Three Cavaliers Net Hat Tricks in 14-9 Win Over Utah

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (5-4) scored the first three goals of the game and never looked back as the Cavaliers took down Utah (1-7), 14-9, at Klöckner Stadium Saturday afternoon (March 22). Truitt Sunderland (3g, 3a), Ryan Colsey (3g, 1a) and Griffin Schutz (3g, 1a) all notched hat tricks in the Cavaliers’ second consecutive victory. With two goals and three assists, McCabe Millon also stood out offensively for the Hoos. 

For the fifth time this season and second consecutive game, the Cavaliers held their opponent to single-digit goals. Virginia’s defense also held the Utes scoreless for the entirety of the third quarter and ultimately a span of 19:35. Griffin Kology, John Schroter and Ben Wayer recorded three caused turnovers each.

In his fourth consecutive start, goalie Matthew Nunes (3-1) finished with 11 saves in 57:28 of action. With 602 career saves, Nunes is now No. 2 on UVA’s all-time saves list, surpassing former Cavalier netminder Alex Rode (598). 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Millon and Schutz scored or assisted on the first three goals of the game. The Cavaliers took a 4-1 lead on a two-man advantage, when Schutz assisted on Millon’s second man-up goal of the year. UVA led 5-2 at the end of the first. 

Nearly six minutes into the second, Johnny Hackett notched his third goal of the season after his bull dodge from the top of the box created enough space for him to fire off a step-down shot that got past Utah’s Colin Lenskold (14 saves). The Utes trimmed the UVA lead to three [8-5] after back-to-back scores, but Millon fired a low-to-high shot from the wing to add an insurance goal for the Hoos 45 seconds before the half. Nunes tallied five of his five of his 11 saves in the second period. 

Similar to their strong start in the first half, the Cavaliers came out firing in the second, scoring a flurry of unanswered goals. Millon, Thomas Mencke, and Will Inderlied each found the back of the net, while Colsey added a pair of goals to further extend UVA’s lead. 

After shutting out the Utes in the third, Virginia carried its largest lead of the day [13-5] into the fourth, but Utah scored four of the game’s final five goals. Wayer was signaled for a full-time-served foul and the Utes’ man-up unit capitalized against a UVA man-up unit that was fourth nationally entering Saturday’s game. Kyle Morris relieved Nunes with 2:32 to play and made three saves to keep the Utes off the scoreboard the rest of the way. 

WITH THE WIN… 

• Virginia (5-4) is above .500 and improved to 4-2 at home on the season. 
• The Cavaliers improved to 3-0 in the all-time series with Utah. The previous two meetings were in 2019 and 2021, both of which were also contested at Klöckner Stadium. 
• Lars Tiffany, who is in his ninth season at Virginia, improved 97-40 as UVA head coach. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• For the second consecutive game and fifth time this season, Virginia held its opponent to single-digit goals. 
• The Cavaliers held Utah scoreless for a span of 19:35, including the entire third quarter, which marks the fifth instance this season in which UVA held its opponent scoreless for a full quarter.
• Schutz scored the game’s first goal 61 seconds in and UVA led the rest of the way, which marked the second straight game the Hoos never trailed.
• Schutz recorded his second hat trick of the season, and first since also scoring three goals in UVA’s season opener against Colgate. 
• Schutz moved to No. 7 on UVA’s career goals list by a midfielder. He now has 83 career goals. 
• Schutz is also now tied for seventh – with Dox Aitken – on UVA’s career assists list by a midfielder with 38. 
• With 602 career saves, Nunes is now No. 2 on UVA’s career saves list, surpassing former UVA netminder Alex Rode (598). 
• Nunes also tallied his 38th career win in net, which ties Tillman Johnson’s career total of 38 wins, good for No. 4 all-time. 
• Sunderland notched his second consecutive hat trick, also the fifth of his career.
• Millon tied his season high of five points and his career high of three assists, which he has now achieved eight times. 
• After winning its season opener at Ohio State, Utah has now lost seven consecutive games.
• Saturday’s contest served the Cavaliers’ annual One Love game. 
• Created in 2010 to honor the memory of former Virginia women’s lacrosse player Yeardley Love, the One Love Foundation is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, empower and activate young people in a movement to end relationship violence and promote healthy relationships in its place. 

UP NEXT
The Cavaliers conclude their four-game homestand next Saturday (March 29), by hosting No. 10 Syracuse (7-2) in their ACC opener. First faceoff from Klöckner Stadium is set for 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) and WINA (1070-AM/98.9-FM). Next Saturday’s game against the Orange is Military/First Responder Appreciation Day. Further details are expected to be announced next week. 

Syracuse defeated No. 20 Colgate, 16-12, at JMA Wireless Dome Saturday afternoon.