ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604220051
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
THE MAROONS win this year's renewal of their men's lacrosse rivalry with the Washington and Lee Generals, the third straight to go an extra period.
Roanoke College and Washington and Lee are starting to forget what it's like to play a men's lacrosse game that ends in regulation.
They haven't had one since 1993.
``As far as I'm concerned, this was the best one yet,'' Roanoke coach Bill Pilat said after Billy Metz scored with 35 seconds elapsed in overtime to give the Maroons a 12-11 victory Saturday in Salem. ``It's a little more special when you win at home.''
The road team had won the Roanoke-W&L game the past two seasons and there were several times Saturday when it appeared the Generals had the edge, particularly when they had possession at the end of regulation.
``It never should have gotten to overtime,'' said Jim Stagnitta, W&L's coach. ``We had our chances. We were one-on-one with their goalie [Chris Gordon] four or five times. Every time we've done this we've had our opportunities.''
It was the third overtime loss - all on the road - for ninth-ranked W&L (7-4). Denison beat the Generals 10-9 in three overtimes Wednesday in Granville, Ohio.
``I figured we had a good shot if we could get them to overtime because we knew they were 0-2,'' Pilat said. ``At least that's what I was thinking before the game. Once we started playing, I completely forgot about it.
``At the end of regulation, I flashed back to last year. What I told the guys was, `Close your eyes and envision us winning the game in overtime. It will be like last year, except better.'''
Washington and Lee won the faceoff to start overtime and called a timeout after 12 seconds. Stagnitta set up a play that started with senior midfielder Duncan Slidell some 20 yards from the Roanoke cage.
Slidell, hounded by David Murphy, had taken only a few steps before he lost his footing on grass slickened by a mid-game rain shower. The ball came loose, with Peter Lawrence gaining possession for the Maroons.
``We're a run-and-gun team,'' Pilat said. ``I told the team before the overtime period that I would not call a timeout if we got the ball. I didn't want to let [the Generals] set their defense.''
Lawrence worked the ball to Tim Fleming, who found Jeff Jones on the left wing. Metz, cutting across the middle, caught Jones' pass in full stride and whipped it past Generals goalie Scott Jackson.
The goal touched off a wild celebration that left Metz with blood streaming from one of his knees. It was his third goal of the game and 35th of the season. Fleming also had three goals.
Russell Croft scored three goals and Adam Butterworth and Ande Jenkins had two apiece for W&L, although Gordon, who finished with 15 saves, stopped Jenkins from close range with 1:20 left.
``We were up by two goals [with less than 10 minutes left], but you can never let yourself think, `We've got 'em,''' said Metz, who played in the 1994 game when W&L rallied from a five-goal deficit to win 12-11 in overtime.
The victory Saturday lifted 12th-ranked Roanoke into sole possession of first place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with one game remaining. The Maroons (9-3) visit Hampden-Sydney on April 27 in hopes of avenging a 16-12 loss last year.
``There's nobody on this team who's ever played in the NCAA playoffs,'' Metz said. ``This wasn't just our season today. I'm a senior. For me, this game was my career.''
The ODAC winner does not get an automatic bid, and Pilat has been wrong before in predicting the NCAA Division III field. What's almost certain is that Washington and Lee, with four losses by a combined seven goals, is out of the picture.
``It hurts, because I feel this is a hell of a team,'' Stagnitta said. ``We've been unlucky, but we also haven't taken advantage of our opportunities. I can't fault the effort. We've played our butts off.''
``I've been there,'' Pilat said. ``I know how he feels.''
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. Roanoke College's David Murphy takes aby CNBstick across the right arm from Washington and Lee's Ed Dougherty as
they battle for a loose ball Saturday afternoon in Salem.