Rubber match for UVa, Duke

Really, when you look at the faceoff statistics from Virginia’s quarterfinal game against Stony Brook last Sunday, it’s a minor miracle that UVa was able to escape Long Island with a win.

Virginia lost 18 of 23 draws, which isn’t usually a signifier of success.

“The kid from Stony Brook just seemed to have our number,” said Virginia coach Dom Starsia, referring to the Seawolves’ Adam Rand. “They did a really good job there.”

No dodo, Starsia knows his top-ranked team must improve in faceoffs to have a legitimate shot at beating Duke (14-4) in the NCAA tournament semifinals tonight in Baltimore.

“We’re a team that can generally put pressure on people if we have the ball,” Starsia said, “so that’s certainly one of the keys to this game.”

In the ACC tournament semifinals last month, Virginia (16-1) was able to snap an eight-game losing streak to Duke. But after the tragedy that saw men’s player George Huguely charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of women’s player Yeardley Love, that game now seems like years ago.

Earlier this week, Starsia said the Virginia women’s team would be on everyone’s mind come game time.

“Certainly, the feelings with the women’s program are with us,” Starsia said, “and will continue to be.”

In the ACC tournament win over Duke, UVa got three goals apiece from Shamel Bratton and Chris Bocklet, two goals from Rhamel Bratton and strong play in goal from Adam Ghitelman in one of its best all-around efforts of the season.

One of the highlights of the 16-12 triumph occurred late in the contest when Ghitelman caught Duke goalie Mike Rock napping and rifled a shot in from about 60 yards out.

Who will be in goal for fifth-ranked Duke at the start of tonight’s game is unclear. Duke coach John Danowski has been alternating between Rock and Dan Wigrizer. “We’ll see how the week goes, and may the best man win,” said Danowski on Tuesday.

Neither of Duke’s first two tournament games were very competitive. The Blue Devils defeated Johns Hopkins by 13 goals and North Carolina by eight en route to the Final Four. Duke had defeated Virginia at Klockner Stadium, 13-9, before the ACC tournament loss.

Having played Duke so many times over the last few seasons, Starsia said he is almost as familiar with their personnel as he is his own.

“The difference between the first two games with Duke was the play in the middle of the field,” Starsia said. “I thought our faceoff guys did a great job in the second game in particular.”

Brian McDermott and Garrett Ince won 22 of 32 faceoffs in that contest.

The last two seasons have ended in disappointment for Virginia. The Cavaliers blew a late lead to Syracuse in the NCAA semifinals in 2008, then got hammered by Cornell last spring.

But Starsia believes his team is stronger and better prepared this time around.

“I think everybody sort of understands what’s at stake here and wants to put their best foot forward,” he said. “I’ve got some older guys who have been around the block ... those are some invaluable resources that can only been attained by having gone through it.”

If Virginia can get past Duke, it would face the Notre Dame-Cornell winner on Monday. UVa, which last won a national title in 2006, would be going for its fifth championship.