Women’s lacrosse: Virginia earns at-large bid to NCAA Tournament

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team (11-8) earned its 22nd consecutive NCAA Championship bid, securing an at-large selection in the 26-team field.

The Cavaliers will open play in the 2017 NCAA tournament by taking on Elon (13-6) on Friday, May 12 at 5 p.m. at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The winner of Friday’s game will advance to play No. 2-seed North Carolina in the second round at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 14. North Carolina is the defending NCAA champion.

“There are so many great teams in the field this year,” head coach Julie Myers said. “It is nice to know that we will have a familiar opponent. Ironically, I think the win that gets Elon in to the tournament is the game I have always wanted to replay. We get our wish in a familiar stadium. Obviously, North Carolina is a great opponent should we get through to them. Anything is possible. I like how we are playing, so I think we are in good shape. We are excited.”

UVA and Elon will meet for the second time in 2017 after opening the season in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers were edged by the Phoenix, 11-10, in the final seconds of regulation on Feb. 11. It is just the second meeting all-time between the teams, and Elon’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament.

This will be Virginia’s 30th overall trip to the NCAA Championship, ranking second in the nation with 60 tournament games played. UVA owns a 34-26 record in NCAA tournament games, tying for the third-most wins in the nation with Princeton, only behind Maryland and Northwestern.

Virginia has earned an NCAA bid in each of the 22 seasons under head coach Julie Myers. Last season, UVA fell to Johns Hopkins, 12-10, in the NCAA First Round in College Park, Md.

Four quarterfinal games will be played on the campuses of competing institutions. The winners of the four quarterfinal games will advance to the semifinals held at Gillette Stadium in Boston, Mass., May 26 and 28.