HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Roberto Carbone (Sr., Genova, Italy) scored six times – including a quartet of strikes in the fourth quarter – to ear Player of the Game as Atlantic Division Champion/No. 19-ranked the University of Virginia overcame a 12-11 deficit entering the fourth quarter to knock off host/Southeast Division Champion/No. 20 the University of Alabama, 17-15, and make the 2026 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship Fifth Place game.
Virginia will return to the water at 10:15 a.m. Central on Sunday, November 8, to play for Fifth Place against the victor of a consolation game matching Big Ten Division Champion/No. 9 Indiana University and Southwest Division runner-up the University of Colorado. Alabama will take on the fallen from the Indiana-Colorado game at 9:00 a.m. in the first game on November 8 in a battle for Seventh Place.
The Cavaliers – which previously placed Fifth (2024), Ninth (2023), 13th (2022) and 15th (2003) at Nationals – received five goals from Ted Zhang (Gr., Salt Lake City, Utah), three tallies by Penn Clay (Jr., Los Angeles, Calif.), a pair by Boris Rubel (Gr., Los Angeles, Calif.) and a solo score by Joe Mills (Fr., Alexandria, Va.) to support a seven save performance by goalkeeper Carter Grohe (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.).
Landon Kenny (Pleasanton, Calif.) accounted for seven of Alabama’s goals in the loss. Jason Tockstein (San Diego, Calif.) tacked on five more with Jackson Lesnever (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Jake Alves (San Clemente, Calif.) and William Rigazzi (Virginia Beach, Va.) chipping in solo tallies. Aaron Rivera (Elmhurst, Ill.) made a case for Player of the Game as the Crimson Tide netminder turned aside 15 Cavaliers’ scoring attempts to allow Alabama to hang with Virginia throughout the contest.
University of Alabama’s Landon Kenny (#16)
University of Virginia’s Penn Clay (#8)
University of Virginia’s Ethan Scifres (#17) & University of Alabama’s Chuck O’Connor (#21)
