Athletics > Weekly Lyon > 2006--07 > March 20, 2007
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Both Swimming Teams Represented at NCAAs, Roberts Earns Two All-America Honors
The Wheaton College men's and women's swimming and diving teams were each represented at the NCAA Championship at the University of Houston within the past two weeks, as junior Abby Pratt (Melrose, MA/Melrose) competed on March 8-10, and senior Barrett Roberts (Portland, ME/Deering) capped his career with two more All-America honors on March 15-17.
Roberts completed his four years with six All-America accolades. He eclipsed his school record in the 50-yard freestyle at 20.36 during the preliminaries before finishing fourth in the finals. During the 100 free, Roberts also came in fourth after breaking his program mark in 44.96 during the trials. Additionally, he snapped his school standard in the 200 free at 1:42.01 and single-handedly pushed Wheaton to a 29th-place showing, its best ever. Pratt became the first Wheaton woman to swim at the NCAAs. She competed in the 50 and 100 free races, as well as the 100-yard butterfly.
Synchronized Swimming Takes Second at ECACs in Final Tune-up Before Nationals
The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team finished second on Saturday at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship at the University of Pennsylvania, as the Lyons swam to an event victory and four runner-up showings. It was Wheaton's final preparation for the U.S. Collegiate Championship, which begins Thursday in Balfour Natatorium. The Blue and White looks to earn a top-10 finish for the 19th consecutive season at the three-day competition.
Senior Renata Paglio (Portland, ME/Deering) won D figures, while sophomore Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) and freshman Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) placed second in A and C figures, respectively. Freshman Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) earned second place during solo routines before helping Wheaton's team performance come in second, joining Strasmore, Swinkin, seniors Elizabeth Corman (Saint Paul, MN/Hill-Murray School) and Sarah Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden), junior Megan Kinney (Los Angeles, CA/Marlborough School) and sophomore Sylvia Syracuse (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore West).
Harlow Repeats in High Jump at Indoor NCAAs, Track Teams Open Outdoor Campaigns
The Wheaton College men's and women's track and field teams were each among the top 22 squads when the NCAA Championship ended on March 10 at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, as senior All-American Jennifer Harlow (East Bridgewater, MA/East Bridgewater) repeated as national high jump champion while helping the women finish ninth, and the men placed 22nd. On Saturday, both teams opened their outdoor seasons at the Carolina Classic in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Seven athletes recorded All-America finishes at the NCAA meet, led by Harlow, who cleared 5' 7" to become the first repeat high jump winner since 1990. Sophomore Chizoba Ezeigwe (Brockton, MA/Thayer Academy) twice recorded All-America honors, including helping the 4x400-meter relay quartet to a third-place showing. Ezeigwe joined sophomore Natana Jules (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) and freshmen Kamia Smith (Cincinnati, OH/Cincinnati Country Day School) and Renee Thompson (Hartford, CT/Weaver) to come within 0.31 seconds of first. Ezeigwe also placed sixth in the 400-meter dash. Sophomore Jonathan Cunha (Lexington, MA/Lexington) and freshman Merzudin Ibric (Revere, MA/Phillips Academy) were fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 400-meter dash.
Harlow provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in the high jump at the Carolina Classic, finishing second at 5' 5 3/4", while placing fourth in the 100-meter hurdles. Senior Katelyn Teixeira (Seekonk, MA/Seekonk) was third in the javelin, while junior Cassandra Migani (Brooklyn, CT/Norwich Free Academy) finished fourth in the shot put. Freshman Renee Thompson (Hartford, CT/Weaver) turned in a fourth-place showing during the 400M, and sophomore Lily Calderwood (Harvard, MA/Bromfield School) was fourth in the 800M. Ezeigwe came in fifth during each the 200M and 400M. On the men's side, freshman Howard Powell (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) was fifth in the 110M hurdles and eighth in the 400M hurdles. Cunha took eighth in the 200M and ninth during the 400M, while classmate Michael Wright (Baldwin, NY/Uniondale) finished ninth during the 100M.
Baseball (5-4) Brings Four-Game Winning Streak North After Tough Arizona Slate
The Wheaton College baseball team, which is ranked second nationally by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), rebounded from a tough start to its nine-game trip in Phoenix, Arizona, by winning its final four contests. The Lyons began play with a 14-8 loss to 10th-ranked Montclair State University on March 11 before downing Johns Hopkins University, 10-6 on March 12. Wheaton then dropped Tuesday contests to William Paterson University, 15-4 and Alvernia College, 6-3 before falling to Rutgers University at Camden, 7-3 on Wednesday. The Blue and White won a 23-13 slugfest against fourth-ranked The College of New Jersey on Friday, downed Denison College, 9-8 on Saturday, and swept UMass-Boston, 7-3 and TCNJ, 8-7 in 11 innings on Sunday to complete the trip.
Montclair State tallied seven runs in the fourth to break open a tie ballgame. Sophomore Karl Olson (Bethel, ME/Gould Academy) was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a triple, junior Ken Depasse (Holden, MA/Saint John's) went 2-for-4 with two runs, and classmate Jake Yagjian (Brewster, MA/Nauset Regional) and sophomore Robert Foote (Walpole, MA/Walpole) each were 2-for-4.
Freshman Jason Clucas (Peabody, MA/Saint John's Prep) became the seventh Lyon to homer twice in one game, as he went 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI in his first collegiate start during Wheaton's win over Johns Hopkins. Senior Brandon Leonard (Brockton, MA/Brockton) went 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBI and fell a triple shy of the cycle. Foote and Yagjian each added two hits, with Yagjian doubling and plating three runs, while junior Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland) launched a solo home run to tie current Cincinnati Reds outfielder Chris Denorfia '02 for second in program history with 20 long balls.
William Paterson plated seven sixth-inning runs to squelch a Wheaton rally and took advantage of six Lyon errors. Guillerault went 2-for-4 with two runs, while Clucas drove in two runs. Freshman Jon Shepard (Salisbury, MA/Triton Regional) tossed two scoreless innings of relief while fanning three.
Olson and senior Travis Anthoine (Portland, ME/Portland) provided RBI singles in the fifth to bring Wheaton within one against Alvernia, but the Lyons came no closer. Freshman Nick Kostaras (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro) fanned four in 3.2 innings, while junior reliever Chris McDonough (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) struck out five batters in 4.1 frames.
Sophomore Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) went 2-for-4 during the Lyons' loss to Rutgers-Camden, while classmate Jared Barnes (North Attleboro, MA/Bishop Feehan) provided a highlight out of the bullpen by fanning three and not yielding an earned run in three innings.
In the first of two exciting games against TCNJ, Wheaton put 23 runs and 21 hits on the board. Anthoine went 4-for-6 with four RBI and three runs while finishing a home run shy of the cycle, and Foote had a 4-for-6 day with three RBI and three runs. Leonard was 3-for-5 with three runs, Yagjian went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI, while Clucas drove in three and scored three. Guillerault and senior Adam Laplante (Harwich, MA/Harwich) each had three RBI, and Laplante homered. Sophomore Brian Hughes (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional) earned his first collegiate save, surrendering just one run in the final 3.1 innings.
Against Denison, Guillerault went 3-for-5 with three RBI, while Foote, Laplante and Yagjian each had two hits. Sophomore Adam Gingras (Woonsocket, RI/Woonsocket) picked up his first collegiate victory after yielding two earned runs in five innings, while Barnes provided a pair of shutout frames. Classmate Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) earned the save.
Wheaton spread its 10 hits among nine players during a win over UMass-Boston. Anthoine went 2-for-5, Pecora drove in two, Foote scored twice, and senior Joe White (Bedford, NH/Manchester West) allowed two runs over seven innings for his first victory of the campaign.
The Lyons completed their trip when Leonard's bunt single plated the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning against TCNJ. Foote was 4-for-6, Anthoine went 3-for-4, and Pecora was 3-for-5. Leonard had two hits and three RBI, while Yagjian and senior Jeff Martin (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) added two hits apiece. Junior Louie Bernardini (Gray, ME/Gray-New Gloucester) tossed five shutout innings to start before classmate Keith Pescosolido (Newton, MA/Newton North) notched the win after yielding only an unearned run in two innings.
Men's Lacrosse (0-2) Begins Season with Pair of Non-Conference Losses
The Wheaton College men's lacrosse team opened its season with a pair of non-conference losses. The Lyons fell to Bates College, 13-7 on March 10 at nearby Mansfield High School before dropping an 8-6 decision at Colorado College on March 14.
Against Bates, Wheaton scored the final five goals before its rally fell short. Junior Richie Rasamny (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) had two goals and an assist, while senior Trey Helms (Cockeysville, MD/Saint Paul's School) tacked on a goal and two helpers. Freshman Schuyler Horn (New Hartford, CT/Kingswood-Oxford School) made five saves during 30 minutes as the starting goaltender in his collegiate debut, and junior Jeremy Beech (West Newbury, MA/Governor Dummer Academy) made eight stops in the second half.
Rasamny had three goals and two assists at Colorado College, but another Lyon comeback attempt went for naught. Wheaton trailed by a 6-3 count before Rasamny and Helms tallied consecutive markers in the third quarter, but the Lyons came no closer. Helms scored twice, while freshman Drew Schaffer (New Haven, CT/Loomis Chaffee) notched his first collegiate goal. Beech had 12 saves.
Women's Lacrosse (0-3) Drops Two Close Decisions During Three-Game Stint in Orlando
The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team opened its season with a trio of losses in Orlando, Florida, including a pair of narrow defeats. The Lyons dropped a 13-12 decision to Stevens Institute of Technology on March 11 before falling to Drew University, 8-6 on Tuesday. Wheaton finished out its trip with a 20-5 setback against SUNY Geneseo on Thursday.
Against Stevens, the Lyons squandered an 11-6 lead in the second half. Freshman Brittany King (Georgetown, MA/Proctor Academy) had five goals, junior Meredith Hurd (Bath, ME/Hyde School) posted three goals, and sophomore Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) tallied twice. Senior Kristin Konig (Montecito, CA/Cate School) made 15 saves.
Wheaton cut a four-goal deficit in half against Drew before coming up short. Sophomore Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) led Wheaton with two goals, while Hurd, King, junior Alexa Jurczak (Davidsonville, MD/Miss Porter's School) and sophomore Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) each had one. Konig made seven stops.
The Lyons trailed only 2-1 against SUNY Geneseo before allowing 12 of the next 13 goals. Hurd and Jurczak had two goals apiece, while King also tallied. Konig turned aside 10 shots.
Softball (6-6) Finishes Eighth of 24 at Leadoff Classic, Wins Last Four on Florida Trip
The Wheaton College softball team advanced to the gold bracket at the 24-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic in Panama City Beach, Florida, where the Lyons came in eighth with a 2-4 record. Wheaton fell to Trinity University of Texas, 6-5 on March 9 before rebounding that night with a 2-0 victory over Coe College, which was ranked 22nd in the nation. The Lyons downed Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, 12-1 in six innings the next morning before falling in a slugfest against Willamette University, 13-7. On March 11, Wheaton fell by a 12-0 count to Trinity in five innings and finished play with a 5-0 loss to 23rd-ranked Methodist University.
After a day off, the Blue and White began play at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Florida, where Wheaton dropped its first two contests before winning its final four. On March 13, the Lyons fell to Montclair State University, 5-2 and Keene State College, 2-0 before picking up a 5-2 win against The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey the next day, as well as a 2-0 triumph against The College of Wooster. On Thursday, Wheaton downed Transylvania University, 6-2 and defeated North Park University, 9-1 in five innings.
Against Trinity, sophomore Brady Benton's (Concord, NH/Concord) two-out, two-run single capped a three-run rally in the top of the seventh, but Trinity tallied three in the bottom half of the inning for the walk-off win. Juniors Meredith Gorton (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) and Erika Marini (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) each went 2-for-3, while classmate Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) fanned eight.
Junior Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) scattered six hits while striking out eight Coe batters. The Lyons bunched both of their runs and all three hits into the fifth inning, as senior Nicole Lachance (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) put her team up for good with an RBI double.
Wheaton easily downed Saint Mary's behind Benton's 3-for-4 effort with three RBI, two runs and a homer. Lachance took the first pitch of the game deep and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs, while freshman Merry MacDonald (Braintree, MA/Braintree) was 2-for-2 with three runs. Classmate Andrea Bagley (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) tossed a complete game in her college debut.
Willamette came out on top in a game that featured 20 runs and 27 hits, including 12 for extra bases and five which left the yard. MacDonald went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs while smacking her first collegiate home run, while Benton was 2-for-4 and scored twice.
Lachance had Wheaton's lone hit in a rematch with Trinity, which scored six runs in each of the first two innings. Later in the day, the Lyons completed play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a loss to Methodist, as Wheaton mustered five singles.
Against Montclair State, Wheaton scored first before giving up five unanswered runs. Poulton went 3-for-3, while Lachance had a 2-for-3 showing with an RBI and run. In the Lyons' loss to Keene State, Moynagh yielded only one earned run in seven innings while striking out 10. Junior Alix Brozman (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) went 2-for-3 with a double, and Moynagh tripled.
Poulton ignited a late rally by smacking a game-tying two-run homer in the fifth inning against Richard Stockton, and Lachance scored the winning run the following inning on an error. MacDonald finished 4-for-4, while Benton and sophomore Katelynn Hanewich (Bradenton, FL/Lakewood Ranch) were each 2-for-4. Moynagh got the win, striking out seven while allowing only three hits.
Bagley gave up only a pair of singles while spinning a shutout against Wooster. Poulton drove home the game-winning run in the third, while Hanewich and senior Jessica DePolito (Taunton, MA/Coyle and Cassidy) each went 2-for-3. Marini drove in an insurance run on a sacrifice fly.
The Lyons knocked off Transylvania behind another great outing from Moynagh, who struck out 11 while walking only one in seven innings. Brozman went 2-for-3 with two runs, while Hanewich, Lachance and MacDonald each added two hits. Marini smacked her first home run of the year.
Wheaton completed its Florida swing with an offensive flourish, as the Lyons plated all nine of their runs against North Park on 11 hits during the fourth and fifth innings. DePolito and Lachance each homered, as Lachance finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs, while DePolito was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs. MacDonald and Poulton were each 3-for-4, and Hanewich had two hits. Bagley yielded two hits to the first two batters before allowing one base runner over the final five innings.
Men's Tennis (3-1) Wins Three of Four in Hilton Head, Payman Earns 100th Career Win
The Wheaton College men's tennis team opened its dual schedule by going 3-1 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, highlighted by senior Payum Payman (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) winning his 100th career match. The Lyons downed Nazareth College, 8-1 on March 11 before dropping their only match, 8-1 to Rhodes College the next day. On Tuesday, Wheaton dispatched Hobart College by a 9-0 score before completing the trip with a 7-2 triumph over Tiffin University on Wednesday.
Against Nazareth, the doubles tandems of Payman and senior Brad Dressler (Cranston, RI/Cranston West), seniors Brian Danishevsky (Hamden, CT/Hamden Hall Country Day) and Will Stoddard (Huntington, VT/Mount Mansfield Union), and senior Raymour Radhakrishnan (Amherst, NH/Bridgton Academy) and freshman James Little (Mount Desert, ME/Mount Desert Island) were each victorious. In singles action, Danishevsky, Dressler, Radhakrishnan and first-year Kyle Hudgins (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) each won in straight sets, while Payman rallied for victory.
Dressler had the Lyons' lone win versus Rhodes before Wheaton took all nine points from Hobart. Dressler and Payman teamed for a doubles triumph before Payman dispatched his number-one singles opponent to reach the 100-win plateau. Danishevsky and Radhakrishnan also won in doubles, while Little and Stoddard were victorious after their Hobart opponents retired. Danishevsky, Dressler, Hudgins, Radhakrishnan and Stoddard also drew singles wins.
The Lyons took all six singles points from Tiffin to rally for victory. Dressler and Payman won in doubles before each notched singles wins, as did Danishevsky, Hudgins, Radhakrishnan and Stoddard.
Dressler and Payman Combine to Draw NEWMAC Weekly Doubles Honor
Dressler and Payman was named New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubles team of the week for the week ending on Sunday, March 11. The tandem notched an 8-1 victory against Nazareth College on March 11 during Wheaton's lone match of the week.
Women's Tennis (10-5) Wins All Three Spring Break Matches in Hilton Head
The Wheaton College women's tennis team snapped a four-match losing streak by winning all three of its matches in Hilton Head, South Carolina, during spring break. The Lyons downed Nazareth College, 7-0 on March 11 before picking up a 6-3 victory against Dickinson College the next day and a 7-2 decision over Nebraska Wesleyan University on Wednesday.
Against Nazareth, the Lyons won all three doubles points and four singles matches, as the final two went uncompleted due to lack of playing courts. The doubles tandems of senior Jamie Weiss (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker School) and freshman Katherine Knies (Purdys, NY/North Salem), senior Darby McDermott (Briarcliff Manor, NY/Hackley School) and junior Briana Jackson (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow), and sophomores Mallory Farmer (Washington, CT/The Gunnery) and Oriana Federico (Andover, MA/Lawrence Academy) were each victorious. During singles play, Jackson, Knies, McDermott and Weiss were each triumphant in straight sets.
Wheaton took two of three doubles matches from Dickinson and never looked back. Jackson and McDermott won at the second spot, while Farmer and Federico secured a third-doubles victory. Federico, McDermott, Jackson and Weiss all won their singles matches.
The Lyons completed their southern swing against Nebraska Wesleyan. Knies and Weiss won at top doubles, while Jackson and McDermott were victorious at number two. Federico, Jackson, Knies and McDermott won singles matches in straight sets, while Farmer gutted out a three-set decision.
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