Weekly Lyon

Women's Basketball (19-11, 9-4) Goes to First ECAC Final with Most Wins in 12 Years

The Wheaton College women's basketball team finished the 2006-07 season in its first Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament championship game, as the fourth-seeded Lyons narrowly fell at number two Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 58-57 on Saturday. The Blue and White finished with its highest victory total since 1994-95 after winning a pair of home games earlier in the week, downing number five Suffolk University, 63-51 in a Wednesday first round contest and defeating eighth-seeded Rhode Island College, 69-67 in overtime during the semifinals on Friday.

Wheaton won its first ECAC game since 1992 behind a balanced effort against Suffolk. Thanks to an early 13-0 run, the Lyons were never seriously threatened, leading by double figures for most of the final 26:24. Six players scored seven-plus points, as sophomore Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) tallied 14, while junior Becky Aitchison (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic) had nine points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Senior Kim McCormack (Milton, MA/Milton) notched eight points and 12 caroms, while classmate Casey Sorbara (Port Chester, NY/Trinity Catholic) had seven points, seven assists and three steals. Senior Samara Audet (Derry, NH/Trinity) and freshman Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford) recorded eight points apiece.

Against Rhode Island College, the Lyons stormed back from a 17-point deficit with 13:29 remaining in regulation and from a four-point overtime hole, improving to 14-1 in Emerson Gym during postseason play. Down 49-32, Wheaton received eight points from McCormack and six from Hickey during a 23-2 run that put the hosts up, 55-51 with 3:19 to play in regulation. The Anchorwomen forced overtime and scored two baskets in the first 51 seconds of the extra session before being held to just two free throws, and Aitchison put the Lyons up for good with 1:50 left. McCormack notched 22 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals while shooting 9-of-13. Aitchison collected 13 points, seven boards, six assists and three steals, while Sorbara and Hickey had nine and eight points, respectively.

In its first ECAC Tournament final, the Blue and White came up short by the narrowest of margins in a game that featured 14 lead changes. Wheaton twice led by as many as six points, and WPI countered by holding its largest lead at 54-48 with 2:51 left. The Lyons yielded the Engineers just four free throws from there, as Sorbara notched five points, while Hickey and McCormack scored two apiece down the stretch to make it a one-point game with 27 seconds remaining. Champney grabbed the miss off the front end of a WPI one-and-one, but Wheaton was afforded only a last-second, desperation shot from beyond the arc that fell short. Hickey became the fourth player in program history to reach the 400-point plateau in a season behind 18 on 7-of-11 shooting. McCormack tallied 11 points and five rebounds in her final collegiate contest, while Sorbara had nine points. Aitchison added six points and rebounds, and four assists. Wheaton shot 93.3 percent (14-15) on free throws, the fifth-best showing in program history.

Sorbara finished her career fourth in program history in assists (348) and tied for sixth in steals (201) while appearing in exactly 100 games. McCormack ended her four years at Wheaton fifth in steals (204), sixth in free throws (227), and eighth in each assists (211) and rebounds (620). She tallied 873 points in 98 contests while becoming the first player in program history with 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 steals. Audet ended her career by shooting 34.2 percent from three-point range. Sophomore Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) enters her junior year tied for seventh in three-pointers (80), while Hickey has 774 points in 55 games.

Synchronized Swimming Places Third at Nine-Team East Collegiate Regional

The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team finished third on Saturday in the nine-team East Collegiate Regional at Boston University, as senior Renata Paglio (Portland, ME/Deering) and freshman Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) each won a figures category.

Swinkin and senior Sarah Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) occupied the top two spots in C figures, as Jenna outdistanced second-place sister Sarah by 0.285 points. Paglio earned the top position in D figures, and sophomore Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) placed fourth in A figures. Wheaton's team routine was good for third, as Strasmore and the Swinkin sisters were joined by senior co-captain Elizabeth Corman (Saint Paul, MN/Hill-Murray School), junior co-captain Megan Kinney (Los Angeles, CA/Marlborough School), sophomore Sylvia Syracuse (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore West) and freshman Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose). Montes came in fourth during solo, and she combined with Corman and Strasmore for a fourth-place showing in trio.

Men's and Women's Track Athletes Record Two Wins at ECAC Championship

The Wheaton College men's and women's indoor track and field teams both finished among the top 14 teams at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship over the weekend at Wesleyan University, as the Lyon women tied for 12th among 56 scoring teams, and the men tied for 14th out of 55 squads. It was Wheaton's final tune-up before this weekend's NCAA meet.

Senior All-American Jennifer Harlow (East Bridgewater, MA/East Bridgewater) won the high jump, as she met automatic qualification for the NCAA Championship for the fourth time this winter with a height of 5' 7 3/4", which was two inches higher than the next competitor. Harlow also advanced to the finals of the 55M hurdles, where she took seventh with a provisional qualifying time. Sophomores Lily Calderwood (Harvard, MA/Bromfield School) and Natana Jules (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) took fourth and seventh, respectively, in the 800M. Classmate Celeste Karpow (Wilton, CT/Wilton) was seventh in the 500M, while freshman Kamia Smith (Cincinnati, OH/Cincinnati Country Day School) placed seventh in the 400M.

Wheaton recorded another event win on the men's side, as sophomore All-Americans Jonathan Cunha (Lexington, MA/Lexington), Victor Martinez (Exeter, NH/Phillips Exeter Academy) and Michael Wright (Baldwin, NY/Uniondale) joined freshman Merzudin Ibric (Revere, MA/Phillips Academy) for a provisional qualifying time in the 4x400M relay. Freshman Howard Powell (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) was second in the 55M hurdles, missing his own school record by 0.02 seconds.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 2/8/08.
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