Petit Perseveres, Gets His Chance in Net for Virginia

While playing attack on a youth team, Virginia fifth-year senior Bud Petit once celebrated a goal on a muddy field by sitting in a puddle and pretending to use his lacrosse stick as a paddle. He was a studio art major. He plays the drums at parties. He gave himself the nickname "Master de la Ocho," a reference to his jersey number (eight).

"He's a pretty atypical guy," said Virginia senior Ben Rubeor, a starting attackman.

And Petit found an unusual way to spend much of his college career. After being one of two goalkeepers on the U.S under-19 team in 2003, after being a two-time all-American at Collegiate School in Richmond, Petit was a backup goalie for the past 4 1/2 years.

Today, however, he will start in goal when third-ranked Virginia (10-1) hosts No. 2 Duke (11-1) at 6 p.m. at Klockner Stadium. If the weather holds, a record crowd of 8,000 is expected. More than 3,700 tickets had been sold as of Thursday, according to school officials.

Petit redshirted as a freshman in 2004; he otherwise would have played behind all-American Tillman Johnson. Over the next three years, he was classmate Kip Turner's backup.

He came back for a fifth year -- and began the season as the backup to freshman Adam Ghitelman. Following a 13-7 loss to Maryland on March 22, however, Coach Dom Starsia made a change.

"You could tell by Adam's reaction in the locker room that he was very upset," Starsia said. "Even though we were 9-1, I felt like he needed a break."

So Petit started in a 12-11 overtime win over North Carolina last week. It was his first start since February 2005.

"I wasn't really nervous; I was more excited," Petit said. "I said to myself, 'Let's go out and show what had been on the sideline for the past 4 1/2 years.' "

Petit finished with 13 saves.

That performance would have been impossible in February 2006. Two games into that season, frustrated at a lack of playing time, Petit quit the team.

His father called Starsia, then made the trip from their home in Richmond.