No. 11 Virginia’s Overtime Comeback Falls Short Against No. 3 North CarolinaNo. 11 Virginia’s Overtime Comeback Falls Short Against No. 3 North Carolina

No. 11 Virginia’s Overtime Comeback Falls Short Against No. 3 North Carolina

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — In the waning seconds of regulation, McCabe Millon (2g, 2a) found Ryan Duenkel (2g, 1a), who buried a left-handed shot from the opposite wing with one second left to force overtime in Virginia’s ACC finale against No. 3 North Carolina (11-2, 2-1 ACC) at Klöckner Stadium Saturday afternoon (April 18)., McCabe Millon (2g, 2a) found Ryan Duenkel (2g, 1a), who buried a left-handed shot from the opposite wing with one second left to force overtime in Virginia’s ACC finale against No. 3 North Carolina (11-2, 2-1 ACC) at Klöckner Stadium Saturday afternoon (April 18). 

But the celebration for No. 11 Virginia (7-6, 2-2 ACC) was short-lived.

After UVA faceoff specialist Griff Meyer (6-14 FO) was whistled for kicking the crosse of UNC’s Brady Wambach (23-33 FO) and Cavalier goalie Jake Marek (14 saves) made a close-range stop on the first shot of overtime, UNC’s James Matan corralled the rebound and scored his only goal of the afternoon to seal a 16-15 win for the Tar Heels. 

Under hot and sunny conditions, more than 5,000 fans were in attendance for a game that was as close as could be – at least toward the end. UVA trailed by four goals [15-11] with under 5:30 to play, but Duenkel’s last-second goal capped a 4-0 UVA run that came late in the fourth quarter.

Despite Saturday's result, UVA is assured a spot in the four-team ACC Tournament, which will be contested at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 1 and 3, after Duke dropped its third straight ACC game to Notre Dame, 7-6, Saturday afternoon. 

Virginia attackman Brendan Millon (3g, 3a) notched a team-high six points. His older brother McCabe Millon (2g, 2a), who was named one of 25 nominees for the Tewaaraton Award Saturday, and Ryan Colsey (3g) also stood out for the Hoos. Marek (14 saves) dazzled in net after facing an onslaught of 52 shots by the Tar Heels. 

North Carolina’s Brady Wambach, one of the nation’s top faceoff specialists, dominated the faceoff X. He took all of the game’s 33 draws, winning 23 of them. UNC attackman Owen Duffy (3g, 5a) notched a game-high eight points. 

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HOW IT HAPPENED 
The Cavaliers scored the first three goals, including the second of the season by defenseman Tommy Snyder. Snyder was assisted by long-stick midfielder Robby Hopper, who hit a wide-open Snyder in stride amid a clear. However, UVA’s three-goal lead quickly vanished. The Tar Heels scored seven consecutive goals, highlighted by four straight man-up strikes after the Hoos were whistled for two non-releasable personal fouls. Marek made six of his 14 total saves in the opening period. 

Brendan Millon’s second goal broke up the Tar Heels’ run in the second quarter. He scored or assisted on four of UVA’s first five goals. Wambach and the Tar Heels out-maneuvered UVA at the center X, 8-1, in the second quarter as the Cavaliers trailed 11-7 at the half. 

UVA’s defense clamped down in the third, shutting out the Tar Heels for 10:30 to begin the second half. McCabe Millon netted two of UVA’s three goals in the third period. The Hoos trailed by only two [12-10] entering the fourth. 

After both teams traded the first two goals of the fourth, UNC scored back-to-back strikes a minute apart midway through the period. As UVA began to ramp up its defensive pressure later in the quarter, McCabe Millon fed Joey Terenzi, who dodged down the middle and buried his only goal of the day, which sparked a 4-0 Cavaliers run down the stretch. With under a minute in regulation, UNC had the ball in UVA’s defensive zone, when Cavalier head coach Lars Tiffany called his final timeout of the second half. Coming out of the break, Hopper and close defenseman John Schroter’s double-team forced Duffy to step on the end line, resulting in possession for the Hoos. On UVA’s ensuing possession, Colsey’s shot rang off the post, but the Cavaliers’ offensive unit was able to force another late UNC turnover seconds before Duenkel’s game-tying goal. 

The officials’ call against Meyer on the overtime faceoff proved to be critical since Carolina was man-down to begin the extra period. After UNC killed off the UVA penalty, Marek turned away a shot on the run by Dominic Pietramala (3g, 1a), but the rebound went straight to Matan on the crease, who finished on a virtually wide-open net while Marek was scrambling to get back on his feet.

North Carolina Postgame: Lars Tiffany

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

  • With 28 goals and 34 assists this season, Brendan Millon moved to No. 3 on UVA’s all-time freshman points list, surpassing Steele Stanwick. 
  • Colsey extended his goal streak to 28 games dating back to last year’s season opener, a span in which he’s totaled 60 goals. 
  • UNC’s 52 shots are the most by a UVA opponent this season and tied for the most by a UVA opponent since March 29, 2025, when then-No. 8 Syracuse also had 52. 
  • McCabe Millon was named one of 25 men’s nominees for Tewaaraton Award during the Maryland–Johns Hopkins broadcast Saturday afternoon. The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse players in the United States. 
  • Five men’s and five women’s finalists will be announced in early May. Tewaaraton Award recipients will be chosen after the conclusion of the collegiate lacrosse season, when winners will be announced live on May 28 at the Tewaaraton Ceremony in Washington, D.C. 
  • Saturday's contest was held in conjunction with the program’s annual Alumni Weekend. 
  • At halftime, members of the 1986 ACC championship team were honored for the 40th anniversary of their title, while members of the 2006 national championship team were recognized for the 20th anniversary of their championship. 
  • Saturday's game was dedicated to Morgan's Message, a non-profit organization whose mission strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. 
  • With the win, the Tar Heels improved to 34-59 in the all-time series with UVA, which began in 1938. UVA’s 59 wins are the most over any opponent in program history. 

UP NEXT 
The Cavaliers return to Klöckner Stadium Friday (April 24) for their regular-season finale against Drexel (9-4). Opening faceoff is set for 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM). 

Virginia will honor its fourth-years and graduate students in a Senior Day ceremony prior to the start of Friday's game. 

In its CAA regular-season finale Saturday afternoon, Drexel defeated Stony Brook 17-13 on the road at LaValle Stadium. With the win, the Dragons secured the No. 2 seed in the CAA Tournament.

Entering its contest on Long Island Saturday, the Dragons ranked fourth nationally in assists per game (8.75) and features one of the nation’s top goalies in Brendan Donnelly, who ranks inside the top 10 in goals-against average (9.11).