Virginia Lacrosse has built a reputation for being a powerhouse year in and year out. For the majority of the season, they have presided over the top spot in the rankings, which is where the Terps find them coming into this week's game against their closest ACC rival. Last year, the two top 5 teams made history. They played 7 overtimes before a winner was established which is the longest game in D-1 Lacrosse history. UVA was victorious, 10-9. Steele Stanwick notched 4 goals and Danny Glading had 4 assists. For the Terps, Will Yeatman led the team with 2 goals and 3 helpers. Ryan Young and Travis Reed had 2 goals each in the game as well so many of the current Terps know what it is like to play versus Virginia. UMD also put up 52 shots in the contest, and will need to have that same tenacity on offense in this game as well.
At 9-0 (0-0), UVA is yet again undefeated and atop the lacrosse world, although they have yet to play an ACC game this year. Unlike Maryland 6-1 (1-1), which is coming off it's first loss of the season, a 9-7 loss down in Chapel Hill, NC. Although the Terps were not able to pull out a victory against the Tar Heels, some positives they can pull from the match include holding such a potent offense to under double digit goals. That was only the 2nd time in 17 matches for UNC to be held under 10 goals.
The week after facing off against a team with 4 players (well 3 started the game, until Sean DeLaney left the game with an injured hand and left the Tar Heels without their top 2 offensive players) who have 20 points or more, UMD gets a brand new challenge. Leading the way for the Cavaliers are Chrise Bocklet [29 Goals and 6 Assists = 35 points] and sophomore sensation Steele Stanwick [12 Goals and 18 Assists = 30 points] thus far in the season respectively. They lead an offense which has scored at least 11 goals in every game this season including 5 games in which they put 15 or more goals into the net.
Most recently, UVA is coming off a thorough 15-6 beatdown of another Maryland lacrosse stalwart, Johns Hopkins. Both the Bratton brothers, Shamel and Rhamel, tallied hat tricks in the game while their fellow first Middie, Brian Carroll had 2 goals and 3 assists. Their smothering defense held JHU to 0-4 shooting on EMO chances and they dominated the ground-ball battle, 36-22.
Face-offs this season have been controlled by UVA. They have won 129 out of 226 with Ryan Benincasa and Brian McDermott winning more than 44 FOs apiece and over 60% of their FOs taken.
Minding the net again this year is Adam Ghitelman who's posting a 7.36 Goals Against Average and has only let in 73 goals, starting all 9 games this year. And in front of Ghitelman, one of the heroes of last years epic win against the Terps is senior Ken Clausen. The 2-time 1st Team All-American has shut down opposing team's best players. One of UVA's captains, he has been nominated for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. One of 10 finalists for the prestigious award given to a senior who represents the best of what it means to be a student athlete, excelling in the classroom, character, community and competition.
However, UVA has not played any conference games this season, although they beat then-#1 Syracuse 11-10 at home on March 7th. As for Maryland, it will be the last time they get to play an ACC opponent before the ACC Tournament which will be played at Byrd stadium in College Park April 23+25.
Game begins at 8p.m. and the pregame show will start at 7:45p.m. and you can catch all the action, as always, on wmucsports.com. Go Terps!
No comments:
Post a Comment