CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – After getting back on track with a win over Notre Dame last weekend, No. 2 Virginia (7-1) travels to Richmond (5-3) on Saturday (April 2). Opening faceoff is set for noon on NBC Sports Washington and ESPN+ (subject to blackout).

Former Virginia head coach Dom Starsia (analyst) will have the call alongside Robert Fish (play-by-play) on NBC Sports Washington/ESPN+. Saturday’s game will also air over the radio on WINA (1070 AM/98.9 FM) with Luke Neer (play-by-play) and Doug Tarring (analyst).


NUMBERS TO KNOW

3.  Virginia is seeking to become just the third NCAA men’s lacrosse program to win three consecutive national titles in 2022, which would put itself in a category with Princeton (1996-98) and Johns Hopkins (1978-80).

7.  Virginia has won all seven meetings against the Spiders in series history, including the last four under head coach Lars Tiffany.

19.  Graduate attackman Matt Moore needs just 19 points to become the all-time points leader in program history. Moore currently has 251 career points (131 goals & 120 assists). Steele Stanwick currently holds the program record with 269 career points.

THE SERIES VS. RICHMOND

  • Virginia leads the all-time series, 7-0, including three wins at Robins Stadium.
  • In the last meeting, the Cavaliers won 18-10 on April 2, 2021 at Klöckner Stadium after Connor Shellenberger set a series-record seven points with four goals and three assists.
  • Matt Moore (3g, 3a), Petey LaSalla (12 GBs, 19-of-27 FO) and Jared Conners (5 GBs, 4 CTs) were also dominant in 2021 matchup for the Hoos.
  • UVA and UR last played at Robins Stadium in 2017, when the Cavaliers squeaked out an 8-7 win.
  • With the launch of the Spiders’ program in 2014, UVA and Richmond squared off in the UR’s first-ever game on Feb. 8, 2014.

LAST TIME OUT

  • The Cavaliers defeated No. 12/10 Notre Dame 12-8 at Klöckner Stadium after Connor Shellenberger (3g, 2a) posted his 12th straight game with at least five points and first-year goalie Matthew Nunes made 14 saves and only allowed five UND goals in 58:22 of action.
  • With the over the Fighting Irish, UVA remains the only unbeaten ACC team in conference play this season.
  • Notre Dame’s eight goals are its fewest in a single game since UVA defeated the Irish 10-4 in the 2019 ACC Championship game, which was also held at Klöckner Stadium.

VIRGINIA VS. THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

  • UVA enters Saturday’s contest with Richmond with a 114-19-2 all-time record against opponents from the Commonwealth.
  • Virginia has won 73 games in a row against opponents from the Commonwealth of Virginia. The last loss was to Washington & Lee on April 23, 1977 when the Generals were an NCAA Division-I institution in men’s lacrosse.
  • For the 16th year out of 17, UVA is facing an opponent from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • From 2006-16 UVA played VMI every season, while adding Richmond to the annual schedule with the beginning of the Spiders’ program in 2014.
  • UVA did not play a Commonwealth team in 2020 before the pandemic halted the season. Richmond and VMI were both on UVA’s schedule that was eventually canceled due to COVID-19.

VIRGINIA’S BEST START SINCE 2012

  • With an overall record of 7-1 (.875), Virginia is off to its best start under head coach Lars Tiffany and is currently tied for third in the nation in winning percentage.
  • The last time UVA won at least seven of its first eight games was in 2012 under former head coach Dom Starsia when the Cavaliers started the season 8-0.
  • Prior to its loss to top-ranked Maryland, Virginia was one of just four unbeaten teams in the nation.

LARS-TIFFANY-COACHED TEAMS RESPOND AFTER A LOSS

  • With its 12-8 win over Notre Dame, Virginia is now 18-2 under Lars Tiffany in games following a loss (in the same season).
  • Also with its win over the Fighting Irish, the Cavaliers have now won 14 straight games following a loss, a streak that began on March 6, 2018 following a 12-11 defeat to Syracuse two days prior.
  • Tiffany’s only pair back-to-back losses were in his first year as head coach in 2017.

LARS TIFFANY AGREES TO CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2026

  • Virginia men’s lacrosse coach Lars Tiffany has signed a contract extension through the 2026 season, director of athletics Carla Williams announced on March 28.
  • Tiffany, who is currently in his sixth season as UVA head coach in 2022, guided the Cavaliers to back-to-back national championships in 2019 and 2021.
  • With no NCAA Championship held in 2020 due to COVID-19, UVA’s 2021 title marked the first time in program history that UVA won back-to-back national championships and became just the seventh NCAA Division-I men’s lacrosse program to win consecutive national titles.

CONNOR SHELLENBERGER IS ELITE

  • Connor Shellenberger is currently third in the nation in points (6.25/gm), fourth in assists (3.62/gm) and fifth in shot percentage (.525).
  • Shellenberger, who has posted at least one point in all 26 career games, has also tallied at least five points in his last 12 games, dating back to the Cavaliers’ NCAA Tournament first round matchup against Bryant (May 16, 2021).
  • Shellenberger has recorded multiple assists in 21 of his 26 career games, including all eight of UVA’s games so far this season.
  • Shellenberger has dished out at least one assist in 25 of his 26 career games.
  • He is the only player in Division-I averaging at least 2.6 goals per game and 3.6 assists per game.
  • Shellenberger and North Carolina attackman Chris Gray are the only two active Division-I players averaging at least 2.2 goals per game and 2.7 assists per game for their careers.

HOOS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS

  • Virginia is currently second in the nation ground balls (38.25/gm), fourth in points (25.00/gm), fifth in shot percentage (.345), sixth in opponent clear percentage (.764) and seventh in assists (9.00/gm) and scoring margin (+4.62/gm).
  • In addition to Shellenberger (see above), Cole Kastner is third in caused turnovers (3.00/gm). Matthew Nunes is 16th in goals-against (10.44/gm) and save percentage (.542). Xander Dickson is 20th in shot percentage (.447) and Payton Cormier is 21st in goals (3.12/gm).

NUNES GARNERS ACC, USILA WEEKLY HONORS

  • After allowing just five goals in 58:22 of game time and saving 14 Notre Dame shots, first-year goalie Matthew Nunes was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Week and was selected to the USILA’s Team of the Week.
  • Nunes was also the ACC Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 15 after making a season-best 16 saves in Virginia’s 11-10 win over High Point.

FOUR CAVALIERS NAMED INSIDE LACROSSE MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICANS

  • Connor Shellenberger (First Team), Cole Kastner (First Team), Grayson Sallade (HM) and Cade Saustad (HM) were named Midseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse, the organization announced March 31.

VIRGINIA IS A GROUND BALL MACHINE

  • Virginia is currently second in the nation in ground balls per game (38.25).
  • In 2021, Virginia led the nation with 41.94 ground balls per game.
  • Entering 2022, UVA has led the nation in ground balls eight of the last 13 years, including the last five seasons under Lars Tiffany.
  • UVA is the only school in the nation to finish in the top-5 nationally in ground balls per game 12 times over the last 13 seasons.
  • The only school in 2016 to finish with more ground balls per game was UVA head coach Lars Tiffany’s 2016 Brown team.
  • Lars-Tiffany-coached teams have led the nation in ground balls in seven straight seasons, including the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Brown.

ON THE HORIZON

  • Virginia returns to Klöckner Stadium to host North Carolina (presented by UVA Health) on Saturday, April 9.
  • Opening faceoff is set for 4 p.m. on ESPNU.
  • Virginia will honor its 1972 and 2011 national championship teams at halftime.
  • The 1972 squad is celebrating its 50th anniversary of winning the program’s first-ever NCAA championship.
  • The 2011 team was slated to recognized last season, but due to COVID-19 protocols, it was postponed to this year.