On Sunday, February 16, Mercyhurst defeated Elmira 8-3, completing a season
sweep of the Soaring Eagles.  But the significance of this game was that it
came close to being the last one of the season for the Lakers.  Last Thurs-
day, school administrators announced that eleven hockey players were placed
on "social suspension" for violating the college's alcohol policy.  The
charges stemmed from a large drinking party that took place at one of the
Mercyhurst dorms.  About 50 students were involved, including the eleven
players.  Athletic director Pete Russo also announced that the suspensions
had left Mercyhurst without enough quality players to finish the season, and
that the remaining schedule (consisting of a game against St. Bonaventure
and participation in the ECAC West playoffs) had been cancelled.
 
The hockey team filed an appeal of the suspensions, and the process was
accelerated to keep open the possibility of rescheduling the St. Bonaven-
ture game.  After several meetings and an investigation were conducted
Thursday night and Friday morning, school administrators reinstated six of
the suspended players, saying that they had been judged prematurely.  The
game against St. Bonaventure was moved to Saturday night (The Lakers won,
7-2).
 
The five players who remained on suspension are: goaltender Scott Barber,
defensemen Dave Lewis and Clint Thomas, and forwards Ryan Murphy and Jim
Pollio.  All of them were starters except Pollio, who was ruled ineligible
by the NCAA last November (Mercyhurst had to forfeit two victories for using
him).  Pollio is a transfer from Plattsburgh State, and the NCAA ruled that
he had been declared ineligible for the upcoming season at Plattsburgh
before transferring to Mercyhurst -- and thus, he could not play for the
Lakers.  Pollio claims that a mistake was made on his Plattsburgh transcript
and is now suing Plattsburgh because they are withholding it.
--
Bill Fenwick                        |  Send your HOCKEY-L poll responses to:
Cornell '86 and probably '94        |  [log in to unmask]
LET'S GO RED!!
"I'm not allowed to say anything about the officiating, even if it's bad.  I'm
 not allowed to talk about the officiating, even if it's pathetic."
-- BU head coach Jack Parker after the Feb. 14th game between BU and Lowell,
   in which the officiating did leave a little to be desired