Syracuse University
#2 Virginia
Nation's Top Teams Meet Sunday
3/5/2010 2:35:47 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Listen Live | Live Stats | Game Notes
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - For the second year in a row, Syracuse (2-0) and Virginia (3-0) face off in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown when they meet Sunday, March 7 at 1 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium. The Orange maintained its position as the top-ranked squad in the USILA and NIKE/Inside Lacrosse polls this week. The Cavaliers are currently No. 2. in both sets of rankings.
Fans can hear the action live on the radio home of the Orange - TK 99 (99.5 FM). Live streaming audio is available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access. In addition, the game will be carried live on ESPN360.com. There is no live television Sunday, however, ESPNU will broadcast the game on tape delay at 12:30 a.m. Monday, March 8.
Last season, the Orange sat atop the coaches poll and Virginia was No. 2 in the coaches rankings when the two squads met. Virginia won that matchup, 13-12.
Syracuse is making its first trip to Klöckner Stadium since 2006. The annual SU-Virginia regular-season meeting took place at a neutral site (Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium) as part of the Face-Off Classic in 2007 and 2008, and the two teams played at the Carrier Dome last season.
ORANGE IN NO. 1 VS. NO. 2 GAMES
Sunday's game marks the 13th time since 1973 that Syracuse has taken part in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. The Orange is 3-9 in those games overall. This will be the fifth time that Syracuse and Virginia will take the field as the nation's top two ranked teams. The Cavaliers hold a 3-1 edge in the previous four No. 1 vs. No. 2 meetings with Syracuse, including last year's win at the Carrier Dome.
DESKO VS. STARSIA
SU head coach John Desko and Virginia head coach Dom Starsia are two of the top active coaches in the game. Desko is first among active Division I coaches in career winning percentage (.764). Starsia is sixth on that list (.731). Starsia owns the third-most wins by an active head coach (303). Desko and Starsia are two of the four active coaches that have won at least three NCAA titles and they have combined for eight total (Desko - 5, Starsia - 3). Desko is 7-8 in head-to-head meetings with Starsia since taking the Orange reigns in 1999.
KEOGH STREAKING
Junior Stephen Keogh has recorded at least one point in each of his last 24 games, which is the sixth-longest active point-scoring streak in the nation. The last time Keogh failed to find the scoring column was on May 3, 2008 at Colgate. Max Quinzani of Duke currently holds the nation's longest active points streak at 49 games dating back to the 2007 season. Keogh has 63 points (59g, 7a) during the streak (2.6 ppg).
X MARKS THE SPOT
Syracuse leads the BIG EAST and ranks third nationally in faceoff winning percentage. The Orange has won 68 percent (34-50) of its draws this year. The Orange is the only Division I team to have two players ranked in the top 10 nationally in individual faceoff winning percentage. Senior Gavin Jenkinson is third at 70.8 percent (17-24) and junior Jeremy Thompson is tied for eighth at 66.7 percent (14-24).
MILLER TIME
Junior Jovan Miller tallied a career-best nine ground balls in the Orange's win against Army on Feb. 28. He leads the Orange with 15 grounds balls on the season. Miller ranks eighth nationally and he is tied for the BIG EAST lead in ground balls per game (7.5).
DESKO FINDS SCORING COLUMN
Redshirt sophomore Tim Desko tied his career high with a pair of goals against Army on Feb. 28. He scored once in the first half and once in the second, including the Orange's first man-up goal of the year in the second quarter.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
Like Syracuse, the Cavaliers enter Sunday's showdown unbeaten. Virginia is 3-0 with a win over No. 18 Stony Brook in its most recent outing on Feb. 27. The Cavaliers are averaging 13.0 goals per game and boast of the best attack units in the nation in sophomores Chris Bocklet, Steele Stanwick and freshman Connor English. Bocklet leads the team in points (13) and goals (9). Stanwick has 12 points and a team-best five assists. English has four goals. Bocklet and Stanwick each had three goals and an assist in the Stony Brook win.
Twin brothers Shamel and Rhamel Bratton lead a dynamic midfield. Shamel Bratton (2g, 1a) is a 2010 preseason first-team All-American and gets most of the attention, but Rhamel (4g) has been slightly more productive. Senior captain Brian Carroll (3g, 1a) rounds out the first line.
Senior captain Ken Clausen, a 2009 first-team All-American, leads the Virginia defense. He has 13 ground balls. Junior goalie Adam Ghitelman has 25 saves and 7.27 goals-against average.
THE SERIES VERSUS VIRGINIA
In a remarkably competitive series, Virginia holds a 13-12 advantage all-time against the Orange. Both squads have scored the same number of goals (334) in the 25 series meetings. Ten games have been decided by one goal, including the last three, and four games have been settled in overtime, including both 2008 encounters. The Cavaliers have won six of the last seven meetings, including the last five regular-season pairings. SU's only win in that span was a 14-13, double-overtime triumph in the 2008 national semifinals.
