Find all the updates from VMI/Virginia below, with the latest at the top. As always, please feel free to email me at saloisbj@vmi.edu with any comments, questions or concerns, and thank you for reading!
9:10 - Final stats are in my hand...Shots - UVA 59 (yes, 59), VMI 25...GB's (it seemed like these might have been overcalled, but that was done fairly for both teams) UVA 44, VMI 29. Final box is linked above...Story will be posted, as always, on VMIKeydets.com. I'm not sure when, because I'm relying on the bus' wireless Internet, but it'll be there eventually. Thanks again for joining us, it's been a fun night here on VMIKeydets.com. Once again, your final score is UVA 20, VMI 6. This is Brad Salois, signing off.
9:00 - And that's your final, 20-6. Will try to do one last update before closing down.
8:58 - Davis scores his second of the game to make it 20-6...Clock running down...
8:56 - Now 20-5.
8:54 - Attendance is 1,247 and it is getting quite chilly up here in the press area (it's open air)...Coldest place in Charlottesville, indeed.
8:52 - UVA adds another score with four minutes left...Keydets will set up the clear...it is failed...UVA shot goes high and everyone takes a breath. Crowd is still into the game...Timeout UVA, 19-5.
8:50 - Timeout VMI, Keydets with the ball at 18-5 and 4:50 left in this one.
8:45 - Now 18-5...Offensive player just too close to give McMinn a legitimate chance.
8:43 - Nearly a disaster for VMI, as McMinn turned it over on the clear attempt when he was 1/3 of the way to midfield. He hustled back, the UVA player muffed the ball and McMinn was able to stop the shot that finally came. UVA back on offense with 9:41 left, 17-5.
8:39 - Just as the penalties finally go by the wayside, White gets his fourth for UVA. He took a pass directly in front of the net, faked high and went low to put the score on the board...And before I can finish that update, UVA gets another on a blast from about 18 feet out. It's 17-5 with 12:20 left.
8:37 - Slashing penalty against VMI...UVA will get a 45 second EMO out of it.
8:36 - And another penalty against UVA...Keydets will be man-up for 30 seconds, once everything shakes out.
8:33 - Well, maybe there won't be an EMO...All kinds of things happening here! There's an illegal stick penalty against UVA, but only of the one minute variety, so teams are at even strength for the next 41 seconds. VMI will then have eight seconds of an EMO...Timeout, VMI, 12 seconds into the fourth.
8:30 - Just kidding...The goal gets taken off because of the penalty called against Bobby Davis, but UVA will be on the EMO for the first 53 seconds of the final period. Once again, we're at 15-5 UVA with 15 minutes to go.
8:29 - UVA gets back on the board...Again, the quick break off the VMI turnover. There's a reason these guys are ranked #1. 16-5 with 7.2 seconds left in the quarter.
8:25 - Thomas Moran is held...We could see that one from up in the press area, and sure enough, both officials on this side of the field threw the flag at the same time. EMO chance for VMI and the Keydets convert, it's Tim Moran from Brett Leonard to make it 15-5. That's Moran's third of the night and 76th of his career, tying him for 10th on that program list as well.
8:22 - It remains 15-4 with five minutes to go in the third...This game has slowed WAY down.
8:16 - White curls around the net off a break and tucks it by McMinn for his third of the game...Now 15-4 at the 10-minute mark. Keydets take the ensuring faceoff...FO's have been going much better since the first quarter.
8:14 - VMI kills off the penalty, but Bocklet scores on a turnaround shot from about six feet out...14-4 now, three-and-a-half minutes in to the third.
8:11 - And we're having clock issues again! Very strange...It was about this point in the first period where this happened. Hey, if it can happen here, it can happen anywhere, but the crowd does not agree and is now yelling at the ref. Ah, there we go. Clock's running again and that fact is greeted by a Bronx cheer :-).
8:06 - 30 second EMO for VMI due to an offsides call...Nothing doing. UVA takes over and there's a penalty for illegal procedure on VMI, goes into effect after McMinn stops Bratton cold.
8:04 - About to start the second half...Thanks to the two people who wrote in, I'm certainly glad I can help people in all corners of the country follow this game! Quick look at halftime stats - Shots are 35-13 UVA, GB's = 24-15 UVA, but the major stat is face-offs. VMI was just 2 for 12 in the opening quarter as UVA raced out to this 13-4 lead. Keydets taking the field now, with McMinn still in goal and a chill very much developing in the air. Former UVA LAX SID Michael Colley always told me this was the coldest place in Charlottesville...By the way, Rob Fortunato now in goal for UVA.
7:54 - Keydets hold at the end of the half, and it remains 13-4 at the intermission.
7:50 - Rhamel Bratton beats McMinn top shelf...Impressive shot. That's why he was so highly touted. Anyway, it's now 13-4 with 1:25 left in the half...We may not have halftime stats right away (going to try to take some down to our locker room), but we'll get some to you when we can.
7:46 - Moran fights through two UVA defenders at 3:24 and scores...That's why he's the Keydets' leading scorer. It's now 12-4, and with those two goals, Moran moves into sole possession of 10th place on the all-time points list at VMI.
7:44 - McMinn stops a 1V1 shot and it leads to a successful clear...Timeout, Keydets, with the score remaining 12-3 at 4:19 of the first half.
7:40 - UVA's Matt White gets his team back on the board...A screen behind the net led to the pass to White, who had just enough room to beat McMinn top shelf...Looked like McMinn thought he should have had that one. 12-3 UVA.
7:37 - Bobby Davis finds a seam off a clear, runs right between two UVA defenders and scores. Nice play! 11-3 UVA now at 8:38, the pace of the game has slowed way down.
7:34 - Keith Long stopped by the UVA keeper, but he recovers the rebound...VMI still on offense...But a Moran blast is stopped by that keeper and UVA takes over after the clear. It remains 11-2.
7:29 - Bocklet scores his third of the game for UVA, about eight yards out...EMO makes it 10-2 and then UVA scores on a fast-break. Incredibly quick passing for UVA on that one...McMinn was facing a shot from about three feet in front of him. 11-2, 35 seconds into the quarter.
7:25 - Moran from Weimer at 29.1 seconds of the first quarter...Again, a shot from pretty much straight out. 8-2...But only for a moment. A crazy sequence leads to another score and a slashing penalty on Kyle Hofstetter...One-minute EMO will have 50 seconds remaining on it as we start the second quarter. 9-2 UVA.
7:23 - Chris LaPierre scores for UVA to make it 8-1...That was a shot from about 12-15 feet to McMinn's right, and this time, the shooter was well covered. Keydets will go on offense after winning the ensuing faceoff.
7:19 - This is a legitimate #1 in the country team...Another player cutting to open space gets free for a 1V1, and George Huguely scores for UVA. It's 7-1 at 5:02...Remember the end goal.
7:14 - Stanwick scores for UVA, another 1V1 play...6-1 UVA and a VMI timeout.
7:13 - UVA answers less than a minute later with a goal, as they found a cutting attacker to McMinn's right and he had a 1V1 shot. Just a beautifully designed and executed attack. 5-1 UVA.
7:11 - VMI goal scored by Jacob Weimer, assisted by Keith Long at 8:12...Long passed it from keeper's left, the near side of the field, to Jacob Weimer about 10 yards out. Now 4-1 UVA.
7:08 - Clock fixed, and we have two VERY quick UVA goals. Keydets need to win a face-off, as they now trail 4-0. McMinn didn't have much of a chance on the last two scores, although he did try to sprawl for them both.
7:06 - And we have a clock issue...And now the scoreboard is completely off. Certainly an unexpected delay.
7:03 - UVA scores to open the game, a blast from the point by Brian Carroll...And a face-off win turns into a fast break that leads to another goal. 2-0 just 2:18 in.
7:01 - UVA wins the opening face-off and sets up on offense...Good defensive possession, but negated with a loose ball push. UVA ball.
6:58 - Starters just introduced...Perfect night and a very good crowd. We'll get you attendance later on.
6:50 - Keydets are finishing final warm-ups...I'll paraphrase Coach Shirk from the post-game presser at Navy: "Our main goal this season is not to beat the Navy's, Army's and UVA's of the world. It's to win the MAAC." Of course, it's ALWAYS a goal to win every game, but this team has its eyes on the Metro Atlantic. If tonight advances that goal, the idea of celebrating in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. the first weekend in May, it's a success.
6:34 - Keydets will go with McMinn in goal - Weimer, Bosse and Drew Leonard at attack - Long, Brett Leonard and Tim Moran as the middies - and finally, Hofstetter, Schaefer and Kitchen on defense.
6:17 p.m. - Hello fans, and welcome to a live blog from Klockner Stadium in Charlottesville, Va. We'll bring you coverage of VMI/UVA lacrosse tonight, with a view overlooking the mountains in the area. We arrived at 5 p.m., and the team seems to be upbeat and ready to play. Everyone was very calm on the bus...As it says above, feel free to email me with any questions, comments or concerns at saloisbj@vmi.edu.
