Nick Russo Named ACC Men's Lacrosse Player of the Week

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April 16, 2002

Greensboro, N.C. – Virginia’s Nick Russo was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week for his play in the Cavaliers’ 15-10 win over Duke Saturday that clinched the ACC regular season championship.

Russo, a 6-0, 195-pound senior middie from Port Jefferson, N.Y., scored a two goals and added an assist for the first mult-goal game of his career.

Duke cut a 10-6 Virginia lead by outscoring the Cavaliers 4-1 late in the third quarter and early in the fourth. With momentum on their side and a chance to tie, Duke’s chances were foiled by long stick middie Trey Whitty. Whitty intercepted a Duke pass in his defensive end and hit Russo in stride at midfield. Russo dodge several Blue Devils and beat the keeper with a bouncer with 11:11 to play to give UVa some breathing room. He added his second goal with 6:40 left to put UVa ahead 14-10.

After the game head coach Dom Starsia said Russo “was the key for us winning the game. Just the catalyst for us throughout the day.”

The Cavaliers have won seven games in a row and are 8-1 this season. They travel to Durham, N.C. for this weekend’s ACC Tournament. The top-seeded Cavaliers face fourth-seed North Carolina Friday evening at 6 p.m., while Duke and Maryland square off at 8:30 p.m.