No. 1 Virginia Hosts No. 5 Duke on Saturday in ACC Clash

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the sixth-straight week, Virginia (11-0, 2-0 ACC) graces the No. 1 position in both the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media and USILA coaches polls, receiving all possible No. 1 votes after topping then No. 2 North Carolina at the New Meadowlands on April 10, clinching a share of the ACC regular season crown. UVa returns home to conclude ACC play, hosting the Duke Blue Devils (10-3, 0-2 ACC) on Saturday evening, inside Klöckner Stadium. Faceoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.

The game will also be broadcast in the Charlottesville area on WINA AM 1070 with John Freeman calling the action and Doug Tarring doing the color broadcast. ESPNU will televise the contest in HD with Carter Blackburn providing the play-by-play, along with Paul Carcaterra serving as the color analyst. Live stats will be available at VirginiaSports.com.

Saturday marks the 71st all-time meeting between the Cavaliers and the Blue Devils, a series that began in 1938 and which the Cavaliers own a 48-22 advantage. Facing each other every year since 1972 – save the 2006 season, UVa is looking to end a seven-game losing streak to Duke. Despite the current losing streak to Duke, UVa has won more games in program history against Duke than any other school.

Virginia opened up ACC play for the second-straight year 2-0, defeating No. 4 Maryland (April 3) in College Park, Md., 11-10, and topping No. 2 North Carolina (April 10) at the Big City Classic, 7-5, inside the New Meadowlands. Goalie Adam Ghitelman made 12 saves on 47 UNC shots taken, allowing only five goals, a season low for the Tar Heels. Ghitelman was named ACC Player of the Week for his exploits while Steele Stanwick scored a game-high three goals and four points.

Chris Bocklet leads Virginia with 31 goals and 40 points on the season, while Stanwick (39 points) holds the team lead with 20 assists and is second on the team with 19 goals. Brian Carroll is third on the team with 16 goals. Rhamel Bratton has chipped in 15 scores, while freshman Matt White has 13 goals and has tallied at least one point in every game of his young collegiate career. Ken Clausen has a team-best 39 ground balls and his 2.27 caused turnovers per game ranks No. 4 nationally. Goalie Adam Ghitelman is saving 54.9 percent of the shots against him, while posting a 7.39 goals-against average.

Duke head coach John Danowski is in his fourth season at Duke and returns 31 letterwinners and seven starters from last year’s NCAA semifinals team that went 15-4. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 5 in both the media and coaches poll, sharing the spot in the media poll with Princeton. Saturday’s game marks fourth game this season Duke has been the lower ranked team, holding a 1-2 record in such contests.

Max Quinzani leads the Duke attack with 45 goals and 53 total points. Ned Crotty ranks No. 2 nationally with 2.92 assists per game, assisted 38 scores. Zach Howell has also poured 31 goals and 12 assists into the Blue Devil offensive books this season. Dan Wigrizer is saving 55.0 percent of shots on goal, while registering a 9.18 goals against average in between the pipes.

Virginia returns to action on April 23 at the ACC Tournament hosted by Maryland. Following the conclusion of Saturday’s game, the league will release the bracket for the ACC Tournament. The event will take place at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md., with the semifinals round on April 23, followed by the ACC finals on April 25.

Tickets for Virginia lacrosse games can be purchased online at VirginiaSports.com, by phone at (800) 542-8821 or in person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All of Virginia’s games at the ACC Tournament will be broadcast in the Charlottesville area on WINA AM 1070 with John Freeman calling the action.

Virginia lacrosse season tickets for 2010 are $30 (adult general admission) and $20 (youth, senior, faculty/staff general admission).

Single-game tickets to lacrosse games are $7 (adult general admission), and $5 (youth, senior, faculty/staff general admission).

All reserved seats are sold out for the 2010 season.