Coming out of high school, Tillman Johnson knew exactly where he wanted to go to school and continue his lacrosse career - Virginia was the only school registering on his radar.
"I've always wanted to go here," Johnson said. "As soon as I had the opportunity to come, I just took it."
And the Cavaliers could not be more glad to have him now, after a week in which Johnson compiled 36 saves for a .600 save percentage, leading Virginia to wins over No. 6 Princeton, No. 17 Notre Dame and No. 10 Towson - all teams that were in the Final Four in 2001. Johnson received ACC Player of the Week honors for his great play.
"Tillman has been playing very well," coach Dom Starsia said. "He came back this year bigger, stronger and more confident. We asked a lot out of him and our team. No one plays three games of that caliber in one week."
And with wins in each of those games, Virginia now finds itself ranked third in the nation, only one of two teams receiving a first-place vote. Current No. 1 Johns Hopkins, who will play the Cavaliers tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Klockner Stadium, received the other votes.
|
"It will be a great day for the Charlottesville lacrosse community to have the number one team in the country coming," Starsia said. "Virginia and Johns Hopkins has been a great matchup for longer than I've been here."
One game that he certainly remembers vividly, though, is last year's epic battle between these two squads in which Virginia outlasted Johns Hopkins, finally winning in the fourth overtime. In that game, Johnson recorded a career-high 18 saves, allowing just one goal in the game's final 44 minutes.
Johnson has not only started every game of his college career but also has played remarkably well, earning him recognition as one of the nation's top goalies. It certainly comes as no surprise to Starsia, who describes his goalie as a "tremendously hard worker," always looking to improve.
His physical tools give him an edge - the explosive quickness of his hands and feet even caused him a few problems last year, as he exploded so quickly that he was prone to rebounds. What's been impressive about Johnson this year is his commitment to the control and mental parts of his game.
"This year I'm trying to stay more focused, working harder in practice," Johnson said. "My positioning and everything in the cage, I'm working on that. Last year I was a little too emotional, but now I'm trying to stay relaxed and more focused for the whole game. The extra year of experience is helping me out a lot."
Apparently, Johnson used that experience last week. The entire squad seems to have rallied behind his play and is optimistic about Saturday and the season to come.
"I think last week, the whole week was just great," Johnson said. "I think it really shows the character of the team. The feel of this team is a hundred times different than last year. The offense is playing great, and the defense is starting to come together."
The Cavaliers know they can rely on Johnson's steady play in front of the net as they hope to carry their momentum into tomorrow's game, as they fight for a spot atop the national leaderboard.
Read More
MCNIFF: Virginia’s new-look offensive line brings promise for 2025-26
By Ben McNiff | 5 hours agoThe Cavaliers should improve in the trenches.
Gretchen Walsh concludes U.Va. career with national awards
By Leigh Bailey | 10 hours agoVirginia's megastar earned ample recognition for her 2024-25 campaign.
Seven Cavaliers, one recruit selected in 2025 MLB Draft
By Emory Huffman | 4 days agoThe draft process went swimmingly for Virginia.
