The Virginia men's lacrosse team looks to take their unbeaten streak to six when they travel to Baltimore Saturday to face No. 4 Johns Hopkins.
The first-ranked Cavaliers (5-0) have been dominant in 2003, winning four games against teams ranked in the top 16 by an average of 4.5 goals. Johns Hopkins (3-1) lost for the first time on Sunday to Syracuse, 15-14. After starting the year 3-0, including a win over No. 2 Princeton, the Blue Jays briefly held a tie with Virginia for the top spot in the STX/USILA Poll.
Since losing first-place votes to Virginia, and dropping the game at Syracuse, Johns Hopkins fell to No. 4.
Virginia enters the game with a No. 1 ranking and the challenge of knocking off their third 2002 Final Four team of the season -- all on the road. Coach Dom Starsia said he understands both the rigors and benefits of his team's nightmarish lineup.
"I think you only develop confidence by doing these things," Starsia revealed after defeating Towson 10-2 on Sunday. "As long as we build confidence in ourselves we've got a right to feel pretty good about things."
Missing in the win over Towson was the much-heralded Virginia attack unit, lauded in the preseason as one of the best in the nation. Sophomores John Christmas and Joe Yevoli took the ACC by storm last year, with Christmas earning a feature article in Sports Illustrated and Yevoli nabbing ACC Rookie of the Year honors after leading the conference with 40 goals.
Many believed that the arrival of highly-touted freshman Matt Ward would ease the transition to a squad without former leader Connor Gill, the player who scored four points in Virginia's last national championship game in 1999. Ward, a graduate of Maryland high school powerhouse Landon, has performed solidly through the season's first stretch, but has not created the same buzz that his two linemates did in their rookie campaigns.
After a strong showing as an overall unit against Notre Dame on March 11, the attack faltered against Towson, mustering a mere two goals and two assists. Christmas, fresh off of a four goal, two assist performance against the Irish, appeared hesitant against Towson. In a four minute span during the second quarter, the Philadelphia native dropped a fast break feed from midfielder Billy Glading at the point, hit one post and failed to convert two quick-stick feeds from 'X' in front of the net. Although he did net one score off a nice spin move in the same quarter, it was an off game for Christmas overall.
When asked about the young trio, Starsiastays quick to refute any of the hype that has enveloped Christmas, Yevoli and Ward since the preseason.
"I wouldn't agree" that Virginia's attack is the best in the country, warned the 11th year Virginia coach. "I think, honestly, we're very young there. You've got two sophomores and a freshman. We got a good attack, we got a young attack, and they're getting better. And today those kids didn't have their best day, but those things are gonna happen. We've got a lot to expect from those kids and they've been a big part of what we've been able to do so far."
Without the lure of guaranteed contracts or shoe deals to entice underclassmen into bolting for the MLL, the Cavalier youth movement likely will blossom into the most feared attack unit in the nation by 2005. Much of Virginia's success in 2003 will hinge on how the youngsters handle the pressure of playing for a team that has "winning now" on its mind.
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