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(04/10/12 4:50am)
Sophomore defender Nicole Pineda took off on a sprint with the draw control still unsettled, the ball rolling toward the College’s net.
Pineda pumped her arms and kicked up rubber, but she was just a step too late as Franklin & Marshall College’s Erin Dunne scooped up the ball and sent it off to senior attacker Lauren Ehrhardt, who guided the ball into the net.
That goal only put the No. 8-ranked Diplomats up 12-10, but it was all they needed to revoke the Lions’ momentum in a contest that ended in a 16-12 loss for the No. 3-ranked Lions, snapping their 18-game winning streak at home.
“It was a tough loss. A lot of it had to do with ball control and turnovers,” junior attacker Alex Spark said. “We had a lot of turnovers that shouldn’t have happened which gave (Franklin & Marshall) an advantage.”
The Lions, who just last week upset No. 1-ranked Gettysburg College, struggled out of the gate as the Diplomats propelled themselves to a 5-1 lead.
The Lions attempted to battle back in the opening half, scoring five goals — three of which came on free-position attempts by Spark. However, for every goal or run the Lions threw at the Diplomats, Franklin & Marshall answered, never letting the Lions’ deficit dip below three for the remainder of the first half.
“We needed more communication in general, however what we really needed to do was physically put more pressure on them to stop the fast goals,” junior defender Becky Gilman said.
Nevertheless, head coach Sharon Pfluger’s squad was anything but defeated when the second half opened up. Trailing 10-6, the Lions started to showcase the same tenacity that they brought to the table against Gettysburg.
The Diplomats won the opening draw — one of 20 draw controls won by them on the day — but the Lions caught a break when a Diplomat shot knocked off the post. The Lions took that advantage and charged down the field.
Senior midfielder Kathleen Notos, who was held scoreless for the first time this season, sent a shot high, but Spark made a gutsy, hustle play and kept possession for the Lions. Fellow junior attacker Trenna Hill cashed in on Spark’s determination with a goal, setting the score at 10-7.
After Hill’s goal, Spark took over offensively for the Lions. Sophomore midfielder Lauren Pigott snagged the following draw control, but it was Spark who finished the possession with her fifth goal of the game, coming off an assist from senior midfielder Leigh Mitchell, who recently became the program’s all-time leader in career points.
The Diplomats grabbed the next two draw controls, but the Lions were able to force turnovers. Spark netted goals on both possessions — a free-position and an unassisted — to tie the score at 10 all.
“I was able to lose my defender a couple times when I was cutting through the eight,” said Spark, who has scored 22 goals in the last three games. “But I was also face guarded during the game and the girl marking me was detaining my cuts, which is an automatic free position and I was able to capitalize on those free shots.”
Although the scenario seemed very “Gettysburgesque,” the final stretch was more identical to a 9-8 loss earlier in the season to SUNY-Cortland.
The Lions, who turned the ball over 11 times — the most in one game since they lost to Cortland — and lost six out of last eight draw controls, could not keep possession and were outscored 6-2 in the last 19:55 of the contest.
“After we finally tied the game, it was critical to get ahead and keep the momentum, and we failed to do that,” Mitchell said. “We struggled with draw controls and gave up a few quick goals that put us right back down again.”
Spark’s run was followed by a score by Dunne, which took a mere 45 seconds, and the all-or-nothing sprint for the draw between Dunne and Pineda.
Mitchell scored after those two goals to make it a 12-11 game, but once the Diplomats reestablished their lead, they shut the Lions down with a strong defensive front, according to Spark.
“They were marking up players very tightly and had a high-energy defense, which made it difficult (to score),” Spark said.
Although the Lions’ defense struggled in the loss to the Diplomats, Gilman looks at this game as a lesson in which the Lions picked up some valuable tips.
“We have already watched and analyzed the game and I am 100 percent confident that we will fix any mistakes and come back strong,” Gilman said.
The Lions will certainly need a robust rebound with the No. 1–ranked Salisbury University coming to Lions’ Stadium on Friday, April 13.
The Lions will return to action this weekend as they participate in the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton University.
(04/04/12 1:10am)
Senior midfielder Leigh Mitchell snatched up the ground ball, sent it off to sophomore Lauren Pigott and watched as Pigott hot-potatoed the ball to sophomore attacker Jen Garavente, who held onto the ball as the final seconds evaporated in the College’s 17-15 upset over No.1-ranked Gettysburg College.
“It was such a high to watch the clock go down to zero at the end of the game, beating the No. 1 team,” Mitchell said. “There was so much excitement all game and it was great to end the game on top.”
Mitchell played an integral part in the Lions’ victory, picking up five assists, but it was junior attacker Alex Spark who stole the show.
Spark had a season-high six goals against the Bullets, leading the Lions offense, but her contributions didn’t stop there. Spark was a Swiss Army knife for the Lions as she grabbed two draw controls, picked up three ground balls and caused a turnover.
After taking a 2-1 lead early on, the Lions were ambushed by a Bullets attack that scored five straight goals. The Bullets grabbed three draw controls in a row after going up 3-2 and all those possessions led to scores.
Spark kick started the Lions’ comeback by snatching up the first two draw controls in a slew of five that gave the Lions possession and the advantage as they rallied back. On the offensive end of that run senior midfielder Kathleen Notos was the Lions anchor, scoring three straight goals as the Lions cut the lead to one.
“For us, it was the game changing performance where we realized that we can score as many goals as we want to and they can’t stop us,” Spark said. “We thrived off of going on a three-goal run and once we got ahead we wouldn’t let ourselves lose the lead.”
That lead would come soon after Notos’ eruption with junior attacker Trenna Hill tying things up at six with 11:36 left in the first half and Pigott putting the Lions back on top with one of her four goals on the day. Although the Bullets grabbed the ensuing draw control, the Lions netted the next goal when Spark continued the barrage.
A turnover by sophomore defender Claire Engelman induced a score by Bullets midfielder Kelsey Markiewicz, but the Lions went into halftime up 8-7 on last year’s National Champions.
Pigott scored the Lions first goal of the second half, but it was another Lion who came out of the break on fire. Hill, who took 10 shots in the game, followed Pigott’s initial goal with three of her own, propelling the Lions to a 12-7 advantage.
“(Hill and Pigott) both had amazing games,” Spark said. “I think everyone played so well because the whole day was spent pumping each other up for the big game, and we all got into the game with such adrenaline.”
The game seemed to be completely in the Lions’ favor, but the Bullets would not back down, getting a trio of scores past sophomore goalkeeper Kelsey Zinck. Spark countered for the Lions though by recording four of the game’s next five goals and getting the Lions back out by five.
Just when it looked like the Lions would be able to glide to victory through the last seven minutes, the Bullets showed why they were ranked as the nation’s top team.
After stopping an attack by the Lions, the Bullets inched closer when freshman midfielder Bridget Kenny beat Zinck for her fourth goal of the game. However, the bigger blow came before the score when sophomore defender Nicole Pineda was taken off the field with an injury.
With Pineda on the sidelines, the Lions received enormous pressure from the Bullets attack, who scored again after a turnover by Pineda’s replacement and then again 24 seconds later to close the Lions lead to a lone goal.
The Bullets looked to be in great shape after they won the next draw control, but Spark was there for the Lions yet again. Pigott knocked the ball free from the Bullets goalkeeper and Spark was there to pick up the loose ball.
The Bullets fought back with their unblemished record on the line and forced Pigott into a turnover, taking back control of the ball. That possession didn’t last long though as Mitchell responded with a caused turnover of her own. The ball rolled along the ground until it was scooped up by Pigott, who fired a shot into the back of the net and put the Lions up 17-15.
“It was so exciting to see Pigott be able to score off of that caused turnover and definitely gave the team a sense of relief knowing we now had a two-goal cushion,” Mitchell said.
The last minute and a half were full of excitement with a Gettysburg shot ricocheting off the post and a tossup play following, but it was ultimately Mitchell who secured the possession for the Lions that ended the contest — a moment Spark won’t forget.
“It was an indescribable feeling, we have been working so hard toward this game and the feeling of all the work paying off was amazing,” Spark said. “It makes all the hard work for those 60 minutes completely worth it.”
The Lions won’t be able to celebrate for too long though, with No. 8-ranked Franklin and Marshall College slated on the schedule for Friday, April 6.
(03/26/12 8:36pm)
Once junior attacker Trenna Hill’s shot met the back of the net, the route was on for the College as they walked away with an 18-4 victory over Cabrini College on Saturday, March 24.
Hill’s initial goal was followed by three scores by junior attacker Alex Spark, who led the No. 4-ranked Lions with six points in the game. The duo was two of eight Lions who scored goals against the Cavaliers.
“Out on the field we are all players of the game, we all have the ability to score and win games,” Spark said. “It shows that we have a good balance on our team and we like to work for each other.”
Spark was able to work with sophomore midfielder Lauren Pigott, who scored two of her team-high five goals off of assists from Spark.
“Both times I was able to find her, I had already drawn more than one defender,” Spark said. “Pigott continued to make the cut into the open space, allowing me to make the pass.”
Senior attacker Sara Keating was another Lion who recorded multiple goals, tallying three in the first half.
The scoring for the Lions in the second half was led by the freshman class as midfielder Lydia Carra and attackers Erin Healy and Kendel Borup recorded points.
Healy started it off when she notched herself a goal after receiving a pass from senior midfielder Kathleen Notos — the assist was Notos’ first of the season. Carra registered two goals in the second half, getting assists from Borup and Healy.
Although Erin Waller is the only freshman to get a nod in the starting lineup this season — opening the game against Frostburg State University — Spark has been impressed by the overall play of the rookie class.
“The freshman class has some really strong players, and when they get their chance on the field they take full advantage of it and work their hardest,” Spark said.
The Lions defense was strong again against the Cavaliers in front of sophomore goalkeeper Kelsey Zinck, who only surrendered three goals. Zinck was able to use her communication skills to keep the defense unified, and the results showed it as the Cavaliers only got ten shots off.
“Kelsey had a great game today and always plays well,” Spark said. “She looks like a natural goalie and is very vocal on the field which helps the team stay organized.”
Pigott has been effective for the Lions on defense yet again — she’s been named the NJAC Defender of the Week three straight times this year — compiling six draw controls and four ground balls. Notos was also strong defensively with five draw controls, two ground balls and a team-high two caused turnovers.
Meanwhile, senior midfielder Leigh Mitchell moved closer to history as she scored one goal and added two assists against the Cavaliers. Mitchell is now only 15 points away from tying former teammate Ali Jaeger’s record of 364 career points.
Mitchell’s next step toward that mark will be challenging, as the Lions — who now stand at 7-1 — will be back in action on Friday, March 30, when they meet the top-ranked team in the country, Gettysburg College.
(03/20/12 11:38pm)
After a foul was called on SUNY Cortland, sophomore midfielder Lauren Pigott readied herself for the free-position opportunity. With only Red Dragons goalkeeper Shauna Hutchinson in her path, Pigott sent a shot into the back of the net, giving the College a 7-6 lead.
The No. 4-ranked Red Dragons’ aggressiveness certainly helped the No. 3-ranked Lions, who capitalized on four out of five free-position shots, but it also propelled them to a 9-8 victory over the Lions, who were forced into 12 turnovers.
“Cortland was a very physical team and put a lot of pressure in the midfield and on our attack,” senior midfielder Leigh Mitchell said. “We needed to take better care of the ball in the physical, high pressure situations.”
The Lions were held to a season-low eight goals on 18 shots in the loss to the Red Dragons.
“We had our moments where we connected with each other and were able to score, but there were also times that we forced passes and didn’t place our shots which really hurt us in the end,” said Alex Spark, who led the Lions’ offense with four goals.
Spark started the scoring early on as she put the Lions ahead 1-0 in the first five minutes of the contest. The two teams would trade goals back and forth after that with the Lions holding a 6-4 lead heading into halftime.
However, with Hutchinson playing an improved game in the net in the second half, the Red Dragons were quickly able to even the score with goals coming from seniors Lindsay Abbott and Erin Kollar.
Pigott’s lone goal of the contest put the Lions back out front, but it would be the last time the Lions would hold the advantage.
“They played good defense when we were trying to move the ball from our defensive end into our attacking end, which made it very difficult (to score),” Spark said.
Sophomore attacker Jen Garavente, who notched two goals, added that the Red Dragons “did a good job at shutting down our usual ‘go-to’ options on attack.”
While Cortland held the Lions to one goal during the last 25 minutes of play, the Red Dragons were able to tally three.
“Our defense was well prepared and played pretty steady during the game,” Mitchell said. “We had a few more lapses in the second half which ended up hurting us in the close game.”
Mitchell was the most active Lion on the defensive front, compiling three ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers. Pigott, who has twice been named NJAC Defender of the Week, was also a force for the Lions with four ground balls and three turnovers.
Although it came on the losing end, sophomore goalkeeper Kelsey Zinck had a career day as she stopped a season-high nine shots.
The Lions, who now sit at 5-1, look to learn from the loss and put it behind them, according to Mitchell, when they face off against Cabrini College on Saturday, March 24.
“The team has learned a lot from this loss and was able to see some things we need to fix that we may have overlooked had we come away with a win,” Mitchell said. “I think if we tighten up some of our mistakes we should bounce back and be ready and stronger for upcoming games.”
(03/20/12 7:23pm)
College basketball has changed and I’m not sure if I love it or hate it.
I’ve been glued to the screen watching teams like Lehigh take down giants like Duke. I mean that’s the biggest appeal of March Madness, right?
We want the Davids to take down the Goliaths. We don’t want to see four No. 1-ranked seeds meet to decide it all. We want to see Ohio move past Michigan and then take down the mighty North Carolina.
The appeal and the madness are still alive, but are we seeing quality or are we getting a heightened mediocrity that has only come about because kids aren’t staying in school?
Sure, my jaw drops every time that Kentucky hits the floor and Marquis Teague lobs one up to Anthony Davis for an alley-oop. Or every time that Davis pulls his best Stretch Armstrong impersonation, blocking everything from potential posterizers to three-point attempts.
But it would be great to see these one-and-dones, who have become synonymous with head coach John Calipari, stay an extra year or two or, gasp, three. Imagine Davis side-by-side with DeMarcus Cousins, receiving passes from John Wall.
Forget the magic of the run Syracuse made in 2003 with the superb play of freshman forward Carmelo Anthony, and think back to 1979.
That’s the year senior forward Larry Bird led Indiana State to the championship game against Michigan State and their star point guard Ervin “Magic” Johnson, who was a junior at the time. The result was a 75-64 game, but the competiveness is stuff of legend. It was a rivalry that fans will pass down over several generations.
Sure, freshmen have hype and pizzazz, but juniors and seniors have back stories; they have history. They bleed the colors of their colleges and universities.
Johnson’s Spartans are one of 16 teams left in the brackets this year. Their top player is senior forward Draymond Green, a player who has gone through ups and downs on his way to where he is today.
One of the most famous plays in Duke’s history was senior Christian Laettner’s last-second, turn-around jump shot in a dramatic 104–103 victory over Kentucky. Freshman guard Austin Rivers made some memorable moments this season, who can forget his game-winning three against North Carolina in the regular season, but people also won’t forget that the Blue Devils got bounced from 2012 tourney in the first round by the No.15-seeded Mountain Hawks.
What they may forget, if Rivers makes the jump to the NBA, is that he even played for the Dukies. His brief existence in Durham means that his name won’t be around in the record books and his jersey won’t be hung from the rafters.
Calipari said two years ago that setting the record with five Wildcats drafted in the first round of the NBA draft — four of whom were one-and-dones — was the greatest day in the school’s basketball history. This upset fans who would rather look up at Rupp Arena and remember their championship seasons, can you blame them?
I personally enjoy to watch talented freshman go out there and ball, but I’d also like to see them grow and mature into leaders who provide more quality to March Madness. The system is the system and things have changed. I’m a little bitter, but it’s still fun to watch, so I guess for now my answer is that I love to hate it.
(03/13/12 10:35pm)
Senior midfielder Leigh Mitchell approached the moment as if it were like any other in her career. She stood patiently behind the net, watched her teammate cut towards the middle and floated a pass right where it needed to be in order for freshman attacker Lauren Karpovich to record her first collegiate goal.
It’s a goal that Karpovich will always remember and one that notched another place in the College’s history for Mitchell who recorded her 13th point against Ramapo College on March 8 by assisting Karpovich’s score. That point became a part of Lions lore as it put Mitchell ahead of alumna Lauren Dougher for the most points scored in a single game.
“(Leigh) always plays great. She’s always working hard and always trying to help her teammates do well,” head coach Sharon Pfluger said. “She’s just one of those great players that everyone wants on their team.”
Mitchell, who registered three goals and 10 assists against the Roadrunners, also broke her own record of eight assists in a game set back in 2010. Mitchell dished out assists to five Lions in the 19-3 victory, finding fellow senior midfielder Kathleen Notos most frequently for six scores.
“We’re best friends, so as soon as she has the ball, I know what she’s thinking and I know where she wants me to go and I just run to that spot,” Notos said. “We know each other so well and we’ve played together for four years. She has so many assists so far though because the other teammates have been picking up on it too.”
Mitchell has recorded 37 points through the Lions first four games, leading the College to wins over FDU-Florham, Drew University, Frostburg State University and the Roadrunners. That total is 12 points ahead of Mitchell’s pace from last season, a year in which she compiled a program record of 123 points.
Mitchell’s lightning-fast start also lifted her above Dougher for second place on the program’s all-time points list and leaves her only 32 points away from breaking alumna Ali Jaeger’s record mark of 364 points, set just last year.
“I watch the game and I see Kathleen, and she has such a presence about her with the way that she moves, and then there’s Leigh who is so subtle and just comes along with all of it,” Pfluger said. “She’s involved in every aspect of the game.”
Notos has also turned heads in the Lions opening four-game stretch, guiding the ball into the net for a team-high of 18 goals. Sophomore midfielder Lauren Pigott trails Notos with nine goals thus far, while senior attacker Sara Keating and junior transfer Trenna Hill each have eight.
While the Lions’ offense has been highly efficient, scoring 73 goals thus far, their defense has held ground by only allowing 14 goals to their opponents.
The Lions, who are breaking in two new defenders and a goalie, have been able to maintain possession by winning the draw control and securing ground balls.
On top of scoring goals, Pigott has become the rock of the team in terms of the draw control, snatching 28 so far this season.
Meanwhile, sophomore defender Nicole Pineda has relished her opportunity to crack the starting lineup by collecting eight ground balls. Two starters from last year’s team, junior Becky Gilman and sophomore Claire Engelman, have also showed good stick work, picking up five ground balls each.
“We work on (ground balls) every day in practice and we’re constantly talking about picking up the ground balls and being crisp with our fundamentals,” Gilman said.
Behind Gilman and the defense this season is goalkeeper Kelsey Zinck, a sophomore who has slid right in for the Lions and impressed Pfluger after transferring in from the University of Connecticut.
“(Zuck’s) a good goalie, she has good reactions, she always wants to learn and she’s really soaking up everything from our goalie coach, Gina Smith,” Pfluger said. “I’m really happy she transferred here because she’s a great girl and a really great goalie.”
Zinck will be back in the net this weekend in a matchup of top-five teams when the No. 2-ranked Lions return to action this Saturday, March 17, against No. 3-ranked SUNY-Cortland.
(02/21/12 5:46am)
Sophomore forward/center Liz West got her hands on a missed shot, brought it in and then put it back up to push the Lions ahead 2-0 in the first minute of the Lions opening NJAC Tournament contest against Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday, Feb. 18.
That score would only hold up for a matter of six seconds and would be the Lions only lead in a game that would end in a 48-37 loss.
Rutgers-Newark’s defense was all over the Lions, recording 10 steals and blocking seven shots. The Scarlet Raiders also grabbed 33 of their 48 rebounds on the defensive side of the ball.
“Newark did what they wanted to do, better than we did what we wanted to do,” head coach Dawn Henderson said. “It happens sometimes. Unfortunately for us it came at a time when you win and advance or go home.”
The Lions were held to a season-low 37 points in part because of the Scarlet Raiders swarming defense, but Henderson also believes that it was due to her team going “cold at the worst time.”
The Lions were only able to convert on 25 percent of their shots from behind the arc, while shooting for a percentage of 20.4 overall.
“I will give credit to Newark for being a disciplined, focused defensive team,” Henderson said. “I don’t think that we performed very well on offense though. Those two in combination led to our final score.”
Senior guard Jessica Imhof was the only Lion to reach double figures in scoring, leading the team with 12 points. West was the Lions second-leading scorer on the day with six points, but made her biggest impact on the board, registering 12 rebounds.
While the Lions struggled on offense, their defense was able to hold the Scarlet Raptors in check and keep the game from getting out of hand. Similar to the Scarlet Raptors, the Lions defense only allowed one opposing player to reach double-digit points.
In the end, the game came down to execution, according to Henderson.
“I think that Newark was more disciplined than us sticking to their game plan,” Henderson said. “We played strong defense ourselves. Anytime you hold your opponent to 48 points, you should be able to win the game.”
Although she admits there were moments to forget on Saturday, Henderson took pride in the Lions’ season-long transformation.
“This team was a pleasure to coach from beginning to end,” Henderson said. “They had great chemistry from the start and that made everyday fun. I think that they worked every day to improve their game. Unfortunately, the final day was a struggle for us.”
(02/14/12 9:55pm)
Senior point guard Katie Occhipinti stepped to the line with just over a minute left to go in the game against Kean University, knowing that each successful shot she made would expand the cushion between the College and the No. 22-ranked Cougars.
Occhipinti sunk each of her foul shots, which were just two of eight free throws the College converted in the last 62 seconds of regulation to assure a 65-55 victory.
“We are a strong free throw shooting team, and I was confident that we could get makes to seal the victory,” head coach Dawn Henderson said. “In a game like that, you just want to give yourself the opportunity to win and the team, through the bulk of the game, did just that.”
The Lions clinched the win in the last minute, but their ascent to victory started with plenty of adversity and a seven-point deficit in the first half.
The Cougars made the first basket of the contest right out of the gate and held onto a 13-6 lead until the College started to battle back.
The Lions played air-tight defense, slowly chipping away at Kean’s lead until they finally pushed ahead, 14-13. With 8:15 left in the first half, sophomore forward/center Liz West forced a turnover and eventually found Occhipinti in the paint for a layup.
“All season we have been able to battle back and have shown a ‘never give up’ type of perseverance,” Occhipinti said. “We know Kean well, and if you give them a big enough lead it’s hard to come back from that. We knew we had to battle the whole time no matter what the score was.”
While the first half was an uphill battle, the Lions earned the luxury of controlling the tempo of the second half by jumping out to a five-point lead in the first two minutes. However, the Cougars were hardly finished and started clawing their way to a comeback of their own.
Kean was able to pull within two points or less five times in the second half — even coming within a point of the Lions with 5:12 left to go — before Occhipinti stepped to the line with 1:02 left in the contest.
The Lions did not shutter at the Cougars’ bids to take back the lead though. Occhipinti’s two foul shots were followed by senior guard Jessica Imhof, who sank two pairs of free throws, and senior guard/forward Hannah Tait, who made a duo of her own.
“This team has great character,” Henderson said. “They have exhibited gritty determination from the beginning. We have a group of fighters who have great chemistry and will fight until the end for each other. I am extremely proud of them.”
The fashion of the victory was fitting as the Lions overcame the Cougars on Senior Night, where Occhipinti, Imhof, Tait and fifth-year senior Kelsey Kutch were honored by the home crowd before the game.
The quartet was crucial in the upset, with Imhof leading the team with 15 points and Tait and Kutch chipping in 10 points each. Occhipinti was a factor as well, tying Tait with a team-leading three assists, while also adding seven points.
“There were a lot of emotions going into Senior Night and it definitely made Senior Night a little extra special to end the day with a big win,” Occhipinti said. “However, after the Senior Night presentation in the beginning of the game, we were all business.”
The seniors were complimented by sophomore guard Kelly Roddy, who registered eight points in the victory, and junior forward/center Candice Vigo, who collected six rebounds.
The Lions continued their hot streak in the NJAC with a 60-44 victory over Rutgers University-Camden on Saturday, Feb. 11.
West delivered a team-high 12 points in the win, while Imhof and sophomore guard Tiffany DeTulio followed suit with 11 points each.
The wins over the Cougars and the Scarlet Raptors give the Lions a four-game winning streak heading into their first-round matchup in the NJAC Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 18, and that is a streak that Henderson expects to continue.
“We now have a modest four-game winning streak and a lot of self-confidence heading into the post season,” Henderson said. “I think we have done the work to give ourselves a legitimate shot at the NJAC title, and that’s what we expect.”
(01/31/12 5:47am)
Four years ago the New York Giants knocked off the unbeatable — or so it seemed — New England Patriots in a culmination of a season that began with fans and media wondering if head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning might be on their last legs as members of Big Blue.
Fast forward to the summer of 2011 and the duo, along with the Giants’ front office, was dealing with criticism yet again.
The Giants were coming off back-to-back seasons without making the playoffs, and the debate began once again on whether or not this season would be Coughlin’s last year leading the New York Football Giants, but Coughlin held his ground and began preparing for 2011.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the Giants faithful sat back and watched as tight end and fan favorite Kevin Boss slipped away to the Oakland Raiders. Then, they took another blow as reliable wide receiver Steve Smith skipped town, to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles no less.
Fans were at a loss for words as the Giants essentially did nothing while the Eagles made Smith the cherry on the top of their “Dream Team.”
The Giants’ front office didn’t shutter one bit though, feeling comfortable that the team’s biggest offseason move would be bringing in punter Steve Weatherford to replace Matt “I can’t believe he kicked it to DeSean Jackson” Dodge. They saw something to believe in with the pieces they already had.
That belief was taken to the next level about a week after losing out on Smith, when Manning came out and put himself in the upper echelon of quarterbacks along with his brother, Peyton, and Patriots superstar Tom Brady. It wasn’t a statement out of cockiness or swagger. Rather, it was a declaration of confidence in himself.
It was met with laughter by those who thought Eli wasn’t even one of the top two quarterbacks in his division, but just like his front office and his head coach, Eli did not waver.
And that has really been the identity of this Giants team all year.
They’ve let the media, the fans and, of course, Rex Ryan do the talking, while they’ve been busy showcasing that no matter what happens, they’ve always believed.
It started during all the preseason chatter and continued when the Giants defensive players were being put on injured reserve so often that it seemed that news of a torn ACL was as consistent as death and taxes.
But while his defense struggled with injuries and the absence of a reliable middle linebacker, Manning started hooking up with the likes of Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard, making household names out of them. He made believers out of everyone as he led fourth quarter comeback after fourth quarter comeback — his most impressive win coming against Brady in a regular season 24-20 W.
Even after the great run that the Giants had though, the belief outside of the locker room. that seemed so easy to come across, vanished after the Giants came out flat in the middle of a four-game losing streak, suffering a 49-24 beat down courtesy of the New Orleans Saints.
Yet, just when it seemed like they had nothing left, the Giants had faith inside their locker room that the season was far from over. They pushed forward and when the games mattered most, they got the job done.
The defense, riddled by aches and pains all year, has come on strong late, channeling their inner 2007 while holding their opponents to an average 13.4 points over the last five games.
And even though some will say it took a fumble in overtime to finally get the Giants past the San Francisco 49ers and even though there has been plenty of talk about how rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams was the MVP of that game … for the Giants, the G-Men’s confidence has not taken a hit.
They may not have the “Dream Team,” you can say they don’t have the better quarterback or that they got lucky — they’ve heard it all season long — but they’ve got one more game to go and no matter what anyone says, just like in 2007, they believe that they can once again be Super Bowl Champions.
Can you blame them?
(01/24/12 9:15am)
Senior Kelsey Kutch realized she had scored a ton of points since recording her first basket as a Lion on November 16, 2007 against Kings College, but she didn’t quite know exactly how many until a teammate pointed it out to her last Thursday.
Kutch was informed that she had recorded 986 points during her tenure at the College and that a performance of at least 14 points on Saturday, Jan. 21, against New Jersey City University would bring her to the 1,000-point plateau — a feat that Kutch put away in the Lions’ 67-39 victory.
“It is all very surreal scoring my 1,000th point in college,” Kutch said. “I think it’s an honor to be a part of a group of basketball players who are so talented.”
With 2:50 left in the game, Kutch, who was stuck on point 999, received a pass from sophomore forward/center Liz West in the paint and shot herself into a realm that only 13 other Lions have ever reached.
“I am just humbled at how special my teammates and family made the accomplishment for me,” Kutch said. “The team was so genuinely happy for me that it made the milestone that much more special. There would be no other group of girls I would have wanted to experience this accomplishment with.”
Her teammates rallied around Kutch in celebration as if they had all scored their 1,000th point, according to senior point guard Katie Occhipinti.
“We were so excited to have Kelsey reach her milestone,” Occhipinti said. “Although it is an individual accomplishment, to us it felt like a team accomplishment.”
Kutch led the Lions with a season-high 15 points and also recorded seven assists, while West also played a major role in the Lions’ win with 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
The Lions recorded another conference win earlier in the week on Wednesday, Jan. 18, against Rutgers-University-Camden. The Lions came out on top 56-48 in a game that saw some impressive defensive efforts.
“Defense is our bread and butter,” Kutch said. “Our defense has been instrumental this year for our success because when our offense isn’t running the way we would like it to run, our defense picks us up and we end up winning tight games.”
Occhipinti credits the coaching staff and their preparation for the Lions’ ability to settle down and play strong defense in tight games.
“Our coaching staff has done a really great job of knowing which style of defense will be the most effective against which team,” said Occhipinti, who had four steals in the win. “In practice we spend a considerable amount of time making sure that we have the X’s and O’s of the defense down, that way during the game we don’t have to think about it, we just have to work our butts off.”
Junior center/forward Candice Vigo was instrumental for the Lions’ defensive effort, coming off the bench to register eight rebounds, four blocks and a steal. Vigo also added to the offensive effort by scoring 10 points.
Senior guard Jessica Imhof was also effective on both sides of the ball as she racked up 11 points, five rebounds, three steals and a block.
Fellow senior Hannah Tait led the Lions with 12 points, making a couple of three-point attempts. Occhipinti played her part as the Lions main facilitator during the night, dishing out six assists.
“Having a team full of solid shooters makes my job easy,” Occhipinti said. “I just try to find who is hot and get them the ball. We have a great team mentality, do whatever it takes to win. Every player knows their role and my role is to help control the tempo and to set my teammates up to be successful.”
After the two conference wins, the Lions are now in sole possession of second place in the South Division of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. However, the Lions have no intentions stopping there, according to Occhipinti.
“Our goal is to win the conference and it starts by winning one game at a time,” Occhipinti said. “We are hoping that the last few wins will give us the momentum we need going into the next few weeks.”
The Lions will be back on the court against NJAC competition this weekend when the Montclair State University comes to the College on Saturday, Jan. 28.
(01/18/12 2:13pm)
Just a few days after their comeback effort against Kean University fell short, the women’s basketball team was able to secure head coach Dawn Henderson’s 400th career victory.
The Lions were hoping that their game against the Cougars on Wednesday, Jan. 11, would seal the deal, but Henderson’s milestone victory had to wait until the weekend when the Lions defeated Ramapo College by a score of 55-45.
“The atmosphere after a big win is always celebratory,” senior point guard Katie Occhipinti said. “But celebrating after this one was extra special.”
With the victory over the Roadrunners, Henderson became the 28th head coach in NCAA Division III women’s basketball history to reach the 400-win mark.
“We all feel really lucky to be a part of such a great achievement,” Occhipinti said. “Our team has a really special bond and Coach told us in the locker room that she was really happy to have shared it with this group.”
On top of Henderson’s accomplishment, the Lions improved their record to 11-5 by anchoring down and playing shutdown defense. The Lions recorded two stretches in the first half where they held the Roadrunners scoreless for over four minutes.
The Lions stout defensive effort — they only allowed 17 points in the first half — had a direct effect on offensive momentum as well, according to Occhipinti.
“This was one of our best defense games,” Occhipinti, who led the team with four steals, said. “We all were on the same page, being vocal and moving as a unit. And we know that when our defense is good it spills over into running a good offense.”
The Lions saw three shooters reach double-digits — senior guard Jessica Imhof and senior forward Kelsey Kutch recoding 12 points each — with senior guard/forward Hannah Tait leading the team with 16 points, most of which came from behind the arc.
“Hannah is a tough player to guard because she can score from anywhere,” Occhipinti said. “Time and time again she has kick started our offensive with a crucial three pointer.”
The Lions’ play against the Roadrunners was a carryover from an earlier loss in the week to Kean University, according to Occhipiniti.
The Lions and Cougars traded baskets back and forth for the majority of the first half until the Cougars started to pull away as halftime neared. That point differential continued to stand pat for the most part as well in the second half, until the Lions made a push late in the game.
Trailing 57-45 with only 2:52 left in the game, the Lions started to claw their way back. Over the next couple of minutes, the Lions defense would hold the Cougars to a single point, while the offense racked up 10.
Down by a mere three points with 34 seconds, the Lions were able to collect a defensive rebound after freshman guard/forward AnnaRose Pierce failed to make a free throw for the Cougars. However, the ensuing drive down the court would not be the conclusion of a fairy-tale ending as the Lions turned the ball and the game over to the Cougars, who went on to win with a score of 60-55.
“At the end of the game we had the right combination of players on the floor and we finally started playing with a sense of urgency that we lacked all game,” Occhipinti said. “But, we did not play our best team basketball and you cannot beat a good team like Kean when you’re not at your best.”
The Lions will return to the court tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 18, to take on Rutgers University-Camden.
(11/30/11 5:07pm)
They’ve seen the trophies, they’ve heard the stories, and they’ve prepared themselves for this moment all season, but no one was quite sure how to react when the final seconds ran off the clock against Middlebury College and the ultimate dream — a National Championship — became a reality.
Senior defender Alex Okuniewicz joined Assistant Coach Robin Selbst at midfield and helped raise their trophy in triumph, junior defender Camille Passucci did her signature celebration dance, Head Coach Sharon Pfluger jumped into the arms of Assistant Coach Richard Cox, and senior goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz took a moment to take it all in before joining her team in celebration.
“Being here for four years, this is obviously the goal in the beginning of every season,” Syciarz said. “Being able to end not only the season, but also my career, on a win and a National Championship is something that you can’t describe.”
The 3-1 victory over the Panthers gave the College one for the other thumb, with this year’s title being the 10th NCAA title in program history and the first since 1999.
“You hear the stories from the coaching staff and the alumna, but it’s something you have to experience to really know how it feels,” Syciarz said.
It took everything that the Lions had this season to get to Dudley, Mass., and it took even more to leave unscathed. Each play seemed to be a make-or-break moment, and each was followed up by another one that carried even more weight than the last.
“Neither team could let up for a second, because every possession was critical,” said Pfluger, who has now coached the College’s field hockey team to eight national titles. “We have struggled through a tremendous amount of challenges, but those challenges made us really tough.”
The Lions’ toughness was tested against the Panthers when junior forward/midfielder Kathleen Notos was given a yellow card in the second half, while the score was tied at one. Notos, who knocked in the Lions’ only goal to that point, took a seat and watched as her team played at a disadvantage for five minutes.
What seemed to be a burden quickly turned in the Lions’ favor, though, as they capitalized on a penalty corner soon after the card was handed out. Passucci sent a smooth feed toward freshman forward Erin Waller, who steadied the pass and then drove a shot into the back of the cage with 23:55 remaining.
“Erin’s primary hits on corners are so important to our game,” Passucci said. “When she is able to score on a shot like that, which is so beautiful, crisp and simple, it calms the team down. She has perfected her shot and it was so important because she was able to connect with the back of the cage.”
Once the Lions got ahead, they got back to what propelled them into the title game — air-tight defense.
Syciarz, who was honored with the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award, led the defense as the Lions eliminated every obstacle thrown their way. The Panthers used their speed to create favorable scoring opportunities throughout the whole contest, but Syciarz was able to come out and cut off the initial threat while freshman midfielder Lauren Pigott denied any chance of a passing lane.
“Lauren stayed steady throughout the entire game and did a great job of denying her girl the ball,” Syciarz said. “Knowing that she was behind me gave me a lot more confidence to come out of the cage and pressure the ball on fast breaks.”
With the defense locking down the Panthers, Waller all but ensured the Lions’ victory when she scored off another penalty corner with less than six minutes left on the clock. After that goal, time was the only factor separating the Lions from the National Championship.
Before meeting Middlebury for the title, the Lions defeated Urisinus College in similar fashion by a score of 2-0.
Syciarz made a season-high 16 saves as she recorded her 11th shutout of the season, but she wasn’t alone in that effort. Her supporting cast played a big part in the goose egg, recording three defensive saves.
The first came in the 12th minute of the game as Pigott put her body in harm’s way in order to reject a rebound shot by Ursinus’ Catherine Bitterly. Passucci added a defensive save as well in the second half, while senior defender Jessica Persicketti followed suit with a great diving save 10 minutes later.
“It’s a team of girls who would put their lives on the line for each other on the field and off the field,” Syciarz said.
It’s that type of cohesiveness that helped the Lions stay steady over a two-minute span that included five penalty corners for the Bears, according to Pfluger.
“The rest of the girls did a great job getting back,” Pfluger said. “They’ll do it for each other, and they’ll do whatever it takes in the fairness of play to get the job done.”
The Lions scored both of their goals against the Bears in the first half with the cardinal goal coming a little over nine minutes into the game. Notos again got the Lions on the board by knocking in a touch pass from senior forward/midfielder Leigh Mitchell.
“We knew that we needed to score early and often,” Notos said. “Once I got that goal, which was a team effort, I was like, ‘Here we go, we need to keep it going.’”
The Lions kept it going with yet another penalty corner situation later in the half, with Waller knocking in an assist from Passucci.
Once the Lions got through the Bears, the only task left was to come out on top over the Panthers. There were some nerves, but the team was ready, according to Passucci.
“We treated every game this past season like it was the National Championship,” Passucci said. “So, when we got there, we felt the same energy that we have felt all season.”
Syciarz screamed, embraced her teammates and enjoyed every moment of the Lions’ National Championship celebration, but she still has to pinch herself to believe it all really happened.
“It’s unbelievable. I pictured the moment over and over, but no words can really do the feeling justice,” Syciarz said. “It’s rare that a season ends with a win, so ending this season and my career with a win is the perfect way to go out.”
(11/16/11 5:59pm)
While they celebrated a berth to the Final Four on their home turf, the College’s field hockey team reflected on a hard-fought lesson that opportunity makes the winner, but a winner must capitalize on opportunity.
“You have to take advantage of the opportunities that you have,” Head Coach Sharon Pfluger said. “It doesn’t matter how the game is going. When you get an opportunity, you have to cash in on it.”
The No. 3-seeded Lions (22-2) made the most of their limited opportunities against No. 4-seeded Lynchburg College in a 3-0 win and struck when they needed to in a 1-0 victory over No. 13-ranked William Smith College.
The Lions only had five shots on goal against the Hornets (19-2), but junior forward/midfielder Kathleen Notos was able to put three of those shots into the cage in the second half.
“We took advantage of the opportunities that we had in the second half today, and that’s what you need to do,” Pfluger said. “You can get 50 shots, but if you don’t score off of them, you’re not going to win the game.”
It was a hat trick courtesy of Notos that gave the Lions an edge over the Hornets, but she believes it was the defense that really stood out.
“I think it was just feeding off the energy that the defense was creating because they were such a force,” Notos said. “They wouldn’t let anything in and we knew we had to put something in so they didn’t have to do all the work.”
The defense certainly had their work cut out for them with the Hornets lining up for 16 penalty corners and getting 10 shots in goal.
The Lions saw several defenders step up to the challenge: senior defender Alex Okuniewicz diving all over the place, freshmen defender Lauren Pigott making a defensive save on the goal line and senior goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz securing the shutout.
“It’s nice that we have a team full of girls who will do anything in their power to keep the ball out of our defensive end, keep the ball out of the cage and keep pressuring forward,” Syciarz said.
The opportunities were plentiful for the Lions in their win over the Herons (16-5), but it wasn’t until the 55th minute that they took the lead. Junior forward Caitlyn Jenkins notched the Lions’ lone goal when she banged in a pass from junior defender Christy Wham.
“That was a big sigh of relief,” Notos said. “As soon as it went in, I knew that was it, I knew that was the game, because that’s all we needed. It was a perfect goal.”
The Lions defense was crucial in this contest as well with Syciarz stonewalling the Herons and Pigott being there when Syciarz wasn’t. Together, they made two defensive saves.
“I had to come out and pressure a ball, and it slipped through and was trickling towards the cage,” Syciarz said. “I saw (Pigott) in the corner of my eye, though, and she came swinging through to keep it out of the corner of the cage. Sometimes one play makes or breaks a game, and that was a huge one.”
The Lions will now more forward into the Final Four, where they will match up with Ursinus College in Dudley, Mass. on Nov. 19.
“It feels great to know that we have another week of practice ahead of us,” Syciarz said. “The only good way to end a season is on a win, and that means winning it all.”
(11/09/11 5:56pm)
After sending in the ball on a penalty corner, junior defender Camille Passucci barely had enough time to take a step forward before freshman midfielder Erin Waller directed her shot into the back of the cage.
Passucci jumped around as she celebrated Waller’s goal, but her dance became even more ecstatic minutes later when Waller scored off yet another penalty corner started by Passucci, supplying the College with a 2-0 edge over No. 6-ranked Montclair State University on Nov. 5.
“It was really a team effort,” Passucci said. “It feels great to be a little part of it, but it’s a total team effort for those goals. When one person scores, it feels like we all score.”
Waller scored the only goals of the inaugural New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship Game, but she would not take personal credit.
“We played awesome,” Waller said. “We just wanted to go out and win the entire time and that’s exactly what we did.”
The victory was anything but easy for the No. 4-ranked Lions, however, and their offense struggled to produce early on. In response to that inability to score, the Lions (20-2) had to ask their defense to increase its level of play — a challenge that was met with mastery.
Although the College controlled possession for most of the first half, the Red Hawks (18-2) came on strong offensively several times. Nothing was more threatening than junior Montclair forward Michelle Hagel’s breakaway opportunity 15 minutes into the game.
Hagel slipped past the defense and it looked like she was headed for a one-on-one duel with senior goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz. However, just when it seemed like Hagel was home free, Lauren Pigott propelled herself into the picture.
The freshman defender hustled all the way back just in time to knock the ball away from Hagel and extinguish the advance. The Red Hawks would threaten again toward the end of the first half, but the squad didn’t flinch.
“You have to play like that,” Head Coach Sharon Pfluger said. “There’s no give in that situation. You have to play, you have to come through.”
Coming through on offense was an issue for the Lions in the first half as they failed to capitalize on six penalty corners and seven shots. Pfluger reacted by reassuring her team that they just needed to keep the pressure on and good things would come.
“We were on goal for a while,” Pfluger said. “I told them that they were playing great at halftime and that they just needed to get the reward of getting the goal. And for them to feel that reward made me really happy.”
Although Waller (two goals) and Passucci (two assists) are the only names on the stat sheet, Pfluger praised her entire team for the win.
“I thought there were some great moments in the game,” Pfluger said. “I thought there were a lot of girls who made great contributions. We walk out of this game thinking, ‘I don’t remember that many mistakes.’ What I’ll remember is great teamwork and kids making up for each other’s errors.”
Before its rematch against the Red Hawks, the College had to get through Kean University in the first round of the tournament.
That hurdle was cleared with ease as the Lions overtook the Cougars with a score of 5-1 on Nov. 2.
Leading the way for the Lions was senior forward/midfielder Leigh Mitchell as she punched in three goals. Two of Mitchell’s goals were assisted by junior forward/midfielder Kathleen Notos, who also recorded a goal.
The Lions’ other goal came off Passuci’s stick, while Waller and fellow freshman Erin Healy each added an assist.
“I feel like we have a lot of balance on the team, and I feel like we have a lot of forwards that can go in and do the job,” Pfluger said.
After receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by winning the NJAC, the Lions will now look ahead to a second-round matchup on Nov. 12 with the winner of the William Smith College-Washington & Jefferson College contest.
Pfluger hopes that the win over Montclair will help her team grow as well as bring a sense of momentum when the NCAA tournament begins.
“We had five freshmen on the field to start the season, so we’ve really come a long way,” Pfluger said. “I think this is a great confidence boost and it’s something to remember, this thrill, because if you feel that, you always want it.”
(11/01/11 6:07pm)
About a month ago, head coach Sharon Pfluger declared that her team needed to regain their discipline after losing 3-0 to No. 1-ranked Salisbury University on Nov. 9. Since that game, the No. 4-ranked Lions have run the table, outscoring their opponents 34-4. This 8-0 stretch included two victories last week over Manhattanville College and SUNY Cortland.
While the offense has been productive, it’s been the defense that has really thrived recently. Before surrendering a goal in the 7-1 win over Manhattanville on Oct. 27, the Lions (18-2) held their opponents scoreless for over 381 minutes.
“I think a lot of it was to do with our communication,” senior goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz said. “We really focus on that in practice, making sure we know who has our back at all times, and it’s a total team effort. We always know who’s backing us up and there’s always people to feed it back up field, so we’re never in a defensive trend.”
Syciarz, who was the NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010, has been the anchor to the Lions stout defense, allowing only .78 goals per game this season.
“We have a very strong goalie,” Pfluger said. “Our defensive unit is strong and we’ve done it with kids in different positions, but that just shows that I have kids who are versatile. Other kids have learned to play defense.”
The Lions also received strong play from another senior, Alex Okuniewicz, this past week, as the defender was active on both defense and offense.
Okuniewicz had a hand in the Lions attack against the Valiants, recording two assists, as well as three goals in the College’s 5-0 victory over SUNY Cortland on Oct. 30. However, it was her work with Syciarz and junior defender Camille Passucci — a trio that Pfluger calls “the spine” of the defense — that really impressed her head coach.
“We have experience with Alex Okuniewicz, who is a great player,” Pfluger said. “(Okuniewicz) and (Syciarz) have played together for four years, and then you put (Passucci) in the mix, who is solid. Then you add in those support players and you have a very strong unit.”
Another focal point of the Lions’ recent run, and during the season as a whole, has been Passucci and junior forward Caitlyn Jenkins’ performances on offense.
After last season, a lot of people expected senior midfielder/forward Leigh Mitchell and junior midfielder/forward Kathleen Notos to lead the Lions offense, but due to injuries, a void was left to be filled.
In stepped Passucci and Jenkins.
“It was hard for (Mitchell) and (Notos) to be out the first part of the season, but it was an opportunity for other kids to really take control out on the field and we needed that,” Pfluger said. “There was no option and it wasn’t something we talked it, it was just like, ‘Hey, here we go.’”
The junior duo, who each ended the regular season tied for a team-leading 36 points, have been there game-in and game-out this year, and last week was no different.
Passucci netted a hat trick against the Valiants, while Jenkins produced a combined three goals and two assists in the two victories.
“They’ve done a tremendous job stepping up, making plays when we need them,” Syciarz said. “They’ve really been scoring, which takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the defense.”
Syciarz, Okuniewicz, Mitchell, Notos and senior defender Jessica Persicketti were all honored for their contributions as Lions on Senior Night against the Valiants.
With the regular season now at its end, the Lions will look ahead to tonight’s game against Kean University in the NJAC’s inaugural field hockey conference tournament.
(11/01/11 8:33am)
He walks the halls of Hedgepeth-Williams School in Trenton as if he never left, welcoming each student with a smile and words of encouragement.
After working his way up to the National Basketball Association, Greg Grant has returned to the city he grew up in to make an impact off the court.
Six years ago, Grant started up the 94 ft., Inc. Academic Basketball Academy with the desire to give students the necessary tutoring to excel in the classroom. The program allows its members to participate in athletics, but only if they are willing to put the work in when it comes to school.
“The main goal is to give kids a different type of program, where you really focus a lot on academics,” Grant said. “It’s unfortunate that a lot of kids from the urban city think that sports are the only way out, but there are other ways of getting out, and they’re not really putting their focus on academics.”
In the early stages of his program, Grant was looking for a way to reach more children. He quickly learned that he could move his program forward by getting a helping hand from his past.
With the assistance of his friend and colleague, Bryan Caver, Grant was able to arrange a meeting with Pat Donohue, director of the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement at the College.
Grant, who started for the College’s basketball team from 1986 to 1989, quickly convinced Donohue that the Bonner program would greatly benefit from partnering with the Academy. Things started off with only a handful of volunteers and students, but it has grown immensely in the last few years.
“When we started, he worked with 30 to 40 young men and women and we sent a team of five or six Bonner Scholars to his site,” Donohue said. “We’ve collaborated on grants and other projects and Greg now runs a full-fledged after-school program at his old middle school for 120 kids, and we have a team of 15 Bonners anchoring down each classroom.”
Those who have been assigned to assist Grant in his program have walked away impressed, especially Ashley Rodriguez, Bonner special projects coordinator.
“He has a passion and loyalty to the city of Trenton that is both impressive and admirable,” Rodriguez said. “I am a part of a program that has touched and continues to touch the lives of thousands of Trenton’s children. I am proud to work for a man and program that’s main motto states, ‘Teaching hope, changing lives.’”
As his program continues to grow, however, Grant has run into a few issues trying to spread his message. He has been met with hardship his entire life and has had to overcome several hurdles to prosper, including one last year concerning the head coaching position of Trenton Central High School’s basketball team.
The school board was preparing to name a teacher to the position over Grant, but there were people in the community who wanted to have a say in the matter, so the school held a meeting. According to Donohue, nearly 40 individuals, including parents and students, asked the board to reconsider their decision.
“Those players said (Grant) was the only one who told them they could go to college, that they could overcome the streets,” Donohue said. “He told them he loved them and would provide tutors and mentors for them all year round. It was Trenton’s version of a ‘Hoosiers’ movie town-hall meeting. He got the job, and one year later, eight of those players made honor roll. It is a great story. He is a great story.”
After becoming head coach, Grant began the process of introducing his Academy to Trenton Central High.
“We have worked with the administration and now have a team of 10 (Bonner Scholars) at TCHS, and they are also bringing large numbers of students (from the College) as volunteers or participants in class-based community engaged learning projects,” Donohue said.
Grant’s program is a unique one in the sense that he can easily relate to his kids, having gone through the same public school system.
“I’m not just an outsider coming in and giving them this magic cure to success,” Grant said. “Being able to say I sat in the same classrooms and walked the same hallways and walked the same streets, that makes them realize, makes them believe that I’m one of them and that there is no secret to it but hard work and commitment.”
Although he knows that there is a lot of work to be done, Grant believes that if he keeps his program going, mentalities can be changed.
“It’s no secret that Trenton test scores are behind,” Grant said. “They’re two to three grade levels behind in some areas, and our goal is really to get the kids back up to standard with what the state requires. That way we can give them hope that they can become whatever they want to become.”
It’s that type of mentality that has won over the Trenton community and the support of the Bonner program.
“We should be proud of (Grant), not only because of what he gave the College on the basketball court, but for what he is still doing today,” Donohue said. “He is a true partner who creates meaningful community engaged learning experiences for our students while trying to create opportunities for others in his hometown, and hopefully, along the way, he’ll send us more Greg Grants.”
(10/25/11 7:26am)
Field hockey head coach Sharon Pfluger consistently faces a schedule filled with top-level competition, and this year has been no different.
The No. 5-ranked Lions have played several big-time games this season, including a loss to No.1-ranked Salisbury University, but their biggest matchup to this point came on Saturday, Nov. 15, against Montclair State University.
The Red Hawks came into their match against the Lions ranked No. 7 overall in Division III, with a record of 14-0 and tied with the College atop the NJAC. When the 70th minute ran off the clock, however, it was the Lions who celebrated in victory, coming out on top in a 1-0 duel.
“I think it was critical and great for us to win,” Pfluger said. “We had to win that game. We had a lot of opportunities that we didn’t cash in on, so to score, finally, in the last minutes was a good feeling.”
The Lions, who outshot the Red Hawks 13 to 10, had to wait until a penalty corner with a little over five minutes left in regulation to seal the game. The goal came courtesy of freshman forward Erin Healy, who took a nice touch pass from senior forward/midfielder Leigh Mitchell and sent it into the cage.
The assist, in a crucial game for the Lions’ postseason hopes, was a nice reward for all the work Mitchell has put in to get herself back on the field after sitting out the majority of the season due to injury.
“Seeing (Mitchell) back out there is always good,” senior goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz said. “She’s such a big playmaker on the field, a big motivator and a huge asset to our team. So, when she’s on the field, it’s definitely a plus.”
The Lions also had another positive sign as junior forward/midfielder Kathleen Notos, who has also sat out due to injury, scored a goal and added an assist in a 2-0 victory over No. 20-ranked Juniata College on Sunday, Oct. 23.
“It’s nice to get (Mitchell and Notos) back in,” Pfluger said. “But we’re still being careful with them because we still have a lot of the season left to go. I don’t want to wear them down.”
The College knocked off another NJAC opponent a few days after they tripped up the Red Hawks, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, when they defeated Kean University with a score of 4-0.
Senior midfielder Alex Okuniwiecz led the Lions as she recorded two goals and one assist.
The Lions later took down Cabrini College 5-0 on Thursday, Oct. 20, one of four games in the last couple of weeks where the Lions have not surrendered a goal.
“All together, the whole team has been playing defense,” Syciarz, who has made 12 saves during the streak, said. “The forwards have been getting back, hustling back and helping us out. It’s really a team effort with our defense and it’s really paying off.”
(10/25/11 7:25am)
The College’s Hall of Fame ceremony was headlined by former basketball star Greg Grant, but the induction list did not stop there.
After Grant accepted his induction into the Hall of Fame, former Lions safety Greg Bellotti took the stage. His first words?
“I want to thank the Hall of Fame Committee for scheduling me to follow Greg Grant,” Bellotti said as the crowd roared with laughter.
Bellotti, a member of the 1990 football team that made it to the NCAA tournament, was just one of six other individuals besides Grant who were enshrined on Friday, Oct. 21.
“The individual accolades, I mean, they’re great,” Bellotti said. “They’re special, probably more special for my kids to see. I thought I was pretty good, but I had a great team. It’s a lot different when there’s ten other guys they have to deal with and I’m just kind of the guy who happened to get a lot of the press, and the defense was kind of built around me to make plays.”
Another member of the 2011 class was Jill Cosse, who won a total five national titles in field hockey and lacrosse during her time as a Lion.
“I would not trade one day I was ever here, whether it was a good day or a bad day, if we won a championship or didn’t win,” Cosse said. “I loved my life here, so to be honored like this is a dream come true, really, because I never really played for notoriety. I played for my teammates and wanting to be successful.”
Fellow inductee Tim Jacoutot echoed Cosse’s words.
“I love it here,” Jacoutot, who was a three-time national champion wrestler, said. “This is my home, this is my college and I enjoy all the sports teams.”
Other members of the Class of 2011 include: Matthew Stypul (men’s swimming, ’97), Sue Piekarz Rodriguez (women’s track and field, ’91), Bobby Jones (football/baseball, ’64) and the late Herbert Lorenz (men’s track and field, ’63).
(10/24/11 7:20am)
When alumna look at current field hockey teams at the College, they judge their ability and prominence by thinking back to the 1990 team that made a magical run to a National Championship.
That team — one of three teams inducted into the College’s Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 21 — was filled with stars up and down the roster, including Hall of Famers Cathleen Filipello, Gina-Carey Smith, Cathy Swezey and Jill Cosse.
“I played with so many powerful women and had so many powerful coaches that it really amazes me that I could be a part of this group because, to me, each one is more amazing than the next,” said Cosse, an individual inductee in the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011.
However, it was one woman who could not make it to the ceremony that most members credited as being the rock of the team. Terry Doyle, a senior on the 1990 squad, died shortly after the season ended from a brain aneurism, but she remains in the hearts of each member of that team. Head coach Sharon Pfluger continues to honor Doyle by donning her initials on her teams’ uniforms each year.
Joining the 1990 field hockey team on Friday night was the 1990 football team that took the College by storm as they made their way into the NCAA tournament.
Crowds packed into Lions Stadium for every home game, including the team’s season-ending loss to Hofstra University.
“All of a sudden people wanted to come here to watch,” Greg Bollotti, a safety for the 1990 Lions and Class of 2011 inductee, said. “Teams didn’t want to come here to play because it was a tremendous home field advantage to have this aura, this feeling around, and it was just special. The students were everywhere, 80 percent of The Signal was football and you’d have games televised and it was awesome.”
Also receiving recognition was the College’s 1996 men’s soccer team, who ran the gauntlet and won a national title in current head coach George Nazzario’s second year on the job.
The Lions went into the tournament with a 12-5-1 record and outlasted their opponents in five consecutive one-goal victories, including a win over the defending champions, Williams College. The deciding goal of that game came from Bertrand Louis, his only goal of the season.
(10/12/11 4:04pm)
There was nothing head coach Sharon Pfluger could do but stand there and watch as the final seconds ticked off the clock in a 3-0 home loss to No. 1-ranked Salisbury University on Sunday.
The loss had Pfluger wondering exactly what happened to her team just a few days after the No. 6-ranked Lions extended their winning streak to eight games with a win over Neumann University.
“You come out against another really strong team and you need to do your best,” Pfluger said. “I think we had tremendous possession time, but we didn’t take advantage of our opportunities. I think we were very hesitant and I don’t know why really, but that’s my job to figure that out.”
The Lions (10-2) certainly had their opportunities, but with each one came another breakdown, Pfluger said.
“It was standing up in the middle of a hit, thinking about shooting before we even got the ball, the ball being on the line or not getting our hips around enough,” Pfluger said. “You can’t blow those opportunities. You’re going to make mistakes, but you can’t blow fundamental opportunities in front of the cage like we did.”
While the Lions were wasting their opportunities, the Sea Gulls (12-0) were taking full advantage of theirs. A clear example of that was Salisbury senior midfielder Courtney Webster, who put two of her four shots past senior goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz during the contest. Webster scored at 9:30 into the game to give the Sea Gulls a 1-0 lead and later tacked on another goal early in the second half.
Pfluger took nothing away from the Sea Gulls’ attack, but stressed that she believes her team could have produced a better performance.
“I thought (Salisbury) was very good, but I think we played poorly,” Pfluger said. “I was not happy with our midfield at all today.”
Junior defender Camille Passucci accepted the criticism, citing a decreased amount of correspondence between the players as a reason for the Lions’ inefficiency.
“I think our level of communication was not where it should have been,” Passucci said. “When things get tough, talking through it definitely makes a difference, and not having that affected our game.”
Everything that wasn’t there for the Lions against the Sea Gulls was present earlier in the week when the Lions defeated Neumann University (2-10) by a score of 4-0.
“The organization (against Neumann) was very crisp the whole game and I was very happy with our performance,” Pfluger said.
Junior forward Caitlyn Jenkins continued to provide the Lions with an offensive spark as she scored just 35 seconds into the game.
Her fellow classmate, junior defender Christy Wham, was involved in the rest of the Lions’ scores as she put two shots into the back of the cage and assisted a goal scored by Passucci.
“I think Jenkins and Wham have been so productive because they are so calm in front of the cage,” Passucci said. “They know what they have to do and they do the simple things right in order to get it in the back of the cage.”
Pfluger has been pleased to see the pair of juniors incorporate themselves into an offense that has had to adjust to the absence of senior midfielder/forward Leigh Mitchell and junior midfielder/forward Kathleen Notos.
“I feel like they’re hanging onto the information better than they did in the past,” Pfluger said. “They’re juniors and they’ve both had a lot of playing time, and this is where they should be really showing everything that they’ve learned, and I guess for me, it’s putting it all together.”
With the loss to Salisbury behind them, the Lions are looking forward to retreating to the basics and getting their season back on track as they head to No. 9-ranked Montclair State University on Oct. 15, according to Pfluger.
“(Against Salisbury) we lost our discipline, so we need to get back to our discipline, get back to keeping it really simple and read the play better,” she said. “We’re a determined group and a very hard-working group, so I think the combination of those two things will give us the best opportunity to bounce back and return to form.”