Big City Classic features four best college teams
For organizers of the Konica Minolta Big City Classic, it doesn’t get any better than this — the top four teams in the nation, sunny and 60 degrees, and the christening of a high-profile stadium.
Saturday at the New Meadowlands Stadium, where No. 1 North Carolina (10-0) faces No. 2 Virginia (10-0), followed by No. 3 Syracuse (7-1) against No. 4 Princeton (7-1), expect the event to surpass last year’s record crowd of 22,308 — the most ever for a college lacrosse-only event in the regular season.
It’s a dream scenario for the emerging sport.
“That’ll just be a great day for lacrosse,” said Virginia All-America Shamel Bratton, who grew up 45 miles away in Huntington Station.
Also in a New York state of mind, is Virginia coach Dom Starsia, who, like Bratton, is a Long Islander.
“You got a great matchup, great facility,” Starsia said Saturday after Virginia edged Maryland, 11-10. “With the curiosity factor for this stadium, as much as anything else, I think we could have a monster crowd there. I think we could be north of 30,000 people, easily.”
The hoopla over the new stadium and the anticipated crowd has somewhat overshadowed the matchup between Virginia and North Carolina, the lone unbeaten teams remaining in Division I.
There is reason to downplay the game, however. With the ACC Tournament coming later this month in College Park, the teams could end up meeting three times this year.
“It’s a big game. It’s one versus two, so it’s definitely a measuring stick, but it won’t determine the fate of either team for the rest of the season,” Virginia senior Ken Clausen said Wednesday via teleconference. “We’re real excited to see where we are and it’ll be a great learning experience.”
One storyline is the matchup between Clausen, an All-America defender, and Carolina’s Billy Bitter, an All-America attack. Last year in the Big City Classic inaugural, Virginia edged UNC, 11-10, despite five goals from Bitter.
“Billy got the best of me last year,” said Clausen. “[But] you don’t want to over-think or over-analyze a game plan too much. I don’t want to try and change my game too much.”
Note » The Big City Classic kicks off with a high school game, Haverford vs. Hill Academy of Canada, at 10 a.m., followed by Hofstra (6-3) vs. Delaware (5-5) at 1 p.m.
