Virginia Athletics
Preview: Virginia Lacrosse Battles Georgetown for Spot in the Final Four
Click here to follow along with score updates and live analysis for Virginia vs. Georgetown.
On May 22nd, 2021, Virginia used a 9-0 run in the first half and a six-goal performance from then-redshirt freshman Connor Shellenberger to pull away for a 14-3 victory over Georgetown in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in Hempstead, New York.
Two years later, the two programs meet again in an NCAA Quarterfinal, this time in Albany, New York. Since then, both teams have brought in new faces, but also have some key returners as they will compete for a trip to Philadelphia for Championship Weekend. No. 2 seed Virginia is coming off a dominant 17-8 win against Richmond in the first round, while No. 7 seed Georgetown snuck past Yale 19-17 in a high-scoring affair.
Read on for a full preview of the quarterfinal matchup between No. 2 Virginia and No. 7 Georgetown, including details on the game, an opponent scouting report, and keys to the game.
Game Details
Who: No. 2 Virginia (12-3, 4-2 ACC) vs. No. 7 Georgetown (13-3, 5-0 Big East)
When: Saturday, May 20th at 12pm ET
Where: Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, New York
How to watch: ESPNU
Last meeting: Virginia defeated Georgetown 14-3 on May 22nd, 2021, in Hempstead, New York
Opponent Scouting Report: Georgetown
2023: 13-3
Georgetown entered the season as the No. 3 ranked team in the country before dropping each of the first three games to Johns Hopkins, Penn, and Notre Dame. Since then, the Hoyas have strung together 13 straight wins with their biggest wins coming against Princeton, Villanova, Denver twice, and Yale last week.
The Hoyas have the sixth-highest-scoring offense in the country, while being led by Tewaaraton finalist Tucker Dordevic, who is a familiar face for the Cavaliers as he spent the first four seasons of his career at ACC rival Syracuse before transferring to Georgetown this season. Dordevic has been the centerpiece of the Georgetown offense and operates from all over the field. The high-volume shooter has 63 goals this season, averaging 11.125 shots per game.
Joining Dordevic on attack is Colgate transfer Brian Minicus, who has 31 goals and 23 assists this season and is known for his speed. Georgetown's all-transfer attack unit is rounded out by North Carolina transfer Jacob Kelly, who has tallied 47 points on 20 goals and 27 assists this season. With Kelly and Minicus able to dodge, score, and feed, and Dordevic posing as a scoring threat from anywhere on the field, this Hoya attack unit will give the UVA defense all it can handle.
Georgetown's first midfield unit is dangerous as well, giving the Hoyas a top six that rivals any team in the country. Graham Bundy Jr. leads the way with 40 points this season and has been a force from up top all year. Declan McDermott and UNC transfer Nicky Solomon round out this powerhouse offense that is also the No. 2 man-up offense in the country.
Defensively, the starting three are Will Bowen, James Donaldson, and Wallace Halpert at close defense. Bowen was recently tabbed as a second-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse and has dominated attackman all year. Expect Bowen to guard Connor Shellenberger, which should be an entertaining matchup.
At the faceoff x, James Reilly leads the charge for Georgetown and is 58.6 percent at the x this season. Reilly is also third in the nation in ground balls and has proved to be scrappy if the faceoff is not won cleanly. The battle between Petey LaSalla and James Reilly at the x will be a huge factor in who wins this game, as will the goalkeeping matchup, as UVA goalie Matthew Nunes and Georgetown goalie Danny Hincks bring in a nearly identical save percentage of around 53.0%.
By the numbers, Georgetown is second in the nation in ground balls per game compared to Virginia who is first in ground balls per game. The statistics point towards a battle on the ground that could turn the tide for the more scrappy team. UVA's famed 10-man ride will also be tested by a Georgetown unit that is ranked second in the nation in clearing, getting the ball safely across the midfield line 92.0% of the time.
Keys to the Game
Virginia
Last time out against Georgetown, defenders Cade Saustad and Cole Kastner dominated the Hoyas' star player Jake Carraway. After the loss, Georgetown coach Kevin Warne referred to Kastner and Saustad as velociraptors. If Saustad and Kastner can emulate that performance against Dordevic and company on Saturday, it could be a long day for the Hoyas. But, Georgetown has much more firepower in its top six offensive unit than in 2021, so the Cavaliers will have to deliver an aggressive, but connected and disciplined defensive effort in order to repeat their success against the Hoyas from two years ago.
Another key for Virginia is going to be Connor Shellenberger. In 2021, Shellenberger emerged as a superstar during the NCAA tournament and was vital to UVA's success, winning the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. Against Richmond, Shellenberger had two goals and four assists, showing a glimpse of the return of "Mr. May". If Shellenberger comes alive against Georgetown, it’ll provide confidence for the Cavaliers the rest of the way.
Georgetown
The key for Georgetown is going to start with the ground balls, an area in which these two teams are a head above the rest of college lacrosse. Extra possessions will be key for the Hoyas, and if they want to upset the Cavaliers they will need to dominate ground balls and effectively clear the ball against Virginia’s ten-man ride.
The other key for the Hoyas will be the matchup between Will Bowen and Connor Shellenberger. If Bowen can limit Virginia’s quarterback, the Cavaliers will need to look elsewhere for offense, and although they have the firepower, it will be a lot more difficult.
No. 2 seed Virginia will take on No. 7 seed Georgetown with a spot in the Final Four on the line on Saturday at 12pm at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, New York. Tune in to CavaliersNow on Saturday for live updates and complete postgame coverage.
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