The #22 Virginia Cavaliers will be headed to the ACC Tournament with a double bye well earned. The Cavaliers have also secured a comfortable place in the NCAA tournament in two weeks as well. However, one goal still remained, beat the #7 Louisville Cardinals.

The Cardinals has snapped a personal streak when they beat Virginia in the Yum! Center back in January. The loss was and is the only loss that Virginia has suffered in their last 11 games. A win not only splits the season series, it captures the #2 seed in the ACC Tournament for the Cavs.

This game is even more meaningful because it marks the last home contest for Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key and fan favorite, Grant Kersey, student manager/super sub. These two defensive stalwarts have been cornerstones of excellence and effectiveness for the Cavaliers the last two seasons. Each was an integral part in the championship title run for the Cavaliers last year. The Mamadi floater to tie the game in epic fashion versus Purdue in the Elite Eight and Braxton Let’s block time preserve the tie in the championship game against Texas Tech. Both plays ushered Virginia into overtime battles which resulted in victories.

The offense and defense combined to give Virginia a quick 6-2 lead. With the crowd going crazy, the Cavaliers looked to take quick control. However, the Cardinals were just getting started. Steven Enoch scored the first five points before his teammates jumped aboard. Louisville used some hot shooting form near and far to take a 20-15 lead and push the home volume down several notches.

Then a strange thing happened. Kihei Clark made a pinpoint alley-pop pass to Jay Huff for a traditional and-1 conversion. As Huff attempted the free throw, Louisville committed a lane violation. The shot was missed, but Coach Chris Mack was visibly upset and demonstrative in argument with the call against his team. His frustration led to a technical foul. The Cavaliers capitalized. First, Clark drilled the two technicals and then Huff completed his re-try at his free throw. All free throws went in and a five point deficit became a tied game. The huge momentum swing was just what the team and crowd needed.

The final five minutes saw the Cavaliers outscore the Cardinals 16-4 is a seldom seen Cavalanche. Virginia entered the half with its largest lead at 31-24 and the Cardinals were looking for a chance to re-group.

Clark was the leader at 11 points for the Cavs and four assists. Jay Huff added eight and Diakite has six. Steven Enoch paced the Cards with 11 points trailed by six from Jordan Nwora on two three-pointers.

The Cavaliers committed just three turnovers compared to Louisville’s eight. Both teams were respectable from the field but Virginia had one more field goal while Louisville made twice as many 3-point shots (four versus two). Virginia was also a perfect 7 for 7 from the free throw line. Louisville attempted zero free throws.

Virginia flexed their muscle coming out the locker room. The Cavaliers answered every response by the Cardinals. At the 13:21 mark, they stretched the lead up to 14 at 43-29, when Tomas Woldetensae finally splashed home a three pointer. Yet, the game was just beginning. Louisville found their offensive rhythm and proceeded to whittled the Virginia until they tied the game at 51 when the teams Diakite’s lay-up was countered by a Darius Perry long range missile. The 22-8 Louisville scoring run made for a nail-biting finish in the last 5:11 of the game.

Then the Cavaliers responded like the mental giants they have been since January. The Cavaliers took the Cardinals best shot and made all the critical plays. The biggest play was a cold blooded dagger by Kihei Clark with a three pointer to give the Cavaliers a 55-51 lead with 31 seconds left in the game. The game was effectively over, the defense allowed one field goal over that stretch and the final points for Diakite in JPJ were two free throws to seal the win at 57-54.

The Cavaliers secured the #2 seed in ACC and finished regular season with eight consecutive victories and many with heart-breaking, gut wrenching performances. Virginia avenges their earlier lost to Louisville and now look to continue the streak as postseason play begins for real with ACC next week then the Big Dance.

Clark lead the team with 18 points, Diakite had 17 points and eight rebounds in his swan song. Huff finished with 11. Braxton Key chipped in six points and seven rebounds. Jordan Nwora found his stroke with 12 second half points and 18 for the game.  He also cleared the boards, grabbing a game high 11 to earn his double-double. Steven Enoch who was the force in the first half, was nonexistent in the second half and finished with the same total of 11 points he scored before halftime. 

Louisville scored more from the three point line than Virginia ( nine vs four) but Virginia made quality stops and converted free throws at 15-20 whereas Louisville was only 7 for 9. The Cardinals edged out Virginia with 31 rebounds to 30. Virginia nine assists to nine turnovers while Louisville had nine assists but 13 turnovers. Both defenses squeezed all they could out of the other and it resulted in the following from both clubs (Cards @ 37%, Cavs @ 41%).

The loss makes the Cardinals 24-7 and 15-5 in ACC.

by EMSPORTS.org 3/07/2020

In recent years, the Virginia-Duke rivalry has been as compelling as any matchup in the ACC. Both teams have battled for dominance and supremacy as they used this matchup as a tuneup for the postseason.

Duke has won the last three meetings and six of the last regular season tilts, yet none were easy.

In the only contest this year before the tournament, the Blue Devils traveled north to Charlottesville looking to snap a two-game road losing streak and stay tied at the top of the standings. Virginia was riding a five game winning streak and stood 1 game back in loss column of the three ACC leaders.

Virginia and Duke both showcased their strengths. The Cavaliers started strong g and backed by a frenzied crowd, they built a 11-6 lead. The Blue Devils didn’t falter and established the inside-outside combo of Vernon Carey, Jr and Trey Jones. Those two propelled a run giving the visitors a 18-13 lead with about eight minutes to go in first half.

Virginia knew it needed to respond and not allow Duke to runaway. So the Cavaliers hit back with a mini-Cavalanche and found themselves up 21-18 on back to back dunks from Jay Huff. 

Both teams played methodical but sloppy turnovers from Virginia allowed Duke to tie the game at 25-25 going into the intermission.  

Duke turned up the full court pressure and some timely shooting gave the a quick three point lead at 31-28. For nearly eight minutes, Duke kept Virginia in chase mode until a Braxton Key lay-up tied the game at 39-39 with under ten minutes to play. From that moment, it was nip and tuck to the finish.

The largest lead was only three points (Duke 42-39) while each squad played suffocating defense and flipped the lead back and forth into the waning seconds.

A goal-tend violation by Mamadi Diakite gave Duke its final lead at 50-49 with less than 40 seconds on the clock. Diakite redeemed himself on the next possession as he banked in a well choreographed shot to give the Cavaliers the upper hand, a 51-50 lead with just under 14 seconds.  

Duke had time and opportunity to score but a rare miss from Trey Jones was secured by Jay Huff. After a quick Duke foul, the Cavaliers needed to hit free throws to ice the game. The Cardiac Cavs were once again living up to their name.

Braxton Key’s miss of an one-and-one gave Blue Devils hope. The long arms of Jay Huff dashed any final Blue Devil efforts as he batted away a Carey game winner and made one of two free throws with nearly four seconds remaining.

Duke attempted a desperation three from Trey Jones but it caromed of the time and Virginia had finished off Duke in an entertaining, low-scoring affair.

The story was Jay Huff. He recorded a near triple-double with 15 points,10 blocks and nine rebounds. He got support from Diakite and Key who both had 14 points each. The Cavaliers packline defense minimized Duke’s high powered offense, limiting them to under 31% for the game from the floor and anemic 4 of 17 from the 3pt arc (23.5%).

Virginia was good enough shooting 42% from the field and 30% from behind the arc. The Cavs also won the rebounding battle at 38-33 while committing 15 turnovers to Duke’s 10.

Carey and Jones ties for game high honors at 17 points each while no one else scored more than substitute Javin DeLaurier’s six.

The win gives Virginia a 21-7 record and 13-5 in ACC. The loss drops Duke into a tie at third with Virginia in conference and 23-6 overall.

Virginia was looking to keep the momentum from the big win on the road at UNC.  Their next challenge was to maintain homecourt advantage and beat a Boston College team who upended the Cavaliers in Boston earlier in the year.  The Virginia Cavaliers knew a tough game laid ahead.  The Cavaliers still held out hopes of moving up the ACC standings and exacting some revenge against the Boston Colleg Eagles who upset the Cavs about six weeks ago in Chestnut Hill.  The upstart Boston College team was looking to capture another ACC road win and even their league record.

Jay Huff set the tone for the evening.  He knocked down his first two shots and gave the Cavaliers their first five points.  His three pointer gave Virginia an early lead and the offense never looked back.  His third three of the game, gave UVA a 35-23 lead and capped a 6-0 run in the last 45 seconds of the half.  The six points were part of a 10-4 run in the last four minutes of the half following Kihei Clark’s second foul.

Virginia’s defense was on display early with minimizing the Eagles shot efficiency and successful possessions.  The Eagles shot a porous 35% from the field and only 30% from behind the three-point line.  In contrast, the Cavaliers were much sharper.  The Cavaliers made 13 of their 26 shots and then hit 7 of 12 from the 3pt land.  The Cavaliers gathered 18 rebounds compared to the 14 of the Eagles. 

Jay Huff brought the stuff and more.  He led all scorers with 11 points and seven rebounds.  Tomas Woldetensae also scored 11 on the strength of (3) three-point shots.  Jay Heath paced the Eagles with eight points.

BC came out hot and made the contest much closer with near 70% shooting early ito the second half.  However, their defense was as cold as their offense was hot.  Virginia was even hotter with near perfect shooting and gained more ground from the free throw line.  The Eagles propensity to foul placed the Cavaliers in the bonus with over 13 minutes left in the second half.  

However, the second half turned into a pop a shot exhibition and the Cavaliers were better than their opponents.  The halftime lead was safe but the Eagles were able to whittle the lead down to six, 45-39, at the 14:42 mark of the second half.  The game changed and the lead never got any smaller.  The Cavaliers got the message, Key scored the next six consecutive points and the offense went into high gear.  With several mini scoring runs, they eventually stretched the lead to as many as 20 points (70-50) on the strength of a 9-0 burst.  

Boston College was able to make a few more baskets to make the score more reasonable but the Cavaliers were never threatened in the last 10 minutes of the game.

The Cavaliers placed five players in double figures in scoring their highest output of the season.  Braxton Key and Kihei Clark led the way with 17 points apiece.  Woldetensae and Huff each had 14 and Mamadi Diakite added 10.  Huff grabbed a team high eight rebounds.  For Boston College, Nik Popovic led all scorers with 22 while teammates Jay Heath and Jairus Hamilton each hit double figures, with 18 and 11, respectively.

Boston College improved their shooting to 46% for the game as well as making 8 of 22 three-point field goals.  Conversely, the Cavaliers didn't cool off after halftime.  They made 13 of their 19 second half field goals shooting a blazing clip of 58% for the game.  The Cavaliers shot the same as from the three-point line as well making 10 of their 17 attempts.  Both teams valued the ball committing less than 10 turnovers each.  Virginia dominated from the field as well as from the free throw line where they made 15 more than the Eagles and attempted 20 more overall.

The win boosts Virginia to 18-7 overall and 10-5 in the ACC.  The loss makes Boston College 13-14 on the year and 7-9 in the ACC.

EMSPORTS.org 2/19/2020

Virginia gave every ounce of fight in losing at Louisville. The Cardinals were just a little better down the stretch. The Cavaliers losing was actually a gain in applying those tough lessons in stealing victory from the jaws of defeat, beating a hot Notre Dame team 50-49 in overtime.

In a game where each team struggled to find an offensive rhythm, both also found more misses than makes and turnovers too. Virginia was the author of 13 turnovers compared to only 7 by the Irish. However, the Cavaliers won in the important categories, rebounding, free throw shooting and final score.

The first half was a tug-of-war of wills. The phrase "anything you can do, I can do better", was certainly on display but not the way you think,  Each team struggled from the field after a solid start. The Irish made three of their first six shots, then a lid went on the goal. After many empty trips, over six minutes elapsed before ND scored again from Matt Mooney’s two free throws. During that period, Virginia was not much better and held a tenuous lead. It wasn’t until the last eight minutes of the half before ND took control of the game and held a lead into the break finishing the first half with a three pointer from TJ Gibbs at 26-22. Both teams endured multiple scoring droughts of minutes or more during the first half. 

Notre Dame knocked down five 3pt shots and limited the Cavaliers to one of eight shooting from behind the arc. Mamadi Diakite led all scorers with nine points while Juwan Durham and Prentiss Hubb both had six for the Irish. Neither team scorched the nets on offense. Each team shot well under 40% from the field.

The second half was a back and forth affair. The teams traded baskets and Notre Dame continued to hold a slight lead until Jay Huff flexed his scoring prowess. Nate Lazsewski converted a jumper to give ND their biggest advantage at 38-33. Virginia made their move to regain the momentum and the lead.

Two free throws by Diakite was followed by eight straight points from Huff. He sandwiched a mid-range jumper in between two three pointers. Each jumper hit the target, and his personal 8 point scoring streak pushed Virginia into a 43-38 lead.

With the momentum, Virginia looked on good shape to pull away from ND, however the last six minutes the Irish made the better decisions and took a late lead. Another late lead change, put Virginia at brink of defeat.

Diakite saved the day with a game-tying jumper with 27 seconds left. Notre Dame missed a potential game winning shot and the contest needed more.

The first 40 minutes were not enough and the next five would settle this low scoring battle. The overtime was a mini version of the game. Both teams played extremely gritty defense which led to some ugly shots, empty possessions and few results.

Virginia struck first with two more free throws from Diakite. Notre Dame answered with a Prentiss Hubb jumper and then it seemed to be a game where the next score wins.  

Eventually the Cavaliers scored one more point, game winning free throw by Braxton Key. This was the last point scored all game as both teams went scoreless the last two plus minutes of overtime.

Diakite was leader at 20 points while Braxton Key pulled down a team high 13 rebounds.

Prentiss Hubb pumped one a team high 12 points. Matt Mooney continued his double-double dominance recording 11 points and 14 rebounds. Nate Laszewski also scores 11 points.

The Cavaliers earned the victory by the slimmest of margins and improved to 16-7 overall and 8-5 in ACC. The defeat drips Notre Dame to 15-9 and 6-7 in ACC. ND faces Duke and UNC in upcoming matchups. Virginia will travel to North Carolina before hosting Boston College.

by EMSPORTS.org  2/11/20

The Virginia Cavaliers were back home to face the Clemson Tigers. They actually had not left since they lasted played eight days ago upsetting the #5 Florida State Seminoles.

The Cavaliers has waited with bated breath to keep the momentum going and the Tigers were next on the schedule.

Virginia has owned Clemson in the Tony Bennett era. Entering the game, Bennett’s teams were 11-3 overall versus Clemson and had a nine game winning streak. Clemson has been reeling on winning two of their last five games since the big upset of #3 Duke.

Virginia started out with a 14-2 run and looked poised to blow the doors off Clemson. The defense held Clemson scoreless for nearly four minutes to open the game. Each starter contributed as Braxton Key and Tomas Woldetensae made three pointers during the run while Jay Huff and Mamadi Diakite handled the inside scoring while Kihei Clark was driving and dishing.

Eventually Clemson settled in and played the Cavaliers even in the last 11 minutes of the half. Even though the defenses got tougher, Virginia was careful with the ball only committing two turnovers compared to Clemson’s seven. Virginia held Clemson to their lowest scoring output for a half while also limiting the Tigers to 29% from the field.

Virginia led 26-14 on the strength of Braxton Key’s eight points and seven from Diakite. Clemson was able to stay within reason thanks to Aamir Simms’s five points.

The second half was similar to how the first half ended. Each team was trading baskets however Clemson started making a few more 3pts compared to the two point variety from Virginia.

With a lead of 33-24 midway thru the second half, Clemson locked in the defensive clamps and clawed their way back into the game. The Tigers put together a modest 10-3 run that included two scoring droughts from UVA. The first drought lasted five and a half minutes was ended by a layup from Key. Then Clemson forced Virginia into another cold spell lasting almost four minutes. With the score 36-34 in favor of the Cavaliers, Braxton Key did it again with a backbreaking three pointer giving Virginia a 39-34 and some much needed breathing room.

Clemson would get close only once more at 42-39 but Key made another important three pointer with only 1:28 left to break the Clemson comeback spirit.

Key was instrumental with 11 points in the second half, eight in the last five minutes. Key finished with 19 and eight rebounds. Diakite also grabbed eight boards and scored 13 points. Jay Huff stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 10 boards and four blocks. Kihei Clark led the team with 10 assists to offset his low scoring night. Virginia also swatted seven shots versus the Tigers who only blocked two shots.

Aamir Simms led three Tigers with 16 points, Al-Amir Dawes chipped in 11 with eight rebounds while Tevin Mack gave the visitors 10 points.

Each team shot poorly from every aspect of the game. Neither team shot over 37% from the field, nor better than 36% from three-point arc. The free throws were only slightly better as Clemson shot 58% while the a Cavaliers shot 53%.

Virginia has now won three in a row a moved to 15-6 on the year with a 7-4 ACC record. Clemson fell to 11-11 and 5-7 in conference.

by EMSPORTS 2/05/2020

The Virginia Cavaliers were at home looking for a marquee win.  The Virginia Cavaliers were looking to stop a two-game home losing streak.  In the last few years, Virginia was generally the higher ranked team looking to avoid an upset.   This matchup had the #5 Florida State Seminoles paying a visit to John Paul Jones Arena dressed as the hunted not the hunter.

Less than two weeks ago, Florida State had won a very close contest in Tallahassee 54-50 and have been rolling ever since.  The Seminoles were in the midst of a 10-game winning streak and had only lost once in their last 18 games.

The Seminoles started hot, hitting their first three shots and taking a quick 8-0 lead to the surprise of the Cavalier fanbase.  After a few misses, Virginia slowly crawled back into the game and knocked in their first shot came in by Braxton Key after three minutes had elapsed.  The Cavaliers continued to tighten up their defense and then the offense caught up.

The Seminoles kept a slim lead until a drive by Casey Morsell led to a bucket and a foul.  The ensuing free throw was successful and Virginia tied the game at 14.  The first tie since the opening tip.

After that both teams engaged in a seesaw affair with neither team getting much separation from one another.  The largest lead was only three and the lead changed four times before Florida State was able to slide into the half with a 28-27 lead.

The first half was marred by turnovers where Virginia had 10 of the 17 created by both teams.  Each team shot over 40% from the floor and made multiple three pointers.  

The second half saw Florida State score early to push the lead to 30-27 before Virginia ran off a modest 8-0 spurt to gain their biggest lead of the night at 35-30.  The Seminoles responded like the best team in the ACC and started a 10-4 spurt that gave the lead with under 10 minutes left in the half at 40-39.

Once again both teams began to trade the lead, reminiscent of the first half.  After taking a 47-44 lead, the Cavaliers kept the pressure up and took the lead on Kihei Clark’s two free throws with a little over six minutes left in the second half.  

The Seminoles took the Cavaliers’ best shot and then responded with key baskets to maintain a 56-53 lead with just under two minutes.  In all four of Virginia’s ACC losses, they held a lead with under four minutes to play and could not close the deal.  This time around, the tables were turned and the Cavs figured out how to make the key plays and finish strong.

From the 2:20 mark until the final horn, the Cavaliers were the aggressor as well as the finishers.  The courage of Kihei Clark to constantly drive into the “trees” inside the Florida State defense paid off when he scored the game-winning layup with one-minute left.  His bucket came in the midst of an 8-0 run to end the game.

Florida State had two opportunities to tie the game at 59 but came up woefully short on their consecutive three-point attempts.  Braxton Key sealed the victory with two free throws and the upset was complete.

Devin Vassell was a thorn in Virginia’s side all night.  He scored FSU’s final points of the game and nearly shot them to a victory.  He was clutch in several moments and seemed to make plays all night long.  He finished with team highs in points (17) and rebounds (6).  His teammate, Raiquan Gray, added eight points.  For Virginia, they got a bulk of their scoring from the three upperclassmen in Mamadi Diakite with 19 points to lead everyone.  Kihei Clark added 15 and Braxton Key contributed 13 points.  Key and Diakite each collected nine rebounds.

As a team, Virginia struggled with turnovers committing 17 for the game but they were dynamic on the boards with 36 to Florida State’s 23 and at the free throw line where they converted 20 of 23 for the game including the last 7 in a row.  Florida State only made 7 of their 11 attempts.  The defenses were very good.  FSU shot under 39% while UVA was a little better at 43%.  Florida State made seven of 20 from behind the 3pt line while Virginia cashed in on five of 12 shots from there.

The win gives Virginia (14-6, 6-4 ACC) a boost as they now wait eight days before welcoming the Clemson Tigers to Charlottesville.  The loss is Florida State’s (17-3) first since December 2019 and drops them into a second-place tie in the ACC with Duke at 7-2. 

EMSPORTS 1/28/2020 

In many basketball circles, when the calendar turns into a new year, the belief is the real season begins. The new year of 2020 brings new challenges and none bigger than opening up ACC play with your dreaded nemesis, the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Both teams found success in 2019, entering with near identical records. The Hokies are 10-3, 1-1 in ACC. The 19th ranked Cavaliers are 10-2 and 2-0 in the conference. This game would set the tone for the remaining 18 games left in ACC play and as always, giving the winner bragging rights until they meet again in February in Blacksburg.

Virginia come out hot making their first two baskets, a three from Kihei Clark and a layup from Braxton Key. The Hokies were able to score four points in the first few minutes of the game but then the offenses went flat.  Both teams went well over three minutes without a field goal before VT’s Landers Nolley II hit a jumper. Braxton Key answered with a three pointer and Virginia stretched the lead to 14-6. His jumper started a 15-5 run that boosted the lead to 26-11 with just under two minutes left.

Nolley II scored the Hokies last 15 points of the half while Virginia got more balanced scoring. Braxton Key led the team with 11. Clark added eight and Mamadi Diakite and Kody Stattman each chopped in four.  Hoos led 30-17 at the half.

Virginia dominated in all the categories. They had 18 rebounds to Virginia Tech’s 11. The Packline D limited the visitors to 29% shooting from the field and an anemic 17% from behind the three point arc. In comparison, the Cavaliers shot 47% from the field and 30% from the 3pt line.

Virginia executed and exhibited the same defensive grip in the second half and got a career game from Kihei Clark.  Clark was the quickest man in the floor and his dribble penetration and swift moves were too much for the Virginia Tech defense. His play spearheaded a Virginia team that scored 35 points after halftime and shot an impressive 46.3% for the game. The Hoos also connected on 7 of 21 three pointers compared to the Hokies’ 4 of 25 from 3pt land and only 27% for the game overall from the floor.

Virginia is Tech got a few more scorers involved but leading scorer Nolley II only made one basket, single three pointer, with less than four minutes left in the game. Virginia continued to widen the lead until it doubled from 13 to 26 at the final horn. The Cavs got contributions from many sources, with Key matching Clark, who scored a career high 18 points, and Stattman finishing with 10 points.

Nolley II was the only Hokie in double figures with 18 while Tyree Redford was next with eight points all in the second half.

The loss drops VT to 10-4, 1-2 in ACC. The Cavaliers improve to 11-2 and 3-0 in ACC play.

by EMSPORTS.org 1/4/2020

The Virginia Cavaliers brought their big game effort and rabid fans into the Orange Bowl looking to make history.  After losing in the ACC Championship to Clemson, these Cavaliers had regrouped looking to pull the upset against the #9 Florida Gators. 

The Gators, playing in a de facto home game, was too much for the game Cavaliers.  Florida socred on their first possession of the game, 61-yard run from Lamicale Perine and never looked back as they won in a close fought game 36-28. 

The 24th-ranked Hoos came into this game with hard earned lessons learned from an historic season to date.  The Cavaliers had accomplished very many goals on this 2019 season.  The Cavs had defeated arch-rival Virginia Tech for the first time since 2003 and claimed their first Coastal Division title.

The legacy of all the graduating fourth and fifth year football players was cemented and now they had an opportunity to add more great memories.  The contributions of QB Bryce Perkins, WR Joe Reed and WR Hasise Dubois would long live in the memories of the Wahoo Nation faithful as well as the history books.  The three superstars didn't disappoint in their final game as a Cavalier.

Bryce Perkins set several records as he spearheaded his team to a near upset in the primetime matchup with this SEC power.  Perkins completed 28 of 40 passes for 323 yards.  He set a Virginia bowl record and personal record with his four touchdown passes as well as broke the longstanding total yardage record held by the imcomparable Shawn Moore.  Perkins accumulated 7,910 yards in his two years as the Cavalier signal caller.

The Cavaliers matched the Gators score for score as they were tied 14-14 until Florida scored the last 10 points of the half.  Perine was a one-man wrecking crew with three touchdowns in the first half.  He scored twice by land and once on a pass and catch from QB Kyle Trask. 

In the second half, the Cavaliers tightened up on the defense and forced the Gators into a more of an offensive grind, eliminating the big plays that hurt them in the first half.  The Cavalier offense was able to put together a strong drive and scored early in the fourth quarter when Joe Reed caught a sideline pass and snuck into the endzone giveing life to the underdog Cavs and bringing a roar from the Cavalier faithful.

However, Florida proved their worth and scored with a quick response.  As the Cavaliers made another drive deep into Gator territory, Perkins committed his only mistake of the game with an interception in the redzone.  The Gators turned the mistake into a much needed field goal that gave them a 36-21 lead.

The Cavaliers would not go down without a fight.  Perkins and the offense found one more trip into the redzone and a well aimed pass found its way into the waiting hands of Hasise Dubois.  The touchdown catch, Dubois's second of the game, closed the gap to 36-28 and a slim flicker of life was left for Virginia.

A successful onside kick was all that stood between the Cavaliers and the Gators and the possibility of overtime.  Unfortunately, the onside kick was recovered by the Gators and the season had come to a bittersweet end.

There were many who stood out for the Cavaliers.  Perkins and his incredible one-man show.  Dubois with his 10 catches displaying his steel-like grip converted those catches into 83 yards and two touchdowns.  Joe Reed drew his career to a close with 7 receptions and 52 yards and the one touchdown.  The third member of the pass catching trio was Terrell Jana who collected a team high 126 yards on seven catches and one touchdown. 

The Gators were led by Trask who passed for 305 yards, one touchdown and also ran for a touchdown. Perine finished with 138 rushing yards (career-high) and 181 total yards from scrimmage.

The Gators complet the season at 11-2 and won the Orange Bowl for the fourth time in four tries.  The Hoos represented themselves well in their first ever appearance in the Orange Bowl and finish at 9-5.

story by EMSPORTS 12/31/2019  

Virginia douses and snuffs out the Liberty Flames, 55-29

Virginia welcomed all the brave who were present on Military Appreciation Day. The annual day of appreciation was the home contest versus Liberty Flames.

The neighbors along 29 South were looking for revenge from last year’s loss but also a chance to lock up a bowl berth with a win. Virginia went on defense and wasted no time flexing their muscle and forcing a quick three-and-out.

In their first possession, Perkins spearheaded a nine-play drive which finished on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Perkins to Terrell Jana.

Liberty answered with back to back touchdowns to take a surprise 14-10. Liberty was driving again until the Virginia defense stepped up and under a massive pass rush forced QB Stephen “Buckshot” Calvert into an ill-advised throw that was intercepted by Devante Cross.

Cross gave the Virginia team new life and the took advantage with a touchdown scoring drive. Lamont Atkins scores his first career rushing TD to give Virginia a 17-14 lead. Virginia forced another three and out that gave the offense another chance to pad the lead. With a strong rushing attack, the Cavs matriculated down the field. A big run of 33 yards from Atkins put the team in the redzone. Mike Hollins capped the drive with a three-yard rush into the endzone to put Virginia ahead 24-14.

Liberty returned ensuing kickoff into the Virginia territory but was unable to convert when Alex Probert missed a 43-yard field goal.

The second half started with good field position after Seneca Milledge returned the kick 41 yards to set up the next offensive possession. Perkins mixed the run and pass to perfection and hit Joe Reed with a 7- yard passing toss to up the lead to 31-14. The key play was a well-executed fake punt when backup QB Brennan Armstrong hit LB Charles Snowden with a trick pass that took the ball to the seven-yard line leading to the TD pass.

The teams exchanged punts but the Virginia punt went out at the one-yard line. Virginia turned Liberty’s horrible punt into a short TD drive. Bryce Perkins scrambled around the end for a two-yard run for a touchdown.

The Liberty Flames would not back down and with some strong running from Frankie Hickson they moved into the redzone. From the six-yard line, Calvert threw a strike caught one-handed by Antonio Gandy-Golden. The lead was cut to 17.

Virginia took the next possession and proceeded to cover 81 yards for another rushing TD. PK Kier hit the hole to the left for 31 yards then finished in the next play with a scoring run of two yards and give Virginia the 45-21 lead.

Liberty struck back with big pass play of 47 yards to CJ Yarbrough. They were able to get in the redzone but after a third down incompletion, the Flames settled for a 35-yard field goal.

Virginia answered with a 29-yard field goal following the kickoff. The try extended the lead to 48-24.

A change at QB did not slow down UVA on offense. Brennan Armstrong was also successful behind center.  He orchestrated a drive that concluded with a TD strike to Dontayvion Wicks of 44 yards to go up 55-24.

Liberty was able to make one more strong drive and added a 31-yard field goal as time expired to close the scoring at 55-27.

Virginia dominated on the scoreboard and on the stat sheet. Virginia gained 499 yards and kept the call for over 38 minutes. They also win the turnover battle as they intercepted two passes of Calvert and committed zero turnovers.

Liberty threw for 313 yards but were only able to produce 79 yards on the ground. Virginia showed more balance by passing for 272 and rushing for 227.

Game Highlights:

- Virginia rushed for 3 touchdowns and over 200 yards for the first time this season.

- Devante Cross has 3 career interceptions, all versus Liberty and against Stephen Calvert.

- Virginia scored in each quarter, and scored 28 unanswered points when Liberty led 14-10 in second period.

Liberty returns home to face New Mexico State, a team they defeated in New Mexico in October. Virginia closes out the regular season with a mammoth Commonwealth Clash against arch rival Virginia Tech. The game will decide the winner of the ACC Coastal Division.

EMSPORTS.org 11/23/2019

The #7 Cavaliers survive upstart Vermont Catamounts and win 61-55

The #7 Virginia Cavaliers made another home defense on a cold November night. In the on-site match up in this year’s Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic, the undefeated Vermont Catamounts visited JPJ.

Both teams came in with suffocating defenses and this game shaped up to be a “first one to 50” wins type of battle.  Offense was optional early on but the defense never took a break.

The Catamounts came out the gates quick and caught the national champs by surprise. A quick 7-0 spurt in just under three and a half minutes, quieted the home crowd and forced Virginia to take a long, slow breath to find out what was going on.

Then the defense stepped up and after a Mamadi Diakite three-pointer, the fans came alive and the team went on a 16-3 explosion over a 10-minute span.

The Cavs made the lead stand up and it could have been bigger until Anthony Lamb drained a three at the buzzer. Virginia led 24-18 at the half.

The Anthony Lamb show was just beginning. He scored 25 points alone in the second half which included 7 of 14 from behind the three point arc for the game (six 3s after halftime). His lightning quick release and hot shooting propelled the Catamounts into a lead at 34-31. The 16-7 run gave the visitors momentum until the Cavaliers tied it on a Diakite triple.

At 34-34, the game became a back and forth affair with the offenses heating up. Both teams took a lead then gave it back. After three free throws from Lamb to give Vermont its final lead at 49-48 lead, the mettle and mental grind that made the Cavaliers the tough minded national champs, was put on display.  

A critical 8-0 run proved to be the difference. The Cavs held the Catamounts scoreless for over three and a half minutes to maintain a comfortable cushion which proved to be more than enough.

The teams both scored 37 points apiece in the second half but Virginia won 61-55.

Virginia improves to 4-0 as Vermont suffers their first lost and drops to 4-1.

Quick Stats:

Anthony Lamb led all scorers with 30 points. Stef Smith added 13. The leaders for the Cavaliers were Diakite with 19, Kihei Clark with 15 and Braxton Key contributed 14.

The Cavaliers outrebounded the Catamounts 30 to 28 and held them to only 38% shooting from the field while shooting over 46% themselves.  Vermont held the edge in three point shooting making 12 compared to UVA’s 8.  They also recorded 12 assists to Virginia's 11.

EMSPORTS.org  11/19/2019

No. 9 Virginia Cavaliers Lock Down the Columbia Lions, 60-42

The visiting Columbia Lions were looking to pull off the upset at John Paul Jones over the 9th ranked Virginia Cavaliers.  The Lions were hoping to tear through the Cavaliers and hope their performance was as strong as their roar.  However, when a lion is in unfamiliar territory, the safety of the home "den" is no where to be found.

Instead, the Cavaliers turned the Lions' roar into a whimper, as their trademark Packline Defense was on full display in the first half and throughout the afternoon.

The offense jumped out to a 10-0 lead, before the visitors finally score with under five minutes played in the game.  The Cavaliers were not going to stop there.  After Columbia was able to close the lead to 12-7, Virginia picked up the intensity and also the efficiency.  A 19-10 run over the final 12 minutes, staked the Cavaliers to a 31-17 halftime lead.  The fans were entertained to another classic performance of the Cavaliers holding an opposing team to under 20 points in a single half.

The second half started out a little slower but Virginia was just finding its groove, when it methodically doubled up the Lions on a 24-12 run that increased the lead to 55-29 with under six minutes to play.  By this time, Columbia was all but done and Coach Bennett began substituting at wil to rest his starters and give some of the reserves some well earned playing time.

Columbia was able to chip away but eventually they were not going to overcome the huge deficit and the final score indicated that the Cavs had a comfortable lead.

Mike Smith lead the way in scoring for the game with 16 points.  No other Lion was in double figures.  Virginia was paced by Mamdi Diakite and Jay Huff, who both had 13 points.  Kihei Clark was a contributor with 10 points and a game high 5 assists.  Virginia's defense limited Columbia to under 30% shooting from the field and 3pt line. 

Viriginia will now prepare for the undefeated Vermont Catamounts on Tuesday, Nov. 19th.  The Lions will head back home to New York but must visit the St. John's Red Storm on Wednesday, Nov. 20th.

by EMSPORTS.org 11/16/2019

CAVALIERS CLING TO WIN, 33-28, OVER GEORGIA TECH ON HOMECOMINGS WEEKEND

The Virginia Cavaliers returned home to start a season-ending three game homestand.  Their first opponent in this stretch was the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.  These Yellow Jackets were visitors on Homecomings Weekend in Charlottesville.

The Cavaliers lost a heartbreaker to the GT in Atlanta in overtime last season.  With the impressive win at UNC a week ago, the Hoos were looking to exact some revenge and continue to increase the lead they had in the Coastal Division.

In a back and forth affair, the Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets traded punches. GT struck on their first possession with a long touchdown pass from James Graham to Ahmarean Brown for 59 yards only to have UVA answer in front of the home crowd with a corresponding touchdown drive finished by Wayne Tualapapa from two yards away.

On the first Saturday in November, Virginia and North Carolina met for the 124th time in the South's Oldest Rivalry, a series that began in 1892.  This was Virginia's record-setting sixth night game of 2019, however, this marked the first night game in series history to be played at Kenan Stadium between UVA and UNC.

Virginia had won the last two meetings in this series. UNC Coach Mack Brown is back for his second tenure with UNC. Coach Brown was back for his second tenure with the Tar Heels after coaching them nearly two decades ago.  He had faced Coach Mendenhall when he was coaching Texas and Mendenhall was the coach at BYU.

This game was all about the offense. Each team put up over 500 yards and neither team had a turnover.

After both teams punted on their initial possessions, North Carolina took an early 3-0 lead but Virginia answered with a scoring drive the include some trickeration.  On fourth down, the Cavaliers ran a fake punt which resulted in a first down.  The shift in momentum help continue the drive which was capped by a Bryce Perkins touchdown run from the one-yard line.  The Cavaliers took a 7-3 lead into the second quarter.

Both teams played with great energy and kept the defenses off-balance. The scoring picked up in the second quarter.  Virginia increased their lead to 10-3 with a successful field goal from Brian Delaney of 21 yards.  The Carolina accepted the challenge and reeled off back to back scoring drives with touchdown passes of 47 yards from Sam Howell to Dyami Brown and then 34 yards from Howell to Brown again.  The home team was ahead  17-10 and looking to run away from Virginia.

With Bryce Perkins back in control, the Cavaliers marched down the field in less than two minutes and grabbed the momentum back with a six-yard scoring pass from Perkins to Hasise Dubois that helped tie the score at 17-17 prior to halftime.  

Bryce Perkins had put on his Superman cape and that TD before the half on the first of four consecutive scoring drives from the end of the second half throughout the third quarter.  To begin the second half, Perkins turned a broken play into a spectacular touchdown run of 65 yards.  This began a stretch in the third quarter of four consecutive scoring drives alternating between both teams, as they went back and forth trying to outduel each other.

Perkins set a school record with 490 all-purpose yards (30-39 on 378 passing yards and 24 carries for 112 rushing yards) and tied a career record with five total touchdowns. Terrell Jana was his favorite target with career-high in receptions (13) and receiving yards (146).

UNC Freshman QB Sam Howell was nearly as superior. He was able to nearly match touchdown for a touchdown with Virginia. He completed 15 of 29 passes for 353 yards and four touchdowns.

While both teams lit up the scoreboard for three quarters, the defenses made enough stops to pitch shutouts in the final quarter. Virginia’s defense made two stops in the last five minutes, specifically a fourth and three inside the six-yard line. The final series was also a turnover on downs and the bend but not break performance paid off.

The win gave Virginia bowl eligibility for the third straight year for the first time since 2005. The Cavaliers sit atop the ACC Coastal Division 4-2 (6-3) overall while UNC falls to 3-3 (4-5) overall in the Coastal.

EMSPORTS.org 11/02/2019

Virginia dominates the Blue Devils, 48-14

The Virginia Cavaliers returned home after two tough losses on the road. Their woes were made even worse after losing eight days ago at Miami and not scoring a single touchdown.  Today was a battle of Coastal Division co-leaders and a lot was riding on this game.

The return home was just what the doctor ordered as the Cavaliers dominated the Duke Blue a Devils by a score of 48-14.

Bryce Perkins threw an ill-advised interception on the first drive of the game, into the endzone. How are, the defense picked up the offense with turnovers and kept the Blue Devils from crossing the 50-yard line in the first half. The Cavaliers did a great job of getting touchdowns not field goals when they got in the redzone.  Perkins accounted for two touchdowns in the ground and Brian Delaney booted a 33-td field goal to give the Hoos a 17-0 halftime lead.

Duke was hoping to make a dent in the deficit but the turnover bug struck again. On the first snap of the second half, Duke fumbles and Charles Snowden recovered for the Cavs. Brian Delaney converted another field goal.  After another great defensive stand (fourth down stop), the Cavs bust down the door with another rushing TD from Wayne Tualapapa. 

Up 27-0, Virginia was in full control. Duke finally answered with their best drive of the game. This time QB Quinton Harris hit a 36-yard passing TD to WR Scott Bracey to break the shutout. The excitement was short lived. On the ensuing kickoff, the electric kick return of Joe Reed for a 95 yard, got the Hoos back into the endzone and the game was by all intents and purposes, over.

The Hoos and Blue Devils made wholesale changes and after trading a couple of touchdowns, the final horn sounded. The Cavaliers had provided the home crowd a statement victory.

Cavalier stats:

• Perkins became 1st Virginia QB ever with three rushing touchdowns in a single game.

• Tualapapa finished with career high 77 yards rushing and two touchdowns 

• Virginia recorded five turnovers and only punted three times.

• 48 points are the highest total ever for a Coach Mendenhall team against an ACC opponent.

• The Cavaliers held their seventh straight opponent to under 300 total yards for the game. The first team to accomplish this feat since the 1995 team.

• Joe Reed returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the fifth time in his career. Reed is the UVA career leader in all time kick return yardage. 

• Reed is now tied for No. 9 in FBS history and tied for No. 3 in ACC history with five career kick returns for touchdowns.

• Duke has now lost five consecutive matchups to the Cavaliers and have never beaten UVA under               Coach Mendenhall.

EMSPORTS.org 10/19/2019

The Virginia Cavaliers Raise the Championship Banner

It was a night to remember. The University of Virginia held a formal celebration for the Men’s Basketball Champions in John Paul Jones.  The arena was nearly packed as well over 10,000 of Hoos closest family, friends and fans made the trip to Charlottesville to formally celebrate the Night of Champions and the Raising of the Banner for the NCAA Champs.

A team which had only one 30 win season in their long history, prior to the 2013-2014 season, had now nearly 30 wins a per year in every season up to the present since then. 

Under the leadership of Coach Tony Bennett, the 2018-2019 season was a season to remember. This program was just one season removed from the most memorable upset in NCAA history. The UMBC Retrievers has done the unthinkable as the first #16 seed to defeat a #1 seed. The loss will forever be a part of the annals of NCAA history but not bigger than the aftermath: The Story of Redemption.  The Cavaliers turned their darkest moment into a driving force that produce the the brightest light paving the path to their first ever National Championship in Men’s Basketball.

“Every champion must endure suffering.”  This phrase was repeated by Coach Bennett as he harkened back to how the team suffered at the hands on embarrassment and the wrong side of history in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Rafael Nadal spoke the comment at the 2019 US Open (which he won) but it aptly fits the champion Hoos as they showed grit, perseverance and humility in the face of criticism and pressure. The team once again earned another #1 seed for the 2019, but this time they did not stay in the valley but rose to the top of the mountain. 

As the night unfolded, the night was full of energy and emotion. After Coach Bennett spoke, Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy and De’Andre Hunter all shared the stage and during a conversation with Dave Koehn, the Voice of Virginia Athletics. Each spoke of how nervous and excited they were to be a part of the same recruiting class and fulfill a dream, to bring home a national title. They spoke of living out the good and bad times and then how they elevated on the foundation built by earlier teams. 

Each member and staff were then honored with their commemorative wristwatch and a audacious championship ring that could be seen from space. It was the perfect symbol and reward for a program that had been built by Coach Bennett for a decade. The fruits of his labor and the young men who went the extra mile to live up to the five pillars were beat displayed in the celebration with the fan base that had embraced the pace and loved every minute of it.

Congrats to the 2018-2019 Virginia Men’s Basketball Team, for joy finally came in the morning on this special night of celebration.

by EMSPORTS.org 9/13/2019

The #25 Cavaliers defeat the Florida State Seminoles in a late night classic, 31-24

This second Saturday in September was shaping up to be as exciting a football Saturday that Charlottesville had ever witnessed.

On the heels of the Friday celebration for the Men’s Basketball raising their championship banner, the #25 Cavaliers hosted perennial ACC powerhouse Florida State Seminoles. These Seminoles were not as flashy or dominant as the previous versions, but they were still dangerous. This team was loaded with speed, talent and potential but none of that was going to sway Virginia from the task at home.  In front of nearly 58,000 enthusiastic fans, the Cavaliers were poised to Defend their turf and Rock the Scott (Stadium).

Virginia received the opening kickoff and with a promising drive moved into the Florida State redzone. The drive turned sour after an errant Bryce Perkins pass was intercepted.  Each team traded punts before Virginia broke through with a long drive and a field goal from Brian Delaney that traveled 49 yards to put the Hoos up 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Seminoles struggles were on offense but defense kept them in the game. The Cavaliers secured their own muffed punt but with backs to the end zone, the offense was not able to move very far from the shadow of the end zone. A poor punt by Nash Griffin gave the ‘Noles life and they scored in three plays on a short field.  QB James Blackman pass to TE Gabe Nabers was a successful 10 yard touchdown and gave the visitors a lead with user nine minutes left in the second quarter.

It was vital for the Cavaliers to regain momentum and grab back the lead.  They were able to do both. In six plays and 75 yards, the Hoos mixed passes and runs to get into the promised land with Wayne Taulapapa’s three yard dash to push the lead to 10-7 for Virginia. Florida State’s answered the touchdown with one of their own. In less than three minutes, the Seminoles went 87 yards with the final pass a touchdown from Blackman to RB Cam Akers for three yards.  Virginia could not answer before the half and a desperation pass from Perkins to Reed was intercepted deep in the Seminoles’ territory.

Seminoles took opening second half kickoff and then punted only to have Virginia return the favor.  The next possession saw positive returns for Florida State. They were able to work down the field and convert a long, 53 yard field goal by Ricky Aguayo.  The Hoos now facing a 17-10 deficit in the third quarter proceeded to match the Seminoles.

In a quick passing attack, Perkins led the team 75 yards spanning the end of the third quarter and start if the fourth. On a second down pass play, Perkins hit WR Joe Reed with a beautiful pass in corner of endzone and the score was tied at 17 afer Delaney's PAT kick.  With Florida State feeling the momentum slipping away, the hurry offense made plays and forced Virginia’s defense to react and not attack. A well led attack with timely passes and strong running got Florida State the lead again. This time Keyshawn Helton was the recipient of a Blackman 17 yard toss. Down but not out, the Hoos made up the deficit with a finely orchestrated 75 yard, 12 play drive that saw Tualapapa get his second TD. The extra point was no good and with that Florida State held a thin one-point advantage. 

The Cavaliers defense made the stops and a forced punt allowed the Cavaliers’ offense to get the lead back.  With Perkins’ arm and Joe Reed’s legs, the Cavaliers made Florida State’s defense work and sweat. The Seminoles were flagged for a targeting which gave Uva the ball 1st and goal inside the 10. Two runs later and Tualapapa was celebrating with his 3rd rushing TD. The magic of Bryce Perkins was on display for the subsequent two-point conversion. With the moves of Houdini and some intuition, the Cavalier QB made moves to slip out imminent danger and finally waltz into the end zone, giving the home squad a 31-24 lead to the the roar of over 60,000 obsessed Wahoo fans. 

However, there were 2 minutes and 36 seconds left and Florida State has more than enough time to score.  The high flying, quick pace Seminole offense has shown to be dangerous all night. This last drive would be no different. The Seminoles started at their on 25 yard line and proceeded to pass their way up the field. However, something strange happened on the way to the end of the game.  On fourth down, Blackman fires a pass broken up by CB Nick Grant, but a flag was tossed and Florida State was awarded a first down. That was not all. Coach Mendenhall profusely argued the call and his antics supplied Florida State with another 15 yard penalty. The Seminoles has moved 30 yards with no time elapsing. The Blue Wave Cavalier defense answered the call again. The Seminoles were down to their last play when an incomplete pass seemed to seal their fate.  However, another flag and yet again another 15 yards for Florida Star who was creeping ever so close to the redzone.

As the anticipation increased, so did the anxiety on the faces of each fan in Scott Stadium. The Seminoles were on the verge of another fourth down with just 13 seconds left. A pinpoint pass from Blackman to Helton on third down earned a 1st and goal from the 4 yard line with four seconds left. In helter-skelter fashion, the Seminoles played super hurry up and reminiscent to Warrick Dunn in 1995, this endzone was the stage for a frenzied finale. Cam Akers to a direct snap around the right side and as he closed in on the goalline, he was stopped twice by Virginia defenders with time expiring. It happened again, a goalline stand and a tremendous victory as a sea of people in orange and blue embraced these undefeated Hoos in the belly of Scott Stadium.

The Clipboard:

- Blackman was phenomenal with 22-37, 234 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions

- Perkins played spectacular in second half with 16 consecutive completions and a passing TD to go along with the key two-point conversion.

- First time a ranked Virginia team (#23 AP in 2007) has won since destroying the Miami Hurricanes in the final game in the Orange Bowl, 48-0.

- Keep away, time of possession: UVA 39:44 > FSU 20:16

- Both teams combined for 19 penaties, 180 total yards and five personal foul penalties (All Florida State)

by EMSPORTS.org 9/14/19

Virginia manhandles William & Mary in home opener, 52-17

Friday night lights is a natural phenomenon that engulfs countless fans of football in the fall every year. In this Friday, the Virginia (1-0) Cavaliers decided to make their mark as they opened up their 2019 home schedule with the visiting William and Mary Tribe (1-0).

The Champs are Here! Cavaliers defeat defending Lacrosse Champ Yale, 13-9

In Charlottesville, the University of Virginia has had an historic seven weeks.  In early April, the basketball team captured their first ever Men's NCAA Title.  The Cavalier Lacrosse Team saw and learned the lessons from their UVA brethren and decided to do the same.

Exactly 7 Mondays from the night of the basketball championship, the team led by coach Lars Tiffany secured the program's sixth NCAA title in Lacrosse.  This was no easy feat and it took some fortunate bounces and tremendous play to earn their newest hardware.  The Cavaliers completed the trifecta, of sorts.  They also won the ACC regular season title and the ACC tournament championship.  

First Round:

The UVA Men, seeded #3 in the NCAA Tournament, hosted their first-round matchup where they dispatched Robert Morris, 19-10.  They entered the quarterfinals looking at a familiar foe, the Maryland Terrapins.  The Hoos and the Terps had faced off nearly 100 times and Maryland was easily the most hated and longest despised rival for the Cavaliers. 

They had many epic contests however the most recent one of importance was the 2011 National Championship in Baltimore, MD.  The Hoos prevailed that day in Maryland's back yard and a few years later the Terrapins left the ACC for the Big Ten.

Quarterfinals:

The Cavaliers and Terps were neck and necks through most of the first three quarters.  However, with 10:38 left in the fourth quarter, the Terrapins led 12-7 and look to be heading into the national semifinals.  The Cavaliers were down but not out and went on a furious scoring binge.  The Hoos scored the last five goals in regulation to send the game into overtime.  In overtime, faceoff specialist, first-year Petey LaSalla won the biggest faceoff of the year.  He found Matt Moore on the move and Moore did the rest.  Moore's sudden victory OT goal just 45 seconds into the extra period sent the Cavaliers through to the Final Four in Philadelphia with a 13-12 triumph.

The Cavaliers went from the frying pan right into the oven has they were now facing their newest nemesis, the Duke Blue Devils.  The Blue Devils had a stranglehold over the series with the Cavs.  They had been victorious in 19 of the last 20 contests including nine straight.  The Cavaliers had not vanquished the Devils since 2010 ACC Tournament. 

Semifinals:

The Cavaliers took an early 1-0 then 2-1 lead but the Blue Devils would not allow another goal in the first half.  After a 4-0 scoring advantage in the second period, the teams traded goals in the third quarter.  Every time UVA made a move, Duke countered and they upped the ante.  The Blue Devils jumped ahead 8-4 halfway in the third period and looked to be in control.  Virginia found new life an answered back with a quick 3 goal scoring spree before Duke closed the quarter with back to back goals.  The fourth quarter was going to decide the fate of one of these teams, the loser was going to rue the chance to be in the national final match.

Leading 10-7, Duke gave up the first score to UVA.  Then answered with another goal.  UVA pushed to deficit to one, with two quick scores and looked to have momentum.  Duke squelched the run with a goal and under two minutes to play, the Blue Devils just needed to play defense to win this match.  The Hoos did not listen to conventional wisdom and has in the past, they found a way to knot the score at 12 with 15 seconds left and head to overtime.

One overtime was not enough as both teams wasted chances to end this contest however, in the second OT, Ian Laviano, the Cavs' leading scorer on the year, notched his 50th goal of the season of an assist from Matt Moore (team leader in that category).  With the clock showing 3:09 to play in the second OT, the final score was 13-12 in favor of Virginia.  Finally, the Blue Devils had been exorcised.

After such a magnificent win, the Cavaliers were starting to resemble that team from JPJ.  Cardiac Cavaliers or Comeback Cavs seemed to be a fitting description for the ability to pull the wins out at the end of these playoff battles.  

National Finals:

Championship Monday on Memorial Day was the final stop for this Virginia team and a date with destiny.  The Yale Bulldogs stood in the way of the Cavaliers completing the journey to the top of the Lacrosse mountain.  

The Bulldogs had been here before and their claim to fame was their offense.  The offense had scored 59 goals in the first three rounds of the tournament and were looking like a juggernaut after dispatching the #1 team in the country, the Penn State Nittany Lions, 21-17 in the semifinals.

The Elis (Yale's nickname) sported the one of the best players in the country in TD Irelan, a faceoff specialist who had won a mindboggling 75% of the faceoffs and was a finalist for the player of the year award, The Tewaaraton Award.  Yale took an early 1-0 lead before Matt Moore scored two goals to give UVA a 2-1 lead.  Then Yale tied the game when all tourney player, Matt Brandau assisted Matt Gaudet for the tying score.

Virginia then took over and scored the next four goals in the first half.  The Virginia defense was phenomenal and thwarted every attack that the Yale offense attempted to ignite.  With the score at 6-2, the Cavaliers headed into the final 30 minutes with a lead and complete control.

The Yale Bulldogs would not go down without a fight and in a blink of the eye, the Bulldogs scored two lightning fast goals and suddenly the mood shifted in the stadium.  In less than 70 seconds, the score was 6-4, Yale was jubilant and the Cavaliers were back on their heels.  

UVA collected their thoughts and responded in a grand fashion.  With precision passing and great energy, the Hoos put together a 5-0 streak that knocked the Elis off their high horse and essentially ended the chance of a repeat by Yale.

There would be no great comeback or tense moments in this championship tilt.  The Cavaliers had ascended back to the top of the sport with their scintillating performance.  The final score of 13-9 was confirmation of the hard work and long road this team had traveled to be recognized as the Kings of Lacrosse.  They started the season 1-2 and only dropped one more contest over the final 17 matches of the season.  That was to Duke in the regular season and they avenged that loss in the semifinals.  The Cavaliers will look to be the favorite heading into the 2020 season.  Their Sixth National Championship has a sweet taste to it and will be housed in Charlottesville, the new City of Champions.

by EMSPORTS.org  5/28/19