Virginia men's lacrosse, now unranked after its defeat Saturday to No. 1 Maryland, secured a 12-9 victory Tuesday over Albany at Klöckner Stadium, in the second of four consecutive home games. The Cavaliers (4-4, 0-0 ACC) built an early lead and weathered a late push from the Great Danes (2-6, 0-1 CAA) to get back in the win column following a tough stretch of games against ranked opponents.
Virginia's offense was spearheaded by sophomore attackman McCabe Millon and junior attackman Truitt Sunderland, each of whom recorded a hat trick. Millon finished with three goals and an assist, while Sunderland chipped in three goals and two assists to lead the Cavaliers in points.
The Cavaliers wasted no time asserting themselves, jumping out to a 3-0 lead within the first five minutes. Quick ball movement and precision passing allowed Virginia to break through Albany’s defense, with Millon and Sunderland each notching early tallies. By the end of the first quarter, the Cavaliers led 3-2.
The second quarter saw more of the same as Virginia extended its lead to 8-4 heading into halftime. The Cavaliers’ offense clicked, generating quality shot opportunities and capitalizing on defensive breakdowns.
However, Albany refused to go away quietly. A strong third quarter saw the Great Danes battle back, cutting Virginia’s lead to just two goals at 10-8 at the end of the third quarter.
The Cavaliers’ defense, anchored by standout senior goalie Matthew Nunes, held firm in the crucial closing moments. Nunes recorded 14 saves on the night, including several key stops during Albany’s third-quarter surge. The saves bumped him to No. 3 on the program’s career saves list, with 591. His presence in net helped Virginia maintain its composure despite the Great Danes’ relentless offensive efforts.
“What it comes down to is us executing the coaches’ game,” Nunes said. “We have [young] guys stepping up and making plays already… that group’s just really special.”
Faceoff battles remained relatively even throughout the game, with Albany narrowly winning the category, 13-11. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, dominated the transition game, completing all 23 of their clear attempts compared to their opponents’ 19-22. Ground balls were another tightly contested statistic, with Virginia beating out the Great Danes, 31-30.
With the win, the Cavaliers will hope to build momentum as they prepare for another non-conference matchup against Utah at home Saturday at 12 p.m.
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