A fourth quarter goal from Chris Bocklet via Steele Stanwick proved to be the difference as the No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers (12-3) outlasted the No. 12 Princeton Tigers (11-5) on Sunday afternoon during the NCAA First Round, 6-5, inside Klöckner Stadium. The six goals by UVa is the lowest number of scores for the Cavaliers in an NCAA win and the 11 total goals between the two teams tied for the fifth-fewest ever in an NCAA Tournament game, four other games are tied for first with 10 total goals. Sixother NCAA Tournament games have featured 11 total goals, most recent theSyracuse vs. Maryland quarterfinal last season.
UVa advances to the NCAA quarterfinal round next Sunday inPhiladelphia, playing the winner of tonight’s Notre Dame vs. Yale first roundgame. UVa’s NCAA quarterfinal contestwill be played at PPL Park and faceoff is TBA. The game will be televised liveon ESPNU in HD.
“It was a good win for us,” said UVa men’s lacrosse headcoach Dom Starsia. “It was a hard foughtgame and I give a lot of credit to Princeton for playing well. I thought defensively we were on it the entire day as we jumped in and out of different defenses throughout the day. I thought we were very alert on the defensive sideof the ball, I thought offensively we created some good opportunities, but whathas been indicative for us for weeks and months is the ball hasn’t been jumpingin for us. Today I give Fiorito some credit for that, who is probablyas good as a goalie as there is out there.”
UVa jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first quarter, scoring the game’s first twogoals. Colin Briggs scored unassisted at10:54 to start things off. Bocklet scored his first goal of the afternoon on acrisp Matt White helper shortly after, at 9:09.
Tom Schreiber put Princeton on the board after TuckerShanely found the midfielder with 3:55 left in the first period. UVa was able cap the first quarter intransition when Matt Lovejoy picked up a ground ball and led a Cavalierclear. The UVa senior defensemen foundBobby Hill in transition for the goal with 10 seconds remaining in the firstquarter. The assist was the first career point for Lovejoy.
The second quarter was a defensive juggernaut until Briggsscored the period’s first goal with 3:27 left before the intermission, pushingUVa’s lead to three goals, 4-1. After being held scoreless for 17:29, Princetonfound nylon for its second goal of the game when Forest Sonnenfeldt dropped a17-yard shot from Schreiber. The goalcut UVa’s lead to two goals, 4-2.
UVa wasn’t done yet with its first half scoring, ChrisClements caused Schreiber to turn the ball over in the final seconds. Harry Prevas picked up the ground ball andfound Chris LaPierre, who chucked the rock 45 yards from the restraining lineto Stanwick who was standing goal line extended. Stanwick grabbed the ball behind Princeton’sRob Castelo, who missed the jump ball. Stanwick beat Fiorito with five secondsleft before the intermission.
Princeton stormed out in the third quarter, scoring twogoals to cut its deficit to one goal, 5-4. Jeff Froccaro scored back-to-back goals, his second coming with sixseconds left in the third quarter after a UVa turnover. The Cavaliers failed to score in the thirdquarter.
With 7:07 left in the game came the Stanwick to Bockletconnection, giving UVa the 6-4 lead. ButPrinceton wouldn’t go quietly. Schreiberscored his second goal of the day with 1:19 left to play, cutting UVa’s leadback to one goal, 6-5.
Princeton without timeouts remaining, won the ensuingfaceoff, set the offense for one final assault on the goal. With nine secondleft, Sonnenfeldt from 15 yards out riffled a shot that hit LaPierre straightin the chest. The ball caromed towardthe Princeton sideline where the Cavaliers had the backup. With six seconds left, the Cavaliers tossedthe ball down the field to secure the triumph.
Princeton won the shot battle (34-25), ground ball battle(30-27), saves (12-8) and faceoffs (9-5).
Lovejoy and Clements each caused four turnovers, asPrinceton had 18 turnovers on the afternoon.
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