Virginia players know they will get to play through their mistakes, and it’s a mentality that helped them decide no deficit is insurmountable.
“You get to play with a lot more confidence than if you had a coach who was screaming down your neck for any bad pass you make or a wrong decision,” Kraus said. “It breeds confidence into all of us. We can use that at any point, whether it’s a normal dodge or when we are down and have to take it to the rack. The only thing we are worried about is getting that next goal.”
That played a large part in putting together the group that has Virginia gunning for its first NCAA championship since Stanwick led the Cavs to glory in 2011. Moore, a sophomore, was one of head coach Lars Tiffany’s first recruits after leaving Brown for Virginia.
Moore began his UVA career in the midfield, but has taken it to another level since joining the attack this season and said he knew right away he’d fit at Virginia regardless of position.
“I liked the way Brown played,” Moore said. “It’s fun. It’s like backyard lacrosse. You run up and down the field. Last year we were a little too trigger happy. We’re a smarter team this year, but still playing the fast lacrosse that’s fun.”
Of course, it will be a lot more fun for the Cavaliers if they can beat Duke, something they haven’t done since Tiffany arrived at Virginia three years ago. In a loss to the Blue Devils earlier this season, the Cavs played without Krause, but Tiffany believes it was the game in which Moore really emerged with four goals and an assist.
“Duke’s a tremendous team and a good obstacle in the path of our mission,” Tiffany said. “We were certainly disappointed when we drove back from Durham six weeks ago with a loss. But we discovered that Matt Moore can really put the team on his shoulders. That was a big, big learning moment for him and us.”