May 13, 2008

BALTIMORE, Md. - Navy's Tim Paul (Parkton, Md.) has been named the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Div. I Player of the Week after the sophomore attackman produced a career-high four goals in leading the 14th-ranked Midshipmen to an 8-7 victory over fourth-seeded and ninth-ranked North Carolina last Saturday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Navy's win snapped a three-game NCAA Tournament losing streak dating back to 2005, while it also marked the highest seeded team the Mids have beaten since 1981 when Navy upset third-seeded Army at West Point.

A Second-Team All-Patriot League selection, Paul scored in succession to give Navy a 2-0 lead in the first quarter of the game. He scored back-to-back goals for a second time to open the third quarter, breaking a 4-4 tie to give the Mids a two-goal advantage and the lead for good.

Paul's four-goal performance marked the largest offensive output by a Navy player in an NCAA Tournament game since Joe Bossi stuck in four goals against Penn in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, it marked the second consecutive game a Navy player has turned in four goals, as junior middie Shane Durkin (Germantown, Md.) produced a career-high four goals in Navy's Patriot League Tournament loss to Colgate.

Paul, who is Navy's top goal scorer with 26 this spring, has turned in 10 multi-goal games this year, including a pair of hat tricks.

The Midshipmen will face defending National Champion Johns Hopkins on Saturday when the two programs clash in the second game of the Annapolis-based quarterfinals. Though the two teams have faced one another on 81 previous occasions, Saturday will be the first time Navy and Johns Hopkins have met in the NCAA Tournament. Second-seeded Virginia will meet the No. 7 seed Maryland Terrapins in the day's opening contest slated for 12:00 pm, followed by the Navy-Johns Hopkins tilt at 3:00 pm. ESPNU will televise both games live, while 1430 WNAV and 1050 WFED will broadcast the Navy game.

Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets prior to Saturday as record-breaking attendance is expected. Tickets, $12 for adults and $10 for youth, may be purchased via the internet at www.NavySports.com or by calling the Navy ticket office at 1-800-US4-NAVY. A reminder to fans, there is a $5 charge to park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Gate 5 lot off Taylor Avenue will open at 6 a.m., while the rest of the gates will open at 9 a.m. Please plan on arriving early, as the lot will fill up fast. Stadium gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

A free shuttle service will also be provided from the Harry S. Truman Park and Ride lot to the North End Zone of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Fans are encouraged to utilize this service in order to avoid the congestion on Route 50 and around the stadium. Busses will depart the stadium and return to the Harry S. Truman Park and Ride throughout the game and up to one hour after the game.

The Harry S. Truman Park and Ride lot is located at Harry S. Truman Parkway and Riva Road near the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration in Annapolis.