With the ACC basketball season just getting into full swing and temperatures finally hovering around 40, last year's highest-ranked Virginia sports team, the men's lacrosse squad, took the field Saturday to battle Navy in the first of four preseason scrimmages.
No official score was kept for the scrimmage, but unofficially the Cavaliers defeated the Midshipmen 10-4 at U-Hall Turf Field in the earliest scrimmage in team history -- a full three weeks before the season's first contest.
"This is about as early as it gets," Virginia coach Dom Starsa said. "It gives you a chance to see where you are, and for the kids it gives them a chance to get their juices going a little bit, getting to see somebody else."
Senior midfielders Billy Glading and A.J. Shannon, along with sophomore attackman Joe Yevoli, had two goals apiece, while senior midfielder Chris Rotelli contributed with three assists.
"We weren't as sharp as I would've liked, but we played pretty well." Rotelli said. "I would say on the whole it was a good performance, but we can get better and obviously we need to get better."
Junior goalkeeper Tillman Johnson, a preseason first team All-American along with Rotelli and sophomore attackman John Christmas, had 11 saves and gave up only three goals in just under three quarters of play. Johnson's strong effort led an impressive overall defensive effort.
Virginia completely shut down Navy's offense in the first half, not allowing a single goal.
"I thought we did pretty good and on defense we played exceptionally well," Christmas said. "I thought the offense had a little trouble getting started, but overall we did pretty well."
The Cavaliers made it to the Final Four in last year's NCAA tournament where they fell to eventual champion Syracuse 12-11 in double overtime. Virginia returns all but a few of its starters from last year's team, though two of those not returning are multiple All-American recipients, attackman Conor Gill and defenseman Mark Koontz.
Freshman Matt Ward will try to fill Gill's shoes at the third attack spot this season. Ward had a goal and an assist in the scrimmage.
"Matt fits in well," Christmas said. "He's a really good attackman. He knows what he's doing, and he's a pretty cagey kid so he's fit in quite well with the offense."
The Cavaliers face Lynchburg in another home scrimmage next Saturday and then finish the preseason with matchups against Loyola and Bucknell at U-Hall Turf Field the following weekend. Virginia hosts Drexel to open the season on February 22.
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