Last March 26, the University of Maine picked up its first of four NCAA Tournament wins en route to its second national championship in seven years.

The Bears beat Ohio State 4-2 in the first round of the NCAA East Regional in Worcester, Mass.

After sweeping the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio 3-2 and 3-1 over the weekend, Ohio State coach John Markell said the Bears are a legitimate NCAA Tournament contender.

“I don’t know if they have a dynamic player like [Steve] Kariya, but they have some good ones. They have three good lines that come at you,” said Markell. “The defense is solid and the goaltending is solid. Maine is very solid down the middle, which you have to be in order to be a good hockey club.”

The sweep helped Maine gain a first-place ranking in Monday’s USA Today/American Magazine men’s college hockey poll.

Markell said despite the inexperience in goal, Matt Yeats (24 saves, two goals allowed) and Mike Morrison (32 saves, 1 goal) appear to be able to give the Bears the goaltending necessary to be successful.

“Both of them came under pressure but they both turned in good efforts,” said Markell who added that the Bears are “very comparable” to the Michigan State team that had swept his Buckeyes the previous weekend in East Lansing, Mich. 1-0, 6-0.

Maine coach Shawn Walsh, whose team had allowed 10 goals in its previous three games, was pleased with his team’s performance.

“I thought we solidified our defensive team play,” said Walsh. “We didn’t take as many chances [offensively]; we played smarter and our defense corps played extremely well. Our work habits away from the play were very high, the forwards came back to the puck and that helped us generate speed going the other way.”

He said sophomore defenseman Doug Janik was “immense.

“He played within himself and was great defensively. He really made another step,” said Walsh.

Another player who stepped up his game, according to Walsh, was senior center and co-captain Cory Larose, who scored both game-winners and added an assist. Larose, named the Hockey East Player of the Week for the first time in his career, had just one assist through Maine’s first three games.

Walsh had a talk with Larose last week and told him the way former Bear All-American defenseman David Cullen was able to elevate his game was by improving his work habits in practice.

“I had been frustrated. I didn’t feel I had been contributing to the team,” said Larose. “I didn’t feel real comfortable out there. I was trying too hard. I was trying to do too much individually.”

He said he took Walsh’s advice by working harder in practice and “putting everything else aside” and it worked out.

Larose added that he wants to become a “go-to” clutch player like Kariya and Cullen were.

“I want that kind of pressure,” said Larose.

Maine opens Hockey East play with Friday night and Sunday afternoon home games against Northeastern and Providence, respectively.

Bowdoin earns NCAA bid

The Bowdoin College women’s soccer team, 12-2 and the winner of six straight, has earned its fifth consecutive bid to the NCAA Division III championships while the Colby College women’s soccer and field hockey teams have qualified for the ECAC Tournament.

Bowdoin will host Framingham State on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Also on Wednesday, the Colby women’s soccer team, 7-5-2, will visit 10-1-3 Amherst College and the White Mules’ 8-6 field hockey team will travel to 11-5 Wellesley College. Both games are at 2 p.m.

Freshman Caroline Budney (8 goals, 3 assists) and sophomore Alison Lavoie (6 & 3) have paced the Bowdoin women; the Colby soccer women have received a single-season record-setting 13 goals from freshman phenom Chrissingle-season record-setting 13 goals from freshman phenom Christine O’Donnell and three goals and four assists from Steph Zegras and the Colby field hockey team has been sparked by senior Robynne DeCaprio (8 & 2) and sophomore Marcia Ingraham (8 & 0).

MMA’s Tardif sets NEFC records

Maine Maritime Academy of Castine hasn’t achieved the success it would like during the 1999 New England Football Conference season, but that hasn’t stopped Steve Tardif in his assault on statistical milestones.

The senior tailback from Biddeford achieved two NEFC marks with a 31-carry, 156-yard rushing performance in Saturday’s 22-20 loss to Salve Regina at Castine.

Tardif has pushed his career rushing yardage total to 5,625, eclipsing the previous record of 5,570 set by Joe Dudek of Plymouth State (N.H.) from 1982-85. The speedy 5-foot-9, 185-pounder also pushed his career all-purpose yardage to 7,358.

In doing so, Tardif surpassed the 6,995 yards amassed by MMA standout Kirk Matthieu of Fairfield from 1989-93. Tardif continues to lead the NEFC this fall, averaging 228.7 all-purpose yards per game.

XL Golf event benefits UM hockey

Golfers are invited to participate in an indoor scramble that will support the scholarship, equipment, and travel needs of the University of Maine men’s hockey team.

XL Golf in Hermon will host the event, which began Monday and will run through April 1 of 2000. The cost ($25 per person) includes one mulligan. A team will be made up of four players. Monthly gross and net winners will qualify for Championship Night in early April.

Call 848-5850 for tee time and mention UMaine hockey.