PressBox: Stevenson Hosts Roanoke In Quarterfinals

Stevenson Hosts Roanoke In Quarterfinals

By Barrett Neale

For a second-straight year, Stevenson will host Roanoke for an NCAA quarterfinal men's lacrosse game.

The Mustangs (18-2) won last year's matchup, 15-14, in overtime. They received a first-round bye this year and advanced to this year's game by defeating Cabrini, 13-8, last Saturday.

The Maroons (16-3) beat Colorado, 25-5, during the first round and Gettysburg, 15-9, during the second to earn their spot in the quarterfinals. Stevenson leads the all-time series against Roanoke, 2-1.

The fourth meeting, on May 19, will feature the nation's two best scoring offenses. The Mustangs average 16.85 goals per game and the Maroons average 16.63.

Stevenson senior attackman Jimmy Dailey leads the country in points-per-game average (5.80, 116 total). But it is another senior attackman, Neal Barthelme, who leads the Mustangs in goals scored (73).

Junior attackman Jeff Keating leads Roanoke with 80 points (48 goals, 32 assists), while sophomore attackman Richard Lachlan has a team-best 54 goals.

The faceoff battles will be between two senior midfielders, Stevenson's Ray Witte (232-358, 64.8 percent) and Roanoke's Justin Tuma (246-392, 62.8 percent). Each leads his team in ground balls collected -- Witte has 125 and Tuma has 188.

Freshman goalkeeper Charles Pease has started 13 of the Maroons' 19 games. He has a 53.9 save percentage and a 10.75 goals-against average. The Mustangs' goalkeeper is junior Ian Bolland, who has started all 20 of their games, posting a 59.7 save percentage and a 6.20 goals-against average.

Each team also has a senior defender who leads the team in caused turnovers. The Mustangs' Evan Douglass has forced 57 errors, while the Maroons' Alex Burkhead has caused 43.

This is Stevenson's third-straight NCAA berth and third overall. The Capital Athletic Conference's automatic berth went to Salisbury, which beat Stevenson in the conference championship, but the Mustangs' 17-2 regular-season record was more than enough to secure an at-large berth.

A number of Mustangs were honored when the CAC announced its all-conference teams. Dailey is the CAC Player of the Year, and fellow seniors Douglass, Witte, Barthelme and senior midfielder Kyle Moffitt joined him on the first team. Stevenson's second-team selections were senior defender Kyle Menendez and freshman attackman Kyle Rossi. Freshman defender Ryan Rubenstein was selected as the conference's Rookie of the Year.

Roanoke is making its 23rd overall appearance in the NCAA tournament, its sixth time in seven years. It earned an automatic bid after winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship.

Tuma was named the 2011 ODAC Player of the Year, and Keating and Burkhead joined him on the first team. Lachlan, senior midfielder Trey Keeley, and senior midfielder Drew Manley were second-team selections.Junior midfielder Eric DeLong and sophomore midfielder Mike Hayden earned honorable mention.

At the conclusion of the regular season, Stevenson was ranked third nationally and Roanoke was seventh. Their game begins at 4 p.m., and the winner will play either No. 1 Salisbury or No. 6 Dickinson during the semifinals on Sunday.

Posted May 18, 2011