PHILADELPHIA – Making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Championship Game, the fifth-seeded Yale fell to No. 3 Virginia, 13-8, in front of 31,528 at Lincoln Financial Field.
 
The Bulldogs, which knocked off top-seeded Penn State, 21-17, in the semifinals, finished the 2019 NCAA Tournament with 68 goals, to set a new NCAA record. With today’s loss, the League is now 10-7 in the final game. Yale, which won its first-ever national title in 2018, joins Princeton (6) and Cornell (3) to win national championships since 1971.
 
Freshman Matt Brandau once again paced the Bulldogs offense, finding the back of the net three times to finish the day with five points, while Jack Tigh and Matt Gaudet scored two each. John Danigellis and Lucas Cotler rounded out the Yale scoring continency. TD Ierlan, a 2019 Tewaaraton Award Finalist was dominant at the X, winning 19 of 25 face-offs. 

Brandau and Ierlan were named to the 2019 All-Tournament Team. Brandau, who finished as one of the most prolific rookie in Yale Lacrosse history, finished the weekend with 10 goals and 13 points. Ierlan was dominant at the X and picked up 11 of Yale's ground balls to conclude his junior campaign with 749 career ground balls, four shy of the NCAA record. 
 
The Cavaliers, which are coached by former Brown standout Lars Tiffany ‘91, built a huge lead in the second and third quarters, then rode the gap to a win and the program's sixth national championship.

Virginia kept Yale away from attacking the net, hustled in their own zone to force three failed Yale clears, and turned nine turnovers into instant offense. Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Rode, who was all over the place in goal. Rode finished the first half with eight saves, some truly astounding, and ended the game with 13 stops, including timely fourth-quarter saves as Yale tried to trim its deficit.

Jack Tigh gave the Blue its only lead of the game a few minutes after the opening face-off, and Yale fans probably thought they might see the type of fast start that gave the Elis a 10-1 lead against No. 1 Penn State on Saturday. However, the Cavs scored 6 of the next 7 and the Bulldogs could get no closer than 2 goals early in the third quarter. The Cavs kept Yale attackers to the perimeter and out of the slot, where Yale made a living against Penn State in the semis, and forced the Bulldogs to over-pass instead of attacking the net.

The Bulldogs finished the season with their second straight Championship Weekend appearance, concluding the year with a 15-4 record.

2019 NCAA All-Tournament Team
Alex Rode, Virginia (MOP)
Matt Brandau, Yale
Dox Aitken, Virginia
TD Irelan, Yale
Grant Ament, Penn State
Ryan Conrad, Virginia
Matt Moore, Virginia
Ian Laviano, Virginia
Cade Saustad, Virginia
Brad Smith, Duke