WATCH: UVA lacrosse’s Ricky Miezan lays the lumber against Syracuse

There are times that men’s lacrosse players emulate linebackers with big hits in the open field. Then there are times when literal college football linebackers come onto the lacrosse field and show everybody how to lower a shoulder. This afternoon, the Virginia Cavaliers’ Ricky Miezan accomplished the latter with this massive (and legal) blow to Syracuse’s Carter Rice.

Fortunately for our viewing pleasure, there are a number of glorious angles from which to appreciate the thunderous hit that rivaled the thunder that rumbled above Charlottesville for much of the morning before clearing up just in time for this 2:00 game.

Clad in uniforms that were a throwback to the 1980s era of Virginia lacrosse, Miezan and the entire team brought a level of physicality to this afternoon’s game that #12 Syracuse couldn’t match, resulting in a 19-12 victory for the fourth-ranked Wahoos.

UVA hits the road this week to play Lafayette on the road on Tuesday before coming back home a week from tomorrow to play #1 Notre Dame in the Cavaliers’ season finale. Tuesday’s game starts at 7:30 and will be streamed on ESPN+ while next Sunday’s opening face-off is set for 2:00 on ACC Network.