Record-breaking goal scorer Xander Dickson leads ‘Hoos into NCAA quarterfinals

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The UVA Men’s Lacrosse team is one win away from reaching the NCAA Tournament Championship weekend in Philadelphia.

The Cavaliers play in the tournament quarterfinals Saturday, May 20. The 2-seed team is in Albany tonight, getting ready for the noon showdown with 7-seed Georgetown.

It’s a quarterfinal rematch with the Hoyas from two years ago, when Virginia won 14-3 on its way to a national championship.

The Cavaliers appear to be peaking at the right time, led by leading scorer Xander Dickson.

Dickson put a shot into the net just minutes into Virginia’s opening round NCAA Tournament game with Richmond, his 57th goal of the season, breaking a single-season record that had stood for 27 years.

“One, I don’t shoot them from very far; it’s always right at the doorstep, its pretty easy. Two, I have Coach Kirwin. He’s shown me a whole new world,” Dickson said.

His success is a tribute to his resolve: Dickson considered transferring three years ago, thinking he wasn’t good enough to earn playing time at UVA.

“That was daunting at the time because I got the call that Matt Moore and Ian Laviano were coming back and they were some of my best buddies and I was happy for them, but I can’t out compete these guys. These are really good players and they’re better than me and they’ve done more for the program. But it’s rewarding to say that I stuck it out and I tried my hardest and it paid off,” Dickson said.

Dickson knows he’ll be a point of emphasis for the Georgetown defense on Saturday, and he says he is ready for the challenge.

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