Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 4, 1995 TAG: 9503080055
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bill Pilat hopes that a scheduling decision will help make Roanoke College more attractive when the NCAA selects the Division III men's lacrosse tournament field.
Dom Starsia, who coaches Division I runner-up Virginia, hopes that the Cavaliers won't be penalized for their new slate.
In a four-day span, second-ranked UVa will visit Princeton and Syracuse, its opponents in last year's NCAA semifinals and final. The Cavaliers traditionally have not played the Orangemen in the regular season.
``I was talking to Navy's coach the other day,'' Starsia said, ``and he said, `Dom, you're playing the Notre Dame football schedule.'''
Virginia has played Roanoke every year since 1982, but the series was discontinued this year at the request of Pilat, who felt the NCAA selection committee gave more weight to the game than it merited.
``I'm staying away from the Cavaliers,'' Pilat said. ``Dom told me he understood and said we had a standing offer to play them. I told him I'd like to come back if the NCAA stopped taking teams that went 15-0 and didn't play anybody.''
Pilat understands that Roanoke cost itself an NCAA Tournament bid last year when it blew a five-goal lead and lost to Washington and Lee, but two years ago the Maroons were eighth in the final United States Lacrosse Association poll and didn't make the eight-team field.
This year, despite the loss of All-America goalie Craig Fleming and three of the top four scorers from an 8-5 team, the Maroons are ranked fifth in the preseason USILA poll. Almost everybody returns for Washington and Lee, a preseason choice for seventh.
An NCAA bid normally goes to the winner of the W&L-Roanoke game, this year scheduled for March 25 at W&L, because inconsistent non-conference play generally has prevented the Old Dominion Athletic Conference from getting a second bid.
In addition to Virginia, Roanoke has dropped Division III power Nazareth, but the Maroons have added 11th-ranked Washington College to a non-conference schedule that includes No.1 Salisbury State and No.4 Denison. W&L plays No.2 Gettysburg, Denison and Washington.
Radford, in coach Chris Swanenburg's second season, will feel like it has joined the ACC after adding games with Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.
``I don't think that people realized, at least initially, how serious I am about building this program,'' Swanenburg said. ``Last year, we didn't have the talent or work ethic to compete at the Division I level. A nucleus for future success is finally in place.''
A good test for the Highlanders will come April 4, when they visit VMI, which routed Radford 19-7 last season. The Keydets return nine of 10 starters, headed by standout defenseman Jason Pifer, from a team that went 6-7.
Virginia Tech, which has had a men's club team for many years, is subsidizing a women's lacrosse program for the first time. The Hokies, with 11 freshmen on an 18-player roster, begin their season March 15 under coach Dipi Baya.
Virginia, bidding for its fifth straight final four appearance, is rebuilding after the loss of national defensive player of the year Cherie Greer, who led Division I with 61 goals and 79 points.
Roanoke remains the team to beat in the ODAC, although 1992 champion Washington and Lee is not to be overlooked after suffering four one-goal losses in an 8-7 season. Hollins could start as many as six freshmen for third-year coach Jane DeGrenier.
by CNB