Down by 1 to Johns Hopkins with under a minute left in regulation, the Virginia men's lacrosse team put the ball in senior Ben Rubeor's hands and watched as maturity overcame urgency. Sending the game into overtime with his third goal of the day, Rubeor evened the score at 12 as the Cavaliers rallied for a second time from a 1-goal deficit late in the fourth quarter.
During overtime, it was sophomore midfielder Brian Carroll's turn to step up and make the play for Virginia as the clock wound down. With just 7.7 seconds remaining in the first sudden death period, he shot in mid-air from 12 yards out to secure the Cavaliers' 13-12 victory.
For Johns Hopkins (3-3), the reigning national champions, Saturday marked the third consecutive game the team has dropped in overtime. With Georgetown defeating Duke earlier in the day, Virginia (9-0) and Quinnipiac (6-0) are now the only undefeated teams in the top 20, and the Cavaliers are likely to receive the top nod from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll this week.
"I found myself standing on the sideline late in the game thinking 'What a great game,'" Virginia coach Dom Starsia said. "I was interested in trying to win the game but I also was appreciating the atmosphere. It was a great moment for Virginia lacrosse and a great win for us."
Although Hopkins suffered two losses before its arrival in Charlottesville, Virginia never discounted the Blue Jays or their abilities.
From the start, the scoring went back-and-forth, resulting in three lead changes and nine ties in regulation. With both teams fielding outstanding midfielders, it was also a constant battle to clear the ball up the field and maintain possession.
"We kept battling -- I don't think anybody lost their poise, and everybody was focused in the huddles," Starsia said. "I thought we made plays at both ends of the field in order to win the game."
Carroll would not have had the opportunity to win it for the Cavaliers had it not been for the excellent defensive efforts of freshman goalkeeper Adam Ghitelman and defensemen sophomore Ken Clausen and junior Matt Kelly throughout the game and in overtime. The young goalie had 10 saves on the day including three in the fourth quarter.
In sudden death, Hopkins won the initial face-off, but the Virginia defense forced a bad shot and a turnover. When the Blue Jays took possession again, senior midfielder Stephen Peyser misfired under defensive pressure, and Kelly backed up the shot as it went out of bounds to win the ball back for Virginia and give the offense another chance.
"I am happy that we won -- it was a nail-biter," Ghitelman said. "Shooting-wise these guys are the best out there, and today was definitely my biggest test. Our defense has been playing well the last few weeks and it's the perfect time for us to have come together."
In front of a record crowd Saturday, the Cavaliers demonstrated they are the kind of team that finds a way to win -- an important attribute for aspiring national champions.
"This win is huge for this team, winning at home in front of this huge crowd like this," Ghitelman said. "To beat Johns Hopkins is always a feat, and I think this is really going to help our team going into the postseason"
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