NOTEBOOK
Ghitelman Has Gotten Off to A Fast Start
An overtime victory over Johns Hopkins last Saturday was a milestone win for the Cavaliers, but particularly for freshman goalie Andrew Ghitelman, who became the third Virginia freshman goalie in the past nine years to beat the Blue Jays.
(Andrew Shurtleff - AP/The Daily Progress)
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Saturday, March 29, 2008; Page E03
Adam Ghitelman became Virginia's third freshman goalkeeper to defeat Johns Hopkins since 1999 following a 13-12 overtime victory last Saturday. Derek Kenney defeated the Blue Jays as a freshman in 1999, and Tillman Johnson did so in a four-overtime game in 2001.
Overall, it is rare for freshman goalies to beat the Blue Jays. Dating from a victory by Princeton's Scott Bacigalupo in 1991, it is believed that only five freshman goalies have defeated Johns Hopkins. That includes Syracuse freshman John Galloway, who turned the trick in a 14-13 overtime victory on March 15.
(Syracuse's Peter Coluccini was a redshirt freshman when the Orange defeated Johns Hopkins in 2006.)
However, Virginia Coach Dom Starsia said he thinks Ghitelman can and will improve this year. The top-ranked Cavaliers (9-0) face No. 4 Maryland (6-2) today at noon at Byrd Stadium.
Ghitelman enters with a 9.80 goals against average and .503 save percentage.
"Adam is seeing a lot of things for the first time," Starsia said. "He was looking down the barrel at [Johns Hopkins all-Americans] Paul Rabil and Stephen Peyser last week. . . . Adam can play better, and we need him to. But we also need the defense to do a better job on the shots he is seeing."
Ghitelman made 10 saves against the Blue Jays. Kenney made 15 in beating Johns Hopkins in an NCAA tournament semifinal in 1999; Johnson made 18 in 2001.
Ghitelman became the starter after he, fifth-year senior Bud Petit and sophomore Mark Wade (Lake Braddock) received roughly equal playing time in the preseason.
His play today will be important against Maryland's attack, which features three freshmen as starters: Ryan Young (six goals, 14 assists), Travis Reed (15 goals, three assists) and Grant Catalino (13 goals, five assists). They are the team's top three scorers.
Today marks Maryland's first game this season at Byrd Stadium. It also is being broadcast on ESPN2, only the second time a regular season game has been broadcast on the network.
The other was a 16-15 victory by Johns Hopkins over Maryland in 1995.
"The guys are excited; there's been a lot of energy at practice this week," Terrapins Coach Dave Cottle said. "It's going to come down to the faceoff battle and goalie play. If we win those things, we have a chance."
