Another UVa-Hopkins Classic Looming?
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010
By Jeff White
jwhite@virginia.edu

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- One team is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 nationally. The other is barely above .500 and ranked No. 12.

This is men's lacrosse, though, and the teams in question are UVa (8-0) and Johns Hopkins (4-3). And so no one will be surprised if their 83rd meeting turns out to be a thriller.

Yes, the Cavaliers blitzed the Blue Jays 19-8 in last year's NCAA quarterfinals, their fifth straight win in this series. Of the previous nine games in this storied rivalry, however, only one was decided by more than two goals.

"Somebody used the word 'underdog,' " UVa coach Dom Starsia said before practice Thursday. "I don't really think that there's an underdog in this game. I mean, we were clearly the underdog in 2004 and beat them up here. So if anything, I would say that we may look like a big turkey coming over the hill with the No. 1 ranking and being undefeated right now.

"We haven't had any trouble getting our kids' attention going into this game. I don't care what the record is for either one of these two teams. This is a pattern" -- a slow start -- "that Hopkins has experienced the past couple years. It doesn't seem to faze them a great deal."

Virginia's showdown with two-time defending NCAA champion Syracuse drew 7,501 fans to Klöckner Stadium on March 7, and another huge crowd is expected Saturday. The teams meet at noon in a game that ESPN2 will televise. To the winner will go the Doyle Smith Cup, named in honor of the late Hall of Famer who contributed immensely to the lacrosse programs at each school.

Former Hopkins defenseman Matt Bocklet is expected to attend, and he may have mixed emotions Saturday. His brother Chris, a sophomore attackman, leads the Wahoos in scoring with 32 points, on 25 goals and 7 assists.

"I'm hoping he's going to put on a little orange for us," Chris Bocklet said with a smile.

Also in the crowd will be members of the second of the six UVa teams that have won national titles in men's lacrosse. The first was crowned champion by the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association in 1952; the second, in 1970.

The next year, the NCAA held its first national tournament in the sport. Until then, there had been no playoff.

"It was actually my idea to bring [the 1970 team] them back to honor them," said Starsia, who took over at UVa after the 1992 season.

"I feel like they've been a little ignored [by being] immediately pre-NCAA tournament. Everybody just talks about the NCAA tournaments. So it's nice that it happens to be 40 years and we have a really good group coming back from that team."

That UVa team beat Hopkins 15-8 in Charlottesville. Two years later, Hopkins hammered the 'Hoos 13-8 during the regular season. But Virginia avenged that loss in the postseason, beating Hopkins 13-12 in the NCAA title game.

Hopkins is coming off a 10-7 loss to Syracuse at Homewood Field in Baltimore. The Orange led 8-1 in the third quarter before the Blue Jays rallied.

"They showed that have the potential to come back," Virginia defenseman Matt Lovejoy said. "They're not gonna give up."

Senior midfielder Brian Carroll said: "Everyone respects their program and realizes they're a great team, and everyone's absolutely going to get up for the game."

The 'Hoos are averaging 14.4 goals per game. With All-America midfielder Shamel Bratton slowed by a hamstring injury for much of the year, Starsia would not have expected such productivity. But eight Cavaliers have at least 5 goals apiece, led by Bocklet (25), who rarely got on the field in 2009.

"We haven't struggled as much as I thought we would," Starsia said.

This will be UVa's third game against an opponent that's ranked in the top 12 of the latest USILA coaches' poll. Virginia beat No. 2 Syracuse 11-10 and No. 9 Cornell 12-4. Still to come are regular-season games with No. 3 North Carolina, No. 4 Maryland and No. 7 Duke.

"We're not always going to be No. 1," Starsia said, "and that's what I was saying to [the players] the other day. I said, 'There's no pressure here. It's March.' We understand fully that there's nothing been accomplished in March yet. But we're No. 1, and that speaks to the fact that we've done some good things, and I don't think we need to hide from that.

"You're going to get everybody's best shot. OK. So what? We get that anyway, it feels like. So I just think it's part of the growing-up process. It's the kind of program that we want to be, we expect to be. We may not expect to be undefeated or No. 1 in every situation, but we certainly expect to be about where we are right now. I don't think it means a great deal, and I don't think it bothers us a great deal."

U.Va. lacrosse looks to defend winning streak
NO. 1 VIRGINIA VS. NO. 12 JOHNS HOPKINS Men's lacrosse
Today:Noon, ESPN2
By Michael Phillips
Published: March 27, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE - At first glance, things stack up well for the Virginia lacrosse team today.

The Cavs, defending a nation-best 14-game home winning streak, are unanimously ranked No. 1 in the country. Their opponent, the usually formidable Johns Hopkins, just fell out of the top 10 for only the 13th time since 1973.

That's not how coach Dom Starsia sees things.

"If anything, I would say that we look like a big turkey coming over the hill, you know, with the No. 1 ranking and being undefeated right now," he said. "I just think this is two good teams, two proud programs, and we're going to get after each other."

It's the fifth installment of the Doyle Smith Cup, the new name for the annual between the two schools, but the rivalry match has been played every year since the 1940s.

The game also starts a tough stretch for the Cavaliers, who will play next Saturday at Maryland and the following Saturday against North Carolina in the grand opening of the new Giants Stadium in New York. All three games will be televised.

The Cavs have made their mark with an up-tempo offense this season, while the Blue Jays will try to play a slower, more methodical style that could include zone defense. Sophomore attack Chris Bocklet said that if recent history is any indication, it will be a fun game.

"They're always one-goal games - they always seem to be very exciting," he said. "I'm just looking forward to getting the opportunity to step on the field."

Bocklet scored four goals on four shots in the team's last game, a victory against Towson. He's part of a young attack that includes sophomore Steele Stanwick and freshman Matt White.

Johns Hopkins might be the underdog - though Starsia refuses to call them that - but they've been the dominant team throughout the series, holding a 54-27-1 edge all-time.

The game will also include a tribute to the 1970 Virginia team, which won the USILA national championship 40 years ago. That team competed in an era prior to NCAA-sanctioned title games.

"It feels like they've been a little bit ignored, since it was pre-NCAA tournament, and everybody talks about the NCAA tournament teams," Starsia said. "It'll be nice to have them back."

The two teams will have a postgame tailgate in the Klöckner Stadium parking lot, right after this season's team tries to take another step towards its own championship goals.

Hopkins down, but not out
By Whitey Reid
Published: March 27, 2010
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When undefeated and top-ranked Virginia takes the field this afternoon at Klockner Stadium, they’ll be facing a Johns Hopkins team that hasn’t looked so hot — at least on paper.

The 12th-ranked Blue Jays (4-3) are coming off an eight-goal loss to Hofstra and a three-goal setback to Syracuse.

Still, Virginia senior Brian Carroll says nobody is expecting an easy go of things.

“They may not have the best record or be ranked as high as in the past,” Carroll said, “but everyone respects their program and realizes they’re a great team, and everyone is absolutely going to get up for the game.”

Virginia (8-0) has been on a roll. Since an 11-10 victory on March 7, the Cavaliers have defeated their last four opponents by an average margin of nine goals.

Today marks the 64th straight season the Cavaliers and the Blue Jays have met in a series that dates back to 1904. Johns Hopkins holds the all-time advantage with a 54-27-1 record, but Virginia has won the last five meetings, including last year’s 19-8 win in the NCAA quarterfinals in Annapolis, Md.

The Cavaliers also defeated the Blue Jays 16-15 during the regular season.

“The Hopkins games are definitely special games,” said Carroll, who scored the game-winner against the Blue Jays two years ago. “Hopkins has been one of the premier teams for a really long time.

“I grew up watching Hopkins games ... It’s been a great rivalry and definitely a game that everyone gets up for.”

Groundballs

Virginia’s 82 games against the Blue Jays equals the most the Cavaliers have played against any opponent in their history. ... Today’s contest is the fifth annual battle for the Doyle Smith Cup. ... The 1970 Virginia USILA national championship squad will be honored at halftime.


 

Bruno Walkoff Single Lifts Virginia to 4-3 Win Over Clemson
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Stephen Bruno (Fr., Audubon, N.J.) hit a walkoff single to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning to break a three-all tie and propel the top-ranked Virginia baseball team to a 4-3 win over Clemson on Friday night at Davenport Field. Virginia (19-3, 6-1 ACC) won its seventh straight game, while Clemson (17-5, 6-1), ranked as high as No. 5 nationally this week, dropped its third consecutive contest.
With one out and the bases loaded against Clemson reliever David Haselden, Bruno singled over the drawn-in infield and just inside the left-field line to score Jarrett Parker (Jr., Stafford, Va.) with the winning run. Bruno, UVa's nine-hole hitter, also smacked a two-run home run in the fifth inning, which tied the game at three. He finished 2-for-4 with three runs batted in.

Virginia's Tyler Wilson (Jr., Midlothian, Va.) tossed three scoreless innings of relief to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the year. He set down the final seven batters he faced to keep the Tigers at bay. Haselden took the loss and fell to 2-1.

Virginia starting pitcher Danny Hultzen (So., Bethesda, Md.) battled through some uncharacteristic control problems to pitch six innings, allowing three earned runs, eight hits and two walks while striking out six. Five of his six strikeouts came over his final three innings.

Despite his control problems Hultzen pushed through and minimized the damage all evening. In all, the Tigers left 10 runners on base against UVa's pitchers, including seven in scoring position.

Clemson starter Casey Harman worked seven innings, giving up three earned runs and five hits while striking out three. He did not walk a batter.

Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) had a pair of hits for Virginia to extend his hit streak to a career-best 14 games. John Barr (Jr., Ivyland, Pa.) also had a single to stretch his hit streak to 10 games, also a career long.

In the ninth inning, Parker singled to left to lead off. Pinch hitter Keith Werman (So., Vienna, Va.) then laid down a bunt down the third-base line, which Haselden fielded, but Werman beat out the throw. Barr then put down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, and Franco Valdes (Sr., Miami, Fla.) was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the force play at any base. Bruno then blooped his single over outstretched third baseman John Hinson to plate Parker with the winning run.

Virginia got on the board in the first inning as Cannon cranked a solo home run off the facade of the bleachers in left-center field. It marked Cannon's first home run of the year and his fourth career long ball.

Clemson came back with a pair of runs in the second. Hultzen struggled with his control, giving up a pair of walks to load the bases after Kyle Parker's leadoff single. With two out, Will Lamb blooped a 3-2 Hultzen pitch down the left-field line, scoring Parker and Wilson Boyd to push the Tigers ahead, 2-1.

The Tigers put runners on second and third with one out in the fourth inning, but Hultzen escaped the jam. He was not as fortunate in the fifth inning, as the Tigers tacked on a run when Jeff Schaus, Parker and Boyd hit consecutive two-out singles to bring home a run.

Virginia knotted the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Barr led off with a single up the middle and one out later Bruno ripped an 0-2 pitch into the left-field bleachers for a two-run home run. It was Bruno's third homer of the season.

In the seventh, Bruno hit a towering fly ball to left center, and Schaus, with his back against the wall, reached above the fence to snare to ball and keep the game tied while rebuffing Bruno's bid for a two-home run game.

Because of the threat of inclement weather on Sunday (March 28), games two and three of the Virginia-Clemson baseball series have been rescheduled. Saturday's game was originally scheduled to start at 4 p.m. It will now start at 3:30 p.m. The third game of the series, originally scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Sunday, has been moved to Saturday (March 27). It will start approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game.

The first game will be broadcast on 1070 WINA-AM as well as VirginiaSports.com (with V Pass subscription).

Each game of the baseball series will be a separately ticketed event, with tickets for the Sunday game valid for the second game Saturday. The seating areas will be cleared between games; fans attending both games will need tickets for each contest and will be re-admitted at the bottom of the stadium seating areas shortly after the conclusion of Saturday's first game.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early purchase tickets in advance for all athletic events to avoid lines at the facilities' ticket windows. Tickets can be ordered in person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium, by phone at (800) 542-8821 and online at VirginiaSports.com. Advance ticket sales online end four hours prior to each game.

In addition to the home baseball games Saturday, the UVa men's lacrosse team will face Johns Hopkins at noon at Klockner Stadium. That contest should end at approximately 2:15 p.m. Because of an event taking place at John Paul Jones Arena Saturday, parking will be extremely limited in the immediate area.

Virginia picks up walk-off victory
By Jay Jenkins
Published: March 26, 2010
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The most unlikely hero in the Virginia batting order provided the most important hit.

Stephen Bruno lifted a liner over third base and into left field for a hit that gave the top-ranked Cavaliers a 4-3 win in the series opener against Clemson on Friday night at Davenport Field.

It was the second time that Bruno had altered the game with one swing — the 165-pound rookie belted a game-tying, two-run homer in the fifth inning.

“It was a dream come true,” Bruno said. “I had the confidence that I would get the job done and I got a great swing on the home run pitch and I got in the ninth to get it over the third baseman’s head.”

The final hit capped a wild finish and improved Virginia’s record to 19-3 overall and 6-1 in the ACC.

UVa got a leadoff single from Jarrett Parker to open the ninth and an expertly-placed bunt from Keith Werman for an infield hit to put a pair of runners on base.

After trying a hit-and-run with John Barr, Virginia’s coaching staff had the junior drop down a sacrifice bunt that moved Parker and Werman up 90 feet.

Clemson coach Jack Leggett elected to intentionally walk Virginia catcher Franco Valdes, a potential strikeout candidate, and play for the double play.

Unfortunately for Clemson (17-5, 6-1), the move backfired when Bruno connected on the second pitch from Tiger reliever David Haselden.

It created a wild celebration as Virginia’s players raced to jump on Bruno near first base.

The victory came on a night when Virginia starter Danny Hultzen struggled with his control, walking two and allowing eight hits over six innings.

“It was not Danny’s best night of the season, but he grinded it out and gave us a chance to win,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “Danny saved our bullpen for the rest of series.”

That was important because the threat of rain on Sunday forced Virginia to move the final game of the series to today. The first game will start at 3:30 p.m., with the nightcap to follow 30 minutes after.

Clemson starter Casey Harman was in control on the mound for the first five innings, allowing just a solo homer to Tyler Cannon and a double to Dan Grovatt before Barr opened the fifth with a single. He later scored on Bruno’s one-out bomb, his third homer of the season.

“I was down 0-2 and I knew I had to battle,” Bruno said. “I sat on a change-up because I thought they would attack with something off-speed and I just tried to be aggressive.”

Harman worked seven full innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs. He took the loss, falling to 4-1 on the season.

Clemson had plenty of opportunities offensively, but stranded 10 runners on base. Three of those were left onboard in the seventh after Cavalier reliever Tyler Wilson entered the game.

Wilson (3-1) settled down after his first inning of work, retiring Clemson in order in the eighth and ninth.

“Tyler pitched a tremendous game tonight,” O’Connor said. “He was dominant after that seventh inning. That was great to see.”
 

U.Va. holding clinic and scrimmage in Norfolk
By Michael Phillips
Published: March 27, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When Mike London loaded the Virginia football team onto buses for a trip to Norfolk yesterday, he may have fired the opening shots in the latest round of recruiting wars.

The Cavaliers' spring practices have drawn crowds of a few dozen fans, not uncommon because the practices are, well, a little dry. Only the most football-obsessed can find joy in watching linemen work on their three-point stances for an hour.

But the Cavs are devoting one of their 15 allotted practices to putting on a show for fans in the Tidewater area. They'll scrimmage on the campus of Old Dominion University today at 1:30 p.m., a spring fling that includes a kids area, giveaways for fans and a postgame autograph session.

The trip is the brainchild of Jon Oliver, executive associate director of athletics. The idea is to expose the team to fans in Norfolk, as well as show recruits in the talent-rich area that the Cavs are serious about eating into Virginia Tech's dominance in the 757 area code.

"We're trying to show that Virginia is a little different now," London said. "We're trying to be accessible and available, and show how we practice and things like that."

The practice will be the first of its kind in the state of Virginia. Elsewhere, on-the-road practices have been conducted by Marshall. Virginia obtained advance approval from the NCAA to be sure the trip would not violate any rules.

Today's practice, the seventh of the spring, will be divided into two sessions. The first portion will be standard practice fare -- drills on fundamentals along with kicking and special teams practice. The second portion will be a controlled scrimmage.

It won't be a full game-like atmosphere, but it will be an opportunity for the players to get some work in at full speed. Don't expect monster hits, though, especially on the team's quarterbacks.

"It's going to be a quick whistle on quarterback hits," London said. "You don't need to test the manhood of a quarterback to see if he'll stand in there and get hit, and then you've got an unnecessary injury -- all for the sake of saying you got pressure on the quarterback."

Because of the travel day, the team did not hold a practice yesterday. That session will be moved to after the April 10 spring game in Charlottesville, and will focus on the team's first opponents of the 2010 season -- Richmond and USC.

Part of the trip to Norfolk is a coaches clinic this morning for area high school coaches. London's staff will co-lead that with ODU coach Bobby Wilder and his crew -- an opportunity for both schools to benefit from the weekend by building relationships in the region.

As for the crowd, nobody's willing to publicly speculate. Weather likely will play a big role as fans in the area decide what to do with their Saturday afternoon. London said he's hopeful that promotional efforts will have paid off.

"Hopefully, people appreciate the overture that we're making to get down there," he said. "If there's a lot of people, fine. If there's not, hopefully those that are out there appreciate the effort and see what we're trying to do down there -- that is, to spread the news."

U.Va., ODU seek recruiting benefits from day of football workouts in Norfolk
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
March 27, 2010

Old Dominion football coach Bobby Wilder has heard what the skeptics have to say about inviting one of the state's most prominent football programs onto his campus. He simply sees the bigger picture.

People have asked him why he'd want Virginia's football players and coaches on his campus. Why would he want the stands filled with orange and blue today as U.Va. scrimmages in Foreman Field? What does it do for him? That's easy. In a recruiting era where image is indeed everything, Wilder considers today's venture nothing short of free advertising.

"Any time we can partner with Virginia or Virginia Tech football, it's only going to help the Old Dominion football program," Wilder said. "Having Virginia come here, what it does is it creates more exposure for the Old Dominion football program.

"The question I've been getting is 'Why would you do this?' The number one reason is it's more exposure for the Old Dominion football program, and number two, (today) we'll have a lot of the top recruits in the area and from different locations in the state at our stadium, on our campus, inside Foreman Field. Now, the reason they're coming here is to watch U.Va. practice, but they're going to be on Old Dominion's campus and inside our field. I can't say enough about what that means to our program."

As many as 100 of the top football recruits from the Hampton Roads area and the rest of the state are expected to be at ODU today when U.Va. takes over Foreman Field at 1:30 for a practice and scrimmage session. The day will begin with a clinic for high school football coaches, led by U.Va.'s and ODU's coaching staffs, at the Sheraton Waterside. ODU will finish the day with a practice of its own.

About six weeks ago, U.Va. coach Mike London approached Wilder with the idea of bringing the Cavaliers to Norfolk. While it wasn't uncommon for college programs to practice at high schools in the 1970s, NCAA rules and restrictions have tightened up quite a bit since those days. The concept of one college football program practicing at another college program's home field is basically unheard of in this era.

"Basically, it was a 'hey, let's see if it works' kind of idea," said London, a Bethel High graduate.

"I first wanted to find out if it was OK (in terms of NCAA regulations). It was (OK). It was approved. I think part of it is in the future we'd kind of like to do things throughout the state like this later on, but Bobby Wilder and I are friends. Obviously, the Tidewater area is very important to us in terms of recruiting and being visible down there."

This burgeoning partnership with ODU doesn't need to be exclusive to U.Va., in Wilder's opinion. As soon as London and Wilder confirmed the plans, Wilder said he got on the phone to coaches at Virginia Tech. He wanted to make sure Tech knew the invitation to come to ODU at some point in the future was extended.

"We're not going to do this for just anybody," Wilder said. "The only two schools I would even consider doing this for are Virginia and Virginia Tech. They're the big two in this state. They're the schools that set the standard for everybody else. We all feed off of them. They're the national teams. They're the teams that everybody knows. They're going to get all the best recruits in the state, but they can't take them all."

Here's the real beauty of the situation for ODU. Football recruiting is currently in a quiet period, where college coaches can't have off-campus contact with recruits. Since all of the recruits will be on ODU's campus today, ODU's coaches will be permitted to talk to them, while U.Va.'s coaches won't have the same luxury.

"There's eight other schools in the state that you look at that are all trying to recruit that next line of players, the players that aren't going to be the (Bowl Championship Series conference-caliber) players," Wilder said. "Right here, you've got Norfolk State and Hampton. Then, in our league, we've got William and Mary, James Madison and Richmond. Then, you've got Liberty and (Virginia Military Institute). We're all trying to recruit the best players in the state of Virginia that we can recruit. For us to have all these top recruits on our campus is going to help our program."

London said he plans to spend the first part of today's practice working on normal spring activities like fundamentals, kicking-game concentration and review of situational plays. The second part of the session will be devoted to an intrasquad scrimmage — ODU and U.Va. can't scrimmage against each other — that will focus on various down-and-distance situations.

"We're traveling around a little bit and trying to show Virginia is a little bit different now," London said.

"We're trying to be accessible and available. We're trying to get out there to people to let them see who we are and how we practice and things like that. Hopefully, all this pays off."

Today's schedule
10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Joint coaches clinic for high school football coaches at the Sheraton Waterside, featuring coaches from U.Va. and ODU.

1:30-3:15: U.Va. will practice and scrimmage at Foreman Field. Admission is free.

3:30-4: U.Va. players will sign autographs.

4-6: ODU will practice at the Powhatan Sports Complex. Admission is free.

U.Va. scrimmage
WHEN: 1:30 p.m. today.

WHERE: Foreman Field, Norfolk.


 

Kalkstein Takes Control for 'Hoos
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010
By Jeff White
jwhite@virginia.edu

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The site of this year's final four for NCAA women's lacrosse?

Towson, Md.

"Right in my hometown," Brittany Kalkstein said with a smile.

Kalkstein, a graduate of Roland Park Country School in Baltimore, is doing everything she can to help fifth-ranked UVa make it to Towson. The fourth-year midfielder is the Cavaliers' third-leading scorer, with 24 points, and she excels at one of the most important parts of the game.

Her specialty is draw controls. Like faceoffs in the men's game, draw controls are held at the start of every period and after every goal, and they pit two players against each other at the center of the field.

A team that dominates draw controls typically gains a significant advantage, especially in an otherwise evenly matched game.

"It's an extra chance to get a goal," UVa coach Julie Myers said. "Anytime you give your team a chance to go on attack again, it's huge. And if you can win the draw control after your opponent has scored, they don't get a chance to score again."

With 234 career draw controls, Kalkstein has smashed the previous school record of 195 set by Lauren Aumiller (2000 to '03), with many more likely to come. Virginia (1-1, 6-3) plays No. 3 Duke (1-1, 9-1) in an ACC game Saturday afternoon in Durham, N.C.

Kalkstein stands 5-9, and her reach and strength help her control the ball after the whistle blows.

"I think she believes she's going to win everything," Myers said. "She doesn't rattle, and she's got really quick hands."

Kalkstein, 21, has been a fixture in the Cavaliers' lineup throughout her college career. She was ACC freshman of the year, and national rookie of the year, in 2007, and she made the ACC's all-tournament team as a sophomore.

A season ago, after totaling a school-record 73 draw controls, she was named a third-team All-American.

"Her game sense has developed each and every year," Myers said. "She's a really tough-minded kid. She does not have great speed, but she does have great endurance. And by nature she wants the ball in her stick."

Born in Washington, D.C., Kalkstein was raised in the lacrosse-mad Baltimore area, and she's been playing the sport for as long as she can remember. She has three brothers, the youngest of whom played with current UVa lax star Steele Stanwick at Loyola Blakefield High in Towson.

She was a heralded recruit who also took official visits to Princeton, Georgetown and Notre Dame. Kalkstein chose UVa, she said, because "I thought it had the total package."

In 2007, UVa advanced to the NCAA championship game. The Cavaliers made it back to the NCAAs in '08 and '09, but each of those seasons ended with a first-round loss.

For everyone connected to Virginia women's lacrosse, the 2009 season was a struggle. The November 2008 suicide of former UVa men's standout Will Barrow, with whom many of the women's players were friends, shook Myers' program, and "we had other distractions," she said.

The 'Hoos went 11-8, the first time in eight years they finished with fewer than 14 victories. The players weren't always happy with the coaches, and vice versa, and it affected the team's play.

"Last year we were really in a slump, and it was hard to break out," said Kalkstein, an economics major. "There's a completely different attitude and energy this year. Everyone's fired up to be at practice, and that was definitely lacking last year."

Lacrosse, Kalkstein said, is fun again. Myers agreed.

"I think every year you have a new personality and a new chemistry," she said. "Last year was really tough, and I think the players and coaches all felt it. I think we all took a deep breath and evaluated what was really important."


 

No. 3 Duke Hosts No. 5 Virginia in Top-Five ACC Showdown
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The No. 5 Virginia women's lacrosse team will face a quick turnaround and head to Durham, N.C., for a top-five showdown with conference-foe No. 3 Duke on Saturday. Opening draw is slated for 1 p.m. in Koskinen Stadium. Live statistics will be available at VirginiaSports.com.

The Cavaliers (6-3) will look to rebound from a 10-9 loss to No. 20 James Madison Wednesday night. The Dukes used three-unanswered goals to close out the game, including a game-winning score with 11 seconds remaining, to defeat the Cavaliers. Senior All-American Brittany Kalkstein led Virginia in the contest with three goals and an assist.

For the season, senior All-American Kaitlin Duff leads a balanced attack with 19 goals and 11 assists, while five Cavaliers have contributed 15 goals each - redshirt sophomore Ainsley Baker, sophomores Charlie Finnigan, Julie Gardner and Josie Owen, in addition to Kalkstein. Senior Caity Whiteley has added 13 for Virginia's offense.

Defensively, Kalkstein has a team-high 44 draw controls, 19 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers. In goal, redshirt junior Lauren Benner has stopped 49.5 percent of shots faced, while allowing 8.59 goals per game.

Duke has only lost one contest this season, a 17-4 setback against No. 2 Maryland on Feb. 27. Since then, the Blue Devils have won five-straight contests and bring an overall record of 9-1 into Saturday's game. Sarah Bullard leads Duke with 29 goals, while Christie Kaestner has a team-high 40 points on 21 goals and 19 assists. Mollie Mackler leads the team with 24 ground balls, while Kat Thomas has won 38 draw controls. Bullard leads the team with 22 caused turnovers.

In goal for the Blue Devils, Mackler has compiled a 6-1 record, stopping 48.8 percent of shots faced, while allowing 9.00 goals per game.

In the all-time series between the two programs, the Cavaliers hold the advantage at 17-8. The two have faced at least twice every year since 2001 and every year since 1996.

During regular season meetings, the Cavaliers hold the slight advantage, at 8-6. Throughout 11 of those 14 contests, the road team has come away with the win, including the last five-straight contests and nine of the last 10.

Up next, the Cavaliers will have another midweek game against an in-state opponent, as Old Dominion heads to Charlottesville for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday night.
 

Two Virginia Relays Earn All-America Honors
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Virginia's 200 free and 400 medley relay teams each picked up All-American honors as the first night of finals was held Friday at the 2010 NCAA Championships. The meet, which runs through Sunday, is being held at the McCorkel Aquatic Pavilion on Ohio State's campus.

Through six events, Virginia stands in eighth place with 53 points. Texas currently leads all teams with 145 points, followed by California (139) and Florida (118).

"I feel very good about what we accomplished today," Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino said. "We had our better swims during prelims, but I will take those great swims in the morning anytime. If it allows you to be in the final eight, you are still putting those team points on the board. You have to swim fast in the morning or you don't get that chance at night."

The 400 medley relay team moved up one spot from its prelim finish to place seventh overall. Eric Olesen, Tom Casey, Peter Geissinger and Scot Robison finished with a time of 3:10.59.

The 200 free relay team opened the night with an eighth-place finish; it was the first time Virginia has earned All-America status in that relay event. Robison, Geissinger, Olesen and John Azar teamed up to finish in 1:18.55; that foursome set the school record this morning in the prelims with a mark of 1:18.05.

"Kudos today to Peter Geissinger," Bernardino said. "He has had such tremendous improvement from the ACC meet until now. Nobody deserves more credit for what he gave to his team today than him. I am pleased to see him achieve those kind of performances."

Junior Matt McLean, a Sterling, Va., native, finished second in the consolation final heat of the 500 free to place 10th overall. McLean clocked a time of 4:17.93, improving on his prelim time of 4:19.58.

"It was great to see Matt swim a completely different race than he did in the prelims," Bernardino said. "He conserved his energy and used his pacing skills to a much better degree this evening. To move up and darn near win that heat is a positive sign."

Day two of the NCAA Championships continues Saturday morning with preliminaries in the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 200 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3-meter diving and 800 free relay.

"We are just going to come out and swim our best tomorrow," Bernardino said. "We know it's going to be an intense team battle from seventh to 14th. There are going to be ups and downs for every team along the way; we have to maximize our ups, minimize our downs and stay positive along the way."

2010 Men's NCAA Championships
Team Standings - Top 10
Through event 6

1. Texas 145
2. California 139
3. Florida 118
4. Auburn 114.5
5. Stanford 106
6. Arizona 87
7. Michigan 77
8. VIRGINIA 53
9. Ohio State 46.5
10. Kentucky 34



 

No. 1 Men's Tennis Blanks Miami 7-0
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The top-ranked Virginia men’s tennis team ran its win streak to 20 matches with a 7-0 victory over No. 49 Miami on Friday at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. The Cavaliers (23-1, 4-0 ACC) also extended their wins streaks to 67 consecutive home wins and 51 consecutive wins against ACC competition.

Virginia opened the match by sweeping all three doubles matches from the Hurricanes (6-7, 0-4 ACC). Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) and Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) won at No. 1, the duo of Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) and Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) won at No. 2, and Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Ga.) and Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) won at No. 3.

In singles, the Cavaliers swept all six contests and are yet to drop a singles match in ACC play this season. Barrick topped Waylon Chin 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5 to make the score 2-0. Singer added a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ignacio Taboada at No. 6. Courtney clinched the win with his 7-6, 6-1 win at No. 4 over David Simon. Singh posted a straight set win over Carl Sundberg at No. 2 before Jenkins and Shabaz recorded three-set wins at No. 3 and No. 1 respectively to complete the sweep.

The Cavaliers conclude their homestand on Sunday with a doubleheader as they host Florida State at noon and Delaware at 4 p.m.

No. 1 Virginia 7, No. 49 Miami 0

Doubles:
1. #17 ShabazCourtney (UVa) def. Blocker/Simon (UM) 8-6
2. #19 Barrick/Singh (UVa) def. #53 H.Nieto/Crowley (UM) 8-1
3. #41 Jenkins/Singer (UVa) def. Sundberg/Carrega (UM) 8-4

Singles:
1. #4 Michael Shabaz (UVa) def. Christian Blocker (UM) 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 10-6
2. #3 Sanam Singh (UVa) def. Carl Sundberg (UM) 6-4, 6-3
3. #33 Jarmere Jenkins (UVa) def. Keith Crowley (UM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
4. #53 Drew Courtney (UVa) def. David Simon (UM) 7-6(7), 6-1
5. #87 Houston Barrick (UVa) def. Waylon Chin (UM) 6-1, 6-3
6. #68 Lee Singer (UVa) def. Ignacio Taboada (UM) 6-3, 6-2

Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1,3,2
Singles: 5,6,4,2,3,1

 

Women’s Tennis Falls at No. 19 Florida State 5-2
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 30 Virginia women’s tennis team suffered its first ACC loss of the season on Friday, falling 5-2 to No. 19 Florida State at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. The Cavaliers fall to 10-4 overall, 3-1 in the ACC with the loss, while the Seminoles improve to 7-7 (1-2 ACC).

The Seminoles took an early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. None of the three matches were ever in doubt, as Florida State scored 8-1 wins at No. 1 and No. 3 and the Cavalier duo of Erin Vierra (Norwell, Mass.) and Lindsey Hardenbergh (Fairfax Station, Va.) winning 8-0 at the No. 2 position.

The Cavaliers got off to a quick start in singles, winning five of the six first sets. Virginia tied the score at 1-1 as Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) topped Jessica Sucupira 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5. Hana Tomljanovic (Boca Raton, Fla.) gave Virginia a 2-1 lead by upsetting No. 44 ranked Noemie Scharle 6-3 6-4 at No. 4 singles. However the Seminoles rallied to win the other four singles matches to record the 5-2 win.

“Although we didn’t ultimately get the team win, many positive things happened today,” said head coach Mark Guilbeau. “The team showed great composure and fight after losing a very up and down doubles point, coming out and winning five first sets. That was tough to sustain, but it was definitely our best level of the year throughout the first part of singles. We will focus on that, and the positive aspects of our play and move forward. This team knows that some great wins and success are ahead as we continue to compete at this level.”

Virginia concludes its month of March road trip on Sunday as it visits Miami.

No. 19 Florida State 5, No. 30 Virginia 2

Doubles:
1. McCreless/Segarelli (FSU) def. #40 Fraser/Stevens (UVa) 8-1
2. #50 Hardenbergh/Vierra (UVa) def. Sucupira/Suess (FSU) 8-0
3. Sargeant/Rybakova (FSU) def. Fuccillo/Tomljanovic (UVa) 8-1

Singles:
1. #27 Lauren McCreless (FSU) def. #41 Lindsey Hardenbergh (UVa) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. Francesca Segarelli (FSU) def. Emily Fraser (UVa) 6-3, 7-6(7)
3. #104 Katie Rybakova (FSU) def. Erin Vierra (UVa) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
4. Hana Tomljanovic (UVa) def. #44 Noemie Scharle (FSU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Jennifer Stevens (UVa) def. Jessica Sucupira (FSU) 6-1 6-1
6. Federica Suess (FSU) def. Maria Fuccillo (UVa) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Order of Finish:
Doubles: 2,1,3
Singles: 5,4,3,2,6,1

 

Nielson in Second Place at Murphy Collegiate
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

Athens, GA - The No. 15 Virginia women's golf team is in 13th place following the first round of play at the 23-team Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at the University of Georgia Golf Course. Virginia shot 32-over 320 in windy playing conditions that allowed just one competitor in the 120-player field to break par.
Virginia junior Calle Nielson, coming off a second-place finish at the Tiger/Wave Golf Classic, is tied for second following Friday's round. She finished at 2-over 74 along with two other golfers. That group is chasing Duke's Lindy Duncan who shot 2-under 70 to grab the early lead.

Duke, ranked fourth has a nine-shot lead at 12-over 300. North Carolina, Purdue and Auburn are tied for second at 310.

Virginia's other scores include an 80 by Brittany Altomare to stand 46th, a pair of 82s from Nicole Agnello and Joy Kim to place 66th and an 84 by Lauren Greenlief to put her in 92nd place. Eleana Collins shot 87 and is 113th.

The second round will take place Saturday. Live scoring is online at Golfstat.com.

Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic
University of Georgia Golf Course
Athens, GA
Par-72, 6,335 yards
First Round Results

Team Results
1. Duke 300

 2. North Carolina 
 310
2. Purdue
 310

2. Auburn 310
5. Arkansas 312
6. Michigan State 314
6. Florida 314
8. Ohio State 315
9. Wake Forest 316
9. Alabama 316
11. Tennessee 318

12. Tulane 319
13. Kent State 320
13. Virginia 320
15. Denver 321
15. Georgia 321
17. Georgia State 322
18. Furman 323
19. South Carolina 324
20. Mississippi 327
21. Georgia (B) 329
22. Central Florida 330

23. Mississippi State
 343

Individual Leaders
1. Lindy Duncan, Duke 70
2. Calle Nielson, Virginia 74
2. Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia 74
2. Cheyenne Woods, Wake Forest 74
5. Kim Donovan, Duke 75
5. Valentina Fontaine, UCF 75
5. Maude-Aimee LeBlanc, Purdue 75
5. Martina Gavier, Kent State 75
5. Courtney Gunter, North Carolina 75
5. In Hong Lim, Ohio State 75
5. Brooke Pancake, Alabama 75

Virginia Results
2. Calle Nielson 74
46. Brittany Altomare 80
66. Nicole Agnello 82
66. Joy Kim* 82
92. Lauren Greenlief 84
113. Eleana Collins 87
* Competing as an individual



 

Garland Named ACC Coach of the Year
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/26/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Following a record season which included an ACC Championship and a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, Virginia wrestling head coach Steve Garland has been named the ACC Coach of the Year, as voted upon by the conference coaches and announced by the conference office Friday. Garland is the first Virginia wrestling coach to earn the honor, which the conference began awarding in 1986.
"This is a great honor, especially because it is voted on by my peers," Garland said. "Anytime you earn an honor like this which is determined by your coaching peers, it is humbling, especially since several have coached in this league for many years and coached against me when I was a student-athlete here. To earn this high of an honor is a great honor for me, my family and our school."

Garland, a former Virginia All-American who just completed his fourth season as the Cavaliers' head coach, led UVa to a 16-6 dual match record during the regular season and the second-most dual wins in a season at UVa. The Cavaliers were ranked nationally among the Top 25 for the entire season while earning a program-best ranking of No. 16 at one point.

As it has done in recent years, Virginia peaked in postseason play. Virginia won its first ACC Championship since 1977, as Chris Henrich and Mike Salopek captured ACC titles at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively.

The Cavaliers qualified a school-record eight wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, where UVa racked up 34 team points in taking 15th place - Virginia's second-best finish at NCAAs. The 1957 team, with a 10th-place finish, is the only UVa team to finish higher. Henrich finished third at 174 pounds to become the first two-time All-American in Virginia wrestling history.

Virginia also had five wrestlers named to the All-ACC team by virtue of their top-two finishes at the conference championships - Ross Gitomer (125), Matt Snyder (133), Shawn Harris (149), Henrich (174) and Salopek (184).