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I am reproting this in the break between the Virginia-Syracuse game that just ended and the Johns Hopkins-Duke rematch in the second game of the semifinal double header on ESPN.

Syracuse has just won one of the greatest college lacrosse games of all time.

Virginia held a commanding 9-5 lead going into the third quarter and it looked as if Syracuse was going home, then at the end of a low-scoring quarter, Matt Aboot scored to make it a 3 goal deficit.

Then in the fourth business really started to pick up. Virginia made it a four goal lead again with a goal from Garett Billings, who had a terrific game in a losing effort. Then Cuse scored two quick ones and it was a two goal lead for Virginia. Then Danny glading makes it a three goal lead again for the Cavs. Then Syracuse scores two more to make it a one goal game with 5:30 left. Then the hero, Mike Leville scores with 2:46 left sending the game into overtime.

For non-lacrosse educated people like me, ESPN was kind enough to tell us the rules for OT. It is sudden death, there are 4 minute quarters until someone scores and teams get one timeout a quarter.

The first quarter was a fast paced one, with the Cavs having many oppurtunities to end their collapse and Syracuse had many chances to complete the comeback, but great goaltending and the goalposts sent this game into a second overtime.

This was the turning point of the match, a Cuse player was given a 30 second penalty for a bone-jarring hit and at the end of the man advantage, a Virgina player sent a howitzer on net and it hit the crossbar, which was the last offensive chance the Cavs got.

Then the Orangemen went on offense, where Mike Leveille got open and fired a low shot five hole through the Virginia goalie Bud Petit, sealing the comeback.

My MVP's of the game are Bud Petit for Virginia and Mike Leveille the player who scored the goal to send the game into OT and who scored the winner.

If something amazing happens in Duke-Johns Hopkins i will blog about it.

As I said I will update the blog if something amazing happens in the Johns Hopkins-Duke semifinal game and something did so I will blog about it right now.

The Duke-Johns Hopkins rivalry added another chapter in its story. Lacrosse's NCAA rivalry of the decade, they have faced off twice in two close finals, and now had a great semi-final match. Johns Hopkins seems to have their number though, winning in 05, last year in the finals, and upseting Duke this year in the semis.

Johns Hopkins had the right strategy in this game, slowing down the game to a crawl and having numerous stalling warnings. That combined with the stingy defense, which made Duke take a stalling penalty, a rare feat, and held them to 2 goals in the first half, gave the Jays the upset.

In the third the Duke's sleeping giant offense awoke scoring 3 goals in 53 seconds to tie the game up at 5. Then they went back and forth until the turning point of the game.

It was 8-5 Johns Hopkins, Duke went on another quick three goal run, then a Duke player shoots on a quick, wide open running shot, it looks like Duke is going to get the lead, then the ball hits the crossbar, the iron was really a lifesaver for the goalies in both games today. Then on the bounce off the crossbar the ball is picked up in midfield and Johns Hopkins scores on a Duke signature, a fast break off a weird bounce.

You have to feel for the Blue Devils, their seniors this year missed all of 06 due to the rape trail, lost a close game in 05, 07, and another heartbreaker today.

But on Memorial Day there will be a old-school powerhouse final game between the Orangemen and Johns Hopkins, with each team trying to win their tenth lacrosse title. I predict the Orangemen to win in a close one.