DIVISION I LACROSSE PREVIEW Top Division I teams FINAL Edition

• Published in: The Sun (Baltimore, Md. : 1837)
• Main Author: Marc Bouchard, Doug Brown, Mike Preston and Bill Tanton
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore, Md Tribune Publishing Company, LLC 26.02.1993
• ISSN: 1930-8965

Outlook: The Terrapins lost three of their top five scorers from last year's team, as well as first-team All-America defenseman Brian Burlace. Sophomore Rob Chomo, who finished second on the team last year with 42 points, will need to match his outstanding freshman year if Maryland hopes to return to the NCAA tournament for a third straight time. Joining Chomo on attack will be senior Scott McMahon (2 goals, 3 assists), junior Matt Parks (11, 4) and sophomore Mike Bordi (2, 3). The attack also has several talented freshman, including Gene Lower (Boys' Latin), Rob Bouse (St. Paul's) and Scott deGraffenreid (Severna Park). The midfield will be the strength of this year's Terrapins, although they lose top-ground ball getter and faceoff specialist Andy Claxton. Seniors Dan Reading (18, 2), Bob Huggins (12, 4), Erik Elfstrum (11, 2) and Jay Pasko (4, 9) will lead a deep group of midfielders. Sophomore John Brothers will handle faceoffs. The defense is without Burlace, but returns three-year starters Steve Hayes and Danny Robbins, both juniors. The third starter will be senior Matt Ritter. Junior Matt Back will start in goal for the Terrapins after playing behind All-American selection Steve Kavovit the past two years. Maryland fell to eventual national champion Princeton, 11-10, in the quarterfinals of last year's tournament. Outlook: The Orangemen are without the wizardry of three-time first-team All-American attackman Tom Marechek, but with six All-Americans returning from last season's NCAA finalist, they again should be in the hunt. Syracuse has won four NCAA titles in 10 years and has made 13 NCAA tournament appearances in 14 seasons. The Orange returns seven of its nine double-figure scorers, its No. 1 goalie (Chris Surran), top faceoff man (Bob Feisee) and two-thirds of its defensive midfield line from a team that came within a goal of the national title. Jamie Archer and Matt Riter head the attack unit; the midfield is led by first-team All-Americans Charlie Lockwood and Dom Fin. If the Orange has a weakness, it is close defense, with Ric Beardsley the lone returning starter. Outlook: Although the Tigers lost almost a third of their scoring from last year with the graduations of Lindsay Dixon and John Blatchley, who accounted for 69 of Towson's 225 points, last year's top scorer, senior Joe Genovese, returns on attack. Genovese scored 29 goals and had 13 assists last season, including a last-second goal that gave Towson a 14-13 win at Johns Hopkins in the regular-season finale. Junior Steve Carcaterra (18 goals, nine assists) also is back on attack, and sophomore David Quinn will move from midfield to the third attack spot. The midfield returns two of three starters from last year's team in senior Colin McDermott (4, 2) and junior Stewart Crotty (11, 3). Sophomore Bob Doherty will be the third starter. Sophomore Tim Lucky, who led Towson in ground balls last year with 78, senior Brian Cesarski and freshman Mark Goers will handle the faceoff duties. On defense, seniors Rich Regan, who led Towson defensemen with 53 ground balls last year, and Jason Scarborough return. The third starter will be either junior Jim Moore or sophomore Mark Spencer. The Tigers lack experience in the goal. [Carl Runk] will have to choose between junior Tim Colt, a backup his previous two years, and freshman Brian Whalen. Towson's schedule contains five teams that appeared in last year's tournament, including Syracuse, whom the Tigers haven't played since 1989. Towson was eliminated by Johns Hopkins, 15-8, in last season's NCAA quarterfinals.