By Tom Peace

Top Seed Virginia Defeats No. 4 Seed Duke

After losing last weekend to Duke, the Virginia Cavaliers made certain they wouldn’t make it two in a row six days later. On Friday at the men’s ACC lacrosse tournament at College Park, Md., the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (12-1) defeated the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (11-4) in the first semifinal game, 16-12.

Virginia won a season-high 22 faceoffs out of 32 attempts as Brian McDermott had a career-high 17 wins out of 19 attempts. Duke won the battle of shots (36-30) and ground balls (38-33) and had fewer turnovers (12-15). UVA midfielder Shamel Bratton had a five-point day, netting three and assisting on two goals.

The victory advances the Cavaliers to Sunday’s championship game against No. 5 Maryland.

Maryland Advances to ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship with Win Over North Carolina

On Friday, the No. 5 Maryland Terrapins hosted the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels in the second semifinal game, of the men’s ACC lacrosse tournament. Maryland defeated UNC, 13-5, to advance to the final game this Sunday against top-seed Virginia.

The Terrapins outshot the Tar Heels, 44-33, earned the ground balls edge, 42-33 and secured six more successful faceoffs (14-of-22) than UNC. Maryland junior attackman Grant Catalino finished the night with a career-high six goals, which hasn’t been done by a Terp since 2006.

Maryland improves to 9-2 on the season and a chance to win the ACC title.

Posted April 23, 2010 at 11:38 p.m.