A victory without celebration for a saddened school

Under normal circumstances, Virginia’s men’s lacrosse team would have heartily celebrated its 18-4 rout of Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

This time it was different. College kids, still in shock from the tragic events that brutally took one of their own two weeks ago, made this a mellow event. The Cavaliers, ranked No. 1 in all the land, didn’t exactly know how to act, how to feel, or even express their feelings when facing a throng of media during post-game interviews in University Hall.

The emotions of Yeardley Love’s death wore on the faces of UVa’s players and their leader, coach Dom Starsia. Love, a senior on the Virginia women’s team — which opens its own NCAA tournament play at noon today against visiting Towson — was found dead in her apartment. George Huguely, formerly one of the UVa men’s players, was charged with her murder.

A gloom has surrounded the program, the university community and the city ever since Charlottesville woke up to the sad news on May 4.

The game takes a back seat

The fact that Virginia, now 15-1, cruised to an easy win to open postseason play — playing perhaps its best game of the season — was lost in the darkness.

Starsia, who also was dealing with the passing of his father during the ordeal, looked like a man worn down by the burden he has carried for two weeks. The coach was the subject of an internal university investigation regarding how much he knew about the nature of Huguely’s personality and actions and was cleared only two days before Saturday’s game.

While the heavily-favored Cavaliers dominated the Mountaineers all game long, Starsia was taking nothing for granted. Who could predict if Love’s death would galvanize this team’s efforts as it played in her memory, or if an unfocused team might suffer an upset?

Before the game, Starsia’s message to the team was how important it was to win so that this team could stay together and heal during this difficult time.

“I can remember back in 2006, I can still hear Matt Ward talking about wanting to stay together for a couple of more days,” Starsia said. “I think — during this period of time especially — I think it’s real important that we can stay together for a while more. It would have been really hard if we had had to disburse right now. It was important that we stay together for another week and do something that we do well together and kind of help each other.”

Ward was the linchpin of that ’06 team that finished the season 17-0 and claimed the national championship.

Keeping Love’s memory alive

This team needs to stick together for a different reason, although its goal is the same, taking the trophy at the end of the campaign. But this team is on a mission, to win one for Yeardley.

She wasn’t far from the Cavaliers’ thoughts on this warm May evening. Each player wore a patch: “YL 1,” and “1 Love,” on their warmups and uniforms. Love wore No. 1 on the women’s team and was No. 1 in their hearts.

Perhaps she was smiling down on the men’s No. 1, Shamel Bratton, as he scored the first of UVa’s 18 goals in the contest.

“[The patches] were to remember Yeardley,” said goalie Adam Ghitelman, who played an outstanding game. “She’s out there while we’re playing.”

Losing is not on either team’s mind. Yeardley would have wanted it that way.