Semifinal spot on the line for Virginia

The last time the Virginia men’s lacrosse team met up with Stony Brook, there were 10-foot snow banks lining the University Hall turf field. The game had been moved from the team’s usual field at Klockner Stadium because of heavy snowfall in the Charlottesville area. UVa was tested by Stony Brook, but eventually pulled away, winning 13-8 in its home opener Feb. 27.

Today, some three months later, the teams meet again — this time on Stony Brook’s home turf in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. The winner advances to next weekend’s Final Four in Baltimore.

The game will be Virginia’s second since one of its players, George Huguely, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of women’s lacrosse player Yeardley Love, who was found dead in her apartment on May 3.

“I think there’s been a lot of guys leaning on each other as best as they can,” said Virginia coach Dom Starsia, whose father died May 7. “People ask how we’re doing and I say, ‘We’re doing the best that we can here.’

“Lives have been changed here forever, but some people who I really care about need to be able to continue to move on with their lives. We’re doing the best we can to help people do that.”

Last week, top-seeded Virginia (15-1) had its way with visiting Mount St. Mary’s. UVa showed little rust in an 18-4 win.

But the challenge today figures to be tougher, especially since eighth-seeded Stony Brook (13-3) — by virtue of pre-determined NCAA quarterfinal sites — will have home-field advantage. The game has already sold out.

There is also the strong possibility, given Stony Brook’s proximity to New York City, that more media will be in attendance to cover a story that has made national headlines.

Starsia, though, doesn’t believe his team will become unglued in the high-pressure environment.

“I think we’re a group that’s fairly mature ... I would be hopeful, that we would maintain our poise in every instance,” he said. “We’re a program that has played in some hostile environments, so I don’t anticipate that would be an issue.”

In February’s win, Virginia got three goals apiece from Steele Stanwick and Chris Bocklet. UVa and Stony Brook each had spells of sloppiness, finishing with 17 turnovers apiece.

Virginia led only 4-3 at the end of the first quarter, but was able to turn it on in the second. Bocklet scored three straight goals to put UVa up 7-3.

In goal, UVa junior Adam Ghitelman made 13 saves, many of the spectacular variety. Ghitelman, like a number of Cavalier players who hail from Long Island, is looking forward to playing in front of friends and family today.

Starsia said he expects a tough challenge from Stony Brook, which beat Denver in its first-round game last Saturday. The Seahawks’ Kevin Crowley and Tom Compitello each had three goals.

“What you come to appreciate from watching them is that they are a team that clearly knows who it is,” Starsia said. “I’m not sure that I appreciated Kevin Crowley and Tom Compitello and some of these guys back in February as I do now.

“They’ve just had monstrous seasons.”