Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 9, 1993 TAG: 9305090095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Washington and Lee hopes it wasn't Saturday.
Douoguih, whose overtime goal in 1989 gave W&L its first victory in the Lee-Jackson Lacrosse Classic, scored seven of his eight goals in the first half Saturday and the Generals coasted to an 18-3 victory at VMI.
Douoguih's eighth goal, with 10 seconds remaining, enabled him to tie a school record set by Lee Heimert in 1984.
"Four years seems like such a long time ago," said Douoguih, who sat out the 1990-91 school year, "but that [1989] game showed I could do some things in Division III. I didn't want to go out on a sour note."
The Generals (12-2) took home the Lee-Jackson trophy for the fifth straight year and face a restless 24 hours as they wait to hear if they have been selected for the eight-team NCAA Tournament. Tenth-ranked W&L has won five games in a row, including a 9-8 triumph over No. 4 Roanoke College on Thursday.
"I worry," Generals coach Jim Stagnitta said, "but we've done everything we can possibly do."
Three of the teams ahead of W&L lost this week: Roanoke, No. 7 Washington College and No. 9 Clarkson. Washington College defeated the Generals three weeks ago, 12-10.
"I think the committee will pick two out of four teams - Clarkson, Washington College, Roanoke and W&L," Stagnitta said. "I think it's going to be difficult to take two ODAC teams [W&L and Roanoke], but I believe we'd be successful against some of the teams from up north."
W&L's past four victories over VMI have been by a combined score of 62-19, although the Generals felt more was involved Saturday than finding their way across town.
"We haven't stepped out on the field once where our players didn't play hard," said Stagnitta, whose starting 10 includes seven seniors. "But when you're right next door, there's so much emotion, especially with VMI having a down year."
The Keydets (5-9) could have used some early success; instead, it was the Generals who struck quickly. It took 24 seconds for Douoguih to score his first goal when VMI goalie Mark Cameron apparently stopped a shot from the right wing, only to have the ball trickle into the net.
Douoguih, who learned Saturday morning of his selection as ODAC player of the year, scored W&L's first four goals - three in the first 5:24.
"I knew what the record was," said Douoguih, who has scored 25 goals in the past five games, including seven- and six-goal performances. "Nobody told me, but I kinda had a feeling I had seven [at the half]."
VMI put senior defenseman David Youngclaus on Douoguih to start the second half and Douoguih did not have a goal before leaving the game with 9 1/2 minutes left. However, he reappeared for an extra-man situation with 1:17 left.
"I didn't know how many goals he had," Stagnitta said. "I just wanted to hang onto the ball and make sure nothing happened."
Stagnitta wasn't so concerned with the score as he was escalating tempers.
"It didn't bother me that [Douoguih] was in the game at that point," VMI coach Doug Bartlett said. "I was just wondering what he was doing shooting with 10 seconds left."
Bartlett only addressed that issue when asked and he was gracious after what was a long, hot afternoon. He stepped into W&L's postgame huddle and told the Generals, "You're a class team, class program, class kids."
It was the fifth straight loss for the Keydets, who suffered their first losing record since 1986, Bartlett's first season. They were no match for a W&L team that Bartlett calls the best he has seen.
"If Wiemi Douoguih doesn't make first-team All-American," he said, "then somebody hasn't been doing his homework." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB