Category: Sports

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Soccer Sports Women

Women’s soccer falls to Army in conference opener

Doug Hendry

Contributing Writer

Although the women’s soccer team put up a tough fight through a massive rain storm on Sept. 21 against Army at Emmitt Field, they couldn’t pull through and lost in double overtime 2-1. Chelsey Garkowski ’14 scored the lone goal for the Bison in their first conference game of the season.

“I think anyone watching saw that it was a very good game on both ends,” Sarah Bresette ’17 said. “Chelsey had a great goal to keep us in the game, and we went into overtime pumped up and ready. Obviously it was a tough loss, but a great game all in all.”

The Orange and Blue had just returned home from a pair of matches in Maryland and were looking to kick off conference play on the right foot. Army came into the match with a 4-3-1 record, including a 5-0 dismantling of Rhode Island in its last match. Looking to stop the momentum of the Black Knights, the Bison would have their hands full. Even more, the Bison would be without Evelyn Nicinski ’15, who was playing for Poland in a World Cup qualifier.

The first update on the scoreboard came on Army’s goal from the top of the 18 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. The Bison had a few chances to put up a goal of their own, including Courtney Nelson ’15 who made a pair of long runs from defense. Yet the Bison trailed 1-0 after the first half.

The Bison had no problem getting the equalizing goal as Garkowski outhustled the defense and scored in the 47th minute. Garkowski is one of two players, along with goalkeeper Jessie Ashworth ’16, to start in all nine games for the Bison.

The Army squad would not give up that easily, as they took control of the final portion of regulation. The Black Knights, finishing with 22 shots, used effective corners as well as a barrage of crosses into the box, threatening to put the game winner on the board. Still, the Bison defense stopped everything in its way, forcing overtime.

It was a balanced battle for the majority of the game, but Army kept the ball throughout overtime. An Army player redirected an incoming cross right in front of the keeper for the final goal one minute into the second overtime period.

“Finishing out those games to clinch a victory requires us finding the inner drive for that final push, which is something that I feel we are so close to mastering,” Montana Paley ’17 said.

The Bison, now 3-6 (0-1 in-conference), will square off against Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa. tonight at 7 for another conference battle.

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Men Soccer Sports

Klug leads men’s soccer to fifth consecutive victory

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor 

Jesse Klug’s ’16 two goals boosted the men’s soccer team to its fifth consecutive victory, a 2-0 road win over Seton Hall on Sept. 21. For his efforts, Klug won his second straight Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week Award as well as Bison Athlete of the Week. Goalie Mike Lansing ’16, who had 11 saves in this game, earned Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week Honors and became the first Bison goalkeeper since 1983 to have four straight shutouts. The Orange and Blue improved their record to 5-2.

Klug did not waste any time making his mark on the game. His first goal connected at the 5:40 mark when Chris Thorsheim ’16 returned a toss ball to Connor Willings ’16, who launched the ball into the box where Klug used his chest to drive the ball past the approaching goalkeeper. Lansing protected the shutout after making a spectacular save off of a Seton Hall header.

“We are a hard working team that never quits no matter how tired we are,” Austin Lenart ’17 said. “I believe it was our hard work and communication that allowed us to be so successful defensively.”

The insurance goal in the second half happened in the 83rd minute after a series of moves from Thorsheim led to a shot from Lenart. After his attempt went off the post, Klug blasted the rebound into the net.

“The second half goal came when Chris Thorsheim played a through ball into the box that I was able to get onto,” Lenart said. “I then tried to put the ball past the goalie and it deflected off of the post and into the middle of the box. Jesse Klug then one-timed the ball into the back of the net for a goal.”

Seton Hall held a 23-9 shot advantage to go along with a 9-1 edge on corner kicks, but it was Klug who secured his fourth straight game-winning goal. Lansing also extended his shutout minutes streak to 393:05 over four games. Klug’s team-leading five goals this season is second in the Patriot League rankings and 14th best in the nation.

The Bison begin Patriot League play tomorrow when they face Army at home at 3:30 p.m.

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Football Men Sports

Bison football loses to Cornell

Cooper Mead

Senior Writer 

The football team took on the Cornell Big Red at Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, N.Y. where it suffered a 45-13 loss marked by a plethora of turnovers.

As the game took place in heavy rainfall, the Bison suffered six turnovers. Those turnovers proved to be crucial, as four of them led to Cornell touchdowns. Despite such deficits, CJ Williams ’17 led the Bison offense. He ran 148 yards on 30 carries. In addition, quarterback Brandon Wesley ’14 completed seven of 16 passes for 118 yards.

“The offensive line continued to show improvement … the more game experience they have the more they will improve,” head coach Joe Susan said.

The Bison began the first-half scoring when Kyle Sullivan ’14 brought a punt back for a 59-yard touchdown and ended the Bison drought of 10 years without a punt return for a touchdown. The Bison proceeded to score again after another Big Red punt, as Wesley threw a 56-yard pass to Josh Lebo ’15 that brought kicker Derek Maurer ’15 in field goal range and put three points on the board for the Bison.

The second quarter began with a quick Cornell touchdown strike with All-American quarterback Jeff Mathews throwing a 44-yard touchdown pass to Chris Lenz. On the ensuing drive, the Bison countered with a methodical 13-play, 71-yard drive, but were held to a 21-yard field goal kicked by Maurer (four for four this season) that gave them a 13-7 lead with 5:19 left in the half.

Despite the solid Bison play for the majority of the first half, they were unable to carry their momentum into halftime as Cornell kicked a 38-yard field goal to put the Big Red within three points with just over two minutes to play in the half. On the next Bison drive, Matt DelMauro ’16 lost a fumble on the first play, allowing Mathews to complete a 30-yard touchdown pass that gave Cornell its first lead of the game (17-13) at the half.

“We are a team that prides itself in ball security. The six turnovers we had are a reality though, and we must work to eliminate this. We had four offensive turnovers and two special teams turnovers. The impact this has on possessions and ultimately the scoreboard is a reason why the game turned out the way it did,” Susan said.

The Bison struggled throughout the second half. On Cornell’s first possession, Mathews coordinated a 72-yard drive culminating in an acrobatic 14-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 24-13. On the next drive, Wesley fumbled deep in Bison territory, and Cornell returned it 18 yards for a score to bring the Big Red lead to 31-13.

In an attempt to come back, the Bison orchestrated a significant drive marked by a 19-yard rush by Charles Thompson ’14 and a 30-yard rush by Wesley. The Bison were stopped on third down at the Cornell five-yard line and lined up for a field goal. On a fake field goal attempt, Maurer fumbled in wet conditions and Cornell returned it 82 yards to give the Big Red a commanding lead of 38-13. The Big Red tallied one more touchdown on a one-yard run after a bouncing Wesley fumble was recovered by Cornell.

“Last week is over and all we can do is focus on what’s ahead of us, which right now is Sacred Heart. We will continue to focus on practice each day on its own and come Saturday we will be prepared,” team captain Jeff Goyette ’14 said.

The Bison hope to rebound from this week’s loss when they host Sacred Heart tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.

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Golf Sports Uncategorized Women

Women’s golf takes 13th in Yale Intercollegiate

Thomas Walter

Senior Writer

The women’s golf team traveled to New Haven, Conn. to play in the Yale Intercollegiate this past weekend. On the last day, Yale shot 290, giving them first place. The Orange and  Blue posted rounds of 316-317-321 to finish 13th in the tournament. Lauren Bernard ’14 and Bridget Wilcox ’14 led the team, both shooting in the 70s all three days of the tournament.

“This was our first appearance at the Yale Invitational in a number of years and we really enjoyed the challenging layout of the course. Individually, I remained constant, but made a few costly mistakes that prevented me from going low,” Bernard said.

Bernard shot 234 (77-78-79) to finish in a tie for 38th place, the best among the Bison’s five-player squad. Wilcox (79-77-79) was one stroke higher than her teammate. Kasha Scott ’14 shot rounds of 86-85-81.

Emily Timmons ’15 experienced a strong breakthrough round over the weekend.  Timmons shot 77 in the first round, improving on the 78 she shot at the Bucknell Invitational on Sept. 7.

Bernard continued her consistently strong play to start her senior campaign. In the two tournaments the Orange and Blue have played, Bernard has shot six rounds in the 70s.

“We are continuing to work on minimizing our costly mistakes and becoming more consistent throughout our rounds. Our main team goal is to win Patriot Leagues in the spring. We look at the tournaments leading up to the conference championship as stepping stones and learning opportunities to achieve our final goal at the end of the season, ” Bernard said.

The Bison are back in action this weekend when they travel to Penn State for the Nittany Lion Invitational.

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Beyond the Bison Sports

Bison Athlete of the Week: Leigh Hillman ’14

Emily Evancho

Assistant Sports Editor

Field hockey player Leigh Hillman ’14 knows how to hit her season off to spectacular start. Not only was she named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 9, she also assisted with a goal in the team’s match against Missouri State that same week while also capturing two goals against Ohio State the next day. This past weekend she was credited with scoring the tie-breaking goal against Penn.

Hillman began her career with the Bison in 2010 when she played as a key reserve in all 19 matches that season. She claimed her first shot of the season against Sacred Heart which ended on goal.

In her 2011 season, Hillman played in every game. She helped secure a 3-2 upset victory over American in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals, scoring her first career goal during the game. During that same season she maintained her academics and found herself a spot on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll as well as the Dean’s List.

Hillman captured her current starting position as a forward in the 2012 season during which she established a career-high of 15 points with seven goals for the year. She played a key role in the Bison’s 7-0 victory against Colgate where she secured her first multi-scoring performance with two goals during the game. For the season, Hillman found herself in third place with four goals in Patriot League play and sixth place with eight points in conference play.

Hillman has continued her stellar performance into this season, most notably with her defining goal against Penn. Hillman shows no sign of slowing down either, as she continues to train for the team’s next match at home against Lehigh on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Bison Profile:

Hometown: Dallas, Pa.

High School: Lake Lehman High School

Position: Forward

Stats:

2010 Season:

Games: 19

Goals: 0

2011 Season:

Games: 20

Goals: 1

2012 Season:

Games: 19

Goals: 7

Categories
Beyond the Bison Sports

The Target

Julian Dorey

Senior Writer

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ bottom line has a lot attached to it. Not just money, but sky-high expectations.

When an ownership group led by Magic Johnson bought the team in 2012, they vowed to break the bank by bringing in star players immediately. Boy, were they serious.

In 2012, they completed a solid $250 million-plus transaction with the Boston Red Sox, taking on the contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett without any hesitation whatsoever. “Crazy,” as some people called it.

While that deal did not ultimately help them in the 2012 campaign, they did not stop there. They went out and traded for the Marlins’ young star infielder, Hanley Ramirez, and they added pitcher Zack Greinke, the prize of the 2012 free agency class, once the season had ended.

Then, in what was perhaps their quietest move of all, the Dodgers’ front office rolled the dice on 22-year-old Cuban prospect Yasiel Puig, giving him an unthinkable (at the time) seven-year, $42 million deal.

After an unexpected and inexcusable poor start to the 2013 campaign, manager Don Mattingly’s job was very much in jeopardy, and the team was headed for possible turmoil with so many great players unable to mesh. In a somewhat surprising move, the team called up Puig after just two months of playing baseball in the minor leagues.

It turned out to be just the spark they needed.

Puig lit the world on fire with a month for the ages in June. In 26 games, he batted .436, hit seven home runs, knocked in 16 runs, and scored 19 runs. He electrified in the field as well, showing off an arm with enough power to remind people of the Cuban Missile crisis for totally different reasons.

By the All-Star break in mid-July, the Dodgers were on fire and had pulled even at .500.  After going on a 22-3 tear after the break, Los Angeles broke away from the rest of its division and into the ranks of some of the best teams in the game. To this point, it has maintained that standing.

The playoffs are right around the corner. The expectations are just as high as they were to start the season, and probably higher (if that is even possible). There are plenty of other solid teams in the National League, like the Cardinals, Pirates, Braves, and Reds, but none of them have the arsenal (or payroll) that the Dodgers do. With the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, leading their staff and a lineup dangerous from top to bottom, the Dodgers have about as good of a chance as anyone.

But questions still remain. Can the big contracts in the locker room live up to their credentials when the stakes are highest? Can Puig (who has shown some maturity issues) face the pressure the Major League postseason presents? Is the target on the collective back of the Dodgers simply too big?

These questions are impossible to answer for now, but I guess we are going to find out.

Categories
Golf Men Sports

Upperclassmen lead Bison to fourth- and fifth-place finishes

Jen Lee

Contributing Writer

Peter Scialabba ’15 and Thomas Walter ’14 led the Bison’s two five-man golf teams to a strong finish at the Bucknell Invitational on Sept. 14 and 15. Scialabba and Walter finished sixth and ninth, respectively, earning the Orange and Blue fourth- and fifth-place team finishes out of the 10-team pool.

After posting a 304 team score in the first round, the Orange team fired an impressive 298 in the second round and moved into fifth place. The Blue team posted consecutive team scores of 309, being led by an outstanding one-over-par 71 in the second round by Scialabba.

“We had high hopes heading into the weekend, and we did not play as consistently across the team as we wanted. Several guys had great starts, and others finished well, but only Peter and Thomas appeared to play well the whole weekend,” Nick Geissler ’16 said. 

Both Bison teams went low in the third and final round, moving the Orange team into fourth place and the Blue team into fifth. This strong finish will hopefully propel the Bison to another successful finish this weekend at the Cornell Invitational.

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Men Sports Water Polo

Men’s water polo captures four wins at home tournament

Billy Tyler

Senior Writer

The men’s water polo team emerged from the Bison Invite, in Kinney Natatorium this past weekend with four wins and one loss. The tournament featured eight teams, including the Bison, over the three-day weekend. The Bison posted a 2-1 record in games that counted on their record and two wins in exhibition games against Diablo Valley and Toronto.

The Bison set the tone early in their opening game against Salem International. Thirteen different Bison scored goals en route to a 19-4 victory. There was scoring early and often, but the immense offensive effort was spearheaded by Stefan Aleksic ’16, who scored a team-high four goals in the game. With his team holding an 11-3 halftime advantage, head coach John McBride was able to use his entire roster in the game. Even with this shuffling of players, the Bison received solid production from everyone on the team. All eight of the team’s second half goals came from underclassmen.

In their second game of the tournament, the Bison faced stiffer competition against Mercyhurst. In a tight game which featured four ties during the final 18 minutes of the contest, the Bison were unable to secure the victory and fell to Mercyhurst 9-8. Leading the offensive charge for this Bison in this tough loss was Julian Colina ’14 who scored one goal in each of the game’s four quarters to go along with his two assists. In the net, goalkeeper Keegan Williams ’15 had 10 saves for the Bison.

Following the tough loss, the Bison entered the final day with a determination to leave the tournament with a winning record. In their game against Fordham, the Bison built up a 7-4 halftime advantage. Then, in a game that was dominated by many scoring runs, the Bison scored four straight second-half goals that blew the game open. The explosive Bison offense from the tournament’s first game was back on display, led by its seniors. Eleven of the 14 goals scored by the Bison in their 14-7 victory were scored by seniors, including five by Jack Else ’14, four by Colina, and one apiece by Alex Nowlin ’14 and Mike Kimble ’14. The Bison also received another solid performance from Williams, who had 10 saves against Fordham. This double-digit game gave Williams 52 saves on the season and 101 in his career.

The next games for the Bison will feature the opening of league play with games tomorrow at Navy and George Washington, followed by a match at Johns Hopkins on Sept. 22.

Categories
Field Hockey Sports Women

Women’s field hockey falls to Drexel, beats Penn

Katherine Harris

Senior Writer 

The women’s field hockey team split its matches this past weekend, falling in a 2-0 shutout at Drexel on Sept. 13 before rallying to defeat a tough Penn squad 2-1 at home on Sept. 15.

“The team is at a really great place at this point in the season. Every game we have taken steps forward and improved our game. We are playing at a high tempo and competing with top ranked teams,” Rachel Misko ’14 said.

The Bison entered play on a two-game winning streak, but were halted by a tenacious opponent as they traveled to Drexel. The game was a battle the entire way, with a scoreless board until there were just 16 minutes left in the game.

Drexel was able to secure the win as time ran down with another goal in the 65th minute. Goalkeeper Erica Perrine ’14 performed strongly in the net for the Bison, recording six saves as she held the opposing squad scoreless for the majority of the game.

“This week our team once again proved that we can keep up with other competitive programs. During our Friday night game against Drexel, we were able to hold possession of the ball and generate some great opportunities on cage. We tested their defense time and time again while holding strong against their offensive attacks. Unfortunately, some calls by the refs did not go our way, and Drexel was able to capitalize on those rare occasions,” Perrine said.

The Orange and Blue regrouped to face off against Penn in their first home game of the season. The team started off strong with a renewed sense of energy, outshooting its opponent 8-0 in the first half. Abby Watson ’16 took advantage of the pressure for the Bison, nabbing the first goal of the weekend for the squad.

While Penn was able to tie the score up with a goal only 49 seconds into the second half, Leigh Hillman ’14 broke the tie in the 53rd minute of the game with a goal on a centering pass from Maggie Murphy ’15. The Bison were then able to hold off their opponent for the rest of the game.

The Orange and Blue will compete again tomorrow when they start Patriot League play versus Lehigh at 11 a.m.

“By increasing our finishing toward goal and tightening our defense on breakdowns I am confident we will have a successful rest of the season and continue to improve our game,” Misko said.

Categories
Cross Country Men Sports

McGowan-Dugan friendship lifts Men’s XC to fast start

Thomas Walter

Senior Writer

The friendly competition between Michael McGowan ’15 and John Dugan ’15 continues to push the men’s cross country team towards success. Dugan and McGowan both finished inside the top three, as the Orange and the Blue finished first in Penn State’s Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational on Sept. 13.

The Bison finished six points ahead of Penn State to capture the title. Both Dugan and McGowan were pleased with the team’s strong performance against stiffer competition in the second meet of the season.

“We were facing some better competition this week, so it was a good opportunity to test ourselves,” Dugan said. “We were excited to come out with a win, but there were some things we could do better.”

“Even though Penn State held out one of their best runners, it was a strong showing for us. I think we improved on a lot of things we did wrong last week. There was some good pack running this week,” McGowan said.

McGowan ran the 5.2-mile race in 26:03. He has been the fastest Bison runner in the first two meets of the season; a feat that earned him Bison Athlete of the Week on Sept. 16.

“I think it is pretty cool that I had best athletic performance of all fall sports this past week. I feel honored because cross country is not one of the most recognized sports on campus,” McGowan said.

Dugan, who was only eight seconds behind his teammate, finished third overall in the race. Both teammates agree that training with one another helps tremendously.

“I think running with Michael everyday is great for both of us. We get to work out and train together every practice. When we run together we’re very confident we can compete against whomever,” Dugan said.

The Orange and the Blue have gotten off to a strong start. While the team ran better this week, the two friends are still looking for the entire team to continue working on running well in a pack in addition to overall more consistent running in meets.

“I like where we are at right now and I think if we can stay healthy, which was a big problem for us last year, then we will be in good position if we continue to work hard and take care of business like we’re supposed to,” Dugan said.

The Bison return to action when the team travels to Boston to run in the Boston College Coast to Coast on Sept. 27. They will also compete in the Bloomsburg Invitational on Sept. 28.