While rain poured down at Klockner Stadium on Saturday, it did little to deter the quick hands and strong presence of Virginia lacrosse’s Payton Cormier. The senior scored 6 goals to help the Hoos advance past Richmond, 17-8, in the NCAA Tournament.

Not that scoring goals is unusual for Cormier. He’s posted at least 45 goals in each of the three full seasons of his college career with 45 in 2021, 50 in 2022, and 49 so far in 2023. He’s top 5 nationally in goals per game (3.77) this season.

The latest flurry against the Spiders has pushed Cormier to within shouting distance of the career goals record at Virginia. Doug Knight scored 165 goals in his career from 1994-1997 (60 games). Cormier now sits at 156 career goals (53 games), which is good enough for No. 2 all time at UVA ahead of Matt Moore (143), Michael Watson (142), and Matt Ward (139) in the top 5.

In other words, Cormier scores goals rain or shine. At 6’2”, 230 pounds, he’s a difficult matchup for teams. Cormier is like a linebacker – tackling machine Nick Jackson was listed at 6’1” and 234 pounds last fall for UVA – with a receiving tight end’s hands. He can absorb contact and still control or redirect the ball with his stick or he can simply shield defender’s away from him as a post-up target near the crease. There were examples off all of that on display against Richmond and the Hoos hope it continues as their NCAA Tournament journey unfolds.

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