Author: cdm016

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

After a season-opening victory against Marist, Brandon Wesley ’14 led the Orange and Blue football team to the verge of another heroic performance in the final seconds against the Cornell Big Red last Saturday on the road.

The opposing defense stopped the Bison quarterback short of a victory on fourth down in the Cornell red zone in the final minutes, resulting in a 24-13 loss, and preventing the first 3-0 start for the Bison in 15 years.

“We knew that place was fourth and game,” Head Coach Joe Susan said. “We felt we had the right play called and wanted to put the ball in the hands of one of our playmakers. We also knew that we had two timeouts life and if we stopped Cornell from getting a first down, we would get the ball back, but the result did not work in our favor.”

After returning the opening kick-off 41 yards, the Cornell offense grabbed the momentum early with a five-play touchdown drive that took just under two minutes off the clock. The Bison defense was gashed for three plays of over 10 yards in the two-minute span.

Two series later, the Big Red took advantage of a missed field goal from Orange and Blue kicker Alex Eckard ’13 with a field goal, going up 10-0 two-thirds through the first quarter.

Despite the deficit, the Bison got on the board early in the second period on a one-yard rushing touchdown from Tyler Smith ’13. The drive was kept alive by a crucial 34-yard completion from Wesley to Victor Walker ’14 on fourth down, bringing the Bison all the way down to the one-yard line.

“These players understand that every play is its own separate entity, that a college football game is 60 minutes and every second counts,” Susan said. “They have self-confidence and confidence in each other and our system. We were down in the first game [against Duquesne] and came back twice. That experience is priceless.”

At the start of the second half, Drew Orth ’12 drained two important field goals, including a career-high 40 yarder, to give the Bison their only lead of the contest 13-10. Cornell responded to the second field goal with a one-play, 64-yard touchdown series to regain the lead entering the final quarter.

The closest the Bison would get to tying the game in the fourth quarter was their final drive of the game.

With less than five minutes remaining in the contest and trailing by four points, the Orange and Blue defense forced a Cornell punt that gave Wesley and the offense one last chance to emerge victorious. Wesley had completions, including a 46-yard pass to Frank DeNick ’12 to get the Bison in the Cornell redzone.

After two rushing plays and an incomplete pass, facing a fourth down and three, Wesley was stopped before he could get started, netting a one-yard loss and turning the ball back over to the Cornell offense.

The Big Red scored an insurance touchdown to seal the game on critical third down of the resulting drive, giving Cornell a 24-13 win in their opening game of 2011.

The Bison look to regain momentum on their 2011 season when they head to Princeton tomorrow at 6 p.m. A victory will be the program’s first against an Ivy League-school since 2006 and will ensure a winning non-conference record for the Bison.

“Princeton is a much better team,” Susan said. “They are unique in both what they do offensively and defensively. They have an active and talented defensive front and run a fast-paced, no-huddle offense. But, if we travel this week the way we always do, there should be no issues in our preparation.”

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

The Bison men’s soccer team recorded three consecutive shutouts this week against Drexel, Monmouth and St. Joseph’s to improve their record to 5-3 on the season. Over the three games, the Orange and Blue relied on stingy defense and outstanding goaltending from Tommy Caso ’12.

On Wednesday night, Caso and the team recorded a 1-0 victory over Drexel. The lone goal was scored by Mayowa Alli ’14 in the 83rd minute off a 40-yard free kick from CK Kumah ’13. The defense suffocated the Dragons all night, limiting them to six total shots with only three on net.

”The defense has really decided to take the amount of goals scored against us early in the season personally,” Alli said. “We were disappointed with the amount of goals we let in and knew that if we wanted to start winning we needed to stop letting in goals.”

On Sunday, the Bison stifled Monmouth in a 2-0 victory. The Orange and Blue received all the offense they would need in the first half when Alli headed in two goals just 6:54 apart. Both were nearly identical plays on corner kicks from Joe Meyer ’14 that allowed Alli to elevate over the defense. The defense, ignited by the return of Andrew Powell ’12 after a back injury, suffocated Monmouth all game, limiting them to 11 shots, although eight of those came in the second half. Caso recorded his second straight shutout for the 16th time in his collegiate career.

Coming off two straight road losses to two ranked opponents, the Orange and Blue rebounded with a 1-0 victory over St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia last Friday. Both teams played solid defense in the first half, and the teams entered the locker rooms with the score locked at zero. At 50:34 of the second half, Kumah launched a free kick that Luke Joyner ’12 was able to head in to break the scoreless tie. Caso stood strong in goal, recording four saves. The Bison had multiple scoring opportunities in the second half, but Hawks goalie Andrew D’Ottavi was also impressive.

The Bison men return to action tomorrow when they open Patriot League play against rival Lehigh. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.

“Patriot League play is right around the corner. This week we are trying to get everyone prepared for the intensity of the games and the significance of the moment,” Joyner said. “It’s important for us to get off to a good start in league play with a solid performance against Lehigh this weekend, so we are hoping for a great Family Weekend crowd that we can get a victory for.”

By Chris McCree ’14

Bison Athlete of the Week

Profile:

Kasha Scott

Sophomore

Hometown: Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

Major: Undeclared

Statistics for Bison Invitational:

Final score: 222 (+12 over 3 rounds)

Low round: 70

Place: T-4

Birdies: 5

Pars: 33

During a wet season-opening tournament, Kasha Scott ’14 led the women’s golf team to first place at the Bison Invitational. Over two days, Scott compiled a team-best score of 222, putting her in fourth place overall in the 80-player field.

Scott’s career-low 70 during the final round gave the Orange and Blue just enough to edge out Rutgers by one stroke. She led the team in birdies and was second in pars for the event, but her biggest single contribution came during the final two holes of play. With the tournament on the line, Scott made a birdie on the 17th hole and then sunk a pivotal par putt on 18 to give the Bison their second consecutive win at the Invitational.

As a first-year, Scott played in all 10 events and was crucial to the team’s success last season. She finished the year tied for third in scoring average, and recorded three top-15 finishes. This season, the Orange and Blue will need Scott to play at a high level if they hope to compete for the title. Last weekend’s performance was certainly a good start.

By Thomas Walter

Contributing Writer

After being delayed an entire day due to torrential rain, the women’s golf team won its second consecutive Bison Invitational championship Sept. 11 and Sept. 12. Kasha Scott ’14 led the Bison to victory after posting a career-low round of 70 during the final round of play.

After opening with a 310 cumulative score on Sunday morning, the Bison rallied and shot two consecutive rounds under 300 to edge out a tough Rutgers team by just one stroke.

Scott led the Orange and Blue with rounds of 79-73-70 and finished tied for fourth individually. During her final round, Scott put together a remarkably consistent round with 16 pars and a critical birdie on 17.

Scott did not act alone. Lauren Bernard ’14 and Bridget Wilcox ’14 both turned in solid performances for the Orange and Blue, finishing in t-7 and t-11, respectively.

“I was really excited about how I played because I have been struggling with my game all summer, and now things have finally come together,” Scott said. “It was also really exciting to beat Rutgers by one stroke and to come back from behind and win. I think it really speaks volumes for how much the team has matured in a year.”

This season, the Bison will depend on the play of their core of sophomore players.

“We are so excited to say that for the first time in the women’s golf program history, we are back-to-back champions. It is great to start our season off with a win and it gives us a lot of confidence going into our next tournament,” Bernard said.

Up next for the Bison is the Badger Invitational, hosted by Wisconsin, which will take place on Sept. 25-26.

By Ajan Caneda

Contributing Writer

After starting the season 0-3, including losses to ranked BU and Princeton, the Bison women’s field hockey team came away with its first victory in an overtime thriller against Central Michigan last Saturday at Ann Arbor. They went on to lose their next game 5-0 to Michigan on Sunday.

The Chippewas got off to an early 1-0 lead before the fourth minute of the first half, but Kate Bowen ’12 knotted the game off a rebound in the second period with her first career goal. The Bison had multiple opportunities to score in the second half and nearly doubled the amount of shot attempts that the Chippewas had, with 13 overall for the game.

The game went into overtime, and forward Rachel Misko ’14 scored the winning goal 2:24 into the period with an assist from Mallory Smith ’12.

“We were able to push through by giving everything we had. We knew that the game was ours and we were not about to give it up,” Misko said.

“I thought we outplayed them for a majority of the game. We are very young this year, with three freshmen starting, and another couple getting a ton of playing time. We were very happy with our effort level and the result,” coach Jeremy Cook said.

The Bison followed their victory with a tough loss at No. 14 Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“Michigan is the defending Big Ten champion, and any time you have the opportunity to play a team like that is a great experience,” Cook said.

The Wolverines started the game with two first-half goals in the first 12 minutes of the match. The Bison’s comeback hopes were squashed in the second half when Michigan scored nine minutes into the period, putting the Bison in a 3-0 hole. The Wolverines outshot the Bison 17-4 and 11-2 on penalty corners. Goalie Erica Perrine ’14 had six saves for the Orange and Blue, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the relentless Wolverine attack that cruised to a 5-0 win.

“We felt good about our effort, and even better that they exposed some of the areas of our game that need improving. The team is always working hard, and I feel good about the direction we’re heading,” Cook said.

“It was an awesome experience to travel out to Michigan and play a team from the Big Ten,” said midfielder and forward Jennifer LaBarre ’14.  “‘But your butt’ is our motto, and our team has been nothing short of that.”

The Bison look to bring that determination into their next match as they travel to Lock Haven to take on the Bald Eagles on Sunday.

By Andrew Arnao

Writer

The Bison women’s volleyball team played in the Blue Devil Volleyball Invite last weekend, dropping the first two matches to Stony Brook and Central Connecticut State but ending with a win over St. Peter’s.

During their first game last Friday against Stony Brook, the Bison lost 3-0, but Jessica Serrato ’14, Kebah Edoho ’13 and Morgan Mientus ’14 led the offense with nine, seven, and six kills respectively. Edoho also led the team with four blocks.

“We are still trying to find a winning lineup; everyone is really hot and cold right now,” Mientus said. “Our service errors really killed us.”

Against Central Connecticut, the Bison won the first set but lost momentum and dropped the second. The Bison started strong in the third set, but two errors eventually caused them to fall 26-24. The Orange and the Blue took the tied the match 2-2 in the fourth set but suffered their most difficult defeat in the fifth. Although they obtained the match point three times, the Bison were unable to convert, and ended up losing the set and the match 21-19.

Despite the loss, the team did not lose focus.

“When games became difficult or frustrating, the team really stepped it up and fought to the very end,” Edoho said. “Even people coming off the bench made huge contributions, showing that everyone on the team is extremely talented.”

The Bison showed their resiliency by defeating St. Peter’s in five sets shortly after their loss to Central Connecticut. Initially falling behind 2-1 due to errors and offensive woes, the Bison rallied to take the fourth set and used a 10-1 offensive surge to claim the fifth set and the match victory. Serrato, Mientus, Edoho and Anne Ellenberger ’12 each had double-digit kills, while Ellenberger also led the team in blocks with seven.

“We learned a lot as a team this weekend and played the most cohesive and competitive volleyball as a team so far,” Morgan Markarian ’15 said. “We had lots of different players step up from off the bench to contribute… and the starters all showed really good leadership as well. We’re looking forward to our home tournament this weekend and hoping for three big wins.”

Kat Tauscher ’13 and Edoho were selected to the all-tournament team.  Tauscher finished the weekend with 117 assists, 19 digs, and five blocks, while Edoho had 26 kills and nine blocks.

The Bison play Coppin State, Stony Brook and Bowling Green this weekend. The first game, against Coppin State, is tonight at 7:30 p.m.

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

After two consecutive seasons in which the Bison football team notched one victory apiece, the first big goal for the 2011 squad was reaching the multiple-win mark. Behind an opportune defense and a balanced offensive attack, the Orange and Blue needed only two games to surpass their win total from 2009 and 2010, with a wire-to-wire victory over the Marist Red Foxes, 28-14.

The Bison scored the first two touchdowns of the contest just four minutes apart. On their second series of the game, receiver Victor Walker ’14 hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brandon Wesley ’14 with three minutes left in the first quarter.

Only one minute into the second period, Wesley found Frank DeNick ’12 from 18 yards out for a touchdown. The Orange and Blue started the drive with a short field thanks to a 42-yard interception return by Bryce Robertson ’12 all the way to the Marist 43-yard line.

“Winning the turnover margin is critical to our success,” head coach Joe Susan said. “It is something we preach and practice. We are learning how to create turnovers. The ball is the program.”

Trailing by two touchdowns, the Red Foxes turned up the pressure on the Bison, finding the end zone once just before halftime and again midway through the third quarter. Despite the comeback, Tyler Smith ’13 ran a touchdown between the two Marist scores to maintain the lead.

“When you jump out to a 14-0 lead, the best teams will methodically put their opponent away,” Susan said. “We had our chances to do this and wound up being up by only six at one point. It creates a totally different dynamic. We have to learn, as a team, that when an opponent is backed up that we must maintain momentum.”

The Bison regained the momentum quickly after the second Marist touchdown with two crucial defensive stops. On the opening drive of the fourth quarter, the Orange and Blue pushed the Red Foxes back six yards, forcing them to punt the ball away.

After regaining possession, Marist fumbled away another scoring opportunity when Robert De La Rosa ’12 stripped the ball and Samuel Oyekoya ’13 recovered it.

The Bison offense capitalized on the Marist turnover, as Jeremiah Young ’13 rushed for eight of his career-high 70 yards for the clinching touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Playing in front of a crowd of over 3000, the Orange and Blue kept their perfect home season alive, extending their record to 2-0 in Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.

“We want to thank everyone who came out and supported the team this weekend,” Susan said.

Heading into their first road contest of 2011 tomorrow at 6 p.m., the Orange and Blue face Cornell, a team that has not yet played this season. After two straight wins to open the season, the Bison coaching staff isn’t changing anything.

“Our prep for Cornell will be no different than our other games,” Susan said. “It is their first game, so we must deal with the potential of unknowns. But, if we don’t make a big deal of travel, playing on the road is not much of an issue.”

 

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

Coming off their first win of the season last Sunday, the women’s soccer team kept its streak alive with a 1-0 victory over Cornell on the road this past Saturday. In the victory, Chelsey Garkowski ’14 scored her first goal as a Bison and goalkeeper Sandita McDermott ’13 recorded her first career shutout.

Despite being outshot 19-4 in the game, the Bison were able to capitalize on the few chances they got.  Just 23 minutes into the game, Garkowski connected on a beautiful ball into the box from Liz Dwornik ’14, giving the Bison a 1-0 lead.

“The keys to our success in this particular game were being able to finish one of our few scoring chances and keeping the ball out of our own net,” Dwornik said.

McDermott was unstoppable in goal, saving all seven shots that came her way. In her three years as a member of the team, McDermott had never recorded a shutout prior to Saturday’s game.

With the win, the Bison improve to a season record of 2-3, but recognize that they still have work to do.

“We were very excited to keep our winning streak alive, but we do have things we need to work on such as keeping possession throughout the game and creating more scoring chances, “ Dwornik said. “ Our communication on the field needs to get better as well.”

The Bison women were originally scheduled to play Mount St. Mary’s this Wednesday, but the game was cancelled at the last minute. Now, the Bison look ahead to this week’s three-game homestand when they will face St Francis, Marist and Penn State.

“We definitely want to keep going with this winning streak and will continue to work hard and improve each day,” Dwornik said.

After a week of practice, the Bison will begin their homestand tomorrow at noon against St. Francis.

 

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

The Bison men’s soccer team fought valiantly this past weekend in the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament in South Bend, Ind., but fell in two tough contests to ranked opponents Notre Dame and Indiana to drop its record to 2-3-0 on the young season.

On Sunday, Sept. 11, the Orange and Blue could not overcome a sluggish start and fell to No. 17 Notre Dame. Despite outshooting the Fighting Irish 15-12, the Bison did not generate any offense until a late goal by Brendan Burgdorf  ’13 in the 87th minute cut the Notre Dame lead to 2-1. Goalie Tommy Caso ’12 was effective in goal allowing two goals until Marc Hartmann ’12 relieved him for the final 17:33, shutting out Notre Dame during that time.

On Sept. 9, the Bison mounted a furious rally from a two-goal second half deficit before succumbing to No. 10 Indiana, 3-2. The Hoosiers controlled play for much of the first half and scored two goals within three minutes, each coming off the foot of Alec Purdie. Despite finding themselves in a deep hole, the Orange and Blue mounted a furious rally, scoring twice within 8:01 in the second half to tie the score at two apiece. The first came from an own goal by Indiana off a corner kick by the Bison’s C.K. Kumah ’13. Burgdorf scored his first goal of the season off a pass from Mayowa Alli ’14 to bring the Bison even. Indiana scored the game winner just seven minutes later on a goal by Eriq Zavaleta.

Even with the two defeats, the Bison showed they can play with elite competition in the nation. Both Alli and Burgdorf were named to the  All-Tournament Team. The Bison next play tonight against St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia, Pa. at 7 p.m.

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

 

Player Profile:

Mayowa Alli

#20

Sophomore

Defender

Hometown: Lanham, Md.

Major: Undeclared

 

This week’s statistics:

Minutes: 174

Shots: 5

Shots on goal: 3

Goals: 3

 

Coming off a disappointing season-opening loss, the men’s soccer team strung together a pair of impressive wins this week due in large part to the play of Mayowa Alli ’14. Despite playing fullback for the Orange and Blue, Alli was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week after scoring three goals in the two games. During the team’s 4-1 victory over St. Francis last Thursday, Alli recorded his first goal of the season on his only shot attempt of the game. Then, during Sunday’s thrilling matchup with LaSalle, Alli carried the team to victory with two more goals, including a game-winner 48 seconds into overtime.

After his impressive week, Alli has already matched his season goal total of three from last season and is only two assists short of last year’s mark as well. As a first-year, Alli started 17 games and his strong defensive play at the end of last season earned him Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors. Alli’s fast start this season is important for the team as they start their quest for another Patriot League Championship. The Orange and Blue were ranked No. 2 behind Colgate in the preseason this year and will certainly depend on strong plays from Alli and the rest of their returning players to carry them into the playoffs.

Now, with their first wins out of the way, the Bison travel to Indiana to take on both Indiana (tonight at 5 p.m.) and Notre Dame (Sunday at 2 p.m.).