Virginia dominated the first game of the 2011 NCAA Lacrosse Final Four, beating Denver 14-8 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. The Cavaliers are headed back to the National Championship game for the first time since 2006, the program won the NCAA lacrosse title. It's their ninth trip to the final.
"It's been the theme of our season, a guy just steps up," said junior attackman Steele Stanwick on ESPN2 after the game.
The attack unit stepped up for No. 7-seed Virginia, which never appeared to be in jeopardy on Saturday evening. No one was bigger than Stanwick, who had three goals and two assists in the game. That made it a happy homecoming for the Baltimore. native.
Denver couldn't generate much offense outside of midfielder Jeremy Noble, who had three goals and an assist. The game ended the most successful season ever for the Pioneers lacrosse program. As the team made its first NCAA Final Four in program history.
Virginia will meet the winner of Saturday's late game between Maryland and Duke. That will make it all all-ACC final, and one that should be of interest to lacrosse fans and college fans in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area.