Division I Men :      April 21, 2000 [ The Game Story]
North Carolina 16 Virginia 17 Scoring: Scoring: Jeff Sonke Austin Garrison Steven Will Chase Martin Matt Crofton Joel Miller Bobby Gormsen Peyton Chane Andy Jonas Mac Hammer (2, 3) (5, 0) (1, 3) (2, 2) (1, 1) (2, 0) (0, 2) (1, 0) (1, 0) (1, 0) Ian Shure Conor Gill Drew Mcknight Brenndan Mohler David Jenkins Jason Hard Aj Shannon Jay Jalbert Trey Whitty Hanley Holcomb Ryan Curtis (4, 0) (1, 3) (2, 1) (0, 2) (2, 0) (2, 0) (2, 0) (2, 0) (1, 0) (1, 0) (0, 1) Saves: Saves: Kris Blindenbacher 17  (0.500) Derek Kenney 6  (0.273) Current Record :     (7-5) Current Record :     (9-1) Team Page For 2000 Team Page For 2000       The Game Story:

The first quarter was dominated by Carolina early, but Virginia got a couple late to make it 5-3. The half ended with UNC up 9-7. In the third UNC looked like they might begin to run with it as it ended 14-11. Virginia stormed back to tie it up at 16 before regulation ran out. The game was exciting and so were some of the goals, but the brevity is to set up the final. The regulation play was not insignificant, but in the end it might as well have been.

Let's start at the end of the fourth quarter on the face-off that ensued after Virginia tied it up. UNC won the face and brought the ball down with a little over two minutes left. They worked the ball for a minute before getting a shot off that Kenney saves, but as Kenney runs around the back of the net to clear, he slips and his hand goes back in the crease; ball back to UNC on an in-and-out violation. UNC has another chance to score with less than a minute, but this time they lose the ball and the Cavaliers quickly move the ball down field. Conor Gill gets it at the restraining line and makes some spectacular moves to get inside the defense. As he whirled and twirled he somehow launched a shot with 0:00 on the clock, but it went high.

Move into OT. Carolina won the face and their longpole ran the ball over the line. He was pressured at the restraining line and had his pass deflected out of bounds. No worries though; coach Klarmann made the play of the game by calling a timeout just in time. The Tar Heels were unable to do anything with it, and as Virginia was clearing the ball, Austin Garrison slashed Ryan Curtis. Virginia goes man-up. A.J. Shannon was set up for a lefty crank with little angle, he ripped it, but Blindenbacher gobbled it up. Virginia got the ball back, but Gill's feed to the crease from behind got picked off by Todd Mahar. That began a mad scramble that had teams trading possession back and forth around the midfield line. Finally, Cavalier middie Jay Jalbert broke loose toward the goal, but Mac Hammer tackled him from behind. The Cavaliers go on another man-up. This time Hanley Holcomb was set up for a lefty crank with much more of an angle. Blindenbacher was again equal to the task. UNC was then successful clearing the ball, but ended up wasting the opportunity with a pass that sailed over everyone and found its way to Virginia's endline. Virginia cleared the ball and set up McKnight from 7 yards out, but he was stuffed by Blindenbacher after the penalty expired. Time runs out on the first OT.

Virginia took the face and immediately called timeout with possession in the offensive end. The play they set up provided Jalbert with the chance to be a hero, but once again Blindenbacher was steadfast. UNC cleared quickly and found themselves with the makings of a fast break. Tar Heel attackman, Jeff Sonke, drilled one into a Cavalier defensemen's head and UVA was able to recover, but Virginia lost the ball on yet another bad pass. Virginia's D held strong and regained possesion when the ball finally hit the turf. UVA quickly moved it down the field and rotated it to Ian Shure down low in the still unsettled situation. He moved in along the goal line extended and ducked past his defenseman. He stumbled in off balance and scored between Blindenbachers' legs.

UNC led the whole way, but in the end Virginia got the job done. That's what championship teams do.