Cinderella, your invitation to the ball has been revoked.
The Final Four for the NCAA men?s lacrosse tournament has been set and there is no shortage of championship experience. Three of the four participants ? Johns Hopkins, Syracuse and Virginia ? have combined to win 21 of the 36 national titles. The fourth participant, Duke (18-1), is the top seed in the tournament and has been to the championship game two of the previous three seasons.
On Saturday, Johns Hopkins (10-5) will play Duke at 3 p.m. and Syracuse (14-2) will face Virginia (14-3) at noon at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The winners of those games will meet at 1 p.m. on Memorial Day for the national title. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala knows not many people expect his team to repeat as national champions as the Blue Jays lost to Duke in the regular season, 17-6, on April 5. Hopkins advanced in the tournament Saturday with a 10-4 win over Navy at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The Blue Jays have won seven straight after losing five straight earlier in the season.
“It?s been a long road and there?s been a lot of bumps and hiccups and challenges,” Pietramala said. “This was not one of our prettier efforts or performances. But you have to give credit to Navy. That?s how they make you play.”
Duke and Syracuse secured their spots in the national semifinals Sunday. First, senior attacker Zack Greer had a career-high 11 points on six goals and five assists as Duke routed Ohio State, 21-10. Syracuse then held off Notre Dame, 11-9, thanks to three goals and an assist from junior midfielder Dan Morgan.
Virginia kept its hopes alive for a fifth national title and second in three years with an 8-7 overtime win against Maryland Saturday in Annapolis. Senior attack Ben Rubeor scored three goals for the Cavaliers. Rubeor now has at least two goals in 12 of his past 13 games.
“What I think is unique about this team is we have a lot of guys who will step up at different times and say things that are needed to be said,” Rubeor said. “It?s not just about the seniors, it?s the juniors and sophomores as well.”
Virginia coach Dom Starsia said he likes the poise his team has shown this season, as the Cavaliers are now 4-0 in overtime contests.
“I was quite comfortable in overtime,” Starsia said. “Everyone had a smile on their face in the huddle and I think we were intent on what we had to do to make a play.”
