Virginia clinches a share of ACC men’s lacrosse title with 21-15 win at Syracuse

Virginia (10-3, 5-1 ACC) clinched a share of the program’s 19th ACC men’s lacrosse title with its 21-15 win over Syracuse (4-9, 1-4 ACC) at the Carrier Dome on Saturday.

The Cavaliers’ 21 goals scored tied for the most by a Syracuse opponent inside the Carrier Dome since its opened in 1980.

Jeff Conner (4 goals, 3 assists) and Matt Moore (3 goals, 4 assists) posted a game-high seven points each. Conner, who took just six shots, finished with a career high in points.

Syracuse’s leading goal scorer, Tucker Dordevic, scored the game’s first goal just over one minute in, and then the Cavaliers tallied five straight goals to take the lead. The UVA run was capped by a goal from short-stick defensive midfielder Jack Peele, who received a pass from Cade Saustad and went the length of the field to score his second goal of the season and eighth of his career.

Virginia led 6-3 at the end of the first period, but the Orange cut the UVA lead to one (6-5) early in the second quarter. The Cavaliers responded with three straight goals, including two from Conner and Moore, to cling to a 9-5 lead. Virginia ultimately led it 12-7 at the half after the Cavaliers forced eight SU turnovers and out-shot the Orange 31-20 in the first 30 minutes of play.

Once again, Syracuse opened the half by scoring the first goal, but then the Cavaliers fired off six straight goals to commandeer an 18-8 advantage – its largest lead of the game – midway through the third. After Syracuse scored three straight, Conner and Moore found the back of the net one last time, and Payton Cormier scored his second goal of the game on a man-up opportunity with 10:46 to play.

The Orange scattered three goals in the final seven minutes of play, but it was not enough as UVA held on to win its second straight game over Syracuse.

Postgame: UVA coach Lars Tiffany

“Next to me are two warriors and I use that word specifically. Jeff Conner has really emerged. He’s playing his best lacrosse now. He had an early injury, so he missed about a month of our season. This is what we wanted, and we demand of Jeff – to be a true two-way middie. There’s just not that many in the game and he’s a throwback player, where he’s playing defense for us, winning some matchups, part of the slide scheme, but then obviously at the offensive end creating a ton of production. And the man to my left, Matt Moore … I use the word ‘warrior’ and it may not speak enough. The volume of what he’s doing right now [by] playing through injury. I think my favorite play of the year so far was that dive on the sidelines to give us an extra possession. And if you noticed, he’s not 100 percent, but he’s selling out there. His warrior mindset transfers to the rest of us. Matt has become an exceptional captain and leader for this program.”