Virginia Seeks to Upend Top-Ranked Terrapins at Klöckner Stadium Saturday

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (3-3) returns to Klöckner Stadium for the first time in nearly a month to face its second ranked opponent of the season Saturday (March 15), when the Cavaliers welcome No. 1 Maryland (6-0). 

Opening faceoff from Klöckner Stadium is set for 4 p.m. on ACC Network and WINA (1070-AM/98.9-FM). 

A WIN FOR THE CAVALIERS WOULD… 

• Give the Hoos their first win over the nation’s top-ranked team since sweeping Notre Dame – which was ranked No. 1 both times – in the 2023 regular season. 
• Be UVA’s first over a ranked opponent this year. 
• Give Virginia its first win over the Terrapins at Klöckner Stadium since the dramatic seven-overtime thriller in 2009, when it defeated the UMD 10-9 on Brian Carroll’s game-winning goal. 
• Give the Hoos their first win as the nation’s No. 18 team or lower. UVA’s lowest ranking when defeating a No. 1 team was when the then-No. 17 Cavaliers upended top-ranked Johns Hopkins on March 27, 2004, at Klöckner Stadium. 

SERIES HISTORY 

• Maryland leads the all-time series with Virginia, which began in 1926, 51-47, but the Hoos snapped the Terrapins’ three-game win streak in the series with its 14-10 win at SECU Stadium in the regular season last year on March 16. 
• On Saturday, Virginia will face Maryland for the 99th all-time meeting, which will tie with Johns Hopkins (99) for the most head-to-head matchups in UVA history. 
• The last time the two teams met at Klöckner Stadium, in 2023, Maryland’s Daniel Kelly scored the game-winning goal with 2:19 left in overtime to seal a 14-13 win over then-No. 1 Virginia. 
• The 2023 matchup at Klöckner Stadium hosted 5,745 spectators, which at the time was the most for a UVA men’s lacrosse home game since 2013. 

VIRGINIA-MARYLAND: NO. 1 RANKING HISTORY 

• Virginia is a combined 12-10, including 4-3 at Klöckner Stadium, when either team has been ranked No. 1 by the USILA coaches poll. 
• The Cavaliers are 5-7 all-time when facing the top-ranked Terrapins, including 2-3 in Charlottesville. 

LAST TIME THEY MET 

• In the 2024 NCAA Tournament semifinals, No. 6 seed Virginia’s season came to a close after the Cavaliers fell 12-6 to seventh-seeded Maryland at Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) on May 25. 
• The Terrapins won 10 of the first half’s 12 total faceoffs to help them leap out to a 7-3 lead by the break. The Cavaliers led for nearly four minutes of game time, but Maryland quickly flipped the score late in the first and did not look back. 
• Virginia’s starting attack in then-freshman McCabe Millon (2g), Connor Shellenberger (1g, 1a) and Payton Cormier (1g, 1a) recorded two points each. 
• Goaltender Kyle Morris made his first career start and tallied five saves in over 42 minutes of action. Matthew Nunes entered the game late in the third quarter and surrendered only one goal the rest of the way. 
• UVA’s six goals marked a season low.

SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS 

• Maryland (6-0) is one of only three undefeated teams nationwide and the only unbeaten team among the ACC, Big Ten, and Ivy League. 
• The Terrapins are led by head coach John Tillman, who led UMD to national championships in 2017 and 2022. 
• In addition to win percentage, the Terps lead the nation in clearing percentage (.935) and turnovers per game (12.67). Maryland is also second nationally in scoring defense (7.17), and third saves (14.50) and man-down defense (.900). 
• Maryland has not surrendered more than 10 goals in any of its first six games this season. 
• Goalie Logan McNaney, the 2022 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, is third among all Division-I players in save percentage (.656) and fourth in saves per game (7.17). 

LAST TIME OUT 

• Texas natives Matthew Nunes (The Woodlands) and Thomas Mencke (Dallas) played pivotal roles in Virginia’s 11-6 victory over Towson last Saturday (March 8) to snap a two-game losing skid. 
• In his first start of the season, Nunes (1-0) tallied 15 saves, including 11 in the second half. Nunes’ 15 saves are his most in a single game since last year’s regular-season contest at Syracuse, when he also tallied 15 saves after facing a whopping 57 Orange shots.   
• Nunes and the UVA defense held Towson scoreless for 30:43, the longest scoring drought by a Virginia opponent this season. 
• Mencke recorded career highs in both goals (three) and points (four). His third and final goal came with five seconds left in the third quarter and proved to be the game-winner. 
• After Virginia was 2 of 8 at the faceoff X in the first half, Henry Metz (4-7 FO) gave the Cavaliers a nice lift in second half. 
• The Cavaliers were flagged for seven penalties in contrast to Towson’s single personal foul. UVA’s man-down successfully killed five of the Tigers’ seven EMO chances. 
• The neutral-site meeting contested at The Kinkaid School (Houston) marked UVA’s first-ever game held in the state of Texas. 

ON THE HORIZON 

• The Cavaliers continue their four-game homestand on Tuesday (March 18), when they host UAlbany (2-4). 
• Opening faceoff from Klöckner Stadium is set for 4 p.m. on ACC Network Extra and WINA (1070-AM/98.9-FM). 
• The Great Danes play at Bryant Saturday night at 7 p.m.