Virginia Lacrosse vs. Georgetown: NCAA Tournament First Round Preview

Sunday Night Lacrosse.

No. 5 Virginia lacrosse will host Georgetown in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, May 10th, at 7:30pm under the lights of Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. After a dominant ACC Tournament, the Hoos rocketed up the rankings, going from on the bubble to the No. 5 seed. As for the Hoyas, they cruised through the Big East, going 5-0 in the regular season before winning the Big East Tournament to punch their ticket for the eighth straight season, the longest active streak in Division One lacrosse.

Here are five keys to a Virginia victory to become one game away from a trip to Scott Stadium:

Set the Tone

The Hoos have won seven of their last nine games, including their last three by a combined margin of 48-22. In these games, the Cavaliers have set the tone early with physical play, dominance on ground balls, and capitalizing on early opportunities. Against UNC, the Hoos fell 2-0 before rattling off 11 straight goals and 10 straight saves from Jake Marek. Also, during UVA’s strong start, they nabbed just about every groundball in the first half, setting a tone that left the Tar Heels hopeless for answers. Georgetown is headed down to Charlottesville as a clear underdog, not giving an inch, and slamming the door immediately will be important to avoiding the upset. Georgetown has not beaten a single team in this tournament field, with Richmond being their closest loss as the Hoyas fell 14-10. If you need a play that summarizes hustle and physicality, take a look at this hustle play from Aidan Murnane:

Shut Down the Connor Brothers

The Georgetown offense runs through a brotherly tandem of its own in the Connor brothers. Older brother Rory serves as the goalscorer (50 goals, 13 assists) while Liam is the quarterback of the Georgetown offense (21 goals, 51 assists). Containing the two of them is the key to containing this Hoyas offense. At times this season, the Hoos have struggled to defend behind the net, getting caught ball-watching. Keeping heads on a swivel and eyes on these two is how Virginia advances.

The Hoos Offensive Surge Continues

The Virginia offense ran rampant in the ACC Tournament, led by the trio of McCabe Millon, Brendan Millon, and Truitt Sunderland. The Hoos employed rapid ball movement and relentless pressure, which created wide-open shots. Additionally, with Ryan Colsey, Ryan Duenkel, and Chase Band rounding out the first offensive unit, defenses are punished no matter who they put shortsticks on. As for the Hoyas, they’ve allowed 10+ goals once since March 28th. If the Cavaliers want to make a run in May, continuing to build on their strong offensive form is how they get the job done.

Griff Meyer Heats Up

In 2019, freshman faceoff specialist Petey LaSalla helped lead the Hoos to a National Championship as he was 52% throughout the NCAA Tournament, in addition to adding three goals. Specifically in the quarterfinals against Maryland, LaSalla was lights out, winning 17/25 faceoffs. If Virginia is going to make a run, getting this offense the ball as much as possible is critical, which starts with freshman faceoff specialist Griff Meyer. In the ACC Championship, Meyer was 9/16 as he continues to heat up at the X. Fortunately for Meyer, he has Andrew Greenspan and Henry Metz helping him out.

Lean on the Home Crowd

The Hoos missed the NCAA Tournament in 2025. At the start of this season, many had Virginia penciled as a long shot for the Final Four at Scott Stadium. Now, the dream to play in their own backyard is two games away for the Cavaliers. This postseason, Virginia has the potential to play three of its four games at home, with a home game tonight and both final four games. Leaning on this home crowd and embracing the momentum screaming fans deliver is a free advantage the Hoos should hold onto.

Opening faceoff is set for 7:30pm at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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