What We Learned From No. 1 Virginia Lacrosse’s Victory at No. 10 Johns Hopkins

Breaking down the key takeaways from the Cavaliers' 18-13 win over the Blue Jays on Tuesday

Johns Hopkins Athletics

No. 1 Virginia men’s lacrosse remained undefeated at 5-0 on the season with an 18-13 win over No. 10 Johns Hopkins on Tuesday night in Baltimore. As the Cavaliers prepare to face Towson on Saturday before beginning a challenging stretch of the schedule featuring games against Maryland, Notre Dame, and Duke, here are some takeaways from UVA's win over Johns Hopkins. 

Payton Cormier sits with an injury, Patrick McIntosh steps up

UVA’s leading goal scorer Payton Cormier was seen on crutches after scoring three goals and three assists on Saturday night against Richmond. Cormier, known for his soft hands and outstanding catch-and-shoot ability on the crease, was missed on offense against Johns Hopkins, as UVA turned the ball over 15 times, with many of those turnovers coming as the Cavaliers tried to feed the crease, an area where Cormier usually feasts. 

Still, Virginia managed to put up 18 goals as Patrick McIntosh filled in for Cormier and made his first career start on the attack line. McIntosh made the most of the opportunity, scoring six goals and showed he is capable of helping to fill the void if Cormier's injury lingers. On the other hand, Maryland, Notre Dame, and Duke have much better defenses than Johns Hopkins, and will pose more of a challenge for Virginia without their leading goal scorer. There is no timetable for Cormier's return and how Virginia handles his absence on the offensive end is definitely something to keep in mind.

Connor Shellenberger is fine not scoring any goals

Connor Shellenberger has scored just one goal over the last three games, but he has only taken seven shots and has put up eight assists over that stretch. His patience is a virtue for the Virginia offense. Shellenberger never forces shots or passes, and his unselfishness to prioritize the team over his own personal achievements has proved crucial to UVA's success. His vision and presence from behind the goal have been brilliant and will continue to prove essential as the season progresses. Shellenberger will take his opportunities when they present themselves, and the goals will come. For now, he is more than happy letting his teammates fill up the stat sheet, as three different Cavaliers (Patrick McIntosh, Griffin Schutz, Xander Dickson) recorded six points against Johns Hopkins. 

Petey LaSalla continues to be more than a faceoff specialist

Petey LaSalla went 22/33 against Johns Hopkins from the x on Tuesday night, proving critical in halting any scoring runs from the Blue Jays as the Cavaliers enjoyed a healthy possession advantage. On one possession, LaSalla dodged from behind the goal and drew a slide which led the Hopkins defense to unravel and set up a tic-tac-toe passing goal for the Cavaliers. The so-called "hockey assist" may not be recorded on the stat sheet, but it demonstrates his unique ability to create offense and his value to the team. Not many other faceoff men in the country are staying on the field as part of an offensive midfield line. 

Ground balls win games

On Tuesday night, the Cavaliers scooped up 42 ground balls to the Blue Jays 22, a key reason why they were able to win by a comfortable margin. Virginia averages 41.6 ground balls per game, which ranks 1st in the NCAA. Winning the ground ball battle provides extra possessions for the Hoos and is partially why Virginia is the number one scoring offense in the country with 20.4 goals per game.

The defense looked good, but not great

After two subpar performances to start the season, the Virginia defense was brilliant in the previous two victories over Ohio State and Richmond. During the first quarter of the game against Johns Hopkins, the Cavaliers reached a new level, limiting the Blue Jays to zero goals and only three shots on goal which were all saved by Matthew Nunes. Additionally, UVA frequently sent well-timed double teams, leading to five Johns Hopkins turnovers during that period. Nunes and the Virginia defense then struggled in the second and third quarters, allowing ten goals. Nunes did not record a single save between the first and fourth quarters before eventually restoring his confidence in the fourth with five saves to solidify the victory. There needs to be more consistent play from this Virginia defense, and especially Nunes, who has a .505 save percentage through the first five games of the season. 

Additionally, Virginia suffered four penalties for a total of three minutes against Johns Hopkins who took advantage by scoring three goals. The Cavaliers need to limit unnecessary penalties as the offenses become more potent.

No. 1 Virginia returns to action on Saturday at 4 pm against Towson at Klöckner Stadium. The Tigers are currently 1-4, but only narrowly fell to No. 7 Loyola 12-11 in overtime earlier this season and should not be underestimated. 

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