Category: Sports

Categories
Featured Sports

Football loses fourth straight

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

Although the Bison outgained the Big Red by over 50 yards on offense and recorded four turnovers, the Bison could not translate their dominance into a victory, falling 21-12 to Cornell at home. The defeat moves the Orange and Blue to 0-4 on the season.

After a 65-yard kickoff return that put the Big Red inside the red-zone to start the game, the Bison responded with an interception by Josh Eden ’12 on Cornell’s first play from scrimmage.

The Bison drove all the way down to the Cornell 28-yard line before their drive stalled and turned the ball over on a failed fourth-down attempt.

After Cornell went three-and-out on their second offensive possession of the game, the Orange and Blue drove deep into Big Red territory again, but could not pick up any points, as a field goal attempt by kicker Drew Orth ’12 sailed wide right.

With less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, Cornell opened the scoring for the game. Sparked by a blocked punt, the Big Red ran the ball in from two yards out to take the lead, 7-0.

Starting at their own 40-yard-line, Cornell drove 60 yards in 10 plays, and capped off its drive with a 14-yard touchdown run that pushed the lead to 14-0. The Bison avoided a shutout in the first half, driving inside the Big Red 10-yard-line before settling for a field goal.

In the second half, a 46-yard drive led Orth to record his second made field-goal of the game. Cornell quarterback Jeff Mathews then completed two passes on the third down to keep the drive alive and a 35-yard pass set up Cornell’s third and final touchdown of the game.

Down by 15 with less than five minutes left in the third quarter, the Bison answered Cornell’s scoring drive with a touchdown. Quarterback Brandon Wesley ’14 accounted for a combined 55 yards rushing and passing on the drive, including a 14-yard touchdown scramble. Wesley finished the day with 267 yards through the air and 49 yards on the ground.

Despite his touchdown run, the Bison were unable to convert a two-point conversion that would have brought the deficit to seven. The Orange and Blue threatened only once more, but their drive ended when Wesley threw his only interception of the contest. The Big Red was able to run out the clock, handing the Bison their fourth consecutive loss of the season.

Still searching for their first victory of 2010, the Bison finish up their three game home-stand against Penn this Saturday at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium at 1 p.m.

Categories
Sports

Women’s golf sets records at Penn State

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

The women’s golf team finished in 10th place this past weekend at the Nittany Lion Invitational in State College, Pa. The Bison finished the 54-hole tournament with a score of 937. Host Penn State won with 901.

On Saturday, Bridget Wilcox ’14 set a program record with a round of 69 (three-under-par) and finished in 16th place—the Bison’s top finisher— with 229. Wilcox was the Bison’s top finisher.

She said that staying focused throughout the second round was the key to her success.

“I stayed in the moment and gained confidence with each shot that I hit. I was four under on my first nine and knew that I had to continue to stay confident and in the moment,” Wilcox said.

Overall, Wilcox felt the tournament was a huge learning experience for her.

“I gained a lot of confidence from this tournament and learned that by staying in the present and not thinking about the next shot really helped me to focus,” Wilcox said.

The team also matched the program’s single round scoring record on Saturday.

“[Wilcox’s] great round along with four other scores in the 70s helped us accomplish a team score of 296. We shot this score in our home tournament a few weeks ago and it is only a matter of time before we break this record,” Katie Jurenovich ’11 said.

Jurenovich was the only Bison to shoot in the 70s all three rounds (78-76-78). Minjoo Lee ’12 had another strong finish, carding a 78 in the final round to finish the day as the team’s top scorer. Lauren Bernard ’11 also had a strong tournament, finished with a 74 in the second round and an 83 on Sunday.

The women return to action Oct. 11-12 when they compete in the Zippy Invitational in Akron, Ohio. The men’s team, which was off this week, will also be back in action next weekend, playing in the William & Mary Joe Agee Invitational.

Categories
Featured Sports

Men’s soccer wins in Patriot League play

By Joe Ruby

Writer

The men’s soccer team beat Navy (6-2-1) 2-0 in a league match Saturday night and dropped a 2-1 decision to UMBC (5-3-1) on Tuesday night. Luke Joyner ’12 and Josh Plump ’13 scored against the Midshipmen, and Tommy McCabe ’11 tallied against the Retrievers. Both games were at home.

The Bison had a number of close calls against Navy before Joyner scored his first goal of the year in the 26th minute. Travis Rand ’11 hit a cross into the box from near the half line. Joyner one-timed the ball into the net from close range. The Bison missed on a similar play minutes before.

The Bison struck again to put the game out of reach at the 71:26 mark. Brendan Klebanoff ’12 played the ball through to Plump, who outran a defender, took the ball deep into the box, and scored from a tight angle. Rand earned his second assist of the evening on the play.

Navy had difficulty generating offense, managing only a shot on goal in each half to seven on the game for the Bison. The Bison outshot the Midshipmen 14-7.

Against UMBC, McCabe scored his first goal of the year on a penalty kick that drew the Bison to within one. At the 83:29 mark, a UMBC defender was called for a handball in the zone. Ross Liberati ’11 attempted a penalty kick that was saved, but the UMBC goalkeeper was called for moving forward too early, and McCabe converted on the second chance.

UMBC began the scoring 22:15 into the contest, when Chris Williams hit a shot past Marc Hartmann ’12, who was in goal for the entirety of each of the Bison’s games. The Retrievers scored their second goal in the 55th minute when Pete Caringi cleaned up a loose ball in the box for his sixth tally of the year.

The Bison outshot UMBC 17-6, but only managed to put three of their shots on goal, compared to four for the Retrievers. The Bison held an advantage in corner kicks in both games.

The sole game this week for the Bison (4-6-0, 1-1-0 Patriot League) is against conference rival Holy Cross (3-6-1, 0-2-0) in Worcester, Mass. at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

Categories
Sports

Field hockey records two shutouts on road

By Joyce Novacek

Contributing Writer

The field hockey team held its opponents scoreless in two road games over the weekend, defeating Holy Cross 2-0 on Saturday and Harvard 3-0 on Sunday.  The senior class powered the Bison offense—each of the four seniors on the rosters scored a goal—and Kelly Bruvik ’11 scored in each game.

The Bison had a slow offensive start opening Patriot League play against the Crusaders, only taking three shots in the first 35 minutes of play.  The second half began much like the first, but when the Bison drew a penalty corner with about 13 minutes left to play, Christine Weiss ’11 scored the first goal of the game and her fourth of the season.

Only a few minutes later, Bruvik netted a goal that was the final one of the game.  The Orange and Blue defense limited the Crusaders to only three shots.

“This weekend when we played Holy Cross we focused on professionalism and the ability to play through any distractions. We were definitely able to keep composure even when things felt like they were beginning to become frantic,” Morgan Kauffman ’11 said.

Kauffman’s teammate Corinne Raczek ’11 expressed similar thoughts.

“Our mentality was to play with a sense of professionalism this weekend, especially for the Holy Cross game.  We knew it was going to be a game that would test how well we all collectively deal with impediments that could change the outcome of the game,” she said.

The team’s composure continued in Sunday’s game when it traveled to Cambridge to defeat Harvard and earn its fourth shutout of the year, the first time since 1999 that a Bison squad has earned four shutouts in a single season.

Goalkeeper Sarah Zargarpour ’12 started in net and earned her fourth shutout of the year.  With five shutouts in her career, Zargarpour is tied for ninth all-time in Bison field hockey history.

Kauffman scored the Bison’s first goal against the Crimson halfway through the first half.  With less than 10 minutes left in the first frame, Raczek scored her first goal of the season, sending the Bison into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

The Orange and Blue came out strong in the second half, and Bruvik netted her second goal in two days, putting the Bison up 3-0. The Bison out-shot the Crimson 13-8.

“Our defense should be very proud of themselves.  We’ve been gradually improving our defensive efforts and mindset each game.  We definitely should have put in a few more against Holy Cross, but the three goals on Sunday left us feeling a little more satisfied,” Raczek said.

On Saturday, the Bison travel to Easton, Pa. for their second Patriot League match up against Lafayette. They will then return home Sunday to play Columbia.

Categories
Sports

Women’s soccer beats American

By Eric Weiss

Senior Writer

The women’s soccer team defeated American 3-0 on Saturday at home in Lewisburg. Led by three seniors, the Bison controlled the game from start to finish.

The Bison struck first in the 24th minute off of a corner as Caitlin Holtz ’11 sent a ball to the back post that was almost blocked by the American keeper. For the rest of the half the Bison battled against a few American runs but the staunch back line for the Orange and Blue stayed strong.

“We played our hearts out to open up the season, and I know if we continue to play this way we will be very successful in the future,” co-captain Amanda Citron ’11 said.

Kelsey Johnson ’11 scored off a scramble in front of the net in the second half for a 2-0 lead as a penalty kick for the Bison set up the play. Johnson scored for the first time since her first year. For the rest of the second half, the Bison controlled an American offense that came in on a three-game winning streak.

In the 84th minute Christa Matlack ’11 helped add an insurance goal when she dribbled into the box, read the goalie and passed to a wide open Kelliann Doherty ’11 who put the game away.

“Even though we were up we never let up, and I think this sent a message to the rest of the league,” Doherty said.

The Bison continue with Patriot League play next weekend when they travel to Lafayette on Friday and Lehigh on Sunday. With continued success, the Bison will hopefully gain home field advantage for the Patriot League playoffs.

Categories
Featured Sports

Tennis shines at Bucknell Invitational

By Cooper Sutton

Sports Editor

Both the men’s and women’s teams claimed titles in the Bucknell Invitational this past weekend. Colgate, Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson and George Mason all competed.

Lauren Lucido ’11 won the Flight A singles tournament—possibly the highest achievement attainable over the weekend. She defeated Fairleigh Dickinson’s Elmine Botes in the finals.

“I felt no pressure coming into the final match on Sunday. I had just lost to [Botes] in the tournament at Army the previous weekend, so I had nothing to lose in our rematch,” Lucido said.

Even though she quickly fell behind 2-5 in the first set, she kept her composure and came back, winning the set in a tiebreaker. Lucido stayed hot for the second set, and she won the match 7-6, 6-3.

The men’s team also played well. “I thought the team performed great this weekend. To win three titles was a notable accomplishment,” Flight B singles champion Kelly Morque ’13 said. The other two titles came in Flight C singles from Gregory Maxson ’12 and in Flight B doubles from Gregg Cohenca ’12 and Mark Malloy ’12.

Morque’s victory at the Invitational improves his record this fall to a 10-0.He defeated Ryan Carr of Connecticut in one of the most contentious matches of the season. After the two players split the first two sets at 6-4 apiece, Morque took the 10-point “super tiebreaker” with a score of 13-11 for his second championship of the fall.

In the Flight C championship, Maxson rebounded from a 6-3 loss in the first set to take the second set in a tiebreaker then to win the super tiebreaker 10-8. Cohenca and Malloy also had a tight match, winning 8-6 in their eight game pro-set.

Because this was the last home tournament of the fall, the teams should be able to take this momentum into the upcoming seasons.

Categories
Sports

Women’s XC takes 14th at Paul Short

By Chris McCree

Writer

The men’s and women’s cross country teams competed on a very muddy course at the Paul Short Invitational last Friday. The women’s team claimed 14th place out of a tough 41-team field, marking its third straight year with a top-15 finish at this invitational. An injury-plagued men’s team finished 40th out of 42 teams.

The Paul Short Invitational consisted of top-tier programs such as University of Virginia and Georgetown.

Anchored by strong performances from Sarah Moniz ’11 and Stephanie Fulmer ’12, the Bison women showed they can compete on a larger scale.

“The Paul Short Invitational can sometimes be overwhelming, but it was a good learning experience for us as we prepare to face some of the top teams in the nation at Pre-Nationals,” Moniz said.

Moniz was the only Bison to finish in the top 50, claiming 48th with a time of 21:28 in the six–kilometer race. Out of the three Patriot League teams competing, the Bison women finished second, beating Lehigh but finishing behind Colgate.

“We were very excited about the personal improvements of some of our athletes in the Open race,” Moniz said.

Joshua Clark ’11 was the only runner to finish in the top 200 for the men’s team by running a 25:44 in the eight-kilometer race.

“One of our top runners, Keith Sansone [’12], was not able to run due to injury. Evan Novakowski [’11], another one of our top runners, had to end the race early due to injury. We also have Dave Brown [’12] and Charlie Murphy [’11] who are returning from injury that will just get better and better,” Clark said.

Even with the injuries, the Bison were not happy with their overall performance.

“We can run much better as a team than we did this weekend. We are a pack team without a front runner and we didn’t run as a pack,” Clark said.

The Bison hope to use these next two weeks to practice hard and to allow their injuries to heal.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will race again on Oct. 16 when they head to Terre Haute, Ind. for Pre-Nationals.

Categories
Sports

In Philadelphia, era of Vick has begun

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

If you have been following the NFL for the first two weeks of the 2010 season and blinked, you may have missed the Kevin Kolb era in Philadelphia. After Kolb suffered a concussion late in the second half in the Eagles’ season opener against the Packers, Michael Vick has led the team to 52 points in six quarters and replaced Kolb as the team’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. After Sunday’s 35-32 win, head coach Andy Reid announced Kolb would be his starting quarterback. Reid then reversed his decision early Tuesday night, starting a whirlwind of controversy in Philadelphia. Displaying the rocket arm and elusiveness that made him a three-time Pro Bowler with the Atlanta Falcons, Vick has the full support of his teammates and fans.

Vick’s numbers (three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 105.5 quarterback rating) do not nearly tell the whole story of his comeback to the role of starting quarterback in the NFL. After he completed an 18-month sentence in federal prison for operating a dog-fighting ring, Vick signed a two-year deal with the Eagles in late August. The move was met with much criticism from the fan base, and tempers were not put to rest when Vick’s performance was at best mediocre and after a fight broke out at his 30th birthday party this summer.

Vick dedicated himself to becoming an advocate against animal cruelty, rededicated himself to getting into prime playing shape and became a leader on a team with an average age of just over 25. For Vick, this is a chance at redemption, a chance to redeem himself after several severe lapses in judgment that tarnished his public image and cost him millions of dollars in endorsements. Although he will never escape the stigma of past crimes committed, he can reestablish himself as the most dynamic and electrifying quarterback in the league.

Reid’s decision to start Vick could be the riskiest of his career in Philadelphia. After signing Vick in August 2009, most saw him as a one-year project to serve on offense, but otherwise considered him backup behind Donovan McNabb and Kolb. When Reid traded McNabb to Washington, it appeared Vick would still serve as a backup and appear in Wildcat formations. Just one year later, Vick is the starting quarterback for a team suddenly in competitive mode, rather than the expected rebuilding mode. The decision will be a turning point for both Reid and Vick, for better or worse.

Categories
Sports

Men’s golf finishes seventh

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

The men’s golf team finished seventh at the Cornell Invitational last weekend, while the women’s team finished 10th at the Badger Invitational at the University Ridge Course in Madison, Wisc.

The men’s team totaled a 904 for the 54-hole tournament. Binghamton won the tournament with 868. Schuyler Stitzer ’14, who finished with a 71 in the final round and a 221 total, earned an 11th-place finish in his first collegiate away meet. Stitzer felt his putting was the biggest reason for his improvement in score throughout the weekend.

“The only real adjustment that I made throughout the tournament was being careful on the greens,” he said. “It was really easy to three-putt, and the more rounds I played the more comfortable I felt on the greens and by the last nine holes I was able to make some nice putts.”

Jon Hartman ’13 also had a strong weekend, tallying 227 for the tournament. Will Bachman ’12 finished with a 228.

“This course played to my strengths because the course was pretty much in front of the player … the holes were laid out in such a manner so that they were distinctive. [It was] … easy to understand where to hit the ball off the tee and which pins to attack,” Bachman said. “This allowed me to hit a lot of greens over the three rounds and make a lot of pars.”

The women finished 10th with a score of 942, while host Wisconsin won the 54-hole tournament with 879. Three Bison posted scores of 74 or better on the final day. Kasha Scott ’14 led the way, posting a one-over-par 73, and Minjoo Lee ’12 and Katie Jurenovich ’11 each shot 74s. Lee finished with the best score of the tournament for the Bison, compiling a 230 to earn a 22nd-place tie.

The women’s team returns to action this weekend at the Nittany Lion Invitational in State College, Pa. The men return  Saturday, Oct. 9 for the Joe Agee Invitational in Williamsburg, Va.

Categories
Featured Sports

Field hockey splits in two stroke-outs

By Joyce Novacek

Contributing Writer

The field hockey team finished its home stand with consecutive stroke-outs, defeating Sacred Heart 4-3 on Saturday afternoon and losing to Indiana 2-1 on Sunday.

Tough defensive play from the Bison held the Pioneers scoreless during the first 40 minutes of play. Offensively, the Bison dominated Sacred Heart in the first half, outshooting the Pioneers 13-3. Morgan Kauffman ’11 and Tayler Siegrist ’13 each netted a first-half goal, sending the Bison into halftime with a two-goal lead.

The Pioneers came out attacking in the second half. Less than 10 minutes into the second frame, Sacred Heart netted two goals and tied the score.

Rachel Misko ’14 responded with a goal, lifting the Bison up 3-2, but the Pioneers knotted the score at three with less than a minute to go, sending the game into overtime.

Impressive defensive performances from both teams resulted in a stroke out. Corinne Raczek ’11, Siegrist and Christine Weiss ’11 each scored in the stroke off, and, thanks to a pair of saves by Sarah Zagarapour ’12, the Bison claimed a much-deserved win.

After playing 100 minutes of hockey Saturday, the team had minimal recovery time before Sunday’s Big Ten match up.

“Going into the weekend, we tried to focus on working together as a team and not individuals, and I think we did that successfully both days,” Vicki Resh ’14 said. “We also knew that after playing two overtime periods and going into strokes on Saturday, Indiana was going to be tough … although the outcome wasn’t quite what we had hoped for, we can proud of our performance.”

Sunday’s game against Indiana was another tight one for the Bison. After a scoreless first half, the Bison went up 1-0 when Rachel Misko ’14 scored the first goal of the game and her fourth of the season. Misko’s goal was assisted by Kelly Bruvik ’11 off a Bison penalty corner. The Bison held their lead for almost 20 minutes until Indiana’s Lena Grote tied the score.

After the Bison and Hoosiers played two scoreless periods of overtime, the Bison faced their second stroke out in two days. The Hoosiers connected on seven out of nine strokes to defeat the Bison’s six out of nine.

Despite the close loss on Sunday, the team had a positive reaction to its play at Graham Field.

“I think we proved how competitive we can be with a Big Ten school, even after playing a lot of extra minutes of hockey the day before,” Weiss said. “We played some really great hockey this past weekend and should have a lot of confidence going into our first round of Patriot League competition.”

On Saturday, the Orange and Blue travel to Worcester, Mass. to take on Holy Cross and open Patriot League play. On Sunday, the Bison travel to Cambridge to play Harvard.