Villanova Stadium

The Barrage qualified for next week's Major League Lacrosse playoffs by defeating the Boston Cannons, 18-17, last night at Villanova Stadium. The victory made the Barrage 7-5 overall and 4-2 in the American Division. The Barrage are seeded third in the playoffs and will play the Rochester Rattlers in the semifinals.

PENN AT BROWN: When: Tomorrow, 12:30 p.m. Where: Brown Stadium, Providence, R.I. TV: None. Radio: WFIL (560-AM) History: Penn leads, 56-21-2, having won the last two. MAINE AT VILLANOVA: When: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m. Where: Villanova Stadium TV: None. Radio: ESPN (950-AM) Records: Maine 6-1, 4-0 CAA; Villanova 1-7, 0-5 History: Series tied, 7-7. Villanova won last year at Maine, 48-18. Maine last won in 2006.  

When: Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Villanova Stadium Radio: ESPN-AM 950 Records: Monmouth, 0-1; Villanova, 0-2 overall, 0-1 Colonial Athletic Association Series: First meeting Coaches: Monmouth, Kevin Callahan (19th season at Monmouth, 104-81); Villanova, Andy Talley (27th season at Villanova, 188-109-1) THREE THINGS TO WATCH The Wildcats will be without starting QB Dustin Thomas , who was injured last week against Towson.

Katie Barnes scored the game-winning goal 16 minutes into the second half to lift the San Jose CyberRays to a 2-1 victory over the Charge yesterday at Spartan Stadium. The Charge - 3-10-4 for 13 points - remain in last place in the eight-team WUSA standings. San Jose - 6-8-2 for 20 points - ended a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) to win for just the second time in nine games. Melanie Hoffmann scored the lone goal for the Charge, who have lost four in a row for the second time this season.

The Charge completed a successful weekend by earning home-field advantage for the Women's United Soccer Association semifinals yesterday without even playing a game. After Saturday's 3-1 victory over San Diego, the Charge needed Washington to tie or beat Atlanta yesterday to get a home playoff game. When the Freedom defeated Atlanta, 3-2, the Charge was assured of being at home for the first round. Their playoff opener will take place Aug. 17 at Villanova Stadium. The WUSA has not announced the game time, but it's highly possible that there will be two playoff games that day, with one at 1:30 and another at 4. "It's great to have home field," Charge coach Mark Krikorian said last night while driving home from the game in Washington.

Syracuse's JoJo Marasco scored with six seconds left in regulation to lift the top-ranked Orange (7-0, 2-0 Big East) to a 5-4 victory over No. 7 Villanova (7-2, 0-1) before a record crowd of 6,289 at Villanova Stadium. The Wildcats got two goals from C.J. Small and one each from Kevin Cunningham and Michael Vigilante in the Cats' bid to upset the Orange. The loss ended Villanova's winning streak at six. The Wildcats were coming off a seven-day layoff after a 10-6 victory over Manhattan.

The Barrage, the Philadelphia area's new pro lacrosse team, will open training camp with a practice this afternoon at Villanova Stadium. The workout, which is scheduled to run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., is open to the public. Fans will be able to meet coaches, players and front office personnel of the Barrage, which is re-locating from Bridgeport, Conn. The team will play an exhibition game against a local club, MAB Paints, on May 8, Barrage president Ken Paul said. The Barrage will open its 12-game Major League Lacrosse schedule at Villanova on May 22 with a home game against the New Jersey Pride.

Charge coach Mark Krikorian said yesterday that there is no definitive word on the status of leading scorer Kelly Smith, but the prognosis isn't optimistic. Smith was taken off in a stretcher during the 72d minute of Saturday's scoreless tie against the San Jose CyberRays. Despite having no contact with a CyberRays player, Smith injured her right knee while making a pass to Zhao Lihong. Smith's knee twisted after making the pass, and she was in noticeable pain on the synthetic playing surface at Villanova Stadium.

Marinette Pichon scored in the fifth minute as the Charge defeated the Boston Breakers, 1-0, at Villanova Stadium on Saturday. Pichon's fifth goal of the season helped Philadelphia (6-1-2, 20 points) maintain first place in the Women's United Soccer League. Pichon took a long pass from defender Erica Iverson, then got through two Boston defenders to score. She has scored the Charge's last three goals. Charge keeper Melissa Moore made four saves, including one with time running out, for her third shutout of the season.

When: Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Villanova Stadium. Radio: ESPN-AM (950) Records: Maine, 6-1 overall, 4-0 Colonial Athletic Association; Villanova, 1-7, 0-5. Coaches: Maine, Jack Cosgrove (19th season, 103-109); Villanova, Andy Talley (27th season, 189-114-1). Series: Tied 7-7. Last season, the Wildcats routed visiting Maine, 48-18, behind now-graduated quarterback Chris Whitney's 322 passing yards. THINGS TO WATCH All season the Wildcats have been plagued by quarterback problems, and this week they'll revert back to true freshman Chris Polony.

PENN AT BROWN: When: Tomorrow, 12:30 p.m. Where: Brown Stadium, Providence, R.I. TV: None. Radio: WFIL (560-AM) History: Penn leads, 56-21-2, having won the last two. MAINE AT VILLANOVA: When: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m. Where: Villanova Stadium TV: None. Radio: ESPN (950-AM) Records: Maine 6-1, 4-0 CAA; Villanova 1-7, 0-5 History: Series tied, 7-7. Villanova won last year at Maine, 48-18. Maine last won in 2006.  

Villanova coach Andy Talley is measured in his comments, but the frustration is clearly evident. Talley basically said it's back to the drawing board for his quarterback situation and, conversely, his team after Saturday's 37-14 loss to Old Dominion in a Colonial Athletic Association game at Villanova Stadium. Two years removed from a Football Championship Subdivision title and a semifinalist last year, Villanova is now 1-7 overall 0-5 in the CAA. ODU, in its first season in the CAA and ranked No. 21, is now 6-2, 3-2. This was the worst home loss for 'Nova since a 38-13 defeat to Delaware in the final game of the 2005 season.

Villanova looked like it had a chance to upset James Madison on Saturday in Harrisonburg, Va., but the Dukes, No. 13 in the Football Championship Subdivision national rankings, scored four straight touchdowns in the second half to run away from the Wildcats, 34-10. The Wildcats (1-6 overall, 0-4 Colonial Athletic Association) led by 10-7 after a third-quarter field goal by Mark Hamilton before James Madison (5-2, 3-1) put the game away. There was good news for Villanova as redshirt freshman quarterback Dustin Thomas returned to the lineup for the first time in five games.

A young Villanova squad faced defending Colonial Athletic Association champion, and this year's favorite, William and Mary at Villanova Stadium on Saturday and took the game down to the wire. Going into the fourth quarter, inexperienced 'Nova trailed by one point. In the end, however, even that deficit was too much to overcome for the Wildcats as they dropped a 20-16 decision before a crowd of 6,027. The Wildcats' hopes of pulling off the upset ended when quarterback Christian Culicerto was picked off by William and Mary defensive back B.W. Webb at the Tribe's 11-yard line with 3 minutes, 33 seconds left to play.

The snapshot of Villanova's performance came on the first play from scrimmage. The first snap of quarterback Chris Polony's college career went through his fingertips, and the play was lost as Polony fell on the ball for a 6-yard loss. Points, first downs, even yards were hard to come by as the Wildcats fell to 0-3 in a 20-7 loss to Monmouth in their home opener Saturday. Villanova entered the game having won 23 of its previous 25 games at Villanova Stadium. "We were very positive in the locker room after the game," said Villanova coach Andy Talley, who falls to 0-3 for the third time in his 27 years at Villanova.

Syracuse's JoJo Marasco scored with six seconds left in regulation to lift the top-ranked Orange (7-0, 2-0 Big East) to a 5-4 victory over No. 7 Villanova (7-2, 0-1) before a record crowd of 6,289 at Villanova Stadium. The Wildcats got two goals from C.J. Small and one each from Kevin Cunningham and Michael Vigilante in the Cats' bid to upset the Orange. The loss ended Villanova's winning streak at six. The Wildcats were coming off a seven-day layoff after a 10-6 victory over Manhattan.