There have been some tremendous team successes. Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams the ACC championships, the sixth straight for the women and the 14^th in 15 years for the men. The baseball squad is 38-8, ranked third in the nation and could well be on the way to hosting a super regional come NCAA tournament time. And the men’s tennis team has dominated all opponents, going 24-0 en route to yet another ACC title and a well-earned status as one of the favorites in its upcoming NCAA Tournament.

There have also been some disappointing lows. Coming off its first bowl appearance in three years, the football team came into the season with high hopes of really finding its stride in Mike London’s third season in Charlottesville. Instead, a six-game losing streak of both blowouts and nail-biters dumped the Cavaliers out of contention and may have put London on the hot seat come fall. And the men’s lacrosse team, who took home the national championship just last year, struggled with the loss of several key players as they finished 7-8 and likely will not be invited to the NCAA Tournament.

Some of Virginia’s teams have even experienced both the highs and lows over the course of the same season. We watched in awe as junior guard Joe Harris torched Duke for 36 points as the men’s basketball team throttled the Blue Devils from start to finish. Then we looked on in horror as consecutive one-point losses and a blowout defeat in the ACC Tournament relegated the Cavaliers to an NIT bid. Tony Bennett’s squad ripped off an impressive 19-game winning streak at John Paul Jones Arena, but that streak is dampened a bit by the fact that the losses bookending the streak both came with trips to Madison Square Garden on the line.

Many of these teams would have gone nowhere this year without the leadership of experienced players. But naturally, with graduation just around the corner, we will soon have to bid farewell to these athletes who have meant so much to their teammates and coaches. The football team has to replace the leadership of LaRoy Reynolds, Oday Aboushi and Perry Jones. Men’s basketball has to soldier on without point guard Jontel Evans, who frustrated many fans with inconsistent play this year, but who was a guiding hand for his many young teammates. And the men’s soccer team says goodbye to forward Will Bates, who heads to Major League Soccer as one of the Cavaliers’ top-ten all-time scorers.

Perhaps the toughest seniors to replace will be field hockey stars Paige Selenski and Michelle Vittese. The duo redshirted in 2011 to play with the U.S. national team, and Selenski departs as the second-highest scorer in Virginia history. Her impact was not unlike that of Steele Stanwick, who graduated last year as the all-time points leader in the men’s lacrosse program. After seeing how the men’s lacrosse team struggled in their first season P.S. – post-Stanwick – I can only imagine how difficult it will be for coach Michelle Madison to replace the impact of a once-in-a-generation player like Selenski.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for Virginia athletics, because where those key players are departing, new stars are rising up in their stead. Rising sophomore defensive end Eli Harold is poised to take over Reynolds’s mantle as the impact player on defense for the Cavaliers, and 2013 junior tailback Kevin Parks should be handed the role of feature back with Jones gone. And if you’re looking for a new favorite basketball player, look no further than Justin Anderson. The soon-to-be sophomore wing can knock down threes and slice through the lane for massive dunks, and he plays with an infectious energy and enthusiasm that makes him truly exciting to watch.

What’s around the corner for Virginia sports? I honestly couldn’t tell you. I don’t know if new recruits will fill the gaps properly or gel with their teammates. I can’t predict injuries or their impact on a team. And if this year in Virginia sports has taught me anything, it’s that I certainly have no idea who’s going to win or lose any given game.

But I can’t wait to find out.

As always, comment below, tweet @wahoowire, or head to Wahoo Wire’s Facebook page with your reactions.

The general consensus is that Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel will be the first name called to the podium Thursday night. (Photo from bleacherreport.com)

No. 1: Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

Dawson: I think it actually is closer than people think, but all signs lead to Joeckel.

McGoey: Sounds about right. The Chiefs prepare for the inevitable departure of Branden Albert by taking a LT prospect at No. 1.

No. 2: Jacksonville Jaguars – Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan (Dawson); Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon (McGoey)

Dawson: Jacksonville has a new GM in town, and he needs to make a safe first pick.

McGoey: A team with holes everywhere starts building with an explosive athlete on defense.

No. 3: Oakland Raiders – Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

Dawson: Raiders have to revamp their D-line after losing Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour.

McGoey: Yep. Fisher could be a possibility if Jacksonville doesn’t take him, but Floyd’s meteoric rise makes him too tough to pass up.

No. 4: Philadelphia Eagles –Jordan (Dawson); Star Lotulelei, DT/DE, Utah (McGoey)

Dawson: New coach from Oregon and their defense needs more pass rush? It just makes sense.

McGoey: Chip Kelly grabs a guy who could be the centerpiece of the Eagles’ new 3-4 defense for many, many years.

No. 5: Detroit Lions – Ziggy Ansah, DE, BYU (Dawson); Fisher (McGoey)

Dawson: I don’t buy the Lane Johnson hype, and apparently neither do the Lions.

McGoey: I don’t think they’ll end up even having to choose whether to buy the Johnson hype. They’ll happily grab a guy touted as maybe even the best tackle in the class.

No. 6: Cleveland Browns – Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama (Dawson); San Diego Chargers (TRADE) – Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma (McGoey)

Dawson: Is this high for Milliner? Yes, but if they can’t trade down, they fill a huge hole with the best CB available.

McGoey: The Browns will have no shortage of trade partners as teams with needs at LT look to get ahead of Arizona. In my mock, it’s the Chargers who move up to protect Philip Rivers’s blind side.

No. 7: Arizona Cardinals – Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

Dawson: Warmack will be an All-Pro for years; get him when you can

McGoey: No offensive tackles left, but Cards still find help in the trenches. UNC G Jonathan Cooper also a possibility, but it’s been said that Arizona prefers Warmack.

No. 8: Buffalo Bills – Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse (Dawson); Atlanta Falcons (TRADE) – Milliner (McGoey)

Dawson: (speechless)

McGoey: Big surprise here as the Falcons decide they’re one piece away, and pull the trigger on a big move for the top CB on the board.

No. 9: New York Jets – Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU

Dawson: This is a serious Jets pick right here, so much bust potential.

McGoey: Yeah, picking Mingo over Ansah and/or Jarvis Jones is totally something Rex Ryan would do. I’m one of the biggest LSU homers around, so it should say something that I’m down on Mingo’s pro prospects.

No. 10: Tennessee Titans – Lotulelei (Dawson); Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina (McGoey)

Dawson: Titans get lucky and catch a falling Star.

McGoey: No such luck in my mock, but no matter. Titans add a nasty run-blocker who fills a need and can step in right away.

No. 11: San Diego – Johnson (Dawson); Cleveland (TRADE) – Ansah (McGoey)

Dawson: Lane Johnson won’t go in the top 10, but he may go 11.

McGoey: On my board, the Bolts have already traded up for Johnson, so Browns fans rejoice as they move back and still get a guy hyped as a top-5 prospect.

No. 12: Miami Dolphins – Cooper (Dawson); D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama (McGoey)

Dawson: Dolphins continue to bolster their line, hopefully acquiring Branden Albert from KC as well.

McGoey: Fluker has shot up boards lately, and it seems more and more likely that he won’t make it out of the top 15.

The Jets might be looking at West Virginia QB Geno Smith (12) or WR Tavon Austin (1) with their two top-15 picks. (Photo from wvupros.com)

No. 13: New York Jets (from Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

Dawson: Since no one can play QB, the Jets draft someone who can put points on the board.

McGoey: Yeah; the Jets need an offensive weapon whether it’s Mark Sanchez or Mark Wahlberg playing quarterback.

No. 14: Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri

Dawson: Luke Kuechly racked up an insane number of tackles last year. Imagine how good he’d look playing behind a real defensive line?

McGoey: The Panthers continue to build with a versatile, athletic D-lineman.

No. 15: New Orleans Saints – Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia

Dawson: Saints thank everyone for letting this stud fall.

McGoey: Agreed. Saints fill a huge need with fearsome pass-rusher who didn’t test well, but produced in bunches on the field. I have a sneaking feeling that every team that needs a rusher and passes on Jones is going to regret it someday. If he’s gone, look for Kenny Vaccaro or Alec Ogletree here.

No. 16: St. Louis Rams- Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas

Dawson: The best safety in the draft fills a need; nice pick for the Rams.

McGoey: Sorry, Virginia fans, but Rodney McLeod is not a starting NFL safety. Vaccaro is. This is a no-brainer.

No. 17: Pittsburgh Steelers – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

Dawson: Mike Wallace leaves and is replaced with a Mike Wallace-like player.

McGoey: He’s raw, much like Wallace was, but he’s athletic. Tyler Eifert could be a possibility here too.

No. 18: Dallas Cowboys – Fluker (Dawson); Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina (McGoey)

Dawson: Current Cowboys RT Doug will be a “Free” agent before long, especially if Big D grabs big D.J.

McGoey: In my projection, Fluker and Vaccaro are gone, so Jerry Jones turns to a centerpiece defensive tackle.

No. 19: New York Giants – Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State

Dawson: An aging defensive line needs some youth

McGoey: Alec Ogletree is a possibility, as the Giants need a linebacker, but GM Jerry Reese loves pass-rushers.

No. 20: Chicago Bears – Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame (Dawson); Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia (McGoey)

Dawson: New signing Martellus Bennett is a good TE, but Eifert is a great one.

McGoey: Inside ‘backers this athletic don’t come around very often. Last converted safety the Bears put there was…well, Brian Urlacher.

No. 21: Cincinnati Bengals – Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International

Dawson: Too early for Eddie Lacy, so I’m thinking Bengals go with a safety.

McGoey: Couldn’t have said it better myself. Cyprien’s stock has skyrocketed lately, but LSU’s Eric Reid could be in play, too.

No. 22: St. Louis (from Washington Redskins) – Ogletree (Dawson); DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

Dawson: Another need for the Rams and another great value pick.

McGoey: Much like with Brian Quick last year, the Rams have brought Hopkins in for multiple workouts late in the process. A sign?

No. 23: Minnesota Vikings- Williams (Dawson); Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee (McGoey)

Dawson: Pat Williams just retired; it’s time for Williams Wall 2.0.

McGoey: With Williams off the board, it’s time to look at wideouts. He’s big (6-4) and athletic (4.44 40 and 39.5-inch vertical at the combine). The Vikings need another receiver. What’s not to like?

No. 24: Indianapolis Colts – Hopkins (Dawson); Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State (McGoey)

Dawson: Andrew Luck made stars out of his receivers last year. He needs more help.

McGoey: DE/DT Datone Jones of UCLA is definitely a possibility, but the value of the big corner (Rhodes is 6-2, 210) at 24 is too good to pass up.

No. 25: Minnesota (from Seattle Seahawks) – Manti Te’o, ILB, Notre Dame (Dawson); Philadelphia Eagles (TRADE) – Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia (McGoey)

Dawson: The Minnesota Vikings know drama.

McGoey: Finally, the first quarterback is off the board, as Chip Kelly moves back into Round 1 to make sure he gets his guy. The Vikes can take Manti Te’o later.

Will Manti Te'o slip from potential top-10 pick to Day 2 selection? Maybe not if the Vikings have anything to say about it. (Photo from msn.com)

No. 26: Green Bay Packers – Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State

Dawson: Aaron Rodgers is only known as a good running quarterback because his offensive line is always in shambles.

McGoey: Wide receiver and running back are possibilities, as is Eifert, but the Pack instead grabs the high-potential O-lineman.

No. 27: Houston Texans – Hunter (Dawson); Robert Woods, WR, USC (McGoey)

Dawson: Andre Johnson was once considered the best WR in the league, but he gets double covered all day. Hunter will open up the Houston offense again.

McGoey: It’s about time the Texans put a serious No. 2 receiver across from the now-aging Andre Johnson. Keenan Allen of Cal could also be the choice.

No. 28: Denver Broncos – Rhodes (Dawson); Bjoern Werner, DE/OLB, Florida State (McGoey)

Dawson: Champ Bailey is getting up there in age and Rhodes can’t fall too much farther.

McGoey: We picked the same school. But a replacement for the departed Elvis Dumervil should be first priority, not a corner.

No. 29: New England Patriots – Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State

Dawson: The Patriots will be heralded as geniuses with this pick; Taylor is a safe choice at 29.

McGoey: For me, it’s a toss-up between two of the top remaining CBs (Taylor or Houston’s D.J. Hayden), but the Pats could also trade down to get extra picks.

No. 30: Atlanta – Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington (Dawson); Buffalo (TRADE) – Nassib (McGoey)

Dawson: Team in win-now mode fills one of its only holes. They may even move up to fill it.

McGoey: The Bills trade back, get a few extra picks in the process, and still get the QB they want at a more reasonable slot than No. 8 overall. A win for Buffalo.

No. 31: San Francisco 49ers – Eric Reid, S, LSU (Dawson); Eifert (McGoey)

Dawson: 49ers saw Dashon Goldson go in free agency, so a new safety might be in order.

McGoey: The rich get richer. Reid and Florida safety Matt Elam are in play, but the Niners take the value and grab a falling Eifert.

No. 32: Baltimore Ravens – Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

Dawson: The Ray Lewis replacement pick.

McGoey: Yep.

Sean McGoey (@SeanMcGoey1) is an editor at Wahoo Wire. Alec Dawson (@ToTheDetail) is a member of the U.Va. athletic department’s Media Relations crew.

The sole point Miami managed to attain was in doubles. Virginia’s Erin Vierra and Stephanie Nauta were victorious 8-3 against Clementina Riobueno and Monique Albuquerque, though the Cavs fell in the remaining two doubles battles.

Miami’s Melissa Bolivar and Kelsey Laurente knocked out Julia Elbaba and Hana Tomljanovic, while Maria Fuccillo and Li Xi fell to Brittany Dubins and Stephanie Wagner.

Despite losing the doubles point, the Cavaliers were victorious in all four singles matches. Caryssa Peretz crushed Deborah Suarez 6-3, 6-1 to tie the match at 1-1. Next, Stephanie Nauta put the Cavs ahead after overcoming Kelsey Laurente 7-5, 6-3.

Julia Elbaba added to the Virginia lead by pulling through 7-5, 6-4 against Stephanie Wagner. Finally, fourth year Hana Tomljanovic ended the match with a solid 7-5, 7-5 victory against Clementina Riobueno.

The careers of the three seniors Tomljanovic, Vierra, and Fuccillo were celebrated before the match. Action in their last ACC tournament begins on Friday in Cary, NC after a first round bye on Thursday. The No. 3 seeded Cavaliers face either No. 6 Duke or No. 11 Virginia Tech at 3 pm.

The Cavalier offense exploded in the first game of the afternoon, scoring in six of the eight innings that they came to bat.  Never trailing in the game, the long-ball won it for the ‘Hoos.  Brandon Downes, Derek Fisher, and Nick Howard all launched two-run home runs into left field, powering the offense for the day.

Every player, except fourth-year Reed Gragnani, registered a hit against the Seminoles in a truly dominating performance.  First-year Brandon Waddell out-dueled Florida State ace Luke Weaver, surrendering just a single earned run and striking out three in six innings of work.

Playing some small-ball, the Cavaliers used an offensive onslaught to take the first game, reaching base successfully 18 times with ten hits and eight walks.  The second game of the day, however, was set to a much different tune.

Florida State pitcher Brandon Leibrandt worked a masterful eight innings pitched, giving up just two runs on four hits and striking out seven.  Unfortunately for him, Scott Silverstein and Kyle Crockett in a shared effort yielded just one hit and struck out seven.  Silverstein earned the win, while Crockett picked up the two-inning save.

In a true pitcher’s duel, the Wahoos were able to out-battle the Seminoles, who were 1-hit for the first time since 1998.

Second-year Branden Cogswell provided the difference on the offensive end with a two –RBI double in the fifth inning.

The Cavaliers remain perfect in double headers this season and earn their first shutout victory since the bout with Liberty on April 2^nd.  The Wahoo pitching staff completely shut down the Seminole offense in two straight games.

Virginia moves to 34-6 (15-5 ACC) on the season and will look to close out the series with Florida State on Sunday, who fell to 31-8 (13-7 ACC).  The night-game was a sell-out at Davenport Field and Virginia expects to set a series-attendance record with another sell-out expected for the final game.

The two teams put out there best efforts until the very end when they tied 8-8 with 4:23 remaining in the game. Johns Hopkins’ freshman attacker Jenna Reifler, however, secured one in the net with only 19 seconds on the clock. Junior midfielder Taylor D’Amore assisted her on the shot and had four other assists in the match.

Senior attacker Caroline McTiernan commented on the game and the result of the last few minutes.

“I thought we had it; I really did,” she said. “[We] came up short, but we just need to take it as a learning lesson and continue to work and prepare for the next couple games.”

Virginia has had a tough season, losing all of their conference matchups and having a losing record going into the last regular-season matchup against Virginia Tech. They hope a win against the Hokies can secure them a spot in the ACC Championships, where they will have another chance to play Duke.

“I think Virginia Tech was a must win regardless of tonight,” coach Julie Myers said. “But, we do need to get an ACC win going into the ACC tournament.”

Virginia outshot Johns Hopkins 26-20 but the Blue Jays made a total of 14 saves, compared to nine by the Cavaliers. Coach Myers recognized the performance of Hopkins’ senior goalkeeper Cosette Larash.

“[Larash] was consistent from the opening whistle until the end. [She] made big save after big save; she was hard to get around.”
McTiernan led the Cavaliers with her three goals. She took eight total shots during the game, all of them on target, but it just wasn’t enough to match the endurance of the Blue Jays. Johns Hopkins was quick to make shots after possessions and played strong defense throughout the match.

Freshman midfielder Dene’ DiMartino led the Blue Jays with three goals, followed by junior midfielder Sarah Taylor with two. DiMartino also won six of the team’s 10 draw controls.

Cavalier’s McTiernan brought up the potential the team has and hoped that they could take better control from the beginning in later matches.

“We just need to learn when to fight: fight from the beginning and fight through the end instead of fighting the last five minutes.”

Virginia will take on Virginia Tech Apr. 17 at 7 p.m at Klockner Stadium.

Michigan guard Trey Burke is the national player of the year, making him the best player left in the NCAA Tournament. Is that good enough to bring the Wolverines a title? (Photo from toledoblade.com)

It’s just over two hours until the Final Four tips off in Atlanta. By the time the clock strikes midnight, we should know who will face off Monday night to earn the title of national champion.Will Louisville’s devastating press suffocate Wichita State, or will the Shockers grab enough offensive boards to “shock” the world again? On the other side, will Michigan guard Trey Burke lead a program back to glory, or will Syracuse’s zone de-claw the Wolverines? Let’s find out.

Louisville vs. Wichita State – 6:09 PM (CBS)

How they got here: Louisville, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region and the top overall seed, defeated No. 16 North Carolina A&T 79-48, No. 8 Colorado State 82-56, No. 12 Oregon 77-69, and No. 2 Duke 85-63. Wichita State, the No. 9 seed in the West Region, defeated No. 8 Pittsburgh 73-55, No. 1 Gonzaga 76-70, No. 13 LaSalle 72-58, and No. 2 Ohio State 70-66.

Key matchup: Wichita State F Cleanthony Early and F Carl Hall vs. Louisville C Gorgui Dieng. Early and Hall are the heartbeat of the Shockers, leading the team in scoring and rebounding all season and combining for 25.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in the NCAA Tournament. They have pounded the offensive glass in particular, but they have their work cut out against Dieng, an imposing inside presence. Wichita State will need to control the glass to neutralize Louisville’s transition game, and it starts with Hall, in particular, beating Dieng to the boards.

X-factor: Russ Smith. Is anyone surprised by this at all? Smith is a dynamic scorer who has been compared to Allen Iverson, but like the Answer, he is guilty of forcing the issue and playing out of control at times. If the Cardinals want to cut down the nets Monday night, they’ll need the Smith that is averaging 26 points per game in the Dance on 54% shooting, not the Smith that shot 2-for-13 and turned it over four times in a midseason loss to Villanova.

Prediction: The Shockers are a great story, and earned a trip to Atlanta by beating the No. 1 and No. 2 in their region, but Louisville’s relentless pressure proves to be too much. Rick Pitino advances to “Monday Night” for a chance to win his second national championship as a coach.

Louisville 74, Wichita State 61.

Michigan vs. Syracuse – 8:49 PM (CBS)

How they got here: Syracuse, the No. 4 seed in the East Region, defeated No. 13 Montana 81-34, No. 12 California 66-60, No. 1 Indiana 61-50, and No. 3 Marquette 55-39. Michigan, the No. 4 seed in the South Region, defeated No. 13 South Dakota State 71-56, No. 5 Virginia Commonwealth 78-53, No. 1 Kansas 87-85 (OT), and No. 3 Florida 79-59.

Key matchup: Michigan G Nik Stauskas vs. Syracuse F James Southerland. Much has been made about the excellent point guard matchup between Michigan’s Trey Burke, the national player of the year, and Syracuse’s Michael Carter-Williams, and I don’t expect that matchup to disappoint. But it might be more important to the outcome of the game which shooter gets hot first. Southerland is averaging 11 points per game in the tournament, but the Orange might need him to use his 6-9 frame to get shots up over Michigan wings Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III. Meanwhile, Stauskas, who shot 44.9% from downtown this season, had made just two threes all tournament – until the Wolverines played Florida. Against the Gators, the freshman from Canada was a scorching 6-for-6 from outside and led all scorers with 22 points. Michigan will need Stauskas to be hitting from deep in order to successfully solve Syracuse’s 2-3 zone.

X-factor: Mitch McGary. The freshman big has treated the tournament as his personal coming-out party, averaging 17.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest. He goes against the Orange’s talented front line of Southerland, C.J. Fair, and Rakeem Christmas, and his ability to rebound and kick to the Wolverines’ shooters could be a major factor in whether coach John Beilein’s bunch will be the first Michigan squad since the Fab Five to make a title game.

Prediction: This is set to be one of the best games of the entire tournament. A team with an explosive offense (Michigan) squares off against a suffocating defense that has allowed just over 45 points per game in the Dance (Syracuse). Who wins the fight – the irresistible force or the immovable object? At the end of the day, I think Trey Burke is going to do some more Trey Burke things.

Michigan 72, Syracuse 67.

Staff Photo: Elizabeth Hilbert

The Virginia men’s lacrosse team fell 9-7 to No. 2 Maryland Saturday, after a last minute surge that brought the game within two points. The Terrapins improved their record to (7-1, 2-1) while the Cavaliers’ record dropped  to (5-5, 0-1).

The team will face two other conference opponents, North Carolina and Duke, in the coming weeks and they will need wins against these teams to advance to the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

Junior attacker Nick O’Reilly commented on the game and on the tact  he thinks the team needs to take in these games. “I think it wasn’t that we weren’t ready to play, they just got a few goals early on us. If we can eliminate that and match up with them right away … we might be in a better position.”

O’Reilly scored one goal and tallied two assists while also picking up three ground balls during the game. Senior attacker Matt Cockerton and sophomore midfielder Ryan Tucker added two points apiece.

Maryland started the game strong with three goals before Virginia stepped up and made their first goal of the game off an assist by O’Reilly with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter. The Terrapins’ sophomore attacker Jay Carlson made one of the team’s first three goals and went on to score two additional goals in the second half.

With 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Virginia freshman attacker James Pannell slammed one in the bottom left corner of the net from about two yards out. White assisted Pannell on the goal. Much to the Cavaliers’ dismay, Maryland answered 25 seconds later, as Carlson took the ball straight to the other side to make the score 8-4.

The Cavaliers didn’t fail to take shots as they outshot Maryland 41-32, but Terrapin goalie Niko Amato played great defense and kept them from getting the ball  past him. Amato made 14 saves and blocked a few others to allow only seven Virginia goals, which is much less than the average 12.3 goals they have made per game this season.

O’Reilly recognized Amato’s abilities and attributed part of the team’s low scoring efforts to him. “[Amato] played a great game [and] we know that he’s a great goalie. We could have been more selective on our shots or hit a few more … or shot a little better, but I give credit to [Amato] because he’s a really great goalie.”

Junior defender Scott McWilliams picked up a total of six ground balls and made an assist on the final Virginia goal of the game, made by O’Reilly.

McWilliams commented on the game and the performance of the team this season. “It’s been rough,” he said. “It’s very uncharacteristic for us. We’re not used to it [but] we need to keep working hard.”

The team may not be performing at the level Virginia lacrosse has in past seasons, but they are still giving all they have, as we can see by their last minute efforts to win this game. Coach Dom Starsia was not necessarily disappointed in his team, but he hoped for them to improve and was optimistic for their future matches this season.

“We’ve had this sort of never-say-die attitude,” he said. “At the same, we’ve got to be a little better. We’ve got to finish a little better. We’ve got to defend a little better … everybody’s going to have to pick up the pace a little bit,” he added.

O’Reilly felt the team really fought and that he appreciated how determined they can be. “But overall, the effort’s there. As you can see we fought until the end. I’m proud of the team for that. Everyone fought until the end. No one gave up.”

Virginia will take on North Carolina in Klockner Stadium at 3:30 p.m. next Saturday, Apr. 6.

The offensive flurry might come as a surprise to some with two excellent starters on the mound: UVa first-year Brandon Waddell—who had recorded a 2.60 ERA and a 47 strikeouts, the leader amongst college freshman—and Miami’s Chris Diaz.  However, both pitchers labored early against the brutal offensive attacks.

Second year Mike Papi—who was given an opportunity to start with fellow second-year Derek Fisher sidelined with an ankle injury—led the Cavalier offense, finishing the game 4-4 with three doubles, three runs scored, and a single run batted in.

“Mike Papi stepped in there in left field and had a really big day for us offensively,” skipper Brian O’Connor said after the game. “[Papi] had a lot of clutch hits, was really locked in, and has been swinging the bat as good as anybody the past couple of weeks.”

Papi has been on an absolute tear in the past few series, amassing an incredible 18 hits in his last 26 at bats.  His three doubles are the most by any Virginia player since fourth-year Jared King accomplished the same feat last April against Duke.

“I’m trying to take advantage of my opportunities.  Everyone had great at-bats,” Papi said of the impressive team performance.  “I’m going out there with the same approach every time, I’m not thinking about the stats.”

Waddell struggled early, allowing an RBI single to Miami’s Brad Fieger in the first inning and, in the fourth, hit one batter and walked three others before being relieved after just three innings of work.  The first-year, who was charged with four runs, three of them earned, uncharacteristically struggled in the early-goings of the game where he has usually been so dominant.

“Waddell lost his command.  That was unlike him [and] we haven’t seen that out of him all year,” O’Connor said of his rough day.

The early struggles kept both teams close on the scoreboard.  King answered Fieger’s RBI in the bottom frame with a sacrifice that scored second-year Branden Cogswell after a lead-off triple.  Sophomore Brandon Downes continued the aggressive Wahoo start with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the third, part of a three-run third inning.

However, after the three runs charged to Waddell in the fourth that tied the game at 4, third-year Austin Young delivered a dazzling performance in a relief effort.  Surrendering just two hits and striking out two, Young completed 3.2 scoreless innings and completely shut-down a once-threatening Miami offense.

“Austin Young was tremendous.  He has been tremendous all year in that role coming in and getting big outs all season,” O’Connor said.

The Cavalier offense finally jumped on their opportunity in the bottom of the eighth inning.  With 13 batters stepping up to the plate in the frame, the Wahoos erupted in the inning.

Fourth-year Reed Gragnani reached base on a fielder’s choice and drove in a run, Cogswell brought in another with a single, and first-year Joe McCarthy sent in two more with a double.  Downes launched a three run home-run off the Hoo Zone sign in left field and Gragnani concluded the scoring in the inning with a two-RBI single.

Every Virginia batter not only reached base in the game but also scored a run, demonstrating the excellent balance of the team.

“You can call on anybody and know that they’re going to be ready to go,” Cogswell said.

Young picked up the win in relief and continued the bullpen’s dominance, which has now given up just 1 run in the last six games.  The Cavaliers have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with Miami and have evened the all-time series at 19 wins a piece.

Can Florida-Gulf Coast's Sherwood Brown keep his team's magical run going any longer? The Florida Gators certainly don't think so. (Photo from cyclonefanatic.com)

It’s time for the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament to begin, and we all know what that means. Every year by this time, our brackets are good and busted, and this year is no different. We’ve seen the first 15-seed ever to make the Sweet 16, there are two other double-digit seeds in the Sweet 16 (but not the ones you might have picked in your brackets, like Bucknell or Davidson), we’re already down a 1-seed and a 2-seed, and we didn’t even make it to the end of the second day of basketball before no one had a perfect bracket anymore.

What sometimes gets lost in our anger over all of the money and/or bragging rights that we’ve already lost is that every year when we reach the point of bracket-busted-dom, we’re being handed a precious gift: the ability to sit back and appreciate the NCAA Tournament for the wonder that it is. No longer do you have to worry about whether you picked enough winners in the round of 32 to win $28; instead, you can hop guilt-free onto the Florida-Gulf Coast bandwagon, or root with all your might for Duke to crash and burn (I highly recommend both of these choices; they’re very rewarding).

With that in mind, let’s preview tonight and tomorrow’s action.

East Region: #3 Marquette vs. #2 Miami

Thursday, 7:15 PM, CBS

How they got here: Marquette defeated #14 Davidson and #6 Butler; Miami defeated #15 Pacific and #7 Illinois

Key players: Marquette G Vander Blue and Miami PG Shane Larkin

Miami won the ACC regular season and tournament championships. Marquette barely survived against both Davidson and Butler. The loss of massive center Reggie Johnson might even the playing field a bit, but Miami seems to be hitting on almost all cylinders, and Larkin is absolutely on fire right now. Advantage: Miami

West Region: #6 Arizona vs. #2 Ohio State

Thursday, 7:47 PM, TBS

How they got here: Arizona defeated #11 Belmont and #14 Harvard; Ohio State defeated #15 Iona and #10 Iowa State

Key Players: Arizona G Mark Lyons and Ohio State F Deshaun Thomas

Lyons is averaging 25 ppg for the Wildcats in the tournament, but he faces off against Aaron Craft, one of the best on-ball defenders in the nation. Thomas has 23 ppg in the Big Dance himself, and he has more help. Advantage: Ohio State

East Region: #1 Indiana vs. #4 Syracuse

Thursday, 9:45 PM, CBS

How they got here: Indiana defeated #16 James Madison and #9 Temple; Syracuse defeated #13 Montana and #12 California

Key Players: Indiana F Christian Watford, Indiana G Jordan Hulls, and Syracuse PG Michael Carter-Williams

Watford and Hulls are Indiana’s shooters, and they will have to be on to combat the Orange’s 2-3 zone. Meanwhile, Carter-Williams faces off against an excellent duo of defensive guards in the Hoosiers’ Yogi Ferrell and Victor Oladipo. He has a tendency to play slightly out of control at times, and Oladipo in particular can make him pay. Advantage: Indiana

West Region: #9 Wichita State vs. #13 La Salle

Thursday, 10:17 PM, TBS

How they got here: Wichita State defeated #8 Pittsburgh and #1 Gonzaga; La Salle defeated #4 Kansas State and #12 Ole Miss

Key Players: Wichita State F Carl Hall and La Salle G Ramon Galloway

Galloway has scored at least 19 points in all three of La Salle’s tournament games. He better not miss, though, because Wichita State is dominant on the boards. Advantage: Wichita State

Midwest Region: #1 Louisville vs. #12 Oregon

Friday, 7:15 PM, CBS

How they got here: Louisville defeated #16 North Carolina A&T and #8 Colorado State; Oregon defeated #5 Oklahoma State and #4 Saint Louis

Key Players: Louisville F Chane Behanan and Oregon F Arsalan Kazemi

Behanan has been a bit of a non-factor lately; the Cardinals have coasted so far, but they will need him to step up if they want to cut down the nets in Atlanta. If he isn’t active on the boards, Oregon’s Kazemi, who is averaging 16.5 rpg in the NCAA tournament, will eat him up. Fortunately for Behanan, he has a ton of help in guards Peyton Siva and Russ Smith and center Gorgui Dieng. Advantage: Louisville

South Region: #1 Kansas vs. #4 Michigan

Friday, 7:57 PM, TBS

How they got here: Kansas defeated #16 Western Kentucky and #8 North Carolina; Michigan defeated #13 South Dakota State and #5 VCU

Key Players: Kansas G Elijah Johnson and Michigan F/C Mitch McGary

A nightmare matchup for the Jayhawks. Ben McLemore has not exactly lived up to his billing as a top prospect lately, which will put a ton of pressure on Johnson in his matchup with Michigan point guard Trey Burke. McGary, who had his coming-out party against a VCU team not built for inside play, faces off against Kansas center Jeff Withey, who is racking up 3.8 blocks per contest this season. But McGary doesn’t have to shoulder the load – not when he has Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., Glenn Robinson III, and Nik Stauskas to kick it out to. We lose our second 1-seed Friday night; mark my words. Advantage: Michigan

Midwest Region: #3 Michigan State vs. #2 Duke

Friday, 9:45 PM, CBS

How they got here: Michigan State defeated #14 Valparaiso and #6 Memphis; Duke defeated #15 Albany and #7 Creighton

Key Players: Michigan State C Derrick Nix and Duke F Ryan Kelly

Duke has had no real trouble so far, but Michigan State is a different beast entirely from Albany and Creighton. Nix and Adreian Payne can pound Mason Plumlee inside; it might take another superhuman effort from Kelly just to keep the Blue Devils in the Dance. Advantage: Michigan State

South Region: #3 Florida vs. #15 Florida Gulf Coast

Friday, 9:57 PM, CBS

How they got here: Florida defeated #14 Northwestern State and #11 Minnesota; Florida Gulf Coast defeated #2 Georgetown and #7 San Diego State

Key Players: Florida F/C Patric Young and FGCU PG Brett Comer

I don’t know that I’ve ever rooted harder for an underdog. I can’t stand Florida, and I think I might be driving the FGCU bandwagon. They’re just so much fun to watch. But they’re running into a buzzsaw. The Gators are ruthless on defense, and they have threats both inside (Young, F Erik Murphy) and out (G Kenny Boynton, G Scottie Wilbekin), as well as the athletes to match the Eagles. If FGCU wants to go any further, Comer is going to have to do an exceptional job taking care of the ball and finding his teammates for open looks whenever they are there. As much as I love them, the Eagles are about to get their wings clipped. Advantage: Florida

I should have known better than to pick Liberty to win it all... (Photo from blogspot.com)

With the Sweet 16 just a few hours from tipoff, it’s time to revisit the Wahoo Wire Tournament Challenge. When we last checked in, we were showing you the bracket put forth by staff writers Scott McGrath and Charles Baker and the one that editor-in-chief Pierce Bishop, business manager Drew Fallen, and I put together. As the Big Dance’s second weekend gets set to kick off, let’s see where each bracket stands, and where it can go from here. All scoring numbers use ESPN standard scoring, (R64 = 10, R32 = 20, S16 = 40, E8 = 80, F4 = 160, NC = 320 ).

Writers (480 points out of a possible 640):

Who they picked for the Sweet 16:

Louisville, Saint Louis, Michigan State, Duke, Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Arizona, Ohio State, Kansas, Michigan, Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Syracuse, Bucknell, Miami

Elite 8:

Louisville, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Kansas, Florida, Syracuse, Miami

Final 4:

Louisville, Wisconsin, Kansas, Miami

National Championship:

Louisville over Miami

Possible points remaining (best total):

7*40 + 3*80 + 2*160 + 320 = 1,160 (1,640)

Best-case scenario: Indiana goes down to Syracuse, Ohio State loses to Arizona, Miami wins the title

Worst-case scenario: Michigan tops Kansas, Miami stumbles against Marquette, Indiana wins the title

Editors (440 points out of a possible 640):

Who they picked for the Sweet 16:

Louisville, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Duke, Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Arizona, Ohio State, Kansas, VCU, Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Syracuse, Marquette, Miami

Elite 8:

Louisville, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Kansas, Georgetown, Indiana, Miami

Final 4:

Louisville, Ohio State, Georgetown, Indiana

National Championship:

Louisville over Indiana

Possible points remaining (best total):

6*40 + 3*80 + 2*160 + 320 = 1,120 (1,560)

Best-case scenario: Florida Gulf Coast keeps winning (really, isn’t this just the best-case scenario for everyone?), Miami loses to Marquette, Michigan knocks Kansas out, Indiana or Louisville wins the title

Worst-case scenario: La Salle makes the Final Four, Indiana can’t break Syracuse’s 2-3, the Fighting Izzos bounce Louisville, Miami wins the title