From Associated Press ...
 
  Sunday's scores
  EAST
     Maine 6, Merrimack 4
  MIDWEST
     St. Cloud St. 4, Michigan Tech 3
 
  And this on the Maine situation ...
 
   ORONO, Maine (AP) -- Stung by a string of NCAA
  violations, the president of he University of Maine is
    lashing out
at a former official.
   President Frederick Hutchinson criticized former NCAA
  compliance officer Linwood "Woody" Carville for allegedly
  trying to deflect attention from his own role in eligibility
    violations involving five athletes. Carville has accused
  Maine's athletic director of planning a coverup.
   "There is ample evidence that Woody is looking for
    someone else to share the blame," Hutchinson said Sunday.
   The athletes were graduate students in their final year
  of eligibility, and all were enrolled in six credit hours of
  classes, two less than the NCAA's minimum. The disclosure
    means five teams, including the defending national
champion hockey team, will probably have to forfeit their
    games for the entire season.
   Carville, who was fired last week, was quoted in the
  Maine Sunday Telegram as saying athletic director Michael
  Ploszek initially wanted to cover up the violations. He also
    suggested Ploszek may have kept the violations under wraps
  if he hadn't pressured the athletic director.
   "They all looked for a scapegoat and none of them wanted
  to accept any blame," Carville said. "And there's plenty of
    blame to go around."
   The latest errors were discovered by a graduate student
  who worked in Carville's office, according to Carville, who
    said he told Ploszek the next day of the problem.
   Carville noted that two of the athletes -- hockey player
  Patrice Tardif and indoor track team member Allyson Lowell
  -- needed to be withdrawn from competition before their next
    scheduled events in mid-February.
   Carville quoted Ploszek as allegedly saying: "This is
  very bad and we've decided we're going to handle it
  in-house. We're going to take care of this within our own
    group. There's no need to get anybody else involved."
     The problems weren't disclosed until Thursday.
   Ploszek, who was suspended one week for failing to
  immediately notify coaches of the eligibility problems,
    denied Carville's assertions. He also denied the
  exchanges with Carville.
   "I'm outraged. I'm outraged because of the people in the
  back of this room," Ploszek said Sunday, referring to
    coaches and other members of his staff.
   Hutchinson called the news conference on Sunday to answer
    Carville's allegations.
   Reading a four-page statement, Hutchinson tracked the
  chronology of events between the time administrators first
  became aware of the eligibility problems on Feb. 16 and the
    time they were reported Feb. 24.
   Hutchinson also blamed Carville on Sunday for other rules
    violations this season.
   Two hockey violations, including one that led to a
   five-game suspension of coach Shawn Walsh, and a scheduling
  error that could cost the women's basketball team a playoff
    berth, were partially Carville's fault, Hutchinson said.
   "Woody says he's a scapegoat. The fact is he made the
  mistake. He made the mistake that likely will cost five
  athletes and their teams the victories they earned through
    competition this year," he said.
   The administrator expressed support for Ploszek, whom he
  described as diligent in reporting problems during his 2
    1/2-year tenure.
   "Despite recent events, I am completely confident that
  Mike is capable of leading our athletic department through
    these rough times," Hutchinson said.
 
Excuse the bad justification
 
 
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|                   Lynn Burke    Newport News, Va.                     |
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