U.Va. notes

Tucker leaving basketball team

When the men's basketball team tips off its season tomorrow night, the Hoos will be extremely thin at the forward position.

On Saturday, Assane Sene was suspended by coach Tony Bennett for the first three games for conduct detrimental to the team.

Then yesterday, Jamil Tucker announced he was taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The situation is further hampered by a foot injury to Mike Scott, though Bennett said Scott could be cleared to play against Longwood tomorrow night.

The team's only other true forwards are Jerome Meyinsse and walk-on Will Sherrill.

Bennett said yesterday that he would consider using four-guard formations during the game, though a starting lineup has not been set.

"I think we've got some flexibility," he said. "I think there is parity in this program. There's no clear-cut guys that you would say, this is a dominant starting five. We want to have continuity, but I think it could fluctuate."

The team played two closed scrimmages, one against Marquette and one against St. John's. There will be no exhibition games.

Field hockey hosting regional

Virginia's field hockey team, ranked No.2 in the nation, will host an NCAA regional Saturday and Sunday.

U.Va. faces Richmond at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at University Hall Turf Field. The teams met earlier this season with the Cavs winning 4-3.

"I'm not sure we were really ready for it, and it took a while for us to get our game together," sophomore Paige Selenski said.

She said she's looking forward to getting a chance to play an NCAA game at home. Last season, the Cavs had to play on the road, falling in the second (quarterfinal) round to Wake Forest.

Virginia also hosted the ACC tournament this year, with the Cavs being edged in the final in overtime by No.1 Maryland, which is undefeated.

The winner of Saturday's game will face Michigan State or Delaware on Sunday afternoon for a spot in the Final Four, held this year at Wake Forest.

Busy day Saturday for Cavaliers sports

It will be a big athletics day on campus Saturday, as football and field hockey are at home, in addition to the women's volleyball team, which has their senior night match against Duke in the evening. Before the match, seniors Lauren Dickson, Tara Hester and Brittani Rendina will be honored.

Bates leading red-hot soccer squad

Like the Cavs team as a whole, it took Will Bates a little while to get warmed up, but ever since, he's been a goal-scoring machine.

Bates, a freshman who was the Times-Dispatch player of the year last year at Thomas Dale, leads Virginia in goals, having notched seven so far this season.

"I knew it would come because I kept getting chances," he said of his first collegiate goal. "Then once that fell, it was easier."

His late-season emergence has coincided with a hot streak for the team.

Yesterday, the fifth-seeded Cavs opened the ACC tournament with a 1-0 victory against No.4 Maryland in a first-round game that pitted two teams ranked nationally in the top 10.

After playing with the U.S. national team in the summer, Bates was ready for his introduction to college soccer, which is played at a faster pace. The Cavs seem to be ready for the postseason as well - they haven't lost since traveling to North Carolina on Oct. 2.

"We're really hitting our stride now as far as soccer goes," Bates said.

Virginia's women's soccer team also is preparing for postseason play. The women will open the NCAA tournament Saturday against St. John's in a regional hosted by Penn State. - Michael Phillips