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From media releases; Photos: cville-lax.com

	It was that kind of day for North Carolinia, Saturday, May 13, 2007. (Click for a larger image, 112K) The Cavaliers move on to meet the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA semi-finals in Philadelphia.

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team raced out to a 5-0 lead in its NCAA quarterfinal match against UNC, holding the Tar Heels scoreless for the opening 21 minutes thanks to seven saves from Kendall McBrearty, and held on to defeat Carolina 14-8. With the win, the No. 3 Cavaliers (18-3) advance to the NCAA semifinals where they will face No. 2 Duke in the second semifinal on Friday, May 25 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. At the other end of the field, Kate Breslin had five goals and two assists and Ashley McCulloch had three goals and three assists to lead the Cavalier offensive unit, while both women also added four draw controls as Virginia enjoyed a 17-7 advantage in draw controls.

Claire Bordley won the opening draw but UNC’s Kristen Hordy made a save on Virginia’s first shot, and UNC attempted a clear that was broken at the far restraining line when Breslin caused a turnover on the ride and Megan Havrilla controlled the loose ball. At the other end of the field, Blair Weymouth was fouled on a drive to the cage. She converted the 8-meter shot at 26:33 for the opening goal of the game.

	Blair Weymouth (2) outraces Carolina senior midfielder Melissa McCarthy (23), Saturday, May 13, 2007. (Click for a larger image, 104K) Weymouth finished the day with a pair of goals.

McBrearty made her first save of the day on a wrap-around chance by UNC and Virginia cleared the ball upfield where the Cavaliers settled it before Jess Wasilewski set up behind and fed McCulloch, who quicksticked the ball into the cage for a 2-0 lead. Claire Bordley won the ensuing draw and the ‘Hoos set up their attack. A dump in by McCulloch was knocked to the ground, but Breslin was there to grub it and stick it back in the cage for a 3-0 lead at 20:46. McCulloch won the draw and Virginia again set a patient attack, and when Breslin rolled the crease and scored at 14:40, UVa had a 4-0 lead and UNC took a timeout.

Jamie Hanssen won the draw for UNC but McBrearty was there for the save; she quickly outletted the ball to Duff, who transitioned the ball upfield to Breslin, who fed Megan Havrilla, whose riser hit the twine for a goal 76 seconds after Breslin’s goal. UNC got on the board as Christina Juras rolled the crease at 8:59, making the score 5-1.

Brittany Kalkstein won the ensuing draw, giving her sole possession of the single-season record at Virginia with 58 draw controls. Her possession started a set that saw Breslin feed Kalkstein for a quick stick goal 90 seconds after Juras’ goal to push the margin back to five at 6-1. UNC turned the ball as a drive to the cage was met by a double team of Jessy Morgan and Kalkstein; McBrearty was there to pick up the ball and she got it to Wasilewski right away, who cleared the ball upfield before Duff cut across the fan and scored at 3:02, giving UVa a 7-1 lead, which the two teams took into the halftime break.

Breslin won the opening draw of the second half, and Virginia again set up the offense. An O’Malley shot was saved by Kristen Hordy, but McCulloch was there to stick the rebound back in the cage for a goal at 28:05. The assist leader for the Hoos then scored again 29 seconds later, winning the ensuing draw and taking it right to the cage where she was fouled on the drive. McCulloch converted the 8-meter shot and put UVa up 9-1. UNC broke the 15-minute drought with an 8-meter goal at 24:46 by Megan Bosica. The Tar Heels were able to advance the ball back into the Virginia fan, but a turnover in the arc was picked up by McBrearty, and the Cavaliers transitioned the ball upfield where a Breslin shot off a drive was saved to the ground, but the fourth-year, who will receive her diploma as part of the 2007 Graduation Exercises tomorrow, alertly flicked the ball to the upper corner of the cage for a goal at 20:14.

UNC then went on a four-goal run over the next six minutes, starting with a Kristen Taylor goal at 18:12. Jenn Russell scored 39 seconds later, and after UNC won the draw Taylor fed Chrissy Rude for a goal 21 seconds following. Russell’s second goal just over two minutes later pulled UNC to 10-6 with 14:41 to play.

Virginia responded with a four-goal run of its own in the span of 2:39, starting with an incredible interception by Weymouth in the midfield. After UNC’s Jenn Cook had stripped the ball from a UVa attacker, Cook’s cross-field pass was intercepted by Weymouth, who leapt in the air, batted the ball up once, and collected it as she landed to the ground. Virginia settled the ball and Weymouth drove to the cage from the top, scoring at 9:35 to stop the UNC run. A Breslin draw control allowed UVa to spread their offense, and McCulloch dumped the ball in to Breslin, who scored 68 seconds after Weymouth. Duff won the ensuing draw control and again Virginia spread the offense before McCulloch again hit Breslin in the middle of the arc; the Long Island native scored her fifth goal of the game 36 seconds after her fourth for a 13-6 lead. Bordley again won the draw-her fourth of the game-and McCulloch notched her third assist in a row as she found Havrilla, whose goal at 6:56 capped a 4-0 run in 2:39 for the Cavaliers and opened up a 14-6 lead. Two goals by Juras in the final three minutes accounted for the final score of 14-8.

Kalkstein ended the game with three draws and now has 60 for the season; she is the first player in school history to have 60 draws in a single season. Breslin now has 65 goals and 92 points on the season; her 65 goals is the third-highest single-season total in school history and her 92 points ranks sixth all-time. Breslin is only the fourth person in school history to notch 90 or more points in a single season.

McBrearty’s 14 saves gives her 167 for the season, which moves her into the top-10 all-time for a single season at Virginia. She now ranks eighth all-time and needs just five to move into seventh. Ironically, that spot is held by current assistant coach Heather Dow, who had 172.

Virginia advances to play Duke in the second semifinal on Friday, May 25 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. The game is scheduled to start approximately 8:15; it will commence 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first semifinal between Northwestern and Penn.

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