Cavaliers Close Regular Season with Clash vs. Dartmouth

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VADespite the 19-9 loss to Duke a week ago, Virginia head coach Dom Starsia still managed to take note of the many of the good aspects of the game. First was the crowd of 8000 fans who packed into Klckner Stadium setting a record for largest attendance in the history of the facility. As might be expected with such a large crowd, the atmosphere was boisterous and full of energy. Still, there is work to be done as the Cavaliers prepare for a “Senior Day” match-up vs. Dartmouth at 1 pm Saturday.

“On our best day we might not have beaten (Duke) on Saturday, but we have to make our best better,” said Starsia.

The Big Green has had an uneven season to date and stands 5-6 overall. The New Englanders are coming off an impressive offensive showing with a 17-14 win over Yale on Wednesday. They haven’t, however, been able to string together back-to-back wins, a trend Starsia and Co. hope to continue.

The teams tangled last season with Virginia coming out victorious by a 10-9 count. Danny Glading’s man-down goal with 88 seconds remaining was the winner for Virginia.

The Cavaliers have been inconsistent the last several weeks as they went through the ACC schedule. Against Maryland the team came out sharp but couldn’t turn the sharpness into goals, as the Terrapins seized control and the Cavaliers were unable to recover and left College Park with their first loss of the season. The following week the Wahoos battled back from three goals down in the final minutes to defeat North Carolina in overtime, while Duke rattled off the game’s last 10 goals to break a 9-all tie on the way to the win. All three games were bothersome to Starsia because of the team’s inability to be sharp the entire 60 minutes.

“We need get up and down the field (this week),” he said. “I just want us to play well. I don’t feel like we’ve played 60 minutes each of the last couple of weeks and I think the players would agree.”

Starsia isn’t overlooking Dartmouth, but does cite his interest in a well-played game for the full 60 minutes by his squad.

“I think the nature of the opponent is less important than the quality of our own performance,” he said earlier this week. “We just need to get after this one.”

Saturday’s game will be preceded by a special “Senior Day” ceremony to recognize the 10 Cavaliers making their final regular-season appearance at Klckner Stadium. But it won’t be their last game at Klckner as UVa hosts the ACC Tournament next weekend.

“It’s always special when the seniors get to go out there together and get introduced before the game,” said Starsia. “It’s certainly something that they all take note of, but I don’t think we will be too melancholy; we feel like we have a lot of lacrosse to play.”