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No. 1 Virginia Travels to Towson Saturday

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 1 Virginia (2-0) travels to Towson (1-1) on Saturday (Feb. 19) in its first road contest of 2022. Opening faceoff from Johnny Unitas Stadium is set for 1 p.m. Saturday’s game is slated to stream on Lax Sports Network (LSN).

Virginia is tied for first alongside Maryland in the USILA coaches poll and ranked No. 2 in the Inside Lacrosse media poll.

SEASON OVERVIEW

  • The 2022 season marks the 93rd season for the Virginia men’s lacrosse program, which boasts an all-time record of 677-376-1.
  • Virginia is seeking its third consecutive national championship, having won titles in 2019 and 2021. No national championship was held in 2020 after the NCAA announced on March 12, 2020 that it had canceled all remaining winter and spring championships due to the onset of COVID-19.
  • The Cavaliers are also seeking to become just the third program in NCAA in Division-I men’s lacrosse history to capture three consecutive NCAA titles. Only Princeton (1996-98) and Johns Hopkins (1978-80) have won three straight NCAA championships. Syracuse won NCAA titles from 1988-90, but the 1990 championship was later vacated by the NCAA.

LAST TIME OUT

  • Virginia defeated High Point 11-10 after first-year goalie Matthew Nunes posted 16 saves, including two with under 2:15 to play as the Cavaliers clung to a one-goal lead.
  • Nunes also turned away seven Panther shots in the opening period.
  • Offensively, the Cavaliers were led by Matt Moore (3 goals, 19th career hat trick) and Connor Shellenberger (1 goal, 5 assists).

THE SERIES VERSUS THE TIGERS

  • Virginia leads the all-time series 14-3 over the Tigers, including a 7-2 mark in Towson.
  • The Cavaliers and Towson rekindled the series in 2021 after a 10-year hiatus from 2011-20.
  • UVA and the Tigers played every year from 2001-10 before the series went on hiatus following UVA’s 15-9 win at Towson in 2010.
  • Two of Towson’s three victories have been by one-goal (1977, ‘91). The Tigers’ three wins have been by an average of 2.0 goals.

LAST MEETING AT JOHNNY UNITAS STADIUM

  • The then-No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers overcame a first quarter deficit and rode four goals from Chris Bocklet and four points from Brian Carroll to handily defeat the Towson Tigers, 15-10, the last time these teams met (March 21, 2010).
  • Trailing, 4-2, after one quarter of play, the Cavaliers stormed out to a 7-4 advantage after scoring four goals in the first 3:33 of the second quarter en route to five straight scores.
  • Chris Bocklet led the way with four goals for the Cavaliers, while Brian Carroll scored two goals and dished out two assists. Steele Stanwick and Chris LaPierre each scored two goals and dished an assist in the winning cause.

VIRGINIA IN THE POLLS

  • Virginia has been ranked in the top five of the USILA Coaches poll in 302 weeks all-time, including the most recent edition of the poll.
  • UVA has been ranked in the top 10 in 454 polls all-time, including the most recent edition of the poll.
  • UVA has been ranked No. 1 in the nation in 70 all-time polls, including the most recent edition of the poll.
  • The USILA Poll began in 1973.

NUNES NAMED ACC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

  • Virginia first-year Matthew Nunes was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 15.
  • Nunes turned in 16 saves in UVA’s 11-10 win over High Point.
  • The Woodlands, Texas native stopped a Panthers shot with 20 seconds left in the contest to effectively seal the win for the Cavaliers.

LASALLA APPROACHING UVA’S CAREER FACEOFF WINS RECORD

  • With 592 faceoff wins, Petey LaSalla currently ranks No. 2 all-time at UVA in faceoff wins.
  • LaSalla needs just 13 more faceoff wins to pass Jack deVilliers’ program record of 604 career wins, which he set in 2005.
  • LaSalla is just the third Cavalier to reach 500 career faceoff wins and did so in career game No. 38.

THREE CAVALIERS NAMED TO TEWAARATON WATCH LIST

  • Virginia’s Petey LaSalla, Matt Moore and Connor Shellenberger were named to the Tewaaraton Watch List, the foundation announced Feb. 10.
  • The award annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are made up of premier collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation.

MATTHEW NUNES & GRIFFIN SCHUTZ NAMED IL’S TOP PROSPECTS

  • Virginia first years Matthew Nunes (G) and Griffin Schutz (A/M) were both No. 1 incoming freshmen in the nation at their respective positions, according to Inside Lacrosse.
  • In addition to being tabbed the No. 1 overall attackman in his class, Schutz was crowned the No. 1 overall prospect. Schutz will likely see time as an offensive midfielder in 2021 with the starting attack solidified for the Cavaliers.
  • With the departure of 2021 starting goalie Alex Rode, Matthew Nunes will become the first true freshman to start a season under the direction of head coach Lars Tiffany in his 18 years of experience as head coach.

ON THE HORIZON

  • Virginia hosts Syracuse on Saturday, Feb. 26 in the first of two regular-season meetings between the two teams.
  • Opening faceoff from Klöckner Stadium is scheduled for noon and is slated to broadcast on ACC Network.

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