Bratton's Maturation Bodes Well for UVA Midfield

by Patrick Stevens | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online

Virginia midfielder Rhamel Bratton (left) embraces line mate Brian Carroll after a goal in Sunday's win over Syracuse. © Matt Riley

Shamel Bratton was in an unusual position Sunday, mostly glued to Virginia’s bench with a troublesome hamstring while brother Rhamel anchored the Cavaliers’ first midfield.

He urged associate head coach Marc Van Arsdale to let him play in the No. 1-vs.-No. 2 showdown with Syracuse at Klockner Stadium, with only moderate success.

Finally at halftime, he approached coach Dom Starsia with another plea.

“I can pull the pole off Rhamel,” Shamel Bratton said.

“I’m sure you can,” Starsia chuckled in reply.

On that particular day, it wasn’t necessary.

Rhamel Bratton scored a career-high four goals to carry Virginia to an 11-10 victory and the No. 1 ranking in the country. He added another goal in UVA's 20-6 win Tuesday over VMI.

But more significantly, it is a signal the Cavaliers (5-0) might eventually possess the most imposing midfield in the game.

Brian Carroll is the established veteran, and Shamel Bratton emerged as a potent scorer as a sophomore.

Rhamel Bratton, however, was a wild card. He played well at times in the past, but to make the Cavaliers’ midfield truly special -- like the units that helped land national titles in 2003 and 2006 -- Virginia needed him to elevate his performance this spring to create a truly dominant unit.

So far, so good.

“It’s just been quiet,” Starsia said. “The best thing is, there’s no drama. He’s given indications he’s settled into being a college student a little bit. I thought he’d have a very productive year, but
[Sunday] he bordered on brilliance. You could have always looked at him and said ‘That’s what he’s capable of.’”

The Cavaliers are already talented enough in the midfield to force most teams to bump up a second pole. Rhamel Bratton’s development could mean even greater flexibility for a youthful attack unit still finding its way after the departure of Garrett Billings and Danny Glading from a year ago.

With two freshman starters, Virginia is unusually inexperienced on attack. An unforgiving schedule doesn’t help, but a power-packed midfield certainly provides a buffer for the Cavaliers.

“When Shamel gets healthy, we’re going to make you make some hard decisions about how you’re going to cover us,” Starsia said. “I hope we can establish the balance we need offensively. I think it’s a little dangerous to live by midfield scoring primarily. That’s why our attack needs to continue to develop.”

The midfield scoring will only improve when Shamel Bratton returns. He played on Virginia’s extra-man unit Sunday and also had one regular midfield shift, but the Cavaliers otherwise took it easy on the star.

More of the same is possible this weekend when Virginia visits Cornell.

“He’s a possibility for Cornell,” Starsia said. “But if somebody came to me and said you’ll have him Monday for good but you can’t play him before then, I would take that as good news.”

Yet even Shamel Bratton’s absence brought with it a welcome development, if only because his brother capitalized on the opportunity for a bust-out game.

“When you have a middie who is making plays while he’s drawing a pole, those are the real middies in my book,” Starsia said. “Rhamel [on Sunday] played like a big boy.”

ACC Notes

Maryland coach Dave Cottle said he anticipates junior short stick midfielder Dan Burns to continue working his way back into action this week. Burns, who sat early in the season with a hamstring
injury, played some in Saturday’s overtime defeat of Duke.  “It tightened up so we had to take him out,” said Cottle, whose team plays host to Towson on Saturday. “We’re hoping to give him some more time this week..." With Saturday’s loss, Duke fell to 2-4 all-time at M&T Bank Stadium, and has lost three straight at the site of this year’s final four. Maryland improved to 5-3 in that stadium.