Spring Break
The Daily OrangeBIG UPSET: Cornell easily defeats top-seeded Virginia to advance to its first final game since 1988
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 5/23/09, 7:26 PM EST Section: Final Four '09
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Hanging in the upper-left corner of the wall in the hallway to the Cornell locker room is a brown cardboard sign with "I will give my all for Cornell" written in black ink.
The sign, made by senior Tommy Schmicker, is a replica of the one hanging in the Cornell locker room in Ithaca, N.Y. As the rest of the lacrosse world counted Cornell out before Saturday's contest against No. 1 Virginia, the sign served as a reprise to the team.
"We just wanted to make this place feel like home," senior defender Matt Moyer said. "And a lot of people have been counting us out and wanting us to feel like we didn't belong here, and we wanted to make sure we feel right at home."
The way Cornell played Saturday afternoon, Gillette Stadium certainly seemed like home for the Big Red.
Cornell dominated top-seeded Virginia, 15-6, Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd 36,594 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., to advance to its first championship game since 1988. No. 5 Cornell will take on No. 2 Syracuse Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. Cornell never trailed in the contest, as Virginia was sent packing in the semifinals for the second-straight year.
"We talked about all week about that there is nobody that thinks we can win except the guys inside this locker room and that's really all that matters," Moyer said. "The guy's inside here and that's how we went out and played so we're not surprised at all."
When Cornell and Virginia met earlier this season on March 8, the Cavaliers (15-3) disposed of the Big Red (13-3), 14-10.
Moyer said Cornell talked all throughout the week about Virginia having great athletes and being a good team, but the Big Red wanted to be a "better family" and play for each other in a unified manner. Saturday, Cornell did not give the favored Cavaliers any chance to even approach that mark.
Cornell jumped out a quick 3-0 lead on the Cavaliers behind goals from Chris Finn, Jonathan Thomson and Ryan Hurley. By the end of the first quarter, Virginia trailed 4-1 and found itself in a deficit after the first quarter for just the fifth time all season.
The sign, made by senior Tommy Schmicker, is a replica of the one hanging in the Cornell locker room in Ithaca, N.Y. As the rest of the lacrosse world counted Cornell out before Saturday's contest against No. 1 Virginia, the sign served as a reprise to the team.
"We just wanted to make this place feel like home," senior defender Matt Moyer said. "And a lot of people have been counting us out and wanting us to feel like we didn't belong here, and we wanted to make sure we feel right at home."
The way Cornell played Saturday afternoon, Gillette Stadium certainly seemed like home for the Big Red.
Cornell dominated top-seeded Virginia, 15-6, Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd 36,594 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., to advance to its first championship game since 1988. No. 5 Cornell will take on No. 2 Syracuse Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. Cornell never trailed in the contest, as Virginia was sent packing in the semifinals for the second-straight year.
"We talked about all week about that there is nobody that thinks we can win except the guys inside this locker room and that's really all that matters," Moyer said. "The guy's inside here and that's how we went out and played so we're not surprised at all."
When Cornell and Virginia met earlier this season on March 8, the Cavaliers (15-3) disposed of the Big Red (13-3), 14-10.
Moyer said Cornell talked all throughout the week about Virginia having great athletes and being a good team, but the Big Red wanted to be a "better family" and play for each other in a unified manner. Saturday, Cornell did not give the favored Cavaliers any chance to even approach that mark.
Cornell jumped out a quick 3-0 lead on the Cavaliers behind goals from Chris Finn, Jonathan Thomson and Ryan Hurley. By the end of the first quarter, Virginia trailed 4-1 and found itself in a deficit after the first quarter for just the fifth time all season.
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