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(03/21/07 4:00pm)
The Lions collected one All-America citation and five All-America honorable mentions at the 2007 NCAA Division III Championships hosted by the University of Houston. The men's team finished in 16th place while the women's team finished 41st overall.
Senior diver Lee Swanson opened the competition on March 8, with a score of 355.85 in the one-meter event, earning 15th place and an All-America honorable mention. Swanson has had an outstanding diving career at the championships, earning 21st place at last year's championships.
Sophomore diver Greg Lloyd earned a sixth-place finish in the one-meter event and wrapped up the competition with an overall finish of 18th place with a score of 385.05. In last year's competition, Lloyd took home 20th in the one-meter event and sixth in the three-meter event as a rookie.
On Saturday, Swanson wrapped up her career by competing in the three-meter dive final. Swanson finished with a score of 377.85 and received her second All-America honor. For her career, Swanson has earned three All-America awards.
Junior Ava Kiss competed in the championships with a time of 57.21 in the 100-meter butterfly trials. Kiss qualified for Friday's consolation finals with an 11th seed. Kiss performed her fastest time of the year, 57.12, to take home ninth place and an All-America honorable mention. Kiss took home fourth place in 2006 and ninth place in the 2005 championships.
Kiss earned 24th place in 2:11.62 in the 200-meter butterfly and placed 34th nationally in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 53.83. Kiss is a three time All-American.
For the men, the 200-meter medley relay team of junior Kevin Oliver, freshman Myles O'Connor, junior Josh Forsman and senior Kyle King combined to finish in seventh place with a time of 1:33.64 in the finals.
"The team is universally happy with our performance," Forsman said.
Liam Gallagher, King, Forsman and sophomore Tom Nawrot took 15th place in the 800-meter freestyle relay with a time of 6:57.60. The relay team was awarded All-America honorable mentions.
"We have taken a different approach to our training this year," Gallagher said. "It really paid off this past weekend and also at the conference meet."
Gallagher explained how assistant coach Dan Schupsky has been such an important part of this team.
"(Schupsky) is finishing his second year as our assistant and has had a tremendous impact on the success of our team," Gallagher said. "He was a 17-time All-American here at the College and his wealth of knowledge about swimming and strategy is directly correlated to our success this year."
Forsman placed 15th in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 50.39 and was awarded All-America honorable mention. Nawrot finished the 100-meter backstroke trials earning 21st with a time of 52.80.
"It went pretty well," Forsman said. "I didn't end up with a best time, but it was an amazing experience and hope it will help me next year."
Myles O'Connor finished 17th in the 100-meter breaststroke in 57.66 falling short of the consolation finals.
The men's 400-meter freestyle relay team picked up an All-America honorable mention after a 12th-place finish, with a time of 3:04.98. The combined efforts included Nawrot, Gallagher, Forsman and King.
On the final day of competition, Gallagher earned 22nd place in the 200-meter breaststroke, finishing the race in 1:55.40. King placed 25th in the 100-meter freestyle in 45.65 and Nawrot took home 37th place in 47.42. O'Connor placed 26th in 2:09.54 in the 200-meter breaststroke, and Forsman placed 26th in the 200-meter butterfly.
"We had a young team this season and still preformed well at the national level," Forsman said. "So with almost everyone coming back next season we should have a more dominant presence at that level."
(02/21/07 5:00pm)
Last year at the Metropolitan Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, the Lions walked away with a second-place finish for both the men and women's squads. This year the men's team walked away with the championship while the women's squad finished second.
The three-day event included NCAA provisional times and record-breaking marks. The men's head coach, Brian Bishop, was selected Male Coach of the Year, and freshman Myles O'Connor received the Male Rookie of the Year Award.
"Coach Bishop is a great motivator and he always keeps us in the right mindset," O'Connor said.
On day one of the competition, senior Lee Swanson won the three-meter dive championship with a score of 434.10. Senior Jennifer Robinson scored a 226.0 to earn sixth place and freshman Jessica Lynch finished seventh with a score of 218.0.
Freshman Stephanie Seto continued placing by earning a third-place finish in the 500-meter freestyle with a time of 5:15.18.
In men's action, sophomore Mike Malloy shattered the College's record in the 500-meter freestyle by finishing the race in 4:37.48, breaking the previous record of 4:39.79. Molloy took home second place in the race.
The men's 400-meter medley relay team scooped up first place with contributions from junior Kevin Oliver, O'Connor, junior Josh Forsman and senior Kyle King. The team finished with a time of 3:25.57. King placed second in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.45.
O'Connor's success continued when he helped the 200-meter freestyle team take home second place in 1:25.40. O'Connor was joined by junior Liam Gallagher, Forsman and sophomore Thomas Nawrot.
"I was very happy with my performance over the weekend," O'Connor said. "But I was really glad that we could win that relay and qualify for the NCAA championships."
Gallagher also earned a second place finish in the 200-meter individual medleys finishing in 1:55.33 while sophomore Mike Heaney was right behind him earning third place in 1:55.74.
In day two of competition, the men continued holding first place by only 150 points. Following the Lions were the Profs of Rowan University. The women's team was holding on to third place but was the top Division III team. The women were behind Southern Connecticut State University and CW Post campus of Long Island University.
The men's 200-meter medley relay team came out proving it was No. 1 by capturing first place in 1:33.48. Oliver, O'Connor, Forsman and King contributed to the win.
"We watched some tape of the 1993-1994 undefeated championship team when we were still Trenton State and that really motivated us to perform," O'Connor said.
Forsman continued the winning streak by capturing first place in the 100-meter butterfly finishing in 50.07, knocking out a school record of 50.17 held by Nick Steffanci.
Nawrot also earned the 100-meter backstroke title finishing in 52.00 and Oliver followed close behind in second with a time of 53.07.
Molloy earned second place in the 200-meter freestyle race in 1:43.93 and sophomore Heaney captured third in 1:43.48.
The 400-meter individual medleys proved to be a task that the Lions would come out on top. Gallagher earned second with an NCAA provisional time of 4:07.06 and junior Josh Schoenfeld won fourth place in 4:18.67.
Lloyd stood in second place in the three-meter diving event with a score of 295.70.
In women's action, the 200-meter medley team won third place with an NCAA provisional time of 1:49.62. The efforts of senior senior Catherine Benigno, junior Lauren Pfeifer, junior Ava Kiss and senior Julie Nami erased a school record of 1:49.91, which was in the record book since 2002.
"We had a great weekend," women's head coach Jennifer Harnett said. "A lot of people questioned our ability with our record and the team came forth and did great."
In the 100-meter breaststroke, Pfiefer earned the first place title finishing in 1:07.32, and Reichard took second in the event in 1:07.36. Reichard broke another school record held by her. Reichard posted a time of 1:07.25 in the trials, erasing her old time of 1:07.76.
Kiss earned herself a second place finish in the 100-meter butterfly in 57.24 and third place in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:57.00. Seto took second in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:56.34.
"Ava had a great meet," Harnett said. "But it was a collective part on the whole team."
Swanson earned a score of 201.8 in the one-meter dive giving her a second-place standing.
The Lions came out roaring in the final day of competition; the men captured first place and the women second.
Molloy finished in second place in the 1,650-meter freestyle with a NCAA provisional time of 16:21.72.
King finished second place in the 100-meter freestyle in 46.60.
In the 200-meter backstroke Gallagher clinched first place with a time of 1:54.35 and Heaney followed in second in 1:54.59.
Freshman James VanBiervliet earned fourth in 1:56.89.
O'Connor continued the role of Rookie of the Year as he finished the 200-meter breaststroke with an NCAA provisional time of 2:07.80 earning second place while sophomore Ted Yoa followed in third in 2:13.17. Sophomore Donato Santangelo finished fourth in 2:13.29.
The 400-meter freestyle relay team also had an NCAA provisional time of 3:05.71 with the help of Forsman, Gallagher, Nawrot and King. Forsman clinched first in the 200-meter butterfly in 1:53.90 and senior George Savulich took third in 1:55.35.
Lloyd finished in fifth place in the three meter diving event with a score of 471.25.
In the women's final day, Benigno, Pfeifer, Kiss and senior Kerry Genese broke their own school record they set the day before.
The 200-meter medley team finished the race with a NCAA provisional trial time of 1:48.42.
Kiss also posted another NCAA provisional time in the 100-meter freestyle finishing in 53.04, earning her second place. Reichard finished third in the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:27.52.
"Emily doing great was a big thing in itself," Harnett said. "She has been battling injuries this season."
Swanson completed the one-meter dive with a score of 361.15 finishing the competition in second place.
"On Friday, the relay team was disqualified because of an early start," Harnett said. "The team rallied together to perform better and came out on top."
The 400-meter freestyle team concluded the three-day meet earning fourth place with a time of 3:36.80. Seto, Benigno, Genese and Kiss were all members of the team.
Next for the Lions are the NCAA Division III Championships hosted by the University of Houston from March 8-10.
(02/14/07 5:00pm)
It was a day full of NCAA qualifying scores for both the men's and women's diving teams. The College competed against mostly Division I teams at the Rutgers University Invitational on Saturday and turned in impressive scores.
On the women's side, senior Lee Swanson finished fourth in the one-meter dive with a score of 278.85 and fifth in the three-meter dive with 279.90. Both scores were NCAA qualifiers.
"In Division I, the competition is tough and sometimes intimidating," Swanson said. "It's good practice to be in that atmosphere. It helps to calm my nerves at METs (Metropolitan Conference Championships)."
Freshman Jessica Lynch took home two eighth-place finishes in both the one-meter event with 157.70 and the three-meter event with 165.70.
Sophomore Greg Lloyd placed sixth with a score of 310.60 in the one-meter event and earned a fourth-place finish in the three-meter event, scoring 351.85. Both scores are NCAA qualifying marks.
"I did not dive as well as I wanted to," Lloyd said, "but it was still a good meet."
"Rutgers is actually the location for METs, which is our conference championship coming up," Swanson said. "It was great to get the feel of the diving boards before we have to dive there next weekend."
Lions swimming and diving action continues on Feb. 16-18 at the METs, hosted by Rutgers University.
(01/31/07 5:00pm)
The College's swimming and diving teams split with Rowan University last Wednesday, as the women lost 155-138 and the men were victorious 167.5-130.5. With the victory, the men jumped to 4-3 overall while the women fell to 1-8.
The highlight of the meet was the record-breaking 1,000-meter freestyle race by sophomore Mike Molloy in 9:46.22. Teammates describe Molloy as a hard worker.
In diving, senior Lee Swanson and sophomore Greg Lloyd both won the one-meter and three-meter events. Swanson earned 259.65 points in the one-meter event, earning a NCAA qualifying mark. Swanson tallied 251.7 points in the three-meter dive. Lloyd scored 301.5 and 302.63 in the one- and three-meter dive, respectively. Jessica Lynch earned a second-place finish in the one- and three-meter dive with scores of 145.95 and 125.55, respectively.
Junior Ava Kiss was strong on the day, earning first place in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly. Kiss finished the races in 1:58.40, 54.38 and 58.52, respectively. Sophomore Emily Reichard also had first place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke.
"Even though we didn't win our last two meets, our team has been working hard and looking good in the pool," senior Catherine Beningo said. "Next weekend should be a good meet for us and we are expecting to win, although our real focus now is on our championship meet in three weeks."
In the 200-meter butterfly, junior Stefanie Rashti finished second in 2:17.42. Senior Laura Heslin placed second in the 200-meter backstroke in 2:17.42, and sophomore Stacy Delehanty earned second place in the 200-meter individual medley in 2:18.84.
In men's action, the 400-meter freestyle team took first place in a time of 3:14.41. The team consisted of junior Josh Forsman, sophomore Mike Heaney, senior Kyle King and sophomore Tom Nawrot.
Molloy also picked up first place in the 500-meter freestyle in 4:47.64. King took home first place in the 100-meter freestyle and Nawrot in the 100-meter backstroke with times of 47.82 and 54.36, respectively. In the 100-meter butterfly, Forsman came in first place in 52.51 and earned second in the 200-meter butterfly, finishing in 1:59.34.
In the 200-meter backstroke, Heaney came in first in 1:59.81, while junior Liam Gallagher placed second in 2:00.23. Sophomore Ted Yoa finished second in both the 100- and 200-meter breaststrokes with times of 1:01.73 and 2:15.83. Gallagher finished second in the 200-meter individual medley in 2:00.09 and King took second in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:45.96 and the 50-meter freestyle in 22.46. Junior Josh Schoenfeld was second in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 10:32.01.
On Sunday, the men's swimming and diving team handed New York University (NYU) its first loss of the season as the College improved to 5-3 overall. The women were defeated by NYU with a score of 160-83.
Lloyd came up big for his team by defeating freshman Ryan Murray, taking first place in both one-meter dives with scores of 295.60 and 280.65.
The 400-meter medley relay team defeated NYU with a time of 3:33.70. The team consisted of Nawrot, freshman Myles O'Connor, Forsman and King.
"We even chose the meet format that their coach prefers, the one they are better at; we loved the challenge," Nawrot said.
Molloy earned first place in the 1,000-meter freestyle in 9:49.59 and won first place in the 500-meter freestyle. Sophomore Paul Hogan took second in the 1,000-meter freestyle in 9:53.99. Hogan also finished second in the 500-meter freestyle.
King earned first in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:45.32, and Heaney took second in 1:47.90 for the Lions. King took home first in the 100-meter freestyle in 47.51, while Heaney won the 200-meter backstroke in 1:58.85.
"With NYU's perfect record, it was nice to show them they weren't the best team around," Nawrot said.
It was a tough day for the women, as their record is now 1-8 on the season. Swanson once again dove to victory with scores of 259.85 and 254.0. Swanson beat senior Abigail Penn in both one-meter dive events and dominated with NCAA qualifying scores.
Kiss took home first in the 200-meter medley in 2:14.36, and Delehanty followed in second with a time of 2:18.50. The 400-meter freestyle relay of Seto, senior Kerry Genese, Kiss and sophomore Brittany Collyer defeated NYU with a time of 3:43.28.
"We are expecting to have our swimmers making it into finals in every event and hopefully we will have a chance at winning overall," Beningo said.
Swimming and diving action continues on Feb. 4 with a dual match against William Paterson University at 2 p.m. in Packer Hall.
(11/29/06 5:00pm)
Both cross country teams competed in the 2006 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships and had strong finishes.
The men earned a eighth place while the women took home 22nd place. For the men, junior Brian Kopnicki took home the highest finish for the Lions, earning 21st place in 27:31. Sophomore Chris Guerriero was close behind with a finish of 27:39, taking home 27th.
"I was happy with 35th because it gets All-American honors and that was a main goal all year for me," Guerriero said.
Junior Galen Johnson also had a strong performance, finishing 48th in 28:08, while sophomore Greg Bull earned 94th in 28:45.
"The team gave a great effort and we finally had the team race we were looking for all season," Guerriero said. "A lot of guys like Kopnicki and Johnson really showed their abilities to step up when we needed it."
The Lions had a great improvement as they finished 10th in last year's race.
"We had a great season," Guerriero said. "We finished with most of our goals accomplished, and we came away with two All-Americans and an eighth place finish at Nationals."
Senior Jenna Fasulo was the top finisher for the women, placing 73rd with a time of 24:50. Junior Julie Ullmeyer followed in 92nd with a time of 25:09, and junior Erin Enderly finished in 108th in 25:22.
Sophomore Stephanie Herrick clocked in at 25:28 to earn 116th, while sophomore Megan O'Leary followed in 25:28 for 117th place. Seniors Jenna Prendergast and Martine McGrath earned 144th in 25:49 and 172nd in 26:21, respectively.
"Overall we weren't pleased with our performance," McGrath said. "Our entire season had been leading up to this race and we felt it was a disappointing way to end a season which we had high hopes for."
The women's team had an impressive 2006 season, earning first place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships, fifth place in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships and a second place finish at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals.
"As a team we are all pleased with the season overall," McGrath said. "But having such a poor performance at Nationals is disappointing."
(11/15/06 5:00pm)
It was a tough weekend for the men's and women's swimming and diving teams, as both suffered losses. On Friday, the women's team lost to the C.W. Post Pioneers by a score of 145-92. Overall, the women are 1-2 on the year.
Senior Lee Swanson earned first place in the one-meter and three-meter diving events with scores of 257.18 and 301.50, respectively. Although it's only the second meet of the year, the victory gives Swanson a qualification for the 2007 NCAA Division III Championships. Swanson also broke a college record, surpassing former Lion Diane Maiese in the three-meter event. Maiese previously held the title for nine years with a score of 292.82.
Junior Ava Kiss also had a first place finish for the night. Kiss finished in 1:57.62 in the 200-freestyle and earned second place in the 100-butterfly with a time of 57.78. The Lions' 200-medley relay team earned second place in 1:54.66. The team consisted of junior Christine Marino, junior Lauren Pfeifer, sophomore Brittany Collyer and Kiss.
On Sunday, the men and women's teams competed against Division II opponent Southern Connecticut State University. Both teams suffered losses, with the men losing 125-114. The men lost for the first time and now stand at 2-1. The women lost 127.5-109.5 and are now 1-3.
Once again, Kiss had an exceptional night, earning two first place finishes. Kiss was also a member of the 400-freestyle medley relay team, which took home first place also. Kiss won the 200-freestyle in 1:57.04 and the 100 in 54.56. The 400 freestyle medley team consisted of Collyer and freshmen Julie Nami and Stephanie Seto.
Seto earned second in the 500-freestyle in 5:24.95 and second in the 1,000-freestyle with a time of 11:13.10.
Sophomore Emily Reichard also took home a first place finish in the 200-breaststroke with a time of 2:33.40. Swanson continued to have a strong showing, taking home first place in the three-meter diving competition and capturing second place in the one-meter event with a mark of 235.90.
Although suffering a loss, the men's team had an impressive start with the 400-medley relay team placing first in 3:36.38. Junior Kevin Oliver, sophomore Ted Yoa, junior Josh Forsman and senior captain Kyle King were all members of the team.
The 400-freestyle relay team also captured the victory with junior captain Liam Gallagher, sophomore Mike Molloy and sophomore Thomas Nawrot, who finished the race in 3:13.85.
"They are a strong team," Nawrot said. "We knew that going in, we only beat them by one point last year; some things just don't go our way."
Gallagher earned first place in the 200-individual medley and took home second in the 200-backstroke with a time of 1:59.74.
"Almost everyone swam faster than we did last year, which is great," Nawrot said. "This isn't something to look back on and be upset about; it's a learning experience."
In diving action, sophomore Greg Lloyd won the three-meter diving event with a score of 241.05 and earned second in the one-meter event in 248.65.
Both teams return to the pool on Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. at home as they take on Division II Bloomsburg University.
(11/01/06 5:00pm)
It was a weekend of wins for the Lions as both the men's and women's teams earned first place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships hosted at Richard Stockton College.
This marks the 23rd NJAC championship for the women's team and the 12th in a row. The men brought home their 18th NJAC title, and it marks the 12th consecutive.
Lions head coach Phil Jennings was awarded the 2006 NJAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Sophomore Chris Guerriero earned the 2006 NJAC Male Runner of the Year award. Guerriero finished the race in 25:30 earning first place and became the 11th straight Lion to win the honor.
In the women's race, the first 12 finishers were Lions. Sophomore Megan O'Leary took home first place and the 2006 NJAC Female Runner of the Year award.
"I wasn't really expecting it. We have such a strong team it could have been anyone," O'Leary said. "We all try to work together in groups throughout the race to help each other out. By taking the first 12 places in the race, it really shows that our training has paid off."
O'Leary won first place in 23:11 as sophomore Stephanie Herrick came in second with a time of 23:21. Next was junior Erin Enderly, placing third in 23:25, while senior Jenna Fasulo earned fourth with a time of 23:30.
Senior Jenna Prendergast finished fifth in 23:34 and sophomore Martine McGrath earned sixth with a time of 23:45.
"I am pretty confident in the women's team," Jennings said.
The Lions continued sweeping the race as junior Julie Ullmeyer finished seventh in 24:09 and senior Allison Krayl finished eighth in 24:22.
Finishing ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th were senior Christine Nystrom in 24:25, freshman Valerie Bonczek in 24:35, junior Sara Best in 24:42 and junior Heather Garleb in 24:44, respectively.
"We are all excited going into regionals and hopefully nationals," O'Leary said. "Our success in races, like NJAC's definitely gives us confidence in bigger races like the regionals and nationals. I think we are all prepared for the upcoming races."
After impressive finishes, it seems the Lions have a lot to look forward in the upcoming weeks.
In men's action, junior Brian Kopnicki placed second in 25:40 and junior Anthony Arnold followed in third at 25:55.
Sophomore Greg Bull took fifth place honors with a time of 26:04, and junior Galen Johnson placed sixth in 26:17. Junior Steve Kinney placed seventh in 26:18 and senior Greg Howe earned ninth finishing in 26:34.
Junior Mike Fonder took home 11th in 26:48 while junior Kyle Alpaugh placed 13th with a time of 26:58.
Sophomore Josh Krowicki finished 17th in 27:09 while freshman Greg Bredeck placed 22nd and freshman Brian Toms placed 23rd with times of 27:37 and 27:38, respectively.
Regional action begins Nov. 4 at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass.
(10/18/06 4:00pm)
Despite the Homecoming celebration happening at the College, the men's and women's cross country teams traveled to the SUNY-Albany Meet. Although the festivities were left behind, both teams came back with a reason to celebrate.
In this week's U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association Division III poll, the women are ranked 10th while the men are 19th.
University of Guelph took home first place as a team in the 6K race, but the women's team followed behind, placing fifth out of 22 teams. University of New Hampshire junior Catherine Parker won first place in 17:14. The Lions collected a team score of 159 points.
Sophomore Martine McGrath was the top scorer, finishing 16th in a time of 18:26. Sophomore Megan O'Leary clinched 30th place in a time of 18:48 and senior Jenna Fasulo came in 35th, finishing the race in 18:53.
"I improved my finish from last year," McGrath said. "Overall our team had a good day. This season we are hoping to finish strong and qualify for Nationals."
Senior Jenna Prendergast collected 38th place and sophomore Stephanie Herrick followed in 40th place in 19:01. Rounding out the Lions' pack was junior Julie Ullmeyer, who finished in 56th. Sara Best was the seventh runner for the Lions, earning 59th place in 19:16.
"We are looking forward to Ithaca (College) and other good contenders and we are confident in our ability," McGrath said.
In the men's 8K race, the Lions earned sixth place with a team score of 145. The Lions and Rochester Institute of Technology were tied for fifth, but the College was awarded sixth in the end. Sophomore Chris Guerriero was the Lions' top finisher, earning 10th place in 25:10, and junior Brian Kopnicki was close behind in 11th with a time of 25:12.
Finishing 41st, 42nd and 44th was junior Galen Johnson in 25:59, sophomore Greg Bull in 25:59 and senior Greg Howe crossing the line at 26:01. Junior Kyle Alpaugh finished 63rd in 26:22 and freshman Brandon Rodkewitz placed 74th in 26:29.
The Lions compete on Oct. 28 at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships starting at 10:30 a.m.
(10/11/06 4:00pm)
Eight goals in three games were all the Lions' field hockey team needed, as they remain undefeated this season at 10-0.
The Lions sank No. 10 ranked archrival Rowan University 1-0. Senior defender Meg Hess scored the winning goal in overtime - her first goal of the season and perhaps the most important one so far for the Lions. Freshman Jessica Falcone assisted on the goal. The Lions are now ranked No. 1 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll.
Senior goalkeeper Erin Mitschke had nine saves over the course of the week.
"The team is the basis of my success," Mitschke said. "Without them, we wouldn't be having such a successful year ... We've all come together to try to be the best, not only for ourselves, but for each other."
With the win, the Lions are 2-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
Last Wednesday, the Lions cruised right by the Crusaders of Susquehanna University by a score of 4-1.
It was a record run for the Lions as senior forward Allison Greene tallied her 100th point as a Lion. She is the fourth Lion in the program to reach the milestone. Her goal found the back of the net on a pass from junior defender Ashleigh Pecherski. Four minutes later, Falcone scored her third goal of the season.
"It feels great to be 10-0," Falcone said, "but we just have to think that so many teams are out to beat us and we have to be ready to play every game."
After play was halted for nearly an hour due to lightning, the scoring continued as senior forward Jessica Berkowitz tallied a point, followed by a goal by sophomore midfielder Kelly Mitchell. Pecherski earned another assist for the day on the goal.
The Lions were unable to earn the shutout as sophomore forward Kristen Epting of the Crusaders scored on a play coming from a penalty corner.
On Saturday the Lions picked up their 10th victory as they beat Eastern University 3-2. Going into the game, both teams were undefeated.
After Eastern scored its first goal, the Lions charged back with three goals in a row before the end of the first half. Sophomore forward Katie Reuther scored first, earning her seventh goal of the season.
Minutes later, Falcone contributed a goal that put the Lions in the lead. Then, Berkowitz scored the game-winner, her eighth goal of the season.
"When Eastern scored first, we all just stayed calm because we knew we could fight back for the win," Falcone said. "It makes it a lot easier when you're on the field and you know you can trust that everyone on the team is working their hardest."
Working hard is what the Lions have been doing all season and if they keep the pace going, head coach Sharon Pfluger and her team will head back to compete for a National Championship.
After the early goal, Eastern was only able to score once more on a penalty corner with no time left in regulation. Eastern now stands at 12-1.
The Lions continue the fight for an undefeated season as they play Salisbury University on Saturday at 1 p.m.
(10/04/06 12:00pm)
When playing a sport for an NCAA Division III school, you only dream of competing against Division I and II schools. However, for the Lions' cross country teams, it was a dream times 69 come true.
In the 33rd Annual Brooks Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University, the biggest competition of the season, the men raced against 42 teams, only five of which were Division III teams. The women's team competed against 35 teams, with only three of the Division III level.
"This is the most competitive race," head coach Phil Jennings said. "There is always room for improvement."
The Lions had top finishers in the invitational held at Lehigh University. As a team, the women finished 19th with a team score of 501. With the current standings, the women are ranked sixth in the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association Division III poll, while the men finished 21st and are ranked 13th in the same poll.
Jennings went on to say, "The most surprising (thing) was how well (SUNY-Cortland) did; they finished fourth overall and are in our conference. This was a great learning experience for us."
Sophomore Martine McGrath was the top finisher for the Lions, finishing 54th with a time of 22:08. The women's 6K had 236 runners competing and the Lions had seven finish in 153rd or better.
"I really concentrated on my summer training this year, making sure I did as much as I could to be prepared for the season," McGrath said. "I also know what to expect from racing and training, which definitely has helped me improve."
Senior Jenna Fasulo placed 88th in 22:42. Following in 111th was Megan O'Leary in 23:03 and closely behind was senior Jenna Prendergast placing 115th in 23:08. Senior Allyson Krayl finished the race in 23:25 to earn the 133rd spot, while Stephanie Herrick placed 144th in 23:30. Junior Sara Best was the seventh runner crossing the line at 23:36 in 153rd.
"This race was a big confidence booster because it showed us that as a team we can compete at a higher level, which is important as we approach championship season," McGrath said.
In men's action, the Lions finished the race with a team score of 588. That earned them 21st place in the 43-team event.
"The team performed well," junior Kyle Alpaugh said. "But we still are working hard and our best races are still ahead of us."
The top finisher for the Lions was Alpaugh, placing 97th in 25:44.
"We will definitely be in the mix with a few other very good squads who are very capable of winning big races in the regional competitions," Alpaugh said.
Sophomore Chris Guerriero finished 108th in 25:50.
"We beat Ithaca, who placed one higher than us in regional and national competitions last year," Jennings said. "We need to stay focused and keep on training."
Next up for the College is a visit to Albany, N.Y., for the Haverford College Invitational on Oct. 14.
(09/27/06 4:00pm)
After having a bye week, the Lions were back in action at the Mainline Invitational, only the second meet of the 2006 season. In a non-team-scoring match, the men and women's teams each competed with six other colleges. Both teams are currently ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III poll, with the women ranked sixth and the men 12th.
In the women's races, the Lions had six runners finish in the top 20. Sophomore Martine McGrath led the pack in the three-mile event. McGrath was the highest placer for the Lions as she finished second in 17:54.
Following behind was sophomore Megan O'Leary in third place, stopping the clock at 18:03. Swarming in at 10th place was senior Jenna Fasulo, who finished in 18:22, and junior Jenna Prendergrast closed the gap in 12th place in 18:27.
Sophomore Stephanie Herrick and junior Sara Best followed the pack right behind each other placing 19th and 20th, respectively. Herrick finished 18:57 while Best crossed the line at 18:59.
"Everyone ran a lot faster than last year," Herrick said. "Things are looking good. We still want to get better and make the pack tighter."
Sophomore Nicole Ullmeyer finished 24th with 19:16 and junior Heather Garleb followed in 28th in 19:34.
Senior Allyson Krayl finished 32nd in 19:40 and placing 36th, 37th and 38th was senior Christine Nystrom in 19:44, freshman Valerie Bonczek in 19:44 and freshman Michelle Wallace in 19:45, respectively. Bringing in the pack was freshman Kelly Cahill placing 46th in 20:17 and sophomore Justine Carnevale coming in 51st with a time of 20:39.
"The women have made huge improvements from last year, Martine McGrath especially," head coach Phil Jennings said. "She has shown great improvement. Sara Best and Megan O'Leary have made huge leaps."
"Working hard in practice, having everyone step up and work hard during the race to close the gap between them and the teammate ahead of them, is how the Lions should prevail and have a great season," Herrick said. Each Lion had an impressive finish as there were 84 runners who placed. The Lions finished in the top 50.
In men's action, sophomore Chris Guerriero was the top finisher for the men, placing 12th in 20:16.
"We have a young group of guys who are so talented," Guerriero said. "It is going to be a big battle to see who is going to be in the top seven in the regional competition. There is so much depth to our team."
Josh Krowicki showed his talent by placing 16th and young freshman Brandon Rodkewitz finished 25th in 20:37.
Senior Greg Howe placed 29th in 20:46 and sophomore Greg Bull followed in 32nd with a time of 20:49. Bringing in the pack was junior Steve Kinney in 38th in 20:59 and freshman Steven Klett in 57th with a time of 21:26.
"The competition for top seven for the regional competition will be a friendly one," Jennings said.
The team graduated only two seniors last year, leaving the Lions young and ready to fight. The next meet contains teams in Division I and II. The Lions will be ready to go out and show how hard they have worked early on in the season.
The Lions compete at the Paul Shourt Invitational this Friday at Lehigh University.
(09/06/06 12:00pm)
This year's state budget, authorized by Gov. Jon S. Corzine, left the College with $8 million short of state funding instead of the expected $12.1 million.
After vigorous hours of planning by College President R. Barbara Gitenstein and staff, they were able to save $4 million through a series of cuts.
Due to the loss of salary raises and the burden of tuition increases, the athletic department had to reduce its budget by $100,000.
The reductions resulted in an elimination of the varsity men's golf team and the varsity cheerleading squad.
"The decision to eliminate funding for these two programs, as well as the other cuts that have been made, was extremely painful and the College truly regrets this outcome," athletic director Kevin McHugh said in an earlier statement posted on the College's athletic Web site.
"In making this decision, all intercollegiate varsity sports were examined based on a set of variables, including operating expenses per head, participation numbers, campus impact, national competitiveness, academic success, etc.," McHugh said.
McHugh announced the decision on July 16.
Gitenstein responded to the situation through a statement: "It is very disheartening to have to make expenditure cuts to programs that have impact on student opportunities. With the depth of the reduction to state support for the College, no aspect of opportunities was immune to cuts - including our highly successful athletic program. The state left us with only painful options."
The 2005-06 men's golf team consisted of 10 members. Four of the members were freshmen. The team competed in 18 outings and had nine top-10 finishes.
The cheerleading squad competed last year in several competitions and cheered on the sidelines during football games.
"We were given $4,000 per year prior to the cut and our head coach, Jen Pechuta, was given an annual salary," sophomore cheerleader Holly Ellenberger said. "Pechuta is also the coach of the dance team and since they were not considered a varsity sport, we split the $4,000 with them every year."
With the loss of the golf and cheerleading teams, the College is left with only 20 varsity teams. Whether or not the teams will compete as club sports is still unclear.
"We are applying for club status and our coach is staying with the team, so hopefully we will be able to cheer at all of the games," Ellenberger said. "The process takes a while, and we have a lot of information to submit during the application process. We have four freshmen on the squad right now. They still are very excited about the season so we are trying to keep our spirit up."
(08/30/06 4:00pm)
After impressive 2005 NCAA finishes, the men's and women's teams are ready to face the same challenges.
"We just did a time trial and everyone improved so much from last season," sophomore Megan O'Leary said. "It shows that the whole team trained a lot over the summer and are ready to fill the gaps of the seniors we lost."
The Lions are focused on becoming another top contender at the Nationals competition this season.
"Our big focus ... is to beat Ithaca. Every race, we would get closer and closer to them," O'Leary said.
The Lions will have to work hard in filling the gaps the seniors held.
"A lot of our girls have come back focused, in shape and ready to compete this season," senior captain Christine Nystrom explained. "The time trial was a strong indicator of how deep we're going to be this year."
Last season the men's team posted a third place finish at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference match and a 12th place finish at the NCAA National Championships.
"If we're going to repeat as regional champs, we'll have to have a tight back from 1-7," senior captain Marc Altenu said.
The Lions have had eight top 20 finishes in the last nine NCAA Championships. With the Lions working hard and prepared to fight, they are hoping for another strong season.
(04/26/06 4:00pm)
It was a disappointing week for the Lions as they lost their doubleheader against the Profs of Rowan University on April 18. The loss drops the Lions to .500 and ties them for sixth in the NJAC.
During the first game, the Lions battled hard as junior pitcher Julianne Lajiness took the mound and struck out five. Lajiness pitched six innings and allowed just five hits in the 1-0 loss.
The Lions' effort was not enough as they ran into arguably the best pitcher in the conference, Prof senior Colleen Oswalt. Oswalt pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits to go along with four strikeouts to gain her eighth shutout of the season.
Oswalt would go on to win the second game of the doubleheader and improve her record to 24-1 on the season.
"(Lajiness) pitched a good game," head coach Sally Miller said. "We were just off balance."
The lone run came in the bottom of the sixth as junior Jen Lake got on base after drawing a walk. Lake was then replaced by a pinch runner, senior Jen Blair.
Junior Kim Ryan moved Blair into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Casey Bartolf had the winning RBI when she singled to bring in Blair.
"We hit the ball, but not timely," Miller said. "We had a lot of opportunities."
Oswalt continued pitching for the Profs in game two, as she went seven innings and earned her 24th win of the season with a 12-5 victory.
The Profs exploded offensively with 15 hits. Freshman Kristine Brenner was 4-for-5 with two RBI.
The Lions' offense started out strong but ran out of power. Junior outfielder Jen Hughes went 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI.
Sophomore outfielder Christina Lizzi was 2-for-3 and junior infielder Vicki Blevins chipped in two hits.
"We would get people on base but we couldn't find ways to bring them around," junior third baseman Tara Harrigan said. "We didn't bring our best in the second game and it showed."
Junior pitcher Heather Hoffman got roughed up on the mound for the Lions in two innings. She gave up eight hits and eight runs before senior pitcher Kelly Quigley came in for relief.
"We are still a really good ball club," Miller said. "But in these last games we need consistent pitching, hitting and defense."
The Lions now have an overall record of 23-11 and are 6-6 in the NJAC. With two conference games remaining on their schedule, the Lions will fight for their playoff lives this week, as only the top six teams qualify for the conference tournament.
"It puts two more losses on our record and bumps us down in the NJAC, but as far as how we feel about it, we shouldn't have lost those games," Harrigan said. "And it's only going to make us play harder to regain what is rightfully ours in the NJAC."
(04/19/06 4:00pm)
It may have been one of the toughest weeks of the season, as the Lions played three New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) teams and a non-conference team.
Junior Julianne Lajiness earned her first shutout of the season against Kean University. Junior Kristin Boyer became the first Lion to hit a home run in the team's new complex. Ending the streak of firsts was senior Kelly Quigley, who had her first start of the year against Hunter College.
On Tuesday, the Lions hosted a doubleheader against the Pioneers of William Paterson University. In the first game, the battle lasted eight long innings before junior Tara Harrigan came up in the bottom of the inning to hit an RBI single that scored junior Katie Davenport to give the Lions a 2-1 victory.
"I knew that I hadn't gotten a hit all game and before I went up to bat, I knew exactly what was going to happen, so I was mentally prepared for what I was up against," Harrigan said. "But when I saw the ball go over the diving shortstop, it was such a great feeling."
"Tara is a great lead-off hitter," head coach Sally Miller said. "She's a gap hitter."
In the second game, the Pioneers regrouped to hand the Lions a tough 1-0 loss. Senior Pioneer Nicki Arias scored the only run of the game on a double. Junior Heather Hoffman gave up just three hits.
"After losing Jess Kohut, we all stepped up, but none more than our two other pitchers, (Lajiness) and (Hoffman)," Boyer said. Kohut is out for the year after she suffered an injury in a game on March 29. "Without them, the show can't go on, and they really pulled together and are doing an amazing job."
On April 10, the Lions paid a visit to the Cougars of Kean University. In the first game, the Lions' power-hitting junior Jen Hughes slammed two home. She now has six home runs and two multi-home run games on the year.
"When Jen is in a rhythm, she is very tough," Miller said. "She is really seeing the ball (well)." The Lions saw their offense get into a groove as junior Vicki Blevins and senior Kristin Meister each had three hits. Sophomore Jonna Mahalchik and junior Erin Cusmano contributed with two hits apiece. Sixteen hits were tallied as the Lions won the game 10-0.
After suffering a shutout loss, the Cougars attacked to score the first run in game two. The Lions responded in the third to tie and then went on to win the game 3-1. Boyer, sophomore Christina Lizzi and Harrigan had two hits apiece.
"We trust each other in our decisions, we make plays together, we put hits and runs together collectively," Harrigan said. "You can tell that our team is working together to win ball games."
In their final NJAC match up of the week, the Lions split a doubleheader with the Red Hawks of Montclair State University on Saturday. In the fourth inning, senior Red Hawk Athanasia Totaro hit the sweet spot of the ball, sending it over the fence for her fourth home run of the season, putting the score at 5-0. The Lions mustered just two runs as the Red Hawks went on to win 6-2.
In the second game, the Lions showed the Red Hawks what they are made of and Hughes led the way with her seventh home run of the season. Harrigan knocked in an RBI double and Blevins sealed the win with a run-scoring single. Hoffman earned the win in her 11th complete game of the season and her 13th victory.
"When Kohut went down they knew what to do," Miller said.
In non-conference action, the Lions swept Hunter College on Thursday. In game one, Boyer knocked out the first home run in the new complex to tie the game at one.
"It's a great feeling to be the first to hit a home run out of the new stadium," Boyer said. "But it was an even better feeling to know that I was able to score a run to send the game against Hunter into extra innings and ultimately pull out the win."
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, Blevins reached base on a Hunter College error. She went on to score the game-winning run.
Quigley collected the win in game two and allowed only two earned runs while striking out four batters. Quigley contributed on the offensive side as well, with a game-winning two-RBI triple to center. Boyer was 2-for-3 at the plate.
"These last three weeks have been tough," Miller added. "When you look at the calendar, you never dream that you would get these games in April."
The Lions face Ramapo College at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
(04/05/06 4:00pm)
The week's been a blast for the Lions softball team, as it won a total of nine games in eight days.
The blast came from the offensive outburst in which the Lions swatted a total of 85 hits in the past week.
On Saturday, New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action was in play when the Lions beat the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers University-Newark in a two-game series.
Early on, the Lions were down 1-0 but quickly regained control after scoring four runs in the top of the third. The offense was powered by junior Vicki Blevins and junior Kristin Boyer, who each had three hits.
"Boyer coming back was huge," head coach Sally Miller said. "We are offensively attacking more."
Junior Jen Hughes tripled and then scored when the Scarlet Raiders made an error.
"It is important to take advantage of the errors they make," Miller said. "Jen has made a couple adjustments and she knows she can do it."
After that hit the damage was done. Senior Laura Prevete singled to make it 10-1. Senior Kristin Meister batted in Boyer for the last run of the game. The Lions crushed the Scarlet Raiders 11-1. In the NJAC standings the Lions improve to 2-0 while Rutgers-Newark fell to 0-2.
During the second game, the hits were still coming in as Boyer came up to the plate and knocked in junior Julianne Lajiness.
The Scarlet Raiders came back as junior Kate Schrumpf scored off of senior Katie Wheelan's single. But the Lions turned on the gas and junior Tara Harrigan and sophomore Christina Lizzi combined for two doubles and four runs. Junior pitcher Heather Hoffman earned her sixth win of the season.
In non-conference action on Wednesday, the Lions downed the Mules of Muhlenberg 2-0. The Lions were coming off a strong two-game upset of No. 2-ranked Salisbury University.
"When you have an important piece of the puzzle down, you never know how your team is going to react," Miller said.
During the first game, Hughes came up to blast a solo home run and then in the sixth hit a sacrifice fly that brought Lajiness home.
"Hughes is an extremely good ball player," added Miller. "Defensively she is an absolute threat."
Freshman Carlyn Perrotty and junior Erin Cusmano each added two hits.
"Cusmano is attacking the ball," Miller said. "We need to continue attacking and tracking the ball."
In game two, the Mules wouldn't let the Lions have it so easy. It took eight innings to harness the Mules. Prevete was the hero of the game with a hit that brought in two runs in the eighth.
"There has been a lot of growth offensively this season. Everyone has been working hard all winter and continues to work to make their adjustments," Prevete said.
"It is finally starting to show how hard everyone has been working," she added.
Junior starting pitcher Jess Kohut was struck by a line drive in the seventh and had to leave the game after allowing one unearned run. Lajiness came in for the save.
"When Kohut went down the team sent a message, you can't stay upset," Miller said. "They picked it up for Jess."
Blevins and Cusmano added two hits and together the pair had a combined 14 hits in six games.
The weekend concluded with a fireworks show of home runs as the Lions swept Drew University. Hughes had a major impact in game one as she hit two home runs, including a grand slam to help the Lions win 14-2. She had an impressive game with six RBI and two runs.
Making her debut from being sidelined, Boyer contributed with a home run and Lizzi knocked one out too. That might have been the finale but the show opened up with Harrigan lighting it up for three hits and two RBI.
Lajiness earned the win and allowed only two hits and struck out five. On the season she has a record of 6-1.
In game two the Lions were powered by their pitching, as Hoffman put another shutout in the books. Hoffman is now an impressive 7-1.
But it was Hughes who once again came up to the plate with yet another home run on her way to a 4-4 day. The game was clinched as the Lions pulled through, scoring five runs in the fifth.
The Lions hope to continue their offensive dominance when they take on Haverford College at home on Thursday at 3 p.m.
(03/29/06 5:00pm)
It was a fine day for the Lions, who beat No. 2-ranked Salisbury University in doubleheader action on Sunday. The Lions came in and swept the series, winning six of their last seven games.
It was freshman Carlyn Perrotty who continued to shine this weekend, as she contributed a solo home run in the fourth inning. Perrotty helped the Lions to a 2-1 win, going 2-for-3 at the plate.
"The first few games I struggled due to the difference in high school and college ball, but I worked a lot on my hitting and I am feeling very confident," Perrotty said.
"She is a really gifted ball player," head coach Sally Miller said. "Last fall we saw a good glimpse of her potential and she has adjusted very well."
The Lions scored their first run as senior Kelly Quigley advanced home on a Sea Gull error.
The winning pitcher for the Lions was junior Julianne Lajiness, who allowed just five hits and now improves to 3-1, while junior Jess Kohut closed the game for the save. Sophomore Jonna Mahalchik assisted the Lions with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
"We are really starting to see the pitchers come together and work hard and stay strong," Miller said.
In game two, junior Vicki Blevins had a stellar performance with two hits and two RBI. Blevins was .500 on the afternoon, raising her at season total to 11-for-20. During the sixth inning, junior Jen Hughes was struck by a pitch and then ran home on Blevins' double.
The game was in the Lions' hands as sophomore Christina Lizzi had a hit that scored junior Tara Harrigan. Junior Heather Hoffman improved to 4-1 and Kohut got another save. Hoffman also extended her streak of scoreless innings to 23 1/3.
"When we play our game with all the heart we have, there isn't a team that can beat us," Perrotty said.
On Saturday afternoon, the Lions were not as successful. Maybe it was the return of cold weather that caused the Lions to lose their first of two games against the Yellow Jackets of the University of Rochester.
In the first game, the Lions scored in the bottom of the second when Perrotty slammed a triple into dead center, and then Blevins followed up with a single.
"When I came to the College, I knew it was a very prestigious club from day one; everyone has so much desire," Perrotty said.
Perrotty now has a double and two triples in the stats column and has also contributed four RBI in her first year as a Lion. Perrotty has shown a tremendous effort thus far. "When Carlyn steps up to the plate, it's good to have that assurance that something good will happen," senior tri-captain Laura Prevete said.
The Yellow Jackets came back swarming in the top of the third with back-to-back doubles from junior Samantha Carr and freshman Beth Ameno. The score remained 2-1 until the Yellow Jackets sealed the win with a single from junior Nicole DiBello. DiBello added another tally mark as the winning pitcher, while Kohut was the losing pitcher for the Lions, yielding four hits through seven innings.
The Lions roared to a 1-0 win in the second game as Hoffman pitched her third straight scoreless game.
In the third inning, Blevins knocked out a base hit, which allowed junior Erin Cusmano to score. Blevins was 1-for-2 at the plate and is 8-for-14 on the season.
On the mound for the Yellow Jackets was senior Jen Moshier, who picked up her first loss, despite allowing just five hits in 4 1/3 innings. She now stands at 3-1 on the year.
The Lions play Muhlenberg College today.
(03/22/06 5:00pm)
It wasn't luck on Friday as the women's tennis team showed a strong performance in a 7-2 win over Muhlenberg College. The Lions are now 7-0 with a 10- match win streak.
Sophomore Christina Contrafatto once again was a force as she came away with a win at first singles and also a win in first doubles with her partner, senior Jackie Gavornik. The doubles team beat Muhlenberg's senior captain Amy Schmidt and freshman Carly Rotfeld, 9-7.
Contrafatto and Gavornik are now 12-2 together on the season and 7-0 in dual meet competition. Gavornik has an impressive singles record standing at 52-22 and doubles record at 64-22.
The Lions performance was steady throughout the night with two out of three wins in doubles action.
The Lions were strong in singles performances and claimed victories in five of their six matches with wins from Contrafatto, junior Kristen Turturiello, Gavornik, and freshmen Lindsay Katzel and Erica Ollinick.
In men's action, the Lions had two matches starting with a loss to Trinity College on Saturday. The only win in doubles action came from sophomore Michael Klimchak and freshman Roger Mosteller who defeated seniors Jimmie Ames and Jon Hart, 9-7.
Klimchak and Mosteller each won their singles matches, 6-1, 6-1 and 6-3, 6-3, respectively. Also winning in singles was sophomore Eric Ferriere, 6-4, 6-2.
On Sunday, senior Ryan Carty did not play due to a stomach virus, but the Lions walked away with a 5-2 win over Haverford College. The Lions are now 2-1 on the season.
Klimchak moved up to the No. 1 spot and picked up a pair of wins in singles and doubles. Klimchak and Mosteller defeated freshmen Alex Buxbaum and Thomas Kinkade, 8-1. The duo now stand at 9-3.
The Lions No. 2 doubles team of junior Corey Ball and senior captain Justin Cook beat freshman Evan Stiegal and junior captain Elmar Trust 8-3.
Sophomore Eric Ferriere defeated Kinkade, 6-0, 6-4. Ball's second win of the afternoon came when he defeated Kellan Webb, 6-1, 6-0.
With Spring Break over, the season is just beginning and both teams are showing strong and consistent performances as they enter the second half of the semester.
The Lions are back in action on the road this weekend. They will face the University of Rochester on Saturday and Hobart College on Sunday.
(02/22/06 5:00pm)
It may be six more weeks until spring, but the women's tennis team opened up the season Saturday in an unscored match against the University of Delaware (UD) in the Lions' Spring Kickoff Tournament.
The Lions captured three victories in singles and two victories in doubles action. The first doubles team, sophomore Christina Contrafatto and senior Jackie Gavornick, lost to UD sophomores Susan Pollack and Alexa Dragonette 8-2.
"Delaware is an aggressive team," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "We have to learn to be the aggressor first and try to bring the attack to them."
Winning for the Lions was the second double team, consisting of junior Kristen Turturiello and freshman Haley Kutner. They defeated UD juniors Liz Perlow and Sari Shuster 8-2.
Continuing the win streak was the third doubles team of junior Karen Shih and sophomore Ann Wright. They defeated UD freshman Abbie Pyeritz and sophomore Julie Schiller 8-6.
In singles action, the Lions went 3-3 with victories from Kutner, Turturiello and freshman Lindsay Katzel. Kutner defeated Perlow 6-3, 6-0. Turturiello captured a win against Shuster 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-4). Katzel was able to seal the deal with a victory against UD freshman Kate Iannelli 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8).
On Sunday, it was the Lions men's tennis team's turn to start the Lions' Spring Kickoff Tournament against the Blue Hens of UD. Doubles partners senior co-captain Ryan Carty and junior Corey Ball lost to UD senior Jesse Carl and freshman Nolan Greenberg 8-5. Ball and Carty quickly made up the loss with an 8-6 win against UD sophomore Jason Hanschmann and senior Phillip Wayne.
Sophomore Mike Klimchak and freshman Roger Mosteller fought for the win and captured it against Hanschmann and freshman Josh Levine 8-3. "The team has great depth." Klimchak said. "As long as we play like we know how to we should be fine."
Klimchak added that he has been working on his serve and hopes to win nationals this year. The Lions came one match short of winning last season. Klimchak's hard work showed as he defeated Hanschmann 6-2, 6-2 but fell short to senior Adam Liebman 6-3, 6-3.
"When we face a team of this caliber it forces us to really focus," Dicheck said. "If we keep working hard and improving we should see our ultimate goal."
In singles action, the Lions continued to stay strong as Ball defeated Wayne 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7). Carty won both double single matches against Liebman 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-2) and against Hanschmann, 6-1, 6-0.
Senior co-captain Justin Cook defeated Levine 6-4, 6-1.
The Lions official scoring season starts this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. against Washington College at the Student Recreation Center.