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(04/29/11 2:33am)
Season three champions of “America’s Best Dance Crew” teamed up with two local dance teams to treat the College to a showcase of multiple styles of dance last Thursday, April 21. Students filled Kendall Hall Main Stage Theatre to watch Quest Crew, No Mercy Step Company and the College’s own Synergy Dance Company.
Synergy opened with a trio of hip-hop infused dance numbers, ending with a number in tattered clothes reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
New Jersey’s native No Mercy Step Company had a loyal fan base at the College, which was made known the second they hit the stage. The all-male group dressed in long, white coats and used audio to simulate a hospital. While they went through the most technical difficulties, the raw energy of their acrobatics and stepping quickly overshadowed the setbacks. They also incorporated comedy into the routine, lip syncing to Shyne’s “If I Ever Fall in Love.”
The most captivating aspect of No Mercy’s performance was their intricate rhythm, all produced by stomping and clapping. At the end, they invited brothers from the College’s chapter of Phi Beta Sigma to join them in a dance through the aisles of Kendall and out into the lobby.
After the warm-up by the two teams before them, Quest Crew didn’t disappoint its expectant and loud fanbase. Rather than introduce themselves, Quest Crew opened with an explosive dance number, one much longer than seen on “America’s Best Dance Crew” years ago. From isolations to traditional b-boy moves and of course, risky tricks, Quest Crew was sure to remind attendees that they were season-three champions for a reason.
“We didn’t even think we’d win,” said Danny Ryan, a member of Quest Crew, in an interview before the show.
To those unfamiliar with Quest Crew, the group is comprised of eight members: seven spiky-haired guys and one girl, Lydia Paek. All eight were in attendance, but performed the opening number without Hokuto “Hok” Konishi, a member most known for his British accent. He had injured himself and could not perform in the opener. However, Konishi hopped out on crutches to do a playful solo routine in a chair. Drawing on the audience’s imagination, he used his hands and facial expression to tell a story from the edge of his seat.
Now that “America’s Best Dance Crew” is being played in multiple countries, Quest Crew’s fanbase has allowed them to travel internationally. Konishi was recently surprised during a show in China by a famous pop star who had heard that he was a fan of hers. The television show had brought her on to sing to him.
Exposure to other famous crews and celebrities is part of their daily lives in California.
While the crew members are now full-time, many of them used to have day jobs.
“I had a nine-to-five job,” Ryan Feng said. “I used to work eight hours then I would go straight to rehearsal and dance for eight hours. It’s nice to not have to work those first eight hours anymore.”
Now the crew spends most of its time performing at colleges and benefit concerts. They’ve made many TV appearances and even a cameo in the latest “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movie. With multiple hard-hitting performances and rehearsals, injuries are almost guaranteed.
When asked about Konishi’s injury, other members of the crew recalled their own scary injuries.
“I hit my head during a performance at UMass last month,” Ryan said. “I finished the show just fine, but I basically blacked out and couldn’t remember in the dressing room if we had already performed or not. Of course the guys taped me acting weird.”
Their character and charisma made their final performance of the night that much more electric, as they chose to individually freestyle. However, when they invited No Mercy Step Company, it spurred them to welcome students from the audience to rush up to the stage as well in a moment of absolute pandemonium.
A large semi-circle of dancers from all disciplines freestyled to instrumental music, showcasing their talents for those students unlucky enough to join them. At that point, it didn’t seem to matter who was in a crew, or who was famous, only that everyone was exercising their right to express themselves through dance and music.
In an interview, the group advised their fans to never give up.
“Yeah,” Konishi added. “If you give up, you’re running away from the dream. It’s not running away from you.”
Quest Crew is returning to California for more performances and are currently working on a 90-minute production to tour the country.
For more information on Quest Crew and their upcoming performances, check out their website at questcrew.com.
(04/29/11 2:29am)
The College’s women’s tennis team almost pulled off a trashing in their 8-1 win over Muhlenberg College, as junior Karisse Bendijo had a big day in her collegiate career in both singles and doubles.
Bendijo and sophomore partner Allison Tierney defeated seniors Danielle Winston and Lindsay Schmidt 8-1. This marks their 38th win together, one shy of moving into the third-place spot for most wins at the College.
“It’s really the communication and the ability to pump each other up even when we’re down that makes us work well together,” Bendijo said. “And as for our number of wins, it’s pretty awesome, honestly. I didn’t even know we were doing that well.”
All three doubles pulled off a successful sweep against the Mules. Sophomores Paige Aiello and Lauren Balsamo pulled off a late win against freshmen Nina Sanders and Emily Szulman 9-7. Emily Petersack and Felice Trinh took down senior Sara Sutker and freshman Lauren Zakheim 8-2.
Bendijo’s day would continue to include milestones, as she beat Sutker 6-4, 6-1, giving her 20 wins this season at first singles. Trinh gave the Lions the go-ahead point over Sanders 6-2, 6-4. Tierney and Balsamo added to the tally with wins over Winston and Schmidt, respectively. Also putting up a strong performance was freshman Alissa Migliore, who defeated Zakheim 6-4, 6-1.
“The season went by so quick,” Trinh said. “I can’t believe it’s almost over, but this does give us the first rounds of spring nationals to look forward to — and hopefully more.”
(04/20/11 8:45pm)
The men’s and women’s tennis teams came out on top as they each picked up wins this past Saturday. Head coach Scott Dicheck earned his 99th and 100th career wins when the men’s and women’s teams defeated Ithaca College.
Once again, the College’s doubles teams seemed to be the strength of the program, as a 3-0 start to the match propelled the Lions to victory. The Bombers would only score a combined five points against the three tandems. Sophomore Karisse Bendijo and sophomore Allison Tierney led the Lions, opening with an 8-2 victory over Cristina and Melissa Nunez.
The pair would also rack up individual points against the two respectively, as Bendijo won 6-1, 2-6, 10-7 and Tierney won 6-1, 6-0. Sophomores Lauren Balsamo and Paige Aiello took down Melanie Cohen and Becky Campbell 8-1.
Rounding out the doubles were juniors Emily Petersack and Felice Trinh, who defeated Kelsey Harness and Laurel Salladay 8-2.
“We’re able to overcome any struggles, like with the match against Swarthmore (last week),” Trinh said. “There were some struggling moments but we were all able to pull through as a team.”
In other singles action, Petersack completely shut out Campbell in two 6-0 sets. Balsamo dominated against Salladay 6-0, 6-2. Aiello came close to another shutout for the Lions in her 6-0, 6-1 rout of Harness, and Trinh earned a worthy point against Cohen 6-2, 6-0.
“The season is ending real soon, but with the last few matches, I hope we continue to excel with the same positive attitude that will put us in a better position for spring nationals,” Trinh said.
The men’s team started the match off by claiming all three doubles points, a common trend in its victories this season. Junior Stewart Fernandez reunited with freshman Howard Telson to beat Dan Levine and Les Bowden 8-2. Brother Steven Fernandez remained in doubles this week with sophomore Dean Thompson to take down sophomore Josh Berggrun and freshman David Andersen 8-4. And the constant duo of senior Jeremy Eckhardt and sophomore TJ Riley defeated Josh Rifkin and Jimmy Newton in a close 9-8 (7-5) win. Recently, the pair was named 11th in the region.
“Jeremy and I got off to a quick start and really amped up our intensity to beat the All-American team,” Riley said.
In singles play, junior Steven Fernandez edged out Newton 7-5, 6-4. Senior Jon Yu returned to the lineup to defeat Berggrun 6-1, 7-6 (7-4). Riley continued an impressive day with a fourth singles victory over Griffin Reid 6-1, 6-2. In fifth singles, Stewart Fernandez fought hard to defeat Andersen 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 10-7. The final point of the day was earned by sophomore Jordan Cruz’s win over Steve Ochs 6-0, 6-2.
“Everyone fought hard,” Riley said. “They were all good matches, but we were the team that wanted it more and that’s why we won.”
The women’s team will go up against Muhlenburg College at home on Wednesday, April 20, while the men will have the week off.
(04/13/11 11:59pm)
The men’s and women’s tennis teams had mixed success during this week’s matches. The men faced Drew University, Stevens Institute of Technology and Swarthmore College, while the women also went up against Swarthmore.
The men’s team regained its form with an 8-1 win over Drew at home. Once again, they went 3-for-3 in doubles. Senior Jeremy Eckardt and junior TJ Riley pulled off a close 9-7 match over junior Elliot Smego and sophomore Raul Smego to start the day. Eckardt faced Raul Smego once more in singles, defeating him in identical 6-3 sets.
There was a slight change-up in the usual squad as junior Steven Fernandez played doubles with sophomore Dean Thompson for the first time this season. Together they took down Matt Brisotti and senior Alex Belfiore 8-2. Also partnering for the first time were sophomore Jordan Cruz and freshman Howard Telson. They defeated sophomores Adam Gerber and Matt Imbo 8-2. Telson and Cruz also earned wins for the Lions in singles at the fifth and sixth spots respectively. Telson beat Elliot Smego 7-5, 6-1 and Cruz defeated Imbo 6-1, 6-0. Junior Stewart Fernandez, who is normally Telson’s doubles partner, played at fourth singles to take down Gerber 6-3, 7-5.
“Howard and I played really well together, especially speaking that I’m 6 foot 6 inches and he’s 6 foot 3 inches,” Cruz said. “We are most likely a very intimidating duo. Together we played well and got the win.”
Saturday’s loss to Stevens was very close, as the Ducks’ two wins in doubles early on proved to be decisive. Stewart Fernandez and Telson teamed up once more, moving the Lions into singles matches down 2-1. They defeated senior Jay Lee and Lopburi Sasinin 9-8 (7-5). Telson would go on to beat Lee in fifth singles in identical 6-1 sets.
Steven Fernandez played both doubles and singles for the first time this spring season, losing in doubles but earning a match point in singles against Arik Zeevy (7-5, 6-0). The fourth and final point was earned by Cruz, who rallied in the third set to defeat Sasinin 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
The men also dropped a close match to Swarthmore, losing by a score of 5-4.
“Our season got off to a great start but after a couple injuries, illnesses and tough matches we have hit a bit of a bump,” Telson said. “I feel that the team has a lot of talent and that we will be a very dangerous team when nationals come and were back to full health and better form.”
The women’s side took on Swarthmore, winning their fourth match in five games. Top players sophomores Karisse Bendijo and Allison Tierney combined for three of the Lions’ six points in their 6-3 win on Sunday. The pair defeated Emily Rosenblum and Rosie DuBrin 8-2.
Tierney played DuBrin in third singles and defeated her in two 6-1 sets. Bendijo defeated Lia Carlson in first singles 6-2, 6-3. Second singles junior Felice Trinh rallied in the third set to beat Rosenblum 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.
Sophomore Lauren Balsamo earned the final singles point against Katie Samuelson 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
(04/07/11 12:14am)
The men’s tennis team’s five-game winning streak came to an end on Thursday to Haverford College in a close 5-4 loss. The now 5-1 Lions only managed one of three doubles wins, as junior Stewart Fernandez and freshman Howard Telson defeated junior Will Garrett and senior Hailiu Yang 8-3.
The Lions other three victories came from juniors Steven Fernandez and Dan Lee, as well as sophomore TJ Riley in singles action. Fernandez defeated Yang 6-1, 6-3. Riley was dominat in is match, only allowing Garrett two points in his 6-1, 6-1 victory.
Lee took down sophomore Jacob Weisental 6-3, 6-1 in sixth singles. Junior Jon Yu won his first singles match 6-4, but Andy Dougherty rallied to defeat him 7-5, 6-0.
Sunday proved to be even tougher for the Lions, as they lost their second match of the week to Swathmore College at home 7-2.
Senior Jeremy Eckhardt had an impressive performance in the match, winning both his singles and doubles matches with partner Riley.
The duo narrowly defeated Zak Kelm and Stephen Youngblood 9-8 (6-0) before Eckhardt went on to win in singles over Youngblood 6-3, 6-2.
The women’s team also suffered a loss this Sunday to Tufts University, but won a close 5-4 contest over Skidmore College the day before.
Sophomores Karisse Bendijo and Allison Tierney walked away with wins in both doubles and singles play against Skidmore. Together, the pair took down Rachel Loeb and Nataly Mendoza 8-5. Bendijo would go on to defeat Loeb once more 6-0, 6-2 while Tierney rallied from a 6-4 loss to defeat Mendoza 6-1, 7-6 (7-1).
“Our strength lies in our communication,” Bendijo said. “Allie and I work so well together because we pump each other up to win. I’m proud to have her as my doubles partner.”
Also winning in doubles was the junior tandem of Felice Trinh and Emily Petersack. They held on to defeat Meliisa Hirsch and Molly Nolan 8-6.
The decisive win of the day went to sophomore Lauren Balsamo, who held on to beat Sophia Bryan-Ajania 6-2, 6-7(5-7), 6-4.
The tables were turned against Tufts, with the Lions ending up on the losing side of a 5-0 decision.
The College got swept in doubles play, losing all three of their matches to the Jumbos.
Once Lauren Hollender and Samantha Gunn defeated Balsamo and Peterseck respectively, the remaining matches were called off and left undecided.
“(Sunday’s) loss was tough,” Balsamo said. “Obviously Tufts is a really good team. They’re ranked top five in the nation and the outside conditions made it hard too. But (Saturday’s) win against Skidmore was really important because it secures our spot for nationals in May.”
The men’s team continues their season at home against Drew University today, while the women’s team will visit Swathmore College on Sunday.
(03/30/11 6:59pm)
The men’s tennis team had a very busy week, winning two games this week at the College.
Friday’s match against New York University was a tough one, but the Lions edged out a 5-4 victory over the Violets. The doubles teams put the Lions ahead early, with the combination of senior Jonathan Yu and sophomore Dean Thompson as well as the pair of junior Stewart Fernandez and freshman Howard Telson, earning crucial victories.
“Dean and I do so well in doubles because we both stay relaxed in our matches,” Yu said. “We both know when to step up and elevate our game. Also when our matches get close, I don’t get rattled because I know Dean is a clutch player. His intensity in those close situations gives me the confidence to keep fighting.”
Fernandez and Telson took down senior Matt Gross and freshman Bowen Xu in a narrow 8-6 win.
“Along with the depth of the team this year, I think our biggest strength is our energy,” Thompson said. “You’ll never sit at one of our matches for more than three points without hearing a positive outburst from either a player on court or players watching the match.”
It was a quick turnaround for the team, as they faced Hobart College less than 24 hours later. Even with minimal downtime to recover, the Lions extended their season to 5-0 with a 7-2 victory.
The doubles team continued to perform well this season as all three pairs were victorious once more. Senior Jeremy Eckhardt shook off a loss in first singles the previous day to defeat sophomore Bruce Grant in identical 6-3 sets.
Second singles junior Steven Fernandez began his match against junior Matt Hursh with a strong 6-3 set, but Hursh rallied and went on to win the next two sets 6-3, 10-8.
After sophomore TJ Riley won his first set against sophomore Alex James 7-5, he suffered a major setback when both of his rackets broke. He continued the match with a teammate’s racket as his replacement, but Riley ultimately lost the fourth singles match 6-3, 6-1.
Yu’s third singles match proved to be the match winner, as his 6-1, 7-5 win over sophomore Sam DeLuccia gave the Lions the fifth win of the day.
Telson and junior Dan Lee racked up wins to wrap up the team’s five-day dominance at home. Telson dropped the first set to junior Walter Green 4-6 before rallying to win the next two 6-2, 10-8. Lee took down junior Kevin Bates in identical 6-3 sets.
“We’ve worked hard as a team, so my strength to play three matches so quickly comes from the time we’ve put in to getting ourselves in better shape,” Riley said.
The women’s team also played two matches at home this week, putting up impressive wins over New York Uuniversity and William Smith College. The Lions blanked the Violets 9-0 as junior Emily Petersack became the sixth player from the College to reach double victories in singles play, earning her 10th win against freshman Ramya Pokala.
Each of the doubles defeated their opponents in an 8-2 set. First singles junior Karisse Bendijo dominated senior Elizabeth Stachtiaris 6-2, 6-1. Fellow junior Felice Trinh defeated senior Liz Feldman 6-4, 6-0. Sophomore Paige Aiello also had an impressive victory over sophomore Ariel Sultan in third singles 6-2, 6-0.
The Lions match against William Smith College also included an early doubles sweep as they won 7-2 . Bendijo and sophomore Allison Tierney defeated junior Joanie Hilton and sophomore Kiara Ocasio 8-3, picking up their 17th doubles win. Sophomores Aiello and Lauren Balsamo walked away with an 8-2 victory over sophomores Remy Raevsky and Hallsey Leighton for their 14th win of the season.
In singles, Bendijo closed an impressive weekend with a complete 6-0, 6-0 shutout over senior Amanda Slack.
“I’m really looking forward to playing tough schools this season,” Bendijo said. “As a player, my game improves by playing teams that push me to work harder and learn from my mistakes.”
(03/23/11 10:12pm)
The women’s tennis team’s seven-match winning streak came to a halt after a 7-2 defeat at the hands of Williams College this Saturday.
The Lions were only able to win one doubles match and one singles match as they lost for the first time all season to the No.1 team in Division III.
“Williams was a tough opponent, but everyone played well and had a great attitude,” said junior Felice Trinh. “I think we put up a good fight.”
Trinh and fellow junior Emily Petersack defeated senior Lucy Marchese and junior Caroline Capute 8-3 in third doubles to open the meet.
“(Felice and I) took our time in between points to talk about what we did right and wrong, and our communication really helped us end up on top,” Petersack said.
“We are close friends off the court as well, which creates a positive team chemistry on the court to stay cohesive and accomplish our goal to win.”
In other double matches, junior Kristin Alotta and senior Nicole Reich of Williams defeated first doubles sophomores Karisse Bendijo and Allison Tierney 8-4.
The sophomore duo of Paige Aiello and Lauren Balsamo fell to junior Taylor French and sophomore Nancy Worley, 8-1.
Tierney was able to go 1-1 on her matches for the day, as she edged out Reich at the third singles spot. She won in two sets 6-2, 7-6 (7-1). Tierney has had experience playing Reich before and said she didn’t let the No. 1 ranking of Williams bother her.
“I tried not to worry so much about winning and losing and just went out there and had fun and gave it everything I had,” Tierney said.
In the remaining singles matches, the Lions fought hard but came up short.
Alotta defeated Bendijo in first singles 6-1, 6-0. Trinh’s loss to Worley in second singles ended with the same results.
Aiello won the most sets in her defeat to Marchese, having identical 6-3 sets. Freshman Kara Shoemaker of Williams played her only match of the day against Balsamo in fifth singles, winning 6-3, 6-0.
Capute defeated Petersack in the sixth singles spot in match 6-1 sets.
While the Lions lost this week, their attitude continues to remain positive.
“We will all take our loss as a learning experience,” Petersack said. “I know that for me it showed aspects of my game that I need to improve on, and I am sure that our practices are going to include a lot of consistency drills like we have been doing already. We will continue to work hard and improve and focus more on outlasting our opponents.”
The Lions’ next match is against New York University on Friday, March 25.
(03/16/11 10:04pm)
The sound of 18,500 fans in the Wells Fargo center was deafening for a Wednesday. And once the first chords to Bon Jovi’s “Just Older” rang out, the volume increases. As my shutter clicks rapidly, I was in disbelief that this was my life.
Ten students from the Communication Studies Department were “interns” for the day at the Bon Jovi Live 2011 Tour in Philadelphia on March 2.
It was organized to provide the opportunity for students to gain insight into the industry, based on our fields of studies.
Coordinated by class of 2005 alumnus Mike Savas, we were given an inside look into how a concert is created.
At 9 a.m. we met Savas, who works in Management/VIP Relations. While his job concerns the welfare of ticketed guests, throughout the day he worked from his “office,” a converted locker room backstage. Savas revealed he originally worked in the record industry but realized it wasn’t the career he wanted.
“I wanted to do what I wanted to do,” he said. “I wanted to enjoy life.”
Since changing his career, he’s worked with the Black Eyed Peas and Britney Spears but spends most of his time with Bon Jovi.
We sat in the arena, watching 100 workers assemble over 100,000 pounds of equipment for almost 10 hours. Then we met Jesse, the production manager. His job focused on planning the entire tour. When the tour goes overseas, he’s in charge of figuring out how to get the equipment between venues which sometimes involves a plane or a boat.
“My favorite part of touring is traveling,” he said. “It never feels like the same routine.”
Jesse has been with Bon Jovi for a decade and has also worked for The Eagles and John Mellencamp. During the interview, he gave us a tour of the newly built stage.
As an added bonus of the day, Savas informed us that we would be allowed to bring our cameras to photograph the first two songs of the concert alongside other members of the press. At 7:30 p.m., fellow senior communication studies major Jenna Bush and I headed to the pit in front of the stage.
The most difficult part of photographing wasn’t finding a shot. It was trying to stay focused, especially when “You Give Love a Bad Name” was the second song. Both Jenna and I found ourselves running back and forth constantly, making sure that we covered all angles of the stage. Four hundred images later, I’m still not sure I got every shot.
Once we finished photographing I felt drained. I spent the majority of the day on my feet taking pictures. Watching the concert from my seat seemed like the perfect idea … but then Bon Jovi played “It’s My Life,” my favorite song.
I sprang to my feet, adrenaline surging as I screamed every lyric. How could I deny myself this moment? It would only be Jon Bon Jovi’s 49th birthday once, and if he could dance on top of platforms, the least I could do was sing along — well, more like shout. The crowd cheered in ecstasy when guitarist Richie Sambora took the reigns for “Lay Your Hands On Me.”
“It ain’t Sunday, but I’m taking you to church anyway!” he said.
After the regular set ended, we waited for the encore that included “Wanted Dead or Alive” and Bon Jovi’s legendary hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer.” For a song older than a couple thousand audience members, including myself, the performance proved that 28 years later, Bon Jovi has transcended a fickle music industry with positive lyrics, little frills and loyalty to their fans.
From the helpful hints of Savas and Jesse to taking pictures to watching the concert, it was an experience that is truly the icing on the cake of my time here at the College.
(03/16/11 5:56pm)
The College’s men’s and women’s tennis teams spent their spring break in Florida, opening the spring season in winning fashion. While the men played in various tournaments in the fall, their official season began last Sunday, March 6, at the University of Rochester. The Lions opened with a sweeping 9-0 victory over the Yellowjackets, with all singles matches won in just two sets.
In doubles action, seasoned first doubles senior Jeremy Eckhardt and sophomore T.J. Riley began their spring season with an 8-3 victory. Senior Jonathan Yu teamed up with sophomore Dean Thompson to win their match 8-2. In the final doubles match, junior Stewart Fernandez and freshman Howard Telson beat senior Dan Barbash and freshman Phillip Kellogg 8-4.
“(Fernandez) has become a mentor to me on and off the court, showing me the ins and outs of the doubles game,” Telson said. “He has an uncanny ability of easing my nerves, and I feel our chemistry on court definitely shows. We have similar games with our big serves and forehands, but we have little differences as well. I think these similarities and differences make us complement each other very well and make us one dangerous doubles team.”
While their second match wasn’t a 9-0 thrashing, the Lions still had an impressive 7-2 triumph over Coe College the very next day. Both Eckhardt and Riley went four for four during the team’s stay in Florida.
“My personal goals are actually based solely on the team’s goals,” Riley said. “We all want the same thing and that is to be the best men’s tennis team to ever come out of (the College) and this season that is definitely a possibility. With our work ethic and team dynamic we could be the best that has ever played for this school.”
Thompson made his solo season debut at fourth singles, taking down junior Jonathan Roger 6-4, 6-2. In the sixth and final singles position, junior Dan Lee was able to defeat freshman Jeff Damisch 6-2, 6-3. Other notable performances include Fernandez and Telson’s 8-2 doubles victory.
“The team this year is really something special,” Telson said. “We have such depth and such a talented squad that it is nearly impossible to pinpoint any one position as our strength. I feel our doubles teams are extremely solid and will be real tough to beat.”
The women’s team also travelled to Florida to play two matches in Florida in preparation for the NCAA tournament. On Sunday, they defeated the University of Rochester as well by a score of 6-3. The Lions started off rocky, as the top three singles positions dropped their matches. Sophomore Paige Aiello beat junior Danielle Shreck 6-3, 6-1 in fourth singles. Sophomore Lauren Balsamo and junior Emily Petersack took down junior Jamie Bow 6-2, 6-3 and sophomore Hayley Brower 6-0, 6-3 respectively.
The Lions swept doubles; sophomore Karisse Bendijo and junior Allison Tierney defeated sophomore Frances Tseng and junior Alexandra Goodman 8-5. Aiello and Balsamo had a close match, getting the better of senior Lia Weiner and Bow 9-8 (8-6). Finally, Petersack and junior Felice Trinh beat Shreck and freshman Janice Zhao.
A day later they took on Coe College and won 5-4, extending their spring record to 2-0. The sophomore trio of Aiello, Balsamo and Petersack once again won their respective matches in the fourth, fifth and sixth singles positions. Aiello’s match proved to be the tie-breaker, her 6-1, 6-4 victory over sophomore Sara Ohlman giving the Lions the win. Aiello combined with Balsamo as the pair swept Ohlman and senior Natalie Bordignon 8-0. Also pulling off a win in doubles were Petersack and Trinh, who defeated senior Hannah Jensen and freshman Elizabeth Hoffmann 8-2.
The women’s team continues their season March 19 versus Williams College. The men’s team brings their 2-0 record home on March 22 against Muhlenberg College.
(03/02/11 10:41pm)
The men’s and women’s track and field teams ran well in the Armory College Challenge on Friday, Feb. 25. Also known as the “Last Chance Meet,” it gave some of the competitors the opportunity to qualify for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships this weekend and even the National Championships later this month.
While there were no first place finishes for the men’s team, they did have a number of athletes who made qualifying marks. Senior Kyle Gilroy was the closest to first, earning a second place finish in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.16 seconds. That time also was good enough to potentially qualify for nationals.
Senior Dennie Waite came in third in the 1000-meters with a time of 2.27.43. Fellow senior Tom Conroy and sophomore Julio Alorro also came in third for their respective events. Conroy threw 15.52 meters in the shot put, and Alorro pole vaulted a height of 4.55 meters.
The 4x400 combination of Gilroy, junior Justin Worthing, sophomore Steven D’Aiutolo and freshman Mike Spekhardt, took fourth in their event, finishing in 3:20.77, giving them a berth to ECACs this weekend. Individually, D’Aiutolo placed fifth in the triple jump with a distance of 13.78 meters. Worthing also took fifth in the 500-meters after finishing the race in 1:04.94.
Last year, the men’s team finished second in ECACs by just four points, but they are hoping to take the top spot this year.
“We are looking to bring home the title, and we’re pulling out all the stops to do it,” Waite said. “We have more than half a dozen guys in the running for individual wins and everyone is focused.”
The women’s team didn’t capture top marks either, but still collected top 10 finishes. Senior Sarah Wehrhan continued an impressive season, finishing second in the weight throw with a distance of 15.58 meters and sixth in the shot put with 11.94 meters.
In her debut season, freshman Brigit Roemer had an NCAA provisional mark in the high jump, clearing 1.66 meters to take fourth. She qualified for the ECACs with a triple jump distance of 10.93 meters.
Select runners also earned top marks. In the 1000-meters, juniors Alyssa Bannon and Cassandra Valdes finished seventh and 10th respectively. Bannon’s time was 2:58.4, while Valdes’ was 3:05.37. Also with a notable performance was freshman Erica Roberts’ 11th place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 11.03 meters.
The women missed out on the ECAC title by half a point last year and, similar to the men’s team, their goal is to win the title this year.
“This year ECACs is at the Armory which is pretty much our home indoor track,” Waite said. “Everyone is real excited for the meet and since we came in second last year, we are all going after the ECAC title this year.”
(02/24/11 1:37am)
The Lions’ swimming and diving teams’ members captured their fifth consecutive men’s title as well as their fourth straight women’s title at this year’s Metropolitan Conference Championships at Rutgers University last weekend.
The men’s side pulled off a lopsided victory in the three-day championship. They had a commanding lead over the 18-team competition after the first day, without even capturing any first place finishes. The second day was much different, as they racked up 600 points towards the team’s total.
Senior Tom Medvecky broke the first place drought by winning the 100-yard butterfly in 50.12 seconds, a National Collegiate Athletic Association provisional time. Sophomore Adam Schneider and freshman Stephen Gibson completed a sweep of the event, taking second and third place.
In relay action, seniors Peter Goldsmith, Shawn Kircher, Medvecky and junior Ryan Clark won the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:49.48. Taking second in the 200-yard medley relay were seniors Joe Tseng, Kircher, Schneider and freshman Michael Oliva. Their time of 1:33.20 could qualify them for the NCAA Championships next month.
The College went into the final day of competition almost 400 points clear. Sophomore Mike Caputo began the day with a second place finish in the 1650-yard freestyle in 16:08.36.
Junior diver TJ Burns continued his successful diving season with a third place finish in the three-meter competition, scoring a personal record high of 525.05 points in preliminary and scoring 487 points in the final. Rounding out the day was a fitting first place finish in the 400-free relay. Kircher, Schneider, Clark and Gibson finished in 3:03.47. The Lions finished with 1496 total points, almost 500 more than second place U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, who finished with an even 1000 points.
“Our class entered as freshmen hoping to represent something bigger than ourselves,” Goldsmith said. “That attitude was brought upon us by a great coaching staff and by great upperclassmen leadership. We can confidently say that we have tried our hardest to instill that upon the incoming freshmen class and the sophomore and junior classes to continue to represent the tradition that NJSWIM stands for. That is simply pride and passion, which extends beyond swimming fast. It is about being being the best teammate and contributor to something that is bigger than yourself.”
The women’s team also held onto their lead during the weekend championship, breaking numerous records along the way. Junior Laura Pierce broke the school and MET record in the 50-free, posting an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 23.45 seconds. Six hours later she would do even better, winning the race in 23.38.
Senior Margaret Molloy and sophomore Jenny Zavoda went one-two in the 500-yard freestyle, finishing in 5:01 and 5:03.74, respectively.
The Lions truly shined in the diving and relays during the opening day. Sophomore Danica Roskos and freshman Sabrina Lucchesi placed first and second in the three-meter diving event. Roskos’ preliminary score of 572.85 was not only a MET record but a school record as well.
Freshman Ashley Conroy, sophomore Kayleigh Shangle, Pierce and Molloy bested the 400-medley relay by more than four seconds, completing the race in 3:50.50. Shangle competed in the 200-free relay alongside Hofer, senior Danielle Dilts and sophomore Caroline Kelly. While they missed the school record by .04 seconds, their time of 1:35.01 was good enough to win the event and set a MET record.
On day two, Shangle, senior Katie Morgan and junior Kelsey Herchenrider swept the top three spots of the 100-yard breaststroke.
Pierce continued a strong performance with an NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 55.56, another MET record. Conroy earned her first MET championship win in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.75. She would later race with Shangle, Pierce and Hofer to win the 200-yard medley relay in 1:45.99.
The women’s side, like the men’s team, went into the final day 400 points clear of first. Pierce broke a MET and school record in the 100-yard freestyle in 50.93. Molloy and Zavoda once again went one-two in the 1650-yard freestyle. Roskos and Lucchesi returned to break records in the one-meter event. Roskos set the MET and school record with a preliminary score of 526.85 before going on to win the event. At the end of the day, Shangle, Molloy, Pierce and Hofer posted the final win in the 400-free relay, winning in 3:29.17. The women finished with a score of 1585.5 points.
Pierce was named the 2011 MET swimmer of the meet and Roskos was named MET diver of the meet. Head coaches Jennifer Harnett and Brian Bishop were named MET coach of the year for both teams while Candace Gottlieb was named MET diving coach of the year.
“METS, since I have been here, has been a meet where we were faced with great competition,” Goldsmith said. “The reason we have won the last few years is due to our commitment to training and out-working other teams. Come conference championships, we show that we have not one or two fast swimmers, but 25-30 fast swimmers who are all concentrated on one thing, winning. No other team can compete with our drive and determination.”
(02/16/11 11:15pm)
Select members of the men’s and women’s track and field teams travelled to Boston University this past weekend for the Valentine’s Invitational. The last meet before the championship season served as a chance for many to qualify for the ECAC and NCAA championships in just a few weeks.
Seniors Miriam Khan and Meryl Wimberly led the women’s team. Wimberly automatically qualified for NCAAs in the 800-meters with a time of 2:12.26 and finished ninth overall on the day. Khan broke her own record in the 200-meters in 24.52 seconds, earning a second place finish overall in the event. She also finished sixth overall in the 60-meters with an ECAC qualifying time of 7.8 seconds.
Fellow senior Sarah Wehran placed sixth overall in the shotput with a distance of 11.34 meters as well as ninth in the weight throw with a distance of 13.85 meters. Freshman Brigit Roemer placed second overall in the high jump with 1.68 meters, which qualified her for the NCAA championships. She also broke her own record in the triple jump with a distance of 11.60 meters.
“I think I have adapted to the program very well,” Roemer said. “The workouts have been rigorous, but they have definitely helped me get into good shape and ready to compete. The competition level has been higher than anything I’ve ever experienced, but I have gotten somewhat used to it, and I just go out there and give it my all and hope for the best.”
Other notable performances from the women’s side included sophomore Rachel Morris’ ECAC qualifying time of 18:23.25 in the 5000-meters and the distance medley relay.
Wimberly teamed up with freshman Emily Kulcyk, junior Alyssa Bannon and junior Katie Nestor to finish ninth overall in 12:05.72, an NCAA provisional time.
Senior Dennie Waite had a strong performance for the men’s side. His mile time of 4:16.85 earned him a spot in the ECACs. Sophomore Steven D’Aiutolo earned sixth overall in the triple jump with a distance of 13.66 meters and earned a spot in the championships as well. Also making a qualifying time was junior Chris Medina, who finished the 200-meters in 22.77 seconds and freshman Scott Lisa, who had a high jump height of 1.93 meters.
While many athletes qualified for the ECAC championships, the Lions have one more meet before that — the NJAC Championships. The College has a long standing tradition of capturing the indoor title for both men and women, a streak they look forward to keeping alive this year.
“The team is gearing up well for NJACs,” Waite said. “We have a strong tradition in the conference, and we intend to keep it going. Everyone is looking for season’s bests and potential qualifiers in the coming weeks, and taking an ECAC team time is a real possibility.”
(02/10/11 12:26am)
The senior members of the track and field team led the way against Rider University in a dual meet this past weekend. The women’s team defeated the Broncos 89-75, while the men fell 89-74.
Multiple competitors earned first-place victories in their events, as well as broke their personal records.
On the women’s side, seniors Sarah Wehrhan and Miriam Khan set the bar high, winning a set of first place finishes and qualifiers. Khan broke the school record for the 200-meter race with a time of 25.13 seconds. She went on to also win the 55-meter dash. Her time of 7.25 seconds was an NCAA qualifier as well. Wehrhan’s set of first place finishes in field events qualified her for ECACs. She took first in both the 20-pound weight throw and the shot put.
Other standout performances included sophomore Cathy Goncalves, who won the women’s 3,000-meter race in 10:43.36 and met ECAC standards.
A trio of freshmen also placed first in their events. Brigit Roemer earned two wins, the triple jump with a distance of 11.43 meters and the high jump with 1.60 meters. Sprinter Katie Lindacher won the 55-meter high hurdles in 8.81 seconds. Rounding out the effort for the newcomers was Emily Kulcyk with a winning pole vault height of 2.45 meters.
“Even as a freshman you can tell that this meet means a lot,” Lindacher said. “The girls really put a lot into track today and to defeat Rider, a Division 1 school is an awesome accomplishment. I’m proud to say I’m part of the team.”
The Lions also took the women’s long relay. The team of Kulcyk, Khan and fellow seniors Alexandra Tomaselli and Meryl Wimberly qualified for ECACs with their time of 4:01.44.
Senior Kyle Gilroy had two first-place finishes on the day for the men’s side. The sprinter won the 55-meter high hurdles in 7.62 seconds and the 200-meter race in 22.77. Both times qualified Gilroy for the Eastern College Atlantic Conference as well as the NCAA Championships at the end of the season. Junior sprinter Chris Medina won the 55-meter dash in 6.56, also qualifying for ECACs.
The men’s long relay of freshman Kevin Mulcahey, sophomore Steven D’Aiutolo, junior Justin Worthing and senior Oluwaseye Akele ran for an ECAC qualifying time of 3:24.14 to also win the event. Senior Kyle Roos won the 3,000-meter race, the longest event at the meet, in 8:53.65.
“Winning is always a great feeling, especially in team scored meets,” Roos said. “We knew the meet would be close, and I just wanted to help any way I could. My teammates and I have been working extremely hard in practices, and we proved it today by competing with a D-1 program.”
(02/03/11 4:14am)
The women’s basketball team clinched a crucial game on Saturday, Jan. 29, against Ramapo College. The Lions maintained control of the entire game, never losing the lead on the way to their 49-37 victory. Senior center Alex Gregorek led the Lions with 13 points and seven rebounds. Also having a strong performance was junior forward/guard Hannah Tait. Fellow junior guard Jessica Imhof finished the night with eight points, four assists and four steals.
“We tried not to let the snow days affect us,” Imhof said. “We wanted to dictate play and tempo on the floor so we came into the game maybe a little more rested and prepared.”
The Lions’ defensive skills prevented the Roadrunners from scoring after the first half tipoff, but sophomore guard Alexa Ryan finally put points on the board for the visiting side three minutes in.
However, the College continued their pressure and held Ramapo from scoring for the majority of the half, giving them a 23-4 start. By halftime, the Lions were dominating the first half by a score of 28-14.
The second half mirrored the first, as freshman forward/center Liz West helped to extend the Lions’ lead with six rebounds and two assists in the second half. The Lions are now 10-8 overall and 3-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. This puts them currently in fourth behind Kean (8-0), Rowan (6-2) and Richard Stockton (5-2). With only six games left in the season, the pressure is on for the Lions to have a shot at postseason success.
“A team goal we have had since October was to make it to NJAC finals,” Imhof said. “These next few weeks of conference play are vital for us. We all believe that this goal of ours can be accomplished if we stick to our game, play with heart and play together.”
Following the midweek snowstorm, their Wednesday game was postponed. The Lions will return home today to play No. 2-ranked Kean University.
“It’s crunch time now and we see every game as an important one especially because they are all conference games,” Imhof said. “We are just trying to stay focused and prepare to the best of our abilities.”
(01/21/11 10:22pm)
The women’s basketball team had a double header on Jan. 15 that started with fun and ended with misery.
The early contest was an alumnae game, a lighthearted contest putting past Lions against current members of the team. The next contest came against conference rival William Patterson University at the College, but it wasn’t as much fun for the Lions, who lost to the Pioneers 72-53, its second loss in as many games.
Many of the Lions put up a solid effort. Junior guard Jessica Imhof led the scoring with 13 points and five assists for the night.
Senior center Alex Gregorek almost matched Imhof’s performance with 12 points and five assists. Fellow senior guard Keri Washington also had a strong night, putting up nine points and two assists.
“The loss to William Patterson does not lower our team’s expectations for the season,” Imhof said. “We fought hard and will continue to do so until we reach one of our goals of being in the NJAC finals. We believe in each other and our ability to win big games.”
While the Lions put up a fight, junior forward April Smith outscored all players from both teams, recording 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Pioneers, the majority of her tally coming during the final 20 minutes of the game. Freshman guard Floriana Borova of the Pioneers tallied 12 points while junior guard BriAnna Lucas posted six assists and five steals.
The Lions began with an early lead over William Patterson, leading 17-16 midway through the first half.
The Pioneers exploded towards the end of the half, which continued through the end of the game, while Imhof and freshman forward Liz West tried to close the gap with an eight-point streak.
“For the second half of the season I expect our team to step up and continue to play well,” Washington said. “We just need to close out games and we will be fine. A tough loss to Willy P however we are right there, very close to where we need to be.”
Their first game of the semester will be on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Montclair State University.
(12/09/10 3:07am)
The men and women’s swimming and diving teams hosted the Lions’ Invitational this past weekend. Unlike their last invitational at Rutgers University, the College competed against fellow Division III rivals Johns Hopkins University, Washington and Lee University and Springfield College.
The men’s team, who was No. 11, captured the Invitational with 1300.5 points. No. 5 Hopkins only amassed 881.5 to take second while Washington and Lee and Springfield took third and fourth respectively.
Three Lions had record breaking performances during the weekend.
Freshman Stephen Tarnowski broke the record in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:02.23. Sophomore Adam Schneider set a school record during the first leg of the 200-yard relay. His 50-yard freestyle clocked in at 20.42. Junior TJ Burns continued his impressive season by setting new records in the one-meter (six dives) and one-meter (11 dives).For those events, he earned second and third place respectively.
The men’s side dominated the finals, both individually and as a team. Three relay teams captured victories on Saturday. In the 200-yard freestyle, Schneider, junior Ryan Clark, as well as seniors Tom Medvecky and Shawn Kircher touched the wall in 1:23.83, almost two full seconds in front of a relay team from Johns Hopkins. Clark would pair up with senior Joe Tseng, Schneider and freshman Michael Oliva to win the 200-yard medley relay in 1:34.71. Clark was also on the third winning relay team of Kircher, Schneider and freshman Stephen Gibson in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
“Our biggest strength by far is that we’re all brothers, it’s a lot easier to swim fast when you’re surrounded by people you enjoy being with,” Schneider said.
The three senior captains also led the team to victory individually. Medvecky took the 100 and 200 yard butterfly. Kircher mirrored his teammate’s efforts in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle. In the longest race of the meet, senior captain Tim Rauch won the 1650-yard free in 16:27.86. Sophomore Mike Caputo and senior Pete Goldsmith almost completed a sweep, but Hopkins freshman Michael Leddy took second, making Caputo and Goldsmith third and fourth respectively.
“The team is looking really strong at this point in the season,” Kircher said. “A lot of guys have already had personal bests and posted really competitive NCAA cuts, which is really exciting. It’s nice to have some fast times under our belt but there’s still a lot of work to do. I won’t be satisfied until the last race of the season.”
The women finished fourth, but still had an eventful weekend. On the opening day, freshman diver Sabrina Lucchesi set another program record with a first place victory in the 3-meter (six dives) event. Senior captain Margaret Molloy took first in the 1650-yard freestyle on Sunday with a time of 17:44.10. She also captured the 500-yard freestyle in 5:04.64 the day before.
(12/02/10 2:51am)
The men’s and women’s swim teams raced against some of the best programs in the region at the Frank Elms Super Splash invitational Nov. 19-21. As the only Division III team in the invitational, the Lions swam against all Division I schools such as the University of Pittsburgh, LaSalle University, the University of Delaware and many others.
“We get very competitive at invitationals,” junior Jesse Taylor said. “Because there are so many teams, there are tons of fast swimmers. Also, each event has multiple heats, so when you’re swimming your event, you’ve been matched against other swimmers that are about your skill level. All the races are close; it can get pretty intense.”
On the women’s side, freshman Ashley Conroy broke two school records back-to-back. On Friday, she became the school’s fastest swimmer in the 100-yard backstroke as part of the 400 medley by finishing the opening leg in 58.74. The next day Conroy broke the record in the 200 yard backstroke in 2:08.34. The previous time in this event was set last year by sophomore Kristyn Wikoff.
While it is still early in the season, senior Margaret Molloy, junior Laura Pierce and sophomore Kayleigh Shangle all posted NCAA provisional times, putting them one step closer to qualifying for the national tournament at the end of the season. Pierce advanced to the 100-yard butterfly championship finals. Her time of 57.09 gave her fourth place overall. Shangle finished seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:06.05.
On the men’s side, freshman Stephen Tarnowski was the only Lion to race in the championship finals of the 400-yard individual medley. He finished eighth overall with a time of 4:13.30. For those who finished ninth through 15th, they raced in the Consolation Finals. Senior Shawn Kircher placed sixth overall.
“Invitationals provide a lot more competition and more opportunities for racing since they’re prelims/finals format which is great practice for conference championships and NCAA’s,” Kircher said. “We’ll get pretty competitive at an invitational because of the atmosphere. This invite was both a mental and physical challenge for us since we were unrested and had a lot of competition, but everyone performed really well.”
The Lions return home this weekend hosting their own Invitational beginning on Friday.
(11/10/10 6:20pm)
The men’s soccer team’s season came to an upsetting end this past Friday. The No. 1-ranked team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference lost to No. 6-ranked Kean University in the championship game here at Lions’ Stadium in overtime. It was the second game that went past regulation that week for the team, as they defeated No. 3-ranked Montclair State University in a thrilling penalty shootout on Tuesday evening in the semi-final game as well.
Senior defender Mike Razzoli scored the only goal for the Lions in the semifinal matchup, his third consecutive goal in as many games. The team created chances up through both overtime periods, and was well prepared when the game had to be decided on penalty kicks once Montclair tied the game in the 67th minute. The team backed senior goalkeeper Chris Kulick in net, who came off the bench once time expired. It was a choice well-made, as Kulick allowed only the first shot on goal before stopping the next three. Converted penalties from junior striker Ray Nelan, sophomore Vinnie McEnroe and junior striker Dan Constants gave the Lions a 3-1 victory and a well-deserved spot in Friday’s final.
“Penalty kicks are just something I’ve always had a knack for,” Kulick said. “I am confident in my ability and luckily I was able to reward coach for giving me the opportunity to make a difference.”
“I just came to play as usual,” Razzoli said about his goal. “I was in the right place at the right time and capitalized on my chances.”
With high hopes and the support of a full stadium, the Lions battled against Kean University for their first NJAC title since 2005. The Lions created numerous chances, but couldn’t capitalize to score a game winner, sending the game into double overtime once more. It only took 2 minutes after the restart for sophomore Abner Denis to finally find the back of the net, shocking the Lions and putting an end to their season.
Still, the team is not without their own set of accomplishments. After beginning the season 2-5-1, the Lions went on a 10-game undefeated streak, tying only to Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and
Muhlenberg College.
“I feel like the Rutgers Camden game was a big turning point,” Cunha said. “It was the game after the Montclair loss which was a disappointing result. It’s a difficult place to play and we went in there and set the tone that set us up on our unbeaten run.”
The team earned the No. 1 ranking in the conference at the end of regular season, a large improvement from their No. 7 pre-season ranking. Their 7-1-1 NJAC record was even a program best. On an individual level, coach George Nazario was named the NJAC Coach of the Year. Nelan and Cunha were named on the All-NJAC team and Cunha also received the David Logar Award for leadership and courage.
“Phil has a great presence on and off the field,” Razzoli said. “He works hard and makes things happen. I am lucky to have him as a co-captain this year and a friend for my time here.”
“Soccer is a crazy game,” Cunha said. “It’ll have you thankful to be alive one day, and pulling your hair our the next. That’s life, and that’s soccer. We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love it.”
(11/04/10 1:50am)
The men’s soccer team ended their regular season with an overtime thriller over Rowan University on Oct. 26. senior defender Mike Razzoli found the back of the net with a stunning goal just 14 seconds from the end of game, closing out Senior Night with a rush of wild celebration.
“An overwhelming emotion came out after the goal,” Razzoli commented. “With Senior Night, being in first place and playing for the best NJAC record, it all meant so much.”
While their NJAC fate had already been decided before the kickoff, their 2-1 victory cemented their first place standing as well as a first round bye and home field advantage. Plus, their 7-1-1 record is the College’s best finish in the conference ever.
Rowan University went ahead early. They took a 1-0 lead 16 minutes into the first half after sophomore Ryan Gordon beat senior goalkeeper Chris Kulick. Gordon put in a rebound after Kulick stopped freshman Nick Bolton’s initial shot on goal. But a red card from Rowan gave the Lions momentum in the second half. Sophomore Tyler Cignarella scored his first collegiate goal 20 minutes from the restart, finding the back of the net after senior Phil Cunha ripped a shot off the crossbar. The team kept the pressure going but saves from senior Charlie Cunliffe kept the Profs gasping for air until Razzoli’s game-winning goal.
The match was familiar to the team, as the last time Rowan and the Lions faced each other in overtime was their semifinal showdown in the 2009 NJAC Championships. Rowan won by the same exact 2-1 score line to advance.
“I remember Mike’s face when we lost to Stevens last year in overtime,” junior forward Chris Pisano commented. “He was furious, the same as when we lost to Rowan to end our season. So to see his face, on senior night … it was incredible. I’m so glad Mike and Phil were able to contribute on their night.”
Three other seniors were recognized alongside co-captains Razzoli and Cunha. Goalkeepers Chris Kulick and Eric Goldwaser as well as forward Drew Lampitt were honored for being on the team since their freshman year.
“This team is about the group, everybody that puts the jersey on takes pride in what we represent,” Cunha said. “On and off the field we are working for a championship as a unit, one game at a time.”
“I just want to thank the team for a great year,” Razzoli adds. “This is the closest team we have had in four years and it means a lot on and off the field. But we are going for it all. It doesn’t end here.”
The Lions’ play for the semifinals on Nov. 2 against Montclair State University at 7:30 p.m. at Lions’ Stadium.
(10/28/10 12:31am)
Poet Matthew Dickman delved into the somber and humorous at the College Monday, Oct. 11 as a part of the Visiting Writer Series sponsored by ink.
A small group of students and faculty gathered to listen to the poet read from his most recent book “All-American Poem” as well as a few poems that were newly composed.
Some were already slightly familiar with his name, as his twin brother Michael is an adjunct professor who teaches here at the College.
The quirky poet began with a series of elegies written after his older brother Darren passed away. His dark musings mourning the loss of someone close to him were powerfully delivered through imagery and narrative style.
After apologizing for depressing the crowd, Dickman smiled and cracked multiple jokes to lighten the mood before reading a set of poems that drew on his observations from his current residency in Seattle, Washington.
“These are about sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll … kinda,” he joked before reciting “Bridge,” a poem about a run-in with two drunk girls sitting on a bridge near his house one evening.
While the poet opted to read his non-published works, he promised that his last set would be excerpts from “All-American Poem.” These were also well received by the audience, especially “V,” a humorous tale of his thoughts about a girl who wore a shirt saying “Talk Nerdy To Me.” In “Dear Space,” Dickman mused about wanting to be a superhero for a girl. While it stressed feelings of love and desire, listeners couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of an invisibility suit made of tin foil and plastic wrap.
Dickman opened the floor for questions in the final minutes of the reading, and informed the audience that he was working on a new manuscript for another book sometime next year.
Before leaving, he told the audience one last important lesson for anyone who was single.
His careful instructions were to get the poem ‘‘Having a Coke with You’’ by Frank O’Hara, then buy two cans of Coke and place them and the poem on the doorstep of the one admired. After knocking on the door, run away and hide, but still be nearby once the person reads the poem.
“I hadn’t heard of Matthew Dickman before he came here, but I really liked the honesty of his poems and the fact that none of his metaphors were cliché,” said Christine DeVito, freshman journalism major.
Ink’s next event is a Halloween Coffeehouse tonight in Bliss Lounge beginning at 8 p.m. The event was co-sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta and Lion’s Eye.