Category: Sports

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Lacrosse Sports Women

Women’s lax remains winless in conference play

By Ajan Caneda

Writer

The women’s lacrosse team was unable to pick up its first conference victory this past weekend, falling to Lafayette 14-11 in Easton, Pa. Lafayette held the Bison scoreless for the final 12:30, allowing the Leopards to hand the Bison their ninth loss of the season.

Midfielder Sophie Kleinart ’14 scored a team-high three goals, while Katelyn Miller ’14, Ryan Wenk ’13 and Lindsey Ferro ’14 had two goals each.

“Our main goal going into the game against Lafayette was to win draw controls and keep possession,” Miller said. “[Ana White], who takes the draw for Lafayette, leads the nation in draw controls, so it was really crucial for us to be aggressive and give it our all right from the whistle.”

The Bison got off to an early 4-1 lead behind two goals from Miller and an unassisted goal by Arriana Sajjad ’15. Neither team could gain a comfortable edge. The Orange and Blue were able to attempt more shots (15-12) in the first period, but the game remained close. Wenk closed out the period with a goal that gave the Bison a 7-6 lead at the half.

“We came out strong from the very beginning by getting a 4-1 lead, but the game kept going back and forth,” Miller said. “Our attack was really hard to stop because we had multiple threats who could score.”

An early goal in the second period knotted the score at 7-7, but the teams continued to trade goals. Emily Kookogey ’15 dished an assist to Ferro, while Wenk nailed her second goal of the game that gave the Orange and Blue a 10-8 lead. It would be short-lived, as the Leopards answered with two goals of their own. Lafayette took their first lead of the game with 13:53 remaining. Ferro evened the score back up off a free position shot, but that would be the last goal for the Bison.

The Orange and Blue were outshot 13-9 in the second half, while Lafayette held the draw control advantage in the game (15-12). The Leopards also capitalized on free position, scoring five goals off of seven attempts.

“We need to learn to stay composed when we are up and use the clock to our advantage. We didn’t exploit the man-up situations, which allowed [Lafayette] to come back,” Kleinart said.

The Bison look to get back on track against Holy Cross on Saturday in Worcester, Mass. This is the second match of a four-game road trip for the Orange and Blue.

“We definitely fought the whole way through and learned so much that I’m confident the next time we play them, we will be able to be much more competitive,” Miller said.

Categories
Lacrosse Men Sports

Men’s lax takes down Holy Cross in final seconds

By Reed Dempsey

Writer

 

Holy Cross scored twice in the final five minutes of play to tie the game at nine, but an unassisted score by Peter Burke ’14 with just 22 seconds remaining sealed the eighth win of the season for the men’s lacrosse team this past Saturday in Worcester, Mass, as well as a No. 13 ranking in the national media poll.

Midfielder David Dickson ’15 opened the day’s scoring just a minute and a half into the game as the Bison were able to take advantage of an extra-man opportunity. Two minutes later Dickson fed Todd Heritage ’14 to extend the score to 2-0.

In an effort to slow the nation’s most efficient shooting team, the Crusaders had to limit the time that the Bison had the ball on offense.

“Holy Cross had a week to prepare for this game and they game-planned for us very well,” Dickson said. “They had long possessions on their side of the field which gave our offense limited touches.”

Over the final minutes of the first quarter, the teams traded tallies before the Crusaders cut the deficit to one on a last-second goal. 

The opening eight minutes of the second quarter saw three different Bison find the back of the net, as Chase Bailey ’13, John Scally ’12 and Billy Eisenreich ’12 brought the lead to 6-2. The Crusaders defense then held the Bison scoreless over the next 28 minutes, as their offense slowly chipped away at the lead. With 33 seconds left in the third quarter, the Crusaders tied the game at six on a man-up opportunity.

A penalty on Holy Cross with less than 10 minutes left in the game gave the Bison an opportunity to regain the lead. Eisenreich found Heritage to put the Bison up 7-6. Holy Cross tied the game at seven just 32 seconds later, but the second goals of the day by Dickson and Billy Mattimore ’13 gave a two-goal advantage in favor of the Bison with just under six minutes in regulation.

Holy Cross fought back over the next four minutes to tie the game for the third time. The Crusaders had possession and a chance to take the lead for the first time, but an errant shot gave the Bison possession. The Orange and Blue were able to successfully clear the ball to their offensive side of the field before taking a timeout. Burke was then able to find the back of the net to return the Bison lead to one.

The Crusaders won the ensuing faceoff and raced into the offensive zone for a shot, but Kyle Feeney ’13 was right there for the save, his 13th of the game.

Following the win, the Bison moved up to No. 13 in the national media poll and No. 15 in the coaches poll. They were ranked No. 16 in both polls last week.

After the hard-fought win, the Bison now turn their attention to tomorrow’s game against Army. Army is 4-6, but five of its six losses have come against teams ranked top-20 nationally.

“Although their record may not show it, Army is a very capable team and one that is definitely good enough to end our winning streak,” Dickson said. “We will need to match their intensity and physicality in order to be successful and come out of this game with a victory.”

The game is set to begin at 12 p.m. Saturday at Christy Matthewson-Memorial Stadium and will air on the CBS Sports Network.

 

 

Categories
Baseball Men Sports

Baseball loses two of four, falls to 14-15

Andrew Arnao
Staff Writer

The baseball team opened Patriot League play last weekend with a 1-3 showing at home against Holy Cross. The Orange and the Blue also dominated Lock Haven on Tuesday, but dropped their third contest of the week at Maryland 8-3. After the three games, the Bison now stand at 14-15 on the season.

Both of the games against Holy Cross on Saturday were well pitched by both teams. Game one featured a complete game by Dan Weigel ’14, who allowed one run on six hits over seven innings in a 3-1 victory. The Bison scored all three of their runs in the first inning, on a pair of RBI hits by Travis Clark ’13 and Scott Reed ’12.

Bryson Hough ’15 followed up with a strong pitching performance in game two, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, but the Bison offense was shut down in an eventual 3-1 defeat.

In the two games on Sunday, Holy Cross managed to take early leads and never looked back, winning game three 5-1 and game four 11-7. The Bison offense was limited in the first game, but six Bison had multiple hits in game four, allowing the team to end the series on a positive note offensively. Bob Donato ’12 also had his 21-game hitting streak snapped in game three but is still batting a team-high .421.

“This weekend was not our best weekend but it was a good reality check for what we will need to work on to win Patriots this year,” Clark said. “Our team reminds me a lot of the team we had two years ago when we went to the NCAA regional tournament.”

The offense carried its improvements from game four over to another home game against Lock Haven, where the Orange and Blue came out on top, 10-3. Pitchers Ryan Ebner ’12 and Jack Boehm ’12 did not allow any baserunners through 4.2 innings. Catcher Justin Meier ’14 led the offense with two hits, while three Bison recorded multiple RBIs.

Ending their three-game stretch at Maryland, the Bison were overmatched by a hot Terps offense that knocked up starter Russell Seidell ’12 for seven runs. Through seven innings, the Orange and Blue trailed 8-0, but managed to cut it to five in the top of the eighth. As a team, the Bison recorded six hits in the game with five of them coming from Donato and Gerry Runyan ’12.

The Bison will be back in action this weekend at home against Navy. The first game is at noon on Saturday.

“We have a solid older team again and we’re just a few steps from putting everything together and reaching our potential,” Clark said. “This week we will have a good chance of putting everything together and taking two victories into our weekend series with Navy.”

 

 

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Men Sports Tennis

Men’s tennis falls to Hoyas 6-1 in D.C.

By Cooper Mead

Contributing Writer

The men’s tennis team (5-10) suffered a 6-1 loss against Georgetown (9-6) on Friday in Washington D.C.

Doubles pairing Josh Katten ’13 and Evan Zimmer ’13 battled against Shane Korber and Alex Tropiano and won the match 8-6. This victory pushed the pair to 2-0 this week, while Katten continued his streak during his singles match by defeating Korber at the No. 3 spot. Katten battled and pushed hard to win the match that went into three sets, two of which went to a tiebreaker (3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 10-7).

“Georgetown is a solid team,” Katten said. “We came out firing in doubles but came up just short as a team. In singles I was lucky enough to come through with the win but unfortunately our team did not fair well. Despite the loss, I think we fought hard as a team.”

The Bison singles players struggled throughout the match. Kyle Rosen ’14 in No. 5 singles was the Bison who came the closest to winning another set, but Rosen lost 7-5, 6-2. The rest of the singles field came away winless at the conclusion of the match.

This loss marks the third straight for the Bison, who had won their two prior matches.

“The Georgetown match showed us that everyone needs to step up in every spot if we are to be successful against teams like Army and Navy,” Kelly Morque ’13 said. “A week of hard work and intensity should get us to where we need to be.”

The Bison were originally scheduled to take on Mount St. Mary’s this week, but the match was cancelled due to rain. The Bison will hope to break their tough streak when they host Colgate today at 1 p.m.

 

Categories
Sports Tennis Women

Women’s tennis gets shut out by Georgetown

By Andrew Lichtenauer

Senior Writer

The women’s tennis team fell to Georgetown at the Hoyas’ home court on Friday. The Hoyas beat the Bison in every match, winning the contest 7-0. Georgetown is now 8-5 on the season, while the Orange and Blue have now lost eight straight outings and are 2-11.

Dumitrita Iepuras ’12 and Daria Tuzhikova ’13 competed hard in each of their singles matches, but both players ended up with losses. Tuzhikova put up a fight against Madeline Jaeger but eventually lost 6-2, 6-1, while Iepuras lost her singles match against senior Lauren Greco 6-1, 6-1.

The Bison played well in the No. 2 doubles matches with Courtney Casey ’12 and Lydia Colvin ’15, taking four games against Tina Tehrani and Victoria Sekely. Tehrani and Sekely were victorious in the end, winning 8-4. 

The Bison competed against Towson yesterday after press time. They will return home this weekend to take on Colgate at 1 p.m. this afternoon and George Mason at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

 

Categories
Sports Water Polo Women

Bison Athlete of the Week: Hallie Kennen ’12

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

 

Player Profile:

Hallie Kennan ’12

Position: Driver

Hometown: Palo Alto, Calif.

Major: Environmental Studies

 

Statistics:

Games: 2

Goals: 5

Assists: 5

Steals: 2

Field Blocks: 1

Heading into last weekend riding a rough 10-game losing streak, the women’s water polo team came away with two big wins over Mercyhurst and Grove City thanks in large part to the strong play of Hallie Kennan ’12. Kennan recorded a total of 10 points over the two games, leading the Orange and Blue with three goals and four assists in the first game. The senior then added two more goals and an assist later in the nightcap against Grove City. Kennan’s seven-point performance against the Lakers tied a person career-high for Kennan and is the best individual performance of the season for the team.

Through the team’s 30 games this season, Kennan has certainly been the Orange and Blue’s most productive offensive weapon. Sitting nine points above the team’s second-highest points earner, Kennan has recorded 42 goals and 43 assists so far this season, making her just 20 points shy of the 300 mark for her career. On the defensive side, Kennan has made her presence felt, recording a team-high of 40 steals as well as nine field blocks.

Since beginning her collegiate career in 2009, Kennan has played a critical part in the team’s successes. During her sophomore year, Kennan emerged as the team’s top scorer with 58 goals in 27 games and earned Second Team All-CWPA Southern Division honors. Last season, Kennan once again led the team with 55 goals and was recognized for her demonstrated leadership and loyalty to the team by earning the team’s Allyson Gillespie Award. With one month remaining in her Orange and Blue career, Kennan will look to carry the team to a strong finish.

The Bison will take on Michigan and GW next weekend in College Park, Md., before hosting the Southern Championships on April 14 to 15.

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Basketball Men Sports

Q & A Mike Muscala ’13

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

After finishing the 2011-2012 season with a regular-season Patriot League title and despite coming just five points away from advancing to the NCAA Tournament, the men’s basketball team took its talents west over spring break for its first-ever berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

The first round of the tournament was highlighted by the Bison’s 65-54 upset victory over top-seeded Arizona. Leading the way was Lou Henson All-American Mike Muscala ’13, who recorded 20 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots in 33 minutes of play. Even in their narrow defeat in the second round of the NIT on March 18 versus Nevada, Muscala kept the Bison close with another double-double, his record-tying 16th of the season.

The Bucknellian caught up with last season’s Patriot League Most Outstanding Player to discuss his experience in the postseason.

The Bucknellian: What was the experience like playing in the NIT?
Mike Muscala: It was fun. We spent our spring break playing basketball in Arizona and Nevada, two places I had never been before.

Bucknellian: What was it like going against a Pacific-12 team with such a rich basketball history, like Arizona?
MM: Seeing all the great players’ names that had played at Arizona on banners and plaques throughout their arena was cool. They have been an elite level program for many, many years.

Bucknellian: Going into the Arizona game as the eighth seed, playing against the top seed, what did you feel like your chances were?

MM: I wasn’t worried about the seeding. Men’s college basketball is changing a lot in this aspect. I think that for the most part, any team that reaches the postseason is a quality team. I knew we would have a great chance to win if we came out aggressive and poised.

Bucknellian: Did you feel like people were counting you out in the game, and if so, how did that make you feel?

MM: There are always going to be people that count you out in big games, so that didn’t affect me. I try my best to just stay focused on what the team needs from me, and use whatever negativity or doubt or whatever it may be that I do encounter as motivation.

Bucknellian: When you fouled out late against Arizona with the game still on the line, what was going through your head knowing you had to watch the rest of the game from the bench?

MM: Fouling out towards the end of the game like that was really tough for me.  But Bryson [Johnson ’13] hit a huge shot and I think we ended the game on like a 9-0 run after I fouled out, so maybe it was a good thing!
Bucknellian: What was it like winning a post-season game and advancing to the second round of the NIT?

MM: It was a good win for our team. Arizona was the first high-major team that we had beaten since I got to campus. It was also special that so many fans and supporters were able to watch it since it was on national television.

Bucknellian: Against both Arizona and Nevada, you seemed to dominate the paint. What did it mean for you to play that well?
MM: I knew that for us to have a chance against teams like that I had to be aggressive and draw attention in the paint. That opened it up for a lot of good looks from our outstanding shooters on the perimeter.

With the experience of winning a tournament game under his belt, Muscala will head into his final season in a Bison uniform looking to build on the success from this year’s NIT run. Four starters and three key reserves from this year’s squad return to the court next season for what could be another banner year for the Orange and Blue.

 

Categories
Golf Sports Women

Women’s golf takes sixth

By Andrew Lichtenauer

Senior Writer

The women’s golf team finished sixth and ninth of 11 teams at the UNC-Wilmington Seahawk Classic on March 24 and 25, respectively in Wallace, N.C. The Bison posted team scores of 306, 311 and 312 in the 54-hole event, putting them 63 strokes behind tournament champion East Carolina. Old Dominion came in second (872) followed by first-round leader Longwood (873).

Leading the Orange and Blue was Bridget Wilcox ’14, who started off the tournament with an exceptional first round of one-under-par (71). The sophomore followed her impressive first round with solid rounds of 76 and 78 to finish off the 54-hole event in a tie for 19th place individually (225).

“My driving and irons have really improved and I was feeling confident going into the round,” Willcox said. “I have been working really hard and it definitely paid off.”

Lauren Bernard ’14 had the low round of the day on Sunday for Bison, posting a third-round 75. Minjoo Lee ’12 finished with a pair of 79s after shooting 77 on March 24.

James Madison’s Nicole Sakamoto was the individual medalist with a four-under 212. Sakamoto beat out second-place finisher Samantha Morrell of Old Dominion by just one shot.

The Bison will hit the links again when they compete in the Big South Championship April 9-11 at The Patriot Club in Ninety-Six, S.C.

Categories
Golf Men Sports

Men’s golf tees off in Williamsburg

By Scott Padula

Staff Writer

The men’s golf team kicked off its spring season at the Kingsmill Resort where they competed in the C&F Bank Invitational this past weekend. Represented by Will Bachman ’12, Dan Bernard ’13, Schuyler Stitzer ’14, Thomas Walter ’14 and Pete Scialabba ’15, the Orange and Blue placed 24th in a field of 29.

In wet conditions, Stitzer and Scialabba started the weekend strong for the Bison, both posting 75 in the first round. On the day, the Orange and Blue recorded a team score of 306 with contributions from Walter and Bernard who recorded a 77 and 79, respectively.

In the second day of action, the Orange and Blue shot a team score of 323. Fast winds and increasingly difficult conditions accounted for the 17-stroke difference between the first and second days. Again, Stitzer led the way for the Orange and Blue with a score of 80. Bachman, Bernard and Scialabba rounded out the official scorers for the Bison, each scoring an 81. By the end of the second round, the Orange and Blue fell to 26th place overall.

“A reoccurring theme for us this weekend was that several members of the team, myself included, had a difficult time finishing our rounds strong. As a result, the scores did not really reflect how well we played. I think going forward this season our goal is to work on course management decisions and eliminate mistakes that cost us unnecessary strokes,” Stitzer said.

To conclude the C&F Bank Invitational, the Bison registered a final-round 302; a score that pushed them back to 24th in the standings. Walter led all Bison with a season-best 74, while Stitzer finished with a 75 and the best score on the weekend with a 230. Bernard also posted a 75 on the day and Scialabba shot a 78.

“As a team, I thought we had a successful off-season and were more prepared for this event than we have been in years past. Nevertheless, I hope to see improvement in our final results. Hopefully we will continue to improve each tournament leading up to Patriot Leagues. Our competitive tournament schedule should help us prepare mentally and physically. By the time Patriot Leagues come around in April, we will be ready to win a championship,” Bachman said.

The Orange and Blue will head to Malvern, Pa. where they will compete in the Wildcat Invitational this weekend.

Categories
Sports Water Polo Women

Water polo snaps losing streak

By Katherine Harris

Writer

The women’s water polo team had an impressive weekend, posting a pair of victories against league opponent Mercyhurst and non-league competitor Grove City at Grove City on March 24. With the much-needed wins, the team improved to 2-3 in conference and 12-18 overall for the season.

“Overall, I think the team was relieved to get these two wins. After a tough spring break record, these last two games really brought back some of the team’s spirit and confidence. Before both games, we discussed specific strategies and tactics to help shut these teams down, and we went out and executed them very well, which contributed greatly to our success,” Hallie Kennan ’12 said.

In the first match of the afternoon, the Bison battled the Mercyhurst Lakers in a CWPA conference contest, prevailing with 14-7. Kennan and Julianne Valdes ’14 tallied three goals each. Kennan also had four assists in the match, becoming the first Bison to score seven points in a game this season and matching a career high in the process.

Krystle Morgan ’13, Taylor Barnett ’15 and Ariel Frankeny ’12 netted two goals apiece and goalkeeper Rena Heim ’14 recorded 10 saves. The combined effort led to the end of a 10-game losing streak.

The Bison played the Grove City Wolverines in their second match of the day. Barnett and Morgan led the way with four and three goals respectively, leading to an eventual 15-8 win.

Kennan and Valdes again stepped up and tallied two goals each for the victory. Barbara Peterson ’15 also contributed two goals and goalkeepers Heim and Brittany Connell ’12 posted three and one saves respectively for the Orange and Blue.

“What was great about these games was that all our players were able to get some playing time,” Kennan said. “Everyone had the chance to get involved and contribute to the outcome, which I think helps the team develop even more confidence and a better sense of responsibility.”

The Bison will now have two weeks of practice before they play again. Their next matches will be on April 7 when they travel to College Park, Md. to play Michigan and George Washington.