The Virginia lacrosse team will try to erase the bad taste of its loss to Maryland as the squad travels to Chapel Hill Saturday to take on the No. 5 Tar Heels.
Virginia's loss to top-ranked Maryland dropped the No. 17 Cavaliers to 3-5 on the year with three games left in the regular season. Against North Carolina (5-3), the Cavaliers will try to gain some momentum in an attempt to enter the ACC tournament with a .500 record.
If Virginia wants to beat the Tar Heels, they likely will have to execute the keys to their game -- faceoffs and defense. Last week, Maryland clearly outplayed the Cavaliers en route to an 11-2 win.
"We got out ground-balled by a ton," defenseman Mike Culver said. "We weren't clearing like we normally do. Those are parts of the game that if you don't execute, you're not going to be able to win."
The Tar Heels pose a threat on both sides of the field. Junior attacker Jed Prossner leads UNC and the ACC with 25 goals and 69 shots and will threaten the Cavalier defense.
"He's been having a terrific season," Virginia coach Dom Starsia said of Prossner. "He's a very complete player, and he brings it with conviction."
Manning the goal for the Tar Heels will be keeper and co-captain Paul Spellman. Spellman, as a junior, is the anchor of North Carolina's defense. He leads the ACC with 12.38 saves per game, swatting away 59 percent of shots on goal.
"Paul's been a very solid goalie for them for three years," Starsia said. "He's consistently given them a chance to win. Right now the ball's not jumping in the net for us, so we'll have to figure out a way to get a few balls by Paul."
Getting through the swarm of Tar Heel defenders will be the mission of Virginia's talented group of attackers. Sophomore Matt Ward will lead the charge for the Cavaliers. The versatile Ward is in the top five of three ACC offensive categories, including points (24), goals (15) and shots (65). Right behind Ward loom veterans Joe Yevoli and John Christmas, who have both passed the 100-goal mark in their careers this season.
Virginia will get a repeat tour of Chapel Hill, as UNC plays host to the ACC tournament this year. After traveling to North Carolina, the Cavaliers return home to face Duke next week to wind down the season, only to return to Chapel Hill April 23 for the ACC semifinals.
If the season is any indication, this weekend's game will probably come down to the wire. This year, Virginia has had an affinity for nail-biters. The Cavaliers have played in five games decided by two goals or fewer, including two overtime victories.
The Tar Heels also are accustomed to close games. In each of their three losses, North Carolina fell short by only one goal.
Coach Starsia understands the importance of this weekend's game.
"UNC's got nice balance, and they've got good experience," Starsia said. "This is a critical conference matchup for both teams."
Last year, Virginia made the ultimate rebound after their loss to Maryland. After that defeat, the Cavaliers beat the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils and didn't lose a game the rest of the season en route to a national championship. Virginia must hope history will repeat itself.
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