1) A lot can be gleaned from these teams’ regular-season meeting back on March 8 when the Cavaliers won, 14-10. Perhaps the biggest question is whether Cornell can replicate its defensive effort against Princeton in the quarterfinals against Virginia. Senior defenseman Matt Moyer, a first team All American, limited Cavaliers senior attackman Danny Glading, another first team All American, to a single assist, but the midfield accounted for 10 goals. So it will be incumbent on defensive players like long-stick midfielder Pierce Derkac and short-stick midfielders Austin Boykin and Roy Lang to hold their own against a Virginia offense that has scored 37 goals in two tournament games.

2) In a similar vein, the Big Red offense must find a way to score goals. Cornell actually held a 7-6 lead at halftime, but scored just one goal in a pivotal third quarter in which the Cavaliers scored four. Virginia’s defense likes to use its speed and stickwork to extend out and force turnovers, but if the Big Red can remain patient, they might be able to exploit the exposed areas. Another footnote is that senior midfielder and first team All American Max Seibald must gain the upper hand in his match-up with Cavaliers senior long-stick midfielder Mike Timms, who held Seibald to a single goal in March.

3) Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Jake Myers did not play in that regular-season meeting due to injury and senior Kyle Harer made just four saves. Myers isn’t spectacular, but he is regarded as a steady player who generally makes the saves he should make. On the other side of the field, sophomore Adam Ghitelman seems much improved from last year when he was relegated to the bench in favor of Bud Petit. Ghitelman made some critical saves early in the quarterfinal rout of No. 8 seed Johns Hopkins, and he will need to be on his game again if Virginia wants to reach the final.