Cavs fall to JMU in 14-inning thriller
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
April 26, 2007

The excitement from knocking off the third-ranked team in the country was matched by the relief of finally being able to leave Davenport Field.

After playing 4 hours and 39 minutes, James Madison’s players spilled out of their dugout and onto the field to celebrate a wild 7-6 win over Virginia in 14 innings.

The victory, which lifted JMU to 17-25 overall, came in a contest that saw 11 pitchers combine to throw 450 pitches. Virginia (34-10) is currently mired in its first losing streak of the season, albeit a two-game skid.

"It is one game, and you can’t analyze it more than that," said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. "It happens in baseball; you are not going to play your best baseball all the time. The important thing this year has been that we have found a way to win at times when we haven’t played our best baseball.

"I thought late there that we were going to find a way to win. We certainly had opportunities to … but we just didn’t do it."

Ironically, most of the game's scoring did not come until the final inning when the two teams combined for eight hits and nine runs.

Virginia reliever Neal Davis, who entered the game in the 13th inning with the game tied, at 2-2, was roughed up in the 14th – the freshman southpaw gave up four hits, including a two-out, two-run single to Rob Altieri and three-run homer to Mitchell Moses (3 for 6, 4 RBI).

"I feel bad for the kid," O’Connor said. "He had two outs and had it almost shut down and then he gives up the five runs."

The Cavaliers, who pulled off a come-from-behind victory at JMU earlier in the season, almost took Davis (2-1) off the hook. Six of UVa's first eight batters in the 14th reached base and four runs scored before JMU reliever Justin Wood got Beau Seabury to fly out to deep left field, ending the game and stranding two runners in scoring position.

"We just didn’t take advantage of the opportunities that we had," O’Connor said. "I thought we pitched great until the final inning, but that happens. That is baseball."

Wood, a weekend starter for JMU, earned the win after pitching five innings in relief and improved to 3-5 on the season.

Virginia faces Maryland on Friday as it opens a three-game series at Davenport Field.

 

The Cavs' not-so-silent leader
UVa senior attacker Breslin taking a more vocal role
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
April 26, 2007

It was moments before the Virginia women’s lacrosse team played Maryland last month that UVa senior Kate Breslin delivered a fiery pep talk to her teammates.

“She said, ‘I’ve never lost to Maryland since I’ve been here, and we’re not losing tonight,’” recalled UVa sophomore Blair Weymouth. “That fired me up. I was like, ‘OK, there’s no way we’re losing to them!’”

Virginia went on to defeat the Terrapins, 15-4.

Since then, UVa has had lots of ups, a few downs and a slew of moments that fall somewhere in between.

One constant has been the play of Breslin. The senior from Manhasset, N.Y., has emerged as not only a go-to player, but a team leader as well.

This afternoon, Breslin leads fourth-seeded Virginia (13-3, 3-2) into the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against fifth-seeded Boston College (5-9, 1-4). It will be the second meeting between the schools in less than a week.

On Saturday, UVa won at BC, 13-6, in both teams’ regular-season finale.

“I think it will definitely be tough because we just faced them and they have a good idea of some of the plays we run,” Breslin said, “but we’ll also be well-prepared for them.

“I think we’re definitely confident going in, but we know we can’t take anyone lightly.”

As a freshman, Breslin led all first-year Virginia players in goals with 11. As a sophomore, she upped her total to 36. However, last season, she dipped to 23.

This season, she has a team-leading 45, plus 22 assists.

“She’s been awesome for us,” Weymouth said. “When she gets the ball, she puts it in the back of the net almost every time. I feel like she’s been all over the place - in the right place at the right time, all the time.”

Breslin, who is a Tewaaraton Trophy nominee, has had to be patient. Making the transition from high school star to college role player in her first couple of years wasn’t easy.

“I think it was a little frustrating just because I had such a successful high school career,” said Breslin, who owns many of the lacrosse records at Manhasset High, “but I took advantage of playing with such good players. They gave me advice on and off the field.”

This year, many of those players - most notably Tyler Leachman - are gone. That has enabled Breslin to play a bigger offensive role - and embrace her position as a team leader.

“She didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes and wanted to let other fourth-years of years past lead,” said Virginia coach Julie Myers. “This year she realized it was going to be her or whom else?

“All of our [other] fourth-years are on the quiet side, not real vocal, so Kate has taken on that responsibility and has really gotten the job done.”

Added Weymouth: “We’ve definitely needed that leader to step up this year, and she’s done that. She always tries to give us pick-me-ups and always has us headed in the right direction.”

Despite some late-season inconsistency, which included a head-scratching loss to Johns Hopkins, Breslin feels the team is in a good place.

“I don’t think we’ve peaked yet,” she said, “which is good because I think we’ll peak at the right time.”

Breslin, who scored the game-winning goal in last year’s ACC semifinal win over North Carolina, has been a part of two ACC Championship teams in her Virginia career. And, as a freshman, she was part of a squad that won the NCAA title.

Now in her final year, Breslin would love to finish with a bang.

“If I could go out with an ACC and NCAA championship,” she said, “I don’t think I could be any happier.”

Ground balls

The winner of today’s game plays top-seeded Maryland in the semifinals on Friday at 5:30 p.m. … Virginia is 5-1 in the ACC Tournament in the last three years. UVa has made it to the tourney final in each of the last three years, winning last year and in 2004. … Freshman Brittany Kalkstein is four draw controls away from setting a record for first-years that is held by Lauren Aumiller (2001). She has 42.

 

Don't believe everything you read
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
April 26, 2007

Scattershooting around the sports world over your morning coffee ...

One of the best stories we’ve heard lately concerns Charlottesville’s Howie Long and his running mate, Terry Bradshaw.

The two have become as close as brothers during their years together doing the FOX NFL’s gameday studio show.

Long related this story to us during a recent conversation about Bradshaw:

One day, Long was at his home in Ivy and received a call from James Brown, a former member of that FOX team, whom those close to him call him J.B.

“He said to me, ‘Howie, have you heard?,” Long explained. “When somebody says that, it’s never good.”

Brown told Long that Bradshaw had apparently had a massive heart attack and reports were that the free-spirited former Steelers star quarterback was dead.

Long was stunned, shocked beyond imagination. He knew that Bradshaw had been on a golfing trip to Mexico with a childhood friend of Long’s, who had since become golfing pals with Bradshaw (Long doesn’t really play golf).

“I thought to myself that, golly, if something like that would have happened, I think my buddy Mike would have called me,” Long said. “Now, I’m scrambling to get Mike on the phone, I’m scrambling to get Terry on the phone and I can’t get either one of them.”

Long remembered the resort where they were playing golf in Cabo, looked it up on the Internet, called the pro shop but only reached a girl who spoke broken English. She wouldn’t put him through to the club pro, who would have surely heard the news.

“So, I can’t track [Bradshaw] down and a million things are going through my head, like what could I have done to prevent this,” Long said. “I thought I could have told him to eat less, whatever. Honestly, these things are running through my head.”

After a couple of hours of frustration and worry, the phone rings again at the Long household.

It’s Bradshaw.

“He says to me, ‘Little buddy, I’m not dead ... but I’m playing golf like I’m dead, so go back to what you were doing,’ and hangs up,” Long chuckled.

As it turned out, what really happened was that someone had been in an accident that day on the Terry Bradshaw Passway down in his hometown of Shreveport.

“I call it the road to nowhere,” Long interjected.

All kidding aside, someone had been in an accident on that road, had suffered a massive heart attack and died.

“Somewhere in this Blogosphere, Internet thing, an accident on the Terry Bradshaw Passway, where somebody did in fact die, turned into Terry Bradshaw had a heart attack and died,” Long said. “And, it spread like wildfire.”

Just goes to show that in this world of technology that in a matter of seconds, gossip, photographs, videos, whatever, can be flashed across the world on a blog, a cell phone, whatever.

Long said he reminds his sons of that all the time, and that not everyone is your friend.

“Heck, I have to remind Terry of that,” Long laughed.

Recruiting update

Patrick Patterson told ESPN a few days ago that he planned to stretch out his recruitment until May. “I’ll sign and announce then,” said the Huntington, W.Va., big man.

He also said, “All the colleges are still at the same level with me,” including Florida, Virginia, Duke, Kentucky, West Virginia and Wake Forest.

It just so happened that UVa coach Dave Leitao was in Richmond on Tuesday night as keynote speaker at the Richmond All-Metro Basketball banquet, where Benedictine’s Ed Davis received the Player of the Year award. Of course, Davis, a junior, is the Cavaliers’ No. 1 recruiting target for 2008.

Free throws ...

The NCAA recommended a ban on all electronically transmitted correspondence, including text messages between coaches and recruits, and both sides are probably grateful. One top recruit that we know receives as many as 200 text messages during a single weekend, which is too much for anyone to deal with, let alone a high school player.

Truth be told, coaches probably don’t like doing it either, but if one does, they all have to follow suit. Hopefully, the measure will pass and end this madness.

... East Carolina’s athletic department announced that it will present a $100,000 check to Virginia Tech in support of the healing and recovery process after last week’s shooting tragedy. ECU’s AD Terry Holland said the check will be presented at Lane Stadium before the Pirates’ game at Tech this fall. “That terrible day and the resulting sorrow have prompted each of us to reconsider our priorities,” Holland said. “We encourage all Pirates to consider contributing to this fund.” For more information, call the Pirate Club at (252) 737-4540.

Singletary's wise to take look before he leaps
David Teel
April 26 2007

Pucker up, Virginia fans. Prepare to kiss Sean Singletary goodbye, thank him for three seasons of basketball excellence and wish him well in David Stern's fiefdom.

So says my cynical side.

Fret not, Cavalier Nation. Long wise beyond his years, Singletary realizes he's not a lottery draft pick, let alone a top-five prospect, and will return to conclude one of the most remarkable careers in program history.

So says my selfish side.

Singletary, a 6-foot junior point guard, has declared himself eligible for June's NBA draft. But he says he will not retain an agent, giving him the option of withdrawing from the draft and returning for his senior season.

Sounds like a plan, and a smart one at that. If Singletary tears up next month's pre-draft cattle call and rockets up teams' wish lists, he can put college aside and cash in. If not, he heads back to coach Dave Leitao's program better for the experience.

Singletary's father, Harold, confirmed such thinking to the Daily Press' Darryl Slater on Tuesday. He even added an assurance.

"He's coming back to school," Harold said.

But they all say that. Parents. Players. They value education and want that framed diploma hanging over the fireplace.

So here's my philosophy, 25 years in the making: Expect everyone to go pro and be pleasantly surprised when they don't.

"Pleasantly" because ours is a college sports area bereft of pro teams. As long as Singletary remains at Virginia, we get to watch, in person or on television, nearly all of his fearless drives, wicked crossovers and rainbow jumpers. Once he turns pro, we rely on SportsCenter and the Internet for occasional updates.

"Surprised" because so many marginal players declare for the draft early.

This year's total was 36 and counting at last check and included Liberty's Dwight Brewington, Delaware State's Roy Bright and Baylor's Aaron Bruce.

Three years ago, Chaminade junior Chris Acker and Georgia Perimeter College sophomore Randall Orr jumped into the draft pool - believe it or not, neither was spotted at this season's all-star game in Vegas.

Granted, some obscure players bail from college because they don't care for school and/or their coaches. Some leave because of pressing financial worries.

A two-time, first-team all-ACC selection, Singletary does not fit that profile. He's a quality student from a secure family and appears tight with Leitao and his teammates.

Singletary said throughout last season that he would complete his college eligibility. Now he's hedging.

But so what? Reporters should know better than to ask such questions (what did they expect Singletary to say, that he couldn't wait to put Charlottesville in his rear-view mirror?), and elite athletes should absolutely research their options and market value.

Singletary's value is unclear. Mock drafts project him, if at all, in the second round. But mock drafts are just that - a mockery.

Singletary is an obvious talent who brings a contagious spirit to the court.

He embraces pressure and listens to his coaches.

But he is undersized, and like their NFL cohorts, many NBA general managers and coaches insist that prospects fit a prototype. Moreover, they draft based on potential instead of reality.

So don't be shocked to hear that Georgia Tech freshman Javaris Crittenton, a 6-4 point guard who declared Wednesday, is a first-round lock, even though Singletary is more advanced and experienced.

First-round status is critical in the NBA's two-round circus. Those selected in the first round are guaranteed multi-year contracts worth millions; second-rounders are guaranteed squat.

Singletary's stock should become clear after the pre-draft camp, set for May 29-June 4 in Florida. He'll then have until June 18 to withdraw from the June 28 draft.

Chances are, he'll return to Virginia. Regardless, he's a credit to the university, which should one day raise his No. 44 to the John Paul Jones Arena rafters.


 

Virginia rows to title to end ACC drought
The Cavaliers win their eighth straight ACC rowing title over the weekend and then add a third consecutive conference men's tennis championship as well.
By Doug Doughty | 981-3129

In most school years, Virginia doesn’t have to wait until April 21 for its first ACC championship.

In 2002, UVa athletics officials set a goal of winning 70 ACC championships in 10 years. In the four succeeding years, the Cavaliers have won 20 conference titles.

An average of five ACC titles per year is short of the stated goal but respectable. Yet before last weekend, UVa teams were 0-for-13 in 2006-07.

By the end of the weekend, four more Virginia teams saw their ACC championship hopes vanish, but, fittingly enough, the drought ended Saturday morning in the waters of Clemson’s Lake Hartwell.

It was the eighth straight ACC women’s rowing championship for the Cavaliers, who have won every ACC rowing title.

“I didn’t know that it was Virginia’s first ACC championship of the year,” rowing coach Kevin Sauer said. “Men’s tennis won, too, but I guess we beat ’em by 24 hours.”

It was the third straight ACC title for the men’s tennis team, which had a 5-0 lead on North Carolina when play was halted Sunday with two singles matches still under way.

“I follow all the [UVa] sports pretty closely,” tennis coach Brian Boland said, “but I didn’t know there hadn’t been a championship until this weekend. That surprises me.”

Virginia hasn’t gone without an ACC championship since 1987-88, and the last time the Cavaliers waited until the spring for a title was 1997, when men’s lacrosse broke the drought.

Starting in 1999, Virginia won eight straight ACC men’s swimming and diving championships, a streak that ended this year.

Championships are still to be awarded in men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, baseball and softball. Virginia has been among the ACC regular-season leaders in the first three sports but the softball team has a 1-17 record in conference games.

Women’s rowing and men’s tennis seemed to be Virginia’s best bets for ACC championships this year and should advance far in the NCAA postseason.

The women’s rowing team finished second at the Division I championship as recently as 2005 but did not receive an NCAA bid last year despite winning the ACC championship.

“In some ways, it was a good thing,” Sauer said.

Of the 90 schools that sponsor a Division I women’s rowing team, only 12 are invited to the NCAA meet. That number will rise to 16 in coming years. For now, there are no automatic qualifiers.

On May 12-13, the Cavaliers return to Oak Ridge, Tenn., where they finished seventh last year in the South/Central Championships. They can’t afford to finish seventh again.

“We just didn’t perform well,” Sauer said. “It really comes down to what you do at the end of the year. It’s not like basketball, where a win over Arizona in the opening game comes in handy at selection time.”

Sauer is beginning to reap the rewards of the runner-up showing at the 2005 NCAAs. The women he signed the following fall and spring are now freshmen; five are among the 16 rowers on the top three boats and eight more are on an undefeated novice boat.

Recruiting also is a major factor in the success of the Virginia men’s tennis team, which lost six seniors from last year’s ACC championship team, including four All-Americans.

The team that ripped through North Carolina on Sunday has three freshmen and a transfer among its first seven players.

Tulane transfer Teddy Angelinos, a junior from Athens, Greece, was named ACC tournament MVP after going undefeated at No. 6 singles, losing six points in three matches.

One of the freshmen, Houston Barrick, spent the fall semester in high school in Brentwood, Tenn., before UVa made a rare exception and allowed him to enroll for the second semester.

“I think we’re starting to play our best tennis now, which is certainly the way we wanted it to be,” said Boland, whose team has lost in the NCAA quarterfinals in each of the past two seasons, falling to No. 1 Georgia last year.

Virginia (26-3) has won 12 consecutive matches since suffering road setbacks to No. 5 Baylor and No. 12 Texas on back-to-back days in March.

“Every single year, my goal is to have our team in a position to contend for an ACC and national championship,” Boland said.

“If we stay focused, I think we can go all the way.”

He’s not putting any less pressure on Sauer.

“Kevin just wrote me a note,” Boland said. “He does an unbelievable job. They have a chance to win a national championship, but I couldn’t help teasing. I tell him, with any coaching, they’ll get it done.”

After last weekend, all ribbing is good-natured.
 

Sauer coached slain professor
Virginia’s rowing coach recalls coaching Tech’s Kevin Granata at Purdue.
By Doug Doughty | 981-3129

Given that only 90 colleges have women’s rowing teams and even fewer sponsor men’s programs, what are the chances that Virginia coach Kevin Sauer would have known Kevin P. Granata?

“I coached him at Purdue,” Sauer said Monday.

Sauer, who directed Virginia to an eighth straight ACC rowing championship last weekend, did so with a heavy heart after learning that Granata was among those who lost their lives in last week’s shootings at Virginia Tech.

“He was in my second varsity eight when I was coaching at Purdue,” Sauer said. “He won a bronze medal at the Dad Vail Regatta.”

Photos submitted by Sauer accompany a story on Granata on row2k.com, the largest Web site devoted to rowing. There was a moment of silence before the ACC rowing championships, where the Virginia women wore “VT” logos and black wristbands were handed out to all competitors.

Tech does not have an intercollegiate rowing program.

Granata was a professor at Virginia from 1997-2003 before coming to Virginia Tech. He and Sauer had talked of collaborating on a project.

“We had talked about doing some research together,” Sauer said. “He was a bio-mechanist, a bio-medical engineer, and he was interested in lower back pain and what back fatigue did to that. It never happened, but we got together a couple of times.”

Sauer said that Granata met his wife, Linda, when both rowed at Purdue.

“Kevin was an awesome guy,” Sauer said. “He was such a hard worker [as a rower] in college and obviously a very, very good student. When I heard what happened, I was just devastated, but then I realized he was the type of person who would have done what he did.

“He was in his office and he heard the gunshots, apparently, and came out. He didn’t stay in his office. He tried to help. A bunch of guys that I had coached called me to let me know. It was horrible.”
 

Singletary's status hangs in balance
Thursday, Apr 26, 2007 - 12:07 AM
By BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

It's tough to get a fix on this Sean Singletary story and no way to know for sure how it'll turn out. Yeah, odds are he'll be back at Virginia for a senior year of term papers and spin dribbles that'll presumably end with a sheepskin and maybe another all ACC citation.

But it's also possible he won't return.

In which case, Dave Leitao will put out a casting call for whiz-bang point guards who can attack the rim, sink the deep jumper and carry a pedestrian roster to the NCAAs.

And season-ticket holders might wonder what's playing at the movies the nights Duke or North Carolina aren't on the bill.

Just in case you missed it, Singletary officially petitioned for entry to the NBA draft on Tuesday. He said in a prepared statement he wouldn't hire an agent to do so would automatically end his college career -- and that he wanted to weigh "all my options." He has until June 18 -- or 10 days before the draft -- to remove his name from consideration.

Or he can let it ride.

You can't blame Singletary for taking this step. The NCAA allows basketball players one get-out-of-the-draft-free card, so a junior with no priors almost is encouraged to play it. UCLA's Arron Afflalo, for instance, applied for the draft as a sophomore, then withdrew. Now a junior, he's declared for the draft again -- and has no recourse. His days in Westwood are over.

Singletary, by contrast, is in no-lose territory. At worst (assuming the NBA is a priority -- as applying alone would suggest), he tests himself against top competition, gets feedback on what areas of his game need work and comes back stoked for his senior year.

At best, he's lights-out at an individual workout or blows people away at the pre-draft camp in Orlando and locks up a first-round slot and three years of guaranteed money.

There's no way to predict how it'll go. Last spring, for example, Renaldo Balkman declared for the draft after averaging 9.6 points as a junior (and being named MVP of the NIT) for South Carolina. His status was iffy. Until he shined in Orlando.

"In Renaldo Balkman's case, he went down there and wowed 'em," Gamecocks coach Dave Odom said. "He'd been through three years of college ball, and no one thought he could do it. I didn't think he would be drafted till halfway through that pre-draft camp."

As it turned out, the Knicks made Balkman the 20th pick of the first round. Can Singletary follow a similar path? Might be a stretch.

Sure, he's got skills, spunk, range on his jumper. He's a quality player. But at 6-0 (maybe), he's also a smallish point guard not a coveted species in the NBA. And he's reckless some with the ball and has the numbers -- 100 turnovers last season to go with 151 assists -- to prove it.

But I'm not a pro scout. I don't know what they're thinking. And I'm not Sean Singletary. I don't know what he's thinking. Maybe he's worried about the increased load he'll have to carry (as if the one he shouldered last season wasn't heavy enough) for a U.Va. squad that'll be missing trusty sidekick J.R. Reynolds. Maybe he fears next year's draft-ready point guard crop will be stronger and deeper than this year's.

For sure, he's making U.Va. rooters sweat.

Leitao, too, maybe.

"It's tenuous," Odom said. "It's a nervous time. One of the hardest things about being a college coach is getting from the end of one season to the beginning of the next season with your roster intact. There's so many things going on that you can't control, and this is one of the biggest."

In Charlottesville, June 18 seems a long ways off.

 

Staying calm about Singletary
Kevin Zdancewicz, Cavalier Daily Columnist

It's the last full week of classes, the weather has finally come around and Virginia basketball is the farthest thing from your mind. Then your buddy Sammy sends you a text message with the following:

"Oh S***. Singletary Declared."

After the initial shock wears off and you sort out the situation, what initially appeared to be a huge hit to next year's men's basketball team turns out to be a minor deal after all. Singletary has not hired an agent and does not intend to, a move that ensures his amateur status and allows him the option of returning to school should he pull his name out of the draft (by June 18) or remain in consideration but go un-drafted.

It was no secret that Singletary was at least somewhat interested in the pre-draft process and the workouts with NBA teams that come with it. In a post-game interview following Virginia's 77-74 loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament in March, Singletary was asked whether he would go to pre-draft camps without hiring an agent. His answer was, "I'll definitely do that to see what it feels like and see the type of competition out there, but I'm definitely coming back."

Taken at his word, it really just seems like he wants to check out the pre-draft camps with no real intention of going pro early. Singletary has been asked about entering the draft after his junior year many times and has been steadfast in his stance that he would like to finish school before attempting a professional basketball career.

According to a mid-February Washington Post article, Singletary said, "I came to school knowing that I wanted to graduate. I have not graduated yet, and it's going to take me another year to graduate. So I'm here."

According to The Roanoke Times, Singletary is also quoted as saying after the tourney exit, "I'm coming back next year -- we've got a lot to build on. You wouldn't want to throw it all away."

This is what Hoos fans are excited about and also is the reason there is some uneasiness about the whole situation, no matter how unfounded it may turn out to be in hindsight. The first two years of the Leitao era -- and last season especially -- set the foundation for a program on the rise and proved there is a lot on the horizon for Virginia basketball.

With the team already losing two key contributors next year in J.R. Reynolds -- who really stepped it up throughout his senior year to earn second team all-ACC honors -- and Jason Cain -- whose stats fail to back up how much he meant to the team in my opinion (he may be tougher to replace than Reynolds) -- losing Singletary would be devastating to continuing the program's success. With many younger players ready to take on bigger roles next year (like Mamadi Diane did this past season), subtracting a veteran floor leader like Singletary would be a major blow to the development of the program's younger players.

So right now we are all going to hope that Sean sticks to his word and is simply declaring for the experience. Though it appears that Sean will likely play one more year in JPJ, what the news of his declaration really does is conjure up thoughts about Virginia basketball A.S. (After Sean).

Let's pretend for a minute that for whatever reason Singletary does enter the draft. Instead of watching intently to see who goes No. 1 overall June 22, Hoos fans will be much more concerned from about the mid-first round onward, when their former prized point guard is likely to be taken if drafted. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a coalition of Wahoos doing everything in their power to keep Sean's name from being called on draft day.

To optimists, Singletary's declaration is a chance for Sean to go up against NBA-caliber competition and really show what he can do. There will be the added bonus of NBA-level instruction and a good chance that he will come out of the experience and return to Virginia better than when the season ended, equipped with an idea of what he needs to do to be playing 82-game seasons on the biggest basketball stage in the world beginning in 2008.

To pessimists, this is a chance for Singletary to blow away NBA talent evaluators and be told he will be a guaranteed first-round selection, presenting a crossroads for the Philadelphia native about his professional future or his return to Charlottesville. There is also the heightened possibility of an injury during the high level of play at pre-draft camps, which would be a major setback considering Singletary enters the off-season with no surgeries on the horizon for the first time in his career.

There are about two months before the draft, which for Singletary and other potential draft picks will be full of NBA workouts, meetings with teams and final verdicts on one of the biggest decisions of their young lives.

If Sean's word is as good as his shot, I think Hoos fans have nothing to worry about.

 

Cavaliers to face familiar foes in ACC Tournament
Virginia takes on Eagles after defeating them 13-6 last week
Sam Dreiman, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

Along with the warm temperatures that accompany the end of April comes the ACC Tournament. The No. 6-ranked Virginia women's lacrosse team will dive right in as its fourth seed gives the Cavaliers a first-round game against fifth-seeded Boston College this afternoon in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Fortunately for the Cavaliers (13-3, 3-2 ACC), the last game they played was against the very same Eagles team and resulted in a 13-6 demolition. This does not mean, however, that Virginia is preparing any less for this game.

"We are putting Boston College on our priority list as that's our first game," Virginia coach Julie Myers said. "They are effective at taking good hard one-on-ones, especially under transition and from the top, so we have been doing lots of defensive drills for our defense to get ready for the things we expect [Boston College] to try to capitalize on."

The matchup will mark only the second time in Virginia history that the Cavaliers have played a team in back-to-back games. The Cavalier defense held tough the last time the two teams matched up, holding the Eagles (5-9, 1-4 ACC) scoreless for 29 minutes to go on an eight-goal scoring streak and open up the lead to secure the win. The No. 5 ranked Virginia defense is currently averaging 8.06 goals allowed per game.

At this point, the one thing the team feels more than ever is confident. Though the Cavaliers' No. 4 seed does mean the team will have to play a first-round game, it also means that if the Cavaliers win and move on to the next round, Virginia will face the top-seeded Maryland, which they beat 15-4 March 13. It is hard not to feel good about having a road to the finals that consists of two teams the Cavaliers have already defeated.

"I think we are really confident going into [the ACC Tournament] even though we are seeded fourth," senior defender and co-captain Jessy Morgan said. "We are really feeling good about playing [Boston College], who we beat pretty convincingly, and also Maryland, so we are all looking forward to it."

Virginia will need another stellar performance from its leading offensive stars, senior attacker Kate Breslin (who recorded four goals and two assists last time against the Eagles who leads the team in goals with 45) and sophomore attacker Blair Weymouth (who had four goals and two assists versus the Eagles and ranks second on the team with 39 goals). Currently the squad ranks 16th nationally in scoring offense, tallying 12.75 goals per game.

"We are getting our attack more and more comfortable with pressure on the ball," Myers said.

If the past is any indication of how the team will perform in this year's tournament, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic. The Cavaliers have played well in recent ACC tournaments, posting a 5-1 record the past three years, reaching the finals three consecutive times. Of those three trips to the finals, Virginia brought home the ACC title in 2004 and 2006. Overall, the Cavaliers have a 10-7 all-time record in ACC Tournament play.

Right now, though, Virginia is focusing on the next game, and the Cavaliers are excited to get the ball rolling.

Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. at Fetzer Field.

 

Cavs fall in 14-inning marathon game
Despite four-run rally in bottom of 14th, Cavaliers fall to James Madison
Raj Sagar, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

On a night full of reminiscing at Davenport Field, the Cavaliers fought hard in a game that they will soon try to forget. No. 3 Virginia suffered a tough 7-6 loss to James Madison.While many fans were attracted by "Turn Back the Clock Night" at the park, featuring throwback uniforms and old-time music, they were also treated to a 14-inning classic of a baseball game. The contest was the longest ever played at the field.

The Dukes (17-25, 7-12 CAA) exploded for a five-run 14th inning as senior third baseman Rob Altieri had a two-RBI single with the bases loaded and two outs. Senior left fielder Mitchell Moses then piled it on for the Dukes, knocking a three-run home run (second of the game) that barely sneaked over the right-field wall. For the first 13 innings of baseball, Virginia's usually high-powered offense simply was unable to string together hits.

"We couldn't get the bats going. It was almost like we were reacting to the game," senior right fielder Brandon Marsh said. "They score one, we score one, they score five, we score four, and it's pretty tough. We just couldn't get going."

Consistent with the team's "never quit" attitude, Virginia (34-10, 13-7 ACC) was able to come up with a four-run rally in the bottom of the 14th. Virginia was finally able to find its usual offensive swagger as the Cavaliers repeatedly found ways to get on base. Nine Virginia players made plate appearances in a wild 14th inning that included RBIs from freshman shortstop Tyler Cannon, sophomore third baseman Greg Miclat, Marsh and sophomore second baseman David Adams.

Though neither team lit up the scoreboard until the last inning, both clubs received stellar efforts from their pitching staffs. Cavalier starting pitcher Pat McAnaney pitched admirably, throwing 4 1/3 innings, giving up only one run on five hits and striking out five. The Virginia pitching staff combined for a season-high 20 strikeouts. For the Dukes, junior starting pitcher Trevor Kaylid went 6 1/3, giving up only one run on six hits.

"We battled back in the bottom of the inning and showed a little bit of what we're made of, but we have to tip our hat to JMU," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. They threw their best pitchers out there the back half of the ball game and they deserve the win."

Although Virginia suffered a heart-breaking loss, the Cavaliers get only one day off before starting a three-game series against ACC opponent Maryland Friday night at Davenport.

"They have to digest this win and then flush it out," O'Connor said. "They have to wake up tomorrow morning with a smile on their face and get ready to play Maryland. That's what you have to do in this game. You turn around in 48 hours and have another three game series to play."