No. 2 Virginia Makes Statement with 20-11 Victory over No. 9 Syracuse in ACC Opener
The Cavaliers picked a good day to shake their first quarter woes. After being outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in the first quarter of the first three games of the season, the No. 2 Virginia men's lacrosse team came out blazing against No. 9 Syracuse in the ACC opener. UVA scored eight of the game's first nine goals and led 8-1 at the end of the opening period. The Orange would climb back into the game and cut it to a three-goal deficit in the third quarter, but Virginia responded with a 7-0 run and cruised to a 20-11 victory over Syracuse on Saturday afternoon at Klockner Stadium.
In 2021, the eventual national champion Cavaliers struggled mightily in two losses against the Orange, including a 20-10 loss at the Carrier Dome. A big factor in those games was a heavy advantage in faceoffs for Syracuse, as Jakob Phaup got the better of Petey LaSalla in both matchups. On Saturday, LaSalla brought his A-game, winning 19 of his 28 faceoff draws and scoring a goal as well. LaSalla also became Virginia's all-time leader in career faceoff wins in the game.
Syracuse had the first possession of the game and Matthew Nunes, a freshman playing his first ACC lacrosse game, made a save which led to a transition goal for the Cavaliers as Grayson Sallade passed to Matt Moore for the first goal of the game. Nunes won the goalie duel against his former teammate, Bobby Gavin, who transferred from Virginia to Syracuse in late December. Nunes made 15 saves versus 11 goals allowed for a .577 save percentage. Gavin made 12 saves and allowed 20 goals.
Virginia scored the first four goals of the game, all by different scorers. Griffin Schutz and Matt Moore each tallied two goals in the first quarter and UVA led 8-1 at the end of the first period. Schutz and Moore each had hat tricks and four different Cavaliers scored at least three goals in the game.
Syracuse scored a pair of goals to start the second quarter, but Virginia responded with three straight goals. Xander Dickson assisted on back-to-back Payton Cormier goals to spark the run. Cormier also had a hat trick in the game. Jack Simmons found Connor Shellenberger for a goal to make it 11-3, but Syracuse scored the last two goals of the half to make it 11-5 at halftime.
The Orange threatened to get back into the game in the third as they scored four of the first five goals of the second half to make it a three-goal game. Phaup won a few faceoffs to start the half and the Virginia defense had a few breakdowns, leading to the run.
The Cavaliers resettled, though, and began firing on all cylinders once again. LaSalla won a few faceoffs and the Virginia ride forced a few failed clears for Syracuse. Virginia responded to the pressure by scoring six straight goals to end the third quarter, sparked by back-to-back goals by Jack Simmons. Connor Shellenberger, who finished with three goals and four assists, also had a pair of goals in the run. LaSalla capped the quarter with a goal off of a faceoff win, plus a penalty on Syracuse for a late hit. The game was tense and physical, as evidenced by the 15 penalties called during the game. Virginia head coach Lars Tiffany called it a good representation of ACC lacrosse after the game.
Syracuse outshot Virginia 51-46 in the game, but the Cavaliers were more accurate, putting 32 of their shots on cage as compared to 27 shots on goal for the Orange. Virginia had a 40-30 advantage in ground balls and forced four failed clears for Syracuse in the game.
Both teams tallied two goals in the fourth quarter and Virginia rolled to the nine-goal victory.
Virginia (4-0) will be back in action next Saturday against No. 11 Johns Hopkins at 1pm at Klockner Stadium.
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