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May 21, 2006

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. – Senior attackman Matt Ward (Landon School/Oakton, Va.) scored three goals and added a career-high five assists as top-seeded University of Virginia (15-0) advanced to the NCAA Semifinals with a 20-8 victory over eighth-seeded Georgetown University (12-3) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium at Towson University on Sunday afternoon.

Virginia, which won for the seventh time in its last eight NCAA Tournament games, advance to next Saturday’s semifinals to face Syracuse at 11:30 a.m.

“We’re just very pleased to be going back [to the semifinals],” Virginia Coach Dom Starsia said. “We got on a bit of a roll in the third quarter and at that point, the game seemed to get away from Georgetown.”

The Cavaliers opened the game with a 4-0 run as senior Kyle Dixon (Archbishop Spalding H.S./Millersville, Md.) and Ward each scored a goal and an assist during the spurt. Senior Dave Paolisso (Centennial H.S./Ellicott City, Md.) ended the run with a goal with 2:49 remaining in the opening period.

The teams traded goals five times before Virginia used an 8-1 run in the third quarter to extend its advantage to 17-7. Sophomore Ben Rubeor (Loyola Blakefield H.S./Towson, Md.) scored three of his game-high five goals during the run to lead the Cavaliers.

Paolisso opened the fourth quarter with a goal off an assist from freshman Jake Samperton (Landon School/Bethesda, Md.) before Virginia ended the game with three straight goals for the 12-goal victory.

Rubeor led all players with five goals while Paolisso led the Hoyas with four goals. Sophomore goalkeeper Kip Turner (Severn School/Severna Park, Md.) made 12 saves for Virginia in 52 minutes while sophomore Miles Kass (Hotchkiss School/Rye, N.Y.) stopped seven shots for the Hoyas, who lost in the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.

“Obviously Virginia is a heck of a lacrosse team,” Georgetown Coach Dave Urick said. “I wouldn’t want to play them again anytime soon.”

Georgetown 2-3-2-1 8
Virginia 5-3-9-3 20

Goals: GU – Dave Paolisso 4, Garret Wilson 1, Sean Denihan 1, Chase Gahan 1, Andrew Baird 1; UVA – Ben Rubeor 5, Matt Poskay 4, Matt Ward 3, Garrett Billings 2, Kyle Dixon 1, Drew Thompson 1, Danny Glading 1, Jared Little 1, Jack Riley 1, Will Barrow 1. Assists: GU – Brendan Cannon 2, Pete Cannon 2, Jake Samperton 1, Garret Wilson 1; UVA – Matt Ward 5, Kyle Dixon 2, Ben Rubeor 2, Garrett Billings 1, Steve Giannone 1, Ryan Kelly 1, Drew Thompson 1. Saves: GU – Miles Kass 7 (39:18, 14 GA), Rich D’Andrea 4 (20:42, 8 GA); UVA – Kip Turner 12 (51:42, 8 GA), Bud Petit 0 (8:12, 0 GA). Attendance: 7,317.

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