Game, set, match

Mary Washington tennis standout Randy Loden vindicated his selection as the CAC's player of the year by contributing four victories -- two each in singles and doubles -- to last weekend's NCAA tournament triumphs over No.18 Washington and Lee and No.4 Trinity.

Loden, a junior from Mills Godwin High School, won 6-2, 6-3 at No.2 singles in the Eagles' 5-4 conquest of W&L. His 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) singles victory against Trinity completed Mary Washington's comeback from a 4-1 deficit. Loden and teammate Kaz Murata won twice at No.1 doubles.

Loden carried a 14-6 singles record and a 15-8 doubles mark into this weekend's Division III team quarterfinals. He will participate in the NCAA Division III singles and doubles tournaments.

The hole truth

Jordan Utley knows how to make an exit. Utley, the University of Richmond's standout senior golfer from Mills Godwin, earned all-Atlantic 10 distinction for the second time with a fourth-place finish at last weekend's conference tournament in Orlando, Fla.

Utley manufactured a 54-hole score of 208, 8-under-par at the Orange County National Golf Center. He finished three strokes behind the individual champion.

Utley made but one bogey in the final 36 holes and played his last collegiate round (a 69) with no bogeys. He was one of four players to post subpar scores in all three rounds. He produced five rounds in the 60s in the three A-10 tournaments played at Orange County.

Heavy lifting

Christopher Newport weight thrower Kelsey Farmer, a sophomore from Lee-Davis, contributed a team-high 30 points to the Captains' runaway victory in last week's Mason-Dixon Conference outdoor track and field championship meet in Newport News.

Farmer, a three-sport participant at Lee-Davis, delivered four top-four finishes. Her harvest included a victory in the hammer throw. Her winning effort in that event (140-11) was the second-best in school history.

Farmer finished second to Captains teammate Rachael Clark in two other events: the discus (121-11) and the shot put (36-1½). She placed fourth in the javelin competition (81-11).

Stick(y) situation

Washington and Lee lacrosse player Britten Mathews capped a splendid season by earning a spot on the all-Old Dominion Athletic Conference first team.

Mathews, a sophomore attack from Collegiate, led her team to a 17-2 record, the best in program history, and its sixth consecutive ODAC tournament title.

Mathews entered this weekend's NCAA Division III tournament with 35 goals and 21 assists for a team-high 56 points. She contributed a goal and an assist to Washington and Lee's 13-4 thrashing of Lynchburg in last month's ODAC tournament title game.

Encore! Encore!

Hillary Hudgins attached an exclamation point to her splendid career as a Roanoke College softball player by earning first-team all-ODAC distinction for the second time in as many years. Hudgins, a senior center fielder from Varina, led the Maroons to a 28-10 record.

"Led" is the key word. Hudgins was Roanoke's most productive player in batting average (.408), hits (49), runs (49), doubles (11) and stolen bases (12 in 12 attempts).

She will graduate as one of Roanoke's career leaders in batting average (fourth all-time), hits (second), runs (third), doubles (third) and walks (third). A four-year starter, she batted better than .400 in each of her past three seasons. She was named to the ODAC's honorable mention list as a sophomore.

Bulletin board

Averett basketball player Cory McDaniel, a senior forward from Clover Hill, was chosen as the Cougars' male athlete of the year. . . . Bucknell senior soccer player David Harris, also from Clover Hill, received the Reynolds Award for sportsmanship and class at his club's recent honors banquet.

Hermitage alumna Kristin Mundie batted .378 with 11 extra-base hits and 28 RBI as a freshman softball player at Virginia Wesleyan. She was named to the all-ODAC second team.

Three Sweet Briar seniors, Beth Anderson (Mills Godwin/softball), Ellie Donahue (Trinity Episcopal/lacrosse) and Jennifer Milby (Lee-Davis/swimming) received coaches' awards at the Vixens' recent end-of-the-year banquet. -- Vic Dorr Jr.