Cavs Bounced By Orange in 2nd Overtime

Syracuse 12, Virginia 11

FOXBOROUGH, Mass., May 24 -- On Virginia's opening possession of the second overtime against Syracuse in an NCAA men's lacrosse semifinal on Saturday, senior Ben Rubeor got his hands free for a shot. It was headed for the top corner of the goal -- until it hit the crossbar and bounced away.

Syracuse gained possession and senior Mike Leveille scored 1 minute 43 seconds into the second overtime on a low, 11-yard shot that clinched a 12-11 victory before 48,224 at Gillette Stadium.

The third-seeded Orange (15-2) will play No. 5 Johns Hopkins (11-5) for the national championship at 1 p.m. Monday.

Second-seeded Virginia (14-4) came close to advancing. The shot by Rubeor was one of three it took in overtime that hit the crossbar (junior Danny Glading took the other two).

"It's tough that a win and a loss is a difference of inches," Rubeor said. "We had some shots that hit [goalie John Galloway], just missed or hit the pipe. That's how it goes."

The winning goal came on a matchup between Leveille and sophomore defenseman Kenny Clausen. Leveille moved back and forth, trying to find an opening. Clausen matched his every move. Ultimately, however, Clausen threw a check. Had he connected, it might have been a turnover. Instead, he missed.

Leveille moved slightly and took a low shot that went between the legs of fifth-year senior goalkeeper Bud Petit. "I had a bad turnover earlier in the first overtime, and I wanted another chance," Leveille said.

The Cavaliers led 9-5 after a goal by fifth-year senior Peter Lamade with 6:16 left in the third quarter. Three minutes later, Syracuse was called for a 30-second penalty for interference.

Junior Gavin Gill, a specialist on extra-man offense, had a close shot that hit the goal post. Syracuse gained possession, and Virginia suddenly realized it was in trouble. Not only did junior Matt Abbott, who excels in transition, have possession, but Virginia still was in its extra-man alignment, with four attackmen.

Abbott took advantage and scored on an 18-yard shot 12 seconds after Gill's miss. The predominantly Syracuse crowd roared. The Orange ended regulation by scoring five of the final seven goals.

Leveille had two goals in the spurt, including the tying goal on a rebound after Petit initially saved a shot from senior Brendan Loftus with three minutes to play.

Leveille finished with five goals and two assists. Glading had three goals and an assist, and Petit finished with 16 saves.

Petit had redshirted as a freshman, spent three years as a backup to a classmate and began this year as a backup to a freshman.

On the Orange's opening possession in overtime, he intercepted a pass from Leveille that, had it connected, would have been to a wide-open player right on the crease. He also made three saves in overtime and nearly got to the shot from Leveille.

"Anyone who has been around us knows his story," Virginia Coach Dom Starsia said. "They know what Bud means to us. And I can tell you that he left the field with a smile on his face."