How To Retain Value In A Dropdownlist After Submit() In Webpage ( Old Version)

this how my code goes

function getdate()
{
document.form1.submit();
}

i declare a variable here

<% dim catchdate
catchdate= response.querystring("date") %>

i am having select

<select id="Date" name="date" onchange="getdate()">
<options value ="< % = catchdate%> ">Select Date </options>

here in the dropdown i get data form sql DB like this

set rs = createobject(Adodb.recordset)
sqlqry ="Select date from table order by date desc"

rs.open sql con

On selection of the date the corresponding records of the date will be displayed This is part of my coding, the problem is whenever i change the date as the form submits the dropdown brings the corresponding results but it is not displaying the selected date.