Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 8, 1994 TAG: 9405080098
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
While it may be a stretch to say the latest Lee-Jackson Lacrosse Classic was a classic, at least it was a contest.
Not even Washington and Lee, victorious by 42 goals in its previous four games against VMI, could be unhappy with that.
"Just so it wasn't too close," said Colin Higgins, who had three goals Saturday as W&L clipped the Keydets 12-10 on a cool, gray afternoon at Wilson Field.
It was a little closer than the Generals might have liked when VMI got a man advantage with 1:59 remaining, but W&L killed the penalty without incident and held on for its sixth straight victory after losing the inaugural Lee-Jackson game.
"I'd heard the talk," said VMI coach Doug Bartlett, hoping that the Keydets could become competitive with W&L again. "The way the games were going, interest was beginning to drop off. Maybe this will regenerate some of the interest that was lost."
The Keydets scored the first two goals and later erased a two-goal deficit in forcing a 7-7 tie early in the third quarter. W&L didn't take the lead for good until its third of four extra-man goals with 4:03 left in the third quarter.
"Our extra-man and man-down play has hurt us all year," Bartlett said.
That was evident when W&L was assessed a one-minute slashing penalty with 12.2 seconds left in the third quarter. That gave the Keydets the ball and an extra man to start the fourth quarter; however, not only didn't they score, but W&L countered with three goals just after the penalty expired.
"I'm not disappointed," W&L coach Jim Stagnitta said. "I think we came out a little flat; I could sense it in the locker room, but it's been a long, tough year. In past years, we've been fighting for a playoff bid at this time."
The Generals, ranked 13th in the latest NCAA Division III poll, have virtually no shot at one of bids that will be announced today for the eight-team NCAA Tournament. Nevertheless, their 9-5 finish marked their fifth season of nine wins or more in Stagnitta's five-year tenure.
Leading the way was sophomore attackman Ande Jenkins, who emerged from Stagnitta's doghouse to record a game-high four goals and two assists. It was Jenkins' first start in three games, one of which he missed entirely for disciplinary reasons.
"Ande's probably one of the most talented individuals I've ever coached," Stagnitta said. "He's also one of the most frustrating. He has moments where he's brilliant, then he has long lapses of complacency."
Not long after he arrived at W&L, Jenkins incurred Stagnitta's wrath during the fall of 1992 and was dropped from the team. It was little consolation that he was the leading scorer in W&L's club league.
"I think it hurt me to take the year off," said Jenkins, who, nonetheless, led the Generals in goals this year with 28. "It feels good to know that I didn't end the year in the doghouse."
Indeed, Stagnitta banished defenseman Jeff McDonald to the bench after he lost his cool and was called for a cross check, and McDonald and defensive midfielder Lee Counselman were dispatched to apologize to Bartlett after the game.
"It's a big doghouse, with room for more than one," Stagnitta said, "but I'll forget it by next year. I'll forget about it in another hour. I don't hold any grudges."
David Belfiore, who missed two weeks while on suspension at VMI, had three goals Saturday to lead the Keydets. Matt McLean had two goals for VMI, which finished 6-7.
"I think we can take a lot from this game," Belfiore said. "It's something we can build on. In W&L's eyes, we came in here as a bunch of roughnecks, but you could sense they were starting to fear us a little as the game went on."
Each team has two seniors on its roster, with Higgins the lone senior starter for either team.
"It hasn't been the most competitive series, which makes it a difficult situation for us," Stagnitta said. "People expect us to beat VMI, but this was the best [Keydets] team we've seen and certainly the most athletic. This game could have gone either way."
by CNB