The Virginia men's lacrosse team will renew a long-standing rivalry between powerhouse programs when they take on Johns Hopkins tomorrow at Klöckner Stadium at 2 p.m.
The No. 2 Cavaliers (3-1), ranked second in the STX/USILA national poll, return home after a three-game road trip that saw wins at Stony Brook (N.Y.), Rutgers, and then-No. 2 Princeton. Now at the tail end of their own road trip, the No. 7 Blue Jays (1-2) come off a 13-12 heart-breaking loss at top-ranked Syracuse last Friday.
"They're probably going to come out pretty hungry to get a win against a top-five team," Cavalier attackman Drew McKnight said. "At the same time, it's important for us to keep it going for now, before our ACC schedule. So every game is a big game for us."
Tomorrow's game could have long-term ramifications for both teams. A win for the Cavs would help them secure a first-round bye in this year's NCAA Tournament, while a loss by the Blue Jays might eliminate their hopes for one.
The top-10 battle will mark the first time these two teams have met since Virginia topped Hopkins 16-11 in the semifinals of last year's tournament.
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Led by attackman Dan Denihan and midfielder A.J. Haugen, Hopkins has outshot its opponents 159-111 in its first three games. Despite their high number of shots, the Blue Jays have struggled to find the net, converting only 22 percent of their tries.
The matchup with Hopkins will be Virginia's final game before facing a tough schedule packed with conference teams.
"It's kind of a gut check for us," Cavalier middie Jay Jalbert said. "We just need to keep offensively moving the ball and playing hard defense. This will be a hard test for us going into the ACC."
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