Men’s Lacrosse: Cormier scores 7 times as No. 1 UVA tops No. 9 Ohio State, 17-6

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Payton Cormier scored a career-high seven goals and No. 1 Virginia’s defense held No. 9 Ohio State to just two second-half scores in the Cavaliers’ 17-6 route over the Buckeyes at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex Saturday night.

Cormier’s seven goals are a career high and tied for second all-time by a Cavalier in UVA single-game history. Cormier, now with 122 career goals, is also tied for 13th on UVA’s all-time goals list with Ian Laviano.

The Cavalier defense did not allow a single Buckeye to score more than two goals. Cade Saustad stood out among the UVA defense after posting a career-high four caused turnovers and snagged two ground balls.

Ohio State’s nine total goals are the fewest by a Virginia top-10 opponent since the Cavaliers took down then-No. 6 Georgetown in 2021 NCAA Tournament, when UVA defeated the Hoyas, 14-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Jeff Conner kicked off the scoring, netting his third goal of the season four minutes in. Coming out of the substitution box, Patrick McIntosh extended the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-0 less than two minutes later. The two teams traded the next four points as Petey LaSalla (2g, 10-21 FO) scored back-to-back UVA goals to give the Hoos a 4-2 lead at the end of the opening period.

It was all Cormier in the second quarter as he racked up a hat trick in the period alone. Cormier’s third goal of the quarter came with three second remaining in the half with a flag down on the field. Prior to Cormier’s final goal of the second, Virginia’s man-down unit killed off a 1:00 personal foul that was called with 1:19 remaining. The Cavaliers, who held OSU’s man-up unit scoreless on two EMO chances, led the Buckeyes 7-4 at the half.

Virginia (3-0) took off in the third quarter, outscoring the Buckeyes 7-2, including the first three goals of the period to seize momentum. Cormier scored four of his seven goals in period No. 3. Xander Dickson (2g, 3a) and Truitt Sunderland (1g, 2a) also combined for five points in the period.

Despite mixing in some of its reserves on both ends of the field, Virginia shutout the Buckeyes, 3-0, in the final 15 minutes of play. Peter Garno (1g, 1a), Sunderland and Ricky Miezan (1g) all contributed goals in the final period. The Cavaliers’ defense held OSU to just one shot in the fourth quarter.

🎥 Highlights from tonight’s 17-6 win over No. 9 Ohio State… pic.twitter.com/ywOKVDx56u

— Virginia Men’s Lacrosse (@UVAMensLax) February 26, 2023

WITH THE WIN… 

• The Cavaliers are off to a 3-0 start for a third-consecutive season.
• Virginia extended its lead over the Buckeyes (3-1) in the series to 7-1. Saturday’s contest marked the first neutral-site meeting between the two teams.
• In his first-ever meeting against Ohio State as a head coach, Tiffany was victorious.
• The Cavaliers have scored 17 goals or more in their first three games.

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• The game was the program’s first-ever in the state Florida.
• Payton Cormier’s seven goals are a career high and the most by a UVA player in a single game since 2020. Cormier’s seven goals are also tied for second all-time by a Cavalier in a single game.
• Cormier extended his point streak to 33 games. During the streak, Cormier has recorded 96 goals and 17 assists. Cormier’s point streak entering Saturday’s contest stood at No. 6 in the nation.
• With 122 career goals, Cormier is now tied for 13th on UVA’s all-time goals list with Ian Laviano.
• Cade Saustad’s four caused turnovers are a career high.
• With two assists, Thomas McConvey extended his point streak to 55 games. Having registered at least one point in all 55 career games, McConvey’s streak is the longest among any active player in college lacrosse. For his career, McConvey has amassed 132 goals and 52 assists.

FROM HEAD COACH LARS TIFFANY

🎙️ Lars Tiffany on the difference in tonight’s 17-6 win over No. 9 Ohio State… pic.twitter.com/pyqLpjYYUd

— Virginia Men’s Lacrosse (@UVAMensLax) February 26, 2023

“Our team defense did not have the greatest outings the first two games, against Michigan and Harvard. We’ve been trying to get back to the basics: being stickier on-ball and communicating when we do need to slide. The performance today was highlighted, really, by Cade Saustad. Cade’s performance against one of the best attackmen in the nation, Jack Myers – for [Cade] to, not stop him period, but to neutralize [Myers], that was [critical]. But what I also saw was other defensemen doing really well with their 1-v-1 matchups, and we didn’t see that with our first two games.”

UP NEXT 

The Cavaliers return to Klöckner Stadium to host Richmond on Saturday. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).