ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 1996 TAG: 9605200027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
In making arrangements for his seniors to go through graduation Monday, Virginia men's lacrosse coach Dom Starsia expressed the hope that the seniors on the women's team could join in the ceremonies.
The men, ranked No.2 in the country after back-to-back final four appearances, could have expected to be playing at this point. The women were another story.
``We were ranked No.11 in the preseason and were not expected to be back in the [NCAA] Tournament by anybody not affiliated with the program,'' 28-year-old coach Julie Myers said.
The Cavaliers had failed to make the NCAA field last year for the first time in six years and had to be shaken, at least momentarily, by the resignation of 11-year coach Jane Miller.
Myers, who played on the first of two UVa national championship teams in 1991, was named interim coach Oct.3 after Miller announced she would concentrate on her duties as assistant athletic director.
Myers was not promised the job after the season and there has been no announcement on her status for 1997-98.
``I don't even think about it,'' said Myers, whose maiden name was Julie Plzak. ``I think at the end of the season, when I'm not thinking about the next game coming up, I may sit back and wonder, `When?' But, I feel pretty confident that I will be named the head coach.
``I've taken care of the program as if it will be mine. I knew if I did everything I could recruiting-wise and took care of the team that it would only help my chances.
``I didn't want to let down the 24 players we had this year or not bring in players to play with them in the years following. As it turned out, we had one of the best recruiting years in the country.''
Virginia athletic director Terry Holland said Friday that the selection process will be handled by Miller and associate athletic director Craig Littlepage, both headed to playoff sites Friday, but it was no big revelation when he said he anticipated Myers' return as coach.
The Cavaliers, who were 7-7 last year after four straight final-four appearances, will carry a 13-3 record into today's NCAA semifinal game with second-ranked Loyola (14-1) at 5:30 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa. Top-ranked Maryland (17-0) takes a 34-game winning streak into its 3 p.m. meeting with No.4 Princeton (13-2).
Virginia has won 10 of its past 11 games, with the only loss during that time coming at Loyola, 11-10 in overtime. The Cavaliers are led by senior goalie Michelle Cusimano and senior attacker Kate Evans, who has 37 goals this year after starting one game and scoring nine goals in her first three years.
If the Cavaliers get past Loyola, they would play in the final at 3 p.m. Sunday, which would cost the seniors a chance to graduate with their class. The UVa men (10-3) will meet Harvard (12-2) at noon Sunday at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.
Starsia is cautiously optimistic about the return of junior attackman Doug Knight, who suffered a separated left (shooting) shoulder April 21 in a 13-11 loss to North Carolina. Knight, the leading scorer in Division I, has 47 goals and 23 assists in 12 games.
``I don't think he'll be close to 100 percent by the middle of July,'' said Starsia, aware that the playoffs will be long over by that point. ``He needs a little more time than we can give him right now.''
Harvard, which advanced with a 15-12 victory over No.12 Hofstra, will be facing Virginia for the first time since the Cavaliers won back-to-back games against the Crimson in 1954-55. However, Starsia is familiar with Harvard coach Scott Anderson from the days when Starsia was head coach at Brown.
``Obviously, I've got a lot of history there,'' Starsia said, ``[but], from my standpoint, it's refreshing to be looking at a team we haven't played. You don't have to deal with the psychological [aspect] of playing somebody you've already beaten - or not beaten.''
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