Jovan Miller’s mind kept wandering. Though he sat in nutrition class Tuesday afternoon, his mind kept returning to the lacrosse field.

More specifically, his thoughts traveled to Virginia.

‘I couldn’t stop thinking about the game, so I sent a text message out and told our manager I wanted to watch some tape,’ Miller said. ‘I wanted to see the 2008 game, last year’s game and their final four game against Cornell.’

By the time 3 p.m. hit, Miller had already logged serious time in the film room and as he put it, ‘did his research.’

Miller hopes this preparation will help his squad come Sunday. Syracuse will travel to Charlottesville, Va., to take on No. 2 Virginia in the highly anticipated matchup between the top two teams in the nation. Though the season is young whenever No. 1 faces off against No. 2, the stakes are high.

‘It is amazing,’ said midfielder Josh Amidon. ‘It is probably one of the best games to play in due to all the big-time players on the team, and it is a close game every time we play them. There is definitely more intensity and more heat.’

More than just being the top two teams in the nation, Syracuse-Virginia has a history. Since they first met in 1938, Virginia narrowly leads the Orange 13-12. Each team has scored exactly 343 goals in the series.

Over the last five seasons, the average margin of victory between the two teams is two goals. Last season the Cavaliers beat Syracuse 13-12 at the Carrier Dome. In 2008 it was an overtime win for Virginia, 14-13. The Orange came back later that season and prevailed in double overtime, 12-11, in the semi-finals of the NCAA tournament. In 2005, 2006 and 2007 the Cavaliers won.

The last time Syracuse beat Virginia in the regular season was in 2004. This is a history that junior goaltender John Galloway is very aware of.

‘It seems like we can’t beat Virginia in the regular season since I have been here,’ Galloway said. ‘It felt like we were winning in Baltimore my freshman year, then we blew it. Last year we come back and feel like we are finally going to do it and we just come short. The guys are still pretty bitter and we still have a bad taste in our mouths.’

It is a rivalry that goes much deeper than just high rankings.

‘Right now it is just Syracuse-Virginia and that means enough to us,’ Galloway said. ‘Regardless of the numbers of the rankings, we are taking a lot of pride in the matchup. If this was 20 versus 21, it would still be exciting.’

Galloway and the Syracuse defense will certainly have their hands full when they try to stop the Cavaliers’ potent, high-powered offense. In their first three wins this season, the Cavaliers have scored 11, 15 and 13 goals. They are led by sophomore attack Chris Bocklet, who has tallied 13 points this season.

And while the Cavaliers are getting offense from some young guys, it is the familiar faces of junior twins Shamel and Rhamel Bratton and senior middie Brain Carroll that scares SU head coach John Desko the most.

‘The Brattons are as athletic as you can get out there,’ Desko said. ‘Your worst fear is that they are going to be on that day. Then with Carroll they form a great 1-2-3 punch at the midfield and all you can do is cross your fingers and hope they are off that day.’

This will be the Orange’s first away game this season. It is their first trip to Charlottesville since 2006. The weather will be warmer. The game will take place on grass instead of turf. And for Jovan Miller, one other thing will certainly be different from the confines of the Dome.

‘I know when I get out there everybody is going to hate me from the beginning,’ Miller said. ‘There won’t be any mixed feelings. When you go out on the field you know everybody is going to tell you that you stink.’

restern@syr.edu