cville-lax.com

Via UVa Sports Information

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team will face George Mason in a key in-state game up in Fairfax on Tuesday, April 17. Opening draw is slated for 7:05 pm at George Mason Stadium. The Cavaliers (11-3) have gone 5-0 against teams from the Commonwealth in 2007 and the contest against the Patriots (5-7) will be the final non-conference game of the regular season for Virginia. The game will be televised on Verizon FiOS1. FiOS is Verizon’s Fiber Optic television service currently available in 10 states, including Virginia.

Virginia has an 8-0 lead in the series against the Patriots, one that started in 1999 and has continued each year since. In 2001 the Cavaliers’ game against Mason was the 400th in Virginia history; in 2003 Lauren Aumiller tied the Virginia record with seven assists in the 15-8 win over the Patriots.

The Cavaliers rank nationally among the best scoring defenses in the nation; Virginia is allowing just over eight goals a game, placing the `Hoos in the top-10. Keeper Kendall McBrearty ranks in the top-10 among goalies in goals-against average and has been a significant part of Virginia’s staying power in the upper echelon. The Cavalier line defenders, led by US national team member Jessy Morgan, have played together two consecutive seasons, giving Virginia a veteran defense that has allowed McBrearty to grow in her first full year of starting.

The Virginia midfield is also young, but a pair of rookies has been instrumental in the Cavaliers’ presence nationally. Brittany Kalkstein leads all first-years nationally in draw controls and ranks in the nation’s top-15. Classmate Kaitlin Duff leads the team in caused turnovers and ground balls. These two have been mentored by a pair of veterans, including co-captain Jess Wasilewski and national team member Megan O’Malley. The Virginia midfield has helped the Cavaliers rank among the nation’s top teams in scoring margin (+4.38 gpg).

The Cavalier offense is led by Kate Breslin, who has had a career-year already. Her 40 goals and 22 assists are career-highs, and the 62 points ranks her 10th all-time in UVa history for scoring as a fourth-year. Breslin has had eight hat tricks in 14 games and has had three games with three or more assists. Blair Weymouth ranks second on the team in scoring with 33 goals and 16 assists; seven Cavaliers have reached double-digit totals in goals already.