Accident helps lead U.Va. standout to success

MD.-BALTIMORE COUNTY AT VIRGINIA
NCAA lacrosse
Today:5 p.m., ESPNU

By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- In the summer of 2003, a car wreck mangled Ben Rubeor's left arm and imperiled his lacrosse career. There was no guarantee the attackman from Towson, Md., would play again for his high school, Loyola Blakefield, let alone suit up for the University of Virginia, whose scholarship offer he'd accepted.

Five years later, though, Rubeor's story is one of triumph. In 2004, he was named the best high school player in Maryland, and he's become a star at U.Va., a three-time all-ACC selection whose work ethic and drive set a standard few can match.

Would that have happened had Rubeor not rolled the Ford Explorer he was driving on that July night in Towson? Maybe so. But Rubeor, 22, and his family don't curse the wreck - or the four operations or the bacterial infection that followed.

"I think he and I and his mother will agree it's the best thing that ever happened to him," said Rubeor's father, Bob. "Which may sound surprising, because it was something that initially looked so devastating and so life-changing. But I think he realized sooner than most the vulnerability that we, as humans, have. He wasn't going to live forever. I think for many, those lessons don't come ever, and for him, they came very early."

Rubeor said: "I think it gave me some humility that I didn't have before. I think I thought I was a little invincible before that accident, and it just kind of brought things into perspective."

In today's first round of the NCAA tournament, second-seeded Virginia (12-3) hosts Maryland-Baltimore County (12-3) at 5 p.m. It will be Rubeor's final game at Klockner Stadium.

"He's on a very short list of the best attackmen I've ever coached," said Dom Starsia, who's in his 16th season at U.Va., "and he gets higher up on that list for his effort and consistency and his toughness than for his physical gifts. . . . He's fast - that's his one physical trait - but he's not a big, strong kid."

Rubeor, 5-11 and 177 pounds, says his speed comes from his mother, Linda, who ran track at Trenton State. His father played lacrosse with Starsia at Brown.

Rubeor, who chose U.Va. over Princeton and Georgetown, started as a freshman on a team that reached the NCAA semifinals. A season later, he helped the Cavaliers win the NCAA title and was named a second-team All-American. Rubeor rose to the first team in 2007 and was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, given annually to the top player in college lacrosse. He was named one of the five Tewaaraton finalists for 2008 last week.

"I think that's a testament for how lucky I've been upon my return," Rubeor said.

On the eve of his senior season, you see, Rubeor encountered still more adversity. He had twice dislocated his right kneecap late last season, and he suffered the same injury again in February. It appeared Rubeor might need an operation that would force him to redshirt this season, but he didn't rush into a decision.

"I was able to give it a few weeks and just kind of see how it progressed," recalled Rubeor, who sat out Virginia's first three games and still wears a brace on his right knee.

"At first it didn't feel good. . . . But after about a couple weeks, it started coming back . . . Now, I really don't think about it when I play."

Of his legacy at U.Va., Rubeor said, "I don't think I'm necessarily on a level with some of those other guys that [have played there] in terms of talent and in terms of ability. But I've shown that consistency and hard work can take you places."

 

UVa begins NCAA quest
By Whitey Reid
Published: May 11, 2008

Virginia’s loss to Delaware in the first round of last season’s NCAA Tournament shocked just about everyone in the lacrosse world.
The smart money says there won’t be another upset tonight when second-seeded UVa hosts Maryland-Baltimore County.
“We realize that the kind of effort we put in last year just won’t be good enough,” said Virginia senior Ben Rubeor. “I think we’ve learned from it, but at the same time I think we know this is a new team.
“I think there’s an energy and focus this year that wasn’t quite there last year.”
That’s a good thing considering UMBC is riding an 11-game winning streak. The Retrievers (12-3) are coming off a win over Albany in their conference championship game in which they overcame a nine-goal deficit.
“They’re one of the hottest teams in the country and are talented all over the field,” Rubeor said. “Everybody’s been very impressed with them. It’s going to be a challenge.”
Today’s winner faces the winner of the Denver-Maryland game in the quarterfinals at Navy on Saturday.
Virginia coach Dom Starsia says UMBC reminds him a lot of Maryland in terms of its style of play. UVa (12-3) defeated the Terps in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament on April 25.
“They will push the break when the opportunity presents itself,” Starsia said, “but are also comfortable playing at a more deliberate pace once they get in the box and are settled.”
Starsia says he has talked to his team about the disappointment of bowing out early in the tournament last year.
“This is a different team and a different bunch of guys, but there are also lessons to be learned from everything we’ve been through,” he said. “We’ve had some great experiences — beating Syracuse in Baltimore, beating Princeton on the road, having a big crowd here to beat Johns Hopkins — but lacrosse people remember what happens in the month of May. That’s the lasting memory from each of these lacrosse seasons.
“I think we’re very proud of what we’ve done to get here, but I think this is the moment we’ve been waiting for. Hopefully we’ll be ready to seize the opportunity.”
Groundballs
This is Virginia’s 31st tournament appearance overall, second behind Johns Hopkins (37). UVa has received a bid in 15 of the last 16 seasons. … This is UMBC’s third consecutive appearance in the NCAA championship and its fifth overall in the Division I tournament; the Retrievers played in seven Division II tournaments from 1974-80. … Virginia owns a 12-2 all-time record against UMBC. The Cavaliers have won the last five meetings, including a 20-9 win in 1996 in the most recent match-up … Reserved seat tickets offering stadium chair seating under cover are $9 each; general admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth 18-and-under, seniors 60-and-over and students of participating schools with a valid student ID. Parking is $5.

Cavaliers Cross Sticks with UMBC
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 05/10/2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—Three hundred and sixty-four days will have passed since Virginia lost to Delaware 14-8 in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers earned the tournament’s second seed but were cut down in their attempt to return to the final four by a redhot Blue Hen squad.

The Cavaliers have earned the tournament’s second seed once again this season after compiling a 12-3 record during the regular season. The similarities to last year are not lost on the Cavaliers as they prepare for Sunday’s match-up against UMBC.

“We’ve mentioned (last year’s loss), we don’t ignore that type of stuff,” said senior attackman Ben Rubeor. “But we try and take each season and learn from it. Every game you play is your only opportunity to continue in the postseason. I think we’re going to take that lesson from last year and be prepared this year.”

The Retrievers, currently ranked seventh in the coaches’ poll, are one of the hottest teams in the nation. After starting 1-3, they have won 11 consecutive games and are 12-3 overall.

UMBC an automatic bid with a 14-13 win over Albany in the championship game of the America East Tournament. In that game they Retrievers rallied from a nine-goal deficit to win the league title.

The Retrievers’ win gained the attention of Virginia head coach Dom Starsia who has noted their balance on offense and defense in forging the 11-game winning streak.

“They’re a team that’s found a formula for winning,” Starsia said. “People have the mistaken impression that they’re going to want to slow it down in every instance but they remind me of Maryland—a team that will push the break when the opportunity presents itself or play deliberately enough if they feel that that’s what they like they need to do.

“You’re impressed watching them overall with their balance at both ends of the field and their poise making plays.”

While the Cavaliers can be proud of their accomplishments to date, seasons are judged based on what happens in May.

“This is the stage we’ve been waiting for; this is where it really counts,” said Rubeor.

“This is the moment that we’ve been waiting 12 months to get back to,” Starsia added. “It doesn’t dismiss everything that happens in the regular season, certainly, but we wanted to be back in the playoffs with a chance to make another impression in the month of May and I think we’re looking forward greatly to this opportunity.”

With exams taking ending Friday, the team practiced at varying times throughout the week.

“The last couple days, even with exams, we haven’t pounded them because there’s so many things going on,” Starsia said Friday. “But there’s an alertness in practice and an attentiveness that is unique to this time of the year.”

The winner of this contest advances to face Maryland next Saturday at Navy (time TBA). Maryland defeated Denver 10-7 in first round action on Saturday.


 

Tar Heels and Cavaliers Clash in First Round of NCAA Tournament
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 05/09/2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia women’s lacrosse team enters the 2008 NCAA Tournament as a fourth-seed with an overall record of 28-17 in tournament games played. The Cavaliers will host conference-foe North Carolina on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Klöckner Stadium in the first round of tournament action. The winner will advance to the quarterfinal round to face the winner of the game between Towson at fifth-seeded Syracuse.

Virginia, ranked third nationally, is coming off its third-straight ACC Championship in which the Cavaliers defeated Duke and Maryland in the conference tournament, en route to the title. Virginia enters the tournament with an overall 14-3 record this season and a four-game win streak.

No. 11 North Carolina reached the semifinals of the ACC Tournament before falling to Maryland, 6-4. The Tar Heels earned an at-large bid into the tournament after posting a 12-6 overall record, 2-3 in ACC regular-season competition.

Earlier this season, Virginia escaped with a 16-5 win over the Tar Heels in Charlottesville. Overall, the Cavaliers hold an 11-9 record against North Carolina, but in NCAA Tournament games, the Tar Heels hold the advantage at 2-1. North Carolina escaped with a 13-12 sudden victory in overtime of the first round games in the 1997 tournament. The two didn’t meet again until 2002 when Virginia fell in overtime, 14-13, to the Tar Heels. Last year, the two met in the quarterfinals, with the Cavaliers defeating UNC, 14-8.

Virginia has played 45 championship games, the second most in NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse history. The Cavaliers are also second in championship round game appearances (13) and tournament games won (28).

General admission tickets for Sunday’s game are $7 for adults and $5 for youth 18-and-under and seniors 60-and-over. General admission tickets for students of participating schools with a valid ID are $5. Reserved seat tickets offering stadium chair seating under cover are $9. Parking is $5.

Tickets can be purchased online at virginiasports.com, in person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or by calling (800) 542-8821.

The Ticket Office encourages all fans to purchase and pick up their tickets in advance to avoid long ticket sales and Will Call lines on game day.



 

Cavs, Heels face off
By Bart Isley
Published: May 11, 2008

It’s been a busy two weeks for the Virginia women’s lacrosse team, and the Cavaliers haven’t even played a game since their ACC tournament final victory over Maryland on April 27.
“It’s been a really busy two weeks with the academic schedule and exams,” said Virginia head coach Julie Myers. “It’s been as busy as if we’d played five games.”
The Cavaliers will cap that busy stretch with an NCAA opening round matchup with ACC rival North Carolina at 1 p.m. at Klockner Stadium today. Virginia is seeded No. 4 nationally in the tournament bracket behind Northwestern, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Virginia’s busy schedule over the past couple of weeks has helped the Cavaliers maintain a certain amount of momentum going into the first round of the NCAA tournament. The two weeks off have also given Virginia a chance to work on the slow starts that plagued the Cavaliers in both ACC Tournament games.
Throughout practice leading up to the North Carolina tilt, Myers and the Virginia coaching staff have halted practice periodically and announced a mock “first five minutes” of the game. The emphasis should help kick the Cavaliers into gear earlier.
“The second group is really strong, but the starters have typically won those first five minutes in practice,” Myers said.
Not that a slow start was any problem against the Tar Heels in the teams’ first meeting. Virginia leapt out to an 8-1 halftime lead against North Carolina and continued to pour it on after the break en route to a 16-5 victory.
Still, Myers, who was recently tabbed the ACC coach of the year, is wary of a North Carolina offense that can explode at any time.
“Any one of their seven attackers could get hot at any time because they share the ball really well,” Myers said. “So we have to remember what each person’s tendencies are.”
The Cavaliers’ rash of ankle injuries continued this week when Kaitlin Swagart suffered a sprain in practice. Ashley McCulloch and Blair Weymouth are also nursing ankle injuries. Still, the two weeks off have helped all three heal, and each should be ready for today’s matchup.

 

Kim’s Sizzling Back Nine Propels UVa to NCAA Championships
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 05/10/2008

Athens, GA – Virginia freshman Joy Kim posted five birdies over her final nine holes at the NCAA East Regional to propel the Cavalier women’s golf team back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2005. Kim had one bogey during her final round to finish the day at 4-under 68. It was the lowest score of any player Saturday. As a team Virginia shot 4-over 292 to finish the 54-hole tournament in fifth place at 34-over 898. The top eight teams from three regional sites advance to the national championships.

“Yesterday we struggled quite a bit and that put a lot of pressure on the girls to play well today,” said Virginia coach Kim Lewellen. “They got together at the end of the second round in a huddle and said as a group they could do this, finish in the top eight. They talked about how they had the best round of the tournament down at LSU on the last day and how well they played at the ACC Championships. They knew they could do it.

“It was like a basketball team was out there today because they were pumping fists at each other and giving each other a lot of encouragement. They really came together as a team and it was exciting to watch them play well and to achieve the goal they all had at the beginning of the season, to get back to the NCAAs.”

Kim, a native of Duluth, Ga., finished the tournament played at the University of Georgia’s Golf Course at 2-over 218 to finish tied for seventh. Her final round score was the lowest of her career and the best 18-hole effort by any Cavalier this season.

“She is very disciplined, mentally,” Lewellen said. “She really had it going today. You could just see the determination in her eyes. When she got that first birdie, that just got her going. We really needed her today and we got her best. What more could you ask of someone in this setting? I’m just glad we’ve got her for three more years.”

Entering the back nine on Saturday, Kim had just two birdies on her first 45 holes during the tournament.

“That was maybe my best (nine holes), ever” Kim said. “I knew I had to play well today for the team to make it to the NCAAs. When I got that birdie on 10 I knew I had eight more holes to get more. Then I got one at 11 and 12 right away. It was a great feeling.”

Earlier this season Kim finished 67th on the same course during Georgia’s Liz Murphey Classic, shooting 25-over 241, including scores of 84, 80 and 77.

“To be honest, I wasn’t happy about coming back to this course,” Kim admitted. “I was so angry after how I played here the last time, I threw my yardage book away. Everyone told me just to let it go and not let the course beat you. The conditions were a lot better this time because there was a lot more grass on the course. I’m pretty happy right now because I feel like I beat the course this time instead of it beating me.”

Sophomore Whitney Neuhauser shot 2-over 74 Saturday to finish 24th at 9-over 225. Freshman Calle Nielson also shot 74 during the final round and was 27th at 226. Lene Krog and Jennie Arseneault both had 76s Saturday. Krog finished play at 230 to finish 48th while Arseneault posted a final score of 233 and was 61st.

The Cavaliers failed to advance the past two seasons at the East Regional after losing a one-hole playoff to Alabama in 2006 and finishing ninth in 2007. The 2005 team was 13th at the NCAA Championships behind Leah Wigger’s runner-up finish.

Fifth-ranked Florida held off top-ranked Duke on the final day to win the Regional. The Gators shot 10-over 298 in the final round to place first at 19-over 883. Duke shot 296 Saturday and finished one stroke behind the Gators. Eighth-ranked Georgia was third at 889 while 10th-ranked Auburn was fourth at 894.

Other teams finishing in the top eight and earning NCAA berths were South Carolina (899), Wake Forest (899) and Furman (900). New Mexico (901), the host team for the NCAA Championships, finished ninth and missed forcing a playoff for the final berth by one shot.

South Carolina’s Benedicte Toumpsin took medalist honors by shooting 2-under 214. Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst tied with Louisville’s Sara-Maude Juneau for second at 215.

The NCAA Championships take place May 20-23 at the University of New Mexico’s Championships Golf Course in Albuquerque.

Virginia joins Duke and Wake Forest as the only ACC teams to advance from the regionals. North Carolina, NC State and Florida State also competed at regionals.

Other Teams Advancing to NCAA Championships:

From Central Regional: 1. UCLA (861), 2. Purdue (871), 3. Denver (882), 4. TCU (884), 5. Texas A&M (885), 6. Alabama (896), 7. Texas (899) and 8. LSU* (902). Note: LSU won playoff vs. Florida State for 8th place.

From West Regional: 1. USC (855), 2. Arizona State (870), 3. UNLV (879), 4. Arizona (880), 5. Oklahoma State (882), 5. Arkansas (882), 7. Tulsa (884), 8. UC Davis. Note: UC Davis won playoff with Stanford and Ohio State for 8th place.

NCAA East Regional Championship
Univ. of Georgia Golf Course
Athens, GA
Par-72, 6,335 yards
Final Results

Team Results 1. Florida 290-295-298-883 2. Duke 285-303-296-884 3. Georgia 299-300-290-889 4. Auburn 296-302-296-894 5. Virginia 296-310-292-898 6. South Carolina 291-303-305-899 6. Wake Forest 298-305-296-899 8. Furman 292-307-301-900Failed to Advance 9. New Mexico 304-301-296-901 10. Louisville 293-315-304-91211. Vanderbilt 308-305-301-91412. East Carolina 314-297-308-91913. UNC Wilmington 312-302-308-92214. Georgia State 308-306-310-92415. Missouri 305-320-300-92516. Tennessee 311-311-307-92917. Central Florida 312-311-307-93018. Indiana 309-313-311-93319. Charleston Southern 309-315-326-95020. Jacksonville State 327-315-313-95521. Jackson State 338-333-325-996Individual Leaders 1. Benedicte Toumpsin, South Carolina 68-70-76-214 2. Amanda Blumenherst, Duke 68-73-74-215 2. Sara-Maude Juneau, Louisville 67-74-74-215 4. Krystle Caithness, Georgia 70-73-74-217 4. Cydney Clanton, Auburn 70-75-72-217 4. Alexandra Phelps, New Mexico 71-73-73-217 7. Tiffany Chudy, Florida 72-75-71-218 7. Joy Kim, Virginia 73-77-68-218 9. Carmen Perez, UNC Wilmington 71-72-76-21910. Corrine Carr, Furman 69-76-75-22010. Garrett Phillips, Georgia 77-74-69-22010. Julia Potter, Missouri 73-75-72-22010. Jessica Yadloczky, Florida 73-72-75-220Virginia 7. Joy Kim 73-77-68-21824. Whitney Neuhauser 72-79-74-22527. Calle Nielson 74-78-74-22648. Lene Krog 78-76-76-23061. Jennie Arseneault 77-80-76-233
 

Virginia Downs Fairleigh Dickinson 4-0 in NCAA First Round
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 05/10/2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Top-seeded Virginia opened play in the 2008 NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday morning at the Snyder Tennis Center. The Cavaliers needed just an hour and 45 minutes to advance to Sunday’s second round against the Penn State.

Due to the forecast of rain on Sunday afternoon, the second round match has been moved to 11 a.m. at the Snyder Tennis Center.

“After a three-week break, it was good to get out and compete again,” said head coach Brian Boland. “The conditions weren’t perfect today, but we worked through it. I was impressed with Fairleigh Dickinson. They were well prepared, came ready to play and did well, especially in doubles.”

The Cavaliers (29-0) opened the match by taking the doubles point. Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) topped Priit Gross and Kyle Eddins 8-1 at the No. 3 position. The top-ranked team of Somdev Devvarman (Chennai, India) and Treat Huey (Alexandria, Va.) clinched the opening point with an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles over Matt Gordon and Josh Girling.

In singles, it was the bottom of the lineup that wrapped up the match quickly. Ted Angelinos (Athens, Greece) cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles over Keiichiro Adachi to make the score 2-0. Singh completed a 6-0, 6-0 win over Gross at No. 4 singles and a minute later Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) downed Eddins 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5 singles to clinch the match.

“In any tournament, the first round is going to be difficult,” said Boland. “No matter what the talent difference might be, you still need to adjust to tournament play. I was pleased with how our team responded and look forward to another tough match tomorrow.”

For the Knights (12-9), it was the second consecutive year they fell in the first round to the tournament’s No. 1 seed. Last year, Fairleigh Dickinson fell 4-0 to top-seeded and eventual National Champion Georgia.

“Playing Georgia last year gave us an idea of what to expect against Virginia this season,” said FDU head coach Ira Miller. “Their strength is their depth. My guys at the bottom aren’t used to playing guys that are that tough. We seem to be good luck for whoever we play in the first round, so we will see if that’s the case for Virginia this year.”

The winner of Sunday’s second round match will advance to the NCAA Round of 16, beginning next week in Tulsa, Okla. The Cavaliers will be looking to reach the Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive season.

No. 1 Virginia 4, Fairleigh Dickinson 0

Doubles:
1. #1 Devvarman/Huey (UVa) def. Gordon/Girling (FDU) 8-2
2. Shabaz/Inglot (UVa) led Stephen/Blanco (FDU) 7-3 DNF
3. Barrick/Singh (UVa) def. Gross/Eddins (FDU) 8-1

Singles:
1. #1 Somdev Devvarman (UVa) led Philip Stephen (FDU) 6-2, 0-1 DNF
2. #28 Treat Huey (UVa) led Matt Gordon (FDU) 5-4 DNF
3. #17 Dominic Inglot (UVa) led Josh Girling (FDU) 6-3, 2-0 DNF
4. Sanam Singh (UVa) def. Priit Gross (FDU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Michael Shabaz (UVa) def. Kyle Eddins (FDU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Ted Angelinos (UVa) def. Keiichiro Adachi (FDU) 6-0, 6-2

Order of Finish: Doubles- 3,1 • Singles- 6,4,5
Records: Virginia (29-0), Fairleigh Dickinson (12-9)
Attendance: 381


 

Cavs roll on, move to 29-0
By Whitey Reid
Published: May 11, 2008

Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Singh didn’t have a single bead of sweat on them just minutes after their match concluded on Saturday.
And that pretty much summed up how Virginia’s entire NCAA Tournament first-round clash with Fairleigh Dickinson went.
On a windy and overcast morning at the Snyder Tennis Center, the Cavaliers, behind their India connection, crushed Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-0, and took their first step toward accomplishing their goal of winning a national title.
“It was great to get out there and compete again,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland, whose team had not played in nearly three weeks. “The [weather] conditions weren’t perfect, but I thought we did a good job of staying focused and playing hard throughout the match.”
Virginia (29-0), which will host VCU in the second round today at 1 p.m., needed only 40 minutes to take the doubles point.
Houston Barrick and Sanam Singh replaced Ted Angelinos and Lee Singer in the No. 3 spot in the lineup and easily topped Priit Gross and Kyle Eddins, 8-1. Singh says he’s developing a nice chemistry with Barrick, whom he has played with sporadically due to injuries and other circumstances.
“We played [together] a little at the beginning of the season,” he said. “We’ve been switching around teams and are finally clicking at the right time. He brings a lot of energy to the court. It’s really nice playing with him.”
At No. 1, the top-ranked team of Devvarman and Treat Huey clinched the point with an 8-2 win over Matt Gordon and Josh Girling.
In singles, it was the bottom of the lineup that did the damage.
At No. 6, Ted Angelinos, whose parents flew in for the match all the way from Greece, cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 win over Keiichiro Adachi to make the score 2-0. At No. 4, Singh bagled Gross, 6-0, 6-0. Shortly after, Michael Shabaz downed Eddins 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5 to clinch the match.
“With a team like this, we’re so deep that we take a lot of the pressure off the top-three guys,” Singh said. “It’s so much easier for the top-three to play if they have confidence in us — and we have confidence in them, too.”
FDU coach Ira Miller, whose team lost to the reigning national champion in the first round of the tournament last season, said Virginia’s depth up and down its lineup was the difference.
“My guys at the bottom aren’t used to playing guys that are that tough,” Miller said. “We seem to be good luck for whoever we play in the first round, so we will see if that’s the case for Virginia this year.”
The winner of today’s match will advance to the NCAA Round of 16, beginning next week in Tulsa, Okla. The Cavaliers will be looking to reach the Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive season.
“I think we’re going to keep getting better because we’ve been having some really good practices and putting some really good hours in on the court,” said Devvarman, who was leading 6-2, 0-1 when his singles match was halted. “I think it was a good first-round match for us and gets us ready for [today].”
Boland likes the way his team has come out of the gate.
“No matter what the talent difference might be, you still need to adjust to tournament play,” Boland said. “I was pleased with how our team responded.”

 

UNC takes series
By Jay Jenkins
Published: May 11, 2008

For the first time since 2006, North Carolina has claimed a regular season series over Virginia.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the series-clinching setback came with another contest looming.
Second-ranked North Carolina rallied in the middle of the game — again — and used a career-best performance from reliever Rob Wooten to upend Virginia, 5-2, at Davenport Field.
The Cavaliers (33-17, 13-13 ACC) failed to register a timely hit, a recurring trend against the league’s elite. A night after stranding 10 on base and seven in scoring position, UVa registered just one hit in 11 at-bats with runners on second or third.
“We just didn’t come through,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. “That’s the bottom line and that’s the case in the last couple of games. We just haven’t been able to get those clutch hits.
“We will though. It will come our way.”
Four of the nine runners that Virginia left stranded came in the first three innings when UNC starter Adam Warren appeared vulnerable on the mound.
In the second inning after designated hitter Phil Gosselin gave Virginia a 1-0 lead with an RBI single, the rookie stole second but was left there as three straight batters struck out swinging.
North Carolina tied the contest in the third inning after Virginia starter Pat McAnaney, who had escaped trouble earlier, gave up a two-out homer to Kyle Shelton that cleared the bleacher seats in left field. McAnaney, who pitched 4.2 innings and was charged with all five runs, screamed in disgust after the blast.
“To be honest, that was the one time in the game where I felt like I was settling down,” McAnaney said. “I had a couple of good pitches and I thought I got the pitch in and a little up and [Shelton] just put a great swing on it and crushed it.
“It was a solo home run and I was made, but one run isn’t the end of the world.”
Virginia had runners on the corners in the third inning with one out, but left fielder Dan Grovatt hit a shallow fly ball to left and Jeremy Farrell fanned swinging on a 3-2 pitch.
After McAnaney lost the lead by allowing two more runs in the fourth inning, Virginia scratched for a run after catcher Franco Valdes doubled and later scored on a ground out by Jarrett Packer.
McAnaney said he felt the momentum changing after Virginia had closed the margin to a run, at 3-2, but it quickly changed during the fifth as he was chased from the contest after retiring two of the first three batters that he faced.
Once again, it was one of the more unassuming offensive heroes for the Tar Heels that provided the biggest damage — second baseman Kyle Seager slapped a one-run triple into the corner in right field.
“We still had a chance in the fifth and I think I was one pitch away,” McAnaney said. “If I had kept it at a 3-2 game it could have changed the rest of the ballgame, but unfortunately I left a pitch pretty much right down the middle to [Seager] and that led to two more runs in that inning.”
The final run in the frame came after Matt Packer entered from the bullpen and gave up a single up the middle to UNC catcher Tim Federowicz.
Virginia appeared primed to counter again in the bottom-half of the fifth inning after David Coleman reached on an error and Greg Miclat walked. The Cavaliers elected to sacrifice the runners into scoring position, which was the final out recorded by Warren, but Farrell and Gosselin struck out against Wooten.
“We have to have a chance to score two runs before we can score three,” said O’Connor, explaining the strategy behind the bunt. “Obviously, coming up behind Grovatt is Farrell and he has been one of most consistent hitters all year.”
Wooten was masterful as he did not allow a hit until pinch hitter Patrick Wingfield laced a single with one out in the ninth.
For the game, Wooten pitched 4.2 innings and struck out seven, both of which were career-best totals.
McAnaney, who tweaked his knee late in his last outing at Miami on April 25, took the loss, falling to 4-3 on the season.
“I felt fine. I felt too good to be honest with you,” the southpaw said. “My leg, that wasn’t even a factor. I just had a hard time locating and that’s a huge part of my game and it came in a game where my team really needed me to give them a good outing.
“I wasn’t able to get into a groove and help them out as much as I would have liked to.”
Virginia will look to salvage the final game of the series today at 1 p.m. with junior Andrew Carraway on the mound. The Tar Heels are expected to counter with rookie Matt Harvey.


 

Catch the Cavs while you can
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: May 11, 2008

If you’re a bandwagon jumper, if you enjoy watching frontrunners, or if you truly appreciate greatness, then reserve a spot at Snyder Tennis Center for 11 a.m. this morning.
That’s where No. 1-ranked Virginia and the nation’s top-rated singles player, Somdev Devvarman, will be attempting to make Cavalier history when they take on Penn State in the NCAA regional.
Brian Boland’s team is 29-0 this season, having already captured the national indoor title. A win over the Nittany Lions would tie a school record for 30 wins in a season and catapult the Cavs to the NCAA round of 16 for the fifth straight year.
Looking ahead?
After quickly disposing of Fairleigh-Dickinson in the NCAA opener on Saturday, it would be understandable if Virginia started thinking about the outdoor title, which will be contested in Tulsa later this week. It would be logical if Devvarman began thinking about defending his national singles title.
However, that’s not how the Cavaliers operate.
Instead, this team works hard in practice each day to improve individually and as a team. Maybe that sounds corny, but it works. Ask any champion.
“They really ‘get it,’” said Boland, whose coaching record at UVa jumped to 166-40 (60-4 the last two seasons). “That’s a great tribute to all of our fourth-years. They understand how important each day is. When you have leaders like these that are with the guys every day, it really sets the tone and makes a difference.”
Perfect chemistry
Those fourth years are Devvarman, Treat Huey, Ted Angelinos, and Andrew Downing. While the first three get all the glory, Downing is an important part of the team chemistry with his leadership.
Boland has coached a lot of players in his 12 seasons in the business (seven at UVa), but pointed out that this senior class understands better than any other the importance of not focusing on themselves, but rather on trying to make everyone around them better. The FDU coach mentioned after Saturday’s loss that his players weren’t accustomed to facing such powerful opponents at the lower numbers in the lineup, which is part of Virginia’s strength.
“When you have a player like Somdev, who is defending national champion, he could get so caught up in it all being about himself, but he’s so concerned about his teammates and sharing victory and spreading the success,” Boland said. “That’s really unique.”
Speaking of unique, examine Huey’s situation. He’s essentially lived in Devvarman’s shadow for the past four years. Yet, check out his accomplishments. The Alexandria native has won 128 career singles matches and been a part of 130 career doubles wins (a UVa record).
At most schools, he would be the big dog. At Virginia, most of the attention is directed toward Devvarman, who chooses to share the spotlight. That became evident when he defeated heavily favored John Isner of Georgia last year in the national singles championship match.
While everyone wanted to listen to Devvarman talk about chopping down Isner, the UVa player kept mentioning about how important it would be for the team to win the national team title in 2008. When the Cavs won the indoor crown, Devvarman said it was the greatest moment of his tennis career.
Now that’s what you call a real team.
“Treat’s never complained about anything,” Boland said. “He’s won 18 straight matches and continues to bring energy, enthusiasm every day. That kind of chemistry is difficult to find.”
On paper, most followers of the program would have scanned the roster and noticed the strength in the senior class and pointed to 2008 as the year of the Cavalier. Lots of coaches in various sports build a program toward a particular year as being their best chance for a national title.
Not Boland. He refuses to think that way.
“I’m not like that,” he said, shaking his head after Saturday’s win. “I feel like my job is to give the guys the best experience possible and to put the Virginia program in a position to compete for the ACC and national championships every year. Not this year or that year.”
That sounds like a lot of pressure, but Boland and his program thrive on it. That’s one reason he plays the toughest national schedule he can every year in order to be battle-tested when they start handing out trophies.
“This team loves pressure and they rise up when the pressure increases,” he said with a grin. “If you don’t like pressure then you certainly don’t want to play for Virginia men’s tennis. You definitely would be in the wrong program. Expectations are high.”
Perhaps it is that kind of language that attracts some of the best tennis talent in the nation to Charlottesville, to be part of what Boland is building.
So, if you’re looking for a bandwagon to jump on, there’s still room.

Boland Has Devvarman, No. 1 Cavs Shooting for a National Title
Saturday, May 10, 2008; Page E02

Brian Boland arrived as the coach of the Virginia tennis team seven years ago, greeted by a foundering program and nonexistent support. The Cavaliers were ranked outside the top 75 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. Perhaps 25 fans showed up for home matches.

Boland has turned that destitute beginning into a distant memory. Nearly 1,000 people show up to watch each match for Virginia, which is 28-0 and ranked No. 1 entering today's NCAA tournament first-round matchup with Fairleigh Dickinson at 10 a.m. in Charlottesville. Three weeks ago, the Cavaliers won their fourth ACC championship in five years.

"It's really been an enjoyable journey," Boland said.

The journey may have taken its most important turn nearly six years ago at a junior tennis tournament in Florida, where Boland tracked down a guitar-strumming, politics-loving kid from Chennai, India, named Somdev Devvarman. Boland knew Devvarman was ranked among the world's top 50 junior players, and he chatted him up before a match. Boland visited India; Devvarman visited Charlottesville. They decided the match was perfect.

Devvarman now is a senior, the school record holder with 150 individual victories, the reigning national singles champion, owner of a 36-1 record this season, a member of India's Davis Cup team and, along with Treat Huey (St. Stephen's/St. Agnes), half of one of the best doubles teams in the nation.

Perhaps the only thing Devvarman has not done is win a team national title, which has served as motivation for the Cavaliers even as they have dispatched opponents with ease.

"This is what we've been waiting all year for," Devvarman said. "The entire team is very fired up for this weekend. The seniors know this is our last chance to play in front of our home fans."

And Devvarman may know nearly all of those fans. He had lived in India his entire life before coming to Charlottesville, but he experienced an easy transition. He quickly became one of the most popular students on campus.

He plays guitar and sings Dave Matthews Band songs at a local bar Sunday and Monday nights, and his teammates pack the place. When Boland walks across campus with Devvarman, he's consistently amazed. Everyone who passes says, "Hi, Somdev."

The Cavaliers lead the nation in attendance, averaging between 800 and 900 viewers at Boyd Tinsley Tennis Courts. Crowds had been steadily building in what Boland called "one of the best tennis towns in America," but this year they exploded.

"This year has definitely been the most fun," Devvarman said. "We made a few friends in the fraternities. They get a little rowdy, which is good."


 

Mavs make it official, announce hiring of Carlisle as coach

DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Mavericks made it official Saturday, announcing they had hired Rick Carlisle to replace Avery Johnson as their coach.

Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations, said in a statement that Carlisle was "our top choice from the onset."

"His integrity, exceptional basketball IQ and balanced approach are exactly what we were looking for," Nelson said. "Rick's playoff experience and success make him a great fit for our team and its future."

A news conference is expected Wednesday, when owner Mark Cuban returns to Dallas.

Carlisle was the only candidate the Mavericks interviewed after firing Johnson the morning after their second straight first-round playoff exit.

This is Carlisle's third time as head coach and his first stint in the Western Conference. He went 281-211 over two seasons in Detroit, then four in Indiana. He made the playoffs his first five years, then lost his job with the Pacers after missing out in 2007.

Carlisle spent this past year out of the NBA, but following it closely working for ESPN.

A native of upstate New York, Carlisle was the co-captain of the Virginia team that made the Final Four in 1984, the year after Ralph Sampson left. He was a first-round pick of the Boston Celtics and was a backup on their 1986 championship team.


 

Long Learning from Veterans
Friday, May 9, 2008
By Brett Grassmuck
Staff Writer

As Chris Long began to walk off the field after his first NFL practice, he was greeted by head coach Scott Linehan, who extended his hand to the rookie.

Long accepted the handshake from his head coach, but not until he readjusted how he was carrying both his and veteran La’Roi Glover’s equipment to free one of his hands.

Welcome to the National Football League.

Not even a month ago, Long was featured on sports networks and websites across the world as he was announced as the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. But the rookie knows he has a lot to learn and his NFL education began with the opening of Rams mini-camp Friday.

“I had a lot of fun working with those guys on the defensive line and trying to pick up as much as I can so I don’t slow things down,” Long said after his first practice. “But we’re all working on our new stuff as rookies so I had a good time.”

Long picked up some technique tips by chatting with fellow defensive end Leonard Little, who is entering his 11th season on the Rams defensive line. Both Little and defensive tackle Glover, worked with the rookie throughout the afternoon.

“Leonard’s just helpful,” Long said. “What a guy to have working with you on the defensive line. He’s been in this game and he knows what he’s doing so anything he says to me, which is mainly just critiquing technique and game experience and stuff like that, is really helpful.”

Linehan wasn’t exactly sure what his defensive ends were discussing during the opening mini-camp practice. But no matter what advice Long received, Linehan knows he was ready and willing to hear it.

“Maybe (Little) is telling him jokes,” Linehan said smiling. “I think (Little) is really just trying to help him. The great thing about Chris is that he is all ears. He knows he has a lot to learn, and he is going to the right guys.”

Long understands the expectations that come with being selected No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft, but that hasn’t changed his preparation. He knows it will take time to learn defensive coordinator Jim Haslett’s defense, and he’s taking the playbook one page at a time.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” Long said. “It’s day one. I’m probably on page one of 100 in the (play) book. I’m not going to get too high on how quick I picked it up, but I think I’ve moved along pretty nicely.”

Long may still be learning, but he did do enough in individual and team drills during his first NFL practice to get noticed by the head coach.

“I think Chris had a great first day out,” Linehan said. “He was doing everything he is supposed to do. I know one time he got a nice rush on the passer which is good to see. What is funny about Chris is that he just goes. You don’t hear him talk a lot, which I like. He just goes 100 miles an hour, which is nice.”

Long received plenty of help from his teammates, but did he get any tips from father Howie, an NFL Hall of Famer, before heading toSt. Louis ?

“Oh yeah,” Long said. “He’s a dad, plenty of advice.”

Long seemed to be seeking help anywhere he could get it, even his No. 72 jersey.

“Osi (Umenyiora, New York Giants defensive end) wears 72, so maybe I’ll get a little faster,” Long said of his new number. He wore number 91 in college, which belongs to Little.

Long has two more mini-camp practices and several weeks of organized team activities before he heads into training camp, but he knows he’ll be learning from the best every day.

“You see guys in college that are as good as the guys at this level, just more rarely,” Long said. “It’s just now you see these guys frequently, every play. Every play you see the best guy that you go against during the season. So you just have to be ready, never let your guard down. If that’s the way you play football, then you’ll be fine.”
 

A new dawn at USC
As a selfless star at Virginia and in the WNBA, and later as coach of moribund Temple, Dawn Staley has always been driven by a challenge. She faces a new one at USC
By JOSEPH PERSON - jperson@thestate.com

When Dawn Staley was Virginia’s point guard, Cavaliers coach Debbie Ryan would stack the practice teams against Staley by pairing the All-American with the last four players on the bench.

The idea was to get Virginia’s other starters to step up their games.

Staley took the scrimmages as personal challenges.

“She’d look at me and say, ‘OK, that’s fine,’ ” Ryan recalled. “She would just take whoever we gave her ... and coach them and have them play to a point where they won every single time. You just couldn’t beat her.”

Friends and colleagues say Staley is at her best when faced with a test.

She has another one in front of her.

After reviving a lifeless Temple program in her hometown of Philadelphia, Staley has been hired to energize a South Carolina team that has not been to the NCAA tournament since 2003.

The 38-year-old Staley, introduced Saturday at USC, moves from the Atlantic 10 to the SEC, arguably the toughest conference in the country. She moves from Temple’s campus in north Philadelphia, near the public housing project where she grew up, to the state where her mother was born.

“I think this is a bold move for me as far as coaching. It’s going to challenge me on a lot of levels,” Staley said. “But challenges are something that I’ve never shied away from.”

That drive has taken Staley from the Raymond Rosen Homes in north Philly to Athens, Greece, where she carried the American flag for the U.S. contingent at the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Olympics.

Staley has played in three Final Fours, three Olympics and five WNBA all-star games. As a coach, Staley has made the NCAA tournament six times in eight seasons and twice was named the Atlantic 10’s coach of the year.

Not bad for someone who never wanted to coach until someone challenged her.

DRIVEN BY THE CHALLENGE

Staley grew up in a rough section of Philly and attended Dobbins Tech, the same high school that produced Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers, the Loyola Marymount basketball stars who were three years ahead of Staley.

But Staley made her own name at Dobbins as USA Today’s national player of the year in 1989.

When she was recruiting Staley, Ryan arrived at Dobbins for a 6 a.m. practice and saw Staley walking into the gym with a package of Hostess donuts and strawberry milk. Not exactly a breakfast of champions, but it did little to slow Staley.

“She was an icon at Dobbins,” Ryan said. “She was a tremendous high school player, head and shoulders above the high school game.”

Staley gained a reputation at Virginia as a selfless player who worked to get others involved.

“She had no ego. She had no agenda,” Ryan said. “She just had one thing she wanted to do, and that was win.”

Besides the three Final Four appearances, Staley left Charlottesville ranked sixth on the NCAA’s career steals list. The national player of the year in 1991, Staley is one of two players in ACC history to reach 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, 700 assists and 400 steals.

Staley’s pro career was highlighted by trips to the finals in the now-defunct ABL and WNBA. Staley was still active in the WNBA when Temple contacted her.

When teammates or coaches would tell Staley she would make a good coach, she responded by saying she did not want to be “one of them.”

That changed when Staley learned Temple had not had a winning season in 10 years. At 29, she became the Owls’ coach without having worked a day as an assistant.

“When I went in and spoke with the athletic director, he put it in a way of challenging my leadership and me turning the program around,” she said. “That’s the thing that got me.”

The Owls won four Atlantic 10 tournament titles and became postseason fixtures under Staley, whose 172 wins are the most in program history.

“Temple wasn’t even on the map. We’re on the map now at Temple,” said assistant coach Lisa Boyer, who will accompany Staley to USC. “We’re hoping we can do that same thing here now, and it’ll be even more of a challenge because it’s the SEC.”

Staley’s coaching style has been described as a mix of on-court intensity tempered by a laid-back demeanor off of it.

“She picks her times,” said Kamesha Hairston, one of two first-round WNBA picks who played for Staley at Temple. “On the court, she really means business, but everything is not so uptight and serious. You have to have fun playing basketball.”

Mel Greenberg, who covers women’s basketball for The Philadelphia Inquirer, recalled stopping by Staley’s office one day and finding her behind her desk with several players stretched out on the floor watching soap operas.

Said Hairston: “You come by, you’re going to laugh, you’re going to have fun and you’re not going to want to leave.”

TAKING THE NEXT STEP

Many questioned whether Staley would ever leave Temple, given her Philly roots and community involvement.

At 26, she started the Dawn Staley Foundation as a way to give back to at-risk youth in her old neighborhood. The foundation sponsors a summer basketball league and an after-school program that has cared for 550 middle school girls since its inception.

But the lure of competing in the SEC and the opportunity to move her 65-year-old mother back home provided the impetus.

Angelia Nelson, the director of Staley’s foundation, believes the young girls and boys who benefit from Staley’s largesse will understand the move.

“She’s a Philadelphian. Her heart will always be in Philadelphia,” Nelson said. “But her vision is so big that the kids understand that there are so many kids like them that need to be touched, that she’ll go on to do great things in South Carolina.”

Staley’s friends believe she will do great things for the Gamecocks’ basketball fortunes, as well. USC went to the NCAA tournament twice in Susan Walvius’ 11-year tenure.

“I’m excited she’s in the SEC,” said Fox Sports analyst Teresa Edwards, a former Georgia point guard who played with Staley on two Olympic teams. “That’s a testament to a lot of great coaches in the SEC. She’s just joining the crew because she has the tools and what it takes.”

Hairston, the former Temple star now with the Connecticut Sun, said the rest of the SEC should be on alert once Staley has a year or two to recruit.

“I think she’ll do great. She’ll get the players she wants,” Hairston said. “I believe South Carolina will be the top team in the SEC in the near future. That’s how much I believe in her system.”

Staley sees USC as the next step in what has been an amazing journey.

“I look at myself as an odds-beater, from growing up in the projects to winning three gold medals to carrying the flag,” she said. “It shouldn’t stop there.”

 

ACC coaches irked at low NCAA bids
Commissioner Swofford wants conference strength to be a factor
KEN TYSIAC

The conference rooms at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island in Florida are notorious for being artificially chilly during the ACC's spring meetings.

Cranked-up air conditioning prevents coaches and athletics directors from getting sweaty in the seaside air. But when the ACC men's basketball coaches meet this week, the Freon will be battling more than the humidity.

The energy of the frustrated coaches will generate heat.

For the second time in three years since the ACC expanded to 12 schools, just four of its teams were selected for the NCAA tournament. Despite having the highest conference RPI for 2007-08, the ACC received fewer NCAA bids than the Big East, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC.

The RPI, or Ratings Percentage Index, ranks teams and conferences based on winning percentages and schedule strength. The ACC has led the RPI four times in the past five years.

"When it appears that we're always one of the top one or two conferences in the country, it's hard for me to figure out why other conferences or other teams are receiving more bids than us," said Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton.

The disappointment has prodded some action.

ACC Commissioner John Swofford has sent a letter to the Division I men's basketball committee requesting that conference strength be added to the list of criteria considered when the NCAA tournament field is selected.

Coaches say they plan to remind the media more often next season about the conference's strength.

Virginia Tech's Seth Greenberg and Wake Forest's Dino Gaudio are open to considering an 18-game conference schedule. A year ago, the ACC committed to a 16-game schedule through 2010-11 because coaches resisted the idea of 18 ACC games.

"You've always got to in a way, not reinvent yourself, but improve yourself," Greenberg said. "We can't sit back because we're the ACC."

ACC's numbers slide

Some ominous numbers suggest they're not the ACC of old.Since expanding to 12, the ACC's winning percentage in NCAA tournament games is .559 (19-15), its lowest for any three-year period since 1978-80.

The SEC, Big 12, Pac-10 and Big East all have higher NCAA tournament winning percentages over the same period. The ACC still has the tournament's highest overall winning percentage at .667 (329-164 over 55 years).

The ACC's representation in the Associated Press' Top 25 also has slumped over the past three years, when eight of a possible 36 ACC teams have been ranked in the final poll. That's 22.2 percent, the lowest percentage during any three-year period since the poll expanded from 20 to 25 teams in 1989-90.

ACC officials say those numbers are cyclical. They cite the ACC's high RPI ratings and the ACC-record seven NCAA bids in 2007 as evidence the conference is healthy.

"The great thing about this league over the years is that what's a down cycle for our league from a men's basketball standpoint in a lot of ways might be an up cycle in some other leagues," Swofford said.

But the seven NCAA bids are hardly extraordinary because the conference has 12 schools. When the ACC had nine members, it received six bids five times in 13 years. That's a higher percentage than seven of 12.

The ACC's RPI is high because its bottom teams are stronger than those in other BCS conferences. But that conference depth hasn't added up to top 25 rankings, or NCAA tournament bids or wins.

Some coaches say the absence of easy conference wins on their schedules might be keeping the ACC teams from getting more teams in the NCAA tournament.

"What makes the ACC so tough is the collective excellence of the league," Greenberg said. "You have to play 16 times at a very high level to win. Over the course of a season, that's exhausting."

`Not seeing the results'

N.C. State athletics director Lee Fowler chaired the Division I men's basketball committee in 2002.

He is confident about the committee's integrity, but said the requirements for an at-large bid change along with the committee's membership.

"On paper, at least, it looks like we're doing the right things (in the ACC)," Fowler said. "... We're not seeing the results when it comes to the committee putting teams in."

That's why Swofford sent a letter to the committee requesting that conference strength be considered in the selection process. Tom O'Connor, the 2008 chair, said in March that the committee doesn't look at conference affiliation in terms of selection.

In the past, Swofford said, teams generally have been evaluated on their own merits without regard to conference affiliation.

"I don't know how you can isolate a team from the conference it plays in when 60 percent of its games are against their conference brethren," Swofford said.

Swofford also knows ACC teams must continue to schedule appropriately and win enough games to impress the committee. But the committee is powerless to reverse the ACC's recent downturn in NCAA tournament winning percentage and AP-ranked teams.

The ACC will have to do that on its own. Though Swofford said the ACC is in great shape in basketball, there's work to be done before the ACC proves that's true in the post-expansion era.

"The ACC is on a pedestal where everybody is shooting at us," said Greenberg, who's upgrading Virginia Tech's schedule, "and we've got to fight back a little bit."