Virginia women's lacrosse coach says team is healing together by playing in NCAA tournament

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Normalcy will not return for the Virginia women's lacrosse team in the coming weeks, but Coach Julie Myers believes returning to the field after last week's death of Yeardley Love will aid the process. The sixth-seeded Cavaliers play Towson on Sunday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

"We're going to do things not for Yeardley, but in honor of Yeardley, because I think that just helps a natural flow happen a little easier," Myers said in a Monday teleconference. "We don't have any grand plan. We don't have any long-term outlook on anything. All we know is we feel an incredible desire and need to stay together."

George Huguely, a men's lacrosse player, has been charged with first-degree murder in Love's death. Myers declined to discuss specifics of the case, including whether there were warning signs about Huguely.

"That's nothing I'm willing to discuss at this point," Myers said. "It's an ongoing investigation, and we need to be respectful of that process."

She said that the men's and women's programs are "very connected," and pointed to the six men's players serving as pallbearers at Love's funeral as evidence of the friendship between the two programs.

In addition to the blessing from the Love family to continue the women's season, Myers said that the Love family felt strongly about the men continuing their season.

"I don't think that the Love family had any expectation or desire for either one of the programs to stop playing," said Myers, adding that the Loves were "flattered and honored" that they were consulted.

Myers recognized that the team would receive more attention, with a sharp increase in fans and reporters likely at Sunday's game.

She was less concerned about the team failing to validate the excitement than she was about missing an opportunity to continue the season.

Part of the healing process is remaining together, Myers said, but that will continue only as long as the team keeps winning. She anticipates difficult practices this week to prepare her team, which must finish final exams after an emotional week.