No. 3 Seeded UVA Upends No. 2 Seeded Duke in Two Overtimes, 13-12

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PHILADELPHIA  – The No. 3 national seeded Virginia Cavaliers (16-3)advance to the NCAA title game for the first time since 2011 after disposing of the No. 2 national seeded Duke Blue Devils (13-5) in double-overtime, 13-12. The win snapped an 11-game losing streak to Duke that started in the 2010 NCAA semifinal round. Virginia advances to the NCAA title game for the 10th time in program history.
 
Matt Moore found Ian Laviano 51 seconds into the second overtime to send UVA to the NCAA title game. Virginia trailed by four goals (8-4) in the third quarter and trailed by two scores with 47 seconds left (12-10). But Michael Kraus scored with 46 seconds left, while Laviano sent the game to overtime with a score with 15 seconds left in regulation, courtesy of a Moore assist. 
 
Faceoff specialist Petey LaSalla won the last eight faceoffs of the game, including the two in overtime. Neither team could break through in the first overtime as UVA took three shots and committed two turnovers, while Duke took four shots, two of which were saves by Alex Rode.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia struck first and led 2-1 after back-to-back goals by Ryan Conrad, the second coming on a Kraus assist with 4:55 left in the first quarter. Duke responded with four-straight goals and a 7-2 run to take the 8-4 lead with 7:03 left in the third quarter. UVA committed 13 turnovers in the first half that attributed to Duke’s 5-2 halftime lead.
 
At 6:55 LaSalla picked up a faceoff and streaked toward the goal, scoring to start the UVA comeback. Trailing 11-8 with 9:49 left, UVA received back-to-back goals from Dox Aitken to bring UVA within one goal, 11-10, with 7:55 left.
 
Kevin Quigley from Duke pushed one through as the shot clock expired with 1:56 left to give the Blue Devils a two-goal cushion, 12-10. LaSalla won back-to-back faceoffs that led to the tying of the game in regulation. 
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WE ARE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BOUND!!!! #Wahoowa!! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/7rvu6GU3JU

— Virginia Men’s Lacrosse (@UVAMensLax) May 25, 2019

 UVA STAT LEADERS
• A Michael Kraus 
1 goal, 4 assists
 
• A Ian Laviano
4 goals
 
• M Dox Aitken
3 goals, 1 assist
 
• M Ryan Conrad
2 goals, 5 GBs
 
NOTES
• UVA is now 51-33 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 10-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament Semifinal Round. 
• UVA has played two overtime games in an NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008.
• Virginia is 12-5 all-time as the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• UVA advances to the NCAA title game for the 10th time and for the first time since 2011.
• The win was UVA’s 50th all-time against Duke and first since the ACC Tournament semifinal round in 2010. UVA’s 50 wins against Duke are the second most against any single opponent.
• Alex Rode made 19 saves, which ranks No. 5 all-time for UVA keepers in the NCAA Tournament. It is the most since Tom Groeninger had 21 against Towson in the first round in 1991.
• Ryan Conrad has 11 goals and one assist in three career NCAA Tournament games.
• Michael Kraus extended his active streak with a point to 48 games.
• Matt Moore has 42 goals and 42 assists for 84 points, which ranks No. 2 all-time at UVA for a single season. 
• With three goals, Dox Aitken passed Matt Poskay (41) for No. 1 on UVA’s single-season goal list by a midfielder. Aitken now has 42 goals.
 
FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
“Boy was that fun. This is the game at its best and obviously a showcase, this type of weekend. We had another fun one today. I’m just really, really fortunate and grateful to have men who have committed to something larger and bigger than themselves and to sacrifice for the team. Obviously I have talented men, guys who can make plays. What was going on in the first half? Did we get caught up in the moment? I’m fortunate: Sean Kirwan has won a national championship, Kip Turner has won a national championship, Bo Lori, our volunteer assistant, has been in a national championship game, two years ago. So there was experience on the staff, but not on the team. Maybe we saw that early. A lot of turnovers, unforced turnovers and tentativeness. And I was probably more animated at halftime than normal with this team about sort of emotional things, and this team responded. I said fellas this is our moment; we’ve earned this moment. We don’t deserve this. We’ve earned this. Take the moment. Obviously Coach Kirwan made a couple of adjustments, as he always does, but these guys executed, the men next to me, and obviously others, Matt Moore. I’m really, really fortunate to coach men who will buy in, do whatever is asked of them, and commit to being the best team player they can be.” – Lars Tiffany 
 
UP NEXT
With the win, UVA advances to NCAA title game against defending national champion, the Yale Bulldogs (No. 5 seed), winners of the second semifinal game over the No. 1 national seed Penn State, 21-17.  The NCAA title game will be played at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field. The finals will be broadcast on ESPN2.