University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
8-2, 3-0SoCon
Virginia
6-4, 0-2ACC
Spiders Drop 8-7 Heartbreaker to #14 UVA
04/01/2017 | Men's Lacrosse
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – One look into the stands at Robins Stadium on Saturday afternoon would answer just how much the University of Richmond men's lacrosse program has grown in four quick years.
In front of over 5,000 fans, the Spiders battled toe-to-toe with perennial national power and 14th-ranked UVA, but dropped a heartbreaker with two goals in the final two minutes to suffer an 8-7 loss. Richmond's only two losses have come via one-goal losses.
“A terrific crowd and a great college lacrosse game, but they just made two more plays there in the final minutes,” Head Coach Dan Chemotti said. “Our guys fought all game long. There are lessons to be learned from today and we'll talk about that and move forward.”
Facing the nation's second most potent offense (averaging nearly 16 goals per game), the Spiders stifled the Cavaliers for much of the game, led by seniors Benny Pugh and Brendan Hynes.
Pugh finished with 16 saves on the day, one shy of the program's single-game record. It's his eighth double-digit performance of the season and he became the fourth active player to reach 500 career saves.
Hynes was all over the place defensively, with five caused turnovers and four ground balls, while classmate A.J. Lapitino had three ground balls and two caused turnovers on the day.
Offensively, sophomore Teddy Hatfield had his second consecutive hat trick and fifth of his career with three goals on the day, while four other Spiders each had one goal in the contest.
The firepower of UVA was on display early with the Cavaliers scoring four goals in the first quarter to take a 4-1 lead.
Sophomore Adrian Nash made a move and fired home a goal with 6:14 to play in the second quarter and Richmond's suffocating defense shutdown the UVA attack to send the teams into the break at 4-2.
Hatfield would get hot in the third quarter, scoring less than a minute into the second half to ignite a three-goal spurt by the sophomore that gave Richmond its first lead of the game at 5-4 entering the final quarter.
It was a back and forth fourth quarter with UVA scoring the two goals in the first seven minutes, but an unbelievable move by faceoff man Peter Moran, led to a Spider goal to even the score at 6-6.
With under two minutes to play, Layne Collins had a beautiful diving goal to give the Spiders a 7-6 advantage.
The Cavaliers would come through with two goals in the final 1:11 to cap off the rally and pullout the 8-7 heartbreaker.
Richmond returns to Robins Stadium next Saturday when they host the Bears of Mercer University in a SoCon showdown. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
