Men’s Lacrosse: No. 3 UVA moves to 3-0 with 14-8 win over No. 20 Ohio State

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Posted on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, 9:00 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Photo: UVA Athletics

No. 3 Virginia picked up its third win over a ranked opponent this season with a 14-8 victory against No. 20 Ohio State on Sunday at Klöckner Stadium.

McCabe Millon led the attack with three goals and three assists. Goalkeeper Matthew Nunes tallied 17 saves.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Virginia (3-0) jumped out to a 6-1 start in the game with six different Cavaliers scoring those goals. The Buckeyes (4-1) scored the final two goals of the first quarter to make it 6-3 heading into the second period.

That score held until midway through the second quarter when Millon and Joey Terenzi scored back-to-back goals to start a 4-0 run for UVA. The Cavaliers went into halftime with a 10-3 lead.

Ohio State outscored the Cavaliers 3-1 in the third to tighten the game, but Griffin Schutz re-ignited the UVA offense in the fourth, scoring 1:40 into the period. McMillon added his third goal of the game with 3:32 remaining to put UVA up 14-7. The Buckeyes scored with just over a minute left, before UVA ran out the clock to secure the victory.

FROM HEAD COACH LARS TIFFANY

“We came out with the tenacity that we demand of our men, and they love to respond with it. That first half is exactly what UVA men’s lacrosse is all about. We were all over the ground balls. In the transition game. We’re physical. We had a couple of penalties but that’s, that’s okay. That’s who we are.

“And, yeah, give Ohio State credit. They owned that second half in terms of the tempo and what they wanted, but Matt Nunes shut the door. We were fortunate with what he’s doing for us, and in the clearing team. I know I’ve said it many times. He is an exceptional quarterback in the clearing game. We were perfect again today in our clear and it is because of him and his poise.”

WITH THE WIN

  • Virginia is off to a 3-0 start for the sixth time under head coach Lars Tiffany, who is in his eighth season as UVA head coach.
  • The Cavaliers earned their third straight win of the season over a ranked opponent.
  • Virginia improved to 8-1 in the all-time series with the Buckeyes, which began in 1968. The Cavaliers have now won the last two meetings.
  • Goalie Matthew Nunes improved to 27-8 in net for his career. Nunes’ 27 career wins ties for seventh all-time in school history.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • McCabe Millon’s six points and his three assists were both season highs
  • Connor Shellenberger scored two goals with three assists
  • Matthew Nunes’s 17 saves were two shy of his career high of 19. It was the fourth time in his career he had 17 or more saves in a game
  • Kyle Morris played the final 3:32 in goal for the Cavaliers, allowing one goal
  • Ohio State goalkeeper Caleb Fyock also made 17 saves
  • Virginia had 36 ground balls. Ohio State had 29
  • Virginia won 14 faceoffs to OSU’s 12
  • The Cavaliers had a 48-39 edge in shots

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers return to Klöckner Stadium on Saturday to host Johns Hopkins, which is ranked 9th in the most recent USILA coach’s poll, in a battle for the Doyle Smith Cup. Opening faceoff is set for 1 p.m. on ACC Network.