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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA Faceoff specialist Chad Gaudet has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s lacrosse player of the week for his performance in two Virginia victories last week.
In the Cavaliers’ 19-3 win over VMI on Tuesday against VMI, Gaudet won five of seven faceoffs and led the team with four ground balls.
His first two wins led directly to Virginia goals (goals Nos. 2 and 3) as the Cavaliers scored the game’s first six goals. Gaudet played just over one quarter with his team holding a comfortable 8-1 lead.
Gaudet won 16 of 24 attempts against No. 4 Cornell Sunday to help lead UVa to a 14-10 win over the previously undefeated Big Red. He led the team with a season-high nine ground balls.
After falling behind for the first time all season (7-6 at halftime) Virginia erupted in the second half to take a 14-8 lead late in the game due in large part to Gaudet’s ability to control faceoffs and get possession for Virginia. In the second half he won 11 of 13 faceoffs and scooped up seven ground balls.
He won the third quarter faceoff as Virginia tied the score in the opening minute of the second half. Gaudet then won three of the next four as UVa erased the deficit and built a 10-8 lead going into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter Gaudet won all seven faceoffs as the lead grew to as many as six goals. Three of the first four attempts he won in the quarter led to quick goals as Virginia seized the momentum and was never really threatened for the final 10 minutes of the game.
Gaudet is currently eighth in the country in ground balls with an average of 6.29 per game. He has won 58.3 percent of his faceoffs this season and is ranked 14th nationally.
The Cavaliers return to action at home at Klckner Stadium tomorrow night against Vermont, coached by former UVa All-American defenseman Ryan Curtis. The game is scheduled to start at 7 pm.