84 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/02/05 5:00pm)
Men's tennis dominated the competition at the Drew University Invitational with an overall tournament record of 26-1 in singles and doubles.
Facing the Drew University Rangers, New York University (NYU) Violets and Salisbury University Sea Gulls, the College did not expect to have the type of record that it put up.
"The three teams we met at the tournament had beaten us last year," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "To go 17-1 in singles and 9-0 in doubles is beyond what we expected and we are very excited that we are playing so well and improving as the season goes along, too."
Sophomore co-captain Ryan Carty led the team at first singles to go 3-0 for the tournament. He defeated the Rangers' freshman Jason Swenson 6-0, 6-3, the Seagulls' junior Tyler Robinson 6-2, 6-1 and the Violets' sophomore Ian Corn, 7-6 in a tiebreaker and 6-2 in the second set.
Freshman Michael Klimchak also went 3-0 at third singles in the tournament. Klimchak posted wins against junior Kolby Loft of NYU 7-5, 6-2, sophomore Josh Rucker of Drew 6-1, 6-2 and a 6-2, 6-1 victory over sophomore James Mills of Salisbury.
"I think I played very well," Kilmchak said. "In the first match against NYU I started out stiff, but as the tournament progressed I relaxed and came out on top."
In fourth singles, freshman Eric Ferriere also went undefeated for a record of 3-0 for the weekend. Ferriere beat freshman Jared Rochman of Salisbury, 6-2, 6-2, junior Ryan McDonald of Drew, 6-0, 7-6 in a tiebreaker and junior Nico Buencamino of NYU 6-4, 6-2.
Sophomore Corey Ball also went 3-0 in fifth singles beating the Rangers' sophomore Ross Lieblich, 6-0, 6-0 and the Sea Gulls' senior Ryan Wendell twice, 1-6, 6-2, 10-6 on Saturday and 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday.
Rounding out singles play at the tournament was freshman Donald Pollosco who also went 3-0 at sixth singles. Pollosco crushed senior Josh Bierne-Golden of NYU, 6-2, 6-3, sophomore Mike Kennedy of Drew, 6-0, 6-2 and sophomore Sean Larson of Salisbury, 6-1, 6-2.
The Lions continued their trend in doubles play, trouncing all opponents and going 9-0 through the tournament. The tandems of Carty and Ball, seniors Victor Lai and Ken Tsui and Klimchak and Ferriere each went 3-0 against the opposition.
Winning not even half of the matches in the same tournament last year, it is clear that the Lions have made significant improvements and intend to make a serious run for nationals this spring.
Women's tennis tallied a win against Muhlenberg College 6-3 on Sunday, moving them to a perfect record of 8-0 on the year.
Action began as the Lions swept Muhlenberg in doubles play. After 11 games of back-and-forth play, junior captain Jackie Gavornik and freshman Christina Contrafatto pulled away from junior Amy Schmidt and sophomore Pam Kimmelman, beating them 8-5 in first doubles.
"I'm really pleased with the team and how we performed because we put out our best, came out with a lot of energy, and played hard and it was a nice surprise to sweep doubles," Gavornik said. "It's always a tough match against Muhlenberg but this year it all came together and we pulled ahead and came away with it."
The Lions had a tougher time in singles play but managed to hold their lead to gain the win. In a challenging first singles match, the Lions' Contrafatto fell to the Mules' Schmidt 6-1, 6-0. However, the Lions were able to win their second, third and fifth singles matches.
"Its been close the past two years with this team and we played a great match today," Dicheck said. "The improvement the girls have made between now and two weeks ago has made a world of difference and we need to keep progressing. I'm very pleased with our work in the doubles matches because we played very well and we played smart tennis."
Men's and women's tennis will face Ithaca College Friday at 12 p.m.
(02/23/05 5:00pm)
From top to bottom, the Lions' men's tennis team dominated the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks on Saturday, defeating them 7-0.
The win gives the Lions a record of 2-1 for the spring.
Junior co-captain Justin Cook showed tenacity in second singles rallying back from a 0-5 deficit in the first set against Stevens' junior Steve Su. Cook lost the first set 6-8 in the tiebreaker but turned the match around to defeat Su 6-3, 6-1 in the final two sets. The win gives Cook a 6-4 record for the year in singles play.
"He was left-handed and it was throwing me off at first, but I started working hard and I had a lot of confidence," Cook said. "I had the momentum after the second game and I had figured him out at that point."
Sophomore co-captain Ryan Carty defeated Stevens' freshman Ricky Bawa 6-2, 6-2 in first singles. Carty's aggressive play has him currently ranked No. 18 regionally in the NCAA and he hopes to eventually become nationally ranked. The win brings him to 10-2 for the year.
"My strategy was just to stay focused and keep my cool," Carty said.
In an entertaining first doubles match, Carty and sophomore Corey Ball defeated Bawa and Su 8-3, improving their doubles record for the year to 9-1. The score, however, does not clearly represent the challenge the players faced. Carty struggled through the match while the Ducks' Bawa continually surprised the Lions with scattered aces and unreachable shots that often split Carty and Ball.
"Wow, you are awesome!" Ball shouted after one of Bawa's serves impressed him. Spectators chuckled at Ball's exclamation, surprised at how he commended the skill of his opponent.
Carty and Ball were able to keep their focus and shut down the Ducks after that game.
"We had a strong weekend last week and we wanted to keep that going and show improvement as well," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "One of our focuses for this week was an I-formation in doubles."
Evidently, the Lions kept this focus, remaining undefeated in doubles play for the match.
The Lions' seniors Victor Lai and Ken Tsui defeated Ducks' seniors Ben Shaw and Ryan Telford 8-4 in second doubles. In third doubles, freshmen Mike Klimchak and Eric Ferriere crushed Stevens' senior David Asis and sophomore Diego Quintana 8-0. Freshman Donald Pollosco and Cook won their fourth doubles match 8-0 also.
In other singles play, Klimchak beat Quintana 6-1, 6-2 in third singles to improve to 8-2 on the year. In fourth singles, Ferriere defeated Stevens' junior Yuriy Steimakh to make his dual match record 3-0. Ball defeated Stevens' sophomore Ian Mullican 6-0, 6-0 in fifth singles for a 7-1 record on the year.
In sixth singles, Pollosco rounded out the match by trouncing Asis 6-0, 6-0 for a year record of 9-2.
"I am glad that we won 7-0, but there are obvious areas to improve on for next weekend," Dicheck said.
The team is sure they can qualify and advance through the NCAA Regionals.
"I am hopeful about the rest of the season based on how much better practices have been," Cook said. "We could still use some work but we try to be optimistic."
The College's men's tennis team will participate in the Drew University Invitational this weekend. The Lions women will host Muhlenberg College on Sunday at 4 p.m.
(12/08/04 5:00pm)
The Lions' swimming and diving teams recorded several individual victories in separate events this past weekend.
Sophomore diver Lee Swanson crushed the competition at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Swimming and Diving Championships.
In the one-meter event, Swanson led with a score of 333.85, leaving freshman diver Charlotte Rea of Brandeis University behind by 36.50 points. Swanson also won in the three-meter event with a score of 402.70 while Rea fell behind by 94.10 points.
Swanson was named ECAC Female Diver of the Meet after her powerful performance in both events.
The men's team participated in the Princeton University Invitational and though they were the only Division III representative, the Lions still managed to capture several victories. Junior tri-captain Steve Swenson recorded a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke at 56.65.
"I'm swimming a lot faster this year and at this point in the season," Swenson said about his performance. "I'm getting the team points and I'm happy with that." He then defeated his competitors in the 200 breaststroke with a NCAA 'B' cut of 2:05.50.
Senior tri-captain Nick Steffanci recorded an NCAA 'B' cut of 51.26 in the 100 butterfly. He did not officially place, however, due to the fact that it was an exhibition swim.
"I did okay (in the meet), but I am not ecstatic about my performance," Steffanci said.
Junior Jeff Glenn also swam an NCAA 'B' cut in the 100 freestyle with a time of 46.69 to place fourth. In the same event, Steffanci came in seventh with a time of 47.02 and sophomore Kyle King placed ninth in the consolations with a time of 46.96.
"We expect to compete against fast swimmers and get good times to make NCAA cuts which is our big goal for the weekend," head coach Brian Bishop said before the meet. "Of course there are specific swimmers I am looking to do well and I'm hoping we have six to eight guys make (NCAA) cuts. Swenson, Steffanci and King can make individual cuts and there are a few other guys that should, along with a few freshman who are right there as well."
The team also came away with an NCAA 'B' cut in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:06.48. Members of the team included Steffanci, Glenn, King and senior tri-captain Chris Levin. Besides the breaststroke, the Lions consider the medley team one of its strongest weapons and will look for it to advance and win medals in NCAA playoffs as well.
"I was looking for more individual qualifiers because we were hoping to get enough done and be fast enough now so that we could rest until NCAA meets instead of having to put more into the dual meets," Bishop said.
"We are much better this year than last, but we have to maintain the focus that we have."
The rest of the team seems to be looking towards playoffs as well.
"We should win the conference and finish in the top five at NCAA championships too," Swenson said.
Bishop is clear about his goals for the season: "Dual meets are not as important to us because they are just for times and it's about how fast we swim," Bishop said. "We do not have any divers this year so each meet we are trying to come up from a 32-point deficit. We can medal in about every event in the conference."
The women's team also competed this past weekend in the Franklin and Marshall Invitational, finishing fourth overall out of nine teams. The 200 medley relay team came in first at 1:53.45. The team consisted of freshmen Lauren Breslin and Ava Kiss and juniors Karen Bocian and Beth Hurley.
"It was a nice surprise for the medley team to win," head coach Jen Harnett said. "It is a change of pace to focus on our medley team and this year they are one of the best in the conference. The whole team went beyond my expectations this weekend."
Members of the medley team are also extremely confident in themselves.
"We had a good split in the medley as a team," Breslin said. "We're very strong. At the rate we're going, there is no doubt in my mind that our medley can earn a medal (in the NCAA Championships)."
Breslin also took eighth in the 100 backstroke at a career best 1:02.74.
"We swam incredibly well, especially since we were only on three days of rest as a team," Breslin said.
Another large impact on the Lions this year is Kiss. She set a school record this weekend in the 100 butterfly with an NCAA 'B' cut of 58.19 and won the event in the process.
"Ava did phenomenal at the meet," Harnett said. "I knew she would qualify for Nationals but to see her winning in meets and breaking school records is a surprise and Nationals looks promising for her now."
Harnett is looking forward to the rest of the season. "We have a lot of big teams coming up that we will swim well against and will put the girls ahead of where I expect them to be," she said.
(10/20/04 4:00pm)
This past Saturday, the Lions cross-country teams traveled to the Lafayette College Invitational to participate in a primarily Division I meet. They competed against Columbia University, Princeton University and St. Joseph�s University.
�We are getting faster and faster each week and I anticipate many outstanding individual performances this weekend,� head coach Tim Collins said before the race. �I expect us to be in the top five teams for both races and I expect Brian Donovan to be one of the top individual runners (and) possibly win it.�
The Lions lived up to Collins� expectations.
For the men, senior Brian Donovan led the Lions by placing first in his race with a course record time of 25:45.5. It was his third first-place finish this season. Senior Joe Lacovara-Switzer was not far behind coming in fourth with a time of 26:17.9.
Freshmen Kyle Alpaugh and Brian Kopnicki came in 15th at 26:39.6 and 27th at 26:54.7, respectively.
Seniors Matt Molski, Rob Barger, and Dave Dos Santos rounded out the Lions� top seven runners, coming in 28th (26:56.1), 30th (27:00.1), and 36th (27:13.8), respectively. The men finished third overall.
�I�m happy with my performance, but it wasn�t that hard because the competition wasn�t there,� Donovan said. Donovan has been leading the Lions all season, but also gives credit to his talented team.
�The top 10 (on our team) is a really good pack,� Donovan said. �We should win regionals like we did two years ago.� Donovan also said there will be tough competition in the regional and national tournament.
�It�s going to be interesting,� Donovan said. �There are about five fast people in the region, and Nationals will be crazy because everyone is fast. But if we put it all together and just run like we have been doing all season we will see what happens.�
Donovan is not all the Lions are depending on. Lacovara-Switzer is having a strong season as well.
�He is having an outstanding cross-country season,� Collins said. �Alpaugh has also been stepping up for races as well.�
In the women�s race, freshman Julie Ullmeyer led the Lions, coming in 20th at 22:16.6.
�I am really pleased with how I ran,� Ullmeyer said. �I was having difficulty controlling my mind and this was the first race I was able to break through that.� Collins also commented on Ullmeyer�s break-through performance.
�It was nice to see,� Collins said. �It was a very good race for her because she had been doubting herself this week. It was a happy surprise.�
Junior Jenna Fasulo followed Ullmeyer in 23rd place with a time of 22:22.1. Freshmen Erin Enderly and Jenna Bauberger finished in 28th place (22:22.1) and 38th place (22:43.2.), respectively. Sophomore Kristen Pogorzelski followed in 39th place at 22:43.2, senior Meghan O�Halloran took 41st in 22:47.9 and freshman Sara Best rounded out the Lions� top seven runners at 49th place in a time of 22:59.8. The women finished fifth overall.
�Coach got a lot of recruits this year and it took awhile to get used to college running,� Ullmeyer said. �We wouldn�t be doing as well as we are without the leadership from the older girls on the team.�
Both the men�s and women�s cross country teams agree they have a good chance to get into the NCAA Division III Nationals this year. The women�s team has qualified for Nationals every year for the past eight years.
Collins is confident that both teams will advance again and he is positive that the College is the strongest team in the region.
�I would look for us to be in the top 10 for Nationals,� Donovan said.
The women�s team is also getting anxious for the event.
�We have a pretty good chance for Nationals.� Ullmeyer said. �I don�t know what to expect from it, but I am very excited.�
First on the team�s agenda, however, is the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships. The NJAC meet will be on Oct. 30 at Richard Stockton College.