Mount St

Mount St. Mary's offense has enjoyed better days. After averaging 11 goals in the first nine contests, the unit is averaging just 6.5 goals in befuddling losses to UMBC and Sacred Heart in back-to-back Saturdays. Fifth-year senior attackman Brett Schmidt has scored two goals each in the setbacks, but senior attackman Andrew Scalley has scored just once while assisting on four goals. Fifth-year senior attackman Cody Lehrer has scored a goal in each game, but has zero assists. “I just think they've lost their chemistry a little bit,” coach Tom Gravante said Friday morning as the Mountaineers traveled to their next game against Quinnipiac.

After finishing the last two years without advancing to the NCAA tournament, Mount St. Mary's finally has an opportunity to play in the coveted postseason. For the first time in its three-year existence, the Northeast Conference (NEC) has an automatic qualifier that goes to the champion of the league tournament. And as the Mountaineers (4-6) prepare to dive into conference play with a home contest against Sacred Heart (0-8) this Saturday, the carrot of an automatic qualifier has added a little spice to the team's next five games.

Coach: Jim Phelan, 45th season at Mount St. Mary's (785-428).Affiliation: Northeast Conference.1997-98 record: 13-15 overall, 8-8 in NEC.Radio: WXTR (820 AM), WMTB (89.9 FM).Arena: Knott Arena (3,196).Starters lost: Two.Tickets: $11 courtside, $8 lower-level reserved, $5 general admission. Call 800-628-2722.Best home game: UMBC, Jan. 11. The Mountaineers are used to beating the Retrievers, up 23-13 in the series. It just has more meaning this season.Best visiting player: Donnie Carr, La Salle, Nov. 14. In his first college game at Knott Arena, Carr scored 36 points and had six rebounds.

The Mount St. Mary's team that pulled off impressive victories over Bucknell and Delaware in February seems like a distant memory now. That's because the Mountaineers have dropped their last four contests, including opening play in the Northeast Conference with back-to-back losses to Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac. The team's numbers have precipitously declined since diving into the conference schedule. The offense is averaging more than three goals fewer (6.5 goals from 10.7), the defense is just as porous (13 goals from 13.3)

Last Sunday's 12-11 loss to Robert Morris saddled Mount St. Mary's with a winless record in the Northeast Conference and a spring without a berth in the league tournament. The Mountaineers (4-9 overall and 0-3 in the conference) could end the regular season with victories over Bryant (5-8, 3-0) this Saturday and Wagner (1-10, 0-3) on April 27, but they would be unable to vault over the Colonials (6-5, 2-1), Quinnipiac (5-6, 2-1) and Sacred Heart (2-9, 2-1) as all three of those teams own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Mount St. Mary's.

One potential byproduct of the new rules in men's college lacrosse this season: more disparity in offensive efficiency, a stat that looks at goals per offensive possession and adjusts for strength of schedule. In data from Brian Coughlin , a stats expert who has done analysis for Division I programs and contributes to Inside Lacrosse, Denver has the league's highest adjusted offensive efficiency. The Pioneers score at 51 percent (numbers adjusted for strength of schedule). That's markedly higher than last season's best, Massachusetts' 42 percent.

If Tom Gravante has his way - and as the head coach, he probably will - Mount St. Mary's will go with its third different starting goalkeeper in Saturday's Northeast Conference opener against Sacred Heart. Freshman Frankie McCarthy is poised to open Saturday's home contest as the goalie. McCarthy would replace sophomore Adam Borgogelli, who made nine consecutive starts after freshman Will Rego opened the season against then-No. 3 Maryland. Borgogelli made the start in last Saturday's 10-8 loss to UMBC, but after he surrendered seven goals in the first half, McCarthy played the entire second half, allowing just three goals and making five saves.

Mount St. Joseph lacrosse coach Dave Slafkosky wasn't looking for cupcakes for his team's Easter Lax Day. Tough challenges, he thought, could only help his young squad heading into the core of its Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference schedule. The No. 13 Gaels found more than they could handle in their opener Saturday against Westminster. The Owls, who lost to South River in the Class 4A-3A state final last season, took 14 of the game's first 15 shots, getting four goals each from midfielder C.J. Nichols and attackman Ryan Drenner in a 15-7 win. "Westminster ran by us and played tougher than us in every aspect," Slafkosky said.

EMMITSBURG -- Mount St. Mary's College ended a six-month nationwide search yesterday, naming George R. Houston Jr., a longtime administrator at Georgetown University, as its 23rd president.Mr. Houston's fund raising at Georgetown has been significant, and he will bring more than administrative abilities to the 186-year-old Mount St. Mary's College. He is leaving as manager of the endowment fund at the university in Washington, where he has worked for 28 years.Mr. Houston is credited with playing a major role in Georgetown's endowment growth from $19 million to $342 million during his tenure.

Mike Green netted the game-winner at the 73rd minute as host Howard edged Mount St. Joseph, 3-2, in boys soccer yesterday.Chris Dodson scored twice for Howard (2-2).Girls soccer* C. M. Wright 9, Aberdeen 0: Miranda Jones scored four goals and Jackie Bandert added two.* Bel Air 10, Edgewood 0: Junior forward Amy Avalone made a hat trick and added an assist in Bel Air's (5-1, 1-0) shutout over host Edgewood.Field hockey* N. Dame Prep 2, Oldfields 1: Jenny Chuasiriporn and Allison Smith broke a scoreless tie in the second half as each scored a goal in Notre Dame Prep's victory over host Oldfields (2-4)