Once again it was an offensive burst from Steele Stanwick that led Virginia to victory. This time, he didn’t wait until the final minutes.
The No. 7 Cavaliers went on an incredible 9-0 run to close out the first half, then coasted through the second to win 13-9 in the NCAA men’s lacrosse semifinals against No. 2 Cornell.
For the fourth consecutive season, U.Va. will advance to the Final Four. The semifinals will be held Saturday evening in Baltimore.
It was also a historic victory for the team’s coach, Dom Starsia. He won his 327th game at the Division I level, breaking a tie with the retired Jack Emmer to become the winningest coach in lacrosse history.
Stanwick may also be in line for some individual accolades, having bested the Big Red’s Rob Pannell in a matchup of Tewaaraton trophy finalists. The award is given after the season to the sport’s best player.
With the Wahoos down 4-1 early, Stanwick’s crisp passing sliced and diced the Big Red defense. On the other end of the field, U.Va. threw a mix of zone and man-to-man defenses that held Pannell in check.
Virginia (11-5) faces the winner of Saturday’s late game between Denver and Johns Hopkins, which is also being contested in Hempstead, N.Y. on the campus of Hofstra University. Cornell (14-3) sees one of the best seasons in school history end short of the Final Four.
For more on the Cavaliers' win, return to DailyProgress.com and see Sunday's Daily Progress.
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