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(03/31/04 5:00pm)
Freshman tennis player Justin Cook is pretty happy with his move to the College this season. After transferring from the University of Connecticut last year, he hasn't looked back. "It got frustrating that I wasn't playing much, because I really enjoy (tennis)," Cook said. "I feel like the guys here put more effort into it. They go out (to the courts) when they're not required to and in the off season."
Cook continued his undefeated streak at the team's match-up with New York University (NYU). He handed NYU's Nikko Buencamino a 6-2, 7-5 loss.
Even the Lions' first loss of the season couldn't overshadow Cook's positive outlook for his team. NYU defeated the College 4-3 in Saturday's match.
"We were pretty surprised we actually had a lead in the beginning," Cook said. "It looked like we were gonna take them but they pulled one out."
The Lions won the doubles competition, with wins coming from senior captain Bryan Hanley and junior Victor Lai, as well as freshman Corey Ball and sophomore Ryan Carty.
Ball is also riding a winning streak after defeating Roger Emerola 6-2, 6-2.
The Lions downed the Manhattanville College Valiants on Wednesday, 7-0. "We were pretty confident," Cook said. "We were trying to sharpen our game for NYU."
The Lions swept the team doubles, with a decisive 8-0 shutout from Cook and sophomore Ken Tsui. Hanley and Lai posted an 8-4 win, while Ball and Carty won by default.
The College also dominated the singles matches, with Cook and Ball remaining undefeated. Hanley, Cook, Tsui and Ball didn't allow a point to be scored and Carty won 6-4, 6-2.
The Lions look to redeem their loss with a match against Carnegie-Mellon University. Earlier in the season, the team was defeated by both Carnegie-Mellon and NYU, but Saturday's close match has them looking to right their record. "It was a close loss," Cook said, "but it gave us confidence."
(02/11/04 5:00pm)
The Lions came out on top at William Paterson University, as both the men and women outpaced the Pioneers on Saturday. The women came home with a 136-76 victory while the men handed WPU a 127-87 loss.
"We expected (the spread) but we go into each meet the same way," senior Aubrey Horvath said.
A quartet of seniors closed out the meet with the final win in the 200-meter freestyle relay. Lauren O'Donnell, Horvath, Jacquelyn Nami and Kristen Simms posted a time of 1:48.33.
For Simms, a diver, the race was her first. "She was a good sport about it with the whole cap and goggle thing," Horvath said.
O'Donnell helped push the two relays to first place finishes. The 200-meter medley team of O'Donnell, junior Heather Mierkowski and sophomores Beth Hurley and Erin Stutz posted a time of 2:00.09.
Hurley, Stutz and Mierkowski each garnered individual wins as well. Hurley won the 50-meter freestyle in 26.84, while Stutz captured the 100-meter fly in 103.27. Mierkowski finished the 500-meter free in 5:53.18.
Horvath, a 2003 All-American, won the 1,000-meter freestyle in 12:05.15. Nami won the 100-meter freestyle in 57.73.
In the diving events, Simms won the one-meter with a score of 146.25.
The Lions men handed the Pioneers a 125-87 loss, with junior Davy Bisslik posting three wins. Bisslik placed first in the 200-meter fly with a time of 52:71. He then teamed up with junior Nick Steffanci, sophomore Steve Swenson and freshman Kyle King to win the 200-meter medley relay in 1:38.85.
Staffanci also won the 200-meter IM in 2:01.95 and Swenson also took first place in the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:00.23.
"They re not a very strong team," senior Wes Donnelly said. "We were trying to get some times for nationals."
Donnelly won the 100-meter backstroke and took third in the 1,000-meter freestyle.
Both the men s and women s teams mixed up the usual lineup. "I never usually swim the 1,000," he said. "Everyone got a chance to do something different."
The 200-meter freestyle relay of Bisslik, senior Steve Nepola and freshmen Jonaid Lone and Mark Rynon swam a time of 1:31.45 to beat of the Pioneers. Nepola also captured the 100-meter freestyle in 49.03.
The victories boost the women's team record to 6-4 for the year while the men stand at 7-3. The teams gear up next for the Metropolitan Conference Championships on Febr. 21 and 22.
The men are looking to better a runner-up finish from the 2003 Mets, while the women chase their sixth consecutive win. "Hopefully, we can expect to win and we're hoping to qualify a lot of people for nationals," Horvath said.
The College s divers will be competing at the Rutgers University Diving Invitational on Friday, Feb. 13.
(02/04/04 5:00pm)
At 285 pounds, sophomore Keith Bjorus broke the 19-19 tie against Montclair State University (MSU) to bring home a win for the College on Thursday.
A technical fall cost MSU the 24-19 match in the heavyweight bout. Bjorus capped off a thrilling day on the mat, which saw MSU come from behind to tie the match before the final rounds.
The lower weights got the momentum going with a win by default from sophomore 125-pounder Brian Dempsey and a major decision from junior Niko Vrettos in the 133-pound match.
Sophomore Pat Brady followed with a tech fall at 141-pounds.
The Red Hawks recorded wins in the next five matches, including the 174-pound match up of MSU's senior Eduard Alaikseyenka and junior Pat Lavin. Alaikseyenka finished second at the NCAA National tournament and is currently ranked first in Division III. He defeated Levin 13-5 to turn the match to MSU's favor.
As the match drew to a close, junior 175-pounder Nick Vincigueura tied it up with a major decision over MSU's 184-pound junior Daniel DeJesus.
Saturday's New England-Metro Dual was less hair-raising for the Lions, who won 35-6 over Roger Williams University, 34-6 over host Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and 50-3 over Williams College.
Junior 165-pounder Sean Flynn added two pins to his record.
Pins in the Roger Williams match came from rookie Mike Braun at 149 pounds and Flynn.
Against WPI, Brady defeated Justin Gonsalves at 141 pounds.
The College men handed Williams an outstanding 50-3 loss. Pins were doled out by sophomore Bob Colombo at 133 pounds, Flynn at 165 pounds and sophomore All-American Paul Vaccaro at 174 pounds.
Sunday's competition against 13th-ranked Springfield also proved to be an easy romp for the Lions. The team capped off the week with a 28-6 win over the College Pride.
Bjorus notched another exciting final match with his second-period pin against Jason Leckey. Bjorus leads the team with 10 pins.
Senior Greg Ilaria picked up a 9-2 decision to continue his undefeated dual-meet record. Ilaria is a returning NCAA All-American and is currently ranked second in Division III.
Flynn recorded a major decision at 165 pounds.
Two wrestlers ranked in the Top 10 nationally met up in the 197-pound match. Vincigueara, ranked seventh, posted a decision over Tom Medonis, ranked eighth.
The weekend's action leaves the Lions ranked fifth in Division III and with a 17-3 record in dual meet competition.
Their next meet will be against Wilkes University at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The home meet will also host Alumni Night.
(11/11/03 12:00pm)
I like to think that a college campus is the one place where everyone is free to express their views without fear of retaliation.
We're in our politically-correct bubble, where everyone has come to let their opinions be heard and learn from each other. All of the articles I read in my English Department senior seminar are written by someone reacting to someone else's ideas.
Each author - revolutionary thinkers like Freud, Saussere and Derrida - brought something new to the literary landscape and explored human culture through carefully constructed arguments and articulate prose. What they didn't do is rip each other's painstakingly constructed pages apart and throw them on the ground.
I'm sitting here on the brink of graduating with a degree in English, a shelf-full of expensive books and no clue what I'm going to do with them. My last four years have been spent reading the works of a lot of dead white guys and a few obligatory minority women.
I've spent lots of money on printer ink so my professors can see that I've spent time thinking about the issues raised in a particular text. I've written for The Signal, interned at a newspaper and taken exactly one journalism class. You know what that's all taught me? Words speak louder than actions.
The anonymous artist who placed the nativity scene in front of the student center last week could have paraded around campus with placards, denouncing President Bush and his policies and annoying all of us. She could have protested like Stephen White and condemned Bush's actions on all sorts of issues, like war in Iraq and good ol' abortion laws.
But instead she displayed what is basically a 3D political cartoon. Yes, it was offensive to some people and yes, she could have just said, "Bush does x, y and z because of his religious beliefs," but would you have listened?
People don't pay attention to things unless it's right in front of them and attacking something they believe in. I'm sure most students on this campus know what Bush's stance on reproductive rights are, but how about tax issues?
I have a uterus, but I don't make enough money to pay anything substantial, so I don't need to worry about taxes. Last week's Signal reported the artist's intention as wanting to "make people aware, create discussion and get people thinking about what's going on in our government." Well, now we're aware and discussing it.
Those who had problems with the display could have ignored it. They could have talked to the artist and seen that the focus was on the president's use of religion to justify the direction government has gone, not Christianity itself. The artist, for all we know, may be a spiritual person who sees religion as a personal matter and doesn't believe it has a place in government. She expressed her opinion in a non-violent, relatively non-invasive way. If you didn't like it, you could have just keep on walking.
One of the students who vandalized the display is quoted as saying "it's a free country" before removing the mask from the statue. If my memory of high school history serves me correctly, the pilgrims came to America because they didn't like the religion of the government and its effect on their lives.
We have a right to mock anything we want, as publicly as we want. We have the right to practice whatever religion we choose or none at all, to vote for our leaders and to say they are wrong when they screw up. People have crossed oceans and died in the process to be able to live with the freedom we take for granted.
It is indeed a free country. There's a catch, though. We can't touch each other and we can't intentionally damage each other's property. The artist of the nativity scene was free to display her work and we are free to criticize it.
The students who took the mask off the statue were free to express their opinion of it as well. They were free to tell the artist they didn't like the display and how it made them feel. They were free to write their opinions to the newspaper or the artist herself. They were free to create their own artwork, based on their views, and to plunk it down in front of the student center for every one else to see and criticize. They were not free, however, to dismantle something that obviously belonged to someone else.
We're students, not infants. We sit through two semesters of rhetoric to learn how to express our opinions intelligently, and yet we still resort to physically attacking what others have to say. I'm sure plenty of people reading this disagree with me and they think the students who took the mask off the statue acted appropriately.
If you want to argue your point, use what you've learned at the College and write it down. This time, give your words chance to speak.
(10/28/03 5:00pm)
I bet you didn't know the College's women's tennis team hasn't lost a match in 22 years.
While football, field hockey and lacrosse teams check out their full-page spreads in the paper and watch the Lions Stadium fill up with fans, members of the women's tennis team quietly pickup their racquets and add another win to their amazing 99-0 record. They practice in rain, heat and freezing cold and play for their parents and roommates, and look for their article squished on the last page of Sports.
While the team's success is impressive, the Lions also boast the individual triumphs of Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Americans Kristen Klepacki and Jackie Gavornik. The sophomore pair nabbed the ITA Omni Hotels East Regional Doubles Championship title in September and won the chance to compete at ITA Omni Hotels Small College National Tournament in Corpus Christi, Texas on Oct. 18. The team took seventh out of eight Division III teams represented at the match and ended their sophomore fall season with a record of 32-6.
Klepacki and Gavornik's love of the sport began long before they teamed up together. Gavornik, daughter of a tennis coach, has been playing as long as she can remember, but Klepacki, a former soccer player, didn't pick up a racquet until her freshman year of high school. Both were high school state doubles champions - Klepacki at Moorestown High School and Gavornik at Watchung Hills. After watching them play during the summer before their freshman year, coach Scott Dicheck paired up the two during their freshman year in hopes they could remain tennis partners throughout college.
Nerves and inexperience got the better of the two rookie players during the 2002 Regionals, but the following year they came back with a year's worth of playing time and new-found confidence. "Last year we watched (2002 ITA All-Americans) Kelly Hernandez and Amy Huah win regionals," Gavornik said, "and Kristen and I looked at each other and said that would be us next year."
One year later, Gavornik and Klepacki found themselves on a plane to Texas. "This year," Gavornik said, "we knew what it took to win regions."
"We definitely wanted to be All-Americans by our senior year," added Klepacki. "But we didn't expect it this soon."
The team suffered two disappointing losses in the first two rounds. Entering the tournament as the number three seed, they lost to fourth-seeded Emory University and second-seeded Washington University before beating California Lutheran with a 6-4, 4-6(7) win. "It wasn't that we were under-prepared or over-confident," Klepacki said. "The other girls were just really good. Jackie and I were able to support each other and end on a high note."
The pair credits their close friendship off the court for their success on it. "It has a lot to do with chemistry," Gavornik said. "We talk before the match and between points, and decide what we need to do."
"It's a tremendous help to not only have a teammate on the court with you, but also a friend," Klepacki said. "We're always pulling for each other."
The spring season brings another nationals tournament and a chance to extend their talents further. Although they're looking ahead, the two All-Americans are staying focused on each match as it comes. "You have to take it one step at a time," Gavornik said. "But, we can go in now knowing we've done it before and we know what to expect."
As Gavornik and Klepacki are looking forward to competing for a bid to nationals next year, they'll be looking to top their performance from this year.
"The great thing about me and Jackie is that we're both individual players, but a great double at the same time," Klepacki said. "When we do come together on the court, it's like we're one person."
(10/07/03 4:00pm)
After a year of waiting, the College field hockey team had a shot at redemption against New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Rowan University Profs.
Saturday's game ended in overtime and sent the defending national champs home with a 2-1 loss. The Lions are ranked fifth with an 8-1 overall record and 2-1 record in the NJAC. The single loss was against Montclair State University Red Hawks. The Profs are 7-2 overall.
Last year's match against Rowan ended in a shutout by the Profs. The Lions were ready to turn the tables this year.
"We have such an ongoing rivalry," senior midfielder Jackie Levy said. "We wanted revenge."
The game came on the heels of the College's football team's victory the previous night.
"We went to the football game as a team," Levy said. "It was definitely inspirational to watch them."
The final goal showed the Lions' teamwork at its best. Senior defender Lauren Wooster sent a defensive shot to junior midfielder Kim Feeley. Feeley assisted junior forward Colleen Stamler in making the winning goal in 84:06.
Stamler led the Lions with a pair of goals. She put the team on the scoreboard with an unassisted goal at 6:05. The score stood at 1-0 until Rowan junior Rhonda Bennett sank a goal assisted by senior midfielder Michelle Thornton with 10:37 remaining in regulation play.
Outstanding defense came from Lions senior Danielle Bechtel and freshman midfielder Meg Hess, while sophomore goalkeeper Kristina Beyel had eight stops in the game. "Dani had the best game of her life," Levy said.
An even match made this an exciting game for both sides. Rowan had 11 shots on goal to the College's 15 and 12 penalty corners to the College's 11.
"It was an even match between two strong programs," Levy said, "but it's great we came out on top."
Upcoming Game
The Lions will return home to host Eastern University at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
(09/23/03 4:00pm)
The men's soccer team faced the William Paterson University Pioneers in a scoreless game that ended in a tie after going into two overtime periods on Saturday.
The Lions' record now stands at 2-5-1.
Junior goalie Rich Adams kept the Pioneers from scoring with 10 saves.
He kept the score tied with a diving save as Pioneer junior forward Eric Kinckle attempted the penalty shot with 27:10 left in regulation play.
Adams then made another save as Kinckle tried to sink a rebound goal.
"Adams kept us in the game," senior forward Joe Schneck said. "He actually got us a point and kept us out of a losing game."
Ducks 1, Lions 0
Wednesday's game against the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks left the Lions on the losing end of another low-scoring game.
Stevens beat the College for the second year in a row, with a score of
1-0.
Junior goalie Shawn Mecchi allowed one-of-four shots to get by at 51:16.
Senior Ducks goalie Sean Stevenson made five saves, including one heart-stopping shot by freshman defender Marc Cino in the final seconds of the game.
"We couldn't get anything going all game and with eight seconds to go, we had this great chance," Schneck said. "Cino made a great shot, but the goal made a great save."
Upcoming Game
The Lions gear up for their second New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) competition against Rutgers University-Camden on Wednesday, Sept. 24 before facing off with Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday.
"These are the games that need to be won," Schneck said. "In a couple of weeks we'll start playing Rowan, Stockton and Kean, so we have to get as many wins as we can against the weaker teams."
(09/16/03 4:00pm)
The men's soccer team's eventful weekend left plenty of reasons to celebrate. A game-winning goal in double overtime and Head coach George Nazario's 100th win made this one of the most exciting competitions in recent years for the Lions.
The College sustained 2-1 win over the Manhattanville College Valiants. The final point came from senior forward Joe Schneck just 10 seconds before the clock ran out in double over time. Sophomore midfielder Brian Rader provided a difficult assist to set Schneck up for the goal.
"All we were trying to do at that point was get the ball in the box and see what happened," Schneck said. "It was perfect. Rader stepped up big."
The Lions (2-1) played the game they expected against the regionally-ranked Valiants.
"We didn't stay focused enough in the first half," Schneck said. "In overtime, your body's starting to fail you and cramp up."
"It's tough to stay in it that long," Rader said. "You have to focus the whole 110 minutes and not give up for one second, because that can let down the whole game."
Manhattanville's sophomore forward Scott Vieira opened the scoring with a goal at 44:48, giving the Valients the lead at half time.
Schneck tied it up with the first goal for the Lions at 62:04, assisted by junior midfielder Adam Cooper. The Lions' defense held the Valiants for the rest of the game.
"Our defense had some tough guys to play against but they were rock solid," Schneck said.
The win brings Nazario's career record to 100-55-14. Nazario is in his ninth season at the College.
"He's very knowledgeable about the game," Rader said. "He hasn't been here that long and he's already got his 100th win, so that says a lot."
"We'd hoped to have the win earlier in the season," Schneck said. "But it's great that he got it this year and we got to be a part of it."
Lions 9, Cyclones 1
Tuesday's win may not have been as exciting Saturday's, but it broke the Lions' four-game losing streak in their first home game. The team posted a decisive 9-1 win over the Centenary College Cyclones.
Schneck, Rader and sophomore forward Ryan McMann each scored a pair of goals. The wide spread may be impressive, but it came as no surprise to the Lions.
"They're actually one of the weaker teams on our schedule this year," Schneck said. "It's one of those games you have to win."
"It's good because everyone gets to play," he added. "It's nice to see everyone on the field."
"The second half was mostly younger defense guys but they took care of everything that needed to be taken care of," Adams said.
Junior Jim Cooney got the Lions started, scoring at 8:10 with assistance from McMann and Cooper.
Schneck and McMann teamed up to close out the first half with four goals.
"Ryan has been playing great," Schneck said. "He's really improved since last year."
Sophomore midfielder Blayne Adams sank a goal 19 seconds into the first half, assisted by freshman midfielder Chris Gallup.
Freshman Marc Cino provided two assists and Rader closed out the game with his second goal of the night.
Centenary's lone point came from freshman defender Victor Patrocino.
Lions' junior goalie Shawn Mecchi made two saves in the first half before yielding to junior goalkeepers Rich Adams and Bret Certruse for the remainder of the game.
"The goalies didn't have much to do, but that's a good thing," Schneck said. "It means the defense is doing its job."
"We were coming off four losses but this was a good opportunity to get us on the right track and take it from there," Adams said.
Upcoming Game
The Lions host Stevens Institute of Technology at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 17. The Lions also host William Paterson University at 1 p.m. on Sept. 20.
(09/09/03 4:00pm)
The College's field hockey team capped off a winning week with a 5-1 win against Ithaca College on Sunday.
Ithaca took an early lead, scoring at 20:26. But, Lion senior defender Lauren Wooster tied up the first half with a goal in the final seconds.
"After they scored on us, we realized we had to do something fast," Wooster said. "If the score is tied in the second half, it's like getting a fresh start."
The Lions (4-0) dominated the second half, and controlled the field for most of the remaining plays. An onslaught of shots yielded four goals for the Lions. Ithaca was no match for the agility of senior forward Jessica Hamway as she slammed the College's second goal. Rookie forward Meg Hess assisted.
Junior forward Colleen Stamler and freshman forward Jessica Berkowitz sank a goal each in less than a minute. Senior forward Christi Shore sealed the win with her goal at 65:31.
The Lions made good use of a home field advantage during Friday's game against Ursinus College.
The team recorded its second consecutive shutout, with a score of 4-0.
Rainy conditions forced the change of venue and the rescheduling of the game, originally set for Thursday, Sept. 4.
"We love playing at home," Wooster said. "It's exciting to have your family and friends come watch."
Senior midfielder Jackie Levy and Shore set the pace, with Levy sinking a goal at 17:14, with a followup by Shore two minutes later.
The second half saw Stamler score another point, assisted by freshman forward Allison Greene. Senior forward Danielle Bechtel assisted Greene to score the final point of the game at 68:54.
The Lions defeaed Division II's Millersville University, 3-0. Sophomore goalie Kristina Beyel was able to record her first career shutout.
Her block save in the second half dashed the Marauder's hopes of closing the score.
"Beyel is a sophomore, but we had a senior goalie last year," Wooster said. "She's stepped up and been reacting really well."
After a scoreless first half, the College picked up the pace as Shore and Greene sank a goal each. The final goal of the game was recorded by Berkowitz, assisted by Greene.
"Allison has a knack for good touches," Levy said. "She's naturally good at getting around defenders and finding the back of the cage."
Lion freshmen dominated match against with Cabrini College, scoring three of the College's five goals. In the Aug. 30 game, Berkowitz began her college career with two goals and Greene contributed two assists and a goal to help push the College to a 5-1 win over Cabrini College.
"The freshmen have been impressive," Levy said. "They've really have been connecting with the upperclassmen."
The Lions weren't without upperclass leadership. Shore and Stamler teamed up to give the Lions their first point at 8:30, while junior forward Sarah Moretti closed the game with her first career goal.
The team's eight seniors add more to the squad experience than those of previous seasons.
"Because we have so many seniors, it's really easy to work with each other," Levy said. "We know each other's styles and the system we want to play."
"We haven't even picked captains this year," senior defender Kate Flaig said. "We all lead as a unit and get along really well."
(04/29/03 4:00pm)
The Lions' lacrosse team improved its winning streak to 12-0 this week. Saturday's game against Drew University ended in a 19-7 score in favor of the College.
Freshman attacker Lauren Dougher was the star of the game with a career-high six goals and two assists for a total of eight points.
Senior attacker Liz O'Connor and junior midfielder Jill Baldwin opened the game with one goal each. Drew answered with one goal, but the College retaliated with five more.
Drew sank one more, before the College slammed a barrage of six more goals. The Lions gained five more points to the Rangers' four, closing out the first half with a score of 13-6.
The second half opened with a goal by junior attacker Carin Heller, assisted by rookie attacker Bridget Bigley. Junior midfielder Katie Wagenblast notched another goal and O'Connor and Dougher teamed up for two consecutive goals. The Lions' last two goals came from senior attacker Tara Prindible and Dougher, assisted by Heller.
Lions 15, Cavaliers 8
The College's lacrosse team annihilated two more opponents of its home turf this week. Wednesday's game against Cabrini College ended with a 15-8 win for the College, while a 20-7 score closed Tuesday's game against Franklin & Marshall College (F & M).
Cabrini scored the first goal for the Cavaliers, but 45 seconds later, O'Connor answered with a goal of her own. A barrage of goals followed, with points being scored by Heller, Bigley and Prindible.
The Cavaliers crept up on the Lions, scoring back-to-back goals and bringing the scores within one point, but Lions scored two more goals to remain on top at the end of the half.
Cabrini's junior midfielder Maureen McQuade tied up the score as she sank the first goal of the second half. Sparked by the competition, the Lions unleashed 11 goals in the last half, while the Cavaliers only mustered three.
Heller scored three, while O'Connor and Wagenblast each scored one. The Cavaliers got two more in, but Dougher and sophomore Lauren Gossner scored the last three points of the game. Senior goalie Jen Munday registered eight saves over the course of the game.
"It was a wake-up call for us," O'Connor said. "We need to learn from our mistakes before championships."
Lions 20, Diplomats 7
The College celebrated Senior Night with a 20-7 win over Franklin and Marshall College on Tuesday. Munday, O'Connor and Prindible were honored for their four years of dedication to the team.
The seasons of their participation saw the Lions capture the 2000 national title and 2002 runner-up. The record over the last four years has been an impressive 55-3.
That record became 56-3 in after Tuesday's romp against F & M. The Lions took control of the game early with a 4-0 lead. Wagenblast, Heller, Bigley and Prindible each scored before the Diplomats were able to sink one goal at 10:20.
F & M's first goal was scored with help from the team's all-time assist leader senior Lauren Paul, but the College answered it with seven points. Dougher and O'Connor each scored two, while Wagenblast, Prindible, and Heller slammed one each.
F & M scored three times in the last minutes of the half to bring the halftime score to 15-5. O'Connor started the second half with a free position goal, but the Diplomats answered it with one of their own from freshman Kristen Forster.
The Lions scored four consecutive goals from Heller, Baldwin, Bigley and Prindible. Munday made four saves in 51:37, while freshman Megan Marquardt took over for the remainder of the game.
Upcoming Game
The Lions will finish their regular season at Washington College on Wednesday, April 30 at 4 p.m. The NCAA Division III championships first round games begin on May 7.
"As we head into postseason, every game is huge," O'Connor said. "We need to focus on one game at a time."
(04/22/03 4:00pm)
The College's lacrosse team added to its perfect record this week, besting both Rowan University and Frostburg State University by impressive margins. Friday's game saw the Lions on their home turf, handing Frostburg a 17-2 loss.
Freshman attack wing Lauren Dougher opened the game with a goal at 2:48 into the first half.
Freshman attack wing Bridget Bigley bagged three consecutive goals with two assists by junior midfielder Katie Wagenblast and one by midfielder Lauren Gossner.
Wagenblast provided another assist to senior attack wing Tara Prindible's goal. Dougher's next two goals sandwiched Frostburg's lone first half points, with assists by senior attacker Liz O'Connor and Gossner.
Closing out the first half, Prindible scored two more goals for the Lions with Wagenblast contributing her fourth assist of the game. The halftime score was 12-1.
O'Connor set the pace in the second half with a free position goal.
Junior attacker Jill Baldwin added an unassisted goal to the scoreboard, followed by twin goals from Wagenblast.
"Our shots were all on," Bigley said."We were just on our game that night."
"Our scoring is really spread out," O'Connor added. "It shows all our players can score. We can't and don't depend on one person."
Frostburg State managed two goals the final few minutes of the game by senior midfielder Andrea Duffy and rookie Kate Nicol, but junior midfielder Carin Heller finished off the game.
Senior goalie Jen Munday made three saves during the 48:49 she played, while freshman goalie Megan Marquardt made two saves in 11:11.
Lions 14, Profs 6
The College also beat N.J. rival Rowan University on Thursday. The Lion's dominated the Profs, 14-6, in an away game. The College's rivalry Rowan gave the team extra incentive to play well and bring home a victory.
"We knew they were going to come out on fire," Bigley said. "It's such a big rivalry, but we just played our own game."
Lions scored six unanswered goals against the Profs, with two goals from Baldwin.
O'Connor, Prindible, Heller and Dougher also sank goals before Rowan's junior attacker Tiffany Martinez and rookie midfielder Maggie Goodman scored the Prof's first points. Prindible, O'Connor and Wagenblast closed out the half with one goal each.
"We ran the plays well," Bigley said. "Our offense made the best of our opportunities."
The second half opened with the Profs making a charge. Rowan scored three goals in three minutes, but the College answered with five goals.
Heller scored three; Wagenblast and O'Conner gave one each.
"Friday's win was big for us," Bigley said. "We learn from our little mistakes and step it up every game."
Upcoming Games
The team is in action three times this week, against Franklin and Marshall University, Cabrini College and Drew University.
"They're three big games," O'Connor said. "We want to look to play the entire game to the best of our ability, from the starting whistle to the ending whistle."
"The end of May is when the really big competition starts," O'Connor added. "We just want to keep improving and play to our potential."
(04/15/03 4:00pm)
Two undefeated teams clashed at Saturday's lacrosse game, with the Lions emerging victorious. Gettysburg College was handed its first loss of the season as the College dominated with a nail-biting 11-10 win. The Lions moved up a spot to number two in the national rankings.
The team expected a challenge going into the game. "Every year Gettysburg is a really strong team," senior attacker Liz O'Connor said. "They're our best regular season competition. Going into it, we knew it was going to be a fight."
Freshman attack wing Lauren Dougher led the team in goals, earning four over the course of the game. O'Connor opened the game with the first of four straight goals made for the Lions. Junior attacker Jill Bladwin scored back to back goals for the Lions less than three minutes apart.
Freshmen attack wing Bridget Bigley scored three straight goals in the first half, including one with an assist by junior midfielder Katie Wagenblast .Dougher closed the half with two goals, with assists by Wagenblast and O'Connor. The score at halftime was 9-4
Gettysburg came back in the second half, making six goals to the College's two. All but one were scored by senior midfielder Megan Murphy, who tallied eight goals and an assist throughout the game.
Dougher scored the Lion's only two goals in the half. Senior goalie Jen Munday made seven saves, playing the entire game. Lions defense was able to hold off the Bullets for the final 10 minutes of the game.
"We executed our plays well and capitalized on every opportunity," Dougher said.
Recognitions
The game caps a week in which two players were honored as ECAC Division III Metro Women's Lacrosse Player of the Week. O'Conner earned the honor for her role in the Lion's 21-7 victory over Goucher College last week. During that game she racked up 11 points with eight goals and three assists.
O'Connor currently has the third-highest all-time assists, with 69 over her career. She is 11 short of breaking Lee Moreau's 12-year-old record. She is fifth in all-time points scored, sixth in goals and currently leads the Lions in season points.
Munday was honored for the fourth time in her career as the Lion's goalie. She gave up seven goals and made three saves in 52:30 against Goucher. Munday is 6-0 and has a 6.20 Goals Against Average (GAA) in 319:36 minutes of action.
"They totally deserve it," Dougher said. "They're outstanding leaders and really help pull the team together."
Upcoming Game
The Lions will compete twice this week. Thursday's game will send them to Rowan University, while Friday's game brings Frostburg State University to the College's home turf.
The team knows its undefeated status has made it a target. "Every team we play is out to get us," O'Connor said.
(04/08/03 12:00pm)
The Women's rugby team took a huge step with its 32-0 victory over the University of Scranton.
Saturday's match saw the team overcome the final hurdle on its way to becoming a member of Division II.
Senior eightman Kaitlyn Daniels picked up the first points for the Lions with a try and a conversion kick.
"Kait is an amazing kicker," junior outside center Victoria Welsh said. "She plays intensely and always gives 100 percent."
Junior lock Val Vaccaro scored two tries in the first half to bring the halftime score to 17-0.
In the second half, junior prop and captain Vanessa Polizzi recorded a try.
Junior hooker Michelle DiFedele and junior scrumhalf Nicole Klindt scored the final points of the game.
The Lions have now moved from Division III to Division II in the Eastern Pennsylvanian Rugby Union (EPRU). Since the NCAA does not recognize rugby as a varsity sport, it is not bound by the same rules that the NCAA enforces.
Players are allowed to compete at a Division I, II or III level.
For a new team, level of play is determined by the other sports at the College. Once it has established itself, a team can challenge any team in a higher division to a game.
"We beat all the DIII schools in our division, so we got to play the lowest-ranked DII school," Welsh said.
If the lower division team wins, it moves up a division, while the losing team moves down.
Later in the season, the Lions will get a chance to play another team, yet to be determined, which also boasts an undefeated record. The winner will be the division champion.
The Lions are looking forward to more competitive play.
"When we played other DIII teams, we mostly shut them out," DiFedele said.
"We hope to learn a lot of new things and become a stronger team," Welsh added.
The Lions owe their success to motivated, athletic members. "All of our players, even the B-side, have been playing for a while," DiFedele said. "Most of the girls came from some sort of high school sport, but no one had ever played rugby."
DiFedele also credited intense competition between players for pushing them to succeed. The team is 35 strong, including 25 juniors, and all are vying for the 15 spots on the A-side. B-side is the equivalent to junior varsity in a varsity sport. Even players on the B-side hold their own against the competition.
"We can put out B-side in the second half and still win," DiFidele said.
The team has set its goals high.
"Our big goal is to make it to the playoffs," DiFidele said. This year the first championships for Division III are being held in Bethlehem, Pa.
Upcoming Game
The Lions are next in action at a tournament at West Chester University. Both Division II and Division III teams will compete.
"We're looking to place," DiFidele said.
(04/01/03 5:00pm)
The College's lacrosse team defeated No. 11 ranked Mary Washington College 15-4 on Saturday. The Lions are currently ranked third in the latest Division III poll.
Junior midfielder Katie Wagenblast and freshman Bridget Bigley led the Lions with a combined eight goals and two assists.
The first half saw 6 unanswered goals for the Lions, until Mary Washington's Erica Larsen scored twice before the clock ran out.
Senior attacker Liz O'Connor scored three goals and provided an assist. O'Connor leads the team in totals, with 18 goals, eight assists and 26 points. Wagenblast holds the season high of 15 assists.
Senior goalie Jen Munday made seven stops and played all 60 minutes.
"Munday had awesome saves," Bigley said. "It was just amazing."
Lions 18, Falcons 6
The Lions defeated Messiah College 18-6 on Thursday. Junior attacker Jill Baldwin tallied six goals during the game, while Wagenblast provided five assists.
"Her passes have been really on," O'Connor said. "Assisted goals are really valuable. It shows we're a team."
The Lions were up 10-4 by halftime, with O'Connor contributing a goal and two assists. The College tallied three of the last five goals. Bigley scored two consecutive goals to close out the half.
Freshman Lauren Dougher started the second half with a pair of goals and closed it with two more, assisted by Wagenblast.
Baldwin and Wagenblast teamed up to score the final two goals of the game.
Munday played for 38:17, making six stops. Freshman Megan Marquardt filled in for the remaining 11:43 and yielded no goals.
"It was really nerve-wracking at first," Marquardt said of her first college game. "I was nervous, but it was a good experience.
Lions 14, Bears 2
The Lions dominated Ursinus College 14-2 on Tuesday. Ursinus, ranked No. 20 in the national poll, gave up five goals to Dougher.
The Bears scored once in the first half, no match for the Lion's nine goals. Dougher scored three and junior Carin Heller slammed back-to-back goals.
O'Connor posted three goals, including two in 12 seconds, and an assist. She later ended the game with three goals and an assist.
"We really played well as a team," Dougher said. "Everyone can give great passes."
Bigley credits veteran leadership for the teams continuing success. "The seniors really push us along," she said.
Upcoming Game
The Lions are next in action on Saturday, April 5, at Goucher College. The team is now 5-0 for the season and showing no signs of slowing down.
"We don't really concentrate on the opposite team," said O'Connor. "We concentrate on our own game and that really helps us achieve our goals."
(03/25/03 12:00pm)
As the snow melts and the days grow longer, the College sports teams take to the fields, diamonds and tracks. During a season that may include anything from snow to heat waves, the College's athletes are diligently preparing for upcoming competition.
The Lions' women's lacrosse team has traditionally been one of the most dominating forces in Division III. After graduating only three starters, the team will shoot for its twelfth national title. The experienced team is led by seniors Liz O'Conner and Jen Munday. O'Conner returns after earning All-American honors alongside fellow senior Tara Prindible.
Rookies Bridget Bigley, Alli Latona and Lauren Dougher have exceptional high school careers and are expected to impact the team with their skill.
"The freshmen this year are dynamite," O'Connor said. The team is currently 2-0.
The baseball team returns to the field after placing fourth in the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament and is looking to repeat its appearance. After losing four All-Americans to graduation, the Lions have several rising players stepping up to the challenge.
Senior shortstop Nick Stine returns after missing the entire 2002 season with a back injury. Stine, a 2001 member New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) All-State and All-Region first team, is currently fourth all-time with eight career triples.
The team looks to return to the conference playoffs. "We as a team set a lot of personal goals for ourselves," head coach Rick Dell said. "It's our own personal thing." The team is currently 10-2-1.
The men's and women's track and field team closed an indoor season that produced 13 All-Americans and are looking to be equally successful outdoors. The women's team will be vying for its eleventh straight outdoor NJAC championship title, while the men look to collect their seventh title.
"We capped the indoor season by winning the conference and competing well nationally," head coach Steve Dolan said. "We're expecting the same people to continue to excel in the outdoor season."
Athletes competing in events not contested in the indoor season are also expected to contribute to the success. Both teams are largely composed of veterans, but a few rookies are poised to have an impact on the team's success.
On the men's side, three-time All-American Mike Polulak returns to the javelin and Shawn Levinson has recovered from injury to compete in the high hurdles.
Juniors Kevin Semanick and Chad Williams will compete in the 400-meter hurdles and decathlon, respectively.
In the distance events, senior Chris Curto and junior Joe Lacovara-Switzer will compete in the steeplechase and senior Chris Ludwig will run the 10K.
The women's team suffered the loss of nine-time All-American Erica DiStefano, but will get a boost from freshman pair Brittny Boyd and Tiffany Clark in the sprint events. Sophomore Jacklyn Roesch returns in the 400-meter hurdles. In throws, sophomore Stacy Kehoe and rookies Christine Solomon and Bobbi Jo Leighty are expected to step up for the outdoor season.
The team also looks forward to competing in the 4x100 meter after the 4x400 meter team earned All-American honors indoors. Rookie Kara Horner, sophomore Sarah Spilman and myself will compete in the second season of women's steeplechase.
The softball team returns to the diamond with a strong group of veterans. "The seniors have set the standard," head coach Sally Miller said. Senior catcher Lauren McEvoy returns leading the team in home runs. Infielder Jen Kichula is the Lions' top returnee in runs scored and putouts.
Junior duo Katie Fritz and Jen Kirschak also look to contribute to the Lions veteran squad in the infield.
Along with upper class defense, the team also looks to its young pitchers, sophomore Jessica Donohue and freshmen Casey Hansen, Kelly Quigley and Jackie Schnorrbusch.
During the Rebel Games in Orlando, Fla., the team defeated the first and second nationally ranked teams. Encouraged by their victories, the team has turned its attention to closer targets.
"We're looking to sweep rivals in the NJAC," outfielder Danielle Bertran said. "That's above personal goals." The team is currently 13-3.
The men's tennis team returns to the court after earning a 10th place ranking regionally. The team is shooting for a bid for the national tournament with five returning starters
Senior Marc Hill is the Lions' top returnee. A 2000 All-American, Hill has a shot at the national singles title and is the team's captain.
Newcomers Rishi Patel and Ken Tsui were both high school standouts and look to bolster the team with their talent in the singles and double competitions.
(02/25/03 5:00pm)
The College's wrestling team capped off its weekend with six champions in the 2003 Metropolitan Conference Championships (MET).
After Sunday's championships at Montclair State University (MSU), the Lions will send eight wrestlers to the 2003 NCAA National Championships.
Brothers Greg and Dave Ilaria will travel to the NCAA's after exemplary performances on Sunday.
Senior Dave Ilaria went 3-0 at the tournament, winning the finals by a 14-2 major decision over Hunter College's Cliff Medina.
Dave Ilaria was a Division I qualifier while a freshman at Seton Hall University, but this will be his first appearance at NCAA's for the Lions.
Sunday's title marks his 100th career win and a 6th place ranking nationally. Dave Ilaria was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
Junior Greg Ilaria was also named champion in the 157-lb bout, in which he defeated Hunter's Joe Lovello by decision.
Also a former wrestler for Seton Hall University, Greg Ilaria brought his season record to (31-5.)
Junior P.J. Morreale went undefeated on Sunday, as he posted a win by decision in the finals. Morreale is ranked No. 8 nationally at 141 lbs. and will advance to NCAAs.
At 125 lbs, James Marrero defeated top seed Jason Custer of York College in an overtime match. Marrero, a senior, was a 2002 National Qualifier and returns this year to the NCAAs.
The 174-lb match once again pitted MSU junior Eduard Aliakseyenka against College rookie Paul Vaccaro.
Defending national champion Aliakseyenka defeated No. 6 ranked Vaccaro with a major decision. Vaccaro leads Division III in wins and advances on a wild card bid.
In the 197-lb match, senior Rich Gildner picked up his first MET Championship title after three seasons of finishing as runner-up. In the final round, Gildner pinned NYU's Ilya Panchernikov in 3:18 to clinch the title and advance to the NCAAs.
Off the mat, Coach Dave Icenhower was named MET Coach of the Year for the second time consecutively and for the 12th time over all.
In his 27th season at the College, Icenhower boasts a 396-68-3 dual record.
He is responsible for coaching the Lions to five Division III Championships and 133 All-Americans. Icenhower credits hard work and team effort for the season's success.
"This had been one of our better dual-meet teams than in recent years," Icenhower said. "The team works hard for success as a unit. We didn't have one superstar to fall back on, so the pressure was shared."
The Lions enter the NCAA tournament ranked fourth by the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Brute/Adidas national poll. The championships will be held March 7-8 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio.
"METs showed how good we are locally," Icenhower said. "We expect to be in the top five with five to seven All-Americans."
(02/25/03 12:00pm)
When was the last time you went to a basketball game? A swim meet? A track meet? If you're reading the sports page, you probably play a sport. Do you read the articles that aren't about yours? The College is forever trying to cure the student body of its apathetic reputation, and it's started with the athletes.
This season, the athletic department began Lions Day. Each sport picks one home competition and athletes in all of the other sports are required to don their Lions regalia and show their pride by being athletic supporters.
Not so bad, I thought. I like wrestling and I had to write the article on it anyway.
So Wednesday night, there I was, plopped down in a cluster of other gray sweatshirt-wearing runners. The wrestling team clobbered Wilkes in an impressive display of muscular might. Packer was, well, packed. Jocks united!
I didn't know a damn thing about basketball, except that we lost. But there were still plenty of my teammates there to explain what was going on. I cheered and clapped and stood when everyone else did. I sat down when everyone else did.
After that, everyone seemed a little less enthusiastic about Lions Day. I didn't recognize many people at the swim meet. They were mostly moms with little kids.
The track meet had lots of people, but a good number of them were ex-members and families. The bleachers at the women's basketball game were pretty much filled, I'll give you that, but I didn't see many teammates there.
I'm not claiming to be a gung-ho proponent of attending every event on campus. I'm not going to lie. I was guilt tripped into going to my first-ever basketball game and I brought a book to the swim meet.
We're all busy or tired or hung over and you don't get credit for going to other sports events. It's 15 degrees out, "A Makeover Story" is on and no one will notice if you are not there.
Remember that track meet? The one where almost all the spectators were the families of the team member?
I didn't care. There was a huge crowd, watching me run in a circle and everyone in it seemed interested. And I ran the 3000, an unglamorous event in a relatively unappreciated sport. But I knew they were there. They'd rather watch the 4 x 400 relay. For races like that, I get to be the spectator at my own game. I scream and yell because I figure the louder I am, the faster she'll go.
I tried that with other sports. I stood up during the last two minutes of the basketball game and cheered like a diehard fan as Kean slunked off the court.
I shrieked what few wrestling moves I know at the two sweaty guys on the mat who didn't listen and were probably better off for it. I learned what a decent time is for the 100-meter freestyle.
The winter season is winding down. The snow will melt and pretty soon baseball, softball and lacrosse will be moving out of the gym and into the field. Take an hour out of your day and watch them play. Get a head start on your tan. Bring a friend. Check out that hottie playing first base. Scream and yell like it'll actually make them run faster, win the race and lead the team to victory. Because it might.