TOWSON, Md. — With a trip to the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament’s Final Four in the balance, Connor Shellenberger delivered another signature moment during a storied career that has put him on the short list of the greatest players to wear a Virginia uniform.
Shellenberger’s goal, his third of the game, unfolded when he got a step on Johns Hopkins defenseman Scott Smith with a dodge from behind the cage to beat goalie Chayse Ierlan. It was the first time Virginia (12-5) led against the Blue Jays (11-5); the Cavaliers trailed by as many as four goals and were behind 10-7 entering the fourth quarter.
The decisive goal triggered a celebration that left Shellenberger beneath a pile of teammates. He remained on the field for several minutes by himself thereafter, processing the jubilation of continuing his pursuit of a second NCAA championship when Virginia faces No. 7 seed Maryland in Saturday’s semifinals. The rivals will meet at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field; top-seeded Notre Dame, the defending national champion, faces fifth-seeded Denver at noon.
“I’m not a big crier, but I just started crying,” said Shellenberger, who grew up in Charlottesville. “I honestly just couldn’t believe it. Just to be part of U-Va. and just this tradition, the lacrosse program — I’ve been watching since I was 10, 11 years old, and to have a moment like this with this team and in that venue, it was unbelievable.”
Freshman attackman McCabe Millon contributed three goals and three assists, and graduate attack-midfielder Jack Boyden added three goals as the Cavaliers avenged a 16-14 loss March 2 at Klöckner Stadium. Sophomore goalie Kyle Morris came off the bench to collect eight saves, including two in the first overtime, as the Cavaliers held Johns Hopkins scoreless for the final 22:57.
Senior attackman Russell Melendez (Archbishop Spalding) led the Blue Jays with a game-high four goals, and graduate attackman Garrett Degnon (DeMatha) chipped in three goals and two assists. Ierlan had 15 saves, four of which came in the fourth quarter, when the Cavaliers applied heavy pressure.
“We know how good that Hopkins team is,” Virginia Coach Lars Tiffany said. “... You saw two teams completely empty the tank out there.”
Virginia scored the only three goals of the fourth quarter, drawing even at 10 with 2:59 to play courtesy of Millon’s third of the game. The sequence required a reply review — Millon’s toe was perilously close to the arc — but the officials determined the goal should count. The Cavaliers had possession in the closing seconds of regulation but failed to get off a shot, and the first overtime went by without a goal.
After trailing 7-5 at halftime, the Cavaliers tied the score for the first time with a pair of goals 38 seconds apart in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Shellenberger struck first, using a screen from defenseman Ben Wayer (10 groundballs) to get shooting space and beating Ierlan with a bouncer.
Sophomore attackman Ryan Colsey followed with the equalizer on an assist from junior midfielder Griffin Schutz. Several minutes later, the Cavaliers were in position to claim their first lead when Boyden got behind the defense for a point-blank shot attempt, but Ierlan reacted quickly, crouching to deny the scoring chance.
Virginia fell behind 4-0 in the first seven minutes. The last of those goals compelled Tiffany to pull goalie Matthew Nunes with 8:24 to play in the first quarter and insert Morris. Nunes had let the Blue Jays score on four of their five shots on goal; compounding the early travails were three first-half penalties by the Cavaliers that led to a pair of extra-man goals for Johns Hopkins.
Millon scored or assisted on four of Virginia’s last five goals of the first half. The highlight was an unassisted strike with 9:39 to play in the second quarter: Millon sprinted around the crease cradling the ball left-handed and spun around to score with a leaping right-handed shot.
“It was incredible,” he said. “The atmosphere was unbelievable. Credit to the fans there — it was loud down there. I think we have the best fans in the country, and they showed out today. It was a really cool experience, and I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s going to be like next week.”
