After months of early morning workouts, endless practices, and three unofficial scrimmages, the Virginia men's lacrosse team finally will take the field for its season-opening tilt against Drexel Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Turf Field.
With all the buildup finally coming to a head, the Cavalier players and coaches are ready to go.
"I think we've had a very good preseason," head coach Dom Starsia said. "I've been pleased with how we've played. We haven't played perfectly in any instance, but we can get sharper yet. I think we're ready to face it off."
While Starsia cautiously sized up the start of the season, senior face-off specialist Jack deVilliers had a more frank reaction.
"We're pretty excited for the season to begin," deVilliers said. "Everyone's enjoying themselves. We're ready to rock."
Virginia opened the season against Drexel last year and won easily, 15-4, in Philadelphia.
"Drexel returns a lot of the players who played against us last year," Starsia said. "It's really a quality opponent for us."
Following last year's victory, the Cavaliers proceeded to lose four straight games. This year, the team is looking to avoid putting themselves into another hole to start the season.
One of the biggest questions during the preseason has been the play of sophomore Kip Turner and red-shirt freshman Michael Petit, the two goalies fighting for the starting position. Starsia has said throughout the past few weeks that neither candidate has the upper hand and that he has been using a rotational system for playing time, starting one in goal and switching the other in at halftime.
"I told them that we're going to continue the rotation that we've used to date," Starsia said. "We're going to split time with them. Two kids that are shaped so differently, one short and blonde and stocky and the other tall and dark and lean and long, you'd think that the team would respond differently to one, but I haven't noticed any of that."
For the team, it is a great problem to have, but one that has not been made any easier as the beginning of the season approaches.
"Either one of the goalies is a top goalie in Division I," deVilliers said. "With regard to goalies, we're going to be just fine. They're two amazing kids."
Another preseason question mark, junior attackman Matt Ward, played in Virginia's scrimmage Sunday against Georgetown. Ward, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury for most of the preseason, will start this weekend although he is not reported to be at 100 percent. The status of senior attackman Joe Yevoli, who is still out with an injured back, currently is unknown.
Thursday, Virginia players Ward, John Christmas and Rob Bateman were named to the Tewaaraton Award Watchlist, lacrosse's version of the Heisman Trophy. Bateman, the only defender on the Watchlist for the Cavaliers, is a fifth-year senior who transferred to Virginia from Penn State and is widely regarded as one of the best defensemen in the country.
Read More
Virginia baseball has an ace up its sleeve and in its bullpen — Dean Kampschror
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayThe senior pitcher is exactly what the Cavaliers need to succeed in 2025.
Wrestling gets blown out 34-9 on long road trip to Stanford
By Ryan Weiner | 2 days agoSolid performances from its most reliable trio were not enough for Virginia.
Freshman excellence powers No. 5 men’s tennis past Boise State, No. 19 Alabama
By Thomas Baxter | 2 days agoVirginia, unlike many other regional hosts, held serve as its quartet's top seed.
