CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A six-goal run bridging the first and second quarters propelled Towson (3-3) past No. 17 Virginia (3-3) in its 13-9 win Saturday evening (March 7) at Klöckner Stadium. The loss snapped Virginia’s 15-game winning streak in the series, which had stood unbroken since 2001. Prior to Saturday’s game, the Tigers had not defeated the Cavaliers since the first round of the 1991 NCAA Tournament.
Towson attackman Alex Roussel posted a game-high nine points on five goals and four assists, and goaltender Matt Nilan (3-3) tallied 15 saves to earn the win in net. Roussel’s nine points are the most by a UVA opposing player since Duke’s Brennan O’Neill also had nine points on March 31, 2023.
Virginia was led Truitt Sunderland, who finished with three goals – to notch his 10th career hat trick – and an assist. For the sixth consecutive game, McCabe Millon (1g, 4a) finished with at least five points. UVA netminder Jake Marek (2-2) finished with 10 saves, including seven in the second half.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Two teams traded man-up goals to start the contest. Sunderland’s first goal of the afternoon gave the Cavaliers their second lead of the day, but it only lasted for seven seconds. Roussel scored three straight to ignite the Tigers’ six-goal spree, which it carried into the second quarter. By the end of the first half, UVA narrowly trimmed its deficit to four [9-5].
Roussel’s fifth strike of the evening opened the scoring in the second half, after which UVA claimed four of the next five goals to cut its deficit to two [11-9]. Despite outshooting the Tigers 14-5 in the fourth quarter, UVA was shutout for the final 16:07.
FROM HEAD COACH LARS TIFFANY ...
“While it's certainly been a challenging week for all of Virginia Lacrosse, we must ensure that we will be self-reliant and resilient in the face of adversity. Virginia Lacrosse has always done that, and we must uphold the history and legacy of this program. Give Towson credit for the way they played the game today. But it is on our men, our coaching staff, and certainly me, to ensure that every time we step on the field, we are absolutely all committed to being there for each other and playing the game at a higher level.”
NOTES
- With the loss, Virginia's15-game win streak in the Towson series came to a close. UVA now leads the all-time series, which began in 1972, 18-4.
- UVA's 15-game win streak was the program's second-longest among all active Division I opponents. Only UVA’s 25-game win streak over VMI was longer than that against the Tigers entering Saturday’s game.
- Both UVA and Towson are now 3-3 this season; neither team has won back-to-back games.
- Seven of the Cavaliers' nine goals were assisted. UVA entered Saturday’s contest as the nation’s leader in assists per game. Virginia now has 64 assists in six games played this season.
- McCabe Millon (1g, 4a) tallied a team-high five points. Millon, who led the nation in points per game entering Saturday’s contest, has recorded at least five points in all six games so far this season.
- Senior attackman Ryan Colsey extended his goal streak to 20 games dating back to last year’s season opener, a span in which he’s totaled 41 goals.
- Towson attackman Alex Roussel (5g, 4a) posted a game-high nine points, the most by a UVA opposing player since March 31, 2023, when Duke’s Brennan O’Neill also had nine at Klöckner Stadium.
- The night game was UVA's first of two scheduled to be contested at Klöckner Stadium this season. The Cavaliers host Dartmouth on Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m.
- It was also UVA’s first night game at Klöckner Stadium since Feb. 18, 2025, when it defeated High Point, 17-8.
- Saturday's contest was UVA’s annual HEADstrong Foundation dedication game. The HEADstrong Foundation is a non-profit organization that offers financial, residential, and emotional support to families affected by cancer.
UP NEXT
The Cavaliers travel to No. 14 Maryland (2-3) on Saturday (March 14) for the 100th meeting between two of college lacrosse’s most storied programs. Opening faceoff from SECU Stadium (College Park, Md.) is set for 1 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
The Terrapins, who began their season ranked No. 1 in the USILA preseason coaches’ poll, snapped a three-game skid on the road Friday night (March 6), defeating Delaware 13-8 at Delaware Stadium (Newark, Del.).