Saint Michael's College Athletics

This Week in Saint Michael's College Athletics ‒ September 12-18

Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams Post Third-Place Finishes at Middlebury

The Saint Michael's men's and women's cross country teams ran among three ranked squads on Saturday at Middlebury College's Aldrich Invitational, as both squads took third place out of seven.

Sophomore Gabrielle Naranja (Fort Kent, Maine/Fort Kent Community) took sixth out of 87 runners in the women's race, clocking in at 19:32 and beating out 25 runners from No. 1 Middlebury College and No. 10 State University of New York at Plattsburgh, a pair of nationally-ranked Division III squads. Freshman Chloe Boutelle (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) was 13th at 19:50, just four seconds short of joining the top 10, while classmate Colleen Gilliatt (Grantham, N.H./Lebanon) notched a 23rd-place showing.

Senior Matt Smith (Winchester, Mass./Winchester/Muhlenberg) led the Saint Michael's men in 20th place, finishing in 28:13, while classmate Tom Perekslis (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) placed 24th with a personal best of 28:32. Junior Colin Delaney (Lake Placid, N.Y./National Sports Academy) took 31st, while senior Robert Sitzer (Lenox, Mass./Lenox Memorial) was in 32nd, less than a second behind Delaney. One of the two teams the Purple Knights trailed was No. 15 Middlebury.


Field Hockey (0-7, 0-1) Suffers Two Losses, Falling Once in Overtime

The Saint Michael's College field hockey team suffered two losses last week, falling 3-0 to No. 8 Merrimack College at home on Wednesday before losing at Assumption College, 2-1, in overtime on Saturday.

The Purple Knights held nationally-ranked Merrimack to just one goal in the first 51:44 before falling in a non-conference game. Senior goalkeeper Jackie Stacey (West Windsor, Vt./Woodstock Union) tallied three saves in the opening half before freshman Jackie Chisholm (New Braintree, Mass./Quabbin Regional) took over the net in the second half and recorded three stops.

Against Assumption, senior Taylor Wahrenbrock (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) netted a 58th-minute tying goal off of an assist from sophomore Kelly Celata (Dedham, Mass./Dedham) before the Greyhounds scored 3:49 into overtime. Stacey tallied three saves in the contest.


Men's Golf Opens Season at 28th Annual Duke Nelson Invitational

The Saint Michael's College men's golf team opened the 2011 season on Saturday and Sunday with the two-day 28th Duke Nelson Invitational, as the Purple Knights placed 18th among 24 teams.

Junior Nicholas Angelo (Sutton, Mass./Saint John's) broke 80 both days, shooting a 77 and then a 78, tying for 33rd with a total of 155 strokes. Sophomore Steve French (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown Area) shot a 78 on Sunday to finish at 162, senior John Goodwin (Wolfeboro, N.H./Kent School) was at 165, and classmate Chris LaPolice (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic) completed play with a 166. Junior Dylan Lavallee (Colchester, Vt./Rice Memorial) fired a 175.


Men's Soccer (3-1-2, 1-0-1) Posts One Win and One Tie in Conference Play

The Saint Michael's College men's soccer team went 1-0-1 in Northeast-10 Conference play last week, posting a scoreless tie on Tuesday against visiting Saint Anselm College before defeating host College of Saint Rose, 2-1, on Saturday.

Against Saint Anselm, the Purple Knights fought through 110 minutes of scoreless play, while junior goalkeeper Logan Kingman (New Bern, N.C./New Bern) making 10 save for the Purple Knights, including four in the first overtime period alone.

At Saint Rose, sophomore Anthony Stanley (La Ceiba, Honduras/Saint Johnsbury Academy) scored both goals, including the game-winner in the 74th minute. Junior Nick Colangelo (Hampstead, N.C./Topsail) and sophomore Omar Khartabil (Hampstead, N.H./Bridgton Academy) each tallied one assist. Kingman made three saves for the Purple Knights.


Women's Soccer (2-4, 1-3) Splits Pair of Conference Contests

The Saint Michael's College women's soccer team went 1-1 last week during Northeast-10 Conference play, recording a 2-1 victory over perennial regional power Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday before falling at regionally-ranked Southern Connecticut State University, 3-0, on Saturday.

The Purple Knights picked up their first home win against Franklin Pierce since 1991, as junior Cassie Crockett (Gilmanton, N.H./Gilford) scored the 85th-minute winner off an assist from senior Laura Ostrout (Northfield, Vt./Northfield). Senior Kristin Hagenbarth (Killington, Vt./Woodstock Union/Vermont) scored the tying goal in the 51st minute, while classmate Ashleigh Adams (Milton, Vt./Milton) made seven saves.

At Southern Connecticut State, which is receiving votes toward the national poll and is ranked fourth regionally, senior keeper Brittany Cocozza (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich/Saint John's [N.Y.]) recorded five saves in a little more than 77 minutes before freshman Aubrey Ouellet (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) made two stops during her collegiate debut.


Men's Tennis (1-0) Opens Season with 6-3 Victory over Endicott

The Saint Michael's College men's tennis team started its 2011-12 season with a 6-3 victory over visiting Endicott College on Saturday.

Juniors Chris Moskal (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) and Kenny Vassallo (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) paired for a win at No. 2 doubles, while the No. 3 doubles team of sophomores Chris Allen (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) and Tom Brahm (Marlborough, Conn./Xavier) was also victorious. Sophomore Nick Bosco (Glastonbury, Conn./East Catholic) won at No. 1 singles, senior Sam Cieplicki (South Burlington, Vt./New Hampton School) won at No. 3, classmate Brian Healey (Ware, Mass./Belchertown) notched another victory at No. 4, and Vassallo was victorious at the fifth position.


Women's Tennis (1-1, 1-0) Finishes Weekend 1-1, Records 100th Win for Coach Cluff

The Saint Michael's College women's tennis team went 1-1 last weekend, slipping 8-1 to visiting Endicott College on Saturday before sweeping the University of New Haven, 9-0, on Sunday in a Northeast-10 Conference match. The contest on Sunday marked the 100th career win for Greg Cluff, the 12th head coach in Saint Michael's Athletics history to reach such a milestone.

Against Endicott, Saint Michael's received its point from freshman Hannah Benoit (Mystic, Conn./Saint Bernard School), as she notched a 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 4 singles during her collegiate singles debut.

At New Haven, the Purple Knights' doubles tandems of senior Emily Ogilvy (Bedford, N.H./Trinity)/freshman Caroline Toutoungi (Weston, Conn./Weston), Benoit/freshman Caroline Martin (Scituate, Mass./Scituate) and first-years Kayla Dowd (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow)/Michelle Moreau (Stratham, N.H./Exeter) were victorious. The wins were the first as collegians for each Dowd, Martin, Moreau and Toutoungi. In singles, Martin, Toutoungi, Ogilvy, Benoit and Moreau each won in straight sets in the first through fifth positions, respectively, while Dowd rallied to win a third-set tie-breaker to complete the sweep.


Women's Volleyball (10-3) Runs Winning Streak to 10 Matches, Longest Since 1995

The Saint Michael's College women's volleyball team went 4-0 at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh's Cardinal Classic last weekend, extending its winning streak to 10 matches, matching its best run since 1995. The Purple Knights picked up 3-0 wins against SUNY Canton and Elms College on Friday and SUNY Plattsburgh and Paul Smith's (N.Y.) College on Saturday. Junior Katie Walsh (North Kingstown, R.I./The Prout School) was named tournament most valuable player for the Cardinal Classic champions, while sophomore Chelsey Covitz (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) was named all-tournament for the third straight weekend.

Against SUNY Canton, Walsh had eight kills and four aces, Covitz tallied eight kills and three service aces, while junior Samantha Clairemont (Conway, Mass./Frontier Regional) added seven kills. Junior Courtney Dunne (Hopkinton, Mass./Bancroft School) and sophomore Lindsay Phenix (Tewksbury, Mass./Central Catholic) had eight digs apiece, and sophomore Jess McLeod (Medfield, Mass./Medfield) picked up 33 assists and three aces. Against Elms, Covitz had seven kills, and Phenix and Walsh each dropped five aces. Dunne had 12 digs, and sophomore Brianna Saunders (Litchfield, N.H./Campbell) tacked on seven. McLeod finished with 26 helpers and three blocks.

Versus host SUNY Plattsburgh, junior Tracy Peterka (Newport Beach, Calif./Mater Dei) posted a double-double of 10 kills and 12 digs to go along with five aces, while Walsh neared a double-double behind nine kills and 12 digs. Covitz tacked on nine kills, while McLeod dished out 30 assists. Dunne had 21 digs.

Against Paul Smith's, Clairemont tallied 11 kills, while Phenix, Saunders and sophomore Madeleine Gaughan (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) each notched seven. Junior Lilly Lowe (Marstons Mills, Mass./Barnstable) dropped in five aces, Dunne and Saunders added three apiece, and sophomore Cynthia Edgerton (Vail, Colo./Vail Mountain School) had 29 assists and three aces.