This Week in Saint Michael's College Athletics ‒ November 21-27Men's Basketball (2-4, 2-1 NE-10) Upsets No. 23 UMass Lowell, Splits Pair of Conference Games
The Saint Michael's College men's basketball team went 1-1 in conference play last week, defeating nationally-ranked University of Massachusetts at Lowell on Tuesday, 69-59, before falling to Franklin Pierce University, 74-54, on Sunday. During the week, senior Tyler Schilling (Excelsior, Minn./Minnetonka) moved into ninth place in program history with 776 career rebounds.
Against UMass Lowell, which was ranked 23rd in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) national poll, sophomore Mike Holton Jr. (Portland, Ore./The Winchendon School) netted a game-best 21 points, going 8-of-10 on free throws while adding six rebounds and four assists. Junior Travis Warech (Pine Brook, N.J./Montville) had 14 points in 21 minutes while adding six rebounds, and senior Tom Ward (Brighton, East Sussex, England/Saint Francis [N.Y.]) notched nine points. Junior Derek Knutty (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney) tallied eight rebounds.
Against Franklin Pierce, Holton netted 19 points, Schilling added eight points, while Knutty had seven points, two rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes. Ward and freshman Dom Ditlefsen (Portland, Ore./Sunset) also added seven points apiece.
Women's Basketball (4-3, 1-2 NE-10) Nears Upset of No. 17 Franklin Pierce During 1-1 Week
The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team defeated the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, 69-53, on Tuesday before narrowly falling to nationally-ranked Franklin Pierce University, 63-62, on Sunday. Franklin Pierce was 17th in the most recent USA Today ESPN national poll. During the week, senior Caitlin Quinn (Oakdale, Conn./Montville) moved alone into fifth place in program history with 130 career three-pointers.
Against UMass Lowell, senior Coreen Hennessy (Chatham, N.H./Fryeburg Academy) tallied 14 points and also turned in a career-high seven assists. Junior Nicole Adach (Schenectady, N.Y./Mohonasen) recorded 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while sophomore Cara Deroy (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) chipped in 10 points off the bench. Quinn notched nine points and a career-best nine rebounds, and junior Megan Olsen (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) had nine points. Sophomore Alexa Long (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) finished with eight rebounds and three blocks.
Against Franklin Pierce, Olsen had 20 points while dishing out three assists. Hennessy notched 13 points, and Adach recorded 12 points and eight rebounds. Long added seven points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three assists. The Purple Knights led until yielding the winning hoop with 1.8 seconds remaining.
Men's Ice Hockey (1-4-1, 1-2-1 ECAC East, 0-1-1 NE-10) Falls in Only Contest of the Week
The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team lost its only game last week, 3-2 at Assumption College on Tuesday in Northeast-10 Conference action. Senior Brady Earle (Columbia, Md./The Gunnery) netted a goal and an assist, while junior Tim McAuliffe (North Reading, Mass./Vermont Academy) recorded his first collegiate marker. Junior goalie Eric McGuirk (Rehoboth, Mass./Bridgewater Bandits) made 26 saves in his collegiate debut, including 12 in the third period alone.
This Week’s Schedule:
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Women's Basketball @ Bentley, 5:30 p.m.*
Men's Basketball @ Bentley, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, Dec. 2
Men's Ice Hockey vs. Skidmore, 7 p.m.^
Women's Ice Hockey @ Salve Regina, 7 p.m.^
Saturday, Dec. 3
Women's Basketball vs. Stonehill, 1:30 p.m.*
Men's Ice Hockey vs. Castleton State, 3 p.m.^
Men's Basketball vs. Stonehill, 3:30 p.m.^
Women's Ice Hockey @ Holy Cross, 7 p.m.*
Sunday, Dec. 4
Swimming & Diving @ Bentley Invitational, 10 a.m.
* Northeast-10 Conference Event
^ ECAC East Contest
This Week in Saint Michael's College Athletics ‒ November 7-13
Men's Basketball (0-1) Falls to Queens in Season Opener
The Saint Michael's College men's basketball team fell to Queens (N.Y.) College, 70-64, in its season opener at home on Saturday. Sophomore Mike Holton Jr. (Portland, Ore./The Winchendon School) tallied 22 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting and an 8-of-9 showing on free throws, adding six rebounds and four assists. Freshmen James Cambronne (De Bary, Fla./The Winchendon School) and Dom Ditlefsen (Portland, Ore./Sunset) each made their college debuts, with Ditlefsen scoring 12 points and Cambronne adding 11 in addition to blocking two shots. Classmate Corey Crawford (Dover, Del./The Phelps School) tacked on nine points.
Women's Basketball (1-1) Splits Pair in Shippensburg Tournament, Coach Niebling Earns 100th Win
The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team competed in Shippensburg University's Wolf's Bus Lines Classic over the weekend, falling to Shippensburg in its season opener, 85-76, on Saturday before defeating 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifier University of Charleston (W.Va.), 70-53, on Sunday. The victory over Charleston marked the 100th of ninth-year head coach Jennifer Niebling's Saint Michael's coaching tenure. Senior Coreen Hennessy (Chatham, N.H./Fryeburg Academy) and junior Nicole Adach (Schenectady, N.Y./Mohonasen) were both named to the all-tournament team.
Against Shippensburg, Hennessy tallied a career-high 20 points and added three assists. Adach totaled 17 points and three blocks, and sophomore Cara Deroy (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) notched 15 points, adding four assists and four steals off the bench. Classmate Alexa Long (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Versus Charleston, Adach tallied a double-double, recording 16 points and 12 rebounds and shooting 8-of-10 on free throws. Hennessy added 16 points and four assists, and senior Caitlin Quinn (Oakdale, Conn./Montville) added 11 points. Long had 10 points, seven boards and three blocks, and senior Samantha Steinmetz (Washington, Conn./Shepaug Valley) added seven rebounds. Junior Megan Olsen (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) and Deroy notched four assists each, with Olsen adding eight points.
Men's Ice Hockey (1-2, 1-1) Splits Pair of ECAC East Contests
The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team went 1-1 on the road last weekend in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action. The Purple Knights defeated the University of Southern Maine, 5-3, on Friday before falling 6-2 to the University of New England on Saturday.
Against Southern Maine, freshman A.J. Pieprzak (Barrie, Ontario/Ridley College) tallied a hat trick and an assist, becoming the first Saint Michael's freshman with three goals since Feb. 1, 2005, and the first with four points since Dec. 10, 2005. Juniors Justin Castagna (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Angeles Kings) and Petr Soustal (Unicov, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Unicov) added a goal and an assist apiece. Classmate Morgan Bell (Revelstoke, British Columbia/Saint Albert Saints) and sophomore Sam Torney (Shelburne, Vt./Green Mountain Glades) had a pair of helpers each, and junior Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made 22 saves.
At the University of New England, senior Brady Earle (Columbia, Md./The Gunnery) and junior Josh Geary (Wellesley, Mass./Phillips Andover Academy) both netted a goal and an assist for the Purple Knights, while Torney tallied two assists. Dizgun made 30 saves.
Women's Ice Hockey (0-3-1, 0-3-1) Goes 0-1-1 in ECAC East Action
The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team recorded one loss and one tie in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action at home last weekend. The Purple Knights fell to the University of Southern Maine, 2-1, on Friday before tying Plymouth State University, 2-2, in overtime on Saturday.
Against Southern Maine, senior Madelena Santore (Millington, N.J./New Jersey Rockets) netted her first goal of the season and junior goalie Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) made 34 saves. Versus Plymouth State, Santore and freshman Kristen Spulecki (Orchard Park, N.J./Buffalo Bison) both tallied a goal and an assist, while Stevens made 36 stops in the deadlock.
In just 29 career contests, Santore stands 10th in program history in points (31) while becoming the seventh Purple Knight to reach the 20-goal plateau.
Men's (1-1) and Women's (2-0) Swimming & Diving Split Against Clarkson
The Saint Michael's College men's and women's swimming & diving teams split decisions against visiting Clarkson University on Saturday, with the women picking up a 155-106 triumph. The Purple Knight men fell, 176-108.
For the women, seniors Kaytlyn Kelley (Jefferson, Mass./Wachusett Regional) and Eileen Mullowney (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) and sophomore Julie Mullowney (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) notched four triumphs apiece, including in the 200-yard freestyle relay with freshman Kathleen Lamontagne (Manchester, N.H./Trinity). Eileen Mullowney had a team-high three individual victories, sweeping the 50, 100 and 200 free races. Kelley captured the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes, and Julie Mullowney topped the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke fields. Senior Sammy Sweeney (Waterbury Center, Vt./Harwood Union/Franklin & Marshall) notched wins in the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley before siding with Kelley, Lamontagne and Julie Mullowney for the winning 400-yard medley relay quartet.
On the men's side, freshman Nathan Paluso (Windham, Maine/Windham) captured the 100 and 200 breast races. He, senior Dan Healy (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington), sophomore Jack Mulderrig (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) and freshman Aidan Meehan (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) all swam on the winning 400 medley relay team. Freshman Matt Annenberg (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) won both one-meter diving competitions for the second straight meet.
This Week’s Schedule:
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Swimming & Diving @ Norwich, 4 p.m.
Women's Basketball @ Southern New Hampshire, 5:30 p.m.*
Men's Basketball @ Southern New Hampshire, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, Nov. 18
Men's Ice Hockey vs. Saint Anselm, 7 p.m.*^
Women's Ice Hockey @ Saint Anselm, 7 p.m.*
Men's Basketball vs. Concordia (N.Y.), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19
Women's Basketball vs. Queens (N.Y.), 2 p.m.
Women's Ice Hockey @ UMass Boston, 2 p.m.*
Men's Ice Hockey vs. New England College, 3 p.m.^
Swimming & Diving @ Bentley, 5 p.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Goldey-Beacom, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 20
Women's Basketball vs. Dominican (N.Y.), 2 p.m.
* Northeast-10 Conference Event
^ ECAC East Game
This Week in Saint Michael's College Athletics ‒ October 31-November 6Men's and Women's Cross Country Compete in NCAA East Regional Championships
The Saint Michael's College men's and women's cross country teams completed the 2011 season at the NCAA East Regional Championships on Sunday, with the women taking 12th and the men tying for 12th. The Purple Knight men posted their best showing since 2006.
For the women, sophomore Gabrielle Naranja (Fort Kent, Maine/Fort Kent Community) placed 15th, finishing the six-kilometer course in 23:23. Freshman Lindy Heffernan (Sutton Mills, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) was 49th, senior Caitlin Ferland (Vergennes, Vt./Vergennes Union/Bay Path) took 71st in 25:00, and freshman Colleen Gilliatt (Grantham, N.H./Lebanon) finished 78th. Senior Elyse Desmarais (South Hadley, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) and freshmen Allie Gratton (Essex Junction, Vt./Essex) and Sarah Stowell (Sutton Mills, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) were the fifth, sixth and seventh Purple Knight finishers, respectively.
For the men, senior Matt Smith (Winchester, Mass./Winchester/Muhlenberg) had his best regionals showing, taking 57th in 34:05 during the 10-kilometer race. Senior Tom Perekslis (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) also had his best regionals outing, crossing the finish line in 34:28 to take 72nd in the 178-runner field. Sophomore Dana Glubiak (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Gilmour Academy) was 80th, and freshman Alex Gilgore (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia-Glenville Senior) was 84th. Junior Colin Delaney (Lake Placid, N.Y./National Sports Academy) took 87th, and senior Robert Sitzer (Lenox, Mass./Lenox Memorial) was 88th. Sophomore Sam Brigham (Montpelier, Vt./Montpelier) was the seventh member of his team to finish.
Women's Volleyball (14-19, 3-12) Tallies Three Losses During Week, McLeod Sets Assists Record
The Saint Michael's College women's volleyball team went 0-3 at home last week while completing their 2011 season. The Purple Knights fell to Middlebury College, 3-2, on Tuesday before dropping a 3-0 decision against regionally-ranked Pace University on Friday in a Northeast-10 Conference match. Saint Michael's suffered a 3-2 setback on Saturday against regionally-ranked Adelphi University in another NE-10 contest. Sophomore setter Jess McLeod (Medfield, Mass./Medfield) broke Carleen Roy's '96 17-year-old school record for season assists against Pace, ultimately finishing the year with 993.
Against Middlebury, junior Tracy Peterka (Newport Beach, Calif./Mater Dei) had a match-best 18 kills, as the Purple Knights rallied from a 2-0 deficit before falling in five sets. Junior Katie Walsh (North Kingstown, R.I./The Prout School) added 16 kills and 10 digs, and McLeod had 47 assists and 19 digs. Sophomore Chelsey Covitz (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) had 11 kills, junior Samantha Clairemont (Conway, Mass./Frontier Regional) added eight, and classmate Courtney Dunne (Hopkinton, Mass./Bancroft School) had 13 digs.
Versus Pace, which is ranked sixth in the NCAA's regional poll, McLeod handed out 45 assists to break Roy's record, and Covitz finished with 17 kills to go along with three blocks. Peterka tallied 11 kills and 14 digs, while Walsh had 10 kills and 17 digs. Sophomore Lindsay Phenix (Tewksbury, Mass./Central Catholic) had eight kills and five blocks, and Dunne totaled a team-best 18 digs.
Against Adelphi, ranked fifth in the region, Peterka paced Saint Michael's with 14 kills and nine digs, while Covitz added 11 kills, finishing with 316 this season to come within six of the school record. Phenix totaled 10 kills, seven blocks and six digs, McLeod had 42 assists and eight digs, and Dunne notched 23 digs. Walsh added 12 digs.
Men's Ice Hockey (0-1) Drops Season Opener Against Nationally-Ranked Utica
The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team dropped its season opener at Utica College, 7-1, on Saturday. The Pioneers were ranked 13th in the most recent U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll. Senior Brady Earle (Columbia, Md./The Gunnery) scored for the Purple Knights, while junior Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made 27 saves.
Women's Ice Hockey (0-2, 0-2) Drops Pair of ECAC East Games to Begin Season
The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team went 0-2 on the road last week in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action. The Purple Knights opened their season with a 3-2 loss to New England College on Friday before falling 1-0 against Castleton State College on Saturday.
At New England College, sophomore Olivia Collins (South Boston, Mass./Boston Latin School) and freshman Ellia Héroux (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Thunder Bay Queens) netted their first collegiate goals. Freshman Kristen Spulecki (Orchard Park, N.Y./Buffalo Bison) tallied two assists, and junior goaltender Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) made 34 stops. Against Castleton State, Stevens had 28 saves, including 13 in the second period alone.
Men's (1-0) and Women's (1-0) Swimming & Diving Open Seasons with Victories
The Saint Michael's College men's and women's swimming & diving teams opened their seasons with victories over Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday. The Purple Knight men grabbed a 179-109 triumph and the women a 152-127 win.
For the men, senior Dan Healy (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington) won the 50- and 100-yard backstrokes, setting a pool record in the 100 back, freshman Aidan Meehan (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events, and classmate Nathan Paluso (Windham, Maine/Windham) topped the 200 free and 100-yard breaststroke competitions. The trio joined sophomore Jack Mulderrig (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) for a 200-yard medley relay triumph and junior Kyle Esposito (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) for a triumphant 200 free relay race. Senior Michael Sprague (Sharon, Mass./Sharon) won the 500 and 1,000 frees, freshman Matthew Annenberg won both one-meter diving events, including setting a pool record in the six-dive competition (202.80), and freshman Matt Pearson (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) won the 50 breast.
On the women's side, seniors Kaytlyn Kelley (Jefferson, Mass./Wachusett Regional) and Eileen Mullowney (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) notched four victories apiece. The two sided with classmate Sammy Sweeney (Waterbury Center, Vt./Harwood Union/Franklin & Marshall) and sophomore Julie Mullowney (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) on the 200 free and medley relays. Eileen Mullowney also topped the 50 and 200 free races, Kelley won the 50 and 100 backs, and Julie Mullowney captured a victory in the 100 breast. Sweeney topped the 200-yard butterfly field, and junior Emma Hauser (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) won the 1,000 free.
This Week’s Schedule:
Friday, Nov. 11
Men's Ice Hockey @ Southern Maine, 7 p.m.^
Women's Ice Hockey vs. Southern Maine, 7 p.m.^
Saturday, Nov. 12
Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving vs. Clarkson, 1 p.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Queens (N.Y.), 1 p.m.
Women's Ice Hockey vs. Plymouth State, 3 p.m.^
Men's Ice Hockey @ University of New England, 4 p.m.^
Women's Basketball @ Shippensburg, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13
Women's Basketball vs. TBA @ Shippensburg, TBA
* Northeast-10 Conference Event
^ ECAC East Game
This Week in Saint Michael's College Athletics ‒ October 25-31Men's Soccer (5-10-2, 3-9-1) Splits Pair of Contests in NE-10 Action
The Saint Michael's College men's soccer team went 1-1 in Northeast-10 Conference play last week, defeating visiting regionally-ranked Merrimack College on Tuesday, 3-2, before coming up short against Assumption College, 2-0, on Friday, marking the end of its 2011 season.
Against Merrimack, the Purple Knights trailed 2-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining, as sophomore Anthony Stanley (La Ceiba, Honduras/Saint Johnsbury Academy) scored twice over the final 9:36 and junior back Chris Eckels (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) also added a tally. Junior Logan Kingman (New Bern, N.C./New Bern) made four saves and contributed an assist. At Assumption, Kingman made six stops.
Women's Soccer (6-10-1, 5-9-1) Falls in Final Contest
The Saint Michael's College women's soccer team went 0-1 last week during Northeast-10 Conference play, recording a 1-0 loss at American International College on Saturday in the final game of the season. The contest was cut short in the 71st minute due to unplayable, snowy field conditions. Senior goalkeeper Ashleigh Adams (Milton, Vt./Milton) made seven saves in her final collegiate appearance.
Women's Volleyball (14-16, 3-10) Tallies Three Losses During Week
The Saint Michael's College women's volleyball team went 0-3 on the road last week in Northeast-10 Conference action. The Purple Knights fell to Southern New Hampshire University, 3-1, on Tuesday before dropping a 3-0 match against Le Moyne College on Friday. Saint Michael's suffered a 3-0 setback on Saturday against the College of Saint Rose.
Against Southern New Hampshire, junior Katie Walsh (North Kingstown, R.I./The Prout School) totaled 13 kills and 13 digs, while classmate Tracy Peterka (Newport Beach, Calif./Mater Dei) and sophomore Chelsey Covitz (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) each had 11 kills. Peterka added nine digs. Sophomore Jess McLeod (Medfield, Mass./Medfield) notched 46 assists and 15 digs, and junior Courtney Dunne (Hopkinton, Mass./Bancroft School) totaled 22 digs. Sophomore Lindsay Phenix (Tewksbury, Mass./Central Catholic) and junior Samantha Clairemont (Conway, Mass./Frontier Regional) dropped seven and six kills, respectively, and sophomore Brianna Saunders (Litchfield, N.H./Campbell) tacked on eight digs.
At Le Moyne, Clairemont and Peterka had seven kills apiece, while Walsh added six. Covitz notched five kills. McLeod handed out 24 assists, Dunne provided eight digs, and Saunders dropped four service aces.
Versus Saint Rose, Peterka had nine kills and two service aces, while Covitz dropped eight kills on 17 attempts. Walsh totaled eight kills and 11 digs, McLeod dished out 29 assists, and Dunne had 10 digs.
This Week’s Schedule:
Tuesday, Nov. 1
Women's Volleyball vs. Middlebury, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 4
Women's Ice Hockey @ New England College, 4 p.m.^
Women's Volleyball @ Pace, 7 p.m.*
Saturday, Nov. 5
Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving @ Colby-Sawyer, 1 p.m.
Women's Volleyball vs. Adelphi, 1 p.m.*
Women's Basketball vs. Saint Lawrence, 6 p.m. (exhibition)
Men's Ice Hockey @ Utica, 7 p.m.
Women's Ice Hockey @ Castleton State, 7 p.m.^
Sunday Nov. 6
Women's Cross Country @ NCAA East Regional Championships, 1:30 p.m.
Men's Cross Country @ NCAA East Regional Championships, 2:30 p.m.
* Northeast-10 Conference Event
^ ECAC East Game
