It’s been a long time since the Virginia men’s and women’s soccer teams both had regular-season games in late October that meant so much.

Thrust into a one-run game in the eighth inning, Packer did not disappoint as Virginia added an insurance run and held on to beat Wake Forest 8-6 to claim the season-opening series.

Virginia pounded out 10 extra-base hits and Hultzen was masterful on the mound as the Cavaliers routed Wake Forest 18-2 in the league opener for both teams.

Wake Forest, behind 12 points apiece from Al-Farouq Aminu, Jeff Teague and Chas McFarland, handed Virginia its third straight loss — a 70-60 setback in front of a crowd of 11,065.

March Madness — or as they say around these parts nowadays, March Sadness — arrived overnight without a whimper.

So what happens when the best shooting team in the ACC meets up with the worst offensive and defensive squad?

On the bus ride home from Winston-Salem last Sunday night, North Carolina coach Roy Williams made his team watch the game film of their 92-89 loss to Wake Forest.

This time, the 15th-ranked Cavaliers discovered that defensive stopper Enonge Stovall, a junior, would not be allowed to enroll in school for the upcoming second semester due to academic woes.

There’s no doubt that Virginia is off to its shakiest start since coach Dave Leitao came aboard prior to the 2005-06 season. UVa, in the midst of a two-week hiatus due to winter exams, sits at 3-3.

At last glance, Virginia quarterback Marc Verica was sitting outside the locker room down in Winston-Salem, N.C., still absorbing a stinging loss to Wake Forest.

On Friday night in Cary, N.C., the Virginia men’s soccer team pulled off one of the major upsets of the season when it beat previously undefeated and top-ranked Wake Forest in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.

Virginia handed No. 1 Wake Forest its first loss of the season, 3-2, in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament at WakeMed Soccer Stadium.

Virginia will get an up-close look today at the Great Redshirting Experiment when the Cavaliers take on Wake Forest in a game that neither team can afford to lose.

Those that have clamored for a playoff system in college football should take a closer look at the current developments in the ACC.

Obviously, the two Demon Deacons have had help from their supporting cast, but regardless, Wake Forest (5-3, 3-2 ACC) will enter Saturday’s game against Virginia (5-4, 3-2) ranked fourth in the nation in turnover margin.