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(10/15/13 3:10pm)
The College is not a traditional “sports school” — academics will always be its first priority — but its sports programs have been growing in various ways over the past few years, a trend highlighted by growing attendance stemming from continued success on the field from the Lions.
For a lot of people, attending sporting events at a Division III school like the College translates to watching friends compete, excluding the obvious exception of football events in which thousands of people turn up.
The numbers are showing that either more people than ever are acquiring an interest in College sports, or that the 10 percent of the student body — the school’s varsity athletes — are making more friends than in the past.
An average of 144 people showed up to games last year in non-football varsity sports that track attendance, while the average roster size for those teams was just 21, acccording to TCNJ Athletics. In other words, nearly seven people attended games for each athlete on the team, which is up from years past. Add football’s average attendance of 2,114 people, buoyed by big crowds for the home opener and Homecoming, which are major social events, and the average attendance from last year jumps to 256 people per sporting event, according to TCNJ Athletics.
There are further signs of increased popularity for campus sports early this year, too. The major fall sports other than football — men’s and women’s soccer and field hockey — are averaging 168 people, up a whopping 37 percent from last year’s average of 123 people for the same sports.
No one will mistake any College events for professional games, or even many Division III teams with fervent fan bases like Messiah College’s for soccer. Crowds at the College rarely crack the Top 50 in Division III. But improvement at any level is beneficial, considering that regardless of how many people enjoy the events, the school’s 20 varsity sports will be subsidized largely by the student body. Colleges are limited. Only several sports — football, basketball and soccer — have ticket prices, according to the College’s athletics website, none of which apply to students.
Increased attention on sports is not a coincidence, either, or even a way of showing that College students are expressing their school spirit through sports. The correlation between increased attendance at the College, as it is with most sports programs in the world, is pretty obvious: winning.
The most obvious example comes from the current fall season, in which all team sports have been gang busters on the field. Women’s soccer and field hockey have combined for more than a few impressive wins, including the former’s victory over No. 2 Johns Hopkins University last week, while men’s soccer went from luckless and offensively challenged last year to consistently challenging the country’s best teams on the field this season.
The same is true when the opposite happens and teams lose. Baseball had a rough record last year and went from attracting crowds of 123 people per game in 2012 to just 95 for a roster of 31. In other words, attendance is directly proportionate to a team’s win percentage at the College, which is true for eight of the nine teams in their last two seasons. The only exception is football, which has Homecoming in shouting distance, an event that exemplifies the spirit of College sports: smaller than it is at most schools, but with a winning team that captures the imaginations of students when they pay attention.
(10/15/13 5:00am)
The record-setting offense of men’s soccer has grinded to a halt: The Lions have only scored one goal from the run of play in their last 225 minutes, down from their early-season pace of three or four goals a game.
But the Lions (8-5-2, 3-2-1) made last week’s lone goal from the run of play count, rebounding from a non-conference 2-1 loss at Muhlenberg College with a 1-0 win against NJAC rivals William Paterson University (2-3-1) on a late goal from junior midfielder Kevin McCartney.
It was McCartney’s second goal of the year, both game-winners directly on free kicks from just outside the box, and came on a play drawn up by head coach George Nazario.
“On this instance it felt almost the same after the referee had called the free kick,” McCartney said. “(Senior midfielder) Dan Durnian made an awesome run and as he was beating the guy, he got taken down by the defender right on top of the 18. I stepped up and as a team we decided to run this fake kick play set up by coach Nazario. It worked perfectly enough as the goalie shifted his weight to the opposite side, (which) allowed me to just bend it into the lower far post.”
The defense put up another big performance with seven total saves, six of which came from sophomore goalkeeper Maciej Libucha for his first shutout of the year and the Lions’ first in nearly a month.
“The defense stayed organized throughout the whole game and kept it simple and clean,” Libucha said. “They eliminated any dangerous opportunities and gave us a chance to win.”
Despite being outshot on goal 7-2, the Lions put up a solid performance from the run of play and only ended up needing one moment of magic thanks to the defense.
“I feel that although we didn’t put up many shots on the board, we did a great job as a team playing well defensively and keeping the ball under pressure,” McCartney said. “My teammates and I all have faith in each other’s skills and we know that if we are able to keep the ball, positive chances will come.”
It was anyone’s game, though, and the Pioneers would have gotten on the board first early in the second half, if not for a smart save from sophomore midfielder Nick Costelloe.
“He was in the right place there and got an important clearance for us,” Libucha said. “It was an important one too as it kept us tied.”
Muhlenberg ensured the Lions’ mid-week game did not stay tied for long, putting them in a two-goal hole in the first 15 minutes.
Senior forward Kevin Shaw scored his 15th goal of the season in the 71st minute to bring the Lions back into the game, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the loss.
“After our Wednesday night game versus Muhlenberg, I think as a team we realized that we can’t come out in the big games playing a nonchalant first half,” McCartney said. “We have to work hard and play consistent, and let everything fall into place.”
(10/08/13 5:00am)
The football team has been trying to establish a ground game all season, and it finally came to fruition late in a 21-16 win against NJAC rivals Montclair State University last Friday, Sept. 30.
Sophomore running back Victor Scalici found an open seam in the middle of the Red Hawks defense at the start of the fourth quarter, and broke a 14-14 tie with a 44-yard touchdown that helped the Lions get off to the right start in conference play.
The Lions (2-2, 1-0) got 140 yards on the ground overall and three rushing TDs, well above their early season average of 97 yards and fewer than one rushing TD per game, and more shut-down defensive play made sure the offensive display wasn’t wasted.
The defense rejected the Red Hawks on three attempted fourth down conversions in the fourth quarter, preserving a slim lead.
The game had been a roller coaster before Scalici’s touchdown in the fourth quarter, though, as the Lions and Red Hawks traded leads throughout a tightly contested game.
The Lions threw the ball sparingly, but it was sophomore QB Sam Paladino who opened the scoring six minutes in.
Paladino ended a long Lions drive by scrambling for a 15-yard rushing TD, and Brad Young doubled the Lions’ advantage with a 14-yard rushing TD after a Red Hawks turnover gave the College offense a short field to work with.
The Lions offense rarely threatened again after intermission, only putting up four yards of passing offense in the second half, but rushing the ball helped keep possession away from the visiting team and kept the team in a position to win the game.
Montclair managed to make its way back into the game, scoring touchdowns in the second and third quarters to even the score, before Scalici ultimately rushed for the game-winning points.
The Lions take on Kean University in another NJAC game this Friday, Oct. 11 on the road.
(10/01/13 5:00am)
Punching above its weight against a nationally-ranked team for the second time this season, the men’s soccer team emphatically proved it means business this year in NJAC play with a last-gasp 2-1 win over No. 17 Montclair State University, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat at Richard Stockton College.
Both goals for the Lions (7-2-1, 2-1) against a physical MSU side came in the final 15 minutes of the game, including a dramatic game-winner from freshman midfielder Nick Costelloe in the 86th minute.
Senior forward Kevin Shaw stole the ball before breaking into the box on the right side, and as the defense closed down on him, Shaw pushed a tantalizing ball across the box that Costelloe slotted under the Red Hawks’ diving goalkeeper.
“When Shaw broke free late in the game, I was really expecting a shot from him, but I wanted to move into the space to get the ball just in case,” Costelloe said. “As it turns out, he split the two defenders with a pass to me. When I saw it get through the defenders, I just made sure to stay over the ball and hit it back to where it came from, as coach always encourages.”
The Red Hawks’ goalkeeper was also in position for a shot from Shaw and couldn’t switch to Costelloe’s side in time, giving the crowd at the soccer complex reason to celebrate.
“It was a poor shot in my opinion, but it managed to get by the keeper,” Costelloe said. “The only thing left to do was celebrate as a team on the field. I was just grateful that Shaw was able to find me with the pass.”
Shaw had five shots on target and scored a goal of his own in the 76th minute, finishing off a fluid counter attack that ended with Shaw deflecting the ball into the net from several yards out for a 1-0 lead.
“Shaw had another fantastic game with a goal and an assist,” Costelloe said. “Because he is our main target guy up top, the team agreed that he should take a shot anytime he gets a chance — rightly so because of his great finishing skills. Coach gives him a free pass to be selfish around the box, and he makes it count by finishing constantly.”
Shaw’s 12th goal of the year didn’t hold up for long, as the Red Hawks equalized in the 86th minute on a well-executed set piece that continued the Lions’ trend of conceding late.
“I think that an important thing for us to work on is closing out a game,” Costelloe said. “We have been in situations where we are winning late in a game and wind up conceding late goals. This time we got away with giving up yet another late goal and we are just happy to get the win and look forward to our next big game.”
All of the game’s goals were late, but part of how the Lions were able to ground the Red Hawks was by establishing positive play early on in the game.
“We settled into the game nicely and created some chances early. I think establishing ourselves early was a huge part of the victory,” Costelloe said. “After the loss against Stockton we knew that we needed to be prepared for another hard game against a skilled opponent (in) MSU.”
The Lions generated a number of quality chances in the first half, including an open look from inside the six-yard box that came after a shot from senior forward Kevin Shaw bounced off the crossbar and the line, but went into the locker room at half-time with the score at 0-0.
But the Lions, who forced six saves to MSU’s five, kept the same game plan in the second half, and it eventually paid off.
“As for the two goals, we were told constantly by (head coach George Nazario) that we just have to play our game and chances will come,” Costelloe said. “Late in the game, even though we were dealing with a lot of defensive pressure, we were able to counter-attack and create chances. (Senior midfielder) Sean Casey had another great cross that created our first goal. Lucky for us, we finished the few chances we had late in the game.”
The mid-week game at the Ospreys was a different story, as the Lions came out flat en route to their first regulation loss and were just 44 seconds away from being held scoreless for the first time this year.
“It was very difficult to play a quality team like Stockton away from home,” Costelloe said. “To be completely honest, Stockton just came out fighting harder than us in the first 20 minutes. Their initial energy surge was enough to get them a goal, but when things settled down, we played much better.”
Richard Stockton capitalized on their early play by taking the lead in the 20th minute after catching the Lions on the break and added a goal in the 78th minute on a loose ball.
That ended up being the game-winner, after sophomore forward Greg Perri scored a last-minute consolation goal for the College
It was not all negative for the Lions, who took a few lessons away from a game in which they uncharacteristically missed their chances.
“We created some dangerous opportunities and probably should have scored at least one goal in the first half to even it up,” Costelloe said. “One thing this game taught us is that we have to come out playing hard or we will get punished.”
The Lions continue NJAC play this week with a home game against Rutgers-Camden, before travelling to Rutgers-Newark.
(09/24/13 5:00am)
Continuing a season-long trend of solid play from the back, the 12th-ranked field hockey team extended its win streak to five games with 3-0 wins over Gwynedd Mercy College and NJAC opponent Richard Stockton College.
The Lions (5-1) allowed just 10 shots through both games, helping goalie junior Amanda Krause — this week’s NJAC Defensive Player of the Week — earn her second and third shutouts of the season.
Hard work and positive play from both freshmen and veterans has helped the team concede just twice in the five games since their season opener, a 4-3 loss.
“I would say that our defense this year has a great range of players from incoming freshman to a few upper classmen who all have a tremendous amount of skill and who work very well together,” Krause said. “They have worked their butts off in the last five games to make sure that I didn’t have to touch the ball much through a lot of communication and support on our defensive end. By doing this we have managed to continually keep the ball out of our cage.”
Freshmen have been contributing on the offensive side of the game as well, including in the Lions’ conference opener against Richard Stockton.
Freshman forward Lexi Bell scored to give the Lions a 2-0 lead late in the first half, after junior Victoria Martin netted an unassisted goal and the eventual game-winner 5:33 before the break.
Junior Lindsey Hatch rounded out the scoring in the second half off a feed from Smith, putting an exclamation on a performance that gives the Lions a 1-0 conference record and an early head start in the race for nationals qualification.
“It’s very important to get off with a win in NJAC play,” Krause said. “The top two teams in NJAC are the only ones who are gauranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament.”
Smith also performed against Gwynedd Mercy, scoring the latter two goals after freshman Danielle Andreula found net in the 20th minute.
Krause made four saves in the game, which kept the team’s chemistry growing and kept the win streak alive.
“The team seems to be bonding extremely well as a single cohesive unit on the field,” Krause said. “With everything going so smoothly, the players have high expectations for the remainder of the season.”
(09/24/13 5:00am)
Thanks to another case of overtime heroics, the suddenly clutch men’s soccer team prevailed in its NJAC opener against Ramapo College, 1-0, after beating FDU-Florham 4-3 in a wild mid-week game to stay unbeaten in regulation.
The Lions (6-1-1) were uncharacteristically held scoreless through 93 minutes against Ramapo, but beat the Ospreys for the first time since 2010 on a golden goal free kick from junior midfielder Kevin McCartney.
“As I set up for the free kick, I had a confident feeling about it,” McCartney said. “It was placed in the area of the field where I’m usually consistent with my free kicks. It was the perfect distance from the goal to hit it with my instep and bend it over the wall into the top corner, which is exactly what I did.”
It was the Lions’ second consecutive win in overtime following a multi-year, 14-game winless stretch in such games, another indication that this year’s squad has significantly improved.
“We have not been very successful in many of these close games in the past, in particular overtime games,” senior forward Kevin Shaw said. “We have a new team this year. Our defense is playing very well, not allowing our opponents to generate many opportunities against us.”
Even though the game was won on McCartney’s free kick, the Lions defense gave McCartney the chance to win it by keeping its fourth shutout of the season, despite giving up a handful of shots on goal that senior goalkeeper Aaron Utman was forced to save early.
“They did get a few chances early on, but as we got our second wind we matched their play and gained some chances of our own,” McCartney said. “Our problem early was that we weren’t getting the ball wide, and as coach (George) Nazario stressed that to us at halftime, we focused on it and had many more opportunities in the second half.”
Improved play in the middle of the park is another product of the sturdy defense, which is giving up just one goal per game this season, compared to 1.74 goals in 2012. Keeping clean sheets keeps pressure off the attack, while allowing the Lions to win some games without putting up big numbers on the scoreboard.
“By limiting the other teams’ chances and goals, this gives us more time to score throughout the game and not have to play being down a goal,” Shaw said. “This also allows us, some games, to only need to score one goal and be able to walk away with a win, which has not been the case in past years. The combination of good defensive play and improved attacking play and finishing has allowed us to win these close games and overtime games as well.”
The Lions’ win over FDU was less about balanced play and more about scoring early and often, as Shaw netted a first-half hat-trick, while sophomore midfielder Tokio Nakamoto picked up a goal and two assists for a 4-3 victory at the Soccer Complex.
It was Shaw’s second hat-trick of the year, bringing his season total to 11 and raising his points per game total to one of the best in Division III.
“Coach Nazario has moved me to forward this year and that has allowed me to have a lot more scoring opportunities,” Shaw said. “Our whole team has been playing well, so this has allowed us to gain control of the game and then get the ball to our players in good scoring opportunities. From there, we have done a good job of finishing our chances.”
Taking it one game at a time, the Lions are confident in their ability to work together under pressure and close out games.
“I feel that the team as a whole knows that we have a really special opportunity to do really well this year as far as the NCAA tournament,” McCartney said. “Being said, we’ve had the mentality that every single game is just as important as the next and there’s no room for late mistakes or mishaps when under pressure. We’ve done so much better this year working as a whole and being able to push through the run of play and finish the chances that are given to us.”
(09/17/13 5:00am)
Another week yielded another couple of impressive statements from the men’s soccer team.
The Lions (4-1-1) tied No. 3 Stevens Institute of Technology 1-1 last week before winning their first overtime game in 14 tries, with a 3-2 result over York College that ended on a golden goal from freshman Sean Etheridge.
For the Lions, drawing a talented Stevens squad in their home opener proved they can hang with the best in the country.
“Stevens is ranked third in (Division III) for a reason,” Etheridge said. “They played fast, smart and passionate soccer. That reason is why when we tied them, we were very happy.”
While eventually settling for a draw, the Lions had an opportunity to win the game after they opened the scoring in the 67th minute through sophomore midfielder Matt Ziegler.
After some slick combination play on the right flank, defender Sean Casey got open just outside the box and sent in a picturesque cross at the far post to Ziegler, who roofed a near-post finish for the first goal of his career.
The Ducks were playing textbook soccer the whole way, though, and they finally broke through in the 87th minute, thanks to a combination of luck and skill.
After the Ducks evaded high pressure in their own end and moved into the final third, a Lions center back missed the ball in a challenge 20 yards out from the goal, leaving a gap in the middle of the back line which Stevens sophomore Carson Pryor crashed through.
Pryor’s side-footed shot bounced off the post, back to his feet and into the net, forcing a pair of scoreless overtimes.
“Yes, we feel we should have beat them, but the game altogether was one (of) our most complete games,” Etheridge said. “We proved to our league and even (Division III) that we are a good team and we can compete with some of the best competition in the country. There are many positives we took out of that game and now we can only build from it.”
Similar themes persisted in the Lions’ home game against York on Saturday, as they coughed up a lead late in the game but ended up with a confidence-building result.
Senior forward Kevin Shaw netted his eighth goal of the season to open the scoring, and freshman midfielder Nick Costelloe gave the Lions a 2-0 lead immediately after halftime.
York clawed its way back into the game with a pair of goals after the 75th minute, including a penalty off a handball in the box that also left the Lions shorthanded.
The College recuperated, though, and pushed for a goal that eventually came off the foot of Etheridge in the 103rd minute.
“The goal was a complete team effort considering that we only had 10 men on the field,” Etheridge said. “I remember starting my run from the left side of the field and yelling to (senior defender) Dan Macmillian, who had the ball on the right side. He played a great ball over the top of the defense right into my path. I took a touch and then took a shot.”
York’s goalkeeper initially appeared to have Etheridge’s shot covered, but the ball got past him and trickled across the line for the Lions’ first overtime win in 14 tries dating back to early October 2010.
It was the Lions’ first win at home this year, and it put the crowd at the Soccer Complex on its feet.
“Winning at home is always one of the best feelings. Getting the game-winning goal in overtime is even a better feeling,” Etheridge said. “It was not our prettiest win, but a win is a win and we were very happy with the result.”
Shaw, Costelloe and Etheridge, all of Saturday’s scorers, have combined for 15 goals and four assists this season, and Etheridge’s fourth goal of the year capped off another successful performance on offense that keeps the Lions’ goals per game average above three.
“Our philosophy going forward is to be creative with our runs and passes,” Etheridge said. “The more creative we are in the final third of the field, the easier it is to break down the opponent’s defense.”
Offensive creativity for the Lions is at its peak when players are mixing it up and surprising their opponents.
“We also try to not do the same thing all game and make it predictable,” Etheridge said. “Sometimes we play down the side and get a cross, and then other times we try to spring runs through the middle. It all depends on our opponent. We have a very offensively minded team and that is the reason why we have been so successful this season so far.”
Great performances from the back line and goalkeepers haven’t hurt, either.
The defense only allowed eight shots on goal this week, while sophomore goalkeeper Maciej Libucha and senior goalkeeper Aaron Utman each made two saves across both games to help the team stay undefeated in regulation.
The Lions play FDU-Florham this Wednesday, Sept. 18, before heading to Ramapo College on Saturday afternoon for their New Jersey Athletic Conference opener.
(09/17/13 5:00am)
In a game determined by turnovers, the moment that stood out in the Lions’ home opener last Friday, Sept. 13, was junior linebacker Ryan Lowe returning an interception for six points that pulled them within reach of FDU-Florham in the third quarter.
Lowe reached for a grab at full extension at the 47-yard line, ran directionally across the field, and shook a couple of tackles near the endzone to set the score at 15-12.
“It was a quick pass — they were running a lot of quick passes throughout the game — and it was kind of about just being at the right place at the right time,” Lowe said. “When I caught the ball, all of a sudden I saw 10 other guys rushing out to block for me and I was just hoping to stay in bounds, but when you’ve got 10 guys to block for you it’s pretty easy to stay in bounds. It was a big play in the game, and we were happy to change the momentum a little bit.”
That would be as close as the Lions (0-2) would get to a lead, as the Devils kicked a field goal and stoned a late Lions drive in the red zone with their sixth interception of the game for an 18-12 win.
Sophomore quarterback Chris Spellman had a night to forget, going 11-for-36 for 157 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions.
“Even after the game, when I watched film with (head coach Wayne Dickens), I realized I almost forgot the first (interception),” Spellman said. “Having a short memory is good. We have a bye week, and it’s important to watch film in practice. You can’t expect to turn the ball over six times and expect to win the game.”
The Lions offense did manage to make some magic late in the second quarter, on a Spellman pass to junior wide receiver Kyle Janeczek.
Janeczek lept to catch the ball in coverage at the Devils’ 34-yard line, manuevered around a couple of tackles and burst clear, putting the exclamation point on a night for the wide receiver, which ended with a stat line of five grabs and 89 receivings yards.
“He’s a good player, a really good athlete,” Spellman said. “He just rouns his routes, crisply gets open and I put the ball where he is and he gets open. It was a good catch and a better run, he ran it probably 30 yards after the catch.”
The Devils’ defense would occassionally bend but never broke during the rest of the night, though, giving FDU a win in its season opener.
The Lions defense managed to keep the game close for the entire 60 minutes, holding the Devils to just 18 points on 17 drives.
“I thought we played well,” Lowe said. “As a team, we definitely had a good game plan coming in, and as a total unit everyone played well from the defensive line to the secondary to the linebackers. There were still plays throughout the game we thought we could have played better, but as a whole we’ve done well. I’m happy with where we are and where we’re going.”
The Lions’ dual ground threat of sophomores Victor Scalici and Brad Young averaged more than three yards per carry, combining for 96 yards on 31 carries, and will look to help the team forge its identity in the coming weeks.
“We want to be a running team and establish a ground game,” Spellman said. “We want to be able to do a little bit of everything — we don’t want to be a one-trick pony — but we want to establish a runing game, first and foremost.”
The Lions will have plenty of time in the coming weeks to regroup and get back in the win column.
“Coming up we hage a bye week, that will be big in the senses that we can rest up and correct on a lot of the things that need improvement,” Lowe said. “With the week off, it’s definitely going to help us and it will definitely be better for the team to reflect on the first two games of the year, and hopefully for the next several weeks to play well.”
(09/10/13 5:00am)
It took only four games for the men’s soccer team to duplicate season-long landmarks from last year on both sides of the ball, as a promising start to the season continued with 4-0 and 5-0 wins over Gwynedd-Mercy State College and Farmingdale State College, respectively.
On the back of contributions from a variety of sources, both fresh and familiar, the Lions (3-1) have found the back of the net 17 times — an ach
ievement which took 15 games last year — while allowing just one goal in regulation.
A lot of credit for the Lions’ early dominance is owed to the experienced back line, which is forcing turnovers and allowing the team to play its brand of possession soccer to the fullest.
“The team has really come on strong this year and it starts from the back,” senior defender Sean Casey said. “Our keeper and back four have been doing an excellent job of communicating and letting the midfield know which players and gaps to cover on the defensive end. This leads to more turnovers from the opposing squad and allows us to keep possession longer, which minimizes the number of opportunities the opposing team has.”
As good as the back line has been, service from the midfield and clinical finishing up top have resulted in the eye-popping score lines, and no one has been more efficient with their scoring chances than senior forward Kevin Shaw.
Shaw scored the game-winner against Gwynedd-Mercy before netting a hat-trick against Farmingdale, raising his conference-best goal total to seven.
“Right now, Shaw has been unstoppable with seven goals in our first four games. I feel like I can just play the ball in his general direction and it’s likely that it will wind up in the back of the net,” said freshman midfielder Nick Costelloe, who scored twice against Farmingdale.
Shaw’s latest scoring tear is a product of his new position and an offseason of hard work. At the beginning of the year, head coach George Nazario moved him from attacking midfielder, where he scored nine times in 2012, to pure forward, and the seamless transition is already paying dividends four games in for the senior.
“Shaw has always been a great player, but also has continued to improve every year,” Casey said. “As a player, Shaw has always been technically sound, his fitness unquestionable and will to win par to none. I’m sure he will still find ways to improve but I am just excited to have him on the squad for this year.”
Shaw’s contributions aside, the Lions are proving to be packed with talent capable of scoring, including from a strong freshman class of midfielders.
“First off, I would like to say the incoming class of freshmen, along with the new transfers this year, have made a positive impact on the team, on and off the field,” Casey said. “Not only have many of the new players gotten playing time, but all of them have raised the level of play during preseason and our training sessions.”
Costelloe and freshman midfielder Sean Etheridge have combined for five goals and three assists this season, while players like Clayton Flon have been able to get on the field and make an impact as substitutes.
“Costelloe and Etheridge have made a smooth transition to the collegiate level and have been excelling on the field,” Casey said. “This is a testament to the work the freshmen have put in prior to this season, and it definitely has been paying off.”
Freshmen included, the deep roster has been able to find chemistry early in the year through a combination of hard work and leadership.
“After we had a chance to play with the team and learn our teammate’s strengths and weaknesses, we started to click,” Costelloe said. “Also, when the great upperclassmen leaders on our team stepped up and took charge, it was easy for the team to fall into place. The team spends a lot of time together and I think that is another reason why we were able to find chemistry early.”
The non-field players have excelled, too. Goalkeepers senior Aaron Utman, sophomore Maciej Libucha and freshman Jacob Neteruk all spent time in between the sticks for this week’s shutouts, making a combined two saves in the process.
The Lions’ home opener and largest challenge of the young season is 7:30 p.m. this Wednesday, Sept. 11 when they take on No. 3 Stevens Institute of Technology (3-0). They follow that game up with another home game on Saturday, when they play York (PA) College at the soccer stadium at 1 p.m.
(09/04/13 6:07am)
It was a week of extremes for the men’s soccer team, which put a hurting on John Jay College last Friday before suffering heartbreak in a familiar fashion against Rhode Island College on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions (1-1) played a great game aginst John Jay, handing the Bloodhounds their most lopsided defeat since October 2010 in a 7-0 demolition.
Senior midfielder Kevin Shaw opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an unassisted goal, and the floodgates opened near half-time when the Lions were able to run up the score on the back of positive possession play.
“We were able to establish early in the game that we were the better team,” Shaw said. “By holding onto the ball and keeping possession, we created opportunities. Once we scored the first goal and got the lead, more chances were created, and we were able to finish them.”
Shaw, last year’s leading scorer, added another goal late in the game for his first brace of the young season, while sophomore forward Greg Perri added the second and third goals of his Lions career on two shots.
Senior midfielder David DeLooper, freshman midfielder Nick Costelloe and freshman forward Sean Etheridge also got on the scoreboard in a dominant offensive performance which showed that this year’s team — which mostly resembles last season’s low-scoring squad — is more than capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.
“The only offensive player we lost from last year was (forward Ray Nelan), and unfortunately he was hurt for most of last year, so really we didn’t lose too much,” Shaw said. “We brought in a few new players, but our personnel for our offense is mostly the same. I think we have a good group, so I’m hoping we will figure it out early and be able to efficiently score this year.”
The Lions’ next game was considerably tighter, though, and the familiar theme from last year of not taking advantage of scoring chances reared its ugly head in a 2-1 defeat to Rhode Island.
Shaw got on the scoreboard again off service from senior midfielder Sean Casey for a Lions lead before half-time, but Rhode Island came out of the gate strong in the second half and equalized in the 66th minute
The College did manage to force Rhode Island’s goalkeeper into seven saves, but poor finishing kept the Lions off the board until they conceded a game-deciding penalty kick 2:47 into double overtime.
“This game reminded me a lot like last year,” Shaw said. “We had control of the game and had opportunities we should have put away, but weren’t able to, (and) this was able to keep them in the game. I do not think this was their keeper having a great game but rather us not being able to finish our chances.”
The Lions can get back into the win column during this week’s Rowan Invitational Tournament in Glassboro, N.J., in which they play Gynedd-Mercy College and Farmingday State College on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
(04/23/13 5:00pm)
Hoarding possession and taking care of the ball, the lacrosse team closed out NJAC play with a 15-1 victory over Rutgers University-Camden last Tuesday, April 16 before handily defeating Neumann University on Thursday, April 18, by a score of 17-3.
The latter result gave the Lions (11-4) a win in their first ever meeting with the CSAC-leading Knights (12-4), who coincidentally also faced Rutgers-Camden this season, in a 20-1 win.
The late-week clash in Pennsylvania was decided early through relentless possession for the road side, as the College took the first nine consecutive draw controls — winning the battle 15-7 overall in over 60 minutes — and exploiting it for a 9-0 first half lead, which would become 16-1 by the waning minutes.
It was a contrast to games the week before, when the College was outdrawn against No. 2 Salisbury University and held to a stalemate in draw controls with Montclair State University.
“I think the main difference was that we were able to do a good job of controlling the direction of the draw,” senior attacker Jillian Nelaon said. “My goal is to get the ball to (junior midfielder) Lauren Pigott’s direction and I was able to do that pretty well and Lauren and the rest of the team did a great job of making sure they got possession.”
Nealon and Pigott combined for 10 of the Lions’ 15 draw controls, and the team managed to take good care of the ball when they won it. The Lions turned the ball over 10 times compared to 21 Knights turnovers, 10 of which were unforced.
Nealon paced the Lions on the scoreboard with seven points, while junior Jen Garavente scored a game-high four goals to lift her career total past the centennial mark to 103, of which 44 were scored this year.
“Jen is a very good player,” Nealon said. “She has extremely quick feet, which allows her to beat defenders but she also has great timing and cuts and knows how to get herself open.”
Last week’s other win came against the struggling Scarlet Knights (6-7), who are winless in conference play this season and continued to follow that script in Lions Stadium.
In similar fashion to the win over Neumann, the Lions again outdrew, out-possessed and outplayed their opponent for a big lead, this time rolling up a 12-0 advantage by halftime.
The Lions won 12 of 17 draw controls, but took even better care of the ball, turning it over just twice in over 60 minutes to win the turnover battle, 8-2.
“I think we just played smart and under control,” Nealon said. “We have really been focusing on limiting our turnovers by making better decisions, particularly on attack.”
Nealon again led all players with seven points, while Pigott scored four goals on six shots, sophomore attacker Kendal Borup added three scores, and sophomore Erin Waller rounded out the week with another three points and three draw controls.
The Lions next take on Stevens Institute of Technology on Tuesday, April 23 and Cabrini College this Thursday, April 25 before wrapping up the regular season the following week.
(04/16/13 4:00pm)
Lacrosse clinched another conference title with time to spare with a 17-9 win over Montclair State University last week, extending its NJAC win streak to 16 games and giving the Lions some breathing room heading into Tuesday’s game with Rutgers University Camden.
It is the third consecutive title for the Lions (9-4, 4-0) in the past four years. It was earned in a span of 34 days, from a win against Kean University at the beginning of conference play on Tuesday, March 5 to Tuesday’s clincher.
“It was really nice to clinch the victory last Tuesday, especially being on our home field,” junior attacker Jen Garavente said. “Montclair gave us a really competitive game and it was nice to win after such a contest. However, that does not mean that we look past any competitor. We still have to go out there and play our game with a high intensity and prove we deserve that NJAC title.”
The win both ended a five-game win streak for Montclair, the only other team in the conference which was unbeaten heading into the game, and further proved the Lions’ ability to score in the NJAC, as they scored 17 goals for the fourth time in as many conference games this year.
Senior attacker Jillian Nealon and Garavente each led the team with a game-high five goals each, with the former adding three assists, and another handful of Lions got on the scoreboard.
Junior midfielder Lauren Pigott and sophomore midfielder Lauren Karpovich pitched in two goals each, while sophomore attacker Erin Waller, sophomore midfielder Kendal Borup and sophomore attacker Nicole Ham found the back of the net once each.
Junior Goalie Zinck made eight saves for the win, which was only contested in the middle of the first half when Montclair rallied from a 7-6 deficit to make it a one-goal game.
Pigott and Nealon both scored to give the Lions separation, though, and the College led comfortably for the rest of the game.
“For the Montclair game, we moved the ball well and really focused on being careful by valuing our possessions,” Garavente said. “It was really important to us that we took our time and looked for the best scoring opportunity instead of forcing shots and passes that weren’t necessarily there, which is why I think so many people were able to contribute. It was a big goal for us that we were going to try to be smarter than the other team with taking control of the game, which is why I think we were so successful.”
The Lions also battled with No. 2 Salisbury University on Friday, who entered and left their game with the College with a spotless record thanks to an 11-5 victory.
It was the largest margin of defeat this season for the Lions, whose previous worst defeat was just three goals, despite being a close contest throughout the first half and into the second.
“Salisbury is an extremely talented team and I think they just played an overall smarter game than we did,” Garavente said. “In the first half, it was pretty even, but I think we let the game slip out of our control in the second and they dominated early in the half. They are so tough because they are very fast paced, aggressive, and smart. They capitalize on the opportunities they have, which is something that we needed to do more of.”
On offense for the Lions, Garavente found the back of the net twice and three other Lions found the back of the net for the program’s lowest goal total since a 5-3 win against Rowan University in 2009.
After their game with Rutgers-Camden on Tuesday, the Lions next host Neumann University on Thursday, April 21.
(04/09/13 4:00pm)
Winning within the conference and falling just short out of it, the lacrosse team overcame a fairly even first half against Rowan University on the road last Tuesday, April 2 by playing lights out in the second half. They could not, however, make up for early lost ground in a 10-7 defeat at No. 8 Franklin & Marshall College on Friday, April 5.
The Lions (8-3) remain atop the NJAC standings thanks to the Rowan result, which was fuelled by a second half in which they outscored the Profs 8-1 and extended their conference win streak to 15 consecutive games.
Although the Lions — whose only NJAC loss was to Rowan in 2010 — were held to a two-goal lead heading into the break, they went on an 8-0 run after it and built a shutout streak of 30:55, which lasted from the end of the first half until the game’s final minute.
“I think in the second half against Rowan we were able to settle into a rhythm,” senior attacker Jillian Nealon said. “We found what was working offensively and we stuck with it and were patient. We switched up the defense in the second half as well and defense played really steady and created a lot of turnovers in our favor.”
Junior defender Nicole Pineda picked up four ground balls and forced three turnovers, and the Lions as a whole forced twice as many turnovers as Rowan, while limiting opportunities on net to help junior goalie Kelsey Zinck get her seventh win.
On the other side of the ball, senior attacker Alex Spark was held to 2:59 minutes of play and one goal, but junior midfielder Lauren Pigott exploded for four goals and Nealon found the back of the net on five of six shots to give her a career-best 24 goals this season.
“I think this year I have really been focused in finishing my shots and I have done a better job of reading different situations to create opportunities to score,” Nealon said.
Similar to what unfolded against Rowan, the Lions managed to step up their game in the latter stages of the Friday, April 5 game in Lancaster, Pa., yet another win fuelled by a strong second half was not in the cards against Franklin & Marshall in front of more than 400 spectators.
The Red Dragons built an 8-4 lead early in the second-half, and though a comeback brought the Lions back into the game — Nealon scored one of her game-high three goals and sophomore midfielder Erin Waller added two to cut the hosts’ lead to 8-7 — Franklin & Marshall closed out the game with a pair of unanswered finishes.
“The Franklin & Marshall game showed that we had the power to come back after being down,” Nealon said, “but we needed to stay sharp for the entire 60 minutes of play.”
Pigott got on the scoreboard and had four ground balls while Zinck made five saves in the team’s first loss in five games, but they can get back in the win column on Tuesday against NJAC opponent Montclair University and when they travel to Salisbury University on Friday, April 12.
(04/02/13 4:00pm)
Maintaining dominance in the first half and of unranked teams on both sides of the ball, the lacrosse team rode early momentum to a pair of wins last week in preparation for an upcoming schedule of familiar opponents and storylines.
The No. 6 Lions (7-2) ended their three-game road stretch with a 17-6 win at Ursinus College in the first game of the week, methodically building an 8-1 first-half lead that escalated to 11-1 early in the second half.
“It’s very important to get up early so that we can set the tone of the game,” senior Jillian Nealon said. “Having the control early allows us to really settle into our style of play.”
Bears’ goalies Riley Pembroke and Margaret Philbin put up 14 saves in a valiant effort, but the Lions — led by senior Alex Spark’s game-high seven goals — took care of business to stay in the win column.
The College kept Ursinus shot-less through more than 23 minutes into the game, and junior goalie Kelsey Zinck only needed three saves for the win thanks to positive play in front of her in midfield and on defense.
“In the past few games we have done a good job of maintaining possession of the ball and limiting our opponents,” Nealon said. “On the other side of that our defense has been playing strong and not letting the other teams get off good shots.”
Nealon found the back of the net five times, while the rest of the scoring was fairly evenly distributed between junior midfielder Lauren Pigott, sophomore midfielder Lauren Karpovich, sophomore midfielder Erin Waller and freshman attacker Carly Walters.
The College then returned to Lions Stadium for some home cooking on Saturday against Manhattanville College (1-8), once again building a large lead — this time, it was 12-0 by halftime — while limiting the Valiants to seven shots during the game, five of which were on net.
Nealon scored four of her team-high five goals in the first half and added three assists during the run, while Spark scored four times and junior attacker Jen Garavente returned to the box score with three of her own.
A suffocating defensive performance lowered the Lions’ goals against average to 6.11 on the season, which can leave them feeling good heading into a pair of fascinating games this week against Rowan University and No. 8 Franklin & Marshall College.
“Heading into this week, I think our defense has gained a lot of confidence and we have settled into a good style of play offensively,” Nealon said. “We just need to start off strong and win the draw controls and ground balls.”
On Tuesday, April 2 the College hosts its second consecutive game against conference rival Rowan, who opened NJAC play with a (win/loss) on Friday, March 29 before taking on another familiar opponent in Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday, March 30.
(03/26/13 4:00pm)
The New Jersey Athletic Conference will no longer support women’s tennis, after a panel of local head coaches decided the College’s 31-year win streak within the conference was “getting a little excessive” and voted to disband it.
The move was approved in a 5-2 vote last week held at Lions head coach Scott DiCheck’s house, with iced water and orange slices reportedly being served throughout the meeting.
Only the College and second-place Richard Stockton voted against the motion, which will take effect immediately as the season ended with the Lions earning the title last fall.
“Playing (the Lions) is sometimes like being Jason Terry isolated one-on-one with Lebron James, at best,” former Rowan University head coach Pedro Mill said. “One of them is the best in his field and the other is Jason Terry. It’s just not fair to our girls to have Lebron James posterize them every week.”
In what will now go down as the final NJAC season last Fall, the Lions won 10 games and improved their all-time record within the conference to 143-0.
Some within the conference had already been grumbling about the lack of parity, and DiCheck’s decision to serve orange slices instead of a more tasty, nutritious snack apparently ensured the NJAC’s demise.
“That was a big mistake — he should know (former) Rutgers-Newark head coach Bianca Herold doesn’t like oranges. She’s trying to limit her sugar intake,” local sports analyst Keith Glock said. “Oranges are good in moderation, but at the same time I think the coaches would have liked a snack with a better protein-to-calories ratio and a bigger ‘wow’ factor, like peanut butter.”
DiCheck defended his decision, saying the criticism of orange slices as a snack was based on faulty nutritional knowledge and a lack of taste.
“Who doesn’t like oranges?” he demanded to know in a hostile press conference held Monday, when told of the ideological rift in snack preference within the NJAC. “It’s ridiculous. You don’t always satisfy everyone when you pick the snack, but oranges are about as good as it gets — no cholesterol, few calories, lots of potassium and it’s a great source of fiber, which leaves you feeling full.”
Regardless of why the eventual 5-2 vote went against him, though, DiCheck was not a fan of the potential ramifications it could have on the local economy.
“I knew something like this would happen eventually, to be honest with you, I’m still a little disappointed (in the vote),” DiCheck said. “Women’s tennis has become a huge economic boost to small businesses in the area, and we all know how much Ewing loves (the College) being here, so it’s disappointing we let them down.”
Others have disagreed, Glock being one of them, a completely unbiased observer who compared the NJAC coaches’ pettiness in snack preference to “Republican stubbornness in Congress.”
“This is the stupidest decision in the history of sports,” Glock said. “NJAC women’s tennis provides, or provided, dozens of jobs in New Jersey. This is the kind of heartbreaking story you see on ‘Deadspin’ in-between ‘Drunken hookup failures’ and just shake your head at.”
(03/19/13 4:00pm)
Re-capturing some of last year’s glory with a second consecutive top-10 performance at nationals, three wrestlers made runs into the top-four spots of their weight classes while a pair of those battled to the championship round at the NCAA tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last week.
Senior John Darling (165) and junior Brian Broderick (184) were the headliners, finishing in second while junior Zach Zotollo (174) ended in fourth to lift the program’s all-time total of All-Americans to 140, many of which were earned by the coaching staff and head coach Joe Galante, and earn a seventh-place team finish a year after sixth.
“The program has had spectacular finishes for the NCAA tournament the last two years under Galante,” Broderick said. “He wrestled in the tournament himself and placed several times and was even a national finalist. He was able to prepare us greatly with regards with what to expect during the whole tournament. He has been 6/6 with qualifiers/All-Americans so that must mean he is giving us good advice and preparing us the best for the tournament. Our assistant coaches do a great job with that too: Dempsey, Flynn, Goduto and Ilaria.”
Darling narrowly missed out on a fairy tale ending after fighting for three wins at the tournament, including an 8-6 upset over last year’s champion and the top seed, only falling 6-3 in the final round.
The Moorestown, N.J. native finished his spectacular four years at the College with 97 wins and two impressive All-American citations.
Broderick’s tournament performance was similar, as he picked up three wins by scores of 7-2, 11-0 and 8-5 en route to narrow defeat in the final round of the match.
While he was proud of the accomplishment, Broderick will aim his sights on first place for next season.
“I was certainly excited to be an All-American, but I wasn’t content with that, I wanted to be a national champion,” Broderick said. “An All-American citation is an accomplishment I’ll hold for the rest of my life, and for that I am proud.”
Zotollo came into the season without any national experience, but put up a career year that he capped in stylish fashion, as he went from going 17-10 to being the nation’s fourth-best wrestler at 174 pounds with a 24-11 record, a remarkable story, especially given the circumstances.
Zotollo earned a dramatic victory in the first round with a 8-7 win, and after a loss by technical fall in the second round, added three more wins through the consolation bracket for the first All-American finish of his career.
A few key pieces of the team, like Darling and former All-American Dan Herr, will be graduating, but going forward the team will need to continue to live up to its high standards for a repeat of the last couple of years’ success.
“The team has depth and there are many solid wrestlers throughout our line-up but it is going to be difficult to replace guys like Darling and Herr. The team must continue working hard during the off-season to prepare themselves for a successful upcoming year.”
(03/19/13 4:00pm)
Continuing a multi-year winning streak in the conference while splitting a pair of games with ranked non-NJAC opponents, the lacrosse team had a fruitful spring break to prepare them for the upcoming road-heavy schedule.
The sixth-ranked Lions (4-1) defeated No. 10 Messiah College, 16-10, in perhaps their most high-profile win of the year so far by riding momentum in the middle of the first period into the second.
After falling behind 3-1 early, the College methodically built up a commanding 15-7 lead — scored seven straight goals at one point — as six different Lions got on the scoreboard and junior goalie Kelsey Zinck picked up a season-high 10 saves.
Junior Jen Garavente had five goals and an assist, junior Lauren Pigott found the back of the net four times, senior Alex Spark added another four points, and senior Jillian Nealon dished out a pair of assists in the win, which came after the team rolled past NJAC opponents Kean University and Ramapo College earlier in the break.
Those two wins, 17-2 over Kean and 19-1 against Ramapo, extended the Lions’ conference winning streak to 14 games and more than 1,000 days as they outplayed their opponents all over the field for a pair of comfortable margins of victory.
It was a total team effort that dispatched Kean, as eight different players got on the scoreboard including sophomore midfielders Erin Healy and Kendal Borup and freshman midfielder Megan Devlin for a goal each, as the Lions paced themselves to a commanding 12-0 lead with seven minutes left in the first half. They were impossible to stop.
The win over Ramapo was similarly efficient, as the Lions allowed just seven shots during the course of the game and hamstrung the winless Roadrunners’ offense while netting a season-high in goals.
Spark set the tone early with a remarkable eight consecutive points to start the game, as the Lions again created a double-digit advantage by halftime, while Zinck and sophomore goalie Julia Giordano shared time in net but only needed to make four saves for a near-shutout performance.
The blemish of the break came in a repeat of last year’s NCAA semifinal matchup with No. 3 SUNY Cortland, with both games ending 15-13 in favor of the Red Dragons, and despite outshooting their opposition, the Lions never managed to take the lead over SUNY Cortland.
The College also earned more than two thirds of the game’s fouls and facilitated a pair of near-comebacks that made the game close for long stretches, as the Lions went from 7-2 to 7-5 in the first period and from 14-8 to 15-13 with about nine minutes on the clock, but Cortland’s defense held firm down the stretch to give the road team already its second win over a ranked opponent.
Spark, Pigott and sophomore Erin Wahler combined for 11 goals against the Red Dragons, while Zinck made seven saves in the team’s last game in the state of New Jersey until March 28.
On Wednesday, March 20, the College visits No. 4 Gettysburg College, which is also off to a winning start, before travelling to Eastern University this Saturday, March 23 and rounding out their Pennsylvania road trip at Ursinus College. They look to continue the success that has made them a national power.
(03/05/13 5:00pm)
Whether it was by cutting inside for a shot into the lower corner, deking a defender to put one in the upper 90, completing an alley-oop off a pass from behind the net or converting free-position shots, senior wrecking ball Alex Spark scored early and with historic frequency en route to propelling the lacrosse team to a 19-6 win over FDU-Florham last Saturday.
It was an across-the-board dominant performance from the sixth-ranked Lions (1-0) as Spark tied her own program-best of 9 goals in a game, junior Jen Garavante added six more, and the team held firm defensively to win its ninth consecutive game against the Devils (1-2).
“I honestly think we just played really well together as an offensive unit yesterday,” Garavante said. “Even though it was the first game, I think everyone on attack did a great job at playing together, getting each other open, and finding the best passing option. Being a cohesive unit like that can often take a little time, bust I think we did a great job and started off the season on a really positive note.”
Tying the record for most goals in a game, which was originally set in 2004 and equaled by Spark last April, was an accomplishment last year’s leading scorer reached by finding the back of the net in as many different ways as there were goals.
“Her skills are great,” Pfluger said. “She has a very good sense of where her stick is and how to maneuver around a defender, so that’s why she has the ability to score in a variety of ways.”
“I like to say I’m sneaky on the field – one of the reasons I have a lot of goals is I know when to try and get the ball and when not to, so I make smart decisions,” Spark said. “I just love attacking, I love scoring, I love faking out the goalie. That’s how I get enjoyment out of the game, I like to have fun with it.”
Piling on the Devils with her own career high in goals scored was Garavente, who set the game’s tone immediately after the opening whistle by penetrating through the left and cutting inside for a lead 13 seconds into the game.
“I thought Jen really came on,” Pfluger said. “She did a great job. She was a little ahead of herself at first, trying to think of stuff ahead, but she got in a groove and it was great.”
If there was ever a scare it came early in the first period, when the Devils scored their only assisted goal of the game to pull within two, but momentum fell the Lions’ way as they went on a 9-0 stretch that spilled into the second half.
“We started scoring more,” Pfluger said. “We were hitting, but I think defensively – you know, (on) defense you make one little mistake and they can capitalize on it – we steadied ourselves out a bit.”
A defense led by junior goalie Kelsey Zinck, who had four saves, communicated effectively to limit FDU-Florham to 15 shots and one every 5.75 minutes after FDU-Florham made it 5-3.
Two other Lions got on the scoreboard, as sophomore attackers Erin Healy and Lauren Karpovich each had a pair of goals to give the Lions separation in the second half, while senior attacker Jillian Nealon accumulated two points and junior midfielder Lauren Pigott dished out a solid game-high three assists.
The win showed the importance of starting off games early for the Lions, who jumped out to an early lead and maintained control.
“In order to be successful, we need to take control of the game early on in the first half,” Garavente said. “As long as we control the pace of the game and take advantage of the opportunities given to us, we will do well. Lacrosse is a game that is all about momentum, and I think we did a good job at keeping it in our favor against FDU.”
“We’re just maybe a fifth of the way through our plays, because I can’t throw them all out on them at once,” Pfluger said. “I’m trying to introduce them in organized fashion, so that I can say ‘okay, now we can combine these plays’ — it’s pretty sophisticated.”
The Lions can build on this start to the season Tuesday at Kean University, who they defeated 20-1 in their last trip to Union, to open the NJAC play in their quest for a fourth straight NJAC title.
“We hold it up to such a high standard every year it’s that point (win the conference),” Spark said. “There’s never anything below that point, we have to win the NJAC. That’s where we start, and then it proceeds into the postseason and winning the NCAA. That’s just the beginning.”
Spark was named the NJAC’s Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, March 4 for her nine-goal performance. It would be safe for one to bet that’s not the last time she’ll receive that award this season.
(02/26/13 5:00pm)
Coming into another season with contender-caliber extending beyond control of the conference, the women’s lacrosse team aims to continue its NJAC dominance and reach its 29th consecutive NCAA tournament under head coach Sharon Pfluger this spring.
The Lions, who made it to the third round of the NCAAs last year, have won 11 Division III titles since Pfluger took over the program in 1984 and have consistently made runs at a 12th division title since last being crowned champions in 2006.
“Coach Pfluger has created a family-like atmosphere amongst her players and a team dynamic where every player strives for success, works hard for the girl next to her, and will accept nothing but the best,” said junior defender Lauren Pigott, one of Lacrosse Magazine’s five finalists for preseason player of the year. “Playing for Coach Pfluger I have learned so much more about the game. She strives to see her players succeed, both on and off the field.”
Pfluger has coached more than 130 All-Americans in her tenure at the College, including a pair of returning upper-classmen that combined for 143 of the team’s 467 points last year: Pigott and senior attacker Alex Spark.
Pigott picked up 38 goals, 11 assists, 92 draw controls and forced 10 turnovers along the way, while Spark found the back of the net 76 times in the fourth-best scoring season in the program’s history.
“Alex Spark is not only an incredible lacrosse player, but she is one of the best athletes I know,” Pigott said. “It’s comforting to know that we have an attacker on our team like Alex, and I have complete confidence when she has control of the ball. Her sharp, quick and forceful cuts to goal can fool almost any defender she comes up against, and it is truly amazing to watch her on attack.”
Other players back on the roster include junior goalie Kelsey Zinch, who had a conference-best 6.46 goals against average last year, and junior attacker Jen Garavente, whose 45 points last year are the third-most among the returning athletes.
Success for these players has been elephantine in NJAC play, where the team as a whole is 18-1 since the conference’s inception in 2009 — only a narrow loss to Rowan University in 2010 mars the mark — leaving the Lions heavy favorites.
Four of the conference’s six coaches tabbed the College as the top NJAC team in a pre-season poll, with rivals Rowan and Montclair University splitting the other two votes, and the Lions were ranked third in Division III by Lacrosse Magazine.
“It is definitely a great feeling going into each season knowing that we are expected to be top in our conference, and we expect nothing less from ourselves,” Pigott said. “Winning our conference is definitely our first step every year before reaching our ultimate goal of a national championship.”
Part of the team’s success can be attributed to their intense approach to the game.
“Before stepping onto the field before every game, we like to remind ourselves to play every game with no regrets — give everything you got every minute and leave nothing on the field,” Pigott said.
The Lions will start giving everything they have in their season opener at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 2., when the team will host FDU-Florham in Lions Stadium for their first of 17 regular-season contests.
“When we put our jerseys on, we know that we have a reputation to uphold and we play for the players before us,” Pigott said. “I personally feel that our on-field philosophy is to play with pride, play for our teammates, and give nothing but our best every second of the game. When all of this comes together, we play as a dominating unit.”
(02/19/13 5:00pm)
Closing the curtains on the regular season in victorious fashion ahead of the NCAA East Regionals, the wrestling team cruised early in a 21-13 win over No. 19 Messiah College last Saturday after being stonewalled late in a roller coaster loss at No. 8 Delaware Valley College.
The 16th-ranked Lions (12-7) handled a top-heavy end to the season better than in 2012, when they entered qualifiers on a five-game slide, as taking down the Falcons gave the College its seventh win in its last nine games.
“I think that is a result of our diverse coaching staff,” No. 4 junior Brian Broderick (184) said. “We have five young coaches with high energy and they are very good at analyzing our team and seeing where we need to make adjustments, whether it is for our whole team or just individually.”
That stretch also includes a victory over No. 6 Centenary in Packer Hall, and the season finale set the Lions’ home record at 4-1 this year versus 8-7 on the road.
“Wins over nationally ranked teams such as Centenary and Messiah as of late gives us a pretty good estimation of where we stand and where we would like to be,” Broderick said. “I would say that anytime a team is able to wrestle at home, it gives them a slight advantage. Not only because of the fans, but because the environment is familiar to them and they do not have to make any adjustments.”
The Lions steadily built a 21-6 lead over the Falcons in a performance that was similarly dominant to Messiah’s in a 31-10 win over the College last year, with bonus points coming in the form of a pin from senior Dan Herr (133).
Broderick prematurely clinched the match with a 3-2 win by decision against ranked Josh Thompson and ended the season undefeated in dual meets, rendering losses at 197 and 285 pounds harmless.
Freshman Mike Shaughnessy (141), Antonio Mancella (157), No. 4 senior John Darling (165) and No. 8 freshman Dylan Thorsen (149) added points, with the latter improving to 10-2 this season after being ranked at 141 pounds for the first time in the latest NWCA rankings.
“Thorsen is an extremely smart and technical wrestler who is hard to force out of his position. He makes minimal mistakes, if any, during a match and that is why he is so difficult to beat,” Broderick said. “He is a quiet, humble kid and obviously a hard worker.”
The loss in Delaware Valley was a more closely contested match which went until the final bout, even though the Aggies seized an 11-point lead through five rounds.
Herr put the Lions on the score board with a win by decision, and success in the upper-middle weight classes threw them a life line heading into the final stretch: Darling and KC Murphy (174) earned decisions, while Broderick added four points to cut Delaware Valley’s lead to 14-13.
The Aggies made up for last year’s 20-19 loss to the Lions in Packer Hall by closing out the game with two major decisions, though, taking a sliver of blame for the College’s 17 losses at 285 this year.
With the regular season out of the way, the Lions will look to repeat last year’s success at NCAA championships, where Darling, Herr and graduate Mike Denver made deep runs that gave the College a sixth-place team finish.
“These next few weeks for the team are more of a selfish time where individuals will work with the coaches to pinpoint any techniques they may need to work on or change,” Broderick said. “The guys who really want to ‘peak’ at the right time will utilize this time efficiently to get the best results possible.”