Category: Sports

By Eric Brod

Writer

After a heartbreaking loss to Lehigh last week, the men’s soccer team was unable to break its winless streak, playing a scoreless draw against UMBC on the road Tuesday. Following its second straight Patriot League loss on Saturday, this time to American, the team’s record currently stands as 5-5-1.

On Tuesday, the Orange and Blue played a tough, physical match that ended in a scoreless tie. The men outshot UMBC 13-11 on the game, while goalie Tommy Caso ’12 made several spectacular saves in the extra session. Caso recorded his fourth shutout of the season and made five saves. The Bison had several chances to score in the first half, with the best one occurring midway through the first half when Mayowa Alli ’14 nearly connected on a corner kick play following a shot by Brendan Burgdorf ’13 that just missed the net.

On a wet Saturday afternoon at Emmit Field, the rival American University Eagles rallied late past the Bison to drop them to 0-2 in league play. Throughout the game, American’s defense stifled the Bison’s offense attack, limiting to six shots while the Eagle’s goalie Matt Makowski only had to make two saves.

After a rocky first half, the Orange and Blue took the lead after Josh Plump ’13 forced American’s defense into a faulty clearing that resulted in a goal to give the Bison a 1-0 lead with under 20 minutes to play. Just 1:43 later, American answered with a goal by Seth Goldman after a beautiful pass from Cristobal Soto. The Eagles shocked the Bison when Jake Scott netted the game winner past Caso with just 8:22 remaining.

The Bison return to action tomorrow when they travel to Annapolis, Md. to face Navy in search of their first Patriot League victory.

“Although we lost the first two games, we have to keep our head up because last year we lost two Patriot League games and still managed to be successful,” Alli said. “As long as we give every game our all, we should be fine.”

Football

Greg Stevenson ’12

For the first time in 10 years, the Orange and Blue won four of their first five games. The Bison won their Patriot League home opener last Saturday afternoon with a 35-18 home victory over the Georgetown Hoyas. The win marked the fourth consecutive time the Bison have beaten Georgetown, dating back to the 2008 season.

Defensive end Roberto De La Rosa ’12 earned the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National Defensive Player of the Week from both The Sports Network and College Football Performance through his three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and forced fumble. De La Rosa ranks third all-time in single-game tackles for loss in FCS history.

“We trust in each other and in the coaching staff, which really allows each of us players to perform to the best of our ability,” De La Rosa said. “The coaches do a great good in preparing for our opponent each week and we’re fortunate enough that no one slacks off. Everyone, from the starters to the scout team, works their butts off throughout the week.”

Offensively, it was a three-man attack that powered the Orange and Blue. Running back Tyler Smith ’13 and wide-receiver Frank DeNick ’12 each gained 100 yards on the game, with Smith reaching the century mark on the ground for the first time in his career. Quarterback Brandon Wesley ’14 threw 200 yards and three touchdowns, the most for a Bison since 2002.

“We are fortunate that we have good players on this team,” Head Coach Joe Susan said. “Plays are there to be made and will only be made when preparation meets opportunity. The long passes are there because of the threat of the run game, protection, and the pass being thrown on time. It all works together.”

Only a minute into the contest, the Orange and Blue forced and recovered a fumble deep in Hoya territory. The offense scored just three minutes later to go up 7-0. The Bison scored three more touchdowns in the first half, going up 28-0 before a late Georgetown score pushed the halftime lead to 21.

Georgetown added a touchdown and field goal in the third quarter, getting within 10 points, but Wesley’s third passing score of the contest early in the fourth period sealed the game for the Bison.

The Bison return to the field this Saturday afternoon against the Lehigh Mountainhawks. The toughest opponent for the Orange and Blue so far this season, Lehigh enters the contest ranked 10th in the nation and on a three-game win-streak.

“Lehigh are playing well and have some excellent players,” Susan said. “We will prepare for them like we prepare for our other opponents, but we are fortunate to be healthy and playing at home.”

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

After two losses, the women’s field hockey team rebounded last weekend with two wins against Holy Cross and Villanova at Graham Field.

“We are so thrilled about this weekend’s wins. It means a lot to capture both wins, because we have not been able to win two in a row up to this point,” Rachel Misko ’14 said.

In their first Patriot League matchup of the season, the Bison shut out Holy Cross 7-0.  Maggie Murphy ’15, Gabby Palumbo ’15 and Misko scored to secure a 3-0 lead at the half. Mallory Smith ’12 scored twice within the first 15 minutes of the second half to increase the margin to five.

“As a team, we are most successful when we play together,” Palumbo said. “It’s hard to win when one person feels like the weight of the game is on her shoulders and this weekend really proved that. We played as a team and we were rewarded for it.”

Coming off the win, the Orange and Blue gained a narrow 2-1 victory over Villanova the following day. After 31 minutes of scoreless play, Villanova scored the first goal, but the Wildcat lead did not last long. Just one minute later, Kate Bowen ’12 tied the game with her third goal of the season.

Four minutes into the second half, Misko netted her second goal of the weekend. The Orange and Blue maintained this 2-1 margin for the remainder of the contest.

“This weekend’s games gave our team a big confidence boost. We played a tough team on Saturday and an even tougher team on Sunday. Both games showed us that we can play as a team and we can score,” Palumbo said.

The Bison conclude their homestand this Saturday against Patriot League rival Lafayette. Standing at 1-0 in the league, the Bison are scheduled to face each league opponent once before the final tournament in the beginning of November.

By Ajan Caneda

Writer

Looking to bounce back from their 10th place finish at the Cornell Invitational, the men’s golf team traveled to Williamsburg, Va. on Monday and Tuesday to compete with 12 other teams in the Joe Agee Invitational. The Bison finished eighth on Monday but put on a strong showing on Tuesday that helped them finish fifth in the tournament with an overall score of 909. Will Bachman ’12 and Schuyler Stitzer ’14 tied individually for 17th overall with a final score of 227.  Dan Bernard ’13 placed 30th with a score of 230 and J.J Szmadzinski ’13 who finished one stroke behind.

Monday proved to be a tough test for the Bison as they struggled to move up in the pack. Longwood got off to a commanding lead posting a score of 578 which was 20 strokes ahead of High Point who finished second at the end of Monday. Bachman tied for 26th and posted a 153 while Stitzer and Peter Scialabba ’15 missed the top 30 finishing with scores of 154 and 155, respectively.

“I believe the guys now realize that physically and skill-wise they can compete with all teams at this level,” Head Coach Jim Cotner said.

The Orange and Blue improved their ranking on Tuesday. Only 10 strokes separated the fifth from eighth place teams and the Bison took advantage. Delaware posted a 306 in the final round as they dropped to eighth after finishing seventh on Friday. William and Mary placed seventh with a score of 915 overall. The Bison were able to move their way up to fifth after they posted a 291 in the final round which was the lowest collective score of the third round.

“The third and final round at the Joe Agee Invitational was our season’s best. It was the type of performance that I expect from the members of our team,”  Cotner said. “It was the most locked in mentally that I have seen our team in the past two years. Hopefully this focus will carry over and now be a permanent part of their games.”

The Bison head to Fairfax, Va. to compete in the George Mason Intercollegiate next Friday.

By Thomas Walter

Contributing Writer

The women’s golf team took 13th in Penn State’s Nittany Lion Invitational. Due to extreme conditions, the first two rounds yielded high scores and the final round of the 54-hole tournament was cancelled. Kasha Scott ’14 continued her successful season, shooting a pair of 76s to finish in a tie for 20th.

“The weather was really awful for the tournament, but I just made sure that I really focused on one shot at a time, and trying to get on the green and two putt. I was really proud of myself for how I played despite the conditions,”  Scott said.

Minjoo Lee ’12 finished second individually on the team with a two-day score of 160.

The Orange and the Blue shot 315 on the first day of the tournament.  Scott and Lee led the way for the team with 76 and 78.  Bridget Wilcox ’14 shot 80 and Lauren Bernard ’14 shot 81 to round out the four scores of the Bison.

“The conditions made it really tough for the second tournament in a row but I just kept trying to grind it out and make some pars,” Wilcox said.

Overall, it was a disappointing weekend for the Orange and the Blue. The second day the team score increased to 321.  Scott was the only Bison to break 80.

But Wilcox and the team are staying optimistic.

“The scores definitely don’t reflect our playing abilities and we are going to work hard this week to gear up for our next tournament over fall break at ECU,” Wilcox said.

The team travels to Greenville, N.C. on Monday to take part in the two-day Lady Pirate Intercollegiate.

By Colin Fields

Contributing Writer

A re-energized women’s volleyball team defeated Lafayette in straight sets at Davis Gym last Friday, but fell to Lehigh on Saturday. With the win against Lafayette, the Bison erased a sour taste from a tough loss to Navy the previous week, when the Bison took a 2-0 lead  but fell three sets to two.

Against Lafayette, The Bison took the first and second sets with relative ease, 25-18 and 25-22 respectively. Kyleigh McAhren ’12 led the Bison with 15 kills. At the start the third set, Jessica Serrato ’14 recorded back-to-back aces and helped the Orange and Blue to a 4-0 advantage, but the Bison faltered and fell to 18-10. But stellar serving by Emily Sawanobori ’12 and Morgan Mientus ’14 resulted in a 13-3 run that clinched the win. Kebah Edoho ’13 slammed home the final kill to end the third set at 26-24.

“We really wanted to win and were felt very focused entering the Lafayette game; the comeback in the third set felt amazing and we need to do that more often,” Mientus said.

On Saturday, the Bison fell to Lehigh in straight sets. The Orange and Blue kept Lehigh close in the first set but ultimately lost the set 25-19. The Bison fell 25-19 in the second set, and Lehigh took the third set 25-20 despite a solid performance by Serrato, who led the Bison with seven kills, and Kat Tauscher ’13 who tallied up 53 assists over both weekend matches.

“We are really struggling right now. I think we need to do something different and be a little more hungry for wins.  In the Lehigh game we really lost focus and gave them an easy win,” Mientus said.

“I feel good about moving forward in to Patriot League play because we have been having much more intense practices,” McAheren said. “Hopefully we can come out against all odds and dominate Colgate in their own gym this weekend,” Mientus said.

The Bison travel to Hamilton, N.Y. to face Colgate on Saturday before returning for a five-game homestand against Patriot League opponents.

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

The women’s cross country team claimed 28th in a field of 45 last Friday at the Paul Short Invite in Bethlehem, Pa. Stephanie Fulmer ’12 and Emily Liggett ’12 led the charge for the Orange and Blue, finishing in 22:40 and 22:42 respectively, but the team did not place any one in the top 150 places.

“The team was disappointed in this past weekend’s results,” Fulmer said. “We were hoping to place higher and really show our depth as a team; unfortunately, we came out a little flat.”

Although the team did not place any runners in the top third, they did have five runners finish in under 23 minutes.

“The team has been looking very strong in practices and we are using that positive momentum to continue developing our strength of depth and individual progress,” Fulmer said.

The Bison collected a total of 805 points which placed them fourth out of five Patriot League teams in the competition. The Navy women led the group and finished 15th overall, closely followed by Army and host Lehigh.

Nationally ranked Providence claimed the team title with a total of 101 points, but the individual title went to Villanova’s Bogdana Mimic who finished 90 seconds ahead of Fulmer.

“We are using this weekend as motivation to move forward for the rest of the season. We need positive attitudes, a clear focus and a united goal to win the Patriot League Championships,” Fulmer said.

The Orange and Blue will prepare for next week’s league championships at tomorrow’s Father Bede Invitational in Loretto, Pa.

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

The men’s cross country team finished 38th out of 45 this past Friday at the Paul Short Invite in Bethlehem, Pa. D.J. Krystek ’13 was the only Bison runner to place in the top 200, with a time of 26:02.

“Overall, we were pretty disappointed,” Dave Brown ’12 said. “We have been training really hard and with great results, but it just hasn’t translated into good races yet. We are a much better team than the results showed.”

Brown and Dan Dillon ’12 rounded out the top three for the Bison, finishing in 26:23 and 26:28 respectively. John Dugan ’15 continued to be the top contributing first-year for the Bison, finishing nine seconds after Dillon.

Out of the four Patriot League teams competing in the event, the Bison finished last with 1,069 points. American claimed the top with 18th,followed by Lehigh in 20th and Army in 24th.

“We came away from the race knowing that the time has come to get serious about racing. We are done making mistakes and having bad races,” Brown said. “We need to be smart and stay positive. Consistency and trust in our training is paramount.”

Overall, the University of Oklahoma placed four runners in the top 10 to claim the team title. Georgetown claimed runner-up honors, yet still fell short of the Sooners squad by more than 100 points.

“Not only was the field better than last year, but it included more teams, so placing higher than last year’s team is a good indicator that we are improving as individuals and a team,” Krystek said. “We knew that the size and talent level of the race would provide us with an experience similar to that of regionals and, at the same time, give us a chance to race the same course that we will race for Patriot Leagues.”

The team has just one event remaining before heading to the League Championship on Oct. 14. The men head to Loretto, Pa. tomorrow to compete in the Father Bede Invitational.

“At this point, all we can do is remain focus on the championship part of our season and try our best to take care of the details,” Krystek said. “We need to stay healthy and push each other every day so that we will be in the best shape possible for leagues and regionals.”

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

Player Profile:

Brandon Wesley

Sophomore

Quarterback

Hometown: Plano, Texas

Major: Undeclared

Statistics against Princeton:

Completions: 16-23

Passing yards: 138

Longest completion: 22 yards

Rushing yards: 76

Yards/carry: 5.1

Touchdowns: 3

During the Bison’s 34-9 win over Princeton this past weekend, quarterback Brandon Wesley ’14 headed the Bison offense with three touchdowns and over 200 yards of total offense. Wesley played a crucial role in both the passing and running games, allowing the Orange and Blue to beat the Tigers for the first time in 13 attempts. He completed 70 percent of his passes to four different receivers, and tallied a total of 138 yards. His biggest contribution, though, came in the ground game. Wesley led the team in all rushing categories, averaging 5.1 yards per carry for a total of 76 yards and three touchdowns. After scoring his third touchdown during the final minutes of play, Wesley became the first Bison player since the 2007 season to record three rushing touchdowns in one game.

With a full year of experience under his belt, Wesley has returned this year improved from his first season. Despite being named the Patriot League Rookie of the year last season, Wesley lacked the consistency that has served him so well this season. After last Saturday’s game, Wesley is already just one touchdown shy of his 2010 mark of eight and has thrown eight fewer interceptions. With the season now fully underway, the Bison will rely on Wesley to keep up his strong play if they hope to compete in the Patriot League. Wesley and the Orange and Blue will get their first taste of Patriot League competition this weekend when they take on Georgetown at home this Saturday at 1 p.m.