Men's Lacrosse Falls in Season Opener at No. 9 Virginia, 14-10

Saturday, February 14

Charlottesville, Va.

5:30

Drexel University

0-1

#9 Virginia

2-0

Drexel

Virginia

Photo by: Kelsey Grant

Men's Lacrosse Falls in Season Opener at No. 9 Virginia, 14-10

2/14/2015 7:09:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Charlottesville, Va. – The 16^th-ranked Drexel men's lacrosse team opened the 2015 season with a 14-10 loss at No. 9 Virginia on Saturday evening in Charlottesville. The game was played in difficult weather conditions as temperatures dipped into the low 30's and the game was delayed after halftime as a snow squall hit right before intermission and covered the field.

Drexel opened up a quick two-goal lead and made it a 3-0 game 10 minutes into the contest. Jules Raucci scored the Dragons' first goal of the year just 50 seconds into the game. Less than two minutes later, Ryan Belka got on the board with an unassisted score. Mason Pynn closed the three-goal run at the 5:26 mark. Virginia answered by scoring six of the next seven goals to take a 6-4 lead. Tyler German and Ryan Tucker each scored twice during the stretch. German and Greg Coholan had back-to-back goals just 53 seconds apart. Drexel freshman Michael Kay scored his first career goal to get the lead back to two goals but Owen Van Arsdale, German and a pair by Tucker put the Cavaliers by two with 5:50 left before the break. They would not trail again in the game.

Drexel finally stopped the run when Cole Shafer scored an extra-man goal, set up by Frank Fusco, just 30 seconds after Tucker's second goal. UVA went ahead 7-5 when Zed Williams came down the right side and fired one high past Drexel goalkeeper Will Gabrielsen. However, the Dragons came right back and cut the lead to one when Raucci had a big left-handed shot from the left side after dodging a man. Drexel had the ball in the final minute but turned it over and Virginia made the Dragons pay. James Pannell rifled home a low shot as the snow came down to put the Cavaliers ahead 8-6 at intermission. Gabrielsen made eight saves in the first half, but the Dragons turned it over 10 times, including four times trying to clear the ball. Virginia outshot Drexel, 23-17, in the half.

The Dragons had possession to open the third and had nine shots in a span of almost five minutes before Virginia got the ball back. Unfortunately for the visitors, they were unable to score. The Cavaliers finally got possession and scored three times in a span of 1:02 to increase the lead to 11-6. Pannell, Van Arsdale and Jeff Kratky each scored as the Cavaliers gained a comfortable lead on Drexel. The Dragons were able to score two of the next three goals and cut the lead to 12-8 to end the third. Chris Frederick and Robert Frazee sandwiched goals around a Lukacovic score. It was the first career goal for Frazee.

Drexel wasn't able to get any closer the rest of the way. Lukacovic and Van Arsdale each scored in the early stages of the final quarter. The Dragons answered with a goal from long pole Jake Gennosa and from Ryan Belka halfway through the final stanza, but that would be the final goals of the day.

Belka and Raucci each finished with two goals to lead the Dragons. Virginia had a balanced offensive attack as five players had at least two goals. Van Arsdale had a hat trick, while Tucker, Pannell and Lukacovic each had a pair of goals and assists. Matt Barrett made 12 saves in the cage for UVA.

Drexel's Saputo was his usual reliable self on face-offs. The senior won 16 of his 27 draws and had a game-high 11 ground balls. The Dragons outshot Virginia, 42-39, but committed 19 miscues in the game, 10 that were forced by the Cavaliers.

Drexel returns to Philadelphia to face Albany next Saturday. The game will be played at Vidas Field at 3 p.m. The Great Danes are ranked 12^th in the nation and feature Lyle Thompson, last year's co-Tewaaarton Trophy Award winner, who set an NCAA record with 128 points last season.