Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 26, 1994 TAG: 9403010208
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It doesn't have to be that way, says Jim Stagnitta, the Generals' coach.
"In a lot of instances, it's been both of our faults," said Stagnitta, entering his fifth season at W&L. "We haven't won enough key games out of conference. If Roanoke had beaten Ohio Wesleyan last year, I'm sure [the Maroons] would have gone."
The college lacrosse world took note when Roanoke's game against Ohio Wesleyan was canceled because of wet grounds with the Battling Bishops already in Salem.
"You win some, you lose some and some you send back home on the bus for eight hours," said Bill Pilat, the Maroons' ever-cheerful coach.
All kidding aside, Pilat knows that the cancellation did little to improve Roanoke's standing with the Division III selection committee and wishes he had been able to secure another field on higher, drier ground. It was impossible to wait 24 hours because Roanoke had another makeup game the next day.
A 9-8 loss to W&L in Lexington took the Maroons out of NCAA consideration - one year after they had reached the Division III championship game. In Pilat's five years as head coach, that was the only time the Maroons have made the tournament.
"I think that shows how competitive Division III is," said Pilat, whose team was ranked eighth in the final poll. "We had a hell of a team last year and other years we've been pretty darned good."
W&L and Roanoke have become equally competitive in women's lacrosse, with the Generals receiving an invitation to the NCAAs last year by virtue of two one-goal victories over Roanoke, one in overtime and the other with one second remaining in regulation.
Following is a look at the lacrosse programs at schools covered by the Roanoke Times & World-News:
\ Men
\ RADFORD (2-9): The Highlanders renewed their commitment to men's lacrosse by hiring 25-year-old Chris Swanenburg, billed as the youngest head coach in college lacrosse. Swanenburg, a former All-Ivy League goalie at Yale, was an assistant for three years at Goucher College in Baltimore.
Swanenburg's defensive background could help last year's 14.6 goals-against average, but he also needs to replace some of the production provided by career scoring leader Steve Govett, now playing in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. Repp Lambert, out last year with an injury, returns after scoring 20 goals in 1992.
\ ROANOKE (10-4): The Maroons can count on offense from attackman Brett Smith, who set the school record for goals in a season with 56. James Kammerman heads a midfield that includes J.D. Gattie, a transfer from Hofstra, and Adam Jackson off the Australian Under-19 national team.
All-Americans Steve Hoffman and Joe LaTona will be hard to replace on defense, but Roanoke has two experienced goalies in Craig Fleming and Matt Graham, a three-year backup who may start today against Virginia Tech. Aaron Sims, who began his career at Maryland, is one of the top faceoff specialists in Division III.
\ VIRGINIA (10-5): Stagnitta, whose W&L team scrimmaged the Cavaliers during the preseason, said it is "probably the best Virginia team I've seen in a while, if not ever," and that's despite the graduation of career scoring leader Kevin Pehlke.
Second-year coach Dom Starsia found a few pearls in his first recruiting class, including Michael Watson, who will team with former high school teammate and UVa sophomore Tim Whiteley on attack. The Cavaliers seldom have been stronger in midfield, with four returning players who had 15 or more goals.
\ VIRGINIA TECH (11-5): The Hokies had one of the best club teams in the nation in 1993, posting a 6-3 record against NCAA opposition. Coach Joel Nachlas would settle for the same kind of performance this year, when Tech must replace leading scorer Rob Rosenquist and three-year starting goalie Jason Greene.
\ VMI (5-9): The Keydets ended the season with five consecutive losses, a sobering thought for a team that loses eight of its top 10 scorers, but VMI is excited about freshmen Foster and Matt McLean, two of a set of triplets from Toronto.
Joe Brockman, a reserve, was the only underclassman with nine goals last year. Sophomore midfielder Mike Rainwater, who was out of school in 1993, could help. Sophomore goalie Ryan Olsen started three games last year but already ranks third on the career saves list.
\ WASHINGTON AND LEE (12-3): Stagnitta has no complaint with the description "rebuilding year" as he tries to replace seven senior starters, four of them All-ODAC selections, including 50-goal scorer and conference player of the year Wiemi Douoguih.
Starting goalie David Jones is one of two seniors on the team, a reflection of Stagnitta's late start in recruiting after he was hired in December 1989. "We're young, but we're deeper and we've got better balance," Stagnitta said.
\ Women\ HOLLINS (3-10): Hollins has showed steady improvement under third-year coach Jane DeGrenier, who is rebuilding around leading scorer Keller Whitney and second-team All-ODAC goalie Jennifer Sgro. Progress should continue with a promising freshman class.
\ ROANOKE (10-4): Two losses to W&L dropped the Maroons to 15th in the final NCAA Division III rankings, the first time they had been out of the top 10 since 1990. Coach Tracy Coyne welcomes back All-ODAC goalie Kathleen Ostar and has junior Liz Florence and senior Jen Shimrak back on attack.
\ VIRGINIA (15-1): First-team All-America defender Cherie Greer, the daughter of one-time pro basketball standout Hal Greer, leads the Cavaliers in their bid for a second consecutive NCAA championship and third in four years. Also returning is leading scorer Kelly Daddona.
\ WASHINGTON AND LEE (14-3): The Generals, who made their first NCAA appearance last season, may have difficulty replacing Lisa Dowling's school-record 81 goals, but Angie Carrington, a senior this year, was an All-ODAC choice in midfield. Goalie Sarah Smith had a season-high 17 saves against Trenton State in the NCAA Tournament.
by CNB