University of Virginia Library

Season Opener

Stickmen, Roanoke Face Off

By STEVE GASKE

If you're lying around
Saturday afternoon and feel
like getting out and taking
advantage of the spring
weather, the NCAA Lacrosse
champions are opening their
season against Roanoke at 2
p.m. on the U-Hall field above
the track.

For Coach Glen Thiel's
squad the game will be a
chance to work out the early
season bugs that were evident
in last weekend's scrimmages.

After Saturday's scrimmage
against Carling, a team
generally considered to be the
best in the nation, Mr. Thiel
commented that, "we played
well but these things we can
work out early in the year."

After losing 12-8 to Carling,
the Cavaliers came back to
pummel Randolph-Macon 12-1
on Sunday, showing why they
are defending National
champions.

The top returners from last
year are senior All-American
Tom Duquette and Bruce
Mangels.

Duquette leads the attack
that was weakened by the
graduation of two time
All-American Jay Connor and
Rick Beach. The attack,
Virginia's strong point last
year, may be the weak spot
this year, if there are any.

With an All-American as a
base, however, and returning
letterman Rick Bergland the
attack should be more than
adequate. Phil Epler will
probably be the other starter
with Barry Robertson, Bill
Moorhead, and Al Sadler
seeing plenty of action.

Midfield should still be
especially strong this year,
despite the graduation of Pete
Eldredge. An All-American for
three years and the leading goal
scorer in Virginia history,
Eldredge was named the
outstanding college player in
the nation last year.

Even with Eldredge gone,
three of the top four
midfielders from last year
return. Fourth-year man Jim
Ulman and third-year men
Doug Cooper and Greg
Montgomery are all
outstanding players and, with
an extra year's experience each,
should be able to take up the
slack of Eldredge's graduation.

Mangels will lead the
defense, one of the strong
points of this year's team.
Starters Boo Smith and Ed
Spencer also return, as well as
top replacement Ted Coburn.

Despite All-American
Mangels, the major weakness
last year was an inexperienced
defense. This year the Cavs
have experience on defense and
should be among the best in
the country at that position.

Once again the goal
keepers' position will be a
battle between second-year
men Rodney Rulman and
Scott flowe.

Rulman was the starter last
year and is the number one
goalie this year but, Howe is
pushing for time. It would not
be at all surprising if they each
played a half against
Roanoke this weekend.

Roanoke is 2-0 so far and
are not to be taken lightly.
Lacrosse boss Glen Thiel added
a baby girl to his family
yesterday and was unavailable
for comment but, according to
Doyle Smith, the SID for the
National Collegiate Lacrosse
Association, "Roanoke is a
good, well-organized team. A
definite contender in their
division."

It appears Roanoke's major
problem might be
inexperience. A well-drilled
team, Roanoke has only three
seniors on its squad and mostly
first-year men filling out the
defense.

Bill Ebeling, a second-year
defense man is probably the
top player on Roanoke's squad
but, Braxton Andrews and Bill
McLean on attack are also top
players.

Cavalier Stickmen Will Be Hoping For A Repeat Of Last Year's 22-4 Win Over Roanoke Tomorrow