According to NCAA rules, a men's lacrosse team shall be made up of one goalkeeper, three defensemen, three attackmen and three midfielders. While the midfielders are frequently mentioned as a second breath to attackers and the goalie in ranking the most essential aspects of the team, this position carries athletes who are in the best physical shape and carry the most diverse tasks of any other on the field.
The "middies" hold a great deal of responsibility -- covering offensive and defensive zones to connect both sides of the team's play. They serve as the core of the transition game, constantly switching in and out at half-field according to changes in possession.
Midfielders possess versatile skills that allow them to be in games during different situations. For Virginia, sophomore Kyle Dixon plays on both sides of the possession, but specializes in scoring and assisting on the offensive end. Junior Nathan Kenney and sophomore Jared Little are found on the field primarily in offensive situations, while sophomore J.J. Morrissey has acted as a gritty shut-down defender on the other side of the ball. Senior midfielder Drew Agoliati is a long-stick midfielder, often performing alongside Morrissey on the defense, but also in special face-off situations on the wing.
While the Cavaliers lost several star midfielders such as Billy Glading, Chris Rotelli and A.J. Shannon to graduation last year, Virginia has found leaders ready to step up and fill the vacant roles.
"We did lose those guys, and that was a lot of scoring and a lot of leadership," Dixon said. "We've got three sophomores playing on the first midfield line, and I think we've stepped it up thus far and improved. I think we're just as strong - maybe not mentally, but we'll get there by the end of the season."
The play of Virginia's midfielders has improved since the team's humbling two-loss weekend in Denver in late February, where fundamentals which are key to the position were completely absent, leading to the Cavaliers twice exceeding their opponents in turnovers. Since returning from the West Coast, Virginia has never compiled more turnovers than its opponents -- Syracuse, Princeton and Towson. The midfielders have complimented play on both sides of the ball where they were not contributing early in the season, improving clearing percentages and diversity in the scoring lineup.
The Cavaliers were able to pull out an overtime win last Sunday over Towson, a game which may have revealed remarkable growth among the young corps of Virginia midfielders. Sophomore attacker Matt Ward scored the game-winner 30 seconds into the extra period, and midfielder Jack deVilliers won the face-off at the beginning of sudden death to control possession.
Face-offs "don't have to be the thing that wins or loses the game, but they are possessions," Virginia coach Dom Starsia said. "It's a very important part of the game."
Dixon and fellow midfielder Matt Poskay each had two goals, Gentry had one score and freshman Drew Thompson and Dixon each posted an assist. In addition, Virginia missed only four clears the entire contest. Against the Tigers, 12 of 27 shots on goal came from the midfielders and only seven of 21 turnovers.
"We're young in the midfield," Little said. "Our attack has defined [itself], but we have to come out every day with intensity."
In a vast transition from the early games of the season, the Cavalier midfielders may have revealed their talent Sunday against Towson, a game which may prove to be a changing point in the middle of a season which has been disappointing thus far.
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