Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 17, 1994                   TAG: 9403170108
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

UVA PLAYS ITS GAME, SENDS LOYOLA PACKING, 72-47

Playing what coach Debbie Ryan called "Virginia basketball," the Cavaliers breezed past Loyola (Md.) 72-47 on Wednesday night in the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament.

Virginia will play host to Southwest Missouri State, a 75-56 winner over Northern Illinois, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the second round of the Mideast Regional.

The Cavaliers (26-4), coming off a loss to North Carolina in the ACC tournament's title game, overpowered the Greyhounds (18-11), champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Virginia used double- and triple-teaming defense to stifle Loyola's Patty Stoffey, holding the junior sensation to 16 points and seven rebounds. Stoffey, the nation's second-leading scorer, entered the game averaging 26.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Wednesday marked the first time in 17 games the 5-foot-10 forward had not scored 20 or more points.

"It was frustrating," Stoffey said. "Basically, whichever way I turned they were there."

Said Patty Coyle, Loyola's coach, "They are what we aspire to be. They're big, strong and physical - they've got the whole package. And they're well-coached."

Jeffra Gausepohl was a towering presence inside and led the Cavaliers with 20 points in 15 minutes off the bench. The 6-foot-6 sophomore center added six rebounds and a blocked shot for UVa, which scored 46 of its points inside.

"I knew I'd play a role tonight because we had a height advantage on Loyola," Gausepohl said. "I think I just had a good night. And I think we finally got back to playing Virginia basketball."

The Cavs got on track early and took a 9-0 lead. Stoffey scored the Greyhounds' first basket on a layup three minutes into the game. Stoffey, Loyola's all-time leading scorer, had only six more points by halftime, when the Greyhounds trailed 40-21.

Not even the boisterous entrance of Loyola's women's lacrosse team - which traveled to University Hall after a match at Penn State - could give the visitors the jolt they needed. UVa's Amy Lofstedt scored six points in a 12-6 Cavaliers run at the start of the second half that sent the Greyhounds running.

Lofstedt finished with 15 points and 6-2 forward Wendy Palmer added 12. Each grabbed eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who held a 52-37 advantage on the boards.

"We were going to get back to playing Virginia basketball come hell or high water," Ryan said. "I saw a lot of positive things out there offensively. Our continuity was better, and we did a better job getting the ball into our post players."

The Cavs, making their 11th consecutive NCAA appearance, stretched their home-court winning streak to 40 games, the second longest in the nation. UVa is trying to make it to the Final Four for the fourth time in five years.

Loyola, which also got 15 points from Lynn Albert and 11 rebounds from Camille Joyner, was making their first NCAA appearance. The Greyhounds shot 32 percent and committed 19 turnovers.