The University of Mary Washington men’s soccer team produced another in a long line of successful seasons in 2010, capturing 10 victories while ranking as high as 25th in the nation during the course of the season. The Eagles, in the final season under head coach Roy Gordon, advanced to the Capital Athletic Conference tournament semifinals after playing one of the toughest schedules in the Middle Atlantic region.

 The Eagles opened the season with a 2-1 win at traditional nemesis Virginia Wesleyan College, and finished with a tie against power The College of New Jersey and a 3-1 win over Gettysburg College at the annual UMW Classic. After topping Randolph-Macon College on the road, 1-0, with just 33 seconds left in regulation on a Ryan Taibl score, UMW ran its unbeaten streak to seven to open the year with a 2-1 home win over Catholic, and a pair of CAC wins, over St. Mary’s College and Wesley College.

 UMW hosted undefeated Messiah College, the eventual national champions, and nearly topped the Falcons, allowing a tying score in the final seconds and the game winner in overtime. The Eagles rebounded to stop an always-tough Hampden-Sydney squad, 2-1, as the calendar turned to October.

 The Eagles came up just short in a 1-0 loss to second-ranked Christopher Newport University, then tied Frostburg State in league play. The Eagles dropped their next three contests, all against CAC foes, before righting the ship with a 3-2 win over Hood College and a 1-0 victory over Marymount University.

 Senior T.L. Tutor, the team’s leading scorer, propelled UMW into the semifinals of the CAC Tournament with the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win over St. Mary’s in the tournament first round. The Eagles dropped a 2-0 decision at York College to cap the season with a 10-6-2 overall mark.

 Tutor and Taibl were named as all-region selections after Tutor scored 12 goals and added one assist, and Taibl finished second on the team with six goals and an assist. Tutor was subsequently named as a co-winner of the UMW Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as well as academic all-region honors, for his success on the pitch and in the classroom.

 The 2011 season is one for great optimism, as the Eagles will face a challenging schedule, featuring nonconference games against Greensboro College, Lynchburg College, Catholic University, and Christopher Newport University in addition to its traditional rivalries in the CAC such as York College and Salisbury University.