Colsey’s Career Night Steers Hoos in Bounce-Back Win Over High Point

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In his third career start at attack, Ryan Colsey recorded a career-high nine points on six goals and three assists to lead No. 12 Virginia (2-1) past High Point (2-2), 17-8, at Klöckner Stadium Tuesday night (Feb. 18). The win came after UVA dropped a 13-10 decision in its previous game to then-No. 20 Richmond last Saturday.  

Colsey, who played in 17 games at midfield as a redshirt-freshman last season, surpassed his previous career high in points (3) by the end of the first quarter. Colsey is also the second Cavalier to notch nine points in a single game this season, joining fellow attackman Truitt Sunderland, who also had nine against Colgate in UVA’s season opener. 

Including Colsey, nine Cavaliers found the back of the net Tuesday. Sunderland added three goals and two assists. For the third consecutive game, attackman McCabe Millon dished out three assists in addition to one goal, while Thomas Mencke scored a pair of goals. 

On the defensive end, Griffin Kology stood out among the Hoos. He finished with three ground balls and two caused turnovers, while LSM Ben Wayer led UVA with five ground balls. Andrew Greenspan (8-12) and Anthony Ghobriel (7-12) both finished above .500 at the faceoff X. In his third consecutive start, Kyle Morris (2-1) earned the win, and Matthew Nunes relieved Morris to start the second half. With the help of its defense, Virginia held the Panthers to only 15 shots on net, seven of which were saved by UVA goalies. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia jumped all over the Panthers from the start, scoring the first three goals of the game. The Cavaliers led 6-2 by the end of the second Colsey ripped two goals and dished out three assists in the opening period. UVA outshot the Panthers, 16-9, and forced six turnovers in the first. 

High Point scored the first two goals of the second quarter to trim the UVA lead to two [6-4]. Virginia responded with four unanswered goals to close out the half, including one on man-up and an unassisted effort from Sunderland, who dodged numerous defenders before burying a backhanded shot with 1:57 to play in the half. UVA scored two more goals with under a minute remaining in quarter No. 2, the second of which was when Millon found Jack Walshe (1g, 1a) on the doorstep, who scored with seven seconds remaining following a UVA timeout.  

The Hoos outscored HPU, 5-1, in the third quarter with strikes from Colsey (2), Mencke, Millon, and Sunderland on man-up. Like the first period, UVA fired off 10 shots on net, but High Point’s Zack Overend (2-1) turned away half of them. The Cavaliers led 15-6 entering the fourth quarter, at which point they began to mix in their reserves. 

Colsey scored his sixth goal of the evening less than two minutes into the fourth before he took to the bench for the rest of the game, at which point it was well out of reach. Later in the fourth, Virginia forced back-to-back Panther failed clears. The second of which occurred when attackman Mikie Harmeyer stripped Overend, who had the ball behind the cage. Harmeyer then scooped up the ground ball and buried a diving shot as he came around the crease. This goal prompted a fiery celebration from UVA. Goalie Colin Hook finished out the final 1:49 of game time in net. 

WITH THE WIN… 

• The Cavaliers improved to 6-2 in the all-time series, including 5-2 at Klöckner Stadium. 
• UVA extended its win streak in the series with the Panthers to four consecutive games, the longest by either team in series history. 
• The Cavaliers clinched the largest margin of victory by either team in series history. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• UVA has finished above .500 at the faceoff X in all three games played this season. 
• Virginia’s man-down unit surrendered its first goal of the year. The Cavaliers have killed 12 of their opponents’ 13 man-up chances this season.  
• The Hoos out-performed High Point on the ground [40-27] and in the turnover margin [23-13]. 
• Colsey recorded career highs in goals (6), assists (3) and points (9). 
• As a midfielder in 2024, Colsey finished the season with 19 goals and four assists. He already has 10 goals and five assists on attack. 
• Colsey’s six goals and nine points are the most ever by a UVA player in a single game against High Point. 
• Colsey is the second Cavalier to record nine points in a game this year, joining Sunderland, who also did so in UVA’s season opener against Colgate (Feb. 8). 
• Millon has dished out three assists in all three games so far this season. 

UP NEXT
Virginia travels to Ohio State (4-1) for its first road game of the season. Opening faceoff from Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium is set for noon and can be streamed with a paid subscription to B1G+. 

After dropping their season opener to Utah, the Buckeyes have won their last four games.