The Navy men?s lacrosse team has firmly established itself as the team to beat in the Patriot League.
The Midshipmen have won the last three conference championships and are the preseason favorites to win the title again this year and receive a fourth consecutive automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. While those accomplishments are nice, they don?t satisfy Navy?s players, who are frustrated with their recent decline once in the national tournament.
After reaching the NCAA final in 2004, Navy got eliminated by Virginia in the 2005 NCAA quarterfinals. Last year, Georgetown booted the Midshipmen out in the opening round. An early exit from the tournament this year is not acceptable, senior defenseman Andrew Dow said.
“We have a lot of players returning, and I think we have a lot of depth on this team,” said Dow, Navy?s team captain. “We should do better in the tournament this year.”
Four first-team All-Patriot League selections return this year, including two-time All-American midfielder Billy Looney. A semifinalist for the Tewaarton Trophy, Looney finished last season with 18 goals and four assists while playing with a hurt shoulder.
“I?m 100-percent healthy now and only feel myself getting better and better,” Looney said. “We?re not happy where last season ended, and we won?t be satisfied with that this year.”
Senior Ian Dingman anchors Navy?s attack after being granted a fifth year of eligibility by the Patriot League. He finished 2006 with 33 goals ad 11 assists. Heading into this season, which begins Saturday against visiting St. Joseph?s, Dingman is eighth on Navy?s all-time scoring list with 146 points.
Dow and junior Jordan DiNola lead the Midshipmen?s defense, a unit that led the nation last year in goals-against average (5.47). Navy allowed 10 goals just once last year ? in an 11-10 win at Army. The Midshipmen also have allowed double-digit goals just three times over their last 31 games. But that unit has a big hole to fill at goalie following the graduation of Matt Russell, who had 104 saves and allowed 78 goals in 2006.
The defense will need to be stingy again in 2007. Navy?s schedule includes games against a number of tournament teams from last year, including Maryland (April 6) and Johns Hopkins (April 21). The Midshipmen own three straight wins over Maryland, but they have lost to Johns Hopkins 32 straight times.
“Beating Hopkins would not only mean a lot to us, but it would mean something to all of those teams that came before us,” Dow said.
KEY DATES
» Feb. 24: Navy visits Lafayette in its Patriot League opener, 1 p.m.
» March 31: Navy visits Georgetown in an NCAA tournament rematch, 3 p.m.
» April 14: Navy goes after its 12 straight win over rival and visiting Army, Noon
