When thinking of traditional lacrosse hotbeds, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states typically come to mind -- but certainly not the western United States and especially not Colorado. Yet that's where the Virginia men's lacrosse team is headed this weekend for the fourth annual Pioneer Face-Off Classic for a doubleheader with the Air Force Academy tomorrow and the 23rd ranked University of Denver Pioneers Sunday.
Of the two, Denver should present a more formidable challenge. Although they have yet to play a game, this year's squad is basically an upgraded version of the 2003 team, which went 9-5 and came within one goal of making the NCAA tournament. Four out of their top five point contributors are back, as well as Corey Vann, one of the nation's premier defenseman who returns from an injury that hampered him last season. Last year, the Pioneers lost to Virginia 12-3 when they came to Charlottesville.
In their first regular season game last Saturday, Virginia rolled to a 15-4 win over Drexel University in Philadelphia. The offensive balance was impeccable, as 11 different players scored, with four players notching two goals apiece. Virginia lacked this kind of balance in their exhibition loss to Georgetown Feb. 15, their third and final exhibition game.
"The Georgetown game was like a wakeup call" sophomore attackman Matt Ward said. "Especially since we came out there flat."
Coming out flat is something the Cavaliers realize they can't afford to do if they want to successfully defend their title this season.
"Every team that comes out on the field against us is going to try to knock us off" senior defenseman Brett Hughes said. "I thought it might have been a shock to some of the kids on the team, but the reaction was great."
One weak spot for the Cavaliers against Drexel was Virginia's performance on faceoffs. Returning faceoff specialist Jack deVilliers won seven out of 15 faceoffs against Drexel with sophomore Charlie Glazer, who went four for seven. On the day, the Dragons won one more faceoff than the Cavaliers.
"I don't think we made a smooth play to win on a faceoff the entire day," head coach Dom Starsia said. "We used a lot of people, and we haven't really settled on units yet, so that may have contributed to the confusion."
The western road trip will not only present the team with a nice reprieve from the usual East Coast conference schedule but will also serve as a final measuring stick before the team enters the meat of their perennially brutal schedule. The Cavaliers take on No. 3 Syracuse and No. 4 Princeton in their next two home games.
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