UVA Sweeps ACC Player of the Week Honors
Feb. 13, 2017
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia men’s lacrosse players Dox Aitken and Tanner Scales swept the ACC Player of the Week honors, as announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference for games played through Feb. 12.
Aitken (Midfield, Fr., Villanova, Pa.) was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week and Scales (Defense, Sr., Denver, Colo.) was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week for their efforts in upending then-No. 6 Loyola on Saturday, 16-15.
Aitken led UVA with four goals in his collegiate debut. He became only the third Cavalier freshman since 1997 to score at least four goals in a season-opening game. He joins Joe Yevoli in 2002 (Drexel) and Jay Jalbert in 1997 (Syracuse). Aitken’s first collegiate goal was UVA’s first of the game, tying the game at 1-1 in the first quarter. He scored again during UVA’s 6-0 run that gave the Cavaliers a 10-5 lead with 7:50 left in the third quarter. After Loyola went on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 10-10 with 12:57 left in the game, Aitken’s unassisted goal with 12:19 left halted the Loyola momentum and gave UVA the lead back (11-10). Aitken’s fourth-quarter goal started a 4-1 UVA run that he capped with 8:13 left, giving UVA a 14-11 lead.
Scales was tasked with guarding preseason first-team All-American attackman Pat Spencer, a front-runner for the Tewaaraton Trophy. Held Spencer to no goals and two assists, which came in the middle of the fourth quarter when both teams combined for 13 goals. Scales caused two of Spencer’s game-high four turnovers. Scales third caused turnover came with four seconds left in front of the UVA cage as Loyola tried to tie the game. AJ Fish picked up the errant ground ball and tossed it harmlessly down field as time expired. Scales also spearheaded an offense that held second-team preseason All-American Brian Sherlock without a point.
The accolades are the first ACC weekly awards for both Aitken and Scales. UVA returns to action on Saturday when Drexel comes to Charlottesville. UVA’s home opener is set to face off at 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.