Virginia defeated top-seeded Notre Dame 15-10 in the first semifinal of the 2026 Allstate Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Lacrosse Championship on May 1 at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Cavaliers, seeded fourth, secured their second win this season over a No. 1-ranked Notre Dame team and advanced to their eighteenth all-time ACC Championship title game.
The victory allows Virginia (9-6) to compete for the conference championship against North Carolina on Sunday, May 3. North Carolina earned its spot by defeating Syracuse in the other semifinal. This result marks only the second time in program history that Virginia has beaten a top-ranked team twice in one season.
Five Cavaliers scored at least four points each during Friday’s match. Brendan Millon led with three goals and two assists, while McCabe Millon, Truitt Sunderland, Ryan Colsey, and Ryan Duenkel each contributed significantly to the offense. Goaltender Jake Marek made twelve saves—five of them coming in the fourth quarter—to help secure the win for Virginia.
During play, Marek left briefly after taking a shot off his leg but returned following examination by medical staff. While he was out, reserve goalie Troy Capstraw filled in for three minutes before Brendan Millon broke a tie with his first goal of the evening. That score started a five-goal run that put Virginia ahead for good by halftime.
With this win, Virginia improved its all-time ACC Tournament record to twenty-four wins and twenty-one losses since 1989 and earned its first-ever victory at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The Cavaliers’ fifteen goals are also notable as they are the most allowed by Notre Dame since April 2024 and mark back-to-back fifteen-goal games for Virginia.
