CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – In the apartment complex where a number of Virginia lacrosse players reside, everyone understands one, unwritten decree.

No one messes with Ryan Colsey’s pan.

“It’s a running joke in our apartment,” McCabe Millon told Cville Right Now. “Everyone knows the rules. In our apartment, you never touch Colsey’s pan. Or else.”

To be fair, Colsey’s concern is less with people using his cookware and more about them leaving it uncleaned. It’s an issue of availability.

“They like to make breakfast and then not clean the pan until the next morning,” Colsey said. “And I just prefer to clean my pan right after I use it. So, that’s where we got into a difference in opinions.”

It’s one of the very few places where UVA’s veterans, especially on offense, aren’t in lock-step.

That’s because a core of experienced players in seniors Sunderland and Colsey and junior McCabe Millon are leading a unit that’s being elevated by freshman star Brendan Millon, McCabe’s younger brother.

Virginia is scoring 14.7 goals per game, tied for sixth most in the nation.

Saturday, with the attack trio of Sunderland and the two Millons combining for five goals and seven assists, and Colsey adding a score from the midfield, UVA upset top-ranked Notre Dame 11-9.

That output equaled the most goals the Fighting Irish have allowed this season.

“We’re very high in assisted goals, and I think that that is one of the things that has really carried us,” Colsey, who is splitting time between attack and midfield, said. “Our ball movement, when we’re spinning the ball and assisting each other and looking for those, as we call them, singles, rather than the home run balls, I think that has really carried our offense.”

All three veterans have had distinctly different career arcs at UVA.

Sunderland and Colsey joined the program in 2023. Sunderland played in 16 games as a freshman, but didn’t become a full-time starter until last season. That’s commonplace at Virginia, where the program attracts some of the nation’s top lacrosse talent each offseason.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult at times,” Sunderland said. “But, you know, there’s so many players that have gone through it.”

Colsey is one of those players. He redshirted in 2023 before becoming a starter in the midfielder in 2024. He moved to attack last year and, now, is now playing both spots.

Because he redshirted his first year at UVA, when playing time would have been hard to come by, he has another year of eligibility.

“That’s something that every guy understands when they come to Virginia,” Colsey said. “It’s going to be a battle for playing time, and for that position, but I think that’s what really pushes us to get better individually.”

While Sunderland and Colsey had to bide their time, Millon – a No. 1 prospect coming out of high school, like his brother – was in the lineup from Day 1 at UVA.

He joined the program in 2024 and, that season, he led all freshmen in the nation in goals scored.

But Millon said he’s had a lot to learn in college, as well, and he’s worked hard to develop as a passer and improve his shooting accuracy.

“I was always trying to get better and never being satisfied with where I am,” the elder Millon said. “Whether it was in high school or coming to Virginia, it was always keeping the mindset of, there’s so many more levels to reach.”

Now, for all three, this season is about achievement and redemption. They were the group UVA lacrosse looked to as offensive leaders in the post Connor Shellenberger era. And their first go at it, last season, produced a disappointing 6-8 record, including an 0-4 showing in the ACC.

The Cavaliers missed both the ACC and NCAA tournaments, while averaging just 11 goals per game, the lowest mark for the program since 2016.

This year, UVA is scoring 14.3 goals per game, led by Sunderland’s 28 tallies, Colsey’s 23, Brendan Millon’s 22 and McCabe Millon’s 20.

The Cavaliers average 9.7 assists per game, the second most in the nation.

“We’re an unselfish group,” Sunderland said. “All everyone cares about is making sure we score a goal on every possession. It doesn’t matter who’s scoring it or who’s feeding it, as long as the ball gets in the back of the net, you’ve got six guys that are really happy.”

After a disappointing 3-4 start, Virginia has won three straight – including the Notre Dame upset– as it heads to Durham to play at No. 7 Duke.

With games against the Blue Devils, as well as nationally-ranked Syracuse and North Carolina remaining, the Cavaliers will have a chance to play themselves into both the ACC and NCAA tournaments this year.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Sunderland said. “We started talking about this year, just amongst ourselves, back in June, and setting our goals and what we want to accomplish. We’ve worked really hard to get to the point that we’re at, and we want to continue to build and grow.”