md.) in the second round of the Division I playoffs. He should be available for today's game when the Cavaliers (19-3) are host to Wisconsin (15-3-4) at 1 p.m.
It will be the 16th home game for Virginia, which seemed headed to Indiana for the quarterfinals until the top-seeded Hoosiers were upset by Wisconsin 1-0.
The insertion of Peay, who spends most of his time on the back line, seemed to have a stabilizing effect as the Cavaliers overcame a 1-0 deficit in the second half against Loyola.
"He's a very good marker, which is unique in our program," coach Bruce Arena said. "On a team like ours, it's hard to find a couple guys who are willing to do the dirty work. At the same time, he's very good with his feet, and the most dangerous player is one who comes from a deep position."
Peay, the top defender in the country as a senior at Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, Md., was practicing with the Under-20 National Team in Mexico last December when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
"It was very sharp pain; I knew right away that it was pretty serious," said Peay, who He's a very good marker, which is unique in our program. Bruce Arena Virginia soccer coach underwent surgery in February after some preliminary rehabilitation. "They say the normal recovery time for an athlete is six to eight months, but I was back playing after five months."
UVa, bidding for its third straight NCAA championship, was 11-0 before losing three times in a five-game stretch. That was followed by a six-game winning streak, including Virginia's third straight ACC championship.
It was not coincidental that the Cavs started to play better when A.J. Wood, Peay and Nate Friends returned from injuries, but UVa's season has followed a familiar pattern.
"The season, as long as it is, has a tendency to drag and you find yourself waiting for tournament time," Peay said. "I think it helps a lot that we've been there before and we know what it takes. If we can match the other team's emotional level, skill will take over."
by CNB