Cavaliers Win ACC Championship With 4-0 Win Over Miami
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/20/2008

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Top-ranked Virginia won its fourth ACC Championship in the past five years with a 4-0 win over Miami Sunday afternoon in the 2008 ACC Tournament final at Sanlando Park. The Cavaliers needed just two-and-a-half hours to win title and post their second consecutive undefeated run through the ACC regular season and postseason.

“I am really proud of these guys,” said head coach Brian Boland. “This is the best conference in the country and to win another ACC Championship is a great accomplishment. We have so much respect for the teams in the ACC and to go undefeated through this league again is something we are proud of. This week gave us a lot of momentum reading into the NCAA Tournament next month.”

The Cavaliers (28-0) opened the match strong by winning the doubles point. At No. 2 doubles, Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) and Dominic Inglot (London, England) climbed out of an early 5-2 hole by winning six consecutive games for an 8-5 win over Vivek Subramanian and David Rosenfeld. Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Ted Angelinos (Athens, Greece) clinched the opening point with an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles over Hector Nieto and Keith Crowley.

Virginia carried the momentum from doubles into singles and won three quick matches to clinch the championship. Huey, the tournament’s MVP, once again was first off the courts, topping Subramanian 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Shabaz brought the Cavaliers within a point of victory as he completed a 6-3, 6-1 win over Crowley at No. 5 singles. Several minutes later on the next court over, Angelinos clinched the title as he downed Barnabas Carrega 6-3, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.

“This team shares all the credit,” said Huey. “Everyone did a great job. Having played all of these teams in the regular season, we knew if we were really focused and played at our level that good things would happen. We continue to get better with each match and that showed this weekend.”

With the victory, Virginia extended its school record winning streak to 28 matches overall and 31 straight against ACC opponents (regular season and posteseason). The Cavaliers also improve to 14-1 at the ACC Tournament since 2004, winning the championship in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

“I want to thank all of the Cavalier fans that were here supporting us this week,” said Boland. “It is really a lift to have that kind of support. Whether it was the Florida Hoos coming out for the matches or the many people who made the long trip from Charlottesville, it was certainly appreciated.”

Virginia will be the ACC’s automatic bid for next month’s NCAA Championship. The field of 64 will be announced on April 29.

 

Cavs stay unbeaten, wrap up ACC title
By Whitey Reid
Published: April 21, 2008

Nobody on the Virginia men’s tennis team is going to be satisfied with anything less than an NCAA championship this season.
But that by no means diminished the excitement of Sunday afternoon’s events in Altamonte, Fla.
Virginia defeated Miami 4-0 to win its second straight ACC championship, its fourth in the last five years.
“We came out today knowing we had to play a lot better today because Miami had been playing really well these last few days,” said Treat Huey, who was named tournament MVP. “Everyone came out and played great today. We’re playing some great tennis right now. It’s great to get the ACC crown.”
No. 1 Virginia (28-0), which heads into the NCAA Tournament undefeated for the second straight season, saved its best performance for the final day of the four-day event.
UVa, which had previously beaten N.C. State and Wake Forest by identical 4-1 scores to advance to the finals, opened the match strong by winning the doubles point.
At No. 2 doubles, Michael Shabaz and Dominic Inglot rebounded from a 5-2 deficit by winning six consecutive games for an 8-5 win over Vivek Subramanian and David Rosenfeld.
“It was a great effort by Michael and Dom,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland, “because being down two breaks in an eight-game pro set is a tough situation to be in.”
Lee Singer and Ted Angelinos clinched the point with an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles over Hector Nieto and Keith Crowley.
Virginia kept the momentum going into singles, winning three quick matches to clinch the title.
Huey, who was first off the courts for the second straight day, topped Subramanian 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.
“Come tournament time, I think my experience really helps me,” Huey said. “I’m just playing real solid and not making as many errors as I usually do.
“The courts were kind of slow because the weather was pretty humid down there the last few days. Everybody on our team is so fit and I think that was a big key to our success.”
Boland was very happy for Huey, one of two seniors in his lineup (Somdev Devvarman).
“Here’s a young man who for the last several years has meant so much to our program and hasn’t always gotten the attention or recognition that he deserves,” Boland said. “He was really the difference for us all weekend.”
It was the freshman Shabaz who brought the Cavaliers within a point of victory as he completed a 6-3, 6-1 win over Crowley at No. 5 singles. A short time later, Angelinos clinched the title as he downed Barnabas Carrega 6-3, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.
“It’s always an enormous accomplishment to win an ACC championship because there’s so much depth,” Boland said. “We couldn’t be more pleased.
“I’m really proud of the guys. They prepared really well all week and went about playing the right away and it paid off.”
Miami (16-7) lost to UVa for the second time this year. The Cavs were victorious, 7-0, in a March 28 meeting in Charlottesville.
With Sunday’s win, Virginia earned the ACC’s automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament. The field of 64 will be announced on April 29.
“We definitely have one more goal that we want to accomplish,” said Huey, alluding to an NCAA crown. “There are little things here and there that we need to work on so that hopefully we’ll be playing our best tennis when NCAA’s start.”
Aces
Virginia, expected to be tabbed as a No. 1 seed, will likely host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament that begin May 9. …UVa extended its school record winning streak to 28 matches overall and 31 straight against ACC opponents (regular season and postseason). The Cavaliers also improved to 14-1 at the ACC Tournament since 2004. …In No. 1 singles, Devvarman led Daniel Vallverdu. He won the first set, 7-5, before play was halted.

 

Cavs eke out 11th-inning win against Wake
Teams split first two games in weekend homestand before Virginia takes third on sacrifice fly by freshman Parker Sunday
Dan Stalcup, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

When freshman centerfielder Jarrett Parker cracked the first pitch of his at-bat in the bottom of the 11th to deep left-center and sophomore pinch-runner Corey Hunt tagged up on third before darting home to score the game-winning run, the Virginia dugout emptied and piled on top of Parker. The Cavalier celebration on the field lasted for several minutes and the crowd gave the team a standing ovation.

The fact that it was a Sunday afternoon 3-2 win over Wake Forest (15-24, 7-13 ACC), a team with one of the worst records in the ACC, didn't prevent the Cavaliers (31-11, 13-8 ACC) from celebrating their momentous victory and acting as if they'd won the Pennant.

"This is the biggest win of the year for us," senior pitcher Michael Schwimer said.

Schwimer, a freshman reliever, pitched 3.1 innings to finish the game, which was a season high. During his time on the mound, he allowed only one hit.

With Sunday's win, the Cavaliers secured the three-game weekend home series against the Demon Deacons. Virginia won Friday's game 4-2 and fell in a 3-14 blowout Saturday before Sunday's dramatic victory.

Setting up the game-winning run in the 11th was sophomore catcher Franco Valdes, who hit a double to start the 11th inning for the Cavaliers. Hunt then came in to run the bases for him.

Valdes seconded Schwimer's notion that Sunday's win was one of the biggest of the season for the Cavaliers.

"I definitely agree," Valdes said. "Especially bouncing back from that loss yesterday and heading into the three tough series we have left this season, I do consider that one of the biggest wins."

Valdes was one of many underclassmen to play a key role for the Cavaliers during the weekend. Parker, besides batting in the game-winner, had an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh Sunday. Freshman right fielder David Coleman batted in another Virginia run Sunday with a double in the fourth inning. Freshman DH John Barr hit two RBI Friday.

Virginia coach Brian O'Connor had good things to say about his young squad, particularly their ability to rebound from Saturday's big loss.

"I'm just so proud of our team," O'Connor said. "We came back and picked ourselves up after a very difficult loss [Saturday] night."

The Demon Deacons' victory Saturday showcased many of Virginia's inconsistencies. Starting pitcher Jacob Thompson struggled on the mound and fielding was porous. Wake Forest junior star-slugger Allan Dykstra tore through Virginia's defense, batting in four runs, while junior Tyler Smith batted two balls out of the park. Meanwhile, the Cavalier offense struggled, mustering only seven hits to the Demon Deacons' 13 while striking out six times.

Up next for the Cavaliers are weekday home games against Georgetown and William & Mary. The Cavaliers' game against the Hoyas and the Tribe are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Then, the Cavaliers will head to sunny Florida for a weekend series against Miami, which has hovered near the top of national polls all season?.

A month remains before the Cavaliers head to the postseason. The ACC Tournament is scheduled in Jacksonville, Fla. May 21-25, and the NCAA Tournament's regional rounds begin May 30.

 

Parker’s sac fly lifts Cavs in 11th frame
By Jay Jenkins
Published: April 21, 2008

Michael Schwimer admittedly was guilty.
Virginia’s hard-throwing closer, busy with academic work and an unforgiving schedule that included 15 games in 20 days, forgot to purchase a gift for an important holiday.
Schwimer’s parents were forced to settle for a season-best 3.1 innings of scoreless relief work from their son to help celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary.
Franco Valdes and Jarrett Parker also chipped in, helping gift wrap the game with late-inning heroics that lifted Virginia to a 3-2 victory over Wake Forest in 11 innings at Davenport Field.
“That is a perfect present for them,” Schwimer quipped.
More importantly, it was the perfect result for a team that was forced to soul search following a lopsided 11-run loss Saturday night to the Demon Deacons (15-24, 7-13 ACC).
“We really needed that win,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. “There were guys that didn’t get the job done at times, but there were guys there to pick them up in this game.
“I am really proud of the team and how they responded to adversity.”
Virginia (31-11, 13-8) secured the win in the 11th inning after Valdes opened the frame with a two-strike double down the right-field line.
“The entire series they had pitched me away, away, away and then came back inside,” Valdes said. “They came back in with two strikes with a fastball and I was able to turn on it.”
Approaching second, Valdes peered towards third-base coach Kevin McMullan with visions of his second triple of the week. He was denied that chance.
“I took that big turn and coach Mack threw his hands up,” Valdes chuckled.
Rookie designated hitter John Barr, who had the game-winning hit in Friday’s 4-2 win, followed with a sacrifice bunt that advanced pinch runner Corey Hunt to third.
Parker promptly sent the season’s best crowd of 3,230 home with a sacrifice fly. The opposite-field swing, which came off Wake reliever Brad Kledzik, forced leftfielder Willy Fox to race backwards, and it never produced a play at the plate.
“I was sitting on a fastball,” Parker said. “I knew I had scored the run. I can’t tell you how — I just knew.”
Parker’s third game-winning hit did not come without a small penalty. The centerfielder ended up at the bottom of a player pile near second base in what would have drawn an excessive celebration penalty in football.
“This win was huge for us,” Parker said. “This was just the kind of momentum swing that can carry us through the rest of the season.”
Valdes added: “I consider it to be one of our biggest wins. We gave it all we had until the very end. Nobody on this team was going to quit.”
Parker’s second RBI of the game gave Schwimer his second win of the season.
That would likely not have been possible had Schwimer struggled when he entered in the eighth inning with runners at the corners and two outs.
Schwimer, who entered the game tied for second in the nation with 11 saves, said his adrenaline was flowing.
“I was trying to use it to my advantage,” he said. “When I came into the season, my goal was to only allow 20 percent of inherited runners to score.”
Schwimer remained perfect in that category, getting out of the jam by getting Wake Forest second baseman Dustin Hood to ground out to first. He also worked in near-perfect fashion in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings.
Long before Schwimer emerged from Virginia’s bullpen, however, those in attendance were treated to quite a pitcher’s duel.
Wake Forest starter Ben Hunter, on the heels of a 10-strikeout performance against Virginia Tech, worked eight full innings, allowing only six hits and two walks. The converted reliever also fanned seven.
Virginia starter Andrew Carraway nearly matched those numbers — the junior went seven innings, allowing seven hits and both earned runs while striking out four.
It was in the second inning, however, that Carraway likely salvaged what could have snowballed into a big inning for the Demon Deacons.
After allowing a lead-off single to Mike Murray, Hood dropped down a sacrifice bunt that stopped rolling near the mound. Carraway had pursued but was called off late by third baseman Tyler Cannon.
Carraway tried to stop in his tracks but slipped and fell to the ground, kicking the ball away from Cannon.
“When I stood up, I looked back and saw a six-foot skid mark in the grass,” Carraway said. “I heard Tyler and it was just too late.”
Carraway retired the next two batters with sacrifice flies, which allowed Murray to score, but also helped the Georgia native escape the inning.
“That was a big inning for our ballclub,” O’Connor said. “Andrew made big pitches when we needed him to in that inning. That’s where the game could have changed and he stepped up.”
UVa tied the game with a lone run in the fourth on an RBI double by David Coleman that plated Dan Grovatt.
Wake bounced back, breaking the deadlock in the fifth on an RBI double from Ben Terry.
The Demon Deacons held the 2-1 advantage until Virginia scored an opportunistic run in its half of the seventh.
After Valdes opened the inning with a single up the middle, Barr popped up a bunt into foul territory that narrowly turned into a double play. But the relay throw to first was low, allowing Valdes to scamper back in.
After a wild pitch that pushed Valdes to second, Parker pulled Hunter’s pitch into right field for a run-scoring single.
“Parker really look comfortable in that at-bat,” O’Connor said. “He has done that numerous times for us this season.”
For the game, both teams finished with nine hits and combined to strand 19 runners.
With the win, Virginia maintained the league’s fourth-best record, trailing only Miami (17-2), Florida State (18-3) and North Carolina (16-4).
The Cavaliers play two mid-week games at home — they host Georgetown on Tuesday and William & Mary on Wednesday — before playing their final road series in the league at Miami.

 

Duke Edges UVa For ACC Women’s Golf Title by One Shot
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/20/2008
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations

Daytona Beach, FL - The Virginia women’s golf team finished second at the ACC Championships by one shot to top-ranked Duke. The 22nd-ranked Cavaliers led the first two rounds of the 54-hole event before the Blue Devils managed to pull out their 13th consecutive ACC title on the event’s final hole.

With the score tied Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst made par while UVa freshman Calle Nielson finished with a bogey on the 18th hole. Duke completed the three-day event at 871, UVa shot 872 and Florida State was third at 880. UVa shot 5-over 293 during the final round to 292 for Duke.

The final margin was the closest in the championship’s 20-year history. The tournament was contested at the LPGA International’s Legends Course in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Virginia’s finish equaled the team’s second-place showing in 2006.

The Cavaliers had three golfers place among the top-10 in the final standings. Nielson was third overall at even par 216. Fellow freshman Joy Kim was sixth at 219 and Jennie Arseneault was ninth at 222. Lene Krog, who had the team’s best final round score with a 2-under 70, was 13th at 223. Whitney Neuhauser was 24th at 230. Nielson shot 76 during the final round while Kim carded a 74, Arseneault had a 77 and Neuhauser posted a 73.

Nielson’s score (216) was the best 54-hole effort of her rookie season at UVa. He previous best result was 219 she shot last fall at The Landfall Tradition. Her finish was the best of her collegiate career and the fourth top-10 effort this season.

Kim also bettered her previous best tournament score by three shots. He sixth-place showing equaled her best tournament finish and was her second top-10.

Arseneault’s ninth-place finish equaled her best tournament performance this year. Last season she had to withdraw during the ACC Championships due to a back injury.

Not only did Blumenherst give Duke the team title with her par but she won the individual championship for the third consecutive season. Blumenherst defeated Florida State’s Caroline Westrup by one stroke for the individual championship as Westrup bogeyed the final hole.

A video highlights of the ACC Championships are available online at ACCSelect.com.

The Cavaliers will now await a bid for the 2008 NCAA Championships. The three regional tournaments are scheduled for May 8-10.

 

Arts and drafts
Zach Rowen

Cavalier Daily

It is interesting how the athletes making the most noise this season are the ones not even playing a sport. Chris Long and Branden Albert, our two NFL prospects, are both staring a top-10 overall pick dead in the face. Among ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and all the other sports media covering the draft, these two -- especially Long -- have received tremendous amounts of coverage.Considering that, April 26 could be, and likely will be, a huge day for Virginia sports. Chances are we will be the only school that sends two players to the NFL that high up in the draft. That should be enough to perk the ears of fans, coaches and potential prospects throughout the country.

Let's see which teams will likely call Long and Albert's name on draft day.

Chris Long: St. Louis Rams (2nd overall) As great as it would be to have Long's name called by the Dolphins with the first overall pick, it doesn't seem like that's the way thing are going to work out. Last week, Long answered questions from ESPN reporters about his draft status. Based on what he was saying, it seems as though he hasn't been in contact with any one particular team. Further, it seems as though Miami has its sights set on Michigan offensive lineman Jake Long, having already begun initial contract negotiations with him, and not Virginia's Long.

So where does that put Chris? It's tough to say, considering that the three teams picking after the Dolphins -- the Rams, Falcons and Raiders -- seem to be wavering between choosing a skill player such as Darren McFadden or Matt Ryan? or a lineman such as Long or Glenn Dorsey. There's a good chance he could end up with any of those organizations, but I'd say there are two reasons why the Rams will probably nab him with the second pick. First, they are in the market for a defensive end -- someone like Long, Dorsey, or Ohio State's Vernon Gholston. Though I think it's possible they could take any one of the three, my money is on Long, considering that he has the biggest upside, combined with his nonstop "motor" that scouts can't seem to get enough of. Second, I think it's going to be hard for the Rams to pass up a player who many expected would be the first overall pick. With Long still available after the Dolphins select, it's going to be hard for Rams General Manager Jay Zygmunt to look elsewhere.

Branden Albert: Carolina Panthers (13th overall). This is one that is really tough to pin down. Some scouts have him going fifth overall to the Jets, others see him going as low as 23rd to the Steelers. I'm going to strike a happy medium and say he goes 13th overall to Carolina. The Panthers are in need of protection up front, and Albert looks like a good fit. Unfortunately, it seems like he'll be moved from his natural position, guard, to tackle. This shouldn't be a shock to Albert, as he has experience playing both.

The surprising thing about Albert, though, is the amount his draft stock has shot up since the beginning of the year. While before, many experts saw him as a late first-round pick, many now expect him to be taken earlier, possibly in the top 10. Though it is clear that Jake Long is the top offensive lineman in the draft, Albert doesn't trail too far behind.

There is a lot of shuffling left to do between now and draft day. Long may move up, Albert may move down. It's hard to say. And though the best thing we can do is make educated guesses, one thing is for certain: Friday is going to be a good day for Virginia football fans. It'll be nice to see two great players who have worked their tails off under coach Groh get rewarded with a chance to play at the next level.

And though we'll enjoy seeing Long and Albert accept the opportunity to put on a new team's uniform, that is what's going to hurt the most. It's the harsh reality of realizing that two of your most skilled players are moving on and that someone will be asked to replace their productivity.

We do not yet know who that will be. And that is exactly why it will be great to follow Cavalier football during the next couple of years.

 

Playing Guard, Tackle Leaves Virginia's Albert Well Positioned for Draft
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 20, 2008; Page D06

Branden Albert ambled toward the empty chair at the Gentlemen on Duty barber shop in Glen Burnie late Friday afternoon, finally reinserting a slice of normalcy into his life. He had waited about 25 minutes for his haircut, sitting next to an old high school friend, watching NBA highlights and "Martin" episodes on DVD on the shop's flat-screen television.

Albert had driven his black GMC Denali, dealer tags still pinned to the bumpers, 40 minutes across town, and it was worth it -- Larry, his barber, knew just how he liked his hair styled. He and Larry clasped hands and embraced.

"What's up, boy?" Larry asked.

Albert shook his head, a thin smile on his face. "I'm tired," he answered.

Tired from crisscrossing the country, visiting 10 NFL teams in 14 days. Tired from fighting traffic on his way home from his most recent meeting that morning in Ashburn with the Washington Redskins. Tired, ultimately, from the exhausting whirlwind that comes with becoming perhaps the fastest-rising player in this year's NFL draft.

When Albert, 23, decided to bypass his senior season at Virginia in early January and enter the draft, he saw some analysts listing him as a potential fourth-round selection. That has changed.

An eye-opening performance at the NFL combine in February rocketed him up draft boards. As teams became familiar with his 6-foot-7, 315-pound body, his sharp football mind and his ability to play guard and tackle, Albert rose higher.

On Saturday, Albert will be chosen, he believes, no later than 15th and most likely among the first 10 picks. Some experts predict Albert will be taken by the Kansas City Chiefs, who own the fifth choice.

"It's shocking, but it's exciting," said Ashley Sims, Albert's older brother and the man who pushed Albert from basketball to football. "His head is spinning right now, but it's a good thing."

The process left Albert drained Friday. Two weeks earlier he had flown to Houston, and only now had he come home. In between, he met with officials and head coaches from, in order, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, the New York Jets, Denver, Dallas, Kansas City and Washington.

He arrived in some cities by 1 a.m. and needed to meet with team officials by 7:30 that same morning. He worried the lack of sleep and upscale dinners would conspire to drive up his weight.

"It's tough -- you're tired, you're ready to go home," Albert said. "But you've still got to put on a show. But that's my situation being a top 10 pick. Some people might want to trade up and get me."

Scouts and personnel managers initially overlooked Albert for two reasons. One, scouts fixated on defensive end Chris Long when they watched Virginia. Two, Albert primarily played guard, and "people think you can get an offensive guard at the Dairy Queen down the street," he said.

But Albert also had played two games at tackle, a glamour spot in the NFL, and excelled. Once talent evaluators realized Albert's versatility, they looked closer.

Albert often considers how improbable his current position is. He grew up in Rochester, N.Y., as a basketball player, good enough despite weighing 340 pounds that he received several Division I scholarship offers. His mother kept him off of the city's hardscrabble streets, but she couldn't keep him from using school as a social event. So she sent him to live with Sims, a former defensive end at Maryland and now a parole officer, in Glen Burnie.

Sims immediately established rules -- no video games before homework, no calling home, no heading back to Rochester for Thanksgiving. And he would play football. He played for the first time as a junior at Glen Burnie, and he matured over a year of prep school at Hargrave Military Academy.

Now, in one week, football will make Albert a multimillionaire.

First, though, he wanted to look sharp. Larry wielded his scissors and asked Albert what he needed. "Shape me up, clean me up," he said. Larry snipped at Albert's already close-cropped hair, evened out his facial hair and used a razor to shape his eyebrows. Once finished, Larry put a mirror in front of Albert's face. "Perfect," Albert said.

He rose from the chair and hugged Larry again, but he couldn't stay long. He needed to drive to Charlottesville that night. Tomorrow is his final NFL meeting, a private workout on campus for the Chicago Bears. Albert hopped in his new truck and drove away, headed toward the next reminder that his life never would be the same.