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(05/06/15 8:44pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, the fight which has been years in the making, has come and gone over the weekend, leaving a lot of people wondering: Was it all worth it?
After weeks of commercials touting that “All roads end here” in Las Vegas’s MGM Grand, multiple series about the fighter’s training, stories about their upbringings and years and years of anticipation, Saturday, May 2, the date of the fight, finally arrived and people were excited.
As both fighters entered the ring, announcer Michael Buffer pumped up the audience with his signature slogan, “Let’s get ready to rumble.” Announcers Jim Lambley, along with Roy Jones Jr., got set to call the action as the bell rang — and round one commenced.
A crowd, heavily favoring Pacquiao and booing the undefeated Mayweather, watched as Mayweather did what he always does — staying quick on his feet and stopping his appointment from getting an offensive start, usually by holding him. Even though he was landing more punches, Mayweather seemed off balance and almost a little shocked from the multiple quick shots from Pacquiao.
Round two saw a much more aggressive Pacquiao getting Mayweather into the corner or on the ropes multiple times and beating his midsection relentlessly. As Mayweather hopped and held his way out of these spots, the commentators called it perfectly — he seemed to be fighting scared.
Now, this is where most people are complaining. Mayweather’s tactics of constantly holding his opponents to stop attacks and using quick jabs to increase his number of punches landed isn’t right and made the fight less exciting. But this is something he’s always done, looking back on his fights with brawlers like Ricky Hatton and Arturo Gatti, this has consistently been his way of avoiding damage and picking up rounds. This is how he won so many of the rounds against Oscar De La Hoya a few years back, and in the later rounds against Pacquiao.
This pattern was continued throughout all 12 rounds. Pacquiao had brief spurts of quick offensive shots to the body, but Mayweather cancelled it with a hold.
Mayweather won by unanimous decision, much to the disappointment of Pacquiao, who believed he had won since Mayweather “did nothing” during the bout. The crowd of fans voiced their disappointment online, including former champion Mike Tyson who tweeted, “We waited five years for that…#Underwhelmed #MayPac.”
It could just be me, but I enjoyed that fight immensely. I knew going in that both fighters had their own styles, and both did exactly what I thought they would. Through 12 rounds I was on the edge of my seat watching the fight on my (totally legal) set up. From every Pacquiao body blow to every Mayweather head blow, I was audibly excited.
Pacquiao may not have won, but he is still an amazing fighter who is definitely a Hall of Famer once he decides to hang up his gloves. As for Mayweather, he said his next fight on his Showtime contract in September will be the last one of his career, and a win there will tie his undefeated record with Rocky Marciano’s. I can’t blame him though, since after 20 years of intense training and hard battles it’s not hard to believe he wants to call it quits. Jeremy Schaap of ESPN said something once that describes Mayweather to a tee: “At a certain point, invisibility is boring.”
(05/06/15 8:44pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The softball team entered the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) tournament with high hopes, but returned with mixed results. The Lions faced a crushing loss to William Paterson, but edged out a close win against Rowan University. However, they were finally eliminated from the tournament after a defeat by Kean University.
The College’s first tournamant game came on Tuesday, April 28, against William Paterson in Wayne, N.J.
The Pioneers had a strong start, and that was all they needed in the long run. The bottom of the first saw five runs earned for William Paterson off of three separate hits, giving the Lions a lot of ground to cover early.
William Paterson’s pitching kept the College at bay by shutting them down at the plate for the entire game, leaving them unable to gain any momentum.
The College’s pitcher, junior Katie Hourihan, who came in to relief pitch during the first inning for junior Ashtin Helmer, kept the Pioneers scoreless for the rest of the game. This gave the Lions a fighting chance to try and make up ground.
But it was not to be, as the Lions went hitless and lost the game, 5-0.
The team had to move on, though, since every win counted for them to stay alive in the tournament. Their next tournament game was against Rowan University on Friday, May 1, in Glassboro N.J.
The matchup started out as a pitchers duel, with neither one letting up a run or several hits.
Helmer, who picked up the loss at William Paterson, redeemed herself with a complete six innings of work by keeping the Profs to seven hits.
“Tournament games are the important games,” Helmer said. “They’re the ones you need to really show up for, both physically and mentally. They’re what the season is all about.”
A double in the top of the sixth gave Rowan a one-run lead, but it didn’t last long. Freshman first baseman Bria Bartsch lined a single up the middle to score a run for the Lions, and junior catcher Jamie Purcell was able to reach first base on a fielding error, scoring another run later in the inning.
While the Profs had a few chances, the College was able to hold on to pick up the win, 2-1.
Helmer said the teamwork of the squad is what really gave them an edge.
“We played together,” she said. “Everyone gave it their all, and we left everything on the field. Every aspect of our game was on, and we were unbeatable.”
The team didn’t have to wait long for their next game as it was the following day, Saturday, May 2, against Kean University in Glassboro.
The team had a rough beginning once again and Kean took full advantage in the first. The Cougars scored a total of six runs in the first inning off of two singles, a double, a triple and a fielder’s choice against Lions’ pitchers Helmer and freshman Sam Platt.
Platt helped the team score a run in the second inning with a double to right field, but Kean struck back with another run in the bottom half of the inning.
The third inning had more of the same, with the College getting a run, thanks to Purcell, but Kean scored two more runs after. For every step the Lions took, the Cougars were right there to counter back.
Junior Steph Vuono scored one more run for the College in the fourth off a fielder’s choice, but Kean’s excellent pitching and fielding prowess kept the rest of the game scoreless, leading the Lions to a 9-3 loss and tournament elimination.
Helmer says that first inning put them in a difficult position early.
“We had a rough first inning that put us in a hole,” she said. “We continued to fight each inning, but couldn’t get the win.”
(04/22/15 9:11pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The softball team continued their season over last week, sweeping Stockton University, splitting a set against Kean University and losing efforts against Muhlenberg College.
On Wednesday, April 15, the team traveled to Galloway, N.J. to face off against the Stockton Ospreys in a pair of games.
The first game between the pair was close from the very beginning. Neither team was able to make a dent for the first two innings, thanks to the excellent work on the mound by both pitchers.
However, the Ospreys struck first in the third inning. A throwing error, double and sacrifice hit brought in a total of three runs to give them a lead. The Lions regained control later on in the fifth when junior Deanna Utter continued her impressive season at the plate by singling in a run to make a dent in Stockton’s lead.
The team wasn’t done, however, as they scored five runs between the sixth and seventh innings off singles from freshmen Madison Levine, Bria Bartsch, junior Jamie Purcell and sacrifice hits from Utter and junior Ashtin Helmer.
Freshman Sam Platt picked up the save after allowing two runs in the seventh, making the final, 6-5.
Utter said their opponents were on top of their game all day, making it hard to get something going.
“Stockton was a tough team that fought hard,” she said. “Nothing was given in the game, and we had to fight even harder than them. Their defense made great plays to shut down rallies.”
The second game between the two was just as even, but it took awhile for the Lions to fully get a grip at the plate.
Three scoreless innings lead to the fourth, where the Lions were able to take a quick lead off a sacrifice fly ball from junior Steph Vuono, only to have it tied up again in the bottom half of the inning.
Two more scoreless innings on both sides followed before the College was finally able to finish off the Ospreys in the seventh. Purcell walked with the bases loaded, bringing in a run, followed by a single from Utter bringing in a second run. After an error trying to throw out a stealing Utter, Levine scored from third.
The team returned home on Saturday, April 18 to face off against Kean University’s Cougars.
The first game was a one-sided affair, with Kean taking control early on and holding it throughout as they downed the College, 3-0. The team was able to make the most of their hits in the second game. Bartsch singled in the fifth down the right field line to bring in a run, and Utter belted another home run, her fifth of the season, to score one run. That score held as the Lions picked up the win, 3-2.
The team took a break from its usual set of double headers to play Muhlenberg College’s Mules in one game on Sunday, April 19.
The game was a pitching duel throughout, with neither team getting a hit up until the fourth inning when the Mules were able to reach base. Platt pitched incredibly to get the team out of a tight situation with two runners on base and only one out, without letting up a single run.
“(I) just kept fighting for strikes so the team could get more chances at the plate,” Platt said.
The Mules scored first in the fifth, but the College struck back quickly after junior Kristen Fitzsimmons scored on a throwing error.
Later on in the sixth, Utter singled to center field, bringing in one more run and giving the team a 2-1 lead, leaving them three outs from a win.
However, it was not to be, as the bases ended up loaded in the seventh with one out, and Platt was not able to get out of this one unscathed. Five runs were scored off three separate hits and errors before the inning ended. The team could not come back from this, and the Lions took the 6-2 loss.
Platt said she hopes the team can learn one thing from the last game.
“Just next time seal the deal,” she said. “Don’t give it up late.”
The team now looks towards their last set of regular season games next week at Montclair State University on Tuesday, April 21, and finally at Ramapo College on Saturday, April 25.
(04/15/15 4:20am)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The softball team continued its impressive season, facing off against two Rutgers campuses, Camden and Newark, and earning three wins out of the four games they played at home.
Tuesday, April 7, saw the Lions coming off two straight wins against New Jersey City University, and they looked to keep this trend going against the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors.
In what can only be described as a battle between two great pitchers, both teams were held to less than five hits and were kept scoreless for most of the game. Junior pitcher Ashtin Helmer played through all seven innings, keeping the Raptors at bay with excellent arm work.
Camden’s pitching staff, lead by junior Brittany Scott, also gave the Lions a challenge. Junior infielder Deanna Utter says both teams should be extremely proud.
“Both teams played some great softball,” Utter said. “Rutgers-Camden’s pitcher did a great job at moving the ball around the zone, and we did a great job at making the adjustments and driving the ball. Ashtin did a great job for us on the mound, and our defense was there to back her.”
Taking a cue from herself, Utter would be the first to step up, belting a home run in the fourth inning to give her team a lead. That rally seemed to spark the team, as next inning freshman Bria Bartsch singled in another run, extending the lead.
The Raptors showed signs of a comeback in the last two innings, but the Lions were able to secure the win, 2-1.
The women hoped that this success could carry over into the next game, but the Raptors were not going to take that lying down.
The Lions struck first again in this game right away off a single from Utter, making it 1-0.
Camden struck back just as quickly, though, getting two runners on base in the second before slamming a home run to left center. They weren’t down, however, as they scored two more runs in the third.
Freshman Jess Stevenson later singled in a run for the Lions during the bottom half of the third, but after that, both teams’ pitching took over once again. Both teams had chances after that but couldn’t capitalize, leaving the final score at 5-2 in a loss for the College.
Utter, looking back at the play, said the team needs to understand mistakes will happen and she hopes to correct them.
“Errors are going to happen. It is just important to learn from them in order to improve our future play,” Utter said. “We will continue to practice our approach to help us with our success in the box.”
Moving on from those games, the team looked forward toward two more battles against another Rutgers’ campus on Saturday, April 11, at home, and this time, it was Newark coming down for a fight.
The first game between the two teams was one-sided right from the start. While the Scarlet Raiders were able to keep the Lions down to only eight hits, it’s what they did with those hits that mattered.
In the first inning, Utter’s swing once again lifted the team as she belted a three-run homer to left center. The next inning Bartsch shined again as well, singling in another run, making it 4-0 after only two innings.
The Raiders struck back in the fourth, scoring a run off a double. But a series of singles and sacrifice flies from Bartsch, sophomore Colleen Phelan and junior Kristen Fitzsimmons brought in three more runs in the fourth.
Bartsch, who has been having a great season so far, said she only has one thing on her mind during games.
“I’m looking to help the team, and not really thinking much of (the stats),” Bartsch said.
After one more home run from Utter brought in two more runs in the sixth, the game was called, and the Lions scored the win, 9-1.
However, you can’t count a team like Newark out after a loss like that, and they still had one more game to play.
The Lions first drew blood, scoring off a Phelan fly-out in the first inning. They would strike again in the next inning after a single by junior Steph Vuono brought in yet another run, making it 2-0 after two innings.
Rutgers would battle back in the third after two well placed hits — one double and one single — helped get the Raiders back in the game with the score tied.
Looking back at the play of the Scarlet Raiders, Bartsch said a few things factored into their play compared to the first game.
“They had a lot of timely hits when they needed it,” she said. “It also mattered whether or not they fell in.”
The ball fell in for the Lions later on in the inning thanks to a single by Stevenson to bring in a run, putting the team up by one. The team was able to expand their lead even further in the sixth inning thanks to singles from freshman Madison Levine and Phelan, which scored two more runs.
That was the final, as the team scored another win, 5-2. Now they look toward their next game on Tuesday, April 14, at Richard Stockton. As Bartsch put it, the team hopes to have some great games there.
“We’re really hoping for some good competition,” Bartsch said. “And we hope to come out fighting every time we take the field.”
(04/10/15 4:32am)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The women’s softball team split their last four games with two hard losses to nationally-ranked Rowan University and two impressive wins against New Jersey City University.
The Rowan Profs came into the game on Thursday, April 2, sporting an undefeated record and being a top-10 team in the nation, so the Lions knew they would be in for a challenge on their home turf.
The first game between the two was a close battle which came down to great pitching performances on both sides. Rowan struck first with a run in the second inning, but the College bounced right back in the bottom half thanks to a one-run single off junior Kristen Fitzsimmons.
Freshman Bria Bartsch came in clutch multiple times throughout, helping the Lions take the lead in the third with an RBI triple and continuing in the fourth inning with another run coming off a single, giving the team a 3-1 lead.
Junior pitcher Ashtin Helmer said the team wanted to come out and prove they deserved to be there.
“We came in knowing they were sixth in the nation,” Helmer said. “We just showed we weren’t a team to be walked on.
Still, Rowan’s ranking isn’t for nothing, and the Profs were soon fighting back harder than ever. Between the fifth and seventh innings, they not only kept the Lions from scoring but earned five runs themselves. The College tried to start something in the bottom of the seventh, but ultimately, the final score would be a 6-4 loss for the Lions.
The second game was all Profs, all game — with three runs scored in the first, second and fourth innings and 11 hits altogether, Rowan held the College to only three hits.
No momentum could be scrunched up, as the Profs’ superior pitching dominated to a 9-0 win in only five innings.
Helmer, looking back on both games, said that the Lions are a tough team that needs to reevaluate how they did.
“We need to analyze and reflect on our performance,” she said. “We’re a team that’s going to fight and keep fighting.”
The team had a few days to regroup before they made the trek upstate to Jersey City on Saturday, April 4, to face New Jersey City University.
The Lions were there to fight, and they did just that in the first game. It was an all-around great performance, with Helmer only allowing two hits the entire game and the offense showing up the Gothic Knights.
The first inning started with the Lions scoring four runs off of hits from junior Deanna Utter, sophomore Colleen Phelan and Helmer. But it didn’t end there, as the team continued to gain ground the entire game, including another four-run inning during the fourth.
“The team played together as a whole, our pitchers did a great job and we came out strong offensively,” Bartsch said. “We capitalized on opportunities and took advantage wherever we could.”
Such capitalizing led to a five inning shutout 11-0 win for the Lions, but as usual, there was one more game to be played.
The team got started early at the plate, scoring two runs in the first off of junior Steph Vuono and Utter, and continued hitting throughout. Indeed, the Lions would only come up run-less in just one of seven innings.
Bartsch had a great outing, scoring runs in three separate innings and well as performing terrifically at second base.
The major story of the game, however, was the pitching for the Lions by junior Katie Hourihan, who kept the Gothic Knights hitless the entire seven innings earning herself a no-hitter.
In her opinion, though, that wasn’t that main focus of the game at all.
“I was never worried about the no-hitter late in the game,” she said. “In the later innings I just continued to focus on making every pitch count. When I’m out on the mound, I try to take things one pitch at a time. I knew what pitches had been working well and continued to trust those pitches.”
Her performance, along with the the Lions’ offensive attack, led to another win, this one by the score of 8-0.
“As well as we played today, there is always room to improve,” she said. “Communication is always something we can improve on going forward into the rest of our season.”
The team, now with an 11-5 record, will look toward Tuesday, April 7, when they’ll face Rutgers-Camden at home. Bartsch, looking forward, knows how the team will prepare for these upcoming games.
“We take it one day at a time and keep focusing on getting better as a team, as well as individually,” she said. “No matter who you’re playing, you can never take off any inning, any at bat, any pitch. Today’s wins were great, but it’s time to focus on getting the next ones.”
(04/01/15 11:54pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
After an impressive display in Florida two weeks ago, the softball team finally had another chance to play on Sunday, March 29, against William Paterson University, coming away with two hard-fought wins.
The Lions’ first game against the Pioneers was a pitcher’s duel for both teams early on, as the College was led on the mound by junior Ashtin Helmer against William Paterson’s sophomore Gabrielle Castelli. While Castelli let up a hit early on, Helmer held on to a no-hitter going into the fourth inning. However, it was not to be, as the Pioneers were able to hit one to the outfield to get their first run.
Helmer, though, said it didn’t really bother her at all.
“I wasn’t thinking about that at all throughout the game,” she said. “I just stayed focus on making each and every one of my pitches work.”
She was able to do just that, keeping the Pioneers to just five hits the entire game and leaving the team scoreless in the end.
Meanwhile, on the offensive side, the Lions took a while to get into it, which is a credit to the performance of Castelli and her team. But in the fourth, the ball really started to roll in the Lions’ favor, courtesy of RBIs from junior Deanna Utter and sophomore Colleen Phelan, making the score 2-0.
Helmer claims these results come from the team changing their approach after watching William Paterson play.
“We had to make adjustments to be successful,” she said. “Toward the end of the game, we changed our approach and saw success.”
That change in approach was capped off by Utter, who in the sixth, belted out a homer, making it 3-0. After another shutout inning, that would be the final score.
As per the normal routine of the softball schedule, the team had little time to celebrate as game two of the doubleheader started soon after, and the games mirrored one another almost all the way through.
Once again, both teams had trouble finding hits thanks to the performances of Lions junior pitcher Katie Hourihan and the Pioneers’ sophomore Allison Podmajersky.
Lions freshman infielder Bria Bartsch says their opponent was successful at mixing it up and keeping the team on their toes.
“William Paterson did a good job at trying to keep us off balance at the plate, switching up pitches for each batter individually,” she said. “I think the team just needed to see their pitchers through in order to start capitalizing on what they were throwing us.”
It was in the last inning that the team really started to capitalize. Junior Christine Desiderio, Bartsch and junior Jamie Purcell all brought in runs in the seventh. In a game where the Lions were limited to only three runs, they were the ones standing tall in another 3-0 victory.
The team, with a 9-3 record, now prepares for their next game at home against Rowan University on Tuesday, March 31, at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Right now, Bartsch says the team can be happy with how they played but must improve for next time.
“We communicated well, our defense was solid, our hitting was good and the pitching phenomenal,” she said. “With that said, we can always keep improving. I think something we can work on as a whole is coming out strong offensively from the get-go so we can make a statement and score in the first inning.”
(03/26/15 3:33pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The softball team spent spring break in Florida, but instead of playing on the beach or in a theme park, the Lions were playing some great games against tough opponents. The team, after playing eight games down in Clermont, returned home with six wins.
The women played against Concordia University (Wisconsin) and SUNY Oneonta on Saturday, March 14, and like the season opener, they split the two.
The Falcons of Concordia were held to only two hits thanks to the performance of freshman pitcher Sam Platt, leaving the rest up to the offense. The team was able to come up big in the third inning, scoring three runs courtesy of freshman Bria Bartsch, who tripled to score a run. Along with another run in the seventh, the Lions were able to come out with a 4-0 win.
When asked about her success, Phelan said it was all thanks to the work her team had done.
“I give all the credit to my teammates,” she said. “I wouldn’t be able to score those runs if they were not getting on base ahead of me. As a team, we just need to stay in the mindset of one pitch at a time. That’s how we win games, by stringing hits together.”
The team hoped to could keep the momentum going against a tough SUNY Oneonta team later that day.
Oneonta would strike first, however, scoring two runs in the first inning and keeping the Lions down for most of the game.
The team tried to get something going in the last inning after junior Deanna Utter singled to bring in a run making in 2-1, but the Red Dragons would hold on to capture the victory.
The next day would bring two more games, as Sunday, March 15, saw the Lion’s facing the University of Massachusetts Boston and Western Connecticut State University.
The Beacons of UMass may have left the Lions scoreless in the first, but the same could not be said for the second inning. The College amassed seven runs as they batted around.
The Lions’ pitching was also able to keep the Beacons down until the fourth inning when they scored four runs. However, the combined effort of Platt and junior Ashtin Helmer helped the team keep the lead and secure the 7-4 victory.
The team then went up against the Colonials from Western Connecticut, who came out swinging and kept it close the whole way through.
After giving up a run in the second, the Lions would bide their time and efforts until the third, when juniors Jamie Purcell and Phelan singled in runs to make it 2-1. The Colonials would battle back, however, scoring three in the sixth off a few stray hits and an error.
Down by two in the seventh, the Lions needed to get something going, and Phelan did just that. With freshman Morgan Gualtieri on base, she tripled into the outfield bringing the deficit to one run. Then, freshman Jess Stevenson singled in Phelan to tie it up.
When asked about her team’s success and missteps during the game, Phelan said it all comes together when it needs to.
“We are a very young team, and no matter how experienced a team is, there are going to be hiccups early in the season,” Phelan said. “We came together and had some clutch play from every single person in the lineup.”
One of those clutch plays came from freshman Madison Levine, who in extra innings was able to single in the winning run, making the final score 5-4.
With a two-game winning streak under their belts, the Lions went into the next game on Tuesday, March 17, with ambitions to keep the momentum going against Hope College, but were silenced, 9-2.
It may have been a desire to bounce back after the last outing, but the Lions came out very strong right off the bat against Plymouth State University. The team plated three in the first and received solid outings from pitchers Platt and Hourihan once again in a 6-0 victory.
The final two games in the Florida outing came on Thursday, March 19, against Utica College and McDaniel College, both wins for the College.
The team now has to prepare not only for classes to restart, but for their next games on Wednesday, March 25, at DeSales University, and Levine thinks the team’s only going to get better.
“As we continue to clean up little things,” Levine said. “Individually, the team will be stronger as a whole.”
(03/11/15 6:35pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The softball team opened their season last Sunday, March 8, with a doubleheader in Salisbury, Md. taking both an impressive win over SUNY Cortland by a score of 5-1 and a disappointing loss to Salisbury University, 12-1.
The Lions came into the games wanting a fresh start from last year’s rough season and were able to show significant improvement in their first game against the Cortland Red Dragons. Junior pitcher Ashtin Helmer took the mound for the team and put on an impressive display, holding the Dragons to only four hits over seven innings.
Helmer was very happy with the work of her team in the field.
“I couldn’t be more happy with our performance both defensively and offensively against Cortland,” she said. “Everyone did executed their jobs perfectly.”
Speaking of the offense, the team was able to get eight hits during the game with players like junior Steph Vuono and freshman Bria Bartsch, both of which helped the team score three runs in the first. The remaining runs were scored by junior Jamie Purcell in the seventh, whose single up the left side helped bring in a run, and Bartsch again, who brought in two more runs in the seventh.
Helmer says this first game success was all about the team coming together.
“We all synced together for the first game,” she said. “I knew that any ball hit would be properly fielded. This really gave me confidence and allowed me to throw all my pitches fearlessly.”
This newly “synced” Lion’s team was able to come away with a 5-1 win, and looked ahead to their next game against Salisbury University, which took place immediately after in a double-header.
Junior pitcher Katie Hourihan started off the game for the team and knew the Sea Gulls were going to be a tough opponent.
“I knew the Salisbury lineup would be a challenge to throw to,” she said. “They’re a great team and are super aggressive.”
That aggression was shown right away as the Gulls were able to score six runs in the first, and scored in every single inning after that.
The defensive performance by Salisbury was also commendable, as they kept the Lion’s to one hit and only one run in the entire game, as they picked up 12 runs.
The Lion’s tried to keep the game going by scoring in the top of the fifth, but since they were still down by over 10 runs, the game was called due to the mercy rule.
The team has to look past this loss and toward their upcoming spring trip in Clermont, Fla. The team will have games starting on Saturday, March 14, against Concordia University Wisconsin and SUNY Oneonta and will have six more games over the next five days down there.
Hourihan says that she isn’t worried about the team lingering on the past.
“I have no doubt that the team will be able to bounce back from the tough game,” she said. “We just need to stay aggressive and focus on the little things, like catching and throwing. I know we can be successful, and going forward, we just need to stay confident and make the basic plays.”
(03/10/15 2:05pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
A few weeks back, I wrote a piece about the boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao possibly becoming a reality after years of build up. Well, since then, not only has the fight been announced for Pay-Per-View in Las Vegas for Saturday, May 2, but NBC has announced that boxing will make its return to network cable within the next few weeks.
The Premier Boxing Champions series will make its television debut this Saturday night, March 7, on NBC in one of five primetime telecasts scheduled for the network. Both NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will combine for 20 matches overall, with a deal being worked out with CBS for up to eight afternoon fights starting Wednesday, April 8, and a few Friday night matches on Spike TV beginning in mid-March.
This effort to bring boxing back to the mainstream is one of the best ones I’ve seen in a while and looks very promising to the sports world. UFC/MMA did this a few years back – having more matches on networks like Spike and NBC Sports while still having Pay-Per-View cards -- and it has increased the sport’s overall appeal from niche to a more broad group.
What sets this apart from UFC/MMA, however, is the broad set of channels on which boxing will be available. NBC and CBS are both basic cable channels and will definitely garner a good amount of viewers. Spike and NBCSN are also great to have, as each has shown in the past to hold their own when broadcasting sporting events. NBC also is staking not only the boxing cards, but the announcing one too, bringing in Marv Albert for NBC, Kenny Albert for NBC Sports, Sugar Ray Leonard as an analyst and Al Michaels to help the debut broadcast.
With the network pushing this heavily on it, boxing has a lot to live up to again, and I personally hope this sport can hit a nerve with the American sports culture and become big like it once was.
(02/25/15 7:44pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
After a tough season last year, the softball team is hoping to rebound with both a mix of new freshmen on the team and improvements with returning players.
The 2014 Lions earned a 10 and 24 record, but returning sophomore Colleen Phelan says that isn’t a good representation of what the team actually accomplished.
“Last season was a huge learning experience for all of us,” she said. “The record we had did not truly display what we had as a team, which is a lot of heart for the game and each other.”
She went on to say that this year, the team “knows now what we need to do to get the job done and everyone working hard.”
The team has gained six new freshman players for 2015, including Sam Platt, who has the total support of junior Jamie Purcell.
“(Platt) is our pitcher, and she is going to make an impact right away,” Purcell said. “She has been working hard and will do a great job for us.”
Phelan also looked at the pool of freshmen with confidence and hope.
“Our freshman class as a whole this year is bringing in a lot of talent in a lot of places,” Phelan said. “Overall, they are already contributing to the team, and I look forward to seeing it all come together.”
The team is going to need to work together, both returning and new players alike, if they hope to fulfill the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) preseason poll. The Lions were voted as one of the teams poised to get into the postseason this year, along with Rowan University (the league favorite), William Paterson University, Kean University and Montclair State.
It should also be said that the team has some impressive returning players as well. Both Phelan and Purcell earned NJAC honors last year.
Other key returning players include junior pitcher Ashtin Helmer, who recorded 100 strikeouts in 97 innings and lead the team in wins last year, and junior infielder Deanna Utter, who lead the team in doubles and ended the season with an even .300 batting average.
With a team like this, Phelan hopes this season is successful both on the field and with each other.
“My hopes for the season are for all of us to really come together as a team,” she said. “If this happens, we will be unbeatable.”
She did say, however, that the postseason isn’t something she’s looking at right now.
“Our strategy is to take it one game at a time,” Phelan said. “Each pitch is valuable, and if we treat every game like this, we will be successful.”
Purcell, on the other hand, has big hopes right away for the team.
“Our hopes are to win an NJAC championship and advance to regionals,” she said. “We believe that we can have a winning season, and we are going to keep working hard till we achieve that.”
The first game of the season is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28, at noon against Ithaca College at Dr. June Walker Field.
“No matter when our first game is, we will be ready,” Phelan said. “Our coaching staff has been doing a great job preparing us physically and mentally, and when we step on the field for the first time, expectations will be high.”
(02/18/15 6:24pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
You know that scene in every slasher film over the last 20 years? You know the one where the young guy is stumbling around in the dark, alone, with the ominous music playing in the background? You know the killer is going to get him, you just don’t know when. Then the music stops, and you’re really expecting it to happen, and it still doesn’t. That summarizes the proposed fight between boxers Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
Between 2008 and 2009, the two fighters were experiencing a lot of success in their respective careers. Mayweather had come out of his brief retirement to face Juan Manuel Márquez, and Pacquiao had become one of the top fighters in the world, beating Márquez once and also scoring an eighth-round TKO over Oscar Del La Hoya, one of the sports’s best fighters. Over the next few months, Mayweather would take shots at Pacquiao and his accomplishments, saying they weren’t impressive since he’d beaten the same people.
Then, the media and public went insane, demanding this fight. In late 2009, it was leaked that a fight was being planned for May of 2010, but after Mayweather required “Olympic style drug testing,” negotiations fell through. Then in the middle of 2010, reports of another negotiation were being circulated, but neither fighter would comment on it fully, and promoters said they knew nothing. Since then, the situation has been continous, with people saying every so often that, “Hey, maybe it’s happening,” followed by nothing.
This entire ordeal can be made into a professional wrestling storyline, and it would make perfect sense. It has the drama — the over-zealous guy who can’t be beat against the small guy that everyone loves, while the media and fan attention around it is absurd.
But the long ordeal may finally be over. Currently, reports say that both fighters have agreed to a $250 million fight in Las Vegas sometime in May. If this happens, this can be the biggest match in boxing since Ali vs. Frazier.
Even if you’re not into boxing, chances are you’re still going to watch this if you are a sports fan. The same way the Super Bowl draws everyone in, this fight will have viewing parties. It’s only a matter of time before these two meet, and when they do, expect a lot of ads, a lot of sponsors and a lot of people wondering why Sportscenter suddenly cares about this sport.
(02/11/15 6:41pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
The Lions put on a strong performance on Saturday, Feb. 7, against William Paterson University, beating them 174-91. Coming into their matchup against the Pioneers, the College had already clinched its eighth-straight NJAC title, which was presented to both the men’s and women’s teams at the end of the meet, respectively.
Before the event started, both teams paid respect to the Lions’ seniors, for whom this would be the last regular season meet at the College. Seniors Meaghan Burke, Carlyn Hubert, Katie Reilly, Brennah Ross, Summer Thomas, Chrisitan Bacchia, Aleksander Burzysnki, Christopher Dunn, Dennis Hall-App, Mark Marsella, Brett Pedersen and Brian Perez were all honored with flowers as their accomplishments in both sports and academics were announced over the loudspeakers.
Thomas, the women’s team captain, said that the entire event was emotional.
“It’s really sad,” she said. “It’s almost all over, and this is my last time swimming in this pool for the College.”
After that however, both teams got ready for the challenge William Paterson presented.
In the first race, the women’s 200 yard medley relay, the Lion’s came out strong taking four of the top five spots, starting with 15 points.The men quickly followed suit in their 200 yard medley relay, with the top three all being Lions’ swimmers securing 15 more points.
The women’s 1000 yard freestyle also saw Lions freshman Marta Lawler, freshman Madeline Clements and freshman Kathleen Kilfeather taking the top three spots, respectively, and getting 16 points.
Many of the swimmers had multiple victories during the day, including Pedersen, who won both the 100 yard breaststroke and the 500 yard freestyle.
The College continued with its success for the rest of the day, with freshman Chris O’Sullivan winning on the men’s 1000 yard freestyle, freshman Emily Rothstein and junior Joe Dunn winning their 200 yard freestyle races, and freshman Jillian Galindo and Junior Dante Colucci winning their team’s 100 yard backstroke race. In the 100 yard breaststroke, Ross came through for his team in the last home race with a win.
After the win, Hubert, co-captain of the women’s team, said the team needs to keep its morale up while moving forward into the Metropolitan Conference Championships.
“A lot of it is keeping the team’s morale high,” she said. “But around this time, everyone gets excited for Mets.”
Thomas also thinks that some practices up until the championships will help the team focus.
“We just need to work on the little things and train hard for two weeks,” Thomas said.
The conference championships start next week on Friday, Feb. 20, at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J.
Looking forward at her remaining time with the team, Hubert closed by reminding people it’s not just about one person.
“This whole thing is bittersweet, but events like this remind you it’s a team sport not just won by an individual,” Hubert said.
(02/11/15 6:31pm)
By Michael Battista
Sports Assistant
In last week’s article, I wrote about how the United States’ interest in soccer has been increasing every year thanks to events like the World Cup and outside influences like the Barclay’s Premier League. Recreation, or youth soccer, has also had a steady growth in popularity over the last few years.
Compared to other youth sports in the states, soccer ranks second in overall players, trailing behind basketball, but ahead of baseball and football, according to Forbes. According to a 2007 FIFA study, the U.S. ranks first in the number of youth soccer players in countries that made the World Cup this year, with 24.5 million players, ranking second behind China.
This doesn’t even include education programs, which have also seen a rise in popularity over the last few years. A New York Times article published after 2010’s World Cup states that the number of high school soccer players has more than doubled since 1990 to 730,106 athletes, which is the fastest growth rate among any major sport, according to statistics gathered by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.
Even the number of women’s college teams has jumped 115 percent since the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994, and the number of men’s teams rose 27.6 percent over the same time, according to the NCAA.
So, what is it that attracts youth to the sport but doesn’t keep their interest to watch it regularly like so many other major ones? Well, one very simple idea may be the cost of entry to play.
Soccer doesn’t require much equipment to play, with the only major things needed being a ball and cleats. A quick look at sporting retails such as Modell’s and Dick’s shows that a basic soccer ball costs around $15, while a basic pair of cleats varies by brand and costs around $35. Now, if it’s a team organization, paying for a uniform would also be in order, but compared to other sports, this isn’t that bad. With sports like football and hockey where all the equipment can add to hundreds of dollars, soccer is a low cost option that has the same team skills parents want their kids to experience.
Kids aren’t just playing soccer on the field anymore either. The annual FIFA video game franchise published by EA Sports is one of the world’s most successful video game series. The game is already the best-selling sports video game in history, according to CNN Money, with well over 100 million copies sold since 1993.
In the U.S., the 2014 edition of the game “FIFA 15” had a total of 66,287 pre-orders before the game was released in September of 2014, according to VGChartz.
With all these kids playing the sport, both on the field and on the television, the question is will this affect the sport’s television ratings in the future? These players spend hours practicing and having fun with friends and teammates, so shouldn’t they watch the sport they spent so much time with?
A report by the Huffington Post claims that the two most passionate fans about soccer are Hispanics and young adults ranging from ages 18 to 19.
Still, the growing shifts are promising signs in a country with an abundance of sports to watch. These large numbers of players may not have an impact now, but it could keep growing over time.
Soccer’s advancement in America is covering almost every medium, from the youth leagues to the video game scene. If this sport wants to advance from hobby or interest into big-league player in the U.S., it all depends on how spread out it is. With this much possible exposure, soccer is definitely going to get larger as time goes on.
(02/05/15 12:06am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
Every saturday starting in August and going till May, freshman Interactive Multimedia major Michael Martin breaks the usual trend of people his age by waking up early just to watch a soccer game.
7 a.m. start times on some days, 9 a.m. on others, all hoping to catch his favorite team Chelsea FC play, a full six hours ahead of him time wise in their home city of London, England.
But after the game ends, he won’t see advertisements using any of their players like Diego Costa or Eden Hazard. He won’t see Chelsea FC merchandize in Models or Dick’s Sporting Goods, nor will he see it for any Premier League Team. The way the American sports landscape is right now, soccer isn’t one of the top sports in the nation for people to watch.
But recent trends in both ratings and public interest after this year’s World Cup could be an indication of a change in the sports landscape.
Usually, when talking to sports fans in the United States, it almost seems as though people view soccer as more of a hobby rather than a major attraction like other sports.
“Americans think it’s not action-y enough.” Martin says, “There are sports that are physical and quick like football and hockey, not technically heavy like soccer”
What about America’s soccer league, Major League Soccer (MLS) — How does that fair in the standings with the other big sports?
According to a Sport’s Business Daily article, NBC Sports raked in about 112,000 viewers per match, a 0.1 on the Nielsen ratings, which records audience size. ESPN and ESPN2 both respectively averaged 220,000 per match, also a 0.1.
However, 2014 saw a jump in viewers, according to an article from Soccer America. ESPN2 jumped 20,000 viewers to reach a 0.2 rating, while NBC Sports gained 30,000, but stayed at 0.1.
In the last World Cup, which broadcasts on major networks in the United States, more people watched the U.S. team lose to Belgium in the final 16 of the tournament (16.5 million) then last year’s NBA finals game between the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat (15.5 million).
It should be noted, however, that the World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina broke a television record in the U.S. for a soccer game with 26.6 million viewers on ABC.
Still, the growing shifts are promising signs in a country with an abundance of sports to watch. Martin believes with some hope that these large numbers of big-name players may not have an impact now, but it could keep growing over time.
With more people tuning in for both Premier League and MLS, people like Martin may start to see more direct influences for their favorite sport in the near future for the first time in this country.
(12/01/14 8:52pm)
Freshman Jessica Goldman scores the game-winner in overtime. (Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk)
Following their NJAC loss, the Lions traveled up to Geneva, N.Y., to compete in their 24th NCAA tournament. The team was able to win the first round game against Allegheny, 3-0, on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Senior Christine Levering said in these kind of games, every team needs to play with everything it has.
“Since its ‘if you lose you’re out,’ it makes every team come out like it could be their last,” she said. “The playoffs can be anyone’s game depending on who wants it more.”
The Lions played with this kind of mentality, as they came out swinging in the first half. Freshman Jessica Goldman was able to cross a free kick to Levering early on in the game and create a scoring opportunity, putting the Lions on top at 15:38.
The Lions continued to push against the Gator’s defense, getting past them and taking shots again and again.
It wasn’t too long before something finally gave once again, as Levering was able to beat two defenders and blast in another goal, giving the Lions a commanding lead at 32:21.
It wasn’t only the offense that was putting on a dominant display. The defense was able to keep the Gators to only two shots in the entire first half, compared to the Lions nine.
Once the first half ended, Allegheny picked itself up and started to push back hard against the college in the second.
In the first 15 minutes of the half, the Gators were able to take more shots than they were able to in the entire first.
However, the Lions were able to keep them back long enough for Levering to finish off a hat trick off a cross at the top of the box from sophomore Sarah Marion at 54:43.
The Gators continued to push, taking six shots to the Lions’ three, but Levering says this was all because of the team’s play style.
“I think in the second half we had the lead 2-0, so we were playing more defensively as opposed to the first half,” she said. “I feel like Allegheny had more energy coming out in the second half, but we were able to hold them off and get the win.”
Goalie Kendra Griffith, who had a total of four saves in the game, said the defense did a great job in keeping the Gator’s back.
“Allegheny definitely had their chances, and they were decent chances,” she said. “Our team did a great job keeping their aggressive nature to a minimum and controlling any situations that became dangerous.”
With that, the team was able to get past Allegheny in the first round and look toward the next day’s game on Sunday, Nov. 16, against William Smith College. Levering looked at it as another challenge.
“I think I have to come out just as strong as I did today because William Smith is not going to let us walk over them,” she said.
The Herons battled the Lion’s through two halves and two overtimes before the College was able to take the win, 2-0.
The first half was back and forth, each team having bursts in each other’s zone that showed how talented its offense was — both in terms of outmaneuvering the opposing defense and being able to work together with few mistakes as a unit.
But, the Lion’s were charged with a penalty midway through the first, leaving senior defender Brenna Kincaid able to sink her first goal of the season off a penalty kick at 28:40.
The half continued on with more of the same — the defense continued keeping the shots to a low count and each team kept getting chances at each other. The Lions were trying to get something started, but not before the 45-minute mark was reached.
The second started off almost the same, but with both team’s playing even harder on defense.
Both teams were able to take more shots in the second compared to the first, but it was the College that was able to sink the important goal.
The star of the last game, Levering was able to come through again and tie the game with a goal, her 15th of the season, from the far left sideline at 83:35.
With the score tied 1-1 at the end of the second, the game headed into overtime. These shorter periods were all Lions, as they had more shot attempts than William Smith in both the first and second overtimes.
Particularly in the second, where in the span of five minutes after its start, the team had three shots with one of them being the all-important one. Freshman Jessica Goldman was able make a shot from a corner kick, which slid in for the game winner at exactly 105:00.
With that, the Lions are moving on to the third round. Their next game is Saturday, Nov. 22, and they will be playing at Cole Field in Williamstown, MA at 1:30 p.m. against the Misericordia Cougars.
(11/16/14 3:09am)
The playoff semifinals were a testament that the women’s soccer team was ready for a challenge, one over which they triumphed as they pushed past a talented Richard Stockton College team 2-0 on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
The third-seeded Ospreys were coming off a 3-1 win against sixth-seeded Rutgers-Newark on Saturday, Nov. 1 in the first round of the playoffs. This was the Lions’ first playoff game of the year with first seeded Montclair, as their second seed earned them a bye in the first round.
Senior Gina Caprara doesn’t think the extra time off had any negative effects on the team, saying that the team just wanted to play.
“We were more excited that we had a bye because it gave us more time to practice and get ready for two of the biggest games yet,” Caprara said. “We all had the confidence that we were going to make it to the finals, and during that extra practice time, we brought up the energy which allowed us to win.”
In a game like this, neither team expects it to be easy. Both the Lions and the Ospreys pushed against each other’s advances. Whenever one tried to push into the others zone, the defense kicked it back to the middle. This went on for almost the entire first half, with each team having bursts of strong offensive attack.
However, the Lions were able to strike first right before the end of the half. Caprara found a way to net a goal from the center of the box off a perfect cross from sophomore Lauren Malajian at 42:07.
Caprara says it was all about timing.
“I honestly was in the right spot at the right time,” Caprara said. “Lauren crossed it in, one of the Stockton players missed it, and I knew I had to finish it. No one was marking me either, so I was able to get away from everyone crowded in front of the net.”
After the half, the Ospreys broke through the Lions’ defense almost immediately, pursuing a legitimate scoring chance that was stopped by goalie Kendra Griffith. However, after Stockton had a burst of offense, the College did as well.
This led to a corner pass from sophomore Brianna Petro, who outran the Osprey’s defender. The pass was able to slip past the Ospreys’ goalie and allowed sophomore Christine Levering to kick it in to put the Lions up by two at 52:37.
The game continued back and forth, with Stockton taking three total shots in the second half — a game total of six — and the Lions able to get eight total shots — a game total of 11.
In the end, the Lions were able to come away with the win. Now, the team will look forward to Saturday, Nov. 8 and the game against Montclair in the final.
With the Hawks being one of only two teams to beat the Lions in the regular season, Caprara still believed it to be like any other game.
“We knew who the better team was when we played them, and we are just as good as them if not better,” Caprara said in preparation for the game. “I think it will be a great game, but if we come out with the energy and fight that we have recently been bringing, then we should win the NJAC easily.”
With that, the team prepped for the game up in Montclair on Saturday, Nov. 8, and hoped it could undo the mistakes it had made against the team during its regular season meeting.
This is a game that the Lions had chance after chance with which to take a commanding lead, but the team could never finish off a resilient Hawks opponent. This led to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation play, a 0-0 score at the end of double overtime and a shootout that left the Lions with a disappointing loss.
Freshman Elizabeth Thoresen was able to blast in a goal from the outside off a pass from senior Korrie Harkins in the first at 19:48. However, this would be the only goal for the Lions.
Later in the first, Montclair was able to strike back after freshman Daniella Greco was able to recover a rebound off the crossbar and kick in a goal, tying the game at 1-1 at 30:54.
From there, the game bounced back and forth, with each team gaining multiple opportunities but never finishing. The Lions led the Hawks in shot attempts with a game total of 23. Montclair went multiple lengths of time with zero shots and ended up with 11, thanks to a stellar defense from the College.
However, after two periods of overtime, both teams headed toward a deciding shootout.
Junior Taylor Lusardi stepped up for the College first but missed her shot against goalie Gina Policastro. Montclair senior Francesca Gibson was able to make her shot, putting the Hawks up 1-0.
Up next was senior Lori Genovesi, who was able to make her shot, and with Hawks sophomore Erin Sullivan missing her attempt, the two teams were back to being tied.
After both teams made their next shots, Thoresen tried to put the Lions ahead but missed her shot, allowing junior Martina Landeka to sink hers, and put the Hawks ahead. Caprara was unable to make her attempt, ending the Lions season and denying them the NJAC title.
However, the Lions still received an at-large bid for the NCAA Division III Tournament and will take on Allegheny College in the opening round.
“We have had a strong regular season and hope that will carry us very deep into the tournament,” Griffith said.
(11/06/14 3:00am)
In the last game of the season, in what can be described as an early playoff game, the women’s soccer team was able to get a hard fought 2-0 win over the Rowan Profs on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Both playoff-bound teams were playing for first round byes. The Lions could either win or tie to secure a bye while the Profs needed the win.
A small ceremony took place before the game to honor the seniors in their last regular season game at the college. These seniors included Kendra Griffith, Korrie Harkins, Tara Fisher, Lori Genovesi, Jordan Downs and Gina Caprara. The players received a bouquet of flowers and a large bag filled with gifts, as their accomplishments were announced over the stadium’s loudspeaker.
Griffith wasn’t sure how to explain the entire scene.
“Its crazy how fast all of this went by,” she said.
Hawkins looked back as well, saying that it felt “weird that I was a senior and not an underclassman standing on the sideline watching someone else.”
After that, the team was able to move on and immediately focused on the difficult challenge that lay ahead. The game was defined by each team’s talented defense, keeping each other in check for a majority of the game. This meant most of the shots taken by the Profs came from far out, keeping Griffith on her toes throughout.
“We played excellent defense,” Griffith said. “(We) gave them no chances, and I was able to take care of everything that came my way.”
The Profs’ defense kept the Lions back for awhile, but started to feel pressured as time went on. Profs players like senior Chelsea Eckel and freshman Emily Daigle pushed the ball back to the middle for almost the entire half.
Toward the later half of the first, however, the Lions were able to cut through with the help of another one of the night’s honorees.
Off an assist by sophomore Christine Levering, Harkins was able to get past every Prof defender and plant a goal from the middle of the box at 32:06.
Harkins said the goal had to come eventually.
“It took a lot of effort, but with that much pressure something has to give eventually,” she said. “I still couldn’t believe it, though.”
Almost as if the team sensed the Profs were shaken up, they were able to strike again. A minute later with chaos in the box after Profs goalie Carleigh Trivino failed to pick up a pass, Levering knocked in the ball for another goal at 33:50.
The game continued on into the second half, as the Rowan squad continued to fight, even after the players began to show some fatigue. The same went for the Lions, as each team’s offence kept trying to push, hoping for the slightest slip up. The Prof’s offense was able to get three shots in each half, while the Lion’s were able to get 11 in the first and seven in the second, a game total of 18.
When the final whistle blew, the women’s team was able to come away with the win, cementing its first round bye as the second seed. It wasn’t hard to believe that the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) had released its rankings that day with the team being ranked 13th in the nation for its division, with Montclair (the first seed) being ranked 10th.
With that, and the following day’s games, the playoff picture was complete, and the first four seeds were cemented: Montclair State, The College of New Jersey, Stockton and Rowan.
The first round bye leaves the team’s first game in the playoffs on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at home, but no official appointment has been announced yet.
Griffith hopes that the extra time is going to be used for extra practice. She believes some parts of the team need some fine-tuning before the next game.
“We need to focus on keeping our energy levels high during games, plus finishing strong,” she said. “(We) just have to get ready for the postseason.”
Harkins for her part, just sees the next few days as a chance to keep doing what the team has already been doing.
“We’re going to recover over the next few days, take it easy,” Harkins said. “Then, it’ll be about keeping our fitness up.”
(10/31/14 12:27am)
The women’s soccer team stole the show during the Homecoming sporting events, beating William Paterson University 9-0 with a dominating display on Saturday, Oct. 25.
The Lions spent most of the game in the Pioneer’s zone, taking a grand total of 26 shots during the game (12 during the first half and 14 during the second), compared to the four taken by William Paterson during both halves.
Lions sophomore defenseman Brianna Petro, who was able to score her first goal of the season (42:16) and earned the team’s game hat — marking the player of the game — thought the defense was outstanding.
“They played well all around,” she said. “We worked really hard to get the ball back every time we lost it.”
The team rarely lost the ball, however, and when they did, it was only for one to three minute bursts. The Pioneers could never really get anything going against the Lions during the full 90 minutes.
Senior Korrie Harkins, who scored a hat trick during the game with three goals (9:16, 46:55, and 55:42), further complimented the team’s defense.
“They work hard,” Harkins said. “They’re hard to get past.”
When the defense wasn’t busy keeping the Pioneers at bay, the offense really shined. The Lions offense was able to both outmaneuver and force its way through a confused Pioneers defensive line.
Harkins went on to say that “everyone on the team was high energy” and that the buildup of energy allowed for an explosive offensive performance.
The rest of the goals came from freshman Elizabeth Thoreson (5:44), freshman Jessica Goldman (5:44 and 57:35), senior Gina Caprara (74:52) and freshman Hannah Richman (83:49).
After that kind of performance, however, Petro wasn’t going to let cockiness take over, as she looked to where the team could improve.
“We still have things to work on — our energy at times and our missed opportunities are some of them,” she said.
Coach Joe Russo went on to include that practices will focus more on offensive play as well.
“We can become more dangerous in the attacking third and as a team altogether,” he said.
The team’s previous scheduled game against Steven’s Institute of Technology on Tuesday, Oct. 22, was canceled due to inclement weather. The next game is the last of the regular season against Rowan University on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at home.
After that, the playoffs start, and depending on the result of Tuesday’s game, the Lions may receive a bye in the first round.
Harkins, however, believes the team’s focus lies on the more imminent task.
“We have one more regular season game, that’s what matters,” she said. “We’ll celebrate this win today. Tomorrow, we look toward our next game.”
(10/22/14 9:49pm)
While students were rocking out at the fall concert, the women’s soccer team was out on the field putting on a show of its own. Lead by freshman Elizabeth Thoreson, sophomore Christine Levering and freshman Jessica Goldman, the Lions were able to overpower an impressive Farmingdale Rams squad, 4-0, on Thursday, Oct. 9.
The first goal of the game came from Thoreson, taking only one minute and 25 seconds to score. After that, the defense didn’t need to worry too much, as the offense was able to keep the ball in the Ram’s zone for a large majority of the first half.
The team had plenty of opportunities in the first half — 11 shots with five corner kicks — but the score stayed the same. Whether it be kicks soaring over the goal or taking to long to make shots, the team couldn’t finish off play after play.
During the halftime talk, Coach Joe Russo discussed what exactly needed to be done if they wanted to make sure their lead stayed.
“We talked about being more determined with our plays and having more attack,” Russo said.
That strategy showed immensely in the second half. The Rams may have started with the ball, but soon after, the Lion’s found themselves in the same situation as the first half, loaded with opportunities. This time, however, the girls took advantage.
First came Levering’s goal off an assist from senior Korrie Harkins late in the 57th minute. Less than three minutes later, Goldman added on another point off a Levering assist.
Then, just over a minute later, Levering shot and went off the crossbar, setting up Thoreson to score off the rebound to net her second goal of the game.
“That’s just soccer,” Thoreson said. “The first half, we had too many missed shots. We just finished in the second.”
The Rams followed those five minutes with several bursts of offense, but the Lions defense kept them at bay, not allowing a single shot on goal against goalie Kendra Griffith. On the other side, the team was able to take a total of 16 shots in the second, making a game total of 27.
Russo was happy the team “finished (their) chances,” noting how the Lions “had them in the first, but (were) much better attacking in the second.”
In a game where the Lions controlled the ball for most of the first half, and even more effectively in the second, Thoreson brought up how the team was still trying to deal with the hard loss to Montclair last week.
“We’re still angry about Montclair. We just wanted to win and prove to everyone that we can still win,” she said.
True to her words, the team continued to show their strength and determination on Saturday, Oct. 11, as they scored another shutout victory, beating New Jersey City University 6-0 on the road. Once again, the girls didn’t allow a single shot on goal against them while taking a game total of 41 shots.
Repeat goals came from Goldman (4:43), Thoreson (6:13) and Levering (13:38), with the other goals coming from junior Justine Larocca (36:03), freshman Hannah Richman (81:35) and Sophomore Marissa Scognamiglio (82:25).
Then, on Thursday Oct. 16, the team gained another victory against Rutgers-Camden at home, with the Scarlet Knights putting up a hard fight.
The 4-0 final came after two back to back goals in the first from freshmen Kathryn Bednarsky (26:16) and Abigail Emmert (29:53). These were followed in the second half with a Goldman goal off a cross (65:57) and a corner kick goal from sophomore Lauren Malajian (87:31).
Finally, the team traveled up I-95 and faced a hungry Ramapo team. The Roadrunners were coming off a 2-1 victory against New Jersey University, and hoped that a win against the Lion’s would kick start a win streak to lift the team’s record.
However, the stellar defense kept them at bay, keeping Ramapo to only five shot attempts. The Lion’s on the other hand we’re able to pick up a goal in each half, ending the game with a 2-0 shutout.
Levering picked up her ninth goal of the season (12:33) and Harkins picked up her fourth off assists from Thoreson and senior Jordan Downs (55:57).
The team is preparing for its next game on Wednesday, Oct. 22, against Steven’s Institute of Technology. The Ducks are coming off a loss against Nazareth College, bringing their overall record to 9-5, and will be looking for a morale boosting and much needed win against the Lion’s.
Russo said that the biggest factor for the Lions’ tough games to come is “imposing our will on our opponents throughout the game.”
(10/07/14 3:59pm)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team received its second loss of the year after a disappointing 0-1 loss to Montclair University’s Red Hawks on Saturday, Oct. 4. The four-game winning streak came to an end as the Hawk’s outmaneuvered the Lion’s defense after an evenly paced game.
This came after last Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Richard Stockton, in which the team was able to outplay the Ospreys, only allowing two shots on goal while having 23 shot attempts. However, the game showed the team’s tendency to miss goal opportunities, such as four consecutive uncapitalized corner kicks during the 68th and 69th minutes.
Saturday’s game against the Hawks was played mostly in the center of the field, with both teams playing to each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Both teams match up well with each other athletically,” Coach Joe Russo said. He went on to call the game “a rematch of last years conference championship game.”
The first half was defined by each team’s missed opportunities and quick possessions in each other’s zones.
It was filled with what sophomore Brianna Perto called “a lot of missed opportunities throughout.” She also contributed the ball’s tendency to stay in the middle as a mix of great defence throughout and an offence that wouldn’t quit for both teams.
The first half also showcased how rough both squads could be. The Hawks received two yellow cards in the 29th and 36th minutes, along with five fouls compared to the Lion’s one foul toward the end of the half. At times, the angry Lions crowd, made up of about 600 ticketed attendees, showed its disapproval of the Hawk’s play, wondering why there weren’t more cards.
Coach Russo, however, defended the official’s calls, saying that he “actually thought (he) did a nice job.”
The second half started with the Lions showing a more aggressive side, as the squad got more shots out early, had two corner kicks and received a foul all in the first five minutes.
While Petro thought that “the team played pretty consistently throughout the game,” she admitted that “there were more opportunities in the second half.”
While the ball continued to spend a lot of time in the middle, both ends saw more action in the second half. The Lions had 12 shot attempts to the Hawks’ five. However, it was the Hawks’ senior Francesca Gibson who was able to get past the far-up defense and kick past senior goalie Kendra Griffith as she moved up trying to make a save.
Half the crowd erupted in cheers while Lions fans were left silenced watching the ball slowly roll in.
When asked about the defense not getting back in the play, Coach Russo defended its style, saying “that’s actually what you need from your back line … stay connected to the midfield so that there isn’t large gaps between lines.” He concluded by saying that “the bigger problem is not having pressure on the ball.”
Petro agrees, believing the Hawks did a more effective job in the second half of putting “more offensive pressure” on the ball and outpacing the Lions.
After that, the game would be mostly in the Hawks end, with the Lions taking six shots.
However, the game would end like that, leaving the team disappointed but optimistic about the next game.
The team’s next game will take place on Thursday, Oct. 9, against Farmingdale State, which is coming off an impressive 3-0 win over Manhattanville.
Coach Russo believes that practice is going to remain the same despite the loss — the team is “just trying to get better.”