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(04/02/08 4:00pm)
Both the men's and women's tennis teams swept their opponents on Sunday. The women took control of the Herons of William Smith College while the men went 9-0 over the Statesmen of Hobart College.
With the wins, the women move to 8-5 on the season while the men improve to 6-3.
The day before the dual sweep, the men's and women's teams both earned resounding wins at St. Lawrence University. The women won 7-2 while the men swept their matches in another 9-0 victory.
The men were dominant against the St. Lawrence Saints, earning their second shutout of the year.
"The men's team is led by our three senior captains (Mike Klimchak, Roger Mosteller and Eric Ferriere)," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "These guys have had a great career and are leading by example."
Klimchak and Mosteller won 8-4 at No. 1 doubles to improve to 6-3 on the season before defeating their opponents in singles.
Ferriere and sophomore Jeremy Eckardt kept the momentum going at No. 2 doubles, posting another 8-4 victory. Both players also contributed singles wins.
In the No. 3 doubles match, junior James Vance and freshman Jonathan Yu picked up an 8-3 win for the Lions. Yu also notched a win at No. 5 singles to bring his record to an even 7-7 on the season.
Sophomore Jon Glinchman rounded out the Lions' shutout, winning in two sets at No. 6 singles.
Going 2-for-3 in doubles matches and 5-for-6 in singles, the women were able to turn around a four-match skid.
Senior Christina Contrafatto and sophomore Jackie Shtemberg led the way for the Lions, winning 8-5 in No. 1 doubles. The pair is now 187-8 on the season. Shtemberg also picked up a convincing 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles, while Contrafatto added a win at No. 3 singles.
The College's No. 3 doubles pair, sophomore Stefanie Haar and junior Haley Kutner, combined for an 8-4 win before both players earned two-set victories in singles.
The women's team is scheduled to play at home against the Sea Gulls of Salisbury University on Saturday at 10 a.m., while the women will take them on at 1:30 p.m.
The women's team is slated for a home matchup against the Violets of New York University on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Weather permitting, the contests may be played on outdoor tennis courts for the first time since the Lions returned from California.
(03/19/08 4:00pm)
Two wrestlers earned All-America honors as the wrestling team finished 24th at the NCAA Division III Championships March 7-8 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Junior Greg Osgoodby (174 pounds) and freshman Justin Bonitatis (165 pounds) each became first-time All-Americans by finishing in the top eight of their weight class. Osgoodby earned a seventh-place finish, while Bonitatis grabbed eighth. The pair finished the 2007-08 season with matching 36-7 records.
"At the start of the season I made it my goal to become an All-American, and to achieve that goal is amazing," Osgoodby said.
After dropping his opening match against fifth-seeded Brandon MacWhinnie, a senior at Stevens Institute of Technology, Osgoodby rebounded by pinning Augsburg College senior George Lynaugh and winning an 11-6 decision over Ithaca College freshman David Priest.
After losing his next match, Osgoodby defeated eighth-seeded Jerome Owens, a junior at Johnson & Wales University, to claim seventh place.
"Overall I was pleased with how I wrestled, but at the same time I felt like there were some matches where I could have done better," Osgoodby said. "From watching the tournament, it showed me that anyone can be beaten and you just have to be willing to take chances to win those matches."
Last week, Osgoodby was honored yet again as he was named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Scholar All-America Team.
Bonitatis opened his tournament by pulling out a 5-4 decision over fifth-seeded Shaheim Bradshaw, a four-time All-American senior from SUNY-Brockport. Bonitatis then dropped an 8-7 decision to Maranatha Baptist Bible College's fourth-seeded junior, Benjamin Hoover.
"I lost a couple very close matches by one point, where I made a mental error and it cost me the match," Bonitatis said. "I learned valuable things in some of my matches, most importantly never stop wrestling, no matter how big of a lead you have."
Bonitatis responded to the loss by beating Johns Hopkins University's freshman Patrick Stanley 10-5 before dropping his final two bouts to finish eighth.
"To be an All-American as a freshman was very rewarding to me," Bonitatis said. "It has been something I've wanted to be since I was a little kid."
"I put a lot of time and hard work into wrestling and it feels great to get something in return," he added.
Senior co-captain Ray Sarinelli (133 pounds) made his second trip to the NCAAs, winning a first-round match before dropping a 6-2 decision to Kings College's junior David Morgan, who finished as national champion for the second straight year.
Sarinelli finished his career at the College with a 90-28 record.
Freshman John Barnett (149 pounds) made his NCAA debut, going 0-2 at the tournament.
The team's 24th-place finish marked the first time in NCAA's 34-year wrestling history the College did not finish in the top 20.
(03/05/08 5:00pm)
Despite graduating eight seniors last season, the softball team believes its young roster has enough talent to be a contender in the competitive New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). The Lions finished their 2007 campaign with a 16-16 record, going 6-12 in the NJAC.
"We are a really young team with an incredible amount of potential," sophomore pitcher Ashley Minervini said. "We weren't ranked that high in preseason NJAC predictions, but we would rather be a surprise contender. Our team is bursting with talent and is improving each day."
The team was picked to finish sixth in the 10-team conference in a preseason poll of head coaches.
Head coach Sally Miller, returning for her 13th season, said that even though her team is young, they are not inexperienced. First baseman Christina Lizzi and catcher Lauren Musacchia, the team's only seniors, will offer veteran leadership.
Lizzi enters the season sporting a career .321 batting average while Musacchia was behind the plate for a career-high 23 games in 2007. They will be joined by a group of sophomores who emerged as key contributors last season.
As freshmen in 2007, shortstop Ellen Seavers and outfielder Danielle Hagel earned All-Conference honorable mentions. Seavers started every game for the Lions and finished third in batting with a .300 average. Hagel led the team in batting (.395), on-base percentage (.452) and runs scored (17).
"I learned so much last year and I gained a lot of experience," Hagel said. "Heading into the season with a year under my belt, I am definitely more confident."
Sophomore Rachel Greeby will return to third base after a successful rookie season, while freshmen Kathy Sikora and Colleen Cawley will get action at second base.
The Lions will also look for an important contribution from Minervini, who leads a pitching staff otherwise composed of new players.
"Being the only returning pitcher from last season carries a lot of weight, but we have three great freshmen pitchers who I am glad are there to back me up and vice versa," Minervini said.
According to Miller, freshman pitcher Alex Sietsma will also see time as a starter. Miller believes the 2008 team has a positive attitude that will pay dividends on the field.
"We have a great group of kids that really understand what it takes to win," she said.
Hagel also believes the Lions have great chemistry.
"I've never been on a team that gets along as well as we do," she said. "I see us doing very well this year, and I couldn't be any more excited."
The Lions will open the season with a doubleheader against the University of Rochester on Saturday in Clermont, Fla. The team will play its first NJAC opponent on March 29 in a doubleheader at home against Ramapo College.
(02/27/08 5:00pm)
The wrestling team repeated as the Metropolitan Conference Championship (METs) winner on Sunday at Wilkes University, posting a top-three finisher in eight of 10 weight classes.
The No. 17 Lions' total of 90 points was top in the nine-team tournament that included five nationally ranked squads. No. 14 New York University (NYU) finished second with 82 points.
The Lions' rookies led the way as freshmen John Barnett (149 pounds) and Justin Bonitatis (165 pounds) finished as the team's individual champions. Freshman Dan Hughes (125 pounds) added a critical second-place finish.
"We got a great effort from the young kids," head coach David Icenhower said. "For Bonitatis and Barnett to be our champions, and Hughes coming in as a sixth seed and getting second, that was awesome."
Barnett, seeded third, earned his crown in a 5-3 decision over NYU's freshman Matt McGill. Barnett scored two takedowns in the third period to seal his victory. Earlier, he pinned Wilkes' junior Erik Smith to gain a spot in the championship match.
Bonitatis, whose team-leading 31 regular season wins earned him a top seed, edged Wilkes' sophomore Frank Heffernan as he held onto a 2-1 lead through the final period.
"I wanted to stay aggressive," Bonitatis said. "I did a lot of hand checking. I didn't want to overwork and give up a silly takedown."
As METs champions, Barnett and Bonitatis earn automatic berths in the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships, to be held March 7-8 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
"I'm very excited," Bonitatis said. "Being a freshman, it's a dream come true."
In addition to the automatic berths, two of the METs' seven "wild card" nominations went to members of the Lions' squad. Senior co-captain Ray Sarinelli (133 pounds) and junior Greg Osgoodby (174 pounds) were selected by the METs' head coaches to compete in the NCAAs. Both wrestlers took part in the NCAAs last year.
Sarinelli joined Hughes as a second-place finisher on Sunday, notching a 15-5 major decision in the semifinals over second-seeded Centenary College senior Mike Gummerson. Sarinelli ultimately fell to defending METs champion Dave Morgan, a junior at King's College.
Meanwhile, Hughes' impressive run was almost over before it even began. In his opening bout, Hughes faced a three-point deficit to begin the third period. He recorded a takedown with less than 10 seconds left to take the lead.
Hughes then outlasted NYU's sophomore Kyle Christensen in the semifinals to clinch a 3-2 decision before dropping a decision in the finals to defending champion Kyle Flickinger, a junior at York College.
Osgoodby, sophomore Dan DiColo (157 pounds), senior co-captain Steve Carbone (285 pounds) and junior Chris Prihoda (141 pounds) added to the team score with third-place finishes.
"I'm proud of everybody," Prihoda said. "We all had each others' backs the whole tournament."
Osgoodby, a 2007 METs champion, dropped a semifinal decision but came back with two convincing wins to capture third place. He later added a 6-1 decision over Hunter College's sophomore Andre DeCristo to earn true second place.
His true second-place finish, coupled with a 29-4 regular season record, earned him a spot at the NCAAs alongside Barnett, Sarinelli and Bonitatis.
"We've had six months of hard work leading up to today," Bonitatis said. "The (METs) and (NCAAs) is what it all comes down to."
(02/20/08 12:00pm)
The Trenton Devils continued to slide last week, getting shut out at home by the Texas Wildcatters and Cincinnati Cyclones before salvaging a point against the Gwinnett Gladiators in a 5-4 overtime loss on Saturday.
The T-Devils have now lost a season-high seven straight and have dropped to sixth place in the ECHL North Division.
Against Gwinnett, Trenton's struggling offense finally broke out in a high-scoring, back-and-forth game.
Trailing 2-0 early, the T-Devils received goals from left wing Andrew Leach and center Jim Henkel in the last minute of the second period to even the score. Right wing Matt Radoslovich carried the offensive momentum into the third, scoring a minute into the period to give Trenton a short-lived lead.
After one of the Gladiators' forwards, Andy Brandt, evened the game up at 9:29, right wing Joe Rooney tallied on a breakaway to give Trenton another brief lead. With 4:30 remaining, Gwinnett connected on the power play to force overtime, where right wing Tomas Pospisil won the game with a one-timer at 3:36.
The night before, the T-Devils ran into the surging Cyclones, who entered the contest riding a franchise-record 10-game winning streak.
Behind a potent offense and a 39-save shutout by goaltender Cedrick Desjardins, the division-leading Cyclones easily defeated the T-Devils 7-0.
The game got away from the T-Devils early, as they failed to capitalize on a string of four consecutive power plays in the first period. One of the power plays included 57 seconds of 5-on-3 action.
Although the T-Devils were able to keep the puck in the Cyclones' zone, Desjardins protected the net and held the game scoreless with several impressive saves.
After surviving the T-Devils' early pressure, Cincinnati was able to capitalize on the power play three times in the final minutes of the period.
Forward Matt Syroczynski opened the scoring at 15:38, rocketing a one-timer from the slot past Trenton goaltender Jason Smith.
Syroczynski tallied again at 18:17, picking up a rebound in front of the net and wristing it over Smith's glove.
Defenseman Sean Perkins capped the opening period with Cincinnati's third power play goal, finding the net with a low slap shot from the point.
The Cyclones continued their assault in the second period as forward Jason Deitsch scored at even strength and defenseman T.J. McElroy tallied on a power play.
The Cyclones tacked on two goals in the third period, including their fifth power play goal of the game to finish at 5-for-10 with the man advantage.
The T-Devils' struggling power play finished 0-for-11.
Earlier in the week, the ECHL-best Texas Wildcatters shut down the T-Devils 3-0. The T-Devils again were scoreless on the power play, going 0-for-6.
On Monday, the team nearly turned the losing streak around before losing to the Johnstown Chiefs 4-3 in overtime.
Yesterday, the T-Devils began a five-game road trip. The team will return to Sovereign Bank Arena for a March 7 contest against the Elmira Jackals.
(02/13/08 5:00pm)
The wrestling team wrapped up its dual meet schedule Saturday with a pair of wins, doubling up SUNY-Oswego 26-13 before steamrolling the University of Scranton 53-0.
With the wins, the No. 20 Lions finished the regular season 19-3 and extended their winning streak to nine. The Lakers of Oswego State dropped to 3-10-1 while the Royals of Scranton remained winless at 0-12.
"We knew we could handle both these teams, but everybody (used) these matches as tune-ups for (the Metropolitan Conference Championships, METs)," senior co-captain Ray Sarinelli (133 pounds) said. "It's good to know we're going into conferences with the right attitude."
Sarinelli helped set the pace early against Oswego State, following up freshman 125-pounder Dan Hughes' pin with one of his own in the meet's second bout. Freshman John Barnett (149 pounds) and sophomore Dan DiColo (157 pounds) each followed up with decisions.
In the 165-pound bout, junior Al Wonesh overcame an early deficit to notch a 4-2 decision, forcing overtime with a ride point at the end of the third period.
"We train so hard in the room and gym that I was extremely comfortable going into overtime," Wonesh said. "With about 20 seconds left, I baited him with my right leg and let him get in on a deep high crotch. I just simply sat by, boot-scooted him and ended up scooting behind him for a takedown to win."
Junior Greg Osgoodby (174 pounds) and senior Jim Tomczuk (184 pounds) rounded out the scoring for the Lions, each winning by decision.
Against Scranton, the College showcased a relentless offensive barrage.
Sophomore Danny Franke (125 pounds), freshman Joe Bozzomo (184 pounds), freshman Mike Denver (197 pounds) and senior co-captain Steve Carbone (285 pounds) all had pins for the Lions.
Osgoodby, junior John Dinan (157 pounds) and freshman Justin Bonitatis (165 pounds) won by technical fall, while Barnett and junior Chris Prihoda (141 pounds) added wins by major decision.
"The team is where we want it to be right now," Sarinelli said. "Everyone is showing a lot of hustle in their matches, pushing their opponent, running back to the center. These are things we weren't doing a couple weeks ago, breaking our opponents' will. We've gotten back to our style of wrestling and it shows."
With the regular season finished, the Lions will turn their attention toward the METs, to be held at Wilkes University at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24.
The Lions hope to repeat as METs champions and send several wrestlers to the NCAA Division III Championships. The winner of each weight class at the METs, as well as seven wild cards, will earn an automatic bid in the NCAAs, which will take place at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 7-8.
Last year, Osgoodby and sophomore Tyler Branham (149 pounds) won METs crowns, while Sarinelli earned a wild card spot at the NCAAs as a runner-up. Carbone was also a runner-up in last year's METs.
(02/06/08 5:00pm)
A busy schedule did not pose a problem for the wrestling team this week, as the Lions went 5-0 over a span of three events.
The team, ranked No. 20 in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association poll, has won its last seven dual meets and now boasts a 17-3 record this season.
"Slowly but surely we're coming back," head coach David Icenhower said. Prior to the current winning streak, the College had dropped two disappointing matches at the Budd Whitehill Duals.
On Saturday, the College won all three of its matches at the Metropolitan Conference/New England Duals, hosted by Roger Williams University. The Lions opened the event with a 30-9 victory over Roger Williams and then went on to beat No. 28 Williams College 24-12 before dismantling Worcester Polytechnic Institute 39-3.
Several wrestlers turned in strong performances at the meet. Junior Al Wonesh, competing at 165 and 174 pounds, won all three of his matches, pinning two of his opponents and collecting his third victory by technical fall.
"(Wonesh) moved up and came away with two pins," Icenhower said. "He, (junior Greg) Osgoodby and (senior Ray) Sarinelli were very important to us this weekend."
Co-captains Sarinelli (133 pounds) and senior Steve Carbone (285 pounds) each went 3-0 and recorded a pin. Sarinelli is ranked No. 9 nationally in his weight class.
The fifth-ranked Osgoodby, wrestling at 174 and 184 pounds, went 2-0, including a 9-2 decision over ninth-ranked Roger Williams junior Jared Czarneski. Other 2-0 wrestlers for the Lions were sophomore Dan DiColo (157 pounds), freshman Justin Bonitatis (165 pounds) and freshman Joe Bozzomo (197 pounds).
On Tuesday, the Lions earned a hard-fought 20-18 victory over the No. 19 Colonels of Wilkes University at Packer Hall.
Icenhower said although he thought the Lions could have performed better, it was important to beat a higher-ranked team.
Wonesh led the way for the Lions, pinning freshman James Histed in 4:54. Wonesh's win broke open what had until then been a back-and-forth affair.
"Eventually he made a mistake and I capitalized off of it," Wonesh said. "At first I had him in a headlock but he was squirming, so I stepped over and sunk double grapevines so he couldn't roll back over. You can only fight for so long when you're on your back before you get too tired and eventually let your shoulders touch."
Wrestling up from his normal 174-pound weight class, Osgoodby (184 pounds) scored an 11-2 major decision over freshman Shawn Bradley. Osgoodby's win, which put the Lions in front 20-9 with two bouts remaining, virtually sealed the match for the College.
Earlier, the Lions received an important 13-4 major decision from Sarinelli. Bonitatis and DiColo each added decisions to help the Lions rally from a 9-4 deficit.
"Before the match, the coaches told us to wrestle our match without thinking about the team score," DiColo said. "We know we're a good enough team that the team score will take care of itself if we all focus on our individual matches."
On Sunday, the team capped its successful week with a 21-13 win at Springfield College. It was the second time the Lions have beaten the Pride this season.
Sarinelli and Osgoodby shone once again as Sarinelli won by technical fall and Osgoodby notched a 14-2 major decision. DiColo, Wonesh, Bonitatis and freshman Dan Hughes (125 pounds) each added a decision in the win.
The Lions will wrap up their dual meet schedule Saturday at 10 a.m. when they travel to Scranton to face SUNY-Oswego and the University of Scranton.
(01/30/08 5:00pm)
Entering the evening's final bout with the score knotted at 16, senior co-captain Steve Carbone (285 pounds) knew the outcome of the wrestling team's dual meet against Centenary College hinged on his performance.
Wrestling conservatively to protect an early lead, Carbone scored an 8-0 major decision over sophomore Adam Pearsall to finish off a dramatic 20-16 comeback victory for the No. 21 Lions last Wednesday.
With the win, the Lions improved their dual meet record to 12-3, while the Cyclones dropped to 5-4 in dual matches.
"You definitely wrestle differently when the score is tied," Carbone said. "I tried to stay in good position and prevent giving up any points. Normally, I would open up a little more on someone if I had a lead. However, in a tie match you can sit on a lead a little bit and do what you have to in order to get the win."
Carbone's decisive match was the last of five consecutive wins for the Lions, who were behind early after losing four of the meet's first five bouts.
Down 13-0, the Lions picked up their first four points of the meet on an 11-3 major decision by freshman John Barnett (149 pounds) in the fourth bout of the match.
After dropping the 157-pound match, the Lions rebounded with a 10-7 decision from freshman Justin Bonitatis (165 pounds). The win kicked off the team's stretch of five consecutive victories.
Building on Bonitatis' win, fifth-ranked junior Greg Osgoodby (174 pounds) picked up an 11-5 decision over junior Derek Schisler to improve his overall season record to 23-4.
"Once we got a couple of wins, we fed off each other and kept that energy," Osgoodby said.
Senior Jim Tomczuk (184 pounds) carried the team's momentum into his match, where he earned three crucial points for the Lions by beating freshman Benjamin Ostner in a 4-3 decision. Tied at the end of the third period, Tomczuk tallied the winning point on a ride-out in the first tiebreaker round.
In one of the meet's most anticipated individual matchups, Centenary's ninth-ranked senior Mike Gummerson pinned eighth-ranked senior co-captain Ray Sarinelli (133 pounds) in 5:45.
Senior Shawn Vanwingerden (197 pounds) pulled out a 6-3 decision over freshman Kaleb Wisner. With the score tied at 16, Carbone won the next bout to seal the come-from-behind victory for the Lions.
"The biggest part of our turnaround was that we kept our composure," Osgoodby said. "Each guy went out to win his match by wrestling how he knows and not trying to do too much."
Next, the Lions are scheduled to head to the New England Duals on Saturday at noon followed by a faceoff at Springfield College on Sunday at noon.
(01/23/08 5:00pm)
The wrestling team's otherwise spectacular season suffered a setback recently as the Lions finished seventh at the 14th Annual Budd Whitehill National Duals, hosted by Lycoming College on Jan. 11-12.
Posting a 4-2 record at the tournament, the Lions are now 11-3 in dual meets this season and have dropped from No. 9 to No. 21 in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association poll.
After capturing first place at the tournament last year, the second-seeded Lions had their hopes for a repeat dashed during their first match, a 34-8 loss against St. John's University (Minn.).
Forced into the consolation bracket, the Lions rebounded with a 25-13 win over No. 22 John Carroll University, followed by a 34-13 victory against Case Western Reserve University to end the first day of competition.
The Lions opened the tournament's second day by defeating 23rd-ranked Messiah College 28-12, before falling to No. 17 Rhode Island College 25-13. The Lions finished the unsatisfying weekend by beating Springfield College 35-7 to claim seventh place in the tournament.
"The team was extremely disappointed with the seventh-place finish," senior co-captain Steve Carbone said. "(The tournament) showed us that we weren't invincible and that we need to work hard every match in order to achieve success."
Despite the team's overall disappointment at Lycoming, senior Ray Sarinelli went 6-0 to improve his season record to 18-3. He is currently ranked No. 8 nationally in the 133-pound weight class.
"I felt like I was in control of all my matches," Sarinelli said. "I had watched some films during the week, and I think they helped me a lot."
For Icenhower, the team's poor performance at Lycoming was especially baffling because just two weeks earlier it had out-wrestled some of the nation's top competition at the Brute Sunshine Open in Lakeland, Fla.
In Florida, the then-No. 8 Lions faced elite company including No. 1 Augsburg College, No. 4 Heidelberg College and No. 6 Delaware Valley College. Despite the strength of the competition, the College produced three winners and three runners-up in the individual-only tournament.
Freshman Justin Bonitatis (165 pounds), junior Greg Osgoodby (174 pounds) and sophomore Dan DiColo (157 pounds) all earned first-place finishes in their weight classes. Meanwhile, Carbone (285 pounds), freshman Kyle Kinchen (125 pounds) and junior Al Wonesh (165 pounds) all grabbed a second-place finish.
"Winning the Sunshine Open was very satisfying," Osgoodby said. "To be able to compete with these teams now and wrestle this type of competition now will only help us get ready for the National Tournament."
Osgoodby is ranked fifth nationally in his weight class.
The Lions continued their winning ways a week later at the North/South Duals, hosted by Ursinus College, on Jan. 5. Finishing the tournament 3-1, the College lost only to third-ranked University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
The Lions will wrestle again tonight when they face Centenary College in Hackettstown, N.J., at 7 p.m.
(12/05/07 5:00pm)
The men's swimming and diving team captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship last weekend while the women's team earned a sixth-place finish.
Winning all five of the meet's relays and setting ECAC records in four races, the men tallied 793.50 total points to top second-place New York University (721.50) and 15 other teams.
The men were led by their relay teams. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the team of junior Tom Nawrot, freshman Shawn Kircher and senior co-captains Josh Forsman and Liam Gallagher set a new ECAC record with a time of 1:25.28.
This relay team went on to break another ECAC record, winning the 400-yard freestyle event with a time of 3:07.21.
The men continued their freestyle relay dominance as junior Mike Molloy, freshman Tom Medvecky and senior co-captain Mike Heaney teamed up with Gallagher to set another ECAC best (7:00.55) in the 800-yard event.
"(Relays are) one of our strengths," head coach Brian Bishop said of his team's depth in relays. "We pride ourselves on not having any weakness, and instead of three or four guys we have as many as six that I can choose from."
The Lions' medley relay teams also outswam the competition in both the 200-yard and 400-yard races.
In the 200-yard event, senior Kevin Oliver, sophomore Myles O'Connor, Forsman and Nawrot combined for a first-place time of 1:35.25. Nawrot, O'Connor, Forsman and Kircher finished in 3:31.09 to win the 400-yard race.
Several of the College's relay swimmers turned in strong individual performances. Nawrot set an ECAC record in the 100-yard backstroke (52.75) and finished second in the 100-yard freestyle (47:29).
Medvecky finished second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:44.29), the 500-yard freestyle (4:39.81) and the 200-yard butterfly (1:53.36), adding a third-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly (52.12).
In addition to swimming on three record-setting relay teams, Gallagher won the 200-yard backstroke (1:56.47) and finished second in the 200-yard individual medley (1:56.17).
"I thought we swam really fast this weekend, considering we weren't peaking for this meet," Bishop said. "It was very satisfying."
Junior diver Greg Lloyd won the one-meter event (441.00) and picked up second place in the three-meter (467.45).
The women's team had a strong showing at the meet, earning sixth place in a field of 15 teams.
Senior Ava Kiss led the way, finishing in the top five in several individual races and relays. Kiss' finest showing came in the 100-yard butterfly, which she won for the second straight year (57.73).
"I think this was a breakout meet for her this year," head coach Jennifer Harnett said. "(The 100-yard butterfly) was technically one of her best swims. It also took some of the pressure off of her to qualify for the NCAAs."
Kiss added a second-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley (2:13.72) and a third-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (54.42).
The Lions added a pair of third-place finishes in the 200- and 400-yard medley relays. In the 200-yard race, junior captain Stacy Delehanty, senior Lauren Pfeifer, sophomore Ashley Robb and Kiss finished in 1:53.51, while Delehanty, Pfeifer, Kiss and freshman Michelle Wilson recorded a time of 4:08.41 in the 400-yard event.
The swimming and diving teams will compete again Jan. 18-19 at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.
(11/28/07 5:00pm)
The swimming and diving teams wrapped up the two-day Bucknell University Invitational on Sunday after taking on Bloomsburg University with mixed results the day before.
With a 137-116 victory over Bloomsburg, the men's team improved to 4-0 in dual-meet action.
The men, who split their squad between the two meets, set the pace early with a victory in the 200-yard medley relay (1:41:36). The winning relay team comprised senior co-captain Liam Gallagher, sophomore Herman Chu and freshmen Joe Tseng and Tim Rauch.
"We have a lot of guys going for only a few relay spots," Gallagher said. "We've always had a successful (200-yard medley relay), and whoever is a part of the relay knows they have a lot to live up to."
Rauch placed first in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49.63) and 100-yard freestyle (50.21), Tseng won the 100-yard backstroke (56.53) and Gallagher captured the 100-yard breaststroke (1:13.14). Chu finished second in the 200-yard butterfly behind senior teammate R.T. Greeby.
Additional winners for the men's team included freshman Mike Molloy in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:14.47), senior Jonaid Lone in the 500-yard freestyle (5:08.47), sophomore Eric Rohrs in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:19.49) and sophomore James VanBiervliet in the 200-yard backstroke (2:04.97).
The women's team came up just short against Bloomsburg, narrowly losing 135-127. With the loss, the Lions dropped to 1-4 on the season.
"We were extremely disappointed with the loss," head coach Jennifer Harnett said. "To be that close and not be able to pull out the win is hard on any competitor."
Freshman Margaret Molloy won the 500- (5:21.29) and 1,000-yard (10:57.49) freestyle events.
"Molloy had a good breakout weekend," Harnett said. "This weekend she relaxed and swam her own race and it paid off."
At the Bucknell University Invitational, the men's and women's teams both finished last but remained competitive against a field consisting entirely of Division I programs.
"The Bucknell Invitational was a great opportunity for us to compete in a fast meet early in the year," men's head coach Brian Bishop said. "We were able to finish in the top three in a number of events, and we will certainly value the experience."
The Lions' top finish came from junior diver Greg Lloyd who grabbed first place in the one-meter event (296.85) and second in the three-meter event (247.20).
"Staying calm during the meet and diving like I was in practice was what helped at this meet," Lloyd said.
Other strong performances came from freshman Tom Medvecky, who swam to a second-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly (1:56.81) and third in the 500-yard freestyle (4:46.48), and senior Josh Forsman, who finished second in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 52.07.
Standout performers for the women included senior co-captain Ava Kiss, who earned sixth place in the 100-yard butterfly (59.38) and freshman Katie Morgan, who placed 15th in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:34.02).
"The fact that we could be competitive with Division I schools and have girls qualify for top 16 gave us a great boost," Harnett said. "It's what we needed especially after having so many tough dual meets in a row."
(11/14/07 5:00pm)
The men's basketball team hopes that a combination of grittiness and experience will prove to be the winning formula in the highly competitive New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) this season.
After graduating only two seniors, the Lions are bringing back a team with considerable experience, even among its sophomores and juniors.
"Last year we were very young," interim head coach Matt Hunter said. "A lot of freshmen and sophomores saw time. There is going to be no shell shock walking onto the court this year."
This season is Hunter's first serving as the Lions' head coach.
Finishing the 2006-2007 campaign with a 12-14 overall record, the Lions' 5-8 conference record earned a spot in the NJAC Tournament for the fourth straight year. The team was ousted in the first round by eventual champion Ramapo College.
Led by a pair of senior captains, forward Mark Aziz and guard Corey Gilmore, the Lions look to capitalize on the players' familiarity with one another.
"Most of us have been playing with each other from one to three years now, which has allowed us to trust our teammates' abilities on the court," Gilmore said.
Hunter agreed, noting how he believes the team's cohesiveness will be one of its greatest attributes.
"We have great team chemistry," Hunter said. "These guys live together, eat together, push each other and work hard in practice, and still come out friends."
On the court, the Lions hope to combine shooting ability with a strong physical presence. On the offensive end, Aziz will follow up a year in which he led the team in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game. Aziz also led the team in offensive rebounding (45) and was rewarded with an NJAC All-Conference Team Honorable Mention.
Other key offensive contributors will include Gilmore, whose 82 assists led the team last season; senior forward Jeff Warner, who led the team with 29 three-pointers; and junior guard Jeff Molinelli, who finished close behind with 28 three-pointers.
"We have great shooting," Hunter said. "If we shoot it, we will be in good shape."
In the defensive zone, the Lions will turn to Gilmore for another strong season. The team should also benefit from contributions by sophomore guard Jay Frank, who had 21 steals last season, and Aziz, who recorded a team-high 42 blocks.
With tough play at both ends of the court, the Lions believe they can outwork even the most formidable conference opponents.
"We want to play hard every game for 40 minutes and never leave the court feeling like we could have played harder," Gilmore said.
The team is scheduled to open its season Friday at 8 p.m. against King's College at the Lycoming College Tip-Off Tournament.
(10/31/07 4:00pm)
It is difficult to top a season that included a fifth place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship, a Metropolitan (METS) Conference title and a 19-1 dual meet record, but the wrestling team believes it can do just that in the 2007-2008 season.
Despite the subtraction of All-American graduates Joe Galante and Mike Guenther at 157 pounds and 165 pounds, respectively, the Lions boast depth at every weight class. With seven returning starters, veteran head coach David Icenhower believes his team has the talent and experience to expand upon last year's triumphs.
"This is a much more balanced team. There is a lot of potential," Icenhower said. "This is probably the best overall group we've had in about seven or eight years."
Icenhower's assessment is no small compliment, considering his team has finished within the top 20 at the NCAA Division III Championship every year during that span.
Returning for his 32nd year, Icenhower has assembled a talented coaching staff that includes recent alumnus Galante, as well as 2007 NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year Joe Pollard.
Senior 285-pound co-captain Steve Carbone believes the coaches' guidance coupled with the team's work ethic will translate into success.
"Since practice has started, everyone has been working hard to get in shape and to work on technical flaws with the coaches," Carbone said. "We pride ourselves on being in better shape than our opponents and this year should be no different."
Carbone will share captain's duties with seniors 133-pounder Ray Sarinelli and 157-pounder Lenny Goduto.
Other key returning members include junior 174-pounder Greg Osgoodby and All-American sophomore 149-pounder Tyler Branham, both of whom claimed METS titles in 2007.
They will be joined by a group of freshmen with impressive high school careers, including 125-pounders Dan Hughes and Kyle Kinchen and 141-pounder John Barnett.
The team will be tested early as it opens the season at the Ithaca College Invitational on Saturday.
"This is a very competitive tournament with a number of nationally ranked contenders at every weight class," Carbone said. "Even though this is early in the season, it gives us a good idea of where a lot of our guys are at, especially the new guys."
The Lions earned first place at the tournament last season.
Another important date for the Lions is Dec. 28, when they are set to compete at the Sunshine Open in Lakeland, Fla. This tournament will offer elite competition, including 2007 Division III national champion Augsburg College.
"We are going to see how good we are at the Sunshine Open," Icenhower said. "When everyone else is on break and at home, we'll be seeing what kind of team we have."
(10/17/07 4:00pm)
The men's soccer team (10-2-3) remained unbeaten in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) this week, defeating William Paterson University on Wednesday and Kean University on Saturday.
The College, which entered the week ranked 14th in Division III, improved its NJAC record to 5-0-2. Its win Saturday moved the Lions past Montclair State University for second place in the NJAC.
"That's important," head coach George Nazario said about his team's climb in the standings. "You want to avoid playing a first round game (in the NJAC Tournament) by getting a one or a two seed."
On Saturday, the Lions outlasted the Cougars in a 2-0 victory. Senior defender Charlie Heydt broke a scoreless tie at 64:17, heading a ball over the extended arm of Kean's senior goalkeeper Kyle Crego. Senior midfielder Craig Langan notched an assist on the play.
"It came off a flick-on," Heydt said. "I knew the goalie was out, so I just flicked it in."
Until Heydt's goal, the Lions were unable to muster offensive pressure and relied upon senior goalkeeper Steve Scutellaro to keep them tied. Scutellaro finished with 10 saves.
"Keeping it tied at 0-0 was big," Scutellaro said. "Once it gets into the second half, whoever gets that first goal gets the momentum."
Nazario agreed with Scutellaro.
"We felt that if we kept knocking it around, Kean was going to tire physically and mentally," Nazario said.
His prediction came true as the Lions surged in the second half. After Heydt's goal, sophomore forward Kevin Luber scored at 75:41, following up on a shot by sophomore forward Anthony Staropoli. The goal was Luber's team-leading 10th of the season.
On Wednesday, Luber propelled the Lions past William Paterson 3-2. Luber scored twice, including the game winner, and added an assist.
"(Luber's) been solid all season," Nazario said. "When he is around the goal, he always finds a way to stick it in the back of the net."
Luber opened the scoring at 1:09, converting on a centering pass from senior forward Nima Rahimi.
"(Rahimi) played a great ball back across, and I was lucky enough to be in the right spot," Luber said.
William Paterson freshman forward Julian Valerio responded with his first of two goals, tying the game at 4:42 on a pass from freshman forward Danny Kusnic.
After this flurry of activity in the opening minutes, the game moved into a defensive deadlock for the remainder of the first half. Scutellaro kept the score even in the final minutes of the half, knocking away a shot by Valerio before adding another save on a corner kick.
The Lions struck early once again in the second half as Staropoli scored on an assist from Luber. The play began when Luber intercepted a clearing attempt.
"The ball got played out wide and I had my head up," Luber said. "The guys were yelling 'back post, back post,' so I just sent it back post and (Staropoli) was there."
After Valerio knotted the game once again for William Paterson, Luber's second goal of the game gave the Lions the lead for good at 70:18. On a pass from Staropoli, Luber rocketed a one-timer past senior goalkeeper David Casper.
The Lions will visit Muhlenberg College Wednesday at 7 p.m. and New Jersey City University on Saturday at 1 p.m.