U.Va.‘s Soroye bids home crowd a fond farewell
By Jeff White
Published: March 7, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE Once was enough for Olatunji Muyiwa Soroye, who's better known as "Tunji" at the University of Virginia. Before U.Va.'s final regular-season men's basketball game last year, Soroye went through the senior night ceremony with classmates Sean Singletary and Adrian Joseph, unsure if he'd be back in 2008-09.

A year later, of course, Soroye still is a Cavalier. The NCAA granted the 6-11, 250-pound center from Nigeria another season of eligibility after back and knee injuries limited him to two games in 2007-08. But Soroye isn't interested in taking another turn in the spotlight, and it will shine solely on the team's lone fourth-year senior, Mamadi Diane, before Virginia's regular-season finale against Maryland this afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena.

Soroye will make his third consecutive start, and he's just happy to be playing. After deciding to return to U.Va. for a fifth year, he envisioned a prominent role on a team dominated by underclassmen. He's a team captain but, alas, has played in only 16 games. Not only have his back and knee problems persisted, but he was plagued early in the season by migraine headaches.

"I think it comes when I'm a little bit stressed," the soft-spoken Soroye, 24, said yesterday, "when I think too much."

He didn't take up basketball until he was 16 -- "I got too tall to play soccer" -- and didn't come to the United States until his 11th-grade year, when he enrolled at Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Md.

"It was like going to a wonderland for the first time, compared to Nigeria," Soroye said of coming to America.

Like many African big men who matriculate here, Soroye was something of a project, and he's posted modest statistics at U.Va. The maturity and dignity he's shown, though, never have failed to impress those who know Soroye.

"When I first met him in Nigeria, going on eight years now, you could just tell by his demeanor and focus that he was going to be somebody who understood the value of his education," said David Adkins, an assistant coach at Montrose Christian when Soroye played there.

How Soroye's basketball career would go in the ACC, Adkins wasn't sure. "I knew he was going to be a very, very good representative of his family, of the Montrose family and the University of Virginia. I just knew he was going to be a person of high character."

Soroye, who graduated last year with a bachelor's in anthropology, is taking graduate courses in U.Va's Curry School of Education. He was named yesterday to the ACC's all-academic men's basketball team for 2008-09.

"It's been quite an experience for me," Soroye said of his time at U.Va.

As a freshman -- he was about 35 pounds lighter then -- Soroye played for Pete Gillen. Dave Leitao replaced Gillen as the Cavaliers' coach in April 2005, and Soroye started 23 games as a sophomore. In all, he's started 39.

"From a coaching perspective, he's a joy," Leitao said, "in terms of his personality and who he is as a person and what he represents. I think that's what originally made the transition here so easy, because of so many guys, he being one of them, who were just so accommodating and wanted the same thing that I wanted and were willing to work hard to get it."

Soroye never has scored more than six points in an ACC game, but he ranks ninth at U.Va. with 94 career blocked shots, and he's made some pivotal contributions. In 2006-07, when Virginia won a share of the ACC's regular-season title, Soroye grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds and blocked four shots in a win at Maryland.

More memorable to him, however, was a home game about three weeks later. Soroye's stick-back with 32 seconds left put the Wahoos ahead for good in a comeback victory over Georgia Tech.

"It's unfortunate that he did run into the injury bug," said Adkins, now an assistant at DeMatha Catholic High, "but we're very, very proud of him. We're happy for him, because he's going to make a positive impact in life."

 

Home finale for Diane
A readin goes here and here and here four decks.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Nobody is rooting against Mamadi Diane.

Diane, expected to play a major role for the Virginia men's basketball team in his senior year, suits up for his final home game when the Cavaliers (9-17, 3-12 ACC) entertain Maryland (18-11, 7-8) at 3:30 p.m. today.

It hasn't been the kind of season that the team or Diane envisioned, but nobody will get a louder ovation.

The fans at UVa have never abandoned Diane, a gentleman on and off the court.

"I appreciate that more than anything," said Diane, a 6-foot-5 swingman from Potomac, Md., and DeMatha Catholic High School. "Just getting up to take my warm-up off, I can hear them.

"People will see me and say, 'Stay with it,' or send e-mails. They make signs for me."

It's an indication that Diane has gone about his business the right way, even if his scoring average has dropped from a career-high 11.8 points last year to 4.1 this year.

"Even the officials are keeping up with me," Diane said. "I had one of them ask how close I was to 1,000 points."

After scoring 12 points last Saturday in a 70-60 loss to Wake Forest, Diane stood at 975. He was on the floor for just over three minutes Tuesday at Clemson and didn't score in a 75-57 Cavaliers' defeat.

In a span of three UVa possessions late in the first half, Diane missed a reverse layup, committed a turnover and air-balled a 3-pointer. He did not return.

It's been that kind of season for Diane, who had a team-leading 41.4 3-point percentage during the 2007-08 season but missed his first 21 attempts this year.

Diane did not play in four consecutive games during one stretch and has not started since Feb. 10, that after starting 75 games previously.

Fifth-year senior Tunji Soroye has been starting in recent games, and it would be a popular move if Leitao gave Diane one more home start against his hometown team. Some of Diane's most memorable games have come against the Terps, victims of a career-high, 26-point outburst in 2007.

"I always go back to his first game, [when] he had 17 points," UVa coach Dave Leitao said. "Liberty had a kid named [Larry] Blair and he and J.R. Reynolds did a terrific defensive job. He's been player of the week in this league, helped us to a number of victories and been a significant part of an 11-5 ACC team [in 2006-07].

"It's the body of your work that defines you, not just in basketball but in the game of life. He's had more than his share of trials and tribulations and also triumphs. It's been bittersweet in a lot of ways, but I think it's prepared him well for whatever comes next."
 

A Bittersweet Farewell for Cavs' Diane
Senior's Father Says Leitao Has Been 'Demeaning' to Son
By Zach Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 7, 2009; Page E03

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia senior Mamadi Diane will play his final home game Saturday when the Cavaliers host Maryland. Such finales usually feature the celebration of a senior's career, but for Diane, the day also will mean a forgettable senior season is drawing closer to an end.

"It has been tough. I'd be lying if I said it hasn't," Diane said. "I wanted this to be my best year."

Diane had started 65 games entering this season, including all of the 2006-07 season, when Virginia was ACC co-champion and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. As a sophomore, he scored 25 points in an upset of No. 10 Arizona in the first game at John Paul Jones Arena. The former DeMatha standout's scoring average progressed from six points per game in his freshman year to 9.6 as a sophomore to 11.8 last season.

After the departure of star guard Sean Singletary and forward Adrian Joseph, Diane was expected to carry the Cavaliers. Offseason foot surgery slowed the swingman at the beginning of the season, and his playing time has been inconsistent -- and sometimes nonexistent. He is averaging 4.5 points in 16 minutes -- both career lows -- and has lost his preseason starting spot. Coach Dave Leitao did not insert Diane into four consecutive ACC games last month.

Diane said the events of the season took a toll on his family -- specifically Diane's father, Mori.

"In fact, we have been desperately praying to see [Saturday] come and go, so we can claim our life again," Mori Diane said.

Earlier in the season, Mori often called Mamadi to check how his son was handling the adversity. Now, Mori said Mamadi calls his father because of how hard the family is taking Mamadi's senior season.

"A lot of stuff gets to him more than it gets to me," Mamadi said. "The whole situation as of late had gotten to him. I keep trying to tell him everything will be fine. I'm fine."

Mori said Leitao has been "demeaning" to Mamadi and said his repeated calls to Leitao have gone unreturned. Mori emphasized that the pattern has continued throughout four years -- even when Mamadi was playing well.


"I don't know why. I called him and left a message, telling him a foot operation did this for him and I need to talk to you about what's going on with him," Mori said. "He has not spoken with my son the whole year. He has not greeted him, not addressed him. It's like Mamadi does not exist."

Through a Virginia sports information official, Leitao declined the opportunity to respond to Mori's comments. In past public comments, though, Leitao referenced a meeting he had with Diane this season.

Leitao did not recruit Mamadi, who was part of former coach Pete Gillen's final recruiting class. But Mamadi entered Virginia during Leitao's first season and has played only for Leitao. Mori said the family chose to remain committed to Virginia after Gillen's departure because of the quality of Virginia's overall product and assurance from Athletic Director Craig Littlepage that the Cavaliers would hire a good coach.

For his part, Leitao said this week that it will be "bittersweet and sad" to watch Diane's final home game.

"Going into senior night on Saturday, obviously when you sum up the body of his work, I go back to the first game of his first year, he had 17 points," Leitao said. "From there, he's had some really, really good moments. He's been player of the week in this league, helped us with a number of victories. He's been a significant part of an 11-5 ACC co-champion.

"And he's experienced a downside of it. This year is probably as low as he thought he could go."

Diane believes he will be remembered as much by his four years than his senior season. Opposing coaches, players and former teammates have shown their support for him. Diane said Maryland Coach Gary Williams, who recruited him out of DeMatha, pulled him aside after a game earlier this season with good words and an offer to help when Mamadi's career concludes.

Diane is still perplexed why this season evolved like it has, but his family will look at this spring's graduation as a reason for celebration, even if Saturday's senior day is not.

"I'm looking forward to the end," Mamadi said. "It's good to move on sometimes. I've been here for a while and I'm ready for the next chapter of my life."


 

Virginia’s Diane ready for final JPJ appearance
By Whitey Reid
Published: March 7, 2009

Before the season started, the thought of Mamadi Diane needing a Senior Day custom to earn a place in Virginia’s starting lineup would have seemed outlandish.

But that will be the case this afternoon when “Mo” steps onto the John Paul Jones Arena court for the final time as UVa (9-17, 3-12 ACC) attempts to snap a four-game losing streak against Maryland.

While the Terrapins (18-11, 7-8) will be fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives, the Cavaliers will be playing out the string — with Diane on their minds.

“Coach always says you play for your seniors,” said Virginia junior Calvin Baker. “We’re real close with Mo and we definitely want him to go out on a positive note. We’re going to try and make the day as special as we can for him.”

Diane, who was expected to be Virginia’s go-to guy this season — he was featured on the cover of the team’s media guide — has had a nightmarish senior year.

After starting 65 games in his first three years and averaging 9.2 points, the former DeMatha Catholic (Md.) star, due to some poor early shooting, fell into coach Dave Leitao’s doghouse this season. He had four DNPs in February — the first of his career — and is averaging just 4.7 points.

But through it all, Diane has seemed to earn as much respect from teammates and media members than if he had been named to the All-ACC first team.

The co-captain has handled his predicament with grace, never putting himself ahead of the team. Diane hasn’t pouted — a remarkable feat in today’s sports world.

As the team has faltered, Diane, a co-captain, hasn’t ditched out on his responsibilities as a team leader.

“Something that I’ve been saying and trying to preach is finding some type of motivation to play toward,” said Diane recently. “Whether it’s knocking a top team off its pedestal or just getting that experience to learn how to win for next year.”

While frustrated that Diane hasn’t had a good season, Virginia fans have, for the most part, stuck behind No. 24. They’ve seemed to empathize with his plight.

“I appreciate that more than anything,” Diane said. “When I’m getting up to take my warmup off, I hear the crowd yelling. People when they see me have just been telling me to stay with it — e-mails and signs and things. I’m very appreciative of it.

“I even have refs talking to me during the game telling me that they hope I get to that 1,000 [point] mark.”

Diane, who currently has 975 points, has never really seemed to take to the coaching style of Leitao. His unassuming and polite demeanor seemed to clash with Leitao’s fiery approach.

When Leitao first arrived at Virginia, he spoke of Diane, then a freshman, glowingly. He said that Diane had an indescribable “it” factor that separated him from everyone else. Leitao intimated that Diane had the potential to play in the NBA one day.

Earlier this week, Leitao vividly recalled that time of promise. He reflected on Diane’s first college game, a win over Liberty. Diane scored 17 points and helped put the clamps down on Larry Blair, the Flames’ leading scorer.

“From there, he’s had some really, really good moments in this league,” Leitao said. “He’s been Player of the Week. He was a significant part of an 11-5 ACC co-championship team [in 2006-07].

“Obviously, this year is as low as he thought it could go.”

Funny thing is, Diane hasn’t written off his career yet — even though he’s likely down to his final week as a Wahoo.

“I’ve been feeling great for a while now,” he said. “I’m practicing a lot better and putting up a lot more reps. I’ve just been telling myself and my family’s been telling me that whenever I do get that opportunity, just play hard.”

Leitao, for whatever it’s worth, believes that everything Diane has gone through will serve him well down the road.

“The body of your work sometimes defines how you prepare yourself, not just in the game of basketball but in the game of life,” Leitao said. “He’s had more than his share of trials and tribulations and triumphs, as well as losses. It’s given him a microcosm of what life will be able to give him.”

In October, during ACC Media Day in Atlanta, Diane — in the wake of former star Sean Singletary’s departure — talked hopefully about leaving his mark on the Virginia program. He said that he used to daydream with former roommate and teammate Lars Mikalauskas about what it would be like to go out on a winning note as seniors.

Well, things didn’t exactly work out that way.

“It’s sad,” said Diane, when asked about playing his final home game, “but it had to end sometime. I’m looking forward to [today].”

Dunks

Since Virginia fifth-year senior Tunji Soroye was honored at Senior Day last season, a Virginia spokesperson said the main focus of this year’s festivities will be on Diane, the team’s only true senior. Soroye, who has 16 blocks this season, ranks ninth on the all-time school list (94). … Today’s game is the second of the season between the two teams. Maryland defeated Virginia, 84-78, in College Park on Jan. 20. The Terrapins lead the series with UVa 103-67, but the Cavaliers lead 42-39 in games played in Charlottesville.

 

ACC tournament clarification
Yesterday I posted that Virginia's first-round opponent in the ACC tournament Thursday will be either Florida State or Boston College.

The conference office agreed with that assessment of myriad tiebreakers, but after a question from reporter Paul Strelow of The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., we have a clarification.

Clemson is also a possible opponent for Virginia. Here's how:

If tomorrow Wake Forest beats Clemson, and Boston College defeats Georgia Tech, and if Sunday Virginia Tech beats Florida State, Clemson, Florida State and BC will tie for fourth place at 9-7.

Florida State then would be awarded the fourth seed based on its 2-1 record against the other two; BC (1-1) would be seeded fifth, dropping Clemson (1-2) to the sixth seed and a first-round game against Virginia.

If Florida State defeats Virginia Tech, then Virginia faces Boston College regardless of other results.

The only way Virginia faces FSU is if the Seminoles lost Sunday, and Clemson beats Wake Forest, and Boston College defeats Georgia Tech.


 

No panic amid Cavs' struggles
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
March 7, 2009

In the midst of the second-worst season of his nine-year head-coaching career, Virginia's Dave Leitao has tried the soft, understanding strategy with his team. He also has attempted the stern, heavy-handed approach.

Nothing has worked with any consistency. Of course, expectations for a team with only two seniors — Mamadi Diane and Tunji Soroye — weren't high this season. Entering today's final home game of the regular season against Maryland, U.Va. (9-17 overall, 3-12 ACC) already has locked up its worst back-to-back ACC seasons since 1998 and 1999. The Cavs are 26-33, 8-23 in the ACC in the last two seasons. In '98 and '99, they were 25-35, 7-25.

Despite his team's struggles, Leitao's state-of-the-program evaluation is void of panic. With ACC rookie-of-the-year candidate Sylven Landesberg (16.9 points per game) and forward Mike Scott (10.5 ppg and 7.1 rebounds per game) among eight of his top nine leaders in minutes all slated to likely return next season, Leitao is staying optimistic.

"Obviously, you're the one that drives the bus, and so a lot of times it kind of starts and ends with you," said Leitao, whose only season worse than this one was a 4-24 campaign in the 1995-96 season, his second at Northeastern. "You go through all the proper things any coach would do in reviewing any and all games, where 'What could I have done better in adjustments — more or less?' — that kind of thing. It's difficult, but at the same point in time, it doesn't shake both my confidence and my will of thought to know that we're doing the right thing and we're going in the right direction."

Other than the normal senior-day festivities, today's game is about playing the spoiler role against one of U.Va.'s biggest rivals before heading into next week's ACC tournament, where the Cavaliers will play Florida State, Clemson or Boston College in Thursday's opening round. Maryland (18-11, 7-8), 56th in Rating Percentage Index projections, needs a victory to pump up its NCAA tournament résumé.

Though U.Va. lost Jan. 20 at Maryland 84-78, the Cavaliers have won three of their last five games against the Terrapins, a stretch that comes on the heels of U.Va.'s six-game losing streak against Maryland from 2004-06. Greivis Vasquez (17 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.8 assists per game; leads team in all three categories) scored 16 points against U.Va. in January.

Diane, a 6-foot-5 guard, likely just wants to have one more solid regular-season game in John Paul Jones Arena. Soroye, a 6-11 center who has started U.Va.'s past two games, hasn't played nearly the minutes in his career that Diane has played, and hasn't had the same career ups and downs.

After averaging 11.8 points per game last season, Diane has been in a season-long slump this year and his scoring average has dropped to 4.5. He shot 41 percent (60-of-145) from 3-point range last season, but he has only made 13 percent (5-of-39) of his 3-pointers this season. He has had just three games in double figures this season.

"He's had more than his share of trials and tribulations, and triumphs as well as losses," Leitao said. "I think it's given him a microcosm of what life will be able to give him. I think that experience (of senior day) will be bittersweet. It'll be sad for all of us to see him go, but at the same time, I think he's well-prepared for what his next step will be."

 

Cavs blast Demon Deacons
By The Daily Progress Staff
Published: March 7, 2009

In Winston-Salem, N.C., Virginia pitcher Danny Hultzen had not celebrated his first birthday the last time the Cavaliers’ baseball program enjoyed an offensive explosion better than what was accomplished Friday night.

Virginia pounded out 10 extra-base hits and Hultzen was masterful on the mound as the Cavaliers routed Wake Forest 18-2 in the league opener for both teams.

The scoring spree was the most for the Cavaliers since dropping 29 runs at Maryland in 1990, and it improved the program to 10-0 overall and 1-0 in the ACC.

“We capitalized on the opportunities all night long,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “I can’t

remember that we have had a game like this anywhere in an ACC game since our coaching staff got here.

“Our guys were firing on all cylinders and Danny Hultzen pitched a great game.”

UVa opened the scoring at Wake Forest Field, formerly Ernie Shore Field, in the first inning against Demon Deacons starting pitcher Austin Stadler.

Dan Grovatt delivered the biggest hit in the opening frame, hitting a two-run bloop double to left field.

The Cavaliers scored two more runs in the third inning, including one on a leadoff home run by shortstop Tyler Cannon.

Trailing 6-0, Wake Forest (6-2, 0-1) mounted its lone rally in the bottom-half of the third, but Hultzen stranded a runner.

“Those are the kind of experiences that he is going to gain from,” O’Connor said. “The only way you can do that is by going out there and doing in live situations. He gave up the two runs but he buckled down and he was able to pitch deep.”

Virginia broke the game open in the middle three innings scoring nine runs in all, five of which came in a lengthy fifth after Stadler had been pulled. Cavalier second baseman Phil Gosselin provided a two-run homer that disappeared into the night over the left-field wall.

With the offense setting the tone with a 20-hit attack, Hultzen cruised in his ACC debut — the rookie pitched seven innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs and struck out nine batters. The left-hander improved to 3-0.

“That is always a tough kind of game to pitch in when you have a huge lead because the half-innings are long, but he pitched really well,” O’Connor said.

Cannon led Virginia offensively, collecting five hits (three doubles and a homer). He also drove in three runs.

“I was just trying to hit the ball hard somewhere,” Cannon said. “I was just finding holes.”

One hole was in the parking lot beyond the fence in center on the third homer of his career.

“It was a hanging change-up and I just stayed back,” he added. “I hit it hard and it went out.”

Virginia and Wake will play today at 6 p.m. in the second game of the series. O’Connor said he planned to start RHP Andrew Carraway (2-0, 0.68) and Wake is expected to counter with RHP Brad Kledzik (1-1, 6.14).

“This was the first win and we have 29 more of these,” O’Connor said referring to the league schedule. “We should feel good about it, but we have to turn the page because we have a chance to win the series [today].”

Extra bases ...
O’Connor said he has not decided on a pitcher for Sunday’s series finale. It will not be LHP Matt Packer, however, regardless of whether the reigning 2008 ERA champion is needed today. Options do include rookie Will Roberts and Neal Davis, who went through stretching exercises during Wake’s two-run third inning.
... Due to ACC rules, Virginia’s coaching staff was forced to make numerous difficult decisions in creating a 25-man travel roster. Those that did not travel this weekend include: OF John Bivens, RHP John O’Connor, LHP/1B Scott Silverstein, RHP Blake Forslund, OF Steven Kouril, LHP Brad Grove and C Will Campbell.
... The Cavaliers had lost five of their past six games under O’Connor at Wake Forest. Those games were played on campus at Wake Forest. The new stadium resides next to Lawrence Joel Coliseum.

 

Lack of possession dooms UVa
By Bart Isley
Published: March 7, 2009

A dynamic offensive group that includes a pair of All-Americans — Ashley McCulloch and Blair Weymouth — leads Virginia, but if they can’t get control of the ball, their credentials don’t matter much.

The Cavaliers couldn’t seem to come up with a stop or a draw control in the second half, and that undercut any attempt at a rally the offense could muster as the No.2 Cavaliers fell to No. 3 Maryland Friday night, 17-11.

The Terrapins matched Virginia goal for goal for a long stretch after the break, which prevented the Cavaliers from clawing back into things and made a 9-6 halftime advantage count. In the late stages of the contest, Maryland pulled away as they maintained control of the draw.

“Maryland just did a great job of fighting,” said Virginia coach Julie Myers. “They seemed to get really clean ones and all the sloppy ones in between.”

The Cavaliers also couldn’t find an answer for Sarah Mollison, who opened Maryland’s scoring and scored four goals in the first half, finishing with six to double her previous career high.

“She’s an all-around outstanding player, very smart and a good decision maker,” said Maryland coach Cathy Reese. “And she can finish.”

Maryland controlled nine of 14 draws against the Cavaliers in the second half, which seemed to force Virginia’s attackers to rush whenever they finally did get a stick on the ball.

“They’d make one pass and try to go to goal with it,” Myers said. “They were hesitant, not effective and really not letting the ball work. Tonight every goal seemed to come the hard way.”

The Cavaliers’ last gasp came with under five minutes to play when Jenny Hauser came up with a goal to cut the lead to 14-11. Virginia came up with the ball on the draw after Maryland got hit with a yellow card, but a turnover near the top of the box gave the Terps the ball back. After Maryland transitioned the ball, the Terps were able to run the clock down to 1:15 before a goal by Maryland junior Brittany Jones.

Mollison followed Jones’ tally just eight seconds later on a fastbreak goal off yet another Maryland draw control. The sophomore attacker then buried her sixth goal to close out the Terrapins’ scoring with 22 seconds left in the game.

Karri Ellen Johnson also had a big night for Maryland with four goals, while Brandi Jones finished with a hat trick.

Virginia’s struggles wasted a five-goal effort by Hauser, which matched her career high. Maryland held McCulloch scoreless for the first time in 11 games, though Maryland didn’t go out of their way to hold the senior in check.

“We had said to her, ‘we don’t know if Maryland is going to try to face guard you and get you out of a rhythm,’” Myers said. “But they just played team defense, they didn’t do anything special on [McCulloch], but certainly she wasn’t feeling it.”

 

No. 3 Terrapins Upset No. 2 Virginia
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/06/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 3 Maryland Terrapins visited Klöckner Stadium Friday evening and handed the No. 2 Virginia women’s lacrosse team its first loss of the season, 17-11. The win marks the fourth-straight for Maryland (4-0, 2-0 ACC) this season and its second-consecutive upset win in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers fall to 4-1 on the season and 1-1 in the league.

Sarah Mollison led Maryland’s attack with six goals, the most the Cavaliers have allowed a single player to give up all season, while Karri Ellen Johnson added four.

For Virginia, senior All-American Jenny Hauser converted all five of her shots into goals, three of which were free position, and added an assist, tying a career high six points. Senior All-American Blair Weymouth and junior Kaitlin Duff contributed two goals each, while junior Brittany Kalkstein and freshman Julie Gardner added one each. Freshman Josie Owen rounded out the scoring with an assist.

For the first time this season, the Cavaliers gave up the first goal of the contest, with Maryland’s Mollison firing a shot into the back of the net just 3:10 into play. Gardner responded for Virginia at 24:21 before Duff won the ensuing draw control and raced down the right side of the field and slipped a shot into the cage to give the Cavaliers their first lead at 24:10.

Maryland answered with three straight scores before Hauser converted a free position shot at 10:47 to make the score 3-4, in favor of the Terrapins. Maryland tallied another goal, but Weymouth kept the Terps’ lead under control with her first score at 6:43.

From there, it’d be all Maryland for the next three minutes, as the Terrapins rallied off four straight goals to take their largest lead of the contest, at 9-4, with 51.1 seconds in the opening half.

The Cavaliers would cut Maryland’s lead to three by the intermission though, with Kalkstein firing a free position goal into the net with 30.3 ticks remaining. Hauser then made it two straight, converting a free position shot with no time remaining on the clock, giving Maryland a 9-6 halftime edge.

The two squads came out shooting in the beginning of the second half, but the Cavaliers were unable to get anything going, as Maryland had an immediate answer for everything the Cavaliers put up.

Weymouth opened the scoring with a free position goal at 24:32, but McFadden answered for the Terrapins at 24:15. Hauser then tried to spark a run at 21:04, slinging a shot into the cage, but Maryland’s Karri Ellen Johnson answered with a score at 20:43. Duff tallied her second of the afternoon at 17:16, before Amanda Spinnenweber’s goal at 16:20.

Hauser converted another free position shot at 14:55, but Johnson’s goal 40 seconds later sparked a 5-1 run for Maryland, allowing the Terrapins to close out the contest with three unanswered scores and a 17-11 victory.

Johnson sparked Maryland’s attack, winning seven draw controls, while Duff and senior Katie Shannon each won four for Virginia. Shannon also had three ground balls, while Duff and sophomore Liz Downs caused two turnovers.

The Cavaliers will look to rebound on Sunday as they host Penn State in a non-conference tilt at noon in Klöckner Stadium.

 

Devils blast Cavs in ACC quarterfinals
By Jay Jenkins
Published: March 7, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Virginia’s run in the ACC tournament ended with an all too familiar occurrence for the program: with yet another loss to Duke.

The No. 24 Cavaliers lost for the 16th straight time to the No. 8 Blue Devils, this time in ugly fashion as Duke led wire-to-wire and cruised to a 76-53 victory in the quarterfinal round of the 12-team tournament inside the Greensboro Coliseum.

Virginia, which drops to 23-9 overall, must now await its fate in the NCAA tournament. The selection show for an event the Cavaliers appear a lock for will be held March 16 at 7 p.m. (ESPN).

“I think without question all of the credit goes to Duke tonight,“ Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. “I think they did what we would be envious to do and that is they played tremendous defense from start to finish, and you know they got their bodies right up into us and bothered us, and we did not handle the first part of the game as far as breaking the pressure goes. But mainly I don’t think we defended very well.

“That’s where we really lost the game. Because if you defend well, they can’t pressure you, and we did not defend well in the start of the game. I don’t think we defended well for most of the game with looking at their field goal percentage defense. All of the credit goes to them. They played a tremendous game and we did not do some of the things that we needed to do.“

Duke, the tournament’s third-seeded team, advances to play Florida State today in the semifinals. The winner will meet in the title game on Sunday against the winner of today’s contest between Maryland and North Carolina.

The Cavaliers, who had 19 turnovers, were paced offensively in by Aisha Mohammed’s 14-point effort. Senior guard Monica Wright added 13 and Lyndra Littles was held to just eight on 3-of-14 shooting from the field.

There was one short moment, however, where the Cavaliers brought life to an arena that appeared supportive for the underdogs.

Trailing at halftime, Virginia used an inspirational charge early in the second half as it scored five straight points out of the locker room to cut it to 42-30. The last of those points came on an old-fashioned three-point play from Aisha Mohammed with 17:19 left.

Duke would not be denied, however, as Joy Cheek scored eight straight points, starting an 11-0 run that served as the knockout punch.

“Again we just weren’t anchored again on the defensive end,“ Ryan said. “When that happened you have to keep getting stops, and you have to put the ball in the basket at the other end. We made some ill­-advised decisions at the other end when we cut it to 12.

“I can’t remember the exact sequence of events, but I do recall we had three or four stops in a row to get the thing cut to 12, and then we come down and take a bad shot after that, and they head out and get a couple of easy buckets and hit a 3. People that were scoring for them from the 3 tonight usually don’t, and we were just giving up way too much. I know we had to play some zone. We had to try to stop their high-low because that was killing us in the first half. It was really working ... that is what was bothering them.“


In the first half, Virginia dug an enormous hole early with its worst start to a contest this season as Duke’s physical defense left the Cavaliers trapped and often times haplessly sprawling towards the floor in anguish.

In fact, the Cavaliers missed eight of their first nine shots from the field had six early turnovers and trailed 17-2 until Wright hit a pair of free throws with 12:42 left in the opening half.

“It was an excellent start,” Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “I thought our team did a great job keep the intensity throughout.”

Duke responded again, mounting yet another run and pushed its lead 21 at 27-6 as guard Abby Waner hit a 3-pointer over Virginia forward Kelly Hartig as she faded out of bounds.

At that point, Virginia was shooting .071 percent from the floor (1 for 14).

It did get better, at least from the floor as the Cavaliers connected on nine of their final 12 shots in the opening session and cut into a Blue Devil lead that had stretched to 25 on two occasions and trailed 42-25 at halftime.

Duke, coming off a win over the 9th-ranked North Carolina in overtime, connected on all four of its attempts from behind the 3-point line in the first half and shot 58.6 percent from the field (17 of 29). The Blue Devils also scored 20 opening-half points off 14 Cavalier turnovers.

 

Pro days loom for Tech, UVa
ACC could have seven first-round picks
By Doug Doughty

SportingNews Today, a new online site that I would highly recommend, devoted a whole page of Friday’s edition to diaries from NFL Draft hopefuls Clint Sintim of Virginia and Victor Harris from Virginia Tech.

Of course, Tech fans recognize Harris by his nickname, “Macho.” He apparently had a Nappy King moment when he got off an airplane in Dallas after a flight from Richmond, his hometown.

Harris said he spent two hours traversing the parking garage in search of his rental car. Eventually, Harris remembered that he had flown out of Dallas on America Airlines and was looking for his car in the wrong lot. His return flight had been on U.S. Airways.

In Dallas, Harris has been training at a performance center operated by former Olympic champion and world record-holder Michael Johnson. Harris said his goal is to improve on his 40-yard time from the recent NFL Combine.

The Hokies have a pro timing day March 19, as does UVa.

“I try to focus on my stance and come out like I was coming out of a track block,” Harris said. “Sometimes, I was fighting myself when I ran.”

Sintim, who started the last 49 games of his college career, was struck by the medical attention the players received. He underwent two MRIs and thinks he was asked if he had sprained an ankle in the third grade.

“For me especially, the strength of my game is going to be from the game tape,” Sintim said. “It solidifies the type of player I am. Also, my intangibles will be a big asset.”

THE TOP 40 TIME by a Virginia or Virginia Tech was the 4.45 clocked by UVa’s Cedric Peerman, who was the fastest of the running backs.

The fastest player overall was Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with a 4.30.

Those times are from NFL.com. I’ve seen another list that shows ex-Virginia wide receiver Kevin Ogletree as having run a 4.37 40 but don’t know where that originated.

A blog on the Internet side gridironstuds.com said that Harris had a 4.57 “unofficial” clocking that placed him 37th among 44 defensive backs.

A site called fftoolbox.com has the same combine times as NFL.com for Peerman and Heyward-Bey and lists former Tech running back Branden Ore with a 4.67 in the 40.

(Ore, advised that he was not welcome to return to Virginia Tech’s football team in 2009, finished his career by rushing for 1,257 yards and 20 touchdowns this past season for Division II West Liberty (W.Va.) State, which finished 7-4. Ore caught 30 passes and even threw two TD passes).

FFtoolbox.com has official clockings of 4.45 for Ogletree, 4.61 for Harris, 4.79 for UVa tight end John Phillips from Bath County, 4.8 for Sintim, 4.88 for Tech defensive end Orion Martin and 5.16 for UVa offensive tackle Eugene Monroe.

BILL KIRWAN, senior analyst for NFL.com, wrote a column earlier this week in which he projected Monroe as the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, which would reunite him with former UVa teammate Chris Long, the second pick in the 2008 draft.

Seven ACC teams would have first-round picks, according to Kirwan: Monroe, Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry (No. 3), Florida State defensive end Everette Brown (No. 11), Boston College nose tackle B.J. Raji (No. 12), North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (No. 17), Heyward-Bey (No. 26) and Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson (No. 31).

On Thursday, SportingNews Today ranked the top 99 prospects going into the various college pro days. Monroe was eighth, Sintim was 41st and Peerman was 54th.

BILL EICHENBERGER, a well-known sports editor who had a stint covering VMI for The Roanoke Times in the early 1980s, now works for Sporting News in Charlotte, N.C.

“It is available to anybody with a computer,” Eichenberger wrote in an e-mail Friday. “The plan is for it to remain a free service, supported by advertising,

“It is part of a three-pronged approach, with sportingnews.com for breaking sports news during the day, Sporting News Today for the most recent and complete daily sports section that looks and reads like a print sports section, and Sporting News magazine, which now publishes every other week and emphasizes the words and opinions of the coaches and athletes themselves.”