CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – For the first time in 15 years, Virginia’s men’s lacrosse team will play a game at Scott Stadium, home of the school’s football program. Despite a slow start to the season, the Cavaliers hope it won’t be their last time in the venue this year.

UVA is hosting the NCAA lacrosse Final Four this May at Scott Stadium, so this weekend’s men’s and women’s double-header will serve as a practice for the facilities teams that will be putting on that event.

The men’s game against Utah starts at 11 a.m., followed by the No. 19 women’s team hosting No. 10 Syracuse at 2 p.m.

“This is a test drive for our facilities and personnel, as we prepare to host the Final Four Memorial Day weekend,” Tiffany said. “Of course, the attendance will be much, much less, but the idea of two games back-to-back is a great opportunity to learn.”

Virginia hasn’t played a lacrosse game at Scott since hosting Maryland in 2011 in a Top 10 matchup which the Cavaliers lost, 12-7. Before that, the last game in the football venue was in 1995, when UVA beat Penn State 20-12.

The adjustment shouldn’t be difficult for Utah, which plays its home games in the school’s football venue, 51,444-seat Rice-Eccles Stadium. But Tiffany said UVA plays enough games in football stadiums – including its last game at Maryland’s SECU Stadium – that his players should not struggle with the larger venue and deeper shooting backdrops either.

His team will hold a practice at Scott Stadium on Friday to aid the acclimation.

“We’re used to seeing these, because of our road games,” Tiffany said. “Every setting is different. Some settings are quite different, and these larger venues do present different backdrops.”

Virginia is a disappointing 3-4 so far this season and has lost back-to-back games to Towson and No. 10 Maryland. But Tiffany said the team may found the turning point in its season last time out, when it fell 13-12 in triple overtime at Maryland.

The Cavaliers rank ninth in the nation in scoring, averaging 14 goals per game, but have struggled defensively. They’re allowing 12.3 goals per game, placing them 56th nationally.

UVA lost a trio of key defensemen off last year’s team in George Fulton, Griffin Kology and Ben Wayer, and starting goaltender Matthew Nunes.

“Gelling and coming together is something that I’m seeing, I’m witnessing,” Tiffany said. “The scoreboard, the amount of goals we’re allowing doesn’t quite reflect the continuity and togetherness that we’re witnessing as a defense. Jake Marek and Kyle Morris have been steady in the goal, but we need more saves. So, that’s been the biggest factor is trying to accelerate the experience of our defense working together. We are making strives, but we’ve got to make them faster.”

It figures to have its hands full Saturday against the fast-paced Utes.

“They can score. They can finish. I mean, heck, they scored 32 goals in one game,” Tiffany said. “This is a team that wants to take advantage of their athleticism and skill. They’re playing faster than us. They’re playing faster than just about anyone in a country.”