Athletics > Weekly Lyon > 2005--06 > March 27, 2006
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Synchronized Swimming Records 18th Straight Top 10 Finish at Collegiate Championship
The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team finished ninth at the United States Collegiate Championships at Stanford University's Avery Aquatic Center over the weekend, marking the 18th consecutive season dating back to 1989 in which the Lyons finished among the top 10.
Junior Sarah Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) turned in Wheaton's best technical performance, finishing second out of 33 competitors in the C figures category with 67.209 points, just 0.256 behind the top swimmer. Wheaton had a pair of teams reach Saturday's finals, where both improved upon their semifinal performances. Swinkin and junior Elizabeth Corman (Saint Paul, MN/Hill-Murray School), sophomores Megan Kinney (Encino, CA/Marlborough School) and Esther Kovacs (Windham, NH/Academy of Notre Dame) and freshman Sylvia Syracuse (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore West) tied for eighth in the team category, as the Lyons finished two spots higher than in the semifinals. The trio of Corman, Kinney and Swinkin tied for 11th in the finals after placing 12th during the semifinals.
Wheaton also had a couple athletes narrowly miss qualifying for the finals of their respective events. Kovacs and Sylvia placed 14th in the duet semifinals, finishing just 0.667 points shy of the last finals qualifier, and Kovacs was 2.5 points short of matching the last athlete to earn a solo finals berth. In the B figures category, Kinney placed 14th out of 43 athletes, as the third- through 14th-place finishers were separated by just 1.089 points. Junior Renata Paglio (Portland, ME/Deering) had Wheaton's top showing in the D figures, coming in 13th out of 49.
Baseball (7-6, 1-1) Narrowly Falls at Holy Cross to Highlight First Week of Northern Slate
The nationally-ranked Wheaton College baseball team, tied for 25th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division III preseason poll, went 1-3 during its first action up north last week. The Lyons fell, 10-4 at local foe Bridgewater State College on Thursday before splitting a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader with visiting Babson College on Saturday at Sidell Stadium, winning game one by a 2-1 count before losing, 6-2. On Sunday, the Lyons narrowly lost at the College of the Holy Cross in Wheaton's first contest against a Division I opponent.
Against Bridgewater State, the Lyons held a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning before the Bears plated the final seven runs. Wheaton scored twice in the fourth on RBI singles by sophomores Jake Yagjian (Brewster, MA/Nauset Regional) and Pat O'Connor (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester Regional), but the hosts tacked on a pair of unearned runs the following inning and tallied five more on two hits and a two-out error in the seventh. Junior Brandon Leonard (Brockton, MA/Brockton) went 4-for-4 with an RBI double, and Yagjian finished the day 3-for-6 with two RBI out of the leadoff spot. O'Connor and seniors Mark Brown (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford) and Andy Koocher (Portland, ME/Portland) each added two hits. Senior Chris Martin (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) was solid in 6.1 innings on the hill, allowing only six hits while striking out nine, but half of the eight runs he allowed were unearned.
Wheaton split its NEWMAC-opening doubleheader with Babson for the second straight spring, as the teams finished 1-1 in the season series for the fifth time in six years. During the first half of the twinbill, Yagjian's RBI single and a suicide squeeze by Koocher gave the Lyons a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the fifth, and junior Joe White (Bedford, NH/Manchester West) retired the side in the sixth and set down three of four batters in the seventh to finish his complete-game effort. White recorded six strikeouts while surrendering only five hits during the seven-inning affair. Wheaton took a 2-0 advantage in the third inning of game two on O'Connor's two-run single, but the Beavers scored the final six runs, including five on three hits and two errors in the fourth inning. Sophomore southpaw Chris McDonough (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) suffered his first loss of the season, giving up just one earned run and six hits while fanning five and walking three in six innings. Koocher and O'Connor each went 2-for-4.
The Lyons completed the week with a strong effort against Holy Cross, which led, 6-1 after two innings before Wheaton rallied. In the third, Koocher scored after O'Connor's double and an outfield error, and Brown brought O'Connor around with a single to center. Wheaton added single runs in the sixth and the seventh to get to within 6-5, as Leonard provided an RBI single and O'Connor a sacrifice fly. The Crusaders responded with one run in each the seventh and eighth to pull away. Koocher went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs, and O'Connor was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
McDonough Corrals ECAC and NEWMAC Co-Pitcher-of-the-Week Honors
McDonough was named co-pitcher of the week by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and NEWMAC for the week ending on Sunday, March 19. The sophomore posted a 2-0 record, 0.59 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15.1 innings, yielding one earned run while holding opponents to .182 batting. McDonough struck out six while allowing no earned runs and three hits over eight innings in a 5-1 win against Messiah College on March 14 before fanning eight and surrendering one earned run in 7.1 innings in a 3-2 victory against sixth-ranked University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point on March 19.
Men's Lacrosse (1-4-1, 0-1) Ties Roger Williams, Hangs Tough with Powerful WNEC
The Wheaton College men's lacrosse team went 0-1-1 last week, as the Lyons began their two-game slate by playing through three overtimes with Roger Williams University before darkness forced a 7-7 stalemate on Wednesday. During Wheaton's Pilgrim League opener at Mirrione Stadium on Saturday, the Lyons hung tough with nationally-ranked Western New England College during a 10-5 loss.
At Roger Williams, junior Markus Ricci (Wayland, MA/Wayland) scored with one second remaining in regulation to force overtime, and neither team could break the deadlock during a trio of four-minute overtimes. Wheaton came from behind on more than one occasion, as the Lyons turned a 6-4 deficit into a tie game after junior Larry Nussbaum (Glastonbury, CT/Avon Old Farms) assisted both sophomore Richie Rasamny's (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) tally midway through the third quarter and senior Adam Cohen's (Montpelier, VT/Montpelier) tying goal with 3:01 remaining in regulation. After the Hawks took the lead with just 57 seconds to go, Ricci found the cage with his second goal of the afternoon. Cohen also turned in two points for the Lyons, while sophomore Jeremy Beech (West Newbury, MA/Governor Dummer Academy) made 17 saves.
Behind four goals from senior Taylor Jackson (Middlesex, VT/Union 32), Wheaton stood tied with WNEC late in the third quarter before allowing the game's final five goals to the Golden Bears, who are tied for 17th in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) poll. Jackson scored Wheaton's first four goals, giving the Lyons their last lead at 2-1 with 10:44 remaining in the opening half. WNEC led, 3-2 at the half before taking a two-goal lead just 21 seconds into the third quarter. However, Jackson scored twice in a 1:13 span to knot the game at four with 6:35 to go in the period. After the visitors retook the lead nine seconds later, senior Ellis Reavey (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) tallied with 4:07 left, but WNEC netted the eventual game-winner at 2:43. The Golden Bears put the game away with four fourth-quarter goals. Beech finished with 14 saves.
Women's Lacrosse (2-2, 1-0) Notches Win in NEWMAC Opener During Only Action
The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team opened its NEWMAC slate on Sunday with a 15-3 win at Smith College in its only contest of the week. Nine different players scored for the Lyons, who led by a 11-1 score at halftime. Senior Julia Coit (South Portland, ME/South Portland) netted the Blue and White's first three goals during a 2:51 span of the first half and finished with a game-high five goals. After yielding Smith's lone first-half marker, the Lyons rattled off the next 11 tallies of the contest. Senior Caitlin Tierney (Wellesley, MA/The Rivers School) and sophomore Meredith Hurd (Bath, ME/Hyde School) each finished with two goals, while junior goaltenders Kristin Konig (Montecito, CA/Cate School) and Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) each stopped three shots in one half of action apiece. Freshmen Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) and Abbie Sherwin (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) each posted their first collegiate goals.
Softball (13-3, 2-0) Goes 3-1, Sweeps NEWMAC-Opening Doubleheader from Smith
The Wheaton College softball team went 3-1 last week, splitting a pair at Bridgewater State College on Thursday before sweeping a doubleheader from Smith College during its NEWMAC opener Sunday. The Lyons downed the Bears, 4-1 in game one before falling, 4-3 and picked up wins against the Pioneers, the defending NEWMAC regular season champion, by counts of 4-2 and 6-4 in eight innings.
In the Lyons' first game against Bridgewater State, all of the scoring occurred in the seventh inning. Wheaton loaded the bases with no one out to begin the final frame, and freshmen Jessica DeRico (Griswold, CT/Griswold) and Katelyn Brides (West Bridgewater, MA/West Bridgewater) singled home runs during the stanza before sophomore Erika Marini (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) doubled in two more. DeRico finished 2-for-2, while Marini went 2-for-4. Sophomore Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) went six innings for the win, fanning a career-high 11 batters while squelching a pair of bases loaded situations in the third and sixth innings. Bridgewater State scored twice in the first inning of game two, but the Lyons went ahead, 3-2 thanks to three runs in the fourth, capped by freshman Katelynn Hanewich's (Bradenton, FL/Lakewood Ranch) two-run double. However, the Bears answered with two runs on five hits in the fifth. Sophomore Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) was saddled with her first loss of the year during a complete-game effort. Junior Jessica DePolito (Taunton, MA/Coyle and Cassidy) went 2-for-2.
During the first game at Smith, Poulton carried a shutout into the sixth inning, and the Lyons provided a pair of two-out runs in each the third and seventh. Marini doubled home Hanewich and junior Nicole Lachance (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) in the third, and Lachance stroked a two-run single in the seventh. Poulton allowed eight hits, including four that never left the infield, while fanning six and not walking a batter during her seventh complete game of the season. Lachance went 2-for-4. In game two, DePolito came up with a trio of timely run-scoring hits, including driving home the eventual game-winner in the eighth inning. With the Lyons down, 3-1, DePolito launched a two-out, two-run homer to knot the game in the third. In the fifth, DePolito stroked a two-out single to plate Lachance and give the Lyons a 4-3 edge. The Pioneers tied the game in the bottom of the inning, but DePolito singled to bring across Hanewich with the first run of the eighth, and DeRico gave Wheaton an insurance run by plating Marini on a sacrifice fly. Moynagh went the distance on the hill, surrendering two earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out five, including a pair in the final stanza. DePolito finished 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Lachance was 2-for-4 with two runs.
Men's Tennis (3-2) Falls to Non-Conference Foe Brandeis in Lone Match
The Wheaton College men's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to Brandeis University in its first northern dual match of the 2006 spring season on Thursday during the Lyons' only match of the week.
In doubles action, Wheaton put together a strong showing despite dropping two of three matches. Senior Matt Sheers (Beacon, NY/Beacon) teamed with junior Will Stoddard (Huntington, VT/Mount Mansfield Union) to grab a solid 8-6 win at the third slot, and the junior duo of Brian Danishevsky (Hamden, CT/Hamden Hall Country Day) and Brad Dressler (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) narrowly pulled out the doubles point for the Lyons before dropping a close 8-6 match in the second spot. Singles play was highlighted by a straight-set victory by junior Payum Payman (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) in the top spot. Other strong efforts came from senior Nick Potter (Concord, NH/Concord), who fell at number four in a third-set tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, and classmate Mike Moss (Needham, MA/Needham), who also went three sets before losing, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 at fifth singles.
Men's Tennis Trio Sweeps First NEWMAC Weekly Award of the Season
Payman earned NEWMAC Singles Player-of-the-Week honors for the week ending on Sunday, March 19, while the tandem of Danishevsky and Dressler was named doubles team of the week. Payman recorded a perfect 4-0 singles record in the top position during Wheaton's 3-1 southern trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. He posted a trio of straight-set victories and one three-set win. Payman was victorious over his opponents from Vassar College, Georgetown College, Hobart College and Southwestern University. The duo of Danishevsky and Dressler combined for a 3-1 record during Wheaton's southern swing. Danishevsky and Dressler turned in victories from the second doubles spot over Hobart and Southwestern and a win from the number-three position against Georgetown.
Ezeigwe Earns ECAC's First Track and Field Honor of the Spring
Wheaton College women's outdoor track and field freshman Chizoba Ezeigwe (Brockton, MA/Thayer Academy) was named ECAC Track and Field Athlete of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, March 19. The first-year athlete met a pair of NCAA Division III Championship provisional times during the first outdoor race of her college career on March 18 at San Diego State University's Aztec Classic. Ezeigwe placed second in the 400-meter dash in 56.04, just 0.32 seconds behind a San Diego State runner, while claiming sixth in the 200M at 24.85, just 0.22 seconds out of a tie for second place.
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Men's Tennis: Men's tennis players Beekman and Hudgins named ITA Scholar-Athletes (more)
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