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(04/23/08 12:00pm)
The "TV War" drags on in Iraq in a hot-again, cold-again, violent and alien desert where mission accomplished couldn't be further from the truth.
In between all of the fast-food runs and Starbucks stops - conveniences allotted to us by the hegemony of American might (God bless it) - America finds itself reminded every so often that the war in Iraq continues, despite our collective detachment. This past week, the TV War was thrust back into the limelight, barely muscling out "American Idol," on the stage of our current political-human drama - the presidential race.
As a people who believe themselves to be the moral beacons of humanity and flame bearers of hope, we have a curiously cut-and-dry dichotomy given to us in this election. And the decision is this: Will it be peace or a sense of blood-tainted responsibility to finish what we so haphazardly started?
Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, told a congressional panel last week that security conditions in Iraq were "significant," yet "uneven," and that progress in the fractured, war-torn country was fragile and reversible. President George W. Bush echoed his sentiments in a speech a few days after, issuing an edict that the United States had averted failure in a war in which the mission had allegedly already been accomplished. Bush assured America that Petraeus would have "all the time he needs."
For a president who fancies his superhero alter ego as "The Decider," I guess the least I can do is admire his consistency.
The time Bush is referring to, of course, is the eventual time for withdrawal - a magical point in space and time when a stable pro-U.S. government will be set up, when Iraqis will lower their weapons and enjoy their freedoms allotted to them by us.
In 2007, prior to the much ballyhooed troop surge, we could not withdraw because violence was up. We couldn't cut and run, after all. It'd be a rushed and irresponsible decision to end a war that began on a rushed and irresponsible decision. Now we can't begin a withdrawal because violence is down.
Bush is caught in a Rodinian age of bronze, constantly coming up with new slogans and reasons to justify his great fraud.
How many Americans do you think questioned whether or not the "bad intelligence" we went into the desert over was purposeful?
There is a certain moral responsibility that binds us to Iraq - a sense of servitude to their people.
Shouldn't we have to close the same gates of hell that we opened in the first place?
This moral consequence may outweigh the pragmatic reasons for a withdrawal, so much so that the history text screaming at us on how we should've learned the lessons of nation building once and for all in Saigon may have to be ignored.
Many Iraqis already hate us for invading their land. What will they think if we leave them to die alone?
(04/02/08 12:00pm)
In a recent poll given by ESPN The Magazine, almost 50 percent of those polled think "it's a shame what's happening to the (NBA)." By the same token, only 38 percent of those polled feel the same about baseball in the shadow of the most disheartening scandal in the sport's history - the great specter of steroids - and 21 percent about the NFL in a year when two of its superstars have faced or served serious jail time.
In the wake of the ongoing NBA season - the Association's most successful and exciting year in the decade since Jordan - half of America, if this poll is to be believed, thinks something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
I'd be inclined to agree; something is very wrong.
The poll paints the sports fan with the troubling broad strokes of racial stereotyping. And it's not just because they don't find the product appealing.
Of those fans surveyed, it is believed NBA stars are less likely than their counterparts in the three other major American sporting leagues - the NFL, NHL and MLB - to remain loyal to their teams, respect the fans and, among the most insulting, love their wives. By the same token, they are believed to be the most likely to carry a gun and use recreational drugs.
The numbers this poll brings to light are not an indictment on the quality of the game being played or how entertaining Americans find the nature of the sport. Remember, not too long ago it was the 1980s and the NBA was the most successful professional sports league in America.
But then again, that was a day without cornrows and tattoos.
Prominent white players were far more common than struggling black, inner-city youths who were without fathers and opportunities, youths who used the sport to pull themselves out of the all too often perpetual cycles of violence and to make something of themselves.
Yes, that was certainly an NBA without Allen Iverson.
No, this is deeper, and in a month where dialogues on race relations in America have been opened across the country, Barack Obama being the latest catalyst, it is becoming clearer how deeply rooted racism really is.
Racism isn't exclusive to segregating white and black children in schools or throwing around ignorance-laden racial epitaphs.
That tide may be receding, but it's not out yet. It's not dead - and may never be - it's being concealed.
Even though racist tendencies are looked down on by the majority of American societies, it has retreated into the last refuge of cowards - their minds, and there it stays, free to corrupt thoughts like a virus, coming out and making itself apparent to others only when the public eye and the possibility of tsk-tsk embarrassment is not present.
After all, you can't be a racist, you have black friends! How could you be a racist when you like rap music? "Who-me?" justifications and cop outs can be found all over.
Yes, 50 percent of America clearly does find something wrong with the NBA. It's black.
(11/15/06 5:00pm)
Closing the season on a high note, the Lions came back from a 10-point deficit to slip past Kean University 14-10 on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions, down 10-5 going into the fourth quarter, managed to put early offensive struggles out of their minds, rallying back for the upset victory with the help of freshman quarterback Chris James.
A minute after Cougars freshman kicker Kevin Trump drilled a 41-yard field goal through the uprights, James and the Lions marched down the field using big plays as their fuel.
On the third play of the final quarter, James hit junior tight end Chris Opdyke for a routine short pass, yet Opdyke would not be denied, turning on the afterburners and racing up the sideline 52 yards to hit pay dirt and give the Lions an 11-10 lead after an unsuccessful two-point conversion.
"Opdyke has been coming up big for us all year," senior defensive lineman Gary Bach said. "It was great to see him finally get in the end zone. He deserved it."
Making the slim lead a bit wider and allowing Lions fans to breathe a bit easier was junior kicker Matt Dalessio, notching a 31-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.
Despite mistakes on the offensive side of the ball all afternoon and a penchant for letting games slip away late, the Lions defense came up huge repeatedly. Not only did the Lions limit the Cougars to an astounding 5 yards rushing and 190 yards overall, they also made two game-changing plays late in the fourth that put the final nail in the Cougars' coffin.
"They couldn't run on us, so we knew they were going to rely on passing the ball more," Bach said. "They came out and hit a few quick slants on us. We started to play them tighter, and we were able to get a few picks off it."
Freshman defensive back Ryan Flannery came up big for the second time on the afternoon, intercepting his second pass off of junior quarterback A.J. Roque. Bach recovered a fumble late to extinguish any hope of a Cougars comeback.
"We couldn't afford to let up," Bach said. "So many times this season we came up short, but we weren't going to let it happen this time. We came up with a few key turnovers late in the game and were able to run out the clock."
The Lions drew first blood early in the game, as the special teams set up a 40-yard field goal by Dalessio, making it 3-0 in favor of the College.
Late in the second quarter, the Lions added two points to that lead, bringing down sophomore wide receiver/quarterback James Felton in the end zone for a safety.
The Cougars required just one big play to spoil the Lions' half however, as Roque pulled a vanishing act on the Lions' lead, connecting with sophomore wide receiver Durell Dukes for an electrifying 73-yard scoring strike with only 41 seconds remaining in the half.
The quick score, making it a 7-5 contest in the Cougars favor, didn't shake up the Lions, though. In fact, team morale was perhaps the best it has ever been.
"Our defense was coming up and making big plays all game," Bach said. "We had one hiccup in the first half and they were able to capitalize. But we knew we could hold them. We went into the locker room at the half and we were all fired up. It was amazing."
The adjustments made at the half combined with the high morale definitely worked, as was seen by the Lions' stunning late-game heroics.
The offense, struggling mightily as it did, seems to be in a better place for next year than it did entering this season, many of those hopes riding on the shoulders of James.
James, who had a marquee game last week, struggled this week, going 8-for-20 with 146 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions.
The problems with the passing game did not fall squarely on James' shoulders, however, as the offensive line had problems with protection and junior running back Dan Dornacker was out of action with an ankle injury.
In the process of grabbing the late victory, the Lions snapped a three-game losing streak, finishing the season 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the NJAC, a stark departure from the goals set by the team early in the year.
"Even though we didn't accomplish everything we wanted (to), I feel extremely confident in the future of this team," Bach said. "They are in a good place and have a great chance to be a contender for the national playoffs next year."
(11/08/06 5:00pm)
An extra point is all that separated the College's football team from victory Saturday, as the Lions fell to the Bengals of Buffalo State College 34-33 in double overtime.
The usually reliable junior kicker Matt Dalessio missed an extra point following a touchdown connection in double overtime between freshman quarterback Chris James and senior wide receiver Ryan Ross.
The Bengals offense then bowled over a Lions defense desperate for a stop, as junior fullback Bob Vesona rumbled 10 yards into the end zone to hit paydirt. Bengals sophomore kicker Eric Beyler then extinguished the Lions' hopes of victory as he put the extra point kick through the uprights to end the game.
"It definitely sucks, but we can't complain about that one point because we should have won the game before that," senior defensive lineman Gary Bach said. "It just sums up our season ... close but no cigar."
Indeed, this young Lions team has seen many winnable games slip away in the home stretch.
Before heading into overtime, the Bengals held a seven-point advantage with only 1:14 left to play as Vesona finished off an 11-play, 54-yard drive with authority. He pounded the ball in from 6 yards out for the score, and then successfully converted a two-point conversion with his next carry.
The Lions would not be denied, however, as James marched his squad down the field 54 yards, ending with senior running back Cory Schoonover punching it in from the 7-yard line. Dalessio's extra point tied it at 27 with 24 seconds remaining on the clock.
Both teams failed to score in the first overtime period.
Despite the loss and losing season, the Lions have shown brief flashes of brilliance and signs of promise as young players have developed along the course of this year's campaign.
James showed his double threat capability and late game heroics against Buffalo State as he threw for 166 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and rushed for 67 yards and another two scores.
The linemen also added to the effort in the game, offering James as much protection as they could.
"The offensive line moved a few people around to different positions to utilize more speed," Bach said about the offensive line's performance. "(Junior) Mike McKeen has played about every spot on the line this year, and he may have found his niche at center. The switch definitely proved to be successful."
Schoonover kept the chains moving all afternoon, averaging 5 yards a carry on the day and accumulating 120 rushing yards total. The constant triple threat of Ross, James and Schoonover kept the Buffalo defense off balance.
The offensive explosion, despite being tainted by the disappointing loss, shows that the Lions may have figured out a configuration that will finally put points on the board consistently.
While there are some encouraging signs, the season has certainly not lived up to expectations.
Bach summed up the team's outlook on its performace this season.
"We are all definitely not pleased with our record," he said. "We've had many close games, and we are definitely better than what the results have depicted. We just have to take the next step forward, have a good last week of practice and win next week at home for the seniors' last game."
The Lions will finish up their season against Kean University on Saturday at noon in Lions' Stadium.
(11/01/06 5:00pm)
The Lions offense struggled mightily these past two weeks en route to suffering two critical road losses in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).
In their first game back after an emotional overtime victory in the Homecoming game against William Paterson University two weeks ago, the Lions suffered a letdown game against Western Connecticut State University, dropping a 10-3 decision.
The following week against No. 6 SUNY-Cortland, the Lions squandered an early 14-0 lead, thanks to the efforts of the special teams and defense, to lose 26-14 as Cortland scored 21 unanswered points.
"We've been in every game we've lost," senior defensive lineman Gary Bach said. "We took two nationally-ranked teams (Rowan and Cortland) to the wire. We just came out on the short end of the stick."
The short end of the stick could be a theme for the past two weeks of Lions' football, as the two NJAC losses put the final nail in the coffin for the year, all but eliminating their hopes of a winning season.
The Lions played exceptionally well on the defensive side of the ball, limiting Cortland to 194 yards on offense and causing two turnovers, despite being left on the field for the majority of play.
One of those two turnovers was an early interception that was returned for a touchdown by sophomore linebacker Justin Laurence, as he scampered up the sideline 67 yards for the score.
Special teams then added to the Lions' lead as sophomore linebacker Frank Schulteis blocked a punt right on Cortland's doorstep. Senior running back Ernie Covington scooped up the loose ball and made a mad dash 10 yards into the end zone for the touchdown.
The Lions were not letting the pressure of an upset get to them after taking the early lead.
"It felt great, but I wasn't surprised," Bach said. "Everyone was talking about an upset. But, I wasn't looking at it that way. We are a great team and it (was) just about time we were playing like it."
But the Lions, leading 14-5 into the half due to a safety and a field goal by the Red Dragons, couldn't keep up the pace. The team was shut out in the second half, mustering only 83 yards of offense.
The Red Dragons took advantage of a worn-down Lions defense, scoring 21 consecutive points, seven through the air and 14 via ground, and finished off any Cinderella upset dreams.
Against Western Connecticut, the offense again sputtered with 155 total yards. The passing game especially struggled, as freshman quarterback Chris James completed 5-of-21 passes with one very costly interception.
The defense kept the Lions in the game, however, keeping the Colonials off the scoreboard until the last five minutes of the game when, due to a botched snap on a Lions punt, the Colonials were able to notch a field goal and take a 3-0 lead.
The Colonials finished off any hopes of a Lions comeback as James threw the aforementioned interception on the next possession to sophomore Colonials linebacker Chad Milling.
Milling returned the pick 34 yards to the Lions' 8-yard line, setting up senior tailback Jeff Ward's outstanding effort, bouncing off several defenders to reach pay dirt and extend the lead to 10.
The Lions' only points of the day came on a 38-yard field goal by junior kicker Matthew Dalessio with 2:12 left on the clock, but the Colonials then retained possession on an onside kick to end the game for the Lions.
"It's obvious our offense is struggling," Bach said. "To point the finger would be ridiculous, because that's not what we are about here. We are a family, and we play as one, win or lose."
The Lions will have to come together in a big way to win their last two games of the season, both at home, as they face two NJAC opponents: SUNY-Buffalo and Kean University.
"In the beginning of every season, teams set certain goals. Our goal right now is to finish 5-5, which can be an improvement from last year's 3-7," Bach said, "We are still a young team, and winning our last two games, at home, can give some of the young players the confidence and motivation to work hard in the offseason and come back next year stronger and more dedicated."
To reach that goal, the Lions will need some kind of a spark to ignite their offense and continue solid play on the defensive side of the ball.
The College will host Buffalo on Saturday at noon.
(10/11/06 4:00pm)
Continuing its sudden offensive explosion, the College's men's soccer team put on a scoring clinic as it blew out Lincoln University 5-0.
The impressive victory, which raises the Lions' record to 5-5-1, comes at a crucial point in the season. The Lions need to start peaking now as they look to springboard themselves into the playoffs on a winning streak.
The Lions got lucky in jumping out to an early lead, as a misplay by Lincoln in its own territory resulted in an own goal.
The mishap was quickly followed up with a strike by senior forward Matt Luber in the 11th minute to extend the Lions' lead to 2-0.
"It's tough as a team to come back from an early goal," senior defender David Katan said. "It's always a confidence booster to be in the lead, and when the goal comes that early, it kind of sets the pace for the rest of the game."
Following Luber's fifth goal of the season, the Lions' offensive onslaught continued as sophomore forward Chris Nelan finished out the half by lacing a shot past the Lincoln goalkeeper to make it 3-0.
Junior forward Nick Kiel and sophomore defender and midfielder Ryan McMahon put the icing on the cake for the Lions with two more goals, Kiel's being his first of the year, to complete the shutout.
The Lions finished out the game by resting junior goalkeeper Matt Kasperavicius, who notched one save in 52 minutes of work, a strong testament to the defense. This gave some playing time for the reserve keepers, sophomore Kevin Maulbeck and junior Stephen Scutellaro.
Katan spoke at length about the game, staying extremely optimistic despite the level of competition.
"Overall we had a great performance," Katan said. "We kept possession for the greater portion of the game. They only had a couple shots on our keeper so defensively we did well, (and) offensively we had a ton of chances, which we won't get when we play better teams, but we did walk away with a win."
The game was an absolute must-win, as the Lions will almost certainly need to stay hot and win the New Jersey Athletic Conference to get an automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament.
The defense, which has been a work in progress all season, is finally molding into a formidable unit, as mistakes are being limited and play against the counter-attack is improving significantly.
Katan noted that the team has devoted extra practice time to defense and limiting mental mistakes, as head coach George Nazario has implemented a system where "we had to keep track of how many unforced errors we made individually."
Katan was in favor of the mental tracking done in practice as "it helps to point out what you're doing wrong sometimes."
The next game for the Lions in their quest for an NCAA bid is today at William Paterson University at 7 p.m.
(09/27/06 4:00pm)
Lions' soccer was a mixed bag this past week, as senior forward Matt Luber and company led the squad to a clutch 2-1 victory over conference rival Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Then they followed it up with a demoralizing 3-0 shutout loss to Montclair State University Saturday evening.
Following the two games, the Lions are still struggling at one game under .500, floating at 3-4-1 overall and 1-2 within the conference.
In Wednesday's match against Stockton, the College fell behind early again, a reoccurring theme this season - the Lions have been scored on first in five out of eight games - as Ospreys freshman forward Sean McCallum drew first blood, scoring only 52 seconds into the contest.
The Ospreys capitalized on a Lions defensive mistake as McCallum raced down the field, placing a bullet past junior goalkeeper Matt Kasperavicius.
The Lions had to fight their way back against Ospreys sophomore goalkeeper Matt Hart who had not allowed a goal since the season opener, tallying an impressive 509 scoreless minutes in net.
Senior defenseman and tri-captain Tim Dudek was happy to shatter that streak, scoring in the 62nd minute to tie up the action at one apiece.
Possession went back and forth for the following 20 minutes until 81:55, when Luber took a feed from Dudek and scored his fourth goal of the season and his third game-winner to put the final nail in Stockton's coffin and solidify the 2-1 victory.
Against Montclair, the Lions played solid defense for the first half, limiting their mistakes and shutting out Montclair, playing them to a 0-0 stalemate at halftime.
The second half showed a much different team defensively, as the Red Hawks tore through the Lions' defense to tally nine shots on net and notch three goals.
The Montclair defense limited the College's opportunities offensively, holding them to a paltry three shots on target.
Kasperavicius was one of the lone bright spots in a rough game against a conference rival, making six saves against the barrage of shots he faced behind the struggling defense.
The next game for the Lions will be against another conference rival as they travel to Rutgers University-Camden tonight at 7 p.m.
(09/20/06 4:00pm)
The stage was set for a new era in Lions' soccer at the gorgeous new soccer complex's inaugural game. The talented Lions' team was seeking revenge against a strong conference opponent that handed them one of their four defeats in 2005.
Unfortunately, "Lady Luck" was dead set against keeping the College from evening the score against Ramapo University as the Lions dropped a 3-2 decision on Saturday in a contest where the breaks kept going the Roadrunners' way.
The loss, which followed a gritty 0-0 tie on the road against Stevens Institute of Technology last Wednesday, dropped the Lions' record to 2-3-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference, tying the amount of losses the Lions had in the entire regular season in 2005.
The Lions fell behind early yet again against the Roadrunners, finding themselves facing a 2-0 deficit at the half due to the feet of Ramapo sophomore midfielder Benji Eggart, who notched both goals.
Surging life back into the Lions' offense was sophomore midfielder and defenseman Ryan McMahon, who scored a goal off of a mad dash for the ball in front of the Ramapo net in the 48th minute to bring the score to within one.
Momentum seemed to sway the Lions' way following McMahon's goal until Ramapo senior midfielder Jamie Biwald scored on a long throw-in from junior forward Justin Stanley.
A two-goal deficit notwithstanding, the Lions never hung their heads and gave up as they battled their way back into the game. They controlled possession until opportunity knocked and senior captain and forward Matt Luber answered with his team-leading third goal of the season, bringing the Lions back to within one.
The goal came off an impressive pass from junior defenseman Frank Fiorilli. Luber received the give, took a touch around a Ramapo defender and knocked it past the goalkeeper.
But Luber's strike was not enough, as the Lions could not convert another opportunity into a goal.
"After that (goal), I thought we were going to come all the way back," Luber said. "We absolutely dominated the game, but luck isn't exactly on our side right now."
Indeed, the Lions have been unlucky, as the final score against Ramapo was not at all indicative as to how the Lions played.
The College dominated most of play, outshooting Ramapo 11-6 and controlling the time of possession.
"I thought we created some good chances, but we had too many mistakes on the defensive side and they capitalized on their opportunities," head coach George Nazario said.
Despite the numerous opportunities created, Ramapo senior goalkeeper Patrick Jagodzinski deflected most of the shots out of the net, making nine saves on the day.
"They're creating opportunities, they're just not going in," Nazario said. "That's the way it is. If we're not creating opportunities, we have some stuff to worry about, but hopefully it'll balance out and they'll eventually start going in. The season is a marathon, not a sprint."
The suspect Lions' defense, which put on a solid performance against Stevens by allowing only five shots on goal, played well in comparison to weeks past.
The defense improved tremendously against the counterattack, yet still made too many mental mistakes in allowing the three Roadrunner goals.
"It's just mental stuff," Nazario said. "It's not particularly the defenders but just the way certain guys are reacting on the field."
"We have to play better mentally," Luber said, echoing his coach's sentiments on the defensive side of the ball. "Big mistakes at crucial times are what is killing us."
The inexperienced defense, which Nazario has pledged full support to in saying that no changes will be made to defensive personnel, will "make their fair share of mistakes" as the coach said, but "you just hope those mistakes don't penalize the team that much."
The Lions' next game is at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Lions' Stadium against conference rival Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
(09/13/06 12:00pm)
All good things must come to an end - including perfect records. The men's soccer team, fresh off notching their second straight win following a 5-0 victory over SUNY-Old Westbury, had a disastrous road trip over the weekend, dropping both games and lowering their record to 2-2.
On Saturday, the Lions played in Atlanta against nationally- ranked Emory University and lost by a score of 4-1, as junior Craig Langan had the only goal for the Lions.
The following day the team still found themselves in a funk, losing a heartbreaker in overtime to Oglethorpe University by a final of 3-2.
Against Oglethorpe, the Lions found themselves behind early as the Petrels claimed a two-goal lead in the 67th minute.
The Lions remained resilient, as freshman forward Kevin Luber scored his first collegiate goal on a feed from his older brother, senior forward and captain, Matt Luber at 77:41.
Soon after, sophomore Chris Nelan tied the match at two with a late goal in the 87th minute to send the game into overtime.
Oglethorpe freshman forward Ryan Stracker ended the contest, sneaking one by Lions' junior and All-American goalkeeper Matt Kasperavicius.
"I feel we weren't prepared mentally to play hard for 90 minutes," senior defenseman and captain Tim Dudek said. "We thought we could just walk into this tournament and win both games."
The two losses will need to serve as a wake-up call to the Lions, who still have a long season ahead of them.
"We can't expect to win because we had a great season last year or because we are ranked highly," Dudek said. "I'm glad we had this happen to us now as opposed to later in the season, because we can fix our problems before it's too late."
A glaring mistake made by the Lions was their inability to defend the counterattack, a defensive flaw that continually hurt them.
Luber cited this problem as a culprit for this weekend's losses, claiming it was the aspect that hurt them most in the two losses.
"I thought we played well enough to win that (Emory) game," Luber said. "We just got caught on counterattacks. We have to get better at defending when we lose the ball."
Kasperavicius, who has been optimistic about the work-in-progress defense all season long, was particularly stoic this week, offering up only that he feels the defense will "work itself out" after finding the right personnel and playing a few more games.
Kasperavicius critiqued his performance in net over the past week now "average" after making three saves and allowing seven goals in three games of work.
Despite the demoralizing losses, Dudek still had a positive outlook on the season. "I think the main reason we lost both games was that we didn't work as hard as the other teams for the full 90 minutes," he said.
However, Dudek went on to say that as long as the Lions play hard for 90 minutes, no one would be able to beat the team.
That domination was evident in the offensive explosion last Wednesday night, when four different Lions scored goals in the trouncing of SUNY-Old Westbury.
Luber, senior captain and forward Mike Ferber, and forward junior Nima Rahimi all scored one goal apiece, while Dudek contributed with two.
The Lions will attempt to fix their mistakes and put themselves on the right track in their next match tonight against the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.
(09/06/06 4:00pm)
As the rain clouds parted during a gloomy, overcast weekend, the College's men's soccer team left the Drew University campus (where the game was held due to inclement weather) emerging victorious after a 1-0 win over Arcadia University to kick off the 2006 season.
The Lions, ranked No. 1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) preseason poll, clinched their victory late in Sunday's battle as Matt Luber tapped one into the net at 89:30, leaving only 30 seconds left in regulation.
The goal came on a well-placed free kick from freshman defenseman Matt Erny. The ball was then redirected by senior defenseman and captain Tim Dudek.
Luber reacted quickly and tapped the ball into the net at a tight angle past the Knights' freshman goalkeeper Jeff Kratohwill for the game-winning goal.
"(Kratohwill) made a couple of nice saves during the game, so I thought he would've had that one, but that's how the ball bounces, you take it and move on," head coach George Nazario said.
The big question mark before the season, however, was not the attack but the defensive side of the ball, and yesterday the Lions proved they can hang with a team of Arcadia's quality.
"The bottom line is at the end of the year, I think Arcadia is a team that could be on top of its conference and possibly win it," Nazario said.
This bodes well for the Lions' lofty postseason hopes, as their defense was already playing tough in the beginning of the season against a distinguished opponent.
Nazario's main concern in the game was the Lions' untimely fouls.
"We gave away fouls in dangerous areas of the field. If we run a play and a team beats us, that's something we can live with, but if we keep on fouling that means we're not playing good defense, because a good defense doesn't result in fouling," Nazario said.
Rust will obviously need to be shaken off, but for the time being the defense is getting it done, albeit not without surrendering some opportunities.
"They caught us once or twice on the counterattack, but for the most part it was okay. Most of the chances Arcadia had were on restarts (from fouls)," Nazario said, optimistic about his defense.
Arcadia had a great chance to score on the counterattack with eight minutes remaining in regulation, but the Lions' defense closed in and forced the break to one side, as junior goalkeeper Matt Kasperavicius cut down the angle and made a spectacular save to keep the game deadlocked at zero.
Kasperavicius, who posted his seventh career shutout Sunday, is also confident about the defensive outlook.
"(I felt we) played well and we will become a solid defensive force," Kasperavicius said.
Kasperavicius was less positive, however, on the overall performance against Arcadia.
"We played well but not our best. I know the team has the ability to play (a) much better quality of soccer," the newly crowned third-team All-American said.
On that note, Kasperavicius also made sure to mention that it was early in the season, and as the year dragged on the team would "learn to play with each other" better and continue to improve.
The Lions' next game is tonight in Lions' Stadium at 7:30 p.m., when they face off against SUNY-Old Westbury.
(08/30/06 4:00pm)
One game away from reaching the illustrious Final Four in the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Lions ended their season with a seven-game winning streak and a wildly successful 16-3-1 season. Head coach George Nazario is surprisingly blunt and confident that this season will be just as successful as last year's breakout run.
"I expect to compete and win the NJAC tournament and then, depending on how the season's going, make the Final Four."
The 2005 season was a stark departure from the four preceding mediocre seasons, as the team managed to only stay above .500 in two out of those four years.
Nazario is in good shape heading into this season, losing only four seniors. However, three of them were defensemen. On paper, this is going to be the team's weakness and the biggest question mark going into this year.
"If you can get the guys to be on the same page early and they can make the transition to the college game early it won't be that bad," Nazario said.
The coach noted that junior goalie Matt Kasperavicius might have to bark orders more than usual to keep his defense tight, but remains confident that he can get the job done behind these new defensemen.
The defense will not have to worry too much, as the offensive side of the ball remains a strong point for a team scoring 2.18 goals per game last season.
"You have to have a little bit of bench," Nazario said. "I think we do have some more depth that we've added this year."
On the whole, the Lions have 10 members that are either sophomores or freshmen, yet Nazario expects three or four freshmen to start right off the bat.
"You have to have luck," he said. "If we end up getting the little bit of luck we need, we can wind up winning this thing."
(04/26/06 4:00pm)
The College's track and field team competed in two meets over the weekend, the Princeton and Widener University invitationals. The team managed to notch a total of five NCAA provisional performances and eight ECAC qualifying times.
Freshman Stephanie Herrickimproved upon her NCAA provisional mark in the 800-meter with a time of 2:13.38. Herrick said that improving upon a personal best is not only an accomplishment, but also part of a process of learning to race and building confidence.
"There were moments in the race where I hesitated a little," Herrick said. "Every race is a chance to go faster."
Seconds behind Herrick in the 800 was her teammate, junior Angela Tecco, who also improved upon her NCAA qualifying time, grabbing a mark of 2:14.87.
"I don't care if I beat my teammate," she said. "My time is my main confidence booster."
Senior Jeff Zodda also had a provisional time with a mark of 1.52:53.
Three other male Lions had ECAC worthy times, all in the 5,000-meter. Freshman Chris Guerriero led the race, finishing in 15:01.55. Next was freshman Kyle Alpaugh who crossed the finish line in 15:07.69. Senior Matt Randal pulled up the rear in 15:09.83.
Alpaugh said afterward that the trio's goal wasn't to qualify for the ECAC because they had already done so earlier in the season. Instead, they wanted to "try to break the 15-minute mark."
"I was pleased with the performance, but am still looking to go faster," he said. "Everything is coming together nicely for all the guys, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if we all go under 15 (minutes) before the end of the season."
"(Mobley) congratulated us for running well and told us to keep up the hard work because the championship season is around the corner, and that's all that matters," Alpaugh said.
At the Widener University meet, freshman Matt Warren completed the 400-meter hurdles in 57.26 en route to an ECAC worthy time. Junior Jenna Prendergast and freshman Julie Ullmeyer both nabbed ECAC qualifying marks in the women's 5,000-meter, finishing in 18:23.64 and 18:29.72, respectively.
The team is rounding into form with championship season rearing its head. The Penn Relays, on April 28 and 29, are the next chance to catch the track and field team as it matures and prepares for the exciting challenge of the championships ahead.
(04/26/06 12:00pm)
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. That's one way you could describe the Philadelphia 76ers' season, but not even I was ready for this. That is, the absolutely meteoric fall from playoff contention over the last two months of the season and dropping 14 of 24 games.
Anybody who knows the game and watches the Sixers could've told you this was going to happen a long time ago (in fact, I did just that before the trading deadline).
First things first: this off-season, the Sixers have to unload superstar guard Allen Iverson. In the NBA, you often don't get equal value when you trade superstars, but Philly can get an influx of youth and potential draft picks to compliment the young core of Andre Iguoudala, Kyle Korver and Samuel Dalembert.
Unfortunately, Philly has Billy King, a general manager so atrocious and prone to overpay and overvalue talent that he attends Isiah Thomas' school for management and fiscal responsibility. The Sixers are still paying the salaries of Todd MacCulloch, Jamal Mashburn and Aaron McKie, which totals over $18 million for this season alone - more than Iverson's 05-06 base salary.
If they unload Iverson, the Sixers would then have some flexibility in free agency. Despite the weakness of this class, there are some players that could help Philly, like Rasual Butler and Speedy Claxton, both of whom could bolster the weak Philadelphia bench.
Falling out of the playoffs means at least one good thing for Philly - a lottery pick in the draft. Despite the pick, the Sixers have two things going against them: their chance of grabbing the No. 1 spot is somewhere around 0.7 percent in a weak draft class.
Probability would pit them at No. 12. At that point, it's likely Duke's Sheldon Williams will fall to them. Williams, who will by no means will be an NBA all-star, is a banger who plays good defense and can block shots with the best of them. While he isn't an offensive stud, his low post game has improved leaps and bounds over his senior year. Think of him as a Carlos Boozer type - before the injuries and without the asinine lawsuit against Prince.
The final thing the Sixers could do to become a better club is to surround head coach Mo Cheeks with a fiery and intense assistant coaching staff. The laid back Cheeks is a players' coach - someone as suited for this leaderless team as Barry Bonds is for the home run.
Philly can't fire Cheeks. The players like him, the city likes him and the organization needs some stability. With four coaches in four years, the Sixers are like the NBA's coaching version of the girl who gets around. You don't build a team around a coach. You hire a coach that fits well with your team - and the Sixers need a coaching staff fit for this squad.
While doing all of these things will by no means automatically make the Sixers a real contender (to be fair, nothing will), I believe this is the best plan to put a strong young squad on the floor with the highest ceiling for improvement. At the same time, they keep their options open with flexible salaries to make moves if need be.
Tragically though, this is Philadelphia, land of eternal sports suffering, so the sports gods aren't exactly in the Sixers' favor. If the Sixers don't make these moves any time soon, they're going to continue being a very average team for a very long time.
(04/19/06 4:00pm)
The rest of the field was chasing ghosts Saturday, as seniors Brittny Boyd and Angela Tecco both had career days on their home turf at the New Jersey Invitational. Five different Lions received NCAA provisional tallies, but Boyd and Tecco's combined for an astounding four NCAA provisional marks in one meet.
Boyd had three NCAA provisional qualifications, one coming in the 100-meter, in which she finished third with a time of 11.99. Boyd earned a third-place finish in the 200-meter in 25.06, but she still was not done on the day.
Coming back strong for two more events, she earned NCAA-qualifying times for each - one in the long jump, in which she took second with a leap of 5.60 meters, and one in the 4 x 100 girls' relay.
Something has to be said for consistency. Like two of Boyd's other third-place finishes, the 4 x 100 relay squad, consisting of sophomore Jessica Bonelli, senior Erika Huggler and sophomore Carolyn Gray with Boyd, finished in third with a time of 47.73.
Third place? Check. Second? Boyd took care of that too. The writing on the wall was therefore a trifecta and Tecco made sure not to disappoint. Tecco ran a blazing fast 2.14 in the 800-meter and earned an NCAA provisional time to boot with the win.
Tecco, who admitted to being disappointed with her time the week before, no doubt put her demons to rest with her first-place finish.
"It felt good to finish in first place this weekend. I wanted to focus on running a smooth race because it was a little windy and I didn't want to waste any unneeded energy fighting the weather," Tecco said.
Tecco focused on her own pace, not trying to psych herself out with where the other runners were. Tecco also noted that having family and friends at the race to cheer her on didn't hurt either.
The men's team didn't struggle either, as freshman Rob McGowan won his own event, the 400-meter dash, in 48.99. Senior Matt Randal was busy carrying his own weight in the 1,500-meter run, finishing in third with a time of 4:01.05.
Randal wasn't done, nor were his teammates, as he took sixth in the 800-meter in 1:58.11, while freshman Matt Warren was busy putting on a show in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal best time of 57.53 that earned him second.
Coach Eric Mobley again had reason to be pleased with his team's performance and voiced that to them after the meet. He was visably excited to see as many NCAA provisional qualifying marks as he did.
With it being so early in the season, Mobley is still anxious to see how many leaps and strides his team can make before the championships.
The next chance to catch the Lions track and field team comes this Saturday at the Larry Ellis Invitational at Princeton University.
(03/29/06 5:00pm)
"To come together as a team and to compete and compete well." That's the College track and field team's mantra this season according to head coach Eric Mobley - and compete they did.
The College opened up its track and field season on a bitterly cold Saturday with an appearance at the Monmouth University Spring Invitational, which garnered a few very solid performances as well as five Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying marks.
The Lions had a pair of impressive showings as well as two ECAC qualifying tallies in the 5,000-meter run with junior Allyson Krayl leading the pack as she picked up fourth. Krayl, who ran the 5,000-meter for the first time on Saturday, finished with a personal best time of 18:31.71.
Mobley was extremely positive when talking about Krayl, saying "She's been doing a great job all year. (She's) continuing what she's done from indoor (track and field). She just continues to go out there and compete very well."
Trailing behind Krayl, senior Kara Horner held her own, placing eighth while qualifying for the ECAC with a time of 18:35.92.
This was also Horner's first time racing in competition on the 5,000-meter track and, as such, was pleased that she qualified for the ECAC and placed eighth. Horner is shooting for a nationals qualifying time this season.
"I was satisfied with my race because it was my first time running it, but I definitely want to be able to compete at higher levels in later meets this season," she said.
Krayl and Horner weren't the only ones putting forth solid performances on Saturday though, as three Lion runners placed in the top 10 in the women's 1,500. Freshman Martine McGrath even earned an ECAC-qualifying mark for her sixth place, 4:52.47 finish.
On the men's front, freshmen runners Christopher Guerriero and Kyle Alpaugh both earned ECAC spots with their times during the men's 5,000-meter run. Alpaugh placed 10th in 15:20.95, while Guerriero took home eighth en route to a personal best of 15:13.34.
Mobley, visibly excited for the upcoming season, spoke about the year ahead with extreme optimism.
"We've got a whole lot of people that are looking to step up," he said. He mentioned runners Angela Tecco, who "could definitely be a factor in the national finals of the 800-(meter)," and Jeff Zodda, who continues his quest for two national championships - indoor and outdoor - in one year.
Zodda finished in second last year in the final round of the 800-meter nationals and is looking to capitalize on the opportunity for a first-place finish this year.
The track and field team will have a busy weekend. They are scheduled to compete on April 1 at Maryland University for their second meet of the season. Then they will travel to Princeton University the following day for the Sam Howell Invitational.
(03/22/06 5:00pm)
After four years through the fire, facing setbacks, trials, tribulations and then some, senior Jeff Zodda capped off his indoor athletic collegiate career as an NCAA champion.
Avenging his third-place finish in last year's indoor nationals, Zodda won the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship in the 800-meter run, setting yet another record in the process - this time not school-related, but a Tostrud Center record, the site of the championships.
Zodda improved on his preliminary time of 1:54.01 by nearly two seconds, as he posted a lightning-quick 1:52.53 in the final round.
Heaping on more individual accolades, Zodda became a six-time All-American in both indoor and outdoor track and field.
"It's impossible to put into words . simply amazing," Zodda said of his win. "It's been a long time coming. I'm a senior ad Iv been in track for four years . you always have to work at it. I just did my best."
Despite the victory, Zodda humbly cited a mishap in the men's distance medley relay as "heartbreaking." A collision between the runners caused all Lions involved, including senior Matt Randal, freshman Rob McGowan, Zodda and sophomore Brian Kopnicki, to take ninth place. The critical mistake caused the team to miss out on All-American honors by a single place.
Senior Brittny Boyd also had a very strong showing in the nationals, representing herself and the College well with a third-place finish in the women's 400-meter, shattering a school record en route to a 56.68 finish in the finals.
Boyd's preliminary time of 57.20 was not only the fastest preliminary time at the meet, but it also set a Tostrud Center record, a record that would be broken again, just one day later in the finals by Rachel Anderson of Illinois Wesleyan.
Anderson, the eventual finals winner of the 400-meter, finished with a time of 56.35, just nipping Boyd's finals tally.
Boyd now boasts an astonishing 18 All-American honors in track and field, including two on the day - one in the 400-meter and another in the Lions' second-place finish in the 4 x 400 relay.
The Lions fell to Lincoln University as runners-up in the 4 x 400 women's relay, unable to defend the national crown they won a year earlier. The Lions foursome of Boyd, sophomore Jessica Bonelli, sophomore Carolyn Gray and junior Angela Tecco crossed the finish line with a mark of 3:51.30, only .22 of a
second behind the winning Lincoln team.
Tecco had a fine showing in her individual performance, picking up sixth place in the women's 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.93, making her a six-time All-American.
While Tecco, Boyd and Zodda tallied honor after honor, the College celebrated a new All-American. Senior Brian Donovan earned his first career All-America honor after placing sixth nationally in the men's 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:44.45.
Overall, the men's and women's teams finished in 13th and 10th place, respectively, ending the College's indoor track and field 2005-06 campaign.
(03/08/06 5:00pm)
The College has at least one Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) gold medal winner after this weekend's ECAC Championships at Ursinus University.
In a blaze of glory, junior Angela Tecco blew past the field en route to a 2:14.44 first-place finish in the women's 800-meter run, earning herself ECAC gold. Tecco's teammate, freshmen Stephanie Herrick, placed second in the event, merely seconds behind Tecco's blurring visage.
"I was determined to get out first and never look back," Tecco said. Acknowledging Herrick shadowing her the whole race, Tecco noted she was lucky to have teammates, such as Herrick, who pushed her hard to the finish line.
The men's squad finished second overall with 67 points, behind only New Jersey City University, who ran away with first with a score of 96. The girls, however, did not fare as well as their male counterparts did, finishing in fourth with 73.50 points, despite Tecco's blazing performance.
Tecco said she was "a little disappointed" with the women's overall team finish, a claim the usually optimistic head coach Eric Mobley was hesitant to completely refute.
"I don't know if I want to say disappointed, but I think there were some opportunities and - I addressed this to the team - opportunities that some people took advantage of and some people didn't," he said. "Overall, I still think it was a good meet."
Senior Jeff Zodda, a staple to the men's team, put forth another record-setting effort, but ironically enough, it wasn't enough to win ECAC gold. In the men's 500-meter dash, there was a true photo finish, as Zodda lost to New Jersey City's Anthony Campbell by a split second - .05 of a second to be exact - and fell to second place.
"As long as athletes go out and give 100 percent of what they have on that day, I'm never disappointed," Mobley said afterward. "He gave what he had on that day and he just got beat. He competed and ran fast, but you can't win them all."
In another blink-and-you'll-miss-it finish, the men's 4x800-meter relay team pulled out a second-place time of 8:01.83, finishing less than half a second behind first-place winner Ithaca College. Zodda and the relay team's losses far from crippled the Lions, however, as they were still well out of reach of first place. Eventual champion New Jersey City finished 29 points ahead of the College.
All things considered, Mobley ultimately thought the weekend's events acted as a great springboard for this weekend's National Collegiate Athletic Association Divison III Championships at St. Olaf College.
Tecco agreed with Mobley's sentiments, saying her first-place finish at the ECAC meet this weekend proved "hard work in practice eventually does pay off." Tecco continued, "We need to remember the indoor season is not over yet; there's always nationals."
(03/01/06 5:00pm)
At the meet he described as "one of the biggest meets we attend," senior Jeff Zodda burned the competition at the Fastrack Invitational on 168th Street in New York City last Friday.
Zodda broke yet another record, this time in the men's 500-meter, and posted an impressive time with 1:04.36 en route to a first-place finish. Record breaking is becoming nearly a weekly occurrence for Zodda, who has shattered two in the past three weeks.
"This (record) was actually especially important," Zodda said. "It was held by Joe Wroblewski, the track coach prior to my freshman year at my old high school (Notre Dame) and was a huge reason why ND track had such success. He passed away from cancer in Spring of 1998 and I think it would have meant a lot to him to see that it was broken by (an) alumnus."
The men's team continued its strong showing at the Fastrack Invitational, as sophomore Brian Kopnicki tallied a first-place finish in the unseeded section of the one-mile run in 4:13.63, qualifying for an NCAA provisional time.
On the whole, the men's team ended up adding two Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying marks as well, one of which came from freshman Kyle Alpaugh. Alpaugh placed sixth in an unseeded 5,000-meter run in 15:19.27.
Freshman runner Chris Guerriero also put in a healthy contribution with his 15:31.76 finish in the men's 500-meter. Guerriero's performance placed him 13th overall in the race, but it was good enough to net him the other ECAC qualifying mark.
A major highlight of the race was the women's performance in the 3,000-meter run, as it grabbed three ECAC performances. Freshman Julie Ullmeyer was the leader of the pack, as she led the way with a mark of 10:42.00, while sophomore Heather Garleb trailed behind Ullmeyer by four seconds with a time of 10:46.00. Junior Jenna Prendergast wasn't far behind either, as she finished up the Lions' strong showing with a time of 10:47.00.
The Lions nabbed one more ECAC qualifying mark and it stemmed from senior Kara Horner's third-place finish in the unseeded section of the mile. Horner finished up with a solid time of 5:13.97.
The Lions' next meet is a big one - the first day of the ECAC Championships at Ursinus College on March 3 to 4. They will compete against the ECAC's best athletes.
(02/15/06 5:00pm)
Consider it a Valentine's Day Massacre, as school records are breaking like the hearts of the inevitable holiday losers. This week, senior Jeff Zodda led the way at the Boston University's Valentine's Invitational, breaking the College's record for the men's 800-meter, which Zodda set himself last season.
Zodda spoke about his record-breaking feats briefly after the meet, talking about how they're major accomplishments for him, not just small asides. "The great thing about college, was I was able to capture (a lot of records) in my first couple years, so whenever I go out there and set a personal best, that is obviously the new school record," Zodda said.
Zodda is on a torrid pace this season, having qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and broken a school record in four out of the six invitational meets this season. Zodda acknowledged his second- and third-place finishes in the outdoor and indoor respectively, but he said that he "won't stop 'til (he's) the champion."
Two other school records were shattered, one by junior Angela Tecco in the women's 500-meter with a time of 1:17.55. The other was by sophomore Marquis Mitchell, who improved upon his own school record of 14 feet in the triple jump with a mark of 14.16.
The Lions also tallied a pair of NCAA Division III automatic qualifying performances over the weekend, thanks in part to Zodda and Tecco's sterling efforts.
Aside from setting the College's new men's 800-meter record, Zodda placed ninth in the race, finishing with a time of 1:51.32 among top competition from the universities of Miami and Connecticut. Tecco, on the other hand, finished 10th in the women's 500-meter and was a part of the Lions' 4x400 relay team that nabbed the NCAA Division III qualification along with sophomore Jessica Bonelli, senior Brittny Boyd and sophomore Carolyn Gray.
Zodda and the rest of the track team will continue its bid for the gold Sunday at the NJAC Championships at the 168th Street Armory in New York.
(02/08/06 5:00pm)
At the Mercer County Dual Meets against Rider University on Sunday, the men's team was led to believe they grabbed a 94-91 victory over Rider, but a scoring error made the official score say otherwise. The error came when the men's relay team's score was counted twice, a 3-point margin, which ultimately decided the fate of the meet and left the official final score at 92-91 in Rider's favor.
The team had yet to find out about the error and their subsequent loss at the time of the interview with head coach Eric Mobley, but he was resolute when speaking about the team's demeanor on the reception of the news. "I think (the team) will be a little disappointed because of the score, but I don't think we could've had a better meet on that given day," he said.
Despite the scoring error and the disappointing loss, Mobley was his usual, optimistic self, refusing to point any fingers or place the blame on anyone. "They definitely shouldn't hang their heads," he said. "There is nobody on that team that I could point to and say, 'You cost us this meet.'"
The women's team had reason to cheer, however, as they put together an impressive performance en route to a 98-77 victory over Rider. Mobley acknowledged that this was a statement meet for the women as far as what they could really do as a team.
The coach was reluctant to name any stand-out performers for the women, however. Instead, he noted how much of an overall team effort the meet was and deservedly so. The Lions won 12 out of 18 events on the day. Astounding team performances aside, senior and 16-time track All-American Brittny Boyd won the 200-meter in 25.93 and took second in the 55-meter at 7.47, both marks qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). On the day, both Lion teams nabbed, collectively, five NCAA Division III and 17 ECAC Championship qualifying marks.
The Lions also competed in the New York Armory Collegiate Track Meet on Saturday, grabbing NCAA qualifying times and breaking school records in the process.
The women's team finished third in the college section distance medley relay with a time of 12:07.56, earning an NCAA qualifying time and breaking the old-school record by nearly 12 seconds. On the other end of the spectrum, the men's team won the college section of the race for the second straight year and qualified for the NCAA's.
Overall, the College's track teams had a solid weekend, but were the performances marred by the scoring error and one-point loss to Rider? Not according to Mobley. "I wish that we would've pulled out the victory ... but it was still one of the best performances I've had the pleasure of being a part of," he said.
The Lions will return to action on Friday when they travel to Boston University to compete in the St. Valentine's Classic.