Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 31, 1995 TAG: 9508310042
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
After a season of ecstasy in 1993 and a season of agony in 1994, the Maroons should fall somewhere in between in 1995. Inexperience likely will keep the Maroons from greatness, but a solid winning foundation should ensure continued success.
``Our expectations are not extremely high, but with the standard we're used to, we don't want to dip too far,'' coach Scott Allison said.
Expectations for 1994 were sky-high after the 1993 team reached the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. Roanoke earned a preseason No.1 ranking in the South Region and a No.6 spot in the nation. Then, Ethan Cook, a senior midfielder, suffered a broken leg in the summer - a summer during which Allison said the Maroons weren't thinking about soccer as much as they should have been.
``He probably would have been the glue that held us together,'' Allison said of Cook. ``Not having him hurt us. We felt like we underachieved.''
Nevertheless, Roanoke did win the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament for the second consecutive year, which Allison said, ``kind of vindicated us.''
If the upward trend is to continue, the impetus will come from the midfield, where Todd Hallauer and Demis Yanco anchor the Maroons' strongest unit. Freshman Billy Renfro also will contribute.
The defense will rely on youngsters, including first-year players Shane Greene and Damian Tody. Fortunately, senior Rick Keeley, one of the best goalies in the region, will be behind them.
The Maroons will find out a lot about themselves in September with an eight-day stretch of games against five teams ranked in the Top 10 nationally last season. ``It's like a murderers' row,'' Allison said.
The Maroons open at home Sept.8 in the two-day Domino's Classic at the River's Edge Sports Complex in Roanoke. Washington (Mo.) College faces Ferrum at 6 p.m. and Roanoke plays Lynchburg at 8. The Maroons will open their season at Emory & Henry on Sept.6.
Following is a look at the soccer programs at colleges covered by The Roanoke Times:
Men
FERRUM: The Panthers' strength is in goal, where two-time team MVP Stevie Reynolds resides. Reynolds, a senior from Franklin County High School, is one of the best soccer players ever at Ferrum. In 1994, he had a 2.11 goals-against average and three shutouts. He has been an All-Dixie Conference and All-Virginia Intercollegiate Soccer Association selection.
Two other All-VISA selections, Emerson Umana and Kenny Howe, will team with Reynolds to try to improve on last year's 6-10-2 record.
RADFORD: The Highlanders could have opened a hardware store after last season, considering all the trophies they brought home. Spencer Smith was named the Big South Conference's coach of the year in his first season, Ian Spooner took Big South player of the year honors and three other Radford players were all-conference picks.
This time, the Highlanders want some team hardware. A second-place league finish like last year may not be enough. Spooner, fourth all-time on the Radford scoring charts, is back for his senior year after playing for the Roanoke RiverDawgs during the summer. Fellow senior forward Che Henderson and sophomore forward Tommy Young should put up some numbers, as well.
VIRGINIA: The Cavaliers' hopes for a fifth consecutive NCAA Division I championship rest in their midfield with senior Damian Silvera, junior Mike Fisher and sophomore Billy Walsh. Silvera and Fisher, along with fullback Brandon Pollard, are Soccer America preseason All-Americans.
Virginia was relying on sophomore Mike Slivinski to stabilize a depleted front line, but Slivinski tore an anterior cruciate ligament in an intrasquad scrimmage Aug.20. He will attempt to play with a brace. Slivinski had eight goals and 11 assists as a freshman in 1993, but sat out last season on academic suspension.
The Cavaliers' season-opening Coca Cola Classic will be held Sunday and Monday, in Charlottesville. Boston College and American open play Sunday at noon, and Virginia faces Nevada-Las Vegas at 2:30 p.m.
VMI: With 14 lettermen and eight starters returning to the lineup, including 1994 Southern Conference freshman of the year Rich Daughtridge, the Keydets expect to improve on last season's 5-10-1 record. Daughtridge, a striker from Hagerstown, Md., led VMI with 11 goals and 27 points.
The Keydets will miss graduated striker Geoff Blum and his 19 points, but a pair of midfielders - senior Trey Kirby and sophomore Max Krumpe - should pick up the slack.
VIRGINIA TECH: Hokies goalkeeper Jon DeLong would like less business this season. Last year, Tech was outshot 307-255 en route to a 7-12 finish. DeLong, a senior co-captain, started all 16 games.
The Hokies would be happy if the ball stayed near the other captain, striker Chris Chladek. The junior tied for the team lead in goals last season, while finishing second in points and shots.
Among Tech's newcomers is Stanislav Licul, a striker from Croatia.
WASHINGTON AND LEE: The Generals are coming off a 7-7-2 season and have 16 lettermen returning, including last season's top six scorers.
Leading the way will be second-year captain Jeb Wofford, who had a team-high 18 points last season. Junior Shag Drewry, W&L's leading scorer in 1993, also returns.
Women
FERRUM: In 1995, the Panthers will try to get back to the play that carried them to a 12-5-1 record two years ago.
Three all-conference players are back: sophomore Susan Sautter and juniors Daniella Giusto and Shannon Sayre. Giusto, like counterpart Stevie Reynolds on the men's team, is regarded as the top goalie in Ferrum history.
HOLLINS: Hollins is looking for a coach to replace Kellie Kennedy, who left in early August for a women's basketball position at Richmond.
Last season, the team cut down on goals allowed and improved to a 4-12 record. The top returning players are sophomore midfielder Beth Coughlin, junior sweeper Chelsea Eichelberger and senior fullback Lizzye Lange.
RADFORD: The Highlanders would like to build on last season's momentum. They won five of their last six matches in 1994 before falling to Big South champion UNC-Greensboro in a league tournament semifinal shootout.
Radford happily welcomes back midfielder Jennifer Blackburn, a senior who missed the last seven matches of last season with a broken hand. Much of the scoring burden will fall on sophomore forward Kelly Riescher.
ROANOKE: Co-captains Julie Strother and Meredith Arnott, along with Lisa Franzano, don't have to be the Maroons' top scorers, as long as someone else can rack up the points. That player may be Laura Bukovec, Roanoke's top freshman in 1994.
Also returning is a defense that allowed only 17 goals and had a school-record nine shutouts last season.
VIRGINIA: The Cavaliers have confidence and versatility in their lineup. What they don't have is their top scorer, defender and leading goalkeeper from last season.
Brit Swenberg seems ready to step in at goalie, while Stephanie Spurlock will anchor the defense. The midfield is solid with the tandem of senior Jen Gilpatric and junior Jen Sweda.
The Cavaliers are ranked 13th in Soccer America's preseason poll.
VIRGINIA TECH: Perhaps no one knows more about Hokies women's soccer than Cindy Zier. The senior defender is the only player to start all 36 games in the program's two-year history. She was an honorable mention All-State selection last year and joins fellow senior fullback Michele Hager as a co-captain.
Among the team's top newcomers is Dani DeSerio, a goalkeeper whose high school team, West Springfield was picked No.1 in the nation in 1993 by USA Today.
WASHINGTON AND LEE: The sports information department calls her an ``assassin.'' Sophomore Erica Reineke is a big reason the Generals are aiming high.
Reineke set or tied eight individual school records last season, including points in a career with 18 goals and 11 assists. Beside Reineke at forward is Michelle Bauman, the Generals' leading scorer in 1993. They will try to help W&L continue an upward trend started with last season's 10-5 mark.
by CNB