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(02/09/05 5:00pm)
There may not have been a trophy emblazoned with "Best Mercer County College" at stake, but the unofficial title was enough to churn up the rivalry between the College's indoor track and field team and their cross-town rival, Rider University, at the Mercer County Duals this weekend.
The men's team defeated Rider with a score of 104-84 while the women's team was edged out, 95-92. Combined, the two teams set three school records and six NCAA Division III provisional qualifying times.
"It's a huge rivalry," head coach Eric Mobley said. "We usually get our best performances, to date, at this meet."
Junior Karim Cockrell led the Lions men with two provisional qualifying performances. He placed second in both the 55-meter dash (6.48 seconds) and the long jump (7.02 meters). Junior Kevin Jones won the long jump for the College with another provisional qualifying distance of 7.05 meters. Jones also took second in the 200-meter run in 22.23 seconds.
Junior Jeff Zodda, senior Ed Marion and freshman Brian Donatelli added three more first-place finishes and provisional qualifying marks for the Lions. Zodda took first in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.27 while Marion won the high jump at 2.09 meters and Donatelli won the weight throw with a distance of 17.09 meters. Marion's mark set a new school record.
Despite the loss, the women's team achieved some individual success with two new school records and numerous first-place finishes. After winning three events at the Haverford meet last weekend, junior Brittny Boyd repeated her tri-win performance against Rider. Boyd set the school record in the long jump with a winning distance of 5.68 meters, which was also a provisional qualifying mark. She also took first in the 55-meter dash (7.39) and the 200-meter run (25.49).
"(Boyd's) a competitor," Mobley said. "If she keeps getting better week after week like she has been, she's going to win."
Sophomore Elyse Mitchell set another school record for the Lions in the pole vault. She won the event with a 3.20 meter vault.
Junior Jenna Fasulo also won multiple events, taking first in the mile and the 3,000-meter run with times of 5:23.46 and 10:51.70, respectively.
This weekend, the Lions will travel to the University of Delaware for the Thompson Invitational.
"There was a lot of emotion from (the Mercer County Duals)," Mobley said. "So this is going to be a kind of a come-down week. Instead of everyone running two events, maybe we'll have them run one and call it a day."
The Thompson meet is their last before the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship meet on Feb. 20.
(12/08/04 5:00pm)
Indoor track and field head coach Eric Mobley quelled any doubts about his ability to continue the historic success of the College's track program in his head-coaching debut this weekend.
The Lions walked away from their first meet of the year, Princeton's New Year's Invitational, with three new school records and five NCAA Division III provisional times.
"I'm definitely happy," Mobley said. "It's a good starting point."
The men's team alone had four provisional teams and three school records. Junior Kevin Jones took first in the long jump with a school-record setting and provisional qualifying distance of 7.2 meters. In the same event, junior Karim Cockrell finished sixth with a 6.98-meter long jump, which was also a provisional qualifying distance. Cockrell also took second place in the 60-meter dash in 7.01 seconds.
Junior Jeff Schwerdtman also set a school record and earned a provisional qualifying mark with his second place, 16.54-meter performance in the shot put.
The young and inexperienced also came through for the Lions in their first collegiate indoor track meet. Freshmen Marquis Mitchell and Sullivan Parker both had provisional qualifying performances in their respective events. Mitchell took fourth and set a school record in the triple jump with a distance of 14 meters. Parker won the 60-meter dash in 6.97 seconds, defeating teammate Cockrell by 0.04 seconds.
Freshman Wes Friedman also gave the Lions a quality performance eighth-place height of 1.88 meters in the high jump. Sophomore Paul Discepola was a sixth-place finisher in the hurdles in 8.64 seconds as well.
"(The underclassmen) are going to have to play a big part in the season because we have a lot of youth," Mobley said. "But they welcome the challenge."
Underclassmen also played a big role for the women this weekend. Sophomore Khristelle Manuyag had the fastest time in the 60-meter dash trials with 7.83 seconds, but was unable to compete in the finals due to injury. However, the time proved to be a provisional qualifying mark.
The Lions' 4x400 relay team of sophomore Angela Tecco and freshmen Carolyn Gray, Jessica Bonelli and Sara Tomszuk took third in 4:03.7. Tecco also finished fifth in the 500-meter run with a personal-best time of 1:09.5.
In the pole vault, sophomore Elyse Mitchell finished sixth with 2.90 meters. Rookie Jenizah Melendez took eighth in the shot put with a distance of 11.52 meters. Junior Erika Huggler also performed well for the Lions with a fifth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.40 seconds.
Mobley stressed the fact that although the underclassmen's performance in the rest of the season is important, their youth is still an element that needs to be dealt with.
"Putting a lot of pressure on the freshman could backfire at the end of the season," Mobley said. "You just have to make sure they're having fun."
After their first meet of the season, the Lions will not have another meet until Jan. 14 when they travel to the New York University Invitational. Until then, Mobley plans of focusing on the fundamentals with his athletes.
"We're going to continue working on a good foundation to minimize injuries later in the season," Mobley said.
(12/08/04 12:00pm)
Well, I've reached the first of many lasts to come throughout the course of this year. After two semesters at the helm of The Signal's sports section, I am laying down my red editing pen in favor of my bat and glove this spring.
Over the past year, the vast majority of my waking hours have been spent in The Signal office and on the College's softball field. These two places have formed my identity at this school, but with only one semester left, I'm forced to abandon one. I apologize to all you avid Signal sports readers, but I will be actively participating in Lions' athletics this spring rather than taking notes on the sidelines.
But my dual role this past year is what has made my tenure at The Signal so interesting. Being an athlete at the College while having the responsibility of providing unbiased coverage of the College's athletics has been a tough assignment to say the least.
Walking into the sports editor position, I saw my inside access as an advantage that others before me did not have. And in some ways I was right. I'm surrounded by athletes of all sports every day, and their experiences, combined with my own, provided an endless supply of story ideas. I hear about the rivalries directly from the people whose adrenaline will not let them sleep the night before a Rowan game. I hear complaints (and even make some myself) directly from the people who have no field to play on or feel their team doesn't get as much recognition as it deserves. I see the championships and the All-American seasons happen while I cheer my friends on at the same time.
But my intimacy with the athletic department was not without its flaws. Being forced to edit, write headlines and layout the story about the end of my season only hours after the final out had safely settled into the enemy's glove may have been more painful than the loss itself.
Choosing a "Lion of the Week" was also not the most enjoyable tasks. I realize The Signal is not the filet mignon of sports publications, but there isn't an athlete out there who doesn't enjoy notoriety of any kind. So deciding against a teammate or friend for "Lion of the Week" meant I had to prepare for the snide remarks thrown my way on Wednesday afternoon.
But despite the occasional conflict of interest, I will miss it. Being locked in the Student Center basement for eternity on Monday nights would have been impossible without everyone I've worked with over the past two semesters. I probably wouldn't have survived the pre- and post-election frenzy without my fellow Kerry devotees at The Signal.
But I have no doubt that my assistant Andrew Grant is more than ready to take the reins and provide his own spin on athletics here. After a semester of taking orders from me and updating the Stats page-which is by far the most heinous aspect of being a sports editor-I'm sure he's ready to hand down his Stat page duty to another unsuspecting victim.
With that said, it is time to move on. Time to end one important part of my college career so I can fully embrace the finale of another. My Monday nights will no longer be spent putting together the sports section until the early hours of the morning. Instead, I will be sleeping in preparation for my Tuesday doubleheader.
(12/01/04 5:00pm)
The minute Eric Mobley accepted the head coaching position of the men's and women's track and field programs, he also accepted the burdens of reputation, tradition and past successes that come with the College's track and field teams.
Seven straight women's indoor track New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships, 21 women's outdoor Championships in 22 chances, and seven straight men's outdoor Championships - walking into these expectations could make even the most experienced coach get pre-race jitters.
"I'm excited and nervous at the same time," Mobley said. "There's pressure to continue the tradition and even take it to the next level."
Mobley was named the head coach in the beginning of November after former head coach Steve Dolan accepted an assistant coaching position at Princeton University.
"We are very pleased that Eric is taking over the reins of the track and field programs and expect that he will continue to build on the tradition of success that both the men's and women's program have enjoyed here," Kevin McHugh, College athletic director, said.
Mobley has served as an assistant coach for the past seven years at various Division I programs like Temple University, University of Akron and LaSalle University. Although all of Mobley's experience has been at the Division I level, he does not foresee a big change in his transition to Division III.
"The basic difference is the scholarship money," Mobley said. "It's all the same selling points and you can still get quality athletes."
Last year's indoor track team produced 11 All-Americans and the men and women finished in 28th and 10th place, respectively, at the NCAA National Championships in Wisconsin. The 2004 men's and women's outdoor track teams finished the season with 12 All-Americans and two national champions at the national championship meet.
Mobley said that he's not going to change much from the approach Dolan took with his 2004 champions, but realizes the need to address the coaching transition with his athletes.
"I'm not going to make any big wholesale changes," Mobley said. "I'm just going to remain open as far as communicating with the athletes."
Mobley described his coaching style as "intense" and stressed the need for communication in his everyday interactions with his athletes.
"I listen and try to give feedback as far as what athletes are saying," Mobley said. "It's how I know when to pull back or push harder."
On top of his experience at large track programs, Mobley also earned a Level I certification in track and field from the USA Track and Field Coaches Education School.
Mobley also graduated from LaSalle University in 1993 with a few athletic accomplishments of his own. During his collegiate track career, Mobley earned Midwestern Collegiate Conference All-Conference honors and was an All-East performer at the Indoor Championships in the 400-meter run in 1993. He also holds the LaSalle indoor school record in the 400-meter run.
Mobley's official debut as head coach will be at the indoor track and field New Year Invitational at Princeton University on Dec. 7. By then, Mobley hopes that his strong coaching style and emphasis on communication will bring the Lions toward yet another championship season.
"Everyone knows where I'm coming from and I say what I mean," Mobley said. "It shouldn't be a problem."
(11/17/04 5:00pm)
Despite wrestling without four key starters, the Lions had senior co-captain Nick Vinciguerra take first and five others place in the Central Jersey Open hosted by the College on Sunday.
After being the only Lion to win his weight class at the Ithaca College Invitational last week, sixth-ranked Vinciguerra once again led the Lions with a first-place finish at 197 pounds in the senior division. He defeated Tyler Moyer of Navy Prep 12-5 in the finals to go 3-0 on the day and remain unbeaten on the young season at 7-0.
"This is Nick's senior year," head coach David Icenhower said. "We're going to expect this from him all season."
The tournament was only scored individually, not as a team, prompting Icenhower to use the weekend to further prepare his team for the rest of the season.
"The main reason we go is to have whoever's healthy wrestle," he said. "We get to see what we're doing wrong and then fix it."
But health was not in abundance for the Lions this weekend as juniors Paul Vacarro and Keith Bjorhus, sophomore Joey Galante and freshman Lenny Goduto did not wrestle in the tournament due to injury.
"They got banged up in the tournament last week," Icenhower said. "I would hope that two, maybe three of them will be ready to go by Saturday."
Junior Brian Dempsey said the high number of injuries on the team is effecting the team's concentration.
"Right now the hardest thing is to get motivated in the (wrestling) room," Dempsey said. "There's only like 15 to 20 people in the room compared to the usual 35 or so but our coaches and captains have been doing a good job making sure we are focused on what we need to work on."
On top of Vinciguerra's win, the Lions also had second-place finishes from senior co-captain Sean Flynn and Dempsey.
Flynn fell 2-1 to sophomore Jason Kiessling of the University of Maryland in the 165-pound finals in the senior division. Flynn is nationally ranked seventh in his weight class and is 7-2 on the season.
Dempsey dropped a 5-2 decision to Bloomsburg University's sophomore Brian Sellers in the finals of the 125-pound weight class. He is also ranked seventh nationally for his weight and now holds an individual record of 4-2.
"I think I wrestled okay," Dempsey said. "It's still early in the year so our whole team has some things we need to work on."
Sophomore Pat Cross finished third at 184 pounds after beating his teammate, freshman James Tomczuk, with a 10-0 major decision in the battle for third place.
The Lions rounded out their place finishers when junior Joey Keagle finished sixth at 157 pounds in the senior decision after being pinned at 3:29 by senior Jesse Richmand of Franklin and Marshall University in the fifth-sixth place match.
On Saturday the Lions will travel to Ursinus College for their invitational tournament, where they will take on two of the top 15 teams in the country, Ursinus and York College.
"This should actually be the easiest of the three tournaments we've been in," Icenhower said. "So I hope to win it."
(11/04/04 12:00pm)
Watching Boston's Keith Foulke underhand the final out of the World Series to first base, I could only think one tortured thought ...
Damn. Now we can't chant "1918" anymore.
I hate to admit it, but the bitter Yankee fan in me prevailed over the baseball enthusiast in one of the most historic seasons baseball has seen in a while.
But now that the sting from the "biggest comeback in the history of baseball" has been reduced to a dull ache, I can look back at what the Red Sox accomplished instead of what the Yankees did not.
With their last breath of life, those Boston cowboys defeated the polished Yankees to take the American League pennant after being just two outs away from a sweep. They then overcame nearly a century of internalized hardship to sweep the lifeless Cardinals in the World Series for their sixth World Championship, and first since 1918.
These Red Sox, with their dreadlocks, full-grown beards and helmets caked with pine tar will never be forgotten. And it's not their championship that allows them a place in baseball history, it's the ghosts that were put to rest during this postseason.
The 2004 Boston Red Sox were better than the 2004 New York Yankees. It's not hard to admit because it's a fact. The Yankees starting rotation combined could not equal the talent of Boston's Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez. And Boston's consistent offensive power from every player on that lineup isn't even touched by the streaky contributions of Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui.
Yet, it was Boston who had quietly fallen to New York in the first three games of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and was two outs from doing the same thing a fourth and final time. It appeared that the curse had its heavy shroud over the Red Sox again and that's what makes this team special.
If the Sox had taken down the Yankees in four, five or even six games and then went on to win the World Series, they still would have broken the curse. But this team was literally in Babe Ruth's clutches until David "Papi" Ortiz wriggled out, with his team on the brink of another elimination, and sent the curse flying over the wall in Fenway.
The curse could be felt in the first three games and most of the fourth, and when the Red Sox came back to win Game 4, everyone could feel it being lifted.
Boston baseball will never be the same. But now that the mystique that has surrounded this team for as long as most people can remember has been lifted, what happens now? With the loss of some big names to free agency in this upcoming off-season, could they be just joining the gigantic pool of mediocre teams who have won only a handful of World Championships in their history?
Or is it the beginning of a new era; an era where the Yankees give up their American League supremacy to those champions of Beantown? Only time and money will tell.
(10/06/04 12:00pm)
Boo Rowan! Everyone has screamed it during at least one game between Rowan University and the College and some have even emblazoned the backs of their T-shirts with the catch phrase. The College's athletic rivalry with Rowan University may be one of the strongest and most widespread on campus.
"It's always been because of geography," Athletic Director Kevin McHugh said. "But the rivalry's really grown in the last 10 or 12 years."
The College's match-up with Rowan has not been in existence for long though. The College was founded 150 years ago while Rowan has only been in existence for 75 years. A variety of influences have caused the hyped competition between the two schools but one main reason is that both schools are competitive in almost every sport in which they participate.
"They're the only other school in the conference with a well-rounded athletic program," McHugh said. In last year's final standings, Rowan and the College finished with a difference of two places in eight of 14 sports. Of those, the College won the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) in eight sports while Rowan took first in four.
Junior guard on the College's women's basketball team Alexa Shields agreed. "Both schools are generally pretty good in most sports," she said. "That makes for great competition and a hardcore rivalry."
This past week, women's and men's soccer, field hockey and football all competed against Rowan. Rowan won three of the four match-ups. Women's soccer came out on top 2-0, men's soccer lost 2-0, field hockey lost 2-1 and football suffered a 35-20 loss in front of full house on Friday night. The Lions have only defeated Rowan once in the past six years.
The crowd in support of the Lions spilled out onto the pavement between the bleachers and the snack stand due to lack of enough seating. Fans painted their bodies blue and gold, designed T-shirts that said "I don't root for TCNJ, I boo Rowan," and of course screamed "Boo Rowan" in unison at every chance they could get. To prepare for the annual match-up, the Lions football pre-game party was held in the Rat right before the beginning of the game. A $5 cover charge provided free food and a pom-pom to bring to the game.
"Football, basketball and swimming all have a really strong rivalry with Rowan," Shields said. "Fans come out of the woodwork for these sports and really show support for all three."
"I have proudly worn a 'Boo Rowan' shirt to a football game and I intend on wearing it to any TCNJ vs. Rowan contest," Shields said.
Some former students even created a Web site dedicated to "boo Rowan." However, the Web site was eventually dismantled due to inappropriate content.
For many athletes at the College, games, matches or meets against Rowan have been some of the most memorable in their collegiate career.
"After four years of playing soccer for the College, I have never been to a game more emotionally charged than a game versus Rowan," senior goalkeeper Rich Adams said. Adams recalled the Lions' 1-0 victory over the undefeated Profs in the 2002 men's soccer NJAC semi-finals as one of his favorite Rowan memories.
"They thought they had us beat," Adams said. "Instead we upset them 1-0 in front of all their fans. Beating Rowan never felt so good."
Shields recalled a similar circumstance in which the men's basketball team played on Rowan's home court in the NJAC semi-finals last year. However, the Lions ended up losing 84-74 to the Profs.
"A bunch of people from our school piled on a bus and drove there to support the guys," Shields said. "We sat right next to the Rowan fans and heckled eachother the entire game. It got pretty heated by the end."
No matter what school it is or what division it's in, rivalry always adds a little something extra.
"Rivalry is what's neat about college sports," McHugh said. "It adds importance to every game."
And for this school, it is the mere mention of Rowan that incites the crowds and cheers. Whether it's football or swimming, a regular season game or the NJAC finals, the Profs and the Lions will always have something on the line - Pride.
(09/29/04 12:00pm)
Cleared benches and head-hunting in a Yankees/Red Sox game is not even news anymore.
As Sunday's game proved, violence between the two teams is not only not surprising, but expected.
The 11-4 blowout gave the Red Sox the advantage in the overall season series, winning 10 of 18 games against New York. The game also revitalized the head-hunting contest that has been going on all year between the two teams.
After a season-long series of one-run games and bean balls between the teams, the infamous rivalry managed to keep up the tension and violence in their final regular-season competition.
In the eighth inning, Boston's Pedro Astacio threw a pitch behind Kenny Lofton in a blatant attempt to hit him. They were both given warnings.
However, Yankee reliever Brad Halsey came back in the bottom of the inning and whistled a pitch right under the chin of Dave Roberts. In a sight all too familiar, the benches cleared and both Joe Torre and Halsey were ejected from the game. The only thing missing from the scene were some left-hooks.
The New York Yankees are up three and a half games in the American League East with just six games left and the Boston Red Sox are six and a half games up in the American League wild-card race with only seven games left to play. Yet the 100-year-old rivalry still boiled over this weekend despite the fact that the outcome of the series has no concrete effect on either team's position in the post-season.
It's proof that the history between the teams runs deeper than numbers of any kind.
The violence between the two teams can be traced further back than most living fans can even try to remember, but has really escalated in the past 30 years and even more so in the last 10.
Some feel the 1973 brawl was the beginning of a barely restrained hatred between the two teams. Yankee captain Thurman Munson barreled through Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk in an attempt to score on a suicide squeeze.
The slide immediately transformed into tangled punches and the beginning of a long line of bruises, chin music and bloody noses for Boston and New York.
Baseball historian Glenn Stout looked back on that particularly bloody incident and said, "The rivalry between the two teams that had been dormant for more than 20 years started smoldering again."
Fast-forward to the 2003 American League Championship Series and you'd be hard-pressed to prove him wrong. Even the most avid of Yankee haters would love to erase the image of Pedro Martinez tossing 72-year-old Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer to the ground in the bench-clearing brawl during Game 3.
The benches emptied after Martinez hit Karim Garcia with a pitch and the brawl reached its peak when Zimmer charged Martinez who grabbed him by the head and threw him to the ground.
Even more recently, a pitch that nailed Alex Rodriguez on the elbow on July 24 began one of the more violent fights in recent history. Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and A-Rod tossed words back and forth down the first-base line before Varitek finally punched A-Rod in the face and the teams spilled out of their dugouts.
Yankee starter Tanyon Sturtze was thrown to the ground by Gabe Kapler where fellow Red Sox David Ortiz and Nixon also ganged up on Sturtze, who continued to pitch despite a few bloody cuts. Five players were ejected from the game.
If this much regular-season drama has ensued between the long-time rivals, it's difficult to imagine what will happen when there's actually a title on the line.
If the Yankees and Red Sox do face-off again in the American League Championship Series come October, the team that will move on to the World Series is anything but certain. But if history has proven anything, pitches will sail dangerously up and in and the diamond will flood with players looking to get even yet again.
(09/15/04 12:00pm)
Eight-tracks, the mini-disc, beepers as the precursor to cell phones, the iPod. Only time will tell if the booming iPod industry is just one of those quick to grow, quick to fade fads, or if it really has revolutionized the world of portable music.
Right now, we may have reached the peak of the iPod frenzy, and society has become, well, obsessed. Despite all of its quirks and drawbacks, you can't help but fall in love with its click wheel and unfathomable music storage space. So in dedication, here is a list of things that people will do for the love of their iPod.
Keep it alive and well at all times
Advertised as being able to play eight hours of continuous music without recharging, iPod owners know it's doubtful that iPods will last beyond six. Even portable CD players, which are notorious for sucking batteries dry, will last through the length of extended roadtrips. But this is an iPod and it therefore deserves our special treatment.
So what do we do? We pay a combined $100 for the car power adapter and the back-up battery pack (that of course can only be purchased at apple.com), so that we enjoy the wonders of our iPod 24 hours a day, no matter where we are.
Protect it from the harsh realities of life
So after paying upwards of $250 for an iPod, we wouldn't want its touch-sensitive surface to get damaged. So back to apple.com we go to charge another $40 and buy the official iPod carrying case with a belt clip. Protective iPod cases can be found on other Web sites for less, but even the most savvy shopper gets sucked into the MP3 monopoly that Apple has created and will only buy accessories with the apple on it.
Permanently attach it to yourself
For the active Apple consumer, it would be a sin to leave a lonely iPod at home while going for a run or taking a trip to the gym. Therefore, we need to buy an armband because a belt clip is just not stable enough to withstand the jostling.
Following the same formula as the other Apple iPod accessories, this stretchy piece of nylon -which is only compatible with the iPod mini will run you up another $29. Just a small price to pay to keep our iPods attached at all times.
Wait, wait, wait, and wait some more
Is there any MP3 player that's better than an iPod? Well, some might say the iPod mini tops the "bulky," white, standard edition with its diminutive size and bright colors. Those who agree must have felt that the $250 mini was well worth the time they spent on a waiting list.
When the mini was first released, orders were backed up for weeks, even months. But it's okay, this isn't just any MP3 player we're talking about.
Return to its homeland
Who can resist the modern, white decor of the few and far between Apple stores? Any iPod owner feels compelled to search out the nearest location, so they can see every over-priced iPod accessory that exists.
We love to compare our version to the newest models, test out the $100 speakers that attach to iPods and make it sound like a top-notch stereo and try on the in-ear headphones, which are definitely more comfortable than the awkward earbuds that come with the iPod.
Whether this over-priced, monopolizing consumer giant is here to stay or not, there is one certainty. Everyone who owns one loves it, and everyone who doesn't wants one. So go ahead, spend exorbitant amounts of money on unnecessary accessories and buy into the Apple empire. It's all for the love of the iPod.
(04/07/04 4:00pm)
A 12-10 win in the first game of the season is an impressive accomplishment for any team. For a team in its very first year of existence, it becomes even more impressive.
The College's club softball team, in its first season ever, defeated Rutgers University-New Brunswick. The Rutgers team regularly plays competitive club softball teams from big Division I schools.
The president of the team, Christine Brower, began planning to start up a team in the spring of 2003.
"I was playing intramural softball but I wanted to play more competitively," Brower said.
The playing experience for the girls on the College's club team and on opposing club teams varies.
Some have been playing softball their entire lives and are looking to continue their playing careers without the stress and demand of a varsity sport while others have never played before.
"On our team there are some girls who played all their lives and a few seem like they don't have a lot of experience," freshman pitcher Christine Sciarra said.
Sciarra helped lead the team to a win over Rutgers with not only her pitching but her offensive skills as well. The game was highlighted by Sciarra's starting pitching performance as well has her homerun.
"I tried out for the varsity team and didn't make it," Sciarra said. "I really missed softball and I was so happy to hear that a fastpitch club softball team was being started so I figured that was the next best thing."
There are about 25 girls on the team, but only 15 players can suit up for a game. Because of the relaxed atmosphere of the team, players can contribute as much or as little time as they want. However, a player's dedication will be reflected in the starting lineup.
"We base our decisions on who gets to come to games by how often they attend practices or fundraisers," Sciarra said.
The team is coached by two volunteers, Joe Sondey and and Vinnie Gironda. They are both students here at the College.
"They take their time to help us out and it's all volunteer," Brower said. "They live on my floor and are just really into baseball so they wanted to help."
This past weekend the team traveled to Washington, D.C. to take on Georgetown University.
The team looks forward to tournaments in West Virginia and Delaware, in addition to one organized by Brower to take place on the team's home field on Geen Lane on April 25. Penn State University, Georgetown and Rutgers will all be competing.
(03/31/04 5:00pm)
Four years ago, as an incoming soccer recruit, most people would not have expected senior midfielder Katie Wagenblast's athletic success to involve a lacrosse stick.
Last year's Division III Player of the Year and this year's pick for the Preseason Player of the Year by Lacrosse Magazine, Wagenblast was originally recruited as a soccer player but decided to give up soccer and focus on lacrosse in her junior year.
"I knew that in order to excel in either sport, I had to focus on one," Wagenblast said.
Her decision to focus on lacrosse has shown in her performance. Last year, Wagenblast nearly tripled her scoring output from her sophomore year. She finished the 2003 season with a team-leading 29 assists and 35 goals.
Wagenblast feels that it's simply experience that resulted in a career-best season last year.
"I just became more comfortable in an attacking position and began to take initiative (on the field)," Wagenblast said.
Her success from last season has trickled over to the 2004 campaign as she's already accumulated 10 goals, three of which came in the Lions' second game of the season, a 13-8 win over fourth-ranked Salisbury University.
The Lions are currently ranked third in Division III, so Wagenblast has high expectations for her team as well as herself.
"I'm just expecting to lead my team and to keep stepping up and improving," Wagenblast said. "Our goal is to win the whole thing, but we try not to look far ahead."
It may seem like Wagenblast has been playing lacrosse her entire life, but she first began playing as a freshman at Toms River East High School on a mere whim.
"I played soccer and basketball throughout high school but I wanted to do something in the spring," Wagenblast said. "I decided to try lacrosse."
Her first year was the program's first as well, but Wagenblast helped the pilot program make large improvements and do well in their conference by the time she reached her senior year.
Less than a decade later, Wagenblast has transformed from a rookie at a first-year high school lacrosse program to a collegiate All-American. Although there is no telling what this season will bring for Wagenblast and the Lions, she hopes that lacrosse will play a role in her life after she steps off the field for the last time as a player.
"I would like to coach, if it works out," Wagenblast said. "I'm graduating in December and after that I'm hoping to get a job teaching somewhere."
Wagenblast is a psychology and elementary education major and will be student teaching in Fall 2004.
(02/11/04 5:00pm)
The College's wrestling team has always been known for its success. However, this year s team managed to make itself stand out among the backdrop of championships by winning a school record of 21 dual matches in a season.
The Lions broke the record by posting three convincing wins this weekend. The most recent win occurred on Sunday, when they buried the University of Scranton Royals 44-6, in their last dual match of the season. The Lions' overall dual match record is 21-3, while the Royals fall to 2-16 on the season.
"We actually didn t even know about the school record," sophomore Brian Dempsey said. "We just went out there trying to win our last matches."
On Saturday, the College traveled to the New York-New Jersey Duals at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego, where they defeated the host Lakers 30-12 and SUNY Cortland 25-10.
Several nationally ranked wrestlers helped the Lions earn three wins over the weekend.
Senior Greg Ilaria picked up three wins to finish his season with a perfect 18-0 dual meet record. He picked up a pin at 1:27 against Royals' freshman Kevin Byrne. On Saturday he beat Oswego freshman Chuck Guttilla 11-0 for a major decision win and then earned a 17-0 technical fall over Cortland sophomore Frank Sokolowski. Ilaria is currently ranked No. 2 in Division III at 157 pounds.
Junior Nick Vincigueara also helped the Lions by going 3-0 at 197 pounds. He elevated his seasons' dual match record to 20-1 with a 20-6 major decision win over Scranton sophomore Trevor Needham.
At the New York-New Jersey Duals he defeated Oswego freshman Matt Gough and then had a technical win over Cortland freshman Matt Eldridge. Vincigueara is currently ranked seventh nationally.
Ranked third at 141 pounds, sophomore Pat Brady earned two wins on Saturday for the Lions. One was a 20-6 major decision win over Oswego freshman Clayton Walsh, and the other was a 7-3 victory over Cortland sophomore Jason Chase. Brady finished up the regular season with a record of 22-1.
At heavy weight, sophomore Keith Bjorus picked up two victories this weekend as well. He pinned Scranton junior Mike Kelly at 2:00 to seal the Lions defeat of the Royals. He went 1-1 the day before, pinning Oswego junior Jeremy Calkins at 3:27, but losing to Cortland senior Carlos Panfili.
Bjorus is ranked eighth in the most recent poll, has a team-high of 13 pins and ended the season with a record of 27-5.
Lions junior co-captain Sean Flynn is also ranked eighth in his weight class and picked up three wins this weekend. At 165 pounds, he recorded an 11-2 major decision win over Royals senior, Tim Grover, which opened up the College s team lead to 31 points after just six matches.
In a close match, Flynn prevailed with a 6-3 win over seventh ranked junior Frank Petrucci of Oswego. He then posted a 6-2 decision over Cortland junior Matt Slate. Flynn is 28-8 on the year.
After the finish of a successful regular season, the Lions will be competing at the Metropolitan Conference Championships on Sunday, Feb. 22, at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
"We should have at least eight people going to nationals with hopefully six people winning conferences," Dempsey said. "There are a few tough guys in the conference but we should be able to win them."
The Met Championship is an NCAA qualifier which decides which wrestlers from the Metropolitan region will go on to compete at the 2004 NCAA Division III Championships at Loras College from March 5-6.
Last year, seven of the 15 wrestlers who went on to compete at nationals were from the College.
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
For once, the experts were right. The top National Football League (NFL) analysts predicted that Superbowl XXXVIII would be a close game, and that's exactly what it was.
The New England Patriots' 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers was a textbook example of what was supposed to happen this superbowl.
Of course, there were the usual dramatic moments when the hearts of both New England and Carolina fans stopped beating for a second. Especially in the last three minutes of the game. When Jake Delhomme threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad to put the Panthers ahead by one with 7:38 left in the game, fans knew that this wasn't to be the outcome.
Where were the clutch performance of Tom Brady, and the usual late game heroics from place kicker Adam Vinatieri? That's what was supposed to happen, and everyone, whether they were from Boston or not, knew it was still to come.
And of course, less than one minute later, the pressure of the clock winding down compelled Brady to begin another touchdown drive for the Patriots. When Brady put the Patriots up 29-22 by throwing a short touchdown pass to Mike Vrabel with less than three minutes left in the game, I thought that this year's Superbowl had already come to its dramatic conclusion.
Delhomme and the Panthers battled back against the legacy of clutch performances that Brady has created to tie the game at 29 with a mere minute left to play.
Unfortunately for the underdog Panthers, they had forgotten that an important element of the equation had yet to be
introduced to this expectedly thrilling superbowl - Adam Vinatieri.
After the inspiring pressure performances of the arms of both teams' quarterbacks, the outcome of Superbowl XXXVIII came down to two feet. John Kasey and Adam Vinatieri.
Kasey kicked the ball 52 yards and off to the right in the out of bounds area to give New England the perfect field position at their own 40 yard line to fulfill their "destiny."
All Brady had to do was get the Patriots close enough so that Vinatieri would be able to complete his end of the bargain and kick a game-winning field goal. With a few crisp completions, he was able to advance the Patriots 37 yards in six plays to set-up Vinatieri.
Commentators questioned Vinatieri's ability to give the Patriots their win from 41 yards away because of his performance earlier in the game.
Vinatieri's 31-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter sailed wide to the right, and his 36-yard attempt in the second quarter was blocked by Carolina defensive tackle Shane Burton.
But despite Vinatieri's 0-2 performance so far in the game, did we really think he wouldn't come through?
Having kicked a game-winning field - goal two years ago in Superbowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams, and in the 2001 American Football Conference (AFC) championship against the Oakland Raiders, we knew it was part of the equation. Again.
And sure enough, Vinatieri's kick with four seconds left to play, sailed right in between the goal posts as if his previous two attempts had never even happened.
Just a few yards closer than his winning field goal two years ago, Vinatieri had done it again.
Close game, check. Clutch performance by Tom Brady, check. Game winning field-goal in the last few seconds of the game by Adam Vinatieri, check.
According to the NFL analysts, everything that was supposed to happen did.
That's why the New England Patriots are on top of the football world for the second time in three years.
The NFL commissioner stated that the contest between the Patriots and the Panthers had "thrilled America with an incredible Superbowl game."
He was right, the game was thrilling. But did we honestly expect anything else from Brady, Vinatieri and Superbowl XXXVIII?
(10/28/03 5:00pm)
This weekend marked two firsts for the College women's soccer team.
Unfortunately, neither of them were good.
The Lions lost to the Red Hawks of Montclair State University, 2-1, making their second loss in a row and their fourth on the season. It's the first time in the 14-year history of the program that both these things happened.
The outcome of the game also carried more weight than most games.
"It was a very important game for us, it determined who hosts the conference tournament," Head Coach Joe Russo said.
The loss could also affect the Lions position in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).
"We've already suffered one loss in the conference this season, we can't afford another," junior midfielder Katie Egan said before the game against the Red Hawks. The Lions' (12-4 overall, 6-2 NJAC) other loss in the conference came from Rutgers University-Camden Scarlet Raptors on Sept. 24.
The Red Hawks (12-4 overall, 7-1 NJAC) offense was completely powered by junior defender Shirah Odeh who scored both goals for the Red Hawks. Her first goal came two minutes into the game as a header off a corner from senior midfielder Stephanie Santos.
Odeh scored again in the second half at 56:50 off another corner kick, assisted by sophomore forward Kelly Dutko.
Junior midfielder Lynda Schuster tried to battle back with an unassisted goal at 74:59, but the Lions were unable to put anything together after that. Schuster is currently second on the all-time assist list with 24, and now only needs seven more to break recent graduate Gia Rosamilia's record of 30. Schuster also holds the single-season assist record at 13.
Sophomore goalkeeper Alissa Kacar took the loss in goal for the Lions, allowing two goals and making three stops.
The Lions lead the all-time series with the Red Hawks 14-1-1.
Thunder 3, Lions 1
Earlier in the week, the Lions suffered their third loss of the season to eighth-ranked Wheaton College Thunder (Ill.), 3-1. This marks only the fourth time in the history of the program that the team suffered more than three losses in a season.
"They're a very, very good team," Russo said. "It was a good test for us."
Wheaton is not in the College's region so the loss will not effect the Lions conference standing.
Wheaton jumped on the Lions early when junior midfielder Sara Johnson scored her 13th goal of the season. Johnson took advantage of a cross from sophomore midfielder Mary Doleshal and tapped it past diving keeper, Kacar.
"We didn't get off to a great start," Egan said. "It could have been a whole different game."
The Thunder maintained the narrow lead throughout the first half and part of the second. The score would eventually be tied at 51:28 by junior defender Erin Pivovarnick. Egan fed the corner kick to the far post where junior midfielder Stephanie Peters headed the ball to Pivovarnick who sent the ball into the far right side of the goal for her seventh goal of the season.
"Once we scored our first goal to tie the game, I thought we were in great shape," Russo said.
Wheaton's sophomore forward, Jen Binger, tallied an unassisted goal at 59:12 breaking the tie. The goal was her 16th of the year.
Wheaton freshman midfielder Natalie Cooney added an unassisted goal at 87:21.
The Lions were out-shot by a team for the first time all season, 13-11.
"We knew they were a very good team going into the game," Egan said. "They're the best team we've played all season."
Kacar had the loss in goal, allowing three goals and making three stops. Wheaton's junior goalkeeper, Brita Nelson, played the first half and made three saves. She was replaced by sophomore Ashley Vratil in the second half, who allowed one goal and made two stops.
Lions 12, Gothic Knights 0
In a game full of zeros last week, the Lions destroyed the Gothic Knights of New Jersey City University, 12-0. Not only were the Gothic Knights unable to score a goal, they were unable to get close enough to even attempt it.
The Lions were led by sophomore midfielder Dana Logandro, who notched the first goal of her career at 88:08 to finish off the Lions offensive attack. She also had three assists on the day.
The Lions ended the half with a 9-0 lead. Pivovarnick scored a pair of goals and Egan added a goal and an assist. Logandro and junior midfielder Linda O'Leary combined for five assists in the first half.
At 49:34, freshman forward Lauren Grochala scored an unassisted goal to increase the lead to 10-0. At 63:00, junior midfielder Marina Capacasa assisted junior defender Shannon Scott for the Lions 11th goal.
Frosh midfielder Caitlin Brennan assisted Logandro with her first career goal.
The College now leads the all-time series against New Jersey City University, which began in 1994, 10-0. In those 10 games, the Gothic Knights never scored a goal against the Lions.
Lions 3, Profs 0
The Lions' 3-0 victory over the Profs of Rowan University before fall break marked the 250th career win for Russo. His overall record during his 14-year stint at the College is 250-23-17.
"I've been very fortunate," Russo said. "I've been blessed with some great players and a great staff."
Egan and Pivovarnick each had a goal and an assist on the game.
Neither team could break the scoreless game until the Lions found the back of the net with 2:30 left in the first half. O'Leary sailed a corner kick into the penalty box where Peters headed the ball to Pivovarnick, who nailed the Lions first goal to give them the lead.
With only five minutes left in the second, Egan scored from six yards out, connecting on a cross from Pivovarnick.
The win was the Lions' eighth shutout of the year. The College now leads the all-time series against Rowan, 8-0-1. The Profs have only scored once against the College in a 4-1 loss in 1998.
In goal, Kacar earned her fifth solo shutout of the year, outplaying NJAC Rookie of the Week, Gabrielle Ditchy, who made nine stops in the loss for the Profs.
Sophomore forward Brittny Boyd headed a pass from Egan into the goal with just 15 seconds left to play. Boyd's final goal of the game gave the Lions their 3-0 victory over the Profs.
Upcoming Game
The Lions will travel to Gettysburg College today for a non-conference match at 2:30 p.m.
(10/14/03 12:00pm)
The New York Yankees always seem to be associated with large numbers. Thirty-eight American League pennants, 26 World Championships and $180 million payroll. We all know they're good, and we all know they have a lot of money. Get over it.
Every time a major publication mentions the Yankees in post-season play, their payroll statistics are sure to follow. Before the 2003 American League Division Series (ALDS) began, The New York Times' Yankees beat writer, Tyler Kepner, could not talk about the upcoming contest between the Twins and the Yankees without mentioning the monetary differences.
The Associated Press labeled the Yankees as "big-budget", and Minnesota Twins infielder Doug Mientkiewicz mentioned "big-name guys, payrolls and superstars" when talking about Minnesota's 3-1 win over the Yankees in game one of the American League Division Series.
The "big-budget" Yankees did end up winning the next three games after their game one loss to the Twins, advancing them to the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox.
I'm not going to hide that I am a lifelong Yankees fan - I think that would be impossible. I am just as stubborn and argumentative as those two guys that sing the infamous "How Ya Doin'" song every year the Yanks are in the World Series.
But it's not just pinstripe fever that makes my blood boil every time I see payroll statistics. As a baseball fan, I think it's time to either let go of the money politics or do something about it.
The Yanks are currently playing for yet another World Series bid, and all anyone can talk about is the money they've spent. A century from now, the record books are going to show a dynasty that won three World Series in a row from 1998-2000, and four in the past eight years. This is an admirable accomplishment no matter how many zeros are on that payroll figure. But this does not ring true to many baseball fans.
I'm speaking to those fans now. Either enjoy some great baseball and history in the making or convince baseball commissioner Bud Selig to implement a salary cap.
With the amount of attention paid to the Yankees' payroll, we might as well add an asterisk to their entry in the record books.
1998-2000 World Champions: New York Yankees*
*Also had largest payroll in baseball
That would really keep America's pastime as pure and free from politics as possible.
Or even better, when the league standings are published in the daily newspapers, why don't we just put the payroll of each team next to the wins and losses? Readers can determine the best team in terms of dollars and cents rather than winning percentage.
At this point in the season, the only numbers I want to see are batting averages, fielding percentages and pitching records. Payrolls have been a topic of discussion since before spring training began, so let's just drop it and enjoy the best teams in baseball playing for the ultimate goal.
I want to open up the sports page and read about grand slams and diving catches, not contracts and dollar signs. I want to read about the reasons why the Yankees are the best team in baseball right now. Not one of those reasons should be their paychecks.
(10/07/03 4:00pm)
In a closely contested game that remained tied for the majority of the 90 minutes, the College's women's soccer team defeated the Kean University Cougars, 2-1.
Junior midfielder Lauren DiStefano scored the winning goal for the Lions are 9-2 overall, 4-1 New Jersey Athletic Association (NJAC), on a penalty kick at 64:29.
The game remained scoreless throughout the first half. Junior midfielders Katie Egan and Stephanie Peters paired up to score the first goal of the game at 47:38. Egan took advantage of a pass from Peters to give the Lions their 1-0 lead.
The game was tied again at 60:49 when Cougars' junior defender April Dunker used freshman midfielder Brienne Campbell's corner kick to knot the score at 1-1.
Less than five minutes later, DiStefano nailed the last goal of the game to give the Lions a 2-1 win.
The Cougars only managed two shots on goal, one of which was saved by Lions' sophomore keeper, Alissa Kacar.
In comparison, the Lions mustered 30 shots on goal. Eighteen of those shots were stopped by senior goalie Jessica Kogel.
Egan said the rainy weather effected the outcome of the game.
"You never want to blame the weather for anything, but they weren't the best conditions," Egan said.
"We didn't play exceptionally well, but we got the desired results," Head Coach Joe Russo said.
Lions 5, Ospreys 0
In a battle between the two best teams in the NJAC, the Lions shutout the sixth-ranked Ospreys of Richard Stockton College 5-0 on Oct. 1.
Egan stressed the importance that this game will have on the final result in the NJAC.
"It's never good to have any losses in the conference but now everyone has one loss and we're back on a level playing field," Egan said.
Lions fans filled the cold metal bleachers despite the unexpected cold weather to watch the Lions hand the Ospreys (7-1 overall, 3-1 NJAC) their first loss of the season.
Russo said the Lions have changed since their loss to Rutgers University-Camden Scarlet Raptors.
"We're a bit more focused and tuned in," he said. "Games like that ground you a little bit."
Sophomore forward Brittny Boyd gave the Lions a 1-0 lead with her first goal of the season at 33:07.
An assist from DiStefano and fellow junior midfielder Peters was needed to complete the play. DiStefano headed the ball towards the goal and Peters kept it on track as Boyd finished the play, tapping the ball into the lower left corner of the goal.
Boyd, DiStefano and Peters each contributed a goal and an assist toward the win.
Peters strengthened the Lions' halftime lead by scoring off an assist from freshman midfielder Lisa Kokotajlo, with only two and a half minutes left in the first half.
Three seconds after being re-entered into the game in the second half, freshman forward Christine Mullin nailed Boyd's assist past Osprey keeper Becky Baisley.
Five minutes later, DiStefano took advantage of a penalty kick, sending the ball past the fingertips of Baisley into the upper-left corner of the goal, handing the Lions a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Freshman defender Bernadette Coyle scored the last goal of the night by redirecting a save by Baisley into the goal with a header at 74:49.
Russo said the size of the home crowd aided the Lions achieve the win.
"They definitely feed off of that type of energy," Russo said.
The Lions defeated all three opponents they've faced at Lions Stadium with a combined score of 24-0.
In goal, Kacar earned her fourth solo shutout of the year with four saves, while Baisley managed six saves in the loss.
The Lions also outshot the Ospreys 27-5 by the end of the night.
The win improved the College's all-time record against Richard Stockton College to 16-2-1.
This week marked the first week since 1990 that the Lions had not been ranked in the NSCAA/Adidas Division III national poll. They were ranked ninth the week prior to a 1-0 loss to Rutgers University-Camden.
Upcoming Game
The Lions will travel to Rowan University to continue NJAC competition tonight at 5 p.m.
(09/23/03 4:00pm)
Famous American cyclist, Greg LeMond, once said that experience is the most important part of racing. Experience might be the most important part of racing, but freshman forward on the College's women's soccer team, Christine Mullin, proved that she can do just fine without it on the soccer field.
Mullin powered the College to a 3-1 victory over the William Paterson University Pioneers by scoring a pair of goals in their New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opener this weekend.
"She's been doing really well," junior midfielder, Katie Egan said. "Out of all our forwards, she has the most goals."
However, according to Mullin, being a freshman on the team is not an easy task.
"I was very intimidated coming in as a freshman," Mullin said. "But I feel like I'm settling in well."
Head coach Joe Russo isn't shocked by the freshman's performance so far this season.
"I'm not surprised one bit," Russo said. "She is more than capable and has great speed."
The win improved the Lions' record to 6-1 overall, and 1-0 in NJAC play. The Pioneers now drop to 3-3 over all and 0-1 in the NJAC.
After their first loss of the season at the hands of SUNY Oneonta State University Red Dragons, the Lions' rank in the national Division III poll moved back to ninth, after being ranked seventh for the first three weeks of the season.
The game against the Pioneers remained scoreless through the entire first half and part of the second despite the fact that the College out shot WPU 16-4. Egan finally broke through on a pass from junior midfielder Lynda Schuster, with only 33 minutes left to play.
Mullin then scored the remaining goals for the Lions. Taking advantage of Schuster's second assist on the day, Mullin gave the Lions a 2-0 lead with 15:47 on the clock.
Six minutes later, Mullin jumped on an assist from sophomore forward Brittny Boyd, for her second goal of the game, and the Lions' third.
"We've improved upon our offense a lot in the past couple of games," Egan said. "But we have to keep working on it because once we start playing the harder teams, there are a lot less opportunities to score."
In a last ditch effort, Pioneer junior forward Erin Finn scored a goal with just five minutes left to play, preventing the shutout.
The College's sophomore goalie, Alissa Kacar, earned the win for the Lions by turning away two of the Pioneer's shots on goal. Pioneer's freshman keeper, Meaghan Koppel, suffered the loss as she yielded three goals and made three saves in 90 minutes of play.
Looking ahead to upcoming NJAC games, Egan felt that the Lions might be facing a more difficult task in the NJAC this season than in recent years.
"It's not going to be a walk in the park this year," Egan said. "The other teams in the conference have improved a lot."
"The league is as balanced as it has ever been," Russo said. "But our schedule prior to NJAC play was very competitive so we're prepared."
Upcoming Game
The Lions continue their NJAC competition at Rutgers University-Camden at 6 p.m. today.
(09/16/03 4:00pm)
The seventh ranked college women's soccer team bounced back from their loss against SUNY Oneonta State University to defeat 11th ranked Keene State University Owls 3-0 at the Oneonta State Red Dragon Cup Tournament this weekend.
Both the Owls (3-2) and the Lions (5-1) went 1-1 on the weekend. The Red Dragons were the winner of the Cup, defeating both the Lions and the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays.
The College began scoring early when junior defender Erin Pivovarnick took advantage of an assist from junior midfielder Lynda Schuster 15 minutes into the game.
Schuster was named the offensive MVP of the tournament after tallying a goal and an assist in two games. She is currently tied for third on the all-time assist list with 21. Jacqueline Dirr (1992-1995) and Kim Faust ended their careers at the College with 21 assists.
The Lions second goal came when freshman midfielder Lisa Kokotajilo kicked the ball right at fellow freshman forward, Christine Mullin, who headed the ball into the goal at 38:11. Momentum was on the side of the Lions the entire game as they outshot the Owls 23-3.
Junior midfielder Katie Egan felt that this has been a pattern for the Lions so far this season.
"We've been dominating games, we've just had trouble finishing them," Egan said.
Junior goalkeeper, Michelle Mason, was forced to make 11 saves for Keene in order to keep the game close. Lions sophomore goalie, Alissa Kacar, made two saves to pick up her third shutout of the season.
Co-captain and junior midfielder, Lauren DiStefano, gave the Lions their final goal when she cashed in on a failed clearing attempt by the Keene defense and rocketed the ball past Mason at 70:16.
Red Dragons 2, Lions 1
In the first game of the Cup, the Lions suffered their first defeat of the season and snapped their consecutive regular-season win streak with a 2-1 loss against eighth ranked SUNY Oneonta.
The streak was halted at 43 games.
"This was a huge game for us. They're the best team in New York," Egan said.
Oneonta (4-0) held a 1-0 lead for the majority of the game after senior midfielder Kacar nailed a shot from 10-yards-out, 10 minutes into the game.
The Red Dragon's sophomore goalie, Laura Morcone, held the tight lead until Schuster, rifled a 30-yard kick over her head at 62:42. This was the first goal scored against Morcone in the 2003 season.
The game only remained tied for another 16 minutes. Oneonta's senior midfielder, Kelly Stevens slammed the winning goal past the College's sophomore goalie Kacar at 78:18.
Kacar finished the game with three saves, while undefeated Morcone ended the game with four.
Lions 6, Ducks 0
Earlier in the week, the Lions snapped their offensive slump by trouncing the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology 6-0. The six goals scored by the Lions nearly tripled the offensive output of their previous three games combined.
"It was definitely good to score some goals," Head coach Joe Russo said. "We've been getting those opportunities, we just finally put some in the back of the net."
The offensive attack began 3:34 into the game as Pivovarnick, netted a corner kick assisted by Schuster.
Junior midfielder and co-captain, Amy Swiatecki-McCabe continued the Lions first-half burst by heading in a cross from junior forward, Stephanie Peters.
Finishing off the action of the first 45 minutes was freshman forward, Christine Mullin, who sprinted ahead to take advantage of the wide-open goal.
It was the first goal of her collegiate career. Egan dominated the second half for the Lions scoring two goals in four minutes. Her first came at 52:12 as Schuster slowed down to avoid the scrambling Stevens defenders and managed a wide-open assist to Egan.
Egan then stretched the Lions lead over the Ducks to 5-0 with her second goal at 56:09. Schuster then gave the Lions their final score of 6-0 by netting a shot from 18 yards out into the lower right corner at 30:33.
In goal, Kacar shut out the Ducks with two saves in 82 minutes of play. Freshman goalkeeper Megan Roe, came in to relieve Kacar in the second half and allowed no goals in the last seven minutes of play.
Stevens' senior keeper Rommy Guevara had four saves, but allowed five goals in the first 56:45 of the game. Freshman forward Erica Midttveit, replaced Guevara for the last 33:15 of the game, and had four saves and allowed just one goal. The loss dropped Stevens to 2-3 on the season.
Upcoming Game
The Lions will be away at William Paterson University today at 1:00 p.m. for their first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game of the year.
(09/09/03 4:00pm)
The College's eighth ranked women's soccer team carried over last season's success to the new 2003 campaign by going 3-0 in their first three contests of the season.
The Lions finished off their winning week with a narrow 1-0 victory over Johns Hopkins University (2-1). The game remained scoreless until junior midfielder, Linda O'Leary, landed the first goal of the game at 56:10, by taking advantage of a rebounded shot by junior midfielder, Lynda Schuster.
The victory extends the women's soccer team unbeaten regular-season win streak to 42 games.
In only the fourth start of her young career, sophomore goalkeeper, Alissa Kacar, stopped three of the Blue Jay's four attempts to guarantee the shutout. Kacar shared time with last year's starting goalie, Jackie Kemp. Head coach Joe Russo expressed that he has the utmost confidence in the new keeper.
"She is more than capable of filling the position," he said. "She had a great weekend, along with the rest of the team."
Having no seniors on the team also does not seem to be phasing the young Lions. Junior midfielder, Katie Egan, said, "the leadership comes from our four captains and all of our juniors. We have a very large junior class that steps up and fills the role of seniors."
The 2003 captains are juniors, Elizabeth Tomlin, Lauren DiStefano, Jamie Acheson and Amy Swiatecki-McCabe.
Lions 1, Falcons 0
Earlier in the week, the Lion's managed a 1-0 victory over Mary Washington College in double overtime. It was their second game at the Blue Jay Classic hosted by Elizabethtown College. Forty-three seconds into the second overtime period, Egan connected on a pass from freshman forward, Lauren Grochala, inside the penalty box to secure the narrow victory.
"The depth of our bench and the fitness exercises we do at the end of each practice definitely helped us to keep going strong towards the end of the game," Egan said.
Goalies Kacar and junior Mary Elizabeth Fulco played an integral part in this close game. Kacar played the entire game and saved two of MWC's five shots. Fulco also played the entire game and had 10 saves for Mary Washington.
Lions 2, Bombers 1
Although the score may not show it, the Lion's outshot the Falcon's 24-3 and also managed an 8-1 advantage on corner kicks.
In the Lion's season opener at the Blue Jay Classic they secured a 2-1 victory over Ithaca College.
DiStefano put the Lions ahead 1-0, three minutes into the game with a converted penalty kick. Swiatecki-McCabe extended that lead to 2-0 when she connected on a direct kick from junior defender, Erin Pivovarnick, at 57:10.
Two would prove to be enough as senior defender, Tara Repsher scored the Bomber's only goal at 80:40, making the final score 2-1.
Although happy with the Lion's performance thus far Russo said, "we have a tough stretch ahead of us. Our first six games are against NCAA tournament teams."
Mary Washington College, Johns Hopkins University, Stevens Institute of Technology, SUNY Oneonta and Keene State, all made an appearance in the 2002 NCAA tournament. Three of the five made it as far as the regional tournament, where the 2002 Lions ended their season.
Upcoming Game
The Lion's will face Stevens Institute of Technology in their first home game on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. The Lions play SUNY Oneonta in Oneonta, New York on Sept. 13, noon.
(02/25/03 5:00pm)
After going on a nine game winning streak and looking at the possibility of gaining the first seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), the College's Women's Basketball team lost two in a row this week, leaving them with a third place finish in the league.
The loss forces the Lions to face the number two seed Richard Stockton College (18-7, 14-4) in Pomona, next Thursday at 7 p.m. for the first round of the NJAC Tournament, rather than keeping the game in Packer Hall.
"Home court advantage is a big factor anytime," head coach Dawn Henderson said. "We'd much rather play at home with our fans."
"It's dissapointing to have to go down there to play, but we know we can beat them," junior center Adrienne Warner said.
Montclair State University (MSU) handed the Lions their second straight loss with a final score of 61-57.
Senior center Jasmine Batts led the visiting Red Hawks with her double-double performance of 17 points and 13 rebounds. She was also 8-16 from the floor and led both teams with five steals. Freshman forward Ebony Allen also excelled for MSU with 12 points of her own.
The win breaks MSU's four-game losing streak and enhances their record to 13-11 overall, 8-10 in the league.
The Red Hawks led the Lions, 33-31, at the end of the half. Warner and junior forward Laura Mala paced the College with eight points a piece, while fellow junior Liz Martin also added seven points of her own.
In the first half, the three-point range was dominated by MSU, who was 4-8 while the Lions were held to an 0-3 effort.
The second half was highlighted by MSU's 13-0 run at 4:43, which gave them a 54-47 lead. The Lions then managed to battle back to within two when Mala landed a three pointer with 16 seconds left on the clock in the second half.
The Red Hawks went 0-4 on the free-throw line in the next 13 seconds, freezing their lead at two. Mala then attempted to win the game with another three-point shot, but the ball went in and out with just three seconds left on the clock.
Batts and rookie forward Shikeena Lynard finished the Lions off with one free throw each.
Sophomore guard Theresa DiMedio led the Lions with 17 points and equaled her season-best seven rebounds while producing a career-best five assists. Mala finished with 15 points and six rebounds while Warner chipped in 10 points and seven boards.
Looking ahead, Martin said that the two-game losing streak will not affect their game against the Red Hawks.
"We try and leave it all in the locker room and don't worry about past games," Martin said.
Warner added that the regular season has nothing to do with the postseason.
"At this point, it's a new season and everyone's equal," Warner said. "We're starting over now."
Prior to the game, the College's two senior guards, Kristen McCandless and Jen Munday, were honored for their outstanding athletic careers.
In their four years as Lions, the women's basketball team compiled an 83-23 overall record and a 61-11 mark in the NJAC. Two years ago, McCandless and Munday were a part of the team that captured the program's first-ever NJAC Championship. That team posted an impressive 18-0 league record and went on to the final eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Ospreys 66, Lions 55
Earlier in the week, the Ospreys of Richard Stockton College (RSC) broke the Lions' nine game winning streak with their 66-55 win.
The win took second place in the NJAC out of the possession of the Lions and improved RSC's record to 18-6 overall and 14-3 in the NJAC.
Despite Martin's 20 point showing, which marks the third 20-point performance of her career, the College never forged ahead of the Ospreys in the contest. The Lions also out rebounded RSC 41-22.
"Mentally, we weren't as prepared as we should have been," head coach Henderson said. "We allowed 38 points in the first half, so I was disappointed in our defensive effort."
The Lions also struggled from the three-point range, hitting only one of 10 three-point shots, including an 0-6 run in the second half.
Coming off the bench, rookie Kristen Spencer gave the Ospreys the spark they needed in the first half, scoring three three- point shots to add to her total of 11 first half points.
Junior forward Takisha Pride also aided RSC with 13 points and seven rebounds while senior forward Tamika Riley added 11 of her own.
The College faced its largest deficit at 50-35, but then responded with six unanswered points, four by Martin, to cut the lead to 50-41.
Junior Christina Mason reacted for the Ospreys with a three- pointer that once again gave her a team a double-digit lead, which they maintained for the final eight minutes of the game.
Upcoming Game
The Lions will face Richard Stockton College in the first round of the NJAC Tournament Thursday at 7 p.m.