Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 15, 1994 TAG: 9405150049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Virginia treated alumnus Kevin Corrigan and his team even more rudely than it had a year earlier, routing Notre Dame 23-4 in the first round of the Division I NCAA Tournament.
It was the most goals in a postseason game for fifth-seeded Virginia, which will visit No. 4 seed North Carolina in the semifinals next Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C.
"One day after exams, we couldn't have done anything today that would have served us any better, whether we had a bye or a practice or a game against a club team," UVa coach Dom Starsia said.
UVa (11-3) scored 14 seconds after the opening faceoff on the first of three goals by Greg Traynor. It was 3-0 when Notre Dame called a timeout with 10 minutes, 11 seconds left in the first period.
The Fighting Irish (10-2) got as close as 5-2 before UVa went on a 16-1 run that didn't end until Starsia had pulled goalie James Ireland and most of his other starters after three quarters.
"It's as good a team as is in the NCAA Tournament right now," said Corrigan, son of ACC commissioner Gene Corrigan. "When their goalie plays well, they've got balance all over the field.
"They can score on people. They can run with anybody. They can play different styles. I could see this team winning the whole thing."
Corrigan said he felt the same thing last year, when the Cavaliers defeated the Irish 19-9 in a game that was 15-2 in the third quarter. The only difference this year was the absence of a late Notre Dame surge.
It was the fourth NCAA Tournament loss in five years for Notre Dame, which was ranked 14th in the final Division I poll but received the bid annually reserved for the top western team.
The current selection policy has been in place since 1987, when the NCAA lacrosse committee expanded the Division I field from 10 to 12 and agreed to include one team from outside the game's traditional Mid-Atlantic-Northeast sphere.
None of the western teams - of which Air Force has been the westernmost - has won a game, and none of the games have been [UVa is] as good a team as is in the NCAA Tournament right now. . . . I could see this team winning the whole thing. Kevin Corrigan Notre Dame coach closer than six goals, although Corrigan became testy at any suggestion that the selection process was flawed.
"Our guys are from everywhere Virginia's guys are from," he said. "There's no Midwestern lacrosse. There's guys playing in the Midwest. It's not a different world. We play the same game they do.
"When we play well, we look good and win games. When we play poorly, we get beat by good teams. We were playing a better team; we knew that. We're good enough to beat 'em, but we weren't today."
What really set Corrigan off was mention of 12th-ranked Georgetown, which defeated the Irish 15-7 during the regular season but was not one of the 12 teams that got invitations.
"At the beginning of the year, [Georgetown coach] Dave Urick knew he had to be one of the top 11 teams - not one of the top 12 - to get in the field," Corrigan said. "The rules didn't change in April.
"I'm not going to apologize for what we're doing. We came today and played poorly, and I'm sorry for that, but I don't think it means we have to re-evaluate the structure of the NCAA Tournament.
"I'm not going to defend the Midwest and the Midwestern bid. I think it's the best thing that ever happened to lacrosse. There's regional bids in every other sport. We're not in a unique situation."
The Irish returned virtually their entire team from a year ago, including All-America defenseman Mike Iorio and 32-goal scorer Randy Colley, but were no match for UVa's quick and deep midfield units.
The Cavaliers, who got as high as second in the poll, had hoped for a first-round bye until they were beaten at home by North Carolina 15-7 in the ACC championship game.
As a result, the Tar Heels got the fourth seed, a first-round bye and a second-round home game despite losing to Virginia 16-6 in Chapel Hill in early April.
"I think we were fascinated by the opportunity to get the bye, but I'm not sure we aren't better served going where we are," said Starsia, whose team is 7-0 away from Charlottesville.
"There are going to be a lot of distractions here in town. Virginia has had a history of playing well down there; we certainly played well down there this year, so we shouldn't be intimidated."
by CNB