CHARLOTTESVILLE — In the end, Dom Starsia knows, his team will be judged on how it fares in May. Still, the University of Virginia’s longtime men’s lacrosse coach wants his players to enjoy their journey to the NCAA tournament.
U.Va. has had much to savor so far. Nine days after knocking off defending NCAA champion Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, the Cavaliers whipped fourth-ranked Cornell 14-10. The teams’ first regular-season meeting in nearly 38 years drew a crowd of 4,547 on a gorgeous afternoon at Klockner Stadium yesterday.
“I would tell that I was more impressed with us today than I was up at the Dome,” Starsia said. “I thought this was a gut-check win for us. [Cornell is] a good team that had a week to prepare for this. I felt like we were a little tired, and I give our kids a lot of credit for working hard and taking control of this game in the second half.”
At the break, top-ranked U.Va. (7-0) trailed 7-6. By the end of the third quarter, the Wahoos led 10-8, and they scored the first four goals of the final period before the Big Red (2-1) finally ended that run.
“We were a little upset [at halftime], obviously, because we’re not used to giving up too many goals this year,” Virginia goalie Adam Ghitelman said. “The second half, we definitely locked down.”
Cornell midfielder Max Seibald, a three-time all-Ivy League selection, found himself shadowed by Mike Timms most of the game. Seibald has spent more pleasant afternoons. Timms, a graduate student, is a four-year starter at long-stick midfielder for U.Va., and he helped hold Seibald to a single point: a fourth-quarter goal that came long after the outcome had been decided.
Coming into the season, Starsia stressed the importance of getting increased production from his middies, and they dominated yesterday. Even with sophomore Rhamel Bratton in street clothes because of an undisclosed medical issue, Virginia got 10 goals and three assists from its midfielders. Rhamel’s twin, Shamel, scored three goals, as did senior Steve Giannone, and junior Brian Carroll added two goals and a career-best three assists.
Cornell 3 4 1 2—10
Virginia 4 2 4 2—14
Goals: Cornell: Hurley 4, Pannell 2, Romero, Seibald, Finn, Doctor. Virginia: S. Bratton 3, Giannone 3, B. Carroll 2, Stanwick 2, Billings, Haldy, Huguely, Gill.
Assists: Cornell: Pannell 4, Boykin 2, Romero. Virginia: B. Carroll 3, Stanwick 2, Billings, Glading.
Goalies: Cornell: Harer (14 goals, 4 saves). Virginia: Ghitelman (10 goals, 10 saves).
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