University of Virginia Library

'Big Four' Showdown

Navy Gunners Aim At Roddy, Cavaliers

By FLETCHER THOMPSON

Virginia's third-ranked
stickmen, vanquished from
consideration for the nation's
top spot by Johns Hopkins last
weekend, will try to get back
in the pollsters' good graces
this Saturday, as they confront
Navy at Scott Stadium at 2
p.m.

The 6-1 Midshipmen, who
have traditionally been in the
thick of the struggle for NCAA
supremacy, are considered
somewhat of a dark horse for
this year's title, behind the
other "big four" teams of
Hopkins, Maryland and
Virginia.

While this trio has played
musical chairs with the
number-one position, the Mids
have been holding steady in the
fourth slot, a position they
maintained despite last
weekend's 14-7 thrashing by
Maryland.

Among the Middies
victories are a 5-4 edging of
Cornell and an 11-4 grudge win
over Cortland State, the team
that knocked them out of last
year's NCAA tourney.

"They are different from
Navy teams of recent years in
some of the things they do, but
they are just like a typical
Navy team in their
conditioning, hustle and desire
to win," explains lacrosse boss
Glenn Thiel. "We'll have to
work a lot harder than we did
last week if we want to beat
Navy."

Specifically, he says the
boys from Bay country "play a
more patterned offense than
they used to" and that their
defense is "fast and big." Thiel
labels "relatively weak stick
work" as Navy's soft spot.

Victories over the sailors
have not exactly been common
occurrences in the history of
Virginia lacrosse. Navy has
heaped up a 22-3 edge in the
series, with the Cavs' only
recent win coming in 1971,
11-7. Last year's affair, played
in the rain in Annapolis, ended
in a 12-10 Navy verdict.

Big scoring studs for Navy
commander Dick Szlasa are
midfielder Bill Kordis (13
goals and 4 assists), and
attackmen Dave Bayly (11 and
22), Marty Mason (12 and 10)
and Nick Smilari (12 and 1).

Patrolling the nets is goalie
Ray Finnegan, who has
stopped 50 shots so far this
year.

For the Cavaliers, big gun
Tom Duquette (20 goals) will
lead the assault on the Navy
goal, while mates Jim Ulman
(13), Rick Bergland (17) and
Rich Werner (10) are among
those who hope the day will be
remembered as "Finnegan's
Wake."

CD/John Markon

Wahoo Stickmen Hope To Revenge Last Year's 12-10 Loss This Saturday In Scott Stadium