Collegiate Men's Lacrosse

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
321

<p>By
Patrick Stevens
Washington Times Blog</p>

<p>You know what makes it hard to evaluate teams in a "real-time" sense?</p>

<p>When nearly everyone you think is good loses within a few days.</p>

<p>From last week's ballot fired off from the comfortable confines of San Antonio, Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 lost. No. 10 did not play. So what do you do?</p>

<p>Pretty much maintain the status quo for a week, and let it sort itself out next Saturday.</p>

<p>Army (over Navy) and Loyola (over Georgetown) were predictably big movers after upsets at home. I nosed Johns Hopkins back into the top 10 after its evisceration of Maryland. And after seeing UMBC handle Albany, it's pretty clear the Retrievers are a legitimate top-10 team.</p>

<p>Chances are, Inside Lacrosse's overall poll will look a lot different than this (besides the top two, who have very much earned their spots). And that's OK. I can't claim to know what the real order should be right now, and I suspect no one else can, either.</p>

<ol>
<li>Duke (12-1)</li>
<li>Syracuse (10-1)</li>
<li>Virginia (10-2)</li>
<li>Georgetown (7-3)</li>
<li>Cornell (9-2)</li>
<li>Navy (9-3)</li>
<li>Maryland (7-4)</li>
<li>UMBC (8-3)</li>
<li>Johns Hopkins (4-5)</li>
<li>Ohio State (8-3)</li>
<li>North Carolina (7-4)</li>
<li>Army (8-3)</li>
<li>Notre Dame (7-2)</li>
<li>Loyola (6-4)</li>
<li>Denver (9-4)</li>
<li>Princeton (6-4)</li>
<li>Bucknell (9-2)</li>
<li>Brown (8-2)</li>
<li>Drexel (10-3)</li>
<li>Hofstra (6-4)</li>
</ol>

<p>--- Patrick Stevens</p>

322

<p>First off, a rapid rundown of the chase for the seven automatic berths:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>UMBC handled Albany on Saturday, outlasting a 35-minute lightning delay as well as the Great Danes to remain perfect in the America East. If the Retrievers upend either Vermont or Hartford --- in recent years, the AE's weaker siblings --- in the next two weeks, they'll play host to the league tournament and probably receive another shot at Albany.</p></li>
<li><p>The CAA is a bit of a mess, but DREXEL can secure home field throughout the conference tournament with victories over Sacred Heart and Villanova. If the Dragons lose, Hofstra would likely slide into the No. 1 spot; the Pride's only remaining league game is against Robert Morris.</p></li>
<li><p>LOYOLA is a weird team. How else to explain a dominant early victory over Towson, double-digit thrashings of Massachusetts and Rutgers, an upset of Georgetown ... and an unsightly home loss to Siena. But the Greyhounds are in control of the ECAC, and need only defeat either Fairfield or Hobart in the next two weeks to head to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year.</p></li>
<li><p>The looming showdown in the GWLL features OHIO STATE and DENVER in Columbus on Saturday. Both are 3-0, and the winner will be in good shape to earn the No. 1 seed in next month's league tournament.</p></li>
<li><p>In the Ivy League, CORNELL, BROWN and PRINCETON are unbeaten in conference play and will take turns playing over the next three weekends. First up: Cornell-Princeton, a game the Tigers desperately need just so they have a quality win on their resume.</p></li>
<li><p>CANISIUS and PROVIDENCE are rolling along in the always unpredictable Metro Atlantic, but a curious third option has emerged: VMI. The Keydets are making a play for a spot in next month's conference tournament, and former Maryland defenseman Jeff Shirk's team would have to feel pretty comfortable if it poached Canisius when the Golden Griffins visit this weekend.</p></li>
<li><p>It's a three-way tie at the top in the loss column in the Patriot League. NAVY failed to wrap up home-field advantage for the league tournament when it lost to ARMY. Meanwhile, BUCKNELL will get to play host to the four- team tournament with a win over Colgate and an Army defeat of Lafayette.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>So with that in mind, here's a 16-team field based on the results to date --- and with an attempt to meet the NCAA's travel restrictions. Ties in the loss column in conference play are broken by the RPI, courtesy of laxpower.com.</p>

<p>The Duke and Virginia quadrants funnel into Annapolis for the quarterfinals. The Syracuse and Cornell quadrants funnel into Ithaca for the quarterfinals. And since teams with losing records aren't eligible, Johns Hopkins will have to wait at least a week to get into this field.</p>

<p>(1) Duke vs. CAA/Drexel
(8) Georgetown vs. Navy</p>

<p>(5) North Carolina vs. UMBC
(4) IVY/Cornell vs. Ohio State</p>

<p>(3) Virginia vs. ECAC/Loyola
(6) Maryland vs. Bucknell</p>

<p>(7) PATRIOT/Army vs. GWLL/Denver
(2) Syracuse vs. MAAC/Providence</p>

323

<p>By Quint Kessenich
ESPN.com
(Archive)</p>

<p>For the second consecutive week, Duke separated itself from the pack, putting forth a powerful performance against Virginia at a rocking Klockner Stadium. With five of the top 10 teams from a week ago losing in the past seven days, the playoff picture got a lot murkier.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Duke
The Blue Devils finished the Virginia game with 10 unanswered goals, winning 19-9 in front of more than 8,000 fans. The attack unit of Max Quinzani, Zack Greer and Matt Danowski are putting forth a case to be considered one of the top trios in the last 30 years. Without a glaring weakness in its lineup, Duke has earned lopsided wins over Bucknell, Virginia, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Loyola and North Carolina -- all quality teams -- with only a loss to Georgetown counting against it. Another quality game looms this weekend when Duke travels to Manhasset, N.Y., to take on an Army team that just broke a 13-game losing streak against archrival Navy.</p></li>
<li><p>Syracuse
It was an impressive week for the Orange, as they beat Cornell on Tuesday 15-8 and Rutgers on Saturday 17-9. After a 5-8 season a year ago, I couldn't be more impressed with the turnaround that the players and coaching staff have engineered.</p></li>
<li><p>Virginia
The Cavaliers had no answer for Duke's runs on Saturday at Klockner Stadium, taking their first-ever home loss at night (in 22 games) and allowing the Blue Devils their first win in Charlottesville since 1994. The Wahoos' top three scorers (Brian Carroll, Garrett Billings, Danny Gladding) all had quiet outings against Duke, which clinched the top seed in the upcoming ACC tournament (also at Klockner). There is just one game (Dartmouth) left on the regular season schedule for Virginia.</p></li>
<li><p>Cornell
The Big Red couldn't handle Syracuse's firepower Tuesday, but they bounced back this weekend with a workmanlike win over Dartmouth. Cornell's best victories are against Navy, Army, Denver, Penn and Harvard, but the biggest game of the season (to date) looms on Saturday as it travels to Princeton in a game that could decide the Ivy League championshp.</p></li>
<li><p>UMBC
After a 1-3 start, the Retrievers have taken seven straight wins, topping Albany, Yale, Maryland, Ohio State, Stony Brook, Towson and Binghamton. Attackman Ryan Smith is a legit All-American candidate.</p></li>
<li><p>Bucknell
Bucknell has wins against Army, Ohio State, Fairfield and Towson with losses to Duke and Navy. I feel that the Bison are the best of a trio of Patriot League teams that could make the NCAA field, and if the Herd win out, they will have the bonus of being the top seed and host of the Patriot League tournament.</p></li>
<li><p>Johns Hopkins
The Blue Jays tweeked their lineup and tightened up their defense against Maryland on Saturday at Homewood Field. Behind stellar work at the face-off X from Stephen Peyser -- a midfielder who seems to improve as the weather warms up -- Hopkins ended a five-game skid. Those losses were to Duke, Cuse, Virginia, North Carolina and Hofstra, all teams that have a chance to be in the tournament. I think the Jays have a chance to make a run like they did last year after a rocky start.</p></li>
<li><p>Maryland
Terps have four losses, but wins over Georgetown, Towson, North Carolina and Virginia. More alarming, Maryland's offense has disappeared during the last two games against Navy and Hopkins -- the first midfield has been invisible. Maryland plays Penn this weekend then heads down to play host Virginia on April 25 in the ACC tournament.</p></li>
<li><p>Georgetown
The only team with a win over Duke in 2008, Georgetown continues to struggle facing off and clearing the ball, two things that cost the Hoyas in a loss to Loyola on Saturday. For an athletic team, they do not push the tempo and rarely create fast breaks. It's hard to figure this group out -- they bring in top quality recruiting classes every year, yet drop games they should dominate.</p></li>
<li><p>North Carolina
Just as it looked like UNC was starting to put it together, the Heels drop a game to Ohio State in Baltimore on Saturday. It was a weekend to forget in the ACC. The Heels have lost three of their last four games and have given up nearly 12 goals per game in that time span.</p></li>
<li><p>Army
The Cadets got off to a great start against Navy on Saturday and beat the Midshipmen for the first time in 13 tries. Lafayette and Duke remain on the Mules' schedule before moving on to the Patriot League tournament.</p></li>
<li><p>Navy
All year, I had Army ranked ahead of Navy -- and last week, when Navy beat Maryland and Army lost to Bucknell, I finally bumped the Mids into the top 10 ahead of Army. This Navy team has a top quality faceoff man in Mikelis Visgauss and a top 10 defense - but I'm not sold on the offense.</p></li>
<li><p>Ohio State
The Buckeyes are still rolling, taking down North Carolina in Baltimore behind Kevin Buchanan's seven point showing. All three OSU losses (Navy, Bucknell and UMBC) have come in overtime and the next game could be a watershed moment for lacrosse in Columbus, as the Buckeyes open for the spring football game (against Denver) in front of a crowd that is likely to number in the tens of thousands.</p></li>
<li><p>Princeton
The Tigers fell behind Harvard 3-0 but rallied and prevailed in OT. Princeton has won four of its last five games and face Cornell at home on Saturday. The Tigers have losses to Hopkins, Albany and Syracuse.</p></li>
<li><p>Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish had a bye this week -- an unusual week off during the middle of the season. The Irish have beaten Loyola, Albany and Drexel -- their playoff r</p></li>
</ol>

324

<p>could this be the year?????</p>

<p>say a prayer!!!!!!!</p>

325

<p>Game 13: Navy vs. Johns Hopkins
Saturday, April 19 • 12:00 pm • Annapolis, Md. • Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium</p>

<p>Media Information
Television: CBS College Sports Network ; Jason Chandler (play by play), Paul Carcaterra (analyst)</p>

<p>Radio/Internet:<br>
Listen: 1430 WNAV, 1050 WFED (Pete Medhurst)
Watch/Listen: Navy All-Access on NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics</p>

<p>Live Stats:<br>
Gametracker on NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics</p>

<p>Game Preview
• Tenth-ranked (tied) Navy (9-3, 5-1 Patriot League) will look to snap its 33-game losing streak to No. 7 Johns Hopkins (4-5) on Saturday when the two battle at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis ... faceoff is set for 12:00 pm and is sponsored by Comcast and STX.
• Saturday's contest will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) with Major League Lacrosse Director of Broadcast Content Jason Chandler (play by play) and former Syracuse All-American Paul Carcaterra (analyst) calling the action.
• The Voice of Navy Lacrosse Pete Medhurst will also call the action live on 1430 WNAV and 1050 WFED.
• Additionally, fans can log onto NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics where they can watch a live video feed via Navy All-Access or follow the game for free via Gametracker.
• Making his first collegiate start in goal, junior Tommy Phelan turned away a career-high 13 saves in holding Colgate scoreless for nearly 54 minutes as Navy claimed an 8-3 win over the Raiders in Hamilton, N.Y. on Easter Sunday ... senior Nick Mirabito paced the Mids with his third hat trick of the year, while Tim Paul and Patrick Moran each contributed a pair of goals.
• Georgetown enters Saturday's contest on cloud 9, having beaten No. 1 and previously undefeated Duke last weekend ... eight different players scored for the Hoyas, including redshirt freshman Ricky Mirabito, younger brother of Navy's Nick Mirabito, who scored back-to-back goals at the end of the third quarter to knot the game at 6-6.</p>

<p>Taking the Field in ...
10 • The Mids are just a win away from turning in a program-record fifth-straight 10-win campaign under head coach Richie Meade.
9 • With a goal and a pair of assists at Army last Saturday, Nick Mirabito became just the ninth player in program history to reach 150-career points.
8 • Senior Mikelis Visgauss has won 98 draws in '08, the eighth most by a Navy player in school history.
7 • Navy has lost just seven games at home since the beginning of the 2004 campaign.
6 • Navy's +3.75 margin of victory is the nation's sixth-best mark.
5 • Navy has held its opponent to five or fewer goals in eight of its 12 games.
4 • Navy has lost its last four games against Johns Hopkins by a combined four points.
3 • Sophomore Tim Paul produced his first collegiate hat trick in last year's game at Johns Hopkins.
2 • Two of Navy's three losses in 2008 have been overtime decisions versus No. 6 Cornell (7-8) and No. 4 Georgetown (10-11).
1 • Navy is No. 1 in the country in wins over the last five years with 58 ... Duke is second with 57 wins.</p>

<p>Navy vs. Johns Hopkins - The Series
• Saturday's contest marks the 81st meeting between Navy and Johns Hopkins ... it's the 59th-consecutive year the two programs have battled and it is the third-longest continuous series between Navy and another team on the lax field.
• The Blue Jays own a commanding 54-25-1 advantage in the series, including an amazing 33-game winning streak that dates back to May 10, 1975, when Hopkins defeated Navy, 16-11, in Baltimore.
• The last time Navy beat Johns Hopkins was May 4, 1974, in a one-goal, 13-12 decision in Annapolis ... Navy All-American Ray Finnegan, who has served as the Mids' keeper coach for 18 seasons, was in goal that afternoon.
• Johns Hopkins owns a 29-17-1 record in games played in Annapolis ... the last time the Mids beat Hopkins in Annapolis was May 4, 1974, 13-12.
• Six of the last eight games between Navy and Johns Hopkins have been decided by one goal, including each of the last four ... three of the six one-goal games have gone into extra minutes.</p>

<p>Navy vs. Johns Hopkins - Number Crunching
• Navy has won the battle at the infamous "x" just once in the last 13 games ... in 1998, the Mids won 17 of the 29 draws, but dropped a 15-14 decision at home to the Blue Jays.
• It's certainly no surprise that Navy's averages are higher in games played at home vs. games played at Homewood Field ... the Mids are getting off nearly 10 more shots, picking up six more ground balls, clearing the ball at a 14 percent higher clip and scoring extra-man goals more frequently ... see the detailed comparison on page 2 of the game notes.
• Just four players on Navy's roster have scored goals against Johns Hopkins and only two of those (Tim Paul and Nick Mirabito) have scored multiple goals.
• Two members of Navy's starting midfield have never played against Johns Hopkins - sophomores Joe Lennon and Patrick Moran ... meanwhile, only two of the six members that make up the first two midfield lines have seen action against the Blue Jays (Basil Daratsos and Terence Higgins).
• Each of the last three Navy-Hopkins games played in Annapolis have attracted better than 13,000 fans, including the 2004 game in which 18,694 watched the two teams battle into overtime.
• As of late, Hopkins has been slow to start against Navy as the Mids have led or the game has been tied after the first quarter in each of the last four games ... Navy has held the halftime lead in each of the last two meetings and in 2006, the Blue Jays were forced to scored four goals in the fourth to earn a come-from-behind 9-8 win.</p>

<p>A Win Over Johns Hopkins Would ...
• snap a 33-game losing streak to Johns Hopkins, the longest current losing streak in Div. I men's lacrosse.
• give Navy its 10th win of 2008, marking the fifth-consecutive year in which head coach Richie Meade has led his Midshipmen to a 10-win season.
• push Navy's record to 3-3 against ranked teams in '08.
• give the Mids their second win over a top-10 ranked team this spring.</p>

<p>The Last Time ...
• Johns Hopkins middie Paul Rabil scored two of his game-high three goals in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner to lead the seventh-ranked Blue Jays to a 10-9 victory over No. 9 Navy at Homewood Field.
• After Hopkins rookie midfielder Michael Kimmel scored the game's first goal at 13:39, Navy went on a three-goal run, spearheaded by a William Wallace goal at the 11-minute mark ... freshman Basil Daratsos hit a sick shot as he rolled to his left and threaded it past Hopkins keeper Jesse Schwartzman ... senior Billy Looney made it a 3-1 game when he fired off an unassisted shot from 15 yards.
• Hopkins closed the first quarter with a goal by Kevin Huntley, who faked defender Andrew Dow and poked the shot in at the crease.
• The Blue Jays scored the first-two goals of the second quarter to regain the lead. The tying goal was set up by an errant pass by Navy keeper Colin Finnegan who overthrew Geoff Leone behind the Navy cage and Jake Byrne quickly picked up the ball and tossed it into the open net.
• Navy knotted the score at four apiece when senior Tommy Wallin found Ian Dingman on the crease, and Dingman scored on extra-man.<br>
• Navy rookie Tim Paul scored the first of his game-high three goals with just 18 ticks remaining in the first half.
• Hopkins struck first in the second half with Kimmel posting his second goal of the day off an assist from Steven Boyle.<br>
• Just over a minute later, Navy took the lead once on a loose ball that was rolled in by Paul.
• Brian Christopher's goal with 4:04 left in the third sparked three unanswered goals by Hopkins, as it took a 8-6 lead.<br>
• Looney and Wallin produced back-to-back goals to knot things up.<br>
• Rabil, though, scored just 50 seconds after Wallin to give the Blue Jays a 9-8 advantage ... he tacked on a second goal with four minutes to go, firing in a 10-yarder from the right side.<br>
• Navy narrowed the lead to one when Paul took a pass from attack Nick Mirabito and sent it past Schwartzman.
• Hopkins won the ensuing face-off, but turned the ball over in an attempt to get it to the offensive side of the field ... however, time ran out on the Mids.</p>

<p>Senior Leadership
• Each year head coach Richie Meade looks to his senior class to provide leadership for his team ... the Class of 2008 has been a part of one of the most successful periods in Navy lacrosse history.
• On Saturday, Navy will honor its 11 senior players and their families, along with supporting cast members John Freeman (video) and Caitlin Schwamberger (athletic training) in a pregame ceremony.
• Team captain Jordan DiNola (son of Gary and Susan DiNola), Evan Boyle (son of Joseph and Maureen Boyle), Gregory Clement (son of Jamey and Judy Clement), Dan Decker (son of Russ and Lauren Decker), Matt Guido (son of Dominic and Frances Guido), Terence Higgins (son of Sean and Kathy Higgins), Nick Mirabito (son of Richard and Norma Mirabito), Brendan Teague (son of Samuel and Nancy Teague), Dan Vassar (son of Robert and Carla Vassar), Mikelis Visgauss (son of Mike and Helen Visgauss) and Roger Wieland (son of Roger Sr. and Donna Wieland) will stand alongside their parents at midfield to be recognized by the Navy faithful.
• In four years, the Class of 2008 has accomplished quite a lot ... a 43-15 record, 21-3 Patriot League record
• Have helped lead Navy to the most wins by a Div. I lax program in the last five years.
• Have earned a share of four regular-season Patriot League crowns.
• Have captured three Patriot League Tournament titles with the possibility of a fourth as Navy will play in the 2008 Patriot League Tournament next weekend.
• Have made three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with the possibility of a fourth.
• Have turned in 10-plus wins in three-straight years and is just a win away from making it a fourth.
• Have produced a 6-1 record against Army, winning three N-Stars.</p>

<p>Patriot League Tournament Field Set
• With just one remaining league contest, the 2008 Patriot League Tournament field is set with Army, Bucknell, Colgate and Navy all vying for the league's automatic bid to play in the NCAA Tournament.
• While both Bucknell and Colgate are in, the winner of their contest slated for Saturday at 8:00 pm in Lewisburg, Pa. has hosting implications.
• If Bucknell beats Colgate, Bucknell will host the tournament and the seeds will be as follows: 1-Bucknell, 2-Army, 3-Navy, 4-Colgate.
• If Colgate beats Bucknell, Army will host the tournament and the seeds will be as follows: 1-Army, 2-Navy, 3-Colgate, 4-Bucknell.
• Semifinal games will be played next Friday, April 25 at a time to be determined, while the championship game is set for Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 pm ... the championship contest will be aired live on CBS College Sports Network.
• The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Tournament ... Navy has won each of the four Patriot League Tournaments.</p>

326

<p>Game 13: Navy vs. Johns Hopkins
Saturday, April 19 • 12:00 pm • Annapolis, Md. • Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium</p>

<p>Media Information
Television: CBS College Sports Network ; Jason Chandler (play by play), Paul Carcaterra (analyst)</p>

<p>Radio/Internet:<br>
Listen: 1430 WNAV, 1050 WFED (Pete Medhurst)
Watch/Listen: Navy All-Access on NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics</p>

<p>Live Stats:<br>
Gametracker on NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics</p>

<p>Game Preview
• Tenth-ranked (tied) Navy (9-3, 5-1 Patriot League) will look to snap its 33-game losing streak to No. 7 Johns Hopkins (4-5) on Saturday when the two battle at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis ... faceoff is set for 12:00 pm and is sponsored by Comcast and STX.
• Saturday's contest will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) with Major League Lacrosse Director of Broadcast Content Jason Chandler (play by play) and former Syracuse All-American Paul Carcaterra (analyst) calling the action.
• The Voice of Navy Lacrosse Pete Medhurst will also call the action live on 1430 WNAV and 1050 WFED.
• Additionally, fans can log onto NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics where they can watch a live video feed via Navy All-Access or follow the game for free via Gametracker.
• The Midshipmen dropped a 9-6 decision to Army last week at West Point, suffering their first lost to their arch rivals since 1997 ... sophomore attack Tim Paul paced the Mids with a pair of goals, while senior Nick Mirabito became just the ninth player in school history to reach 150 points via his one-goal, two-assist production at West Point.
• Johns Hopkins enters Saturday's contest having snapped its five-game skid with a 10-4 win over Maryland a week ago ... the Blue Jays outscored the Terps, 7-2, in the second half, including a 6-1 advantage in the third quarter ... Paul Rabil and Michael Donegar each turned in hat tricks, while Michael Kimmel aided on three goals ... draw specialist Stephen Peyser was sensational, winning 12 of the 13 faceoffs in which he took.</p>

<p>Taking the Field in ...
10 • The Mids are just a win away from turning in a program-record fifth-straight 10-win campaign under head coach Richie Meade.
9 • With a goal and a pair of assists at Army last Saturday, Nick Mirabito became just the ninth player in program history to reach 150-career points.
8 • Senior Mikelis Visgauss has won 98 draws in '08, the eighth most by a Navy player in school history.
7 • Navy has lost just seven games at home since the beginning of the 2004 campaign.
6 • Navy's +3.75 margin of victory is the nation's sixth-best mark.
5 • Navy has held its opponent to five or fewer goals in eight of its 12 games.
4 • Navy has lost its last four games against Johns Hopkins by a combined four points.
3 • Sophomore Tim Paul produced his first collegiate hat trick in last year's game at Johns Hopkins.
2 • Two of Navy's three losses in 2008 have been overtime decisions versus No. 6 Cornell (7-8) and No. 4 Georgetown (10-11).
1 • Navy is No. 1 in the country in wins over the last five years with 58 ... Duke is second with 57 wins.</p>

<p>Navy vs. Johns Hopkins - The Series
• Saturday's contest marks the 81st meeting between Navy and Johns Hopkins ... it's the 59th-consecutive year the two programs have battled and it is the third-longest continuous series between Navy and another team on the lax field.
• The Blue Jays own a commanding 54-25-1 advantage in the series, including an amazing 33-game winning streak that dates back to May 10, 1975, when Hopkins defeated Navy, 16-11, in Baltimore.
• The last time Navy beat Johns Hopkins was May 4, 1974, in a one-goal, 13-12 decision in Annapolis ... Navy All-American Ray Finnegan, who has served as the Mids' keeper coach for 18 seasons, was in goal that afternoon.
• Johns Hopkins owns a 29-17-1 record in games played in Annapolis ... the last time the Mids beat Hopkins in Annapolis was May 4, 1974, 13-12.
• Six of the last eight games between Navy and Johns Hopkins have been decided by one goal, including each of the last four ... three of the six one-goal games have gone into extra minutes.</p>

<p>Navy vs. Johns Hopkins - Number Crunching
• Navy has won the battle at the infamous "x" just once in the last 13 games ... in 1998, the Mids won 17 of the 29 draws, but dropped a 15-14 decision at home to the Blue Jays.
• It's certainly no surprise that Navy's averages are higher in games played at home vs. games played at Homewood Field ... the Mids are getting off nearly 10 more shots, picking up six more ground balls, clearing the ball at a 14 percent higher clip and scoring extra-man goals more frequently ... see the detailed comparison on page 2 of the game notes.
• Just four players on Navy's roster have scored goals against Johns Hopkins and only two of those (Tim Paul and Nick Mirabito) have scored multiple goals.
• Two members of Navy's starting midfield have never played against Johns Hopkins - sophomores Joe Lennon and Patrick Moran ... meanwhile, only two of the six members that make up the first two midfield lines have seen action against the Blue Jays (Basil Daratsos and Terence Higgins).
• Each of the last three Navy-Hopkins games played in Annapolis have attracted better than 13,000 fans, including the 2004 game in which 18,694 watched the two teams battle into overtime.
• As of late, Hopkins has been slow to start against Navy as the Mids have led or the game has been tied after the first quarter in each of the last four games ... Navy has held the halftime lead in each of the last two meetings and in 2006, the Blue Jays were forced to scored four goals in the fourth to earn a come-from-behind 9-8 win.</p>

<p>A Win Over Johns Hopkins Would ...
• snap a 33-game losing streak to Johns Hopkins, the longest current losing streak in Div. I men's lacrosse.
• give Navy its 10th win of 2008, marking the fifth-consecutive year in which head coach Richie Meade has led his Midshipmen to a 10-win season.
• push Navy's record to 3-3 against ranked teams in '08.
• give the Mids their second win over a top-10 ranked team this spring.</p>

<p>The Last Time ...
• Johns Hopkins middie Paul Rabil scored two of his game-high three goals in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner to lead the seventh-ranked Blue Jays to a 10-9 victory over No. 9 Navy at Homewood Field.
• After Hopkins rookie midfielder Michael Kimmel scored the game's first goal at 13:39, Navy went on a three-goal run, spearheaded by a William Wallace goal at the 11-minute mark ... freshman Basil Daratsos hit a sick shot as he rolled to his left and threaded it past Hopkins keeper Jesse Schwartzman ... senior Billy Looney made it a 3-1 game when he fired off an unassisted shot from 15 yards.
• Hopkins closed the first quarter with a goal by Kevin Huntley, who faked defender Andrew Dow and poked the shot in at the crease.
• The Blue Jays scored the first-two goals of the second quarter to regain the lead. The tying goal was set up by an errant pass by Navy keeper Colin Finnegan who overthrew Geoff Leone behind the Navy cage and Jake Byrne quickly picked up the ball and tossed it into the open net.
• Navy knotted the score at four apiece when senior Tommy Wallin found Ian Dingman on the crease, and Dingman scored on extra-man.<br>
• Navy rookie Tim Paul scored the first of his game-high three goals with just 18 ticks remaining in the first half.
• Hopkins struck first in the second half with Kimmel posting his second goal of the day off an assist from Steven Boyle.<br>
• Just over a minute later, Navy took the lead once on a loose ball that was rolled in by Paul.
• Brian Christopher's goal with 4:04 left in the third sparked three unanswered goals by Hopkins, as it took a 8-6 lead.<br>
• Looney and Wallin produced back-to-back goals to knot things up.<br>
• Rabil, though, scored just 50 seconds after Wallin to give the Blue Jays a 9-8 advantage ... he tacked on a second goal with four minutes to go, firing in a 10-yarder from the right side.<br>
• Navy narrowed the lead to one when Paul took a pass from attack Nick Mirabito and sent it past Schwartzman.
• Hopkins won the ensuing face-off, but turned the ball over in an attempt to get it to the offensive side of the field ... however, time ran out on the Mids.</p>

<p>Senior Leadership
• Each year head coach Richie Meade looks to his senior class to provide leadership for his team ... the Class of 2008 has been a part of one of the most successful periods in Navy lacrosse history.
• On Saturday, Navy will honor its 11 senior players and their families, along with supporting cast members John Freeman (video) and Caitlin Schwamberger (athletic training) in a pregame ceremony.
• Team captain Jordan DiNola (son of Gary and Susan DiNola), Evan Boyle (son of Joseph and Maureen Boyle), Gregory Clement (son of Jamey and Judy Clement), Dan Decker (son of Russ and Lauren Decker), Matt Guido (son of Dominic and Frances Guido), Terence Higgins (son of Sean and Kathy Higgins), Nick Mirabito (son of Richard and Norma Mirabito), Brendan Teague (son of Samuel and Nancy Teague), Dan Vassar (son of Robert and Carla Vassar), Mikelis Visgauss (son of Mike and Helen Visgauss) and Roger Wieland (son of Roger Sr. and Donna Wieland) will stand alongside their parents at midfield to be recognized by the Navy faithful.
• In four years, the Class of 2008 has accomplished quite a lot ... a 43-15 record, 21-3 Patriot League record
• Have helped lead Navy to the most wins by a Div. I lax program in the last five years.
• Have earned a share of four regular-season Patriot League crowns.
• Have captured three Patriot League Tournament titles with the possibility of a fourth as Navy will play in the 2008 Patriot League Tournament next weekend.
• Have made three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with the possibility of a fourth.
• Have turned in 10-plus wins in three-straight years and is just a win away from making it a fourth.
• Have produced a 6-1 record against Army, winning three N-Stars.</p>

<p>Patriot League Tournament Field Set
• With just one remaining league contest, the 2008 Patriot League Tournament field is set with Army, Bucknell, Colgate and Navy all vying for the league's automatic bid to play in the NCAA Tournament.
• While both Bucknell and Colgate are in, the winner of their contest slated for Saturday at 8:00 pm in Lewisburg, Pa. has hosting implications.
• If Bucknell beats Colgate, Bucknell will host the tournament and the seeds will be as follows: 1-Bucknell, 2-Army, 3-Navy, 4-Colgate.
• If Colgate beats Bucknell, Army will host the tournament and the seeds will be as follows: 1-Army, 2-Navy, 3-Colgate, 4-Bucknell.
• Semifinal games will be played next Friday, April 25 at a time to be determined, while the championship game is set for Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 pm ... the championship contest will be aired live on CBS College Sports Network.
• The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Tournament ... Navy has won each of the four Patriot League Tournaments.</p>

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<p>For: Immediate Release
Sent: April 17, 2008
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775</p>

<p>Sale Of The Century II Set For Saturday</p>

<p>Annapolis, Md.-The Naval Academy Athletic Association will conduct Sale of the Century II on Saturday, April 19 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in conjunction with the Navy-Johns Hopkins lacrosse game.</p>

<p>The NAAA will be selling shoes, helmets, game jerseys, shorts, t-shirts, hats, travel bags and a wide variety of other NAAA team apparel.</p>

<p>The sale will be open to the public from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. inside the gates of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Fans interested in purchasing gear must have a game ticket for the lacrosse game to gain entry into the stadium. The ticket office will be open in the North End Zone of the stadium starting at 9 a.m.</p>

<p>Payment will be by cash only. ATM machines will be located inside the stadium. Credit cards and checks will not be accepted.</p>

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<p>Hopkins 34-year winning streak over Navy continues.</p>

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<p>The OTHER Navy streak</p>

<p>For more than three decades, two of Navy's marquee teams (some would argue football and lacrosse are the marquee teams) carried the burden of absurdly long losing streaks to their respective sport's royalty.</p>

<p>Football dropped 43 in a row to Notre Dame ... until a victory last fall in South Bend.</p>

<p>And on Saturday, the Midshipmen will look to snap a 33-game skid against Johns Hopkins in lacrosse. It's a streak that pops up as a point of discussion at this time every year, and it is an inevitable thing to ask about whenever I'm in Annapolis the week of a Hopkins game.</p>

<p>The Notre Dame thing, however, gives the angle a little more life this time around.</p>

<p>"I'm friends with a lot of football players, and they'll always joke 'Yeah, we took care of our streak. What are you going to do about yours?'" senior defenseman Jordan DiNola said. "Pretty much our entire senior class on the lacrosse team were at that game. It was pretty special being there and being able to watch it."</p>

<p>That wasn't necessarily the answer I was expecting, since that game wasn't just around the corner from the academy. So I'll let DiNola continue the "Road Trip: Navy Style" story.</p>

<p>"We took an RV," DiNola said. "We went through the night [Friday]. We got there around around 5 the morning before the game, slept for a couple hours and then woke up and started getting ready for the game.We put our uniforms on and watched it. It was awesome. It was the single-greatest game I've ever been at. ...</p>

<p>"On Saturday night, we were out back at the RV. They actually canceled school on Monday. We still had to be back Sunday night, but we did end up kind of taking our time on Sunday so we ended up staying there Saturday night. Then Sunday, probably around 10 in the morning we woke up and got out of there, picked ourselves up and hit the road."</p>

<p>So it was fun to watch the one streak go down. But the Mids have come extremely close to quashing the Hopkins jinx several times this decade. Toss out a 17-3 bludgeoning in 2003, and the other seven meetings since 2000 have been decided by a total of eight goals --- including three overtime encounters.</p>

<p>All that suggests a Navy victory on Saturday is far from improbable.</p>

<p>And despite his enjoyment of the football team's defeat of Notre Dame, DiNola figures snapping the lacrosse skid would carry some significant meaning.</p>

<p>"Probably a little bit more," DiNola said.</p>

<p>--- Patrick Stevens</p>

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<p>By Christian Swezey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 18, 2008; Page E03</p>

<p>Tim Paul nearly caught his first pass in a college lacrosse game when he was 9 years old. Paul was a ballboy at a game between Johns Hopkins and visiting North Carolina. For the occasion, he wore a North Carolina jersey.</p>

<p>Late in the game, a North Carolina player who was trying to evade pressure spotted Paul on the sideline wearing the jersey and readied to throw him a pass.</p>

<p>"I was waving my arms saying, 'No! Don't throw it to me!' " Paul said.</p>

<p>Tomorrow, Paul once again will be wearing a different jersey from Johns Hopkins. He will start on attack for Navy (9-3) when it faces the Blue Jays (4-5) at noon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. A crowd of around 15,000 is expected.</p>

<p>Paul, a sophomore, is tied with senior Nick Mirabito with a team-high 19 goals. He is known among his teammates for making flashy plays -- or, sometimes, for not making them.</p>

<p>"As a player, it's the sort of thing where you have a love-hate relationship with him," Coach Richie Meade said. "He's the guy who the coach will tell him something and he'll go on the field and say, 'Don't listen to him. I can make that play.' . . . He's the guy you love because he's not afraid. As a teacher, we have to teach him to focus and to put himself in the right position without messing with his spirit."</p>

<p>Paul does seem to have a good spirit. When asked to describe the goal he scored on a one-handed shot in the Patriot League tournament last year, he answered with a question. "You mean the one against Army [in the semifinals] or the one [in the championship game] against Colgate?"</p>

<p>"He's one of the most dynamic attackmen we've had in a while," said senior captain Jordan DiNola, a starting defenseman. "When he caught that pass against Colgate in the championship game and one-handed it into the net, after he did it he just shrugged his shoulders."</p>

<p>Sophomore midfielder Basil Daratsos recalled the one-handed goal against Army.</p>

<p>"He made it look so easy," Daratsos said. "Only later I was thinking about it, and I realized it's not easy at all to do something like that."</p>

<p>Paul graduated from Loyola Blakefield in Baltimore and went to the Naval Academy Prep School in 2006 as a midfielder. But he switched to attack soon after he arrived. Last year he was a midfielder with the second line until an injury to then-starting attackman Bruce Nechanicky landed him on the attack.</p>

<p>He likely would have played midfield this year, Meade said, except that Nechanicky suffered another season-ending knee injury in the fall.</p>

<p>Paul is one of four former Loyola players on Navy's roster. The others are starting midfielder Joe Lennon, a sophomore; starting goalie Tommy Phelan, a junior; and starting defensive midfielder Bobby Lennon, also a junior.</p>

<p>Loyola Coach Jack Crawford said he does not intentionally steer players to Navy. But he is familiar with the academy: His father, also named Jack, is a distinguished graduate of the academy. Capt. Jack Crawford survived the Battle of Midway and later worked with Adm. Hyman G. Rickover to help build the first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus, in 1954.</p>

<p>Now in college, as he did in high school, Paul sometimes tests his coaches' patience.</p>

<p>"What makes him special is that he's not afraid to make mistakes," Daratsos said. "A lot of the top teams have guys like that. We're more of a reserved team historically. But with Tim, we have one guy who can push the envelope."</p>

<p>His penchant for such plays dates from the first goal he scored in a youth game. His mother said the goal came on an underhand shot.</p>

<p>"And it's still my favorite shot of his," Susan Paul said. "I'll always ask him to do it for me. From what I understand, underhand shots are not really accepted in lacrosse. He did it once in a high school game and the coach screamed at him. When he did it again, even though he scored, he got yanked.</p>

<p>"But afterward he told me, 'Mom, that one was for you.' "</p>

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<p>Junior Matt Coughlin has returned to practice and is moving around with little effect from his aggravated right hamstring, but no one is saying whether Coughlin or junior Tommy Phelan will start in the net in the No. 10 Midshipmen's contest against No. 6 Johns Hopkins (4-5) on Saturday.</p>

<p>"He's ready to play. We just haven't made a decision yet," coach Richie Meade said of Coughlin. "But he's ready. We think he's practiced to a point where we think he's recovered."</p>

<p>Coughlin, who started the team's first eight games before injuring his hamstring in Navy's 4-3 overtime win against Bucknell on March 19, compiled a 4.53 goals-against average and a .600 save percentage. The goalie production has barely slipped with Phelan, who has posted a 6.25 goals-against average and a .597 save percentage in four starts.</p>

<p>So does Meade go with the guy who was 6-1 in Coughlin or the hot hand in Phelan, who is 3-2?</p>

<p>"Those types of decision are the decisions that coaches make," Meade said. "I haven't decided one way or the other. We're in that process right now."</p>

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<p>For Immediate Release
Friday, April 18, 2008
Men's Lacrosse Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773</p>

<p>Bilderback-Moore Navy Lacrosse Hall of Fame Open to Fans</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Bilderback-Moore Navy Lacrosse Hall of Fame will be open to all fans attending Saturday's men's lacrosse contest between Navy and Johns Hopkins at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (12:00 faceoff). Ticketed fans may enter Gate D located on the west side of the stadium and take the stairs located inside the gate to gain entrance to the second floor of the banquet facility to visit the Hall of Fame. No admission fee, other than a game ticket, is required.</p>

<p>The weekend will be highlighted by the unveiling of the Willis Bilderback statue on Friday evening at a lacrosse alumni reception. The four-foot sculpture by Richard Stravitz depicts the legendary coach being carried off the field by his players after a win over Army.</p>

<p>Upon entrance into the Bilderback-Moore Navy Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the visitor is treated to the James H.H. Carrington Room in the Hall of Championships. The room features replica trophies and write-ups about Navy's 17 National Championship teams, while an N-Star wall lists every Army-Navy lacrosse game and includes a painted and dated ball for each Navy victory.</p>

<p>The Bilderback-Moore Navy Lacrosse Hall of Fame was made possible by a collaboration of former Navy lacrosse players, coaches and friends of the program whose private donations to the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation helped fund the project. Gallagher & Associates spearheaded the overall design and project management of the Bilderback-Moore Navy Lacrosse Hall of Fame, while 1220 headed up the fabrication, RMJ was responsible for the construction and GToo Media developed the interactive media and kiosks. Greg Murphy, a 1970 All-American who won the Schmeisser Cup the same year, served as the leader of the design committee.</p>

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<p>Mids bring nation's top 'D' into matchup against Johns Hopkins tomorrow</p>

<p>By Edward Lee | Sun reporter
3:54 PM EDT, April 18, 2008</p>

<p>The trust that the defensemen on the Navy men's lacrosse team have developed has a humble beginning: their stomachs.</p>

<p>At least once a week, as many as 15 defensemen and long- and short-stick defensive midfielders congregate inside the Steerage Restaurant on the Naval Academy's campus in Annapolis.</p>

<p>Pizzas are ordered, topics including movies and video games are discussed, and pints of Ben & Jerry's (bought by either senior defensemen Brendan Teague or Jordan DiNola) are consumed.</p>

<p>"I'd say we're pretty close," Teague said. "On the weekends, we all hang out together. During the week, we see each other every day, all day. ... Living close together, hanging out together, you just naturally become really good friends."</p>

<p>That camaraderie has reaped benefits on the field. The No. 10 Midshipmen (9-3) -- who play host to No. 6 Johns Hopkins (4-5) tomorrow at noon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium -- features the country's stingiest defense, which is surrendering just 5.3 goals per game (63 goals in 12 games) this season.</p>

<p>If that mark holds up, it would be the second-lowest average output allowed by a team. Only Delaware, which gave up 3.7 goals (44 goals in 12 games) in 1971, was stingier.</p>

<p>ESPN analyst and former Army coach Jack Emmer provided commentary during the Midshipmen's 9-6 loss to No. 9 Army on Saturday and came away impressed with Navy's defense.</p>

<p>"I think Navy is one of the great defensive teams," Emmer said. "Army exploited them a little bit on Saturday. Army fast-broke them three times for goals in that game and got some unsettled goals, but when Navy makes you play six-on-six, they don't give up any goals. And they don't foul you. They're the best defensive team in the country."</p>

<p>With any group, personalities emerge, and the same is true with the Midshipmen defense.</p>

<p>Junior defenseman Andy Tormey is the prankster with a fondness for swiping his teammates' backpacks and turning them inside out, while junior defensive midfielder Geoff Leone is the bulldog for his stocky build (5 foot 9, 184 pounds) and tenacious disposition. Sophomore defenseman Jaren Woeppel is the free spirit, junior defenseman Thomas Zimmerman is everyone's friend and junior defensive midfielder Bobby Lennon is the quiet one.</p>

<p>Perhaps because DiNola and Teague are seniors, the pair is more businesslike and tends to dictate the pace and tenor of practice, which can get chippy.</p>

<p>"We get after each other in practice, and it works that we're good friends as well," DiNola said. "When we get tough on each other during practice, it's better knowing that the guy's your friend when he's telling you that you [stink]."</p>

<p>The mark of a good defense is non-stop communication, but because many of the Navy defensemen have been playing together for at least the last two seasons, there is silent recognition and trust among the players.</p>

<p>"When I'm sliding to Teague's guy, I know that if I take the body, Teague's going to be right on the guy's back getting a stick-check," Tormey said. "And when Jordy inside-rolls a guy, I know Brendan's coming across the crease and clobbering the kid. It's like having an extra defender out there."</p>

<p>The performance of the defense has been critical to easing the fluctuation in the net, where junior Matt Coughlin (aggravated right hamstring) appears poised to reclaim his starting goalie position from junior Tommy Phelan, who has fared solidly in the team's last four games in Coughlin'sabsence.</p>

<p>Midshipmen coach Richie Meade isn't ready to say that this year's defense is better than the one that helped propel the program to the national championship game in 2004, but he has enjoyed the defense's progress.</p>

<p>"We have depth, and I don't think we've given up a lot of really good shots," Meade said. "... The one thing they have to be able to do is maintain the fundamentals that they worked so hard to acquire. When they do that and when they're communicating, they're pretty tough."</p>

<p><a href="mailto:edward.lee@baltsun.com">edward.lee@baltsun.com</a></p>

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<p>EASTON, Pa. -- The Navy women's lacrosse team outscored Lafayette, 10-4, in the second half to cruise to a 21-13 decision in the final Patriot League regular-season game of the year on Saturday afternoon. The win improves Navy's record to 12-3 overall, matching the 1996 North Carolina team for the most wins by a first-year program in NCAA history. It was also Navy's first road win of the season.</p>

<p>"Lafayette played us tough in their final game, but we played very well, especially in the second half," said Navy head coach Cindy Timchal. "We made some adjustments at halftime and they responded. It feels great to get that first road win and hopefully we can carry that momentum this week."</p>

<p>Lafayette took a 2-1 lead three minutes into the contest, but the Mids responded by scoring the next four goals, including two by sophomore Erin Rawlick, for a 5-2 advantage with 22:36 to play in the first half. Navy would stretch the lead to 10-5 with 10:35 to play on a Mary Ruttum tally.</p>

<p>The Leopards would answer by scoring four of the last five goals of the first half, then would close to within one at 11-10 moments into the second half on a Maria Drewing tally with 27:28 to play in the contest.</p>

<p>Navy, however, scored four goals in a row to push the margin back to 15-10, highlighted by a pair of Meg Decker scores. Lafayette scored twice in a row to trim the margin to 15-12, but Rawlick and Decker scored twice in a 6-0 Navy run to put the game out of reach, as the Mids cruised in for a 21-13 triumph.</p>

<p>With the victory, coupled with American's win over Colgate and Lehigh's overtime victory over Bucknell, the Mids will be the fourth seed in next weekend's Patriot League Tournament and will play the top seed, American, in Washington, D.C., at a time to be determined. The other semifinal will pit second-seeded Colgate against third-seeded Lehigh.</p>

<p>"That is good news that we are at American. It's a local game, so hopefully we can get a good crowd to follow us over there on Friday," said Timchal. "Obviously, we'll prepare a little bit differently in that in a tournament setting, you know everything about the other team. We have played all these teams already. It should be a great tournament and we are excited to be part of it."</p>

<p>Rawlick and Ruttum led the Mids with six points each. Rawlick scored five goals with an assist, while Ruttum tallied four goals and two assists. Decker and Amanda Towey scored five points each, with Decker tallying four goals with an assist and Towey contributing three goals and two assists. Freshman Katrina Nietsch scored four points (3 g, 1 a).</p>

<p>Natalie Blandon stopped 11 shots in goal, including nine in the crucial second half.</p>

<p>Lafayette outshot the Mids, 35-31, and picked up 27 ground balls to Navy's 22. Navy won 20 draw controls to Lafayette's 17. The Leopards were also just 4-of-13 on free-position shots.</p>

<p>Navy will conclude the regular season with a Tuesday night contest at Villanova, beginning at 6:00 pm. The Patriot League Tournament will get underway on Friday in Washington, D.C., with the semifinal winners meeting Sunday for the Tournament title.</p>

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<h1>7 Johns Hopkins def. #10 Navy, 12-5</h1>

<p>For Immediate Release
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Men's Lacrosse Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773</p>

<p>Offensive Explosion Leads No. 7 Hopkins Over #10 Navy</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Senior attack Kevin Huntley pitched a first quarter hat trick, while fellow attackman Michael Donegar added a pair of goals to lead the seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse team (5-5) to a 12-5 victory over No. 10 Navy (9-4) Saturday afternoon in front of 16,042 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The win not only pushed the Blue Jays' record to .500 this year, it also marked the 34th consecutive victory over the Midshipmen.</p>

<p>"We needed to play at a much higher level today than what we did," said Navy head coach Richie Meade. "Johns Hopkins played well, in particular in the first quarter. They are the best team we have played all year and the best team I've seen on tape. Keep in mind they were picked to win the National Championship and I would say all of you who have seen them play this year would probably agree that this was probably their best performance this season.</p>

<p>"They shot the ball well and we really didn't," added Meade. "When we did, their keeper made some good stops. You don't have a big margin of error when you are playing against a team like Johns Hopkins. You can't give up fastbreak goals and two rebound shots."</p>

<p>Hopkins jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the 4:48 mark which featured back-to-back goals by Huntley in the opening minutes. He put the Blue Jays on the scoreboard less than two minutes into the game when Paul Rabil's shot was saved by Navy keeper Tommy Phelan (Towson, Md.) and bounced out in front of the crease. Huntley outmuscled the rest of the players and sent a wicked shot over his left shoulder and into the net. </p>

<p>Hopkins was afforded two extra-man opportunities that resulted in the final two goals of the 4-0 run, including a goal by Steven Boyle who converted off a pass from from none other than Huntley after a delay of game call against the Mids with 4:48 remaining in the opening quarter.</p>

<p>Among the four-goal flurry, Hopkins took seven shots, four resulted in goals, two were saved and the seventh hit the post.</p>

<p>Navy, however, mounted a small run of its own as sophomore attack Tim Paul (Parkton, Md.) punched in back-to-back goals 49 seconds apart, including a nicely placed shot in which he misdirected his defender and shot past Hopkins keeper Michael Gvozden with 2:23 to go.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins, though, won the ensuing faceoff and with just seven seconds having elapsed, Huntley fired in his third goal of the first quarter to give the Blue Jays a 5-2 advantage at the end of the first period.</p>

<p>All-American Paul Rabil got by Navy long pole Zack Schroeder (Deer Park, N.Y.) early in the second quarter, putting his left-handed shot over the shoulder of Phelan to push Hopkins' lead to four. </p>

<p>Navy closed the gap to three when middie Patrick Moran (Annapolis, Md.) found Nick Mirabito (Binghamton, N.Y.) behind the cage and Mirabito bent around the right side to stick in his 20th goal of the year. While the goal clipped the lead to 6-3 at the half, little did Meade know it would be his team's last goal until under four minutes to play in the game.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins scored the first five goals of the second half, including a goal just seven seconds into the third period, to open up an 11-3 lead and put the game out of reach for the Mids.</p>

<p>It wasn't until Gregory Clement's (Dallas, Texas) goal off a saved Sean Standen (South Hadley, Mass.) shot that Navy was able to snap Hopkins' goal scoring streak with 3:14 to play. The Mids and Blue Jays traded goals in the final two minutes and was capped off by a Standen goal with 1:03 remaining.</p>

<p>The seven-goal loss was the largest margin of defeat suffered by the Mids since Johns Hopkins handled Navy, 17-3, in Baltimore on April 19, 2003. It was the worst loss at home since Hopkins dealt Navy an 18-11 loss in 1996.</p>

<p>"There are peaks and valleys every team goes through during the season," said Meade. "I've stressed the importance of poise and confidence to our players. Everything is in front of us right now. We have the Patriot League Tournament ahead of us and I know we will be prepared and will play well."</p>

<p>The Mids, who have won four consecutive Patriot League Tournament titles, will play in the 2008 Patriot League Tournament next weekend with the semis beginning on Friday. Navy's opponent and the site of the tournament, however, have yet to be determined. Those questions will be answered tonight when Colgate travels to Lewisburg, Pa. to face Bucknell.</p>

<p>If Bucknell defeats Colgate, Bucknell will be the host and top seed of the tournament and will face Colgate in the opening round, while second-seeded Army will battle the Midshipmen. However, should Colgate steal a win against the Bison tonight, the tournament will be played at Army with the Black Knights and Bucknell squaring off in the 1-4 game, while Navy would be the second seed and face Colgate.</p>

336

<p>By Christian Swezey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 20, 2008; Page D05</p>

<p>The crowd of 16,042 at the men's lacrosse game between Navy and Johns Hopkins yesterday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium included mandatory attendance from the Brigade of Midshipmen, a rarity for a sport other than football.</p>

<p>The brigade marched from the academy to the stadium, where they were served a pregame barbecue. Most of the midshipmen were still in line for food when the game effectively was decided.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins scored the first four goals en route to a 12-5 victory, its 34th consecutive win in the series dating from 1975.</p>

<p>Fans of Navy (9-4) had referred to this school year as the year of broken streaks. After all, the football team ended a 43-year losing streak to Notre Dame in November. Last week, the lacrosse team's 13-game winning streak against Army ended in a 9-6 loss.</p>

<p>The coaches at Johns Hopkins (5-5) were aware of the talk, too. They included the final score of the Navy-Notre Dame football game, and its significance, in the scouting report.</p>

<p>But the opening few minutes made certain that no streak would end yesterday. Senior Kevin Huntley had two goals and an assist in the four-goal spurt; his assist, on an extra-man goal by sophomore Steven Boyle, gave the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead with 4 minutes 48 seconds left in the first quarter.</p>

<p>In that span, the Midshipmen had one shot, four turnovers and two penalties. Of the game's first 11:39, Navy had the ball for just 3:33.</p>

<p>"I thought Hopkins played well the whole game, but I especially thought they played well in the first quarter," Navy Coach Richie Meade said. "They seized the lead. They shot the ball really well."</p>

<p>Said Huntley: "The first five minutes of the game are so important. We wanted to get ourselves on the right track."</p>

<p>The Midshipmen threatened briefly. They trailed 6-3 at halftime following two goals by sophomore Tim Paul and one from senior Nick Mirabito.</p>

<p>But the second half started much as the first had. Johns Hopkins senior Stephen Peyser had a clean win on the opening faceoff of the half and fed junior Tom Duerr on a fast break. Duerr then passed to senior Michael Doneger, who scored on a point-blank shot for a 7-3 lead. The sequence took seven seconds.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins extended the lead to 9-3 following goals by Doneger and junior Mark Bryan.</p>

<p>And it was 10-3 less than a minute into the fourth quarter after Peyser won the first faceoff of the quarter and scored. Peyser finished with one goal, one assist, won 5 of 9 faceoffs and had four groundballs. Huntley added three goals and an assist.</p>

<p>Paul scored two goals for the Midshipmen.</p>

<p>Dating from the second half against Maryland on April 4, the Midshipmen have scored 11 goals in 10 quarters. Offensive midfielders have four goals and three assists in that span.</p>

<p>"Their goalie was getting hot and unfortunately we kept shooting into his stick," Paul said. "That contributed to that a little bit. Our sets were good, unfortunately our shots weren't. . . . We were looking to get some slam dunks, we knew they were a little shaky inside. But as our desperation grew, our poise started to evaporate a little bit."</p>

<p>Sophomore goalkeeper Michael Gvozden finished with 16 saves for Johns Hopkins. Like most of the team, Gvozden had struggled during a five-game losing streak in midseason.</p>

<p>Yet in the past two weeks, he has given up nine goals and has 29 saves.</p>

<p>When asked what the difference is, Gvozden pointed to his head.</p>

<p>"I think it's up here," Gvozden said. "And I thank my coaching staff for that. They helped me relax out there."</p>

<p>The defense in front of him also played well. Junior Michael Evans was not defending Paul on either of his early goals, but held him scoreless over the final 47:23.</p>

<p>Fifth-year senior Eric Zerrlaut, meantime, held crease attackmen Greg Clement and Andy Warner scoreless while he defended them. Clement scored with 3:14 left, but by then Zerrlaut had been replaced.</p>

<p>This is the third consecutive year in which Zerrlaut has been a problem for Navy. In the past two years, he had held attackman Ian Dingman to a combined 1-for-16 shooting.</p>

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<p>Second straight win has Hopkins back on track</p>

<p>By Edward Lee | Sun reporter
April 20, 2008</p>

<p>As modest as the Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse team's two-game winning streak might seem, it has accomplished one thing: burying the memory of that five-game losing slide.</p>

<p>The No. 6 Blue Jays' 12-5 defeat of No. 10 Navy at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis yesterday has breathed new life into a team some fans and observers thought to be dead after dropping five straight games just two weeks earlier.</p>

<p>Back-to-back wins over in-state rivals Maryland last week and now the Midshipmen, however, have had a healing effect on Johns Hopkins (5-5), the defending NCAA champion.</p>

<p>"We kind of needed just to get that one win and start to build off of that and have some confidence and really get our team to rally around that," senior attackman Kevin Huntley (Calvert Hall) said. "It seemed like as soon as we won the Maryland game, a weight was lifted off of our chests. We stopped worrying about losing and thinking we had to win and just [thought of] going out and playing."</p>

<p>An announced 16,042 - the second-largest crowd to watch a lacrosse game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium - saw two teams finding different degrees of success yesterday.</p>

<p>The Blue Jays, who have won the past 34 meetings with Navy (9-4), scored the game's first four goals and turned a 6-3 halftime score into a rout by scoring the first five goals of the second half.</p>

<p>Hopkins' 12 goals were the most surrendered by Navy this season.</p>

<p>Huntley - who had scored three goals in three previous games against Navy - paced the Blue Jays with a hat trick and an assist, including two goals and an assist during the decisive game-opening run.</p>

<p>Senior attackman Michael Doneger scored two goals, while senior midfielders Paul Rabil and Stephen Peyser and junior midfielder Mark Bryan each added a goal and an assist.</p>

<p>"Coach [Dave Pietramala] always emphasizes the first five minutes of every game," Peyser said. "If we can win the first five minutes, that's going to help us, and we try to do that every single quarter. I think that was huge for us today."</p>

<p>Conversely, the Midshipmen could not muster much on their end, and after senior attackman Nick Mirabito scored with 5:48 left in the second quarter, the offense went scoreless for the next 32:34.</p>

<p>Sophomore attackman Tim Paul (Loyola) led Navy with two goals, scoring both in a 49-second span in the first quarter. But the Midshipmen could not solve Johns Hopkins sophomore goalkeeper Michael Gvozden, who finished with 16 saves.</p>

<p>"I think the main thing was our defense," said Gvozden (Severna Park). "They were forcing 15-yard shots all day. That makes my job a lot easier."</p>

<p>Navy, which hasn't beaten the Blue Jays since May 4, 1974, has dropped three of its past four games and will head to the Patriot League tournament for a possible semifinal meeting with No. 9 Army, which defeated the Midshipmen, 9-6, on April 12.</p>

<p>Coach Richie Meade seemed defiant in assessing his team's path to the postseason.</p>

<p>"Everything we want to do is in front of us," he said. "All of this stuff right now is just lessons. We're going to have to play in the Patriot League, and we will play well."</p>

<p>Notes // With 98 career goals, Huntley ranks 17th among Johns Hopkins' all-time goal scorers. Rabil's 62 career assists put him one shy of tying Terry Riordan for 16th on the school's all-time list. ... Mirabito moved into a tie for eighth place with Dave Bayly on Navy's all-time list with 153 career points. ... The announced attendance at yesterday's game was exceeded only by the 18,694 that watched Navy play Johns Hopkins in 2004.</p>

338

<p>By Patrick Stevens
April 20, 2008</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS ‹ Navy could have used a slight swing of luck to defeat Johns Hopkins in any of the last four years.</p>

<p>Yesterday a few extra bounces might have made it close as No. 10 Johns Hopkins capitalized on both talent and fortune in ripping the No. 8 Midshipmen 12-5 before 16,042 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.</p>

<p>Kevin Huntley scored three goals for the Blue Jays (5-5), whose once-imperiled season was further stabilized by a second straight victory.</p>

<p>And though Johns Hopkins twice scored off faceoffs and two more times off deflections, it pummeled the Midshipmen (9-4) because it seized an early lead and forced Navy into a more impatient, inefficient style of play.</p>

<p>"They're the type of team that is opportunistic," Navy defenseman Jordan DiNola said. "A couple of those plays where the ball just pops out in front of the net, and they're just in the right spot to stick a goal. Those things over the course of a game just compound on each other. Late in the game, we were playing an entirely different brand of lacrosse than we're used to."</p>

<p>The loss also landed the Mids in a place with which they are unaccustomed. Navy has dropped three of four heading into the Patriot League tournament and might need at least one victory in next weekend's event to secure a fifth consecutive NCAA tournament berth.</p>

<p>Navy has scored only 16 goals in its last three games, managing a victory at Maryland during the stretch in part because the Terrapins were enduring their own offensive foibles. Yesterday the Mids showed few signs of emerging from their recent struggles.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins pounced early for a 4-0 lead, and Tim Paul's back-to-back goals late in the first quarter provided some hope. But Huntley scored off the ensuing faceoff, and the Blue Jays were never threatened again.</p>

339

<p>April 19, 2008
Terry Foy</p>

<p>The streak continues. All of the Midshipmen faithful that hoped the football team's win over Notre Dame laid out a good omen for snapping the 34-year drought against Hopkins were disappointed today as the Blue Jays scored the game's first four goals and didn't look back.</p>

<p>The win puts Hopkins at 5-5 with Towson, Mount St. Mary's and Loyola left on the docket, and with quality wins over Princeton, Maryland and now Navy, a tournament berth is all but assured.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Navy is 9-4 with losses to bitter rivals Hopkins and Army heading into the Patriot League tournament.</p>

<p>Hopkins was paced by senior attackman Kevin Huntley's three goals and one assist, and was helped by winning 13-21 face-offs, including 8-12 from freshman Matt Dolente and sophomore Michael Powers, whose effectiveness helped keep Stephen Peyser fresh. Navy got a first quarter spark from Tim Paul's two early goals, but failed to put together much offense as they were held scoreless over the next 32 minutes.</p>

<p>Huntley picked up a loose ball in front of the net 1:20 in and finished behind his back, then four minutes later swept across the top of the box and took a feed from Peyser before putting on a laser. Kyle Wharton and Steven Boyle each added goals over the next five minutes, and Navy never recovered JHU's early 4-0 lead.</p>

<p>Player of the Game
Michael Gvozden</p>

<p>The sophomore goalkeeper had a great day last weekend against Maryland, and followed it up with a 16-save performance in his old backyard today.</p>

<p>When asked what the difference was between his current play and his midseason woes, Gvozden pointed to his head and said "It's all up here."</p>

<p>Other Notes
Respect for the Blue Jays</p>

<p>Navy coach Richie Meade said that the Hopkins team he saw today was the best team his Mids have played all season and one of the best squads he's seen on film.</p>

<p>Not too displeased</p>

<p>Meade also said that though he'd have liked to see his team play better early today, he was not disappointed in the effort.</p>

<p>"I'm not the type of guy and this is not the type of team to be worried about what happened two hours ago. Everything we want to do is in front of us."</p>

<p>Simplifying things</p>

<p>Pietramala talked about how beneficial assistant coach Bobby Benson's simplification of Hopkins' offensive sets has been. He commented that they were being "too cutesy" early in the season, and now they're not spending as much time getting into sets.</p>

<p>He also said that some personnel changes have helped, particularly since his players have been very willing to check their egos to benefit the team. Mike Kimmel and Mark Bryan (1, 0) have switched lines, and today Tom Duerr (0,1) started in place of Boyle. He also said things like Andrew Miller and Kimmel emerging as effective wing players on face-offs has helped to rest Paul Rabil (1, 1), who's getting a lot more out of his dodges in recent weeks.</p>

<p>Up Next</p>

<p>Navy: April 25, Patriot League Semifinals
Hopkins: April 23, Towson 7 p.m.</p>

340

<p>Patriot League Tournament Set</p>

<p>For Immediate Release
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Men's Lacrosse Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773</p>

<p>Navy to Face Colgate in Opening Round of Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Tournament</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. - After capturing a share of its fifth consecutive Patriot League regular-season lacrosse title, 10th-ranked Navy will travel to West Point, N.Y. for the 2008 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Tournament slated for Friday and Sunday, April 25 and 27. Top-seeded Army will open up the tournament with a 4:00 pm matchup against No. 4 Bucknell, while the second-seeded Midshipmen will battle No. 3 Colgate in the nightcap beginning at approximately 7:00 pm.</p>

<p>The Patriot League Championship Game, meanwhile, is set for Sunday at 2:00 pm and will be televised live on CBS College Sports. Jason Chandler (play by play), Major League Lacrosse's Director of Broadcast Content, and former Syracuse All-American Paul Carcaterra (analyst) will call the action. The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Championship. </p>

<p>While the four-team tournament field had been set for better than a week, it wasn't until late Saturday evening that the four teams knew not only their seeds, but also the location of the tournament. Bucknell looked to be the favorite heading into its game Saturday where they played host to Colgate. However, Colgate scored the final three goals of the game to take an 11-9 come-from-behind victory. The Colgate win not only pushed the postseason tournament from Bucknell to Army, it also sent the Bison tumbling from the No. 1 seed to now the No. 4 seed.</p>

<p>Navy has won at least a share of the Patriot League regular-season title all five years it has been a member of the conference (outright in 2004 and '07), while winning the Patriot League Tournament crown in 2004, '05, '06 and '07. This is just the second time in its five-year membership that Navy has not been the No. 1 seed and hosted the conference tournament (2004, '05, '07). In 2006, Navy dropped its regular-season matchup against Colgate, giving the Raiders the hosting rights.</p>

<p>After trailing 1-0, Navy rattled off eight consecutive goals to card an 8-3 victory over Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y. a month ago. Junior keeper Tommy Phelan (Towson, Md.) made a career-high 13 saves in what was his first collegiate start, while Nick Mirabito (Binghamton, N.Y.) scored three goals and added an assist to pace the Mids.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Bison handed Army its lone loss of the year after jumping out to a 6-0 halftime lead and an eventual 7-4 victory in Lewisburg, Pa.</p>

<p>2008 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Championship Schedule
Friday, April 25
No. 1 Army vs. No. 4 Bucknell 4:00 pm
No. 2 Navy vs. No. 3 Colgate 7:00 pm</p>

<p>Sunday, April 27
Championship Game (CBS College Sports) 2:00 pm</p>

<p>Tickets:<br>
Semifinals - $6 adults, $4 youth (18 and under), free for any students from participating schools with current school ID. For groups of 10 or more, tickets are available in advance only (no game day purchase) for $2 each.</p>

<p>Finals - $10 adult, $5 youth (18 and under), free for any students from participating schools with current school ID. For groups of 10 or more, tickets are available in advance only (no game day purchase) for $2 each. </p>

<p>For directions to the field and further information, visit either GoArmySports.com—The</a> Official Web site of Army Athletics or The</a> Patriot League - Official Athletic Site.</p>