Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503280017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
And like the previous chapter, this one needed an extra page.
Justin Fitzgerald scored 18 seconds into overtime to give Roanoke a 9-8 victory in the annual battle of Old Dominion Athletic Conference powers.
W&L's Michael Alessi won the faceoff to start the extra period, but the Maroons' J.J. Blatt intercepted a pass and Fitzgerald scored the game-winner.
Roanoke, ranked seventh in the latest U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll, took a 7-4 lead in the third quarter behind two goals from William Metz. But the Generals, ranked fourth, staged a comeback reminiscent of the one that produced a 12-11 overtime victory last year in Salem. In that game, W&L rallied from a five-goal deficit to force OT.
The Generals' Russell Croft scored 25 seconds into the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to two goals, and W&L's Scott Mackley made it 7-6 when he scored on a diving shot with 11:40 to go in the period. Adam Butterworth scored his fourth goal of the game to tie it with 8:32 remaining.
W&L (5-2 overall, 3-1 ODAC) took its first lead since the fourth quarter when Duncan Slidell beat goalie Chris Gordon with 2:59 to play in the quarter. The Maroons (5-2, 3-0) came back to tie it 40 seconds later when Jeff Jones scored past goalie Doug Gubner.
``It was an unbelievable college lacrosse game,'' said Bill Pilat, Roanoke's coach. ``Both teams played very well. It was an intense game, but very clean. This is what you want to see when you have a game between two top-eight teams.''
Jim Stagnitta, the Generals' coach, wasn't quite as enthusiastic after the loss, but agreed, ``It was a good game.''
Butterworth led the Generals with his four goals, and Metz had three goals to lead Roanoke.
Roanoke 11, Salisbury State 3: At Salem, Gayle Avery and Lisa Franzino scored three goals each as the Maroons' women's lacrosse team beat up on the Sea Gulls.
Roanoke (3-2) never trailed, opening with three goals in the first five minutes of the game. Kathleen Ostar had 14 saves in goal for the Maroons.
Salisbury State fell to 1-3.
by CNB