PressBox: Denver's Dream Season Continues Against Virginia

Denver's Dream Season Continues Against Virginia

By Mark Cover

Virginia will square off against Denver in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship semifinals this Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md.

The No. 7-ranked Cavaliers (11-5) advanced to the semifinals by defeating unranked Bucknell, 13-12, in overtime in the first round before topping No. 2-ranked Cornell, 13-9, during the quarterfinals. The No. 6-ranked Pioneers (15-2) advanced to the semifinals by defeating unranked Villanova, 13-10, during the first round, and then beating No. 3-ranked Johns Hopkins, 14-9, during the quarterfinals.

The Cavaliers enter Saturday's game with a 12.69 goals-scored-per-game average on the season and let up an average of 9.88 goals per game. The Pioneers have the upper hand in both categories, as they have scored an average of 12.71 goals on the season and let up an average of 8.35 goals.

Junior attackman Chris Bocklet leads Virginia with 41 goals scored on the season, and junior attackman Steele Stanwick leads the team in points with 64 (29 goals, 35 assists).

Denver junior attackman Mark Matthews leads the Pioneers in both goals (45) and points scored (69).

"Taking a look at Denver, they've just got a very good team," Cavaliers coach Dom Starsia said of Denver's potent offense. "They're playing very, very well, really quick and skilled on offense and we're certainly going to have our hands full, but we're looking forward to the preparation and appreciate the opportunity to be back in the semifinals again."

Virginia senior goalkeeper, Adam Ghitelman, who has started all 15 of the Cavaliers' games he has played in, enters the match with a 53.2 save percentage and a 9.81 goals-against average. His Denver counterpart, freshman Jamie Faus, enters the match with 17 games played under his belt. Faus has a 57 save percentage on the season with a goals against average of 8.22.

Virginia has made the tournament during each of the last seven years and has won the championship four times, most recently being in 2003 and 2006. This is Denver's fourth tournament appearance and the Pioneers' first trip to the Final Four.

Denver coach Bill Tierney described the feeling of reaching the Final Four again with a different team, the former being Princeton.

"It's so many mixed emotions from amazement to non-belief, to we knew we could do it if we tried, and all this stuff," Denver coach Bill Tierney said of returning to the Final Four with a second team (the first was Princeton).

The game begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday and the winner will face either unranked Maryland or No. 5 Duke in the National Championship game at M&T Bank Stadium Monday.

Posted May 26, 2011