GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Roberto Carbone (So., Genova, Italy) led the way with four goals to collect Player of the Game recognition as Atlantic Division Champion/No. 19 the University of Virginia survived a fourth quarter comeback try by host/Florida Division Champion/No. 4 the University of Florida, 15-14, in the Fifth Place game of the 2024 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship at Florida’s O’Connell Center.
Virginia – which has now placed Fifth (2024), Ninth (2023), 13th (2022) and 15th (2003) at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship – exploited 5-3 scoring advantages in the first and third quarters to build enough of a lead to hold off Florida and clinch the program’s all-time best finish at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
Florida’s Sixth Place finish marks the tenth Top 10 placement by the Gators all-time at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship following prior Eighth (2000), Third (2001), 11th (2002), Ninth (2003), Fourth (2008), 13th (2009), Third (2011), 12th (2017), 10th (2018), Sixth (2019), 10th (2023) and Second (2024).
Virginia never trailed in the game as the Cavaliers pulled ahead 5-2 with 41 seconds left in the first quarter and saw their lead dwindle to 6-5 and 8-7 in the second quarter. However, the team tacked on some insurance in the third quarter via a 5-3 scoring advantage to hold a 13-10 margin entering the fourth quarter. Trailing 14-10 with 4:48 left in the final seven-minutes of regulation, Florida was unable to rally back.
Leading 14-13 with 1:36 left on the clock, Virginia received what proved to be the contest-winning strike with 1:15 left to play as Ethan Scifres (Jr., Sacramento, Calif.) made his lone goal of the game count the most by spinning home a man-up strike to expand the spread to 15-13. Florida’s Nicholas Borden (So., Danville, Calif.) attempted to rally his team back into the clash by torquing home a response with 48 seconds left, but the Cavaliers were able to shield their cage the rest of the way to charge out of the Ann Marie Rogers Swimming & Diving Pool with a 15-14 victory versus the Gators.
For Florida, Borden led the way with five goals, while Ignacio Hurtado (Jr., Madrid, Spain) and Brian Kent (Gr., Marietta, Georgia) both swept in trios of tallies. Tristan Hollon-Brooks (Gr., Marietta, Georgia), Christopher York (Fr., Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Travis Greco (Gr., San Diego, Calif.) each chipped in single scores in support of a combined 10-save performance by goalkeepers Logan Mazor (Sr., Hollywood, Fla.) and Lars Hammersmark (Gr., Gainesville, Fla.).
Carbone (four), Willem Palmer (Sr., Mill Valley, Calif.) (three), Penn Clay (Fr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.) (two), Doruk Ozar (Gr., Istanbul, Turkey) (two) and Max Spurr (Jr., Portland, Ore.) (two) combined to swish 13-of-15 goals for Virginia. Scifres and Nick Hoffs (Jr., Laguna Beach, Calif.) notched the other two scores for Virginia, while goalkeeper Pranay Vittal (Sr., Princeton, N.J.) turned aside six shots to post the victory.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 19 University of Virginia |
5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | – | 15 |
| No. 4 University of Florida | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | – | 14 |
| Florida Goals: | Nicholas Borden (5); Ignacio Hurtado (3); Brian Kent (3); Tristan Hollon-Brooks; Christopher York; Travis Greco | |||||
| Virginia Goals: | Roberto Carbone (4); Willem Palmer (3); Penn Clay (2); Doruk Ozar (2); Max Spurr (2); Ethan Scifres; Nick Hoffs | |||||
| Saves: | Florida – Logan Mazor (6), Lars Hammersmark (4) ; Virginia – Pranay Vittal (6) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Florida – 8 ; Virginia – 17 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Florida – 2-for-17 ; Virginia – 4-for-8 | |||||
| Sprints: | Florida – 1-for-4 (4th) ; Virginia – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | YC – Florida (Bench, 4:56 left in 2nd Q); YC – Virginia (Doruk Ozar, 3:08 left in 4th Q) | |||||
| Officials: | Ted Bresnahan, Michael Schofield | |||||
The University of Florida’s Nicholas Borden (#11) attempts to evade the University of Virginia’s Mattao Schisano (#25)
University of Florida’s Ignacio Hurtado (#12) looks for an opening as the University of Virginia’s Roberto Carbone (#10) defends
The University of Florida’s Brian Kent (#10) & the University of Virginia’s Ethan Scifres (#17)
