Purple Knights News

April 3, 2006                                                                                                      
Contact: Daniel O'Reilly
Phone: (802) 654-2929

COLCHESTER, Vt. - The men's lacrosse team (5-3, 4-1 NE-10) fell to Le Moyne College, the nation's top ranked team in last week's USILA Division II Poll, 14-1, on Wednesday afternoon at Duffy Field. Scoring the Purple Knights' lone goal was sophomore Mark Agostinelli (Dedham, Mass./Xaverian), and his classmate, Jeff Hannon (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional), stopped 12 shots. On Saturday, the team defeated Pace University, 8-2, backed by sophomore Gregory Lazarus (Evanston, Ill./Evanston) and senior Eric Libby (Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset), who each scored a pair of goals. Hannon stopped four of the six shots he faced for Saint Michael's, who were voted into the 11th spot in today's national poll.
           
The women's lacrosse team (4-2, 2-1 NE-10) beat Bentley College, 17-14, on Saturday afternoon at Duffy Field. Senior Kristen Palazzo (Armonk, N.Y./Bryam Hills) netted four goals, and sophomore Amanda Soule (Hartland, Vt./Woodstock Union) scored three times. Freshman Ava Gottschall (Amherst, Mass./Amherst) scored two goals, including the game winner, and assisted on two others. Sophomore Courtney Wakem (Tiverton, R.I./Tiverton), meanwhile, made five saves in net.
           
The softball team (5-11, 1-3) split a pair of one-run games with the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Saturday at Doc Jacobs Field, losing to the River Hawks, 3-2, in the early game, and winning, 2-1, in game two. In the opener, freshman Megan O'Connor (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) laced three singles, while junior Casey Brooks (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) singled twice and scored a run. Freshman Ashley Harkins (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) added a single and a run scored in the sixth inning, but the Purple Knights left the tying run on third in that inning, and the tying run in scoring position in the seventh inning in the loss. Junior Meggan Roberge (Sheldon Springs, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) fanned two and allowed two earned runs in the complete-game performance. In game two, O'Connor struck out 12 in a complete game seven-hitter, and left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning to preserve the victory. Brooks led the Purple Knights' five-hit attack with a double, single and two runs scored, while classmate Meg Currier (Greenfield, Mass./Stoneleigh-Burnham School) plated Brooks both times with a pair of RBI singles. Sophomore Katy Newland (East Burke, Vt./Lyndon Institute) added a single for Saint Michael's, which played error-free softball in earning the win. On Sunday, the team lost a pair to Pace Universtiy. In the first game, senior Elizabeth Pigeon (St. Albans, Vt./ BFA-St. Albans) walked to lead off the third inning, and with two outs, Newland doubled, driving Pigeon home and tying the game at 1-1. The offense stalled however, and was unable to add on, ultimately losing the contest, 2-1. In the second game, the Purple Knights scored the game's first run in the top of the third. Pigeon reached base after being hit by a pitch, and  moved to second on a wild pitch, before scoring on a double by freshman Kaitlin McCarthy (Rutland, Vt./Mt. St. Joseph). Once again, however, Saint Michael's was unable to add on to their run total, and fell to the Setters, 6-1.
           
The baseball team (3-4) edged Norwich University, 10-7, in a seven inning game on Thursday afternoon in the team's home opener. Senior Kevin Koscso (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit) went 3-for-3, scoring three runs while driving in one. Seniors Kevin Harutunian (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) and Kyle Hildebrand (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) batted in two runners apiece, and Dan O'Connor (Worcester, Mass./Worcester) pitched four and a third innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits.
           
The men's tennis team lost its three matches last week, dropping 7-2 contests to Southern New Hampshire University and Stonehill College, and lost 6-3 to Bryant University. Picking up singles wins for the Purple Knights was sophomore Torr Terranova (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand), senior Tom Wu (Litchfield, Conn./Litchfield), and freshmen John Lescure (Kennebunk, Maine/Berwick Academy) and Sean Steigerwald (North Andover, Mass.), with Steigerwald earning two wins. Lescure also teamed up with sophomore Andy Samara (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington) and Terranova and Steigerwald combined for the team's two doubles victories last week.
           
The women's tennis team defeated Franklin Pierce College, 9-0, on Wednesday. Senior Heidi Murphy (Norfolk, Mass./King Philip Regional) and junior Cara Bednar (Marblehead, Mass./Marblehead) teamed up to earn a No. 1 doubles victory, and each contributed singles victories. Junior Cailie Burns (Chepachet, R.I./Ponaganset) won No. 3 singles and sophomore Michelle Wood (Chatham, N.Y./Chatham) took No. 4 singles, with the two combining for a No. 2 doubles win. Sophomore Megan Conway (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) was credited with a No. 5 singles triumph, and joined junior Liz Clemente to take No. 3 doubles. Freshman Jessica Maurice (Portland, Maine/Deering), meanwhile, was victorious in No. 6 singles. The team dropped their next two contests, falling to Bryant University, 8-1, and Stonehill College, 7-2. Wood won each of her singles events, while Murphy picked up a win in No. 1 singles on Sunday against the Skyhawks.

This Week's Schedule:
4/4        Baseball vs. Middlebury - 3 p.m.
4/4        Women's Lacrosse at Saint Anselm - 4 p.m.
4/5        Baseball at Castleton State (DH) - 2 p.m.
4/6        Men's Lacrosse vs. Franklin Pierce - 4 p.m.
4/6        Softball at Lyndon State (DH) - 3 p.m.
4/6        Men's Tennis at Saint Anselm - 3:30 p.m.
4/7        Men's Tennis vs. Pace - 3 p.m.
4/7        Women's Tennis vs. Pace - 3 p.m.
4/8        Softball vs. Saint Anselm (DH) - 1 p.m.
4/8        Women's Tennis at Saint Rose - 1 p.m.  
4/8        Women's Lacrosse at American International - 2 p.m.
4/8        Men's Lacrosse at Southern N.H. - 4 p.m.
4/9        Softball vs. Southern N.H. (DH) - 1 p.m.                          
4/9        Women's Lacrosse at New Haven - 1 p.m.
4/9        Women's Tennis at Assumption - 1 p.m.