• Academics
• Admission
• Student Life
• Athletics
• About Saint Michael's
• News & Events

 

Purple Knights News

January 11, 2010

This Week In Saint Michael's College Athletics: 1/4-1/10

COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Purple Knights winter athletic teams were wrapping up week number two of their 2010 schedules as most students were just returning to campus from their relaxing winter breaks. Men's basketball faced a tough week of competition, as they were defeated on Wednesday by Saint Rose in overtime, 80-77, followed by a 75-67 loss to Le Moyne on Saturday. The women's basketball team split their contests of the week, surrendering to a 57-41 loss at Saint Rose, but snapping their seven-game losing skid with a triumphant 64-48 victory against Le Moyne. Men's ice hockey made program history with their 5-5 overtime tie against Colby College on Friday, but fell to Bowdoin 6-2 the following afternoon. Women's ice hockey went 0-2 this past week, facing a 3-2 setback on Tuesday at Wesleyan, and then suffering a 7-0 shutout against UMass Boston on Friday at Cairns Arena. The swimming and diving teams returned to the pool after their five-week winter break, but both the men's and women's team suffered tough losses against Bentley University. The men surrendered 144-90 to the Falcons, while the women faced a 158-76 loss.

MEN'S BASKETBALL (5-8, 1-8 NE-10)

The Purple Knights went 0-2 in their contests, facing tough Northeast-10 competitors this past week. On Wednesday, the men lost an overtime decision to Saint Rose, 80-77. They followed up on Saturday with a close matchup against Le Moyne, but were defeated 75-67 in the final minutes of play. Prior to their contests of the week, head coach Tom O'Shea announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season after a 21-year career with the Purple Knights as both an assistant and head coach. Currently in his 13th season as head coach, O'Shea is the all-time leader in career wins and games here at Saint Michael's.

On Wednesday, the Purple Knights rallied from a 54-53 setback to a 58-56 lead midway in the second half, with neither team leading by more than four points for the remainder of the game. Saint Michael's had a chance to defeat the Golden Knights on a jumper in the final seconds, but a missed shot brought the game to overtime. Saint Michael's took a 77-74 lead on a 3-pointer with two minutes remaining, but were shutout for the remainder of the game, as Saint Rose went on to take the 80-77 final lead. For the Purple Knights, sophomore Qua'ron Pinckney (Bronx, N.Y./Saint Benedict's Prep (N.J.)) led his team in play with 16 points and seven assists. Classmate Sam Cieplicki (South Burlington, Vt./New Hampton (N.H.) School) contributed another 15 points in the contest, sinking 5-of-8 3-pointers, while freshman Travis Warech (Pine Brook, N.J./Montville) tallied 12 points. Sophomore co-captain Tyler Schilling (Excelsior, Minn./Minnetonka) added 14 points and 13 rebounds, along with his fellow co-captain, junior Nate Birr (Burnsville, Minn./Saint Thomas Academy), who netted 11 points, five rebounds and six assists.

On Saturday, the men's team gave Le Moyne a run for their money, taking a 54-50 lead midway in the second half after the Dolphins had controlled the play earlier in the game. After the Dolphins went on a 10-0 run, the Purple Knights struggled to gain enough momentum to get their lead back, despite netting nine 3-pointers in the second half. Le Moyne finished regulation time with an eight-point lead, serving the Purple Knights a 75-67 loss. In the contest, Warech recorded 22 points, while Pinckney added another 20 points, along with six rebounds and four assists. Schilling recorded a game-high 12 rebounds, and netted nine points against the Dolphins.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (4-8, 2-7 NE-10)

The women's basketball team was 1-1 in contests over the week, falling to Saint Rose 57-41 on Wednesday before turning it around and dominating the Le Moyne Dolphins for a 64-48 victory at Ross Sports Center on Saturday.

In Wednesday's Northeast-10 competition, the Purple Knights fell to an early deficit with the Golden Knights, but were able to tie the contest at 26-all with less than a minute remaining in the first half. Saint Rose went on an 8-0 run in the second half, taking the final lead of the game as the Purple Knights struggled to pull any closer to a five point difference. Senior Alexis Keller (Harrington Park, N.J./Old Tappan) recorded a game-high 21 points, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and making three steals. No other Purple Knight, however, was able to net more than four points in the contest.

On Saturday, the women came ready to play, taking an early lead and never falling behind the Dolphins. They finished the first half with a 34-21 advantage and went on a 17-5 run in beginning of the second half to take an unbeatable 51-26 lead. The smallest difference the Dolphins were able to reach the remainder of the game was the 64-48 final score. For the Purple Knights, Keller earned a game-high 16 points and contributed with seven rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Coreen Hennessey (Chatham, N.H./Fryeburg Academy) recorded a career-high 12 points, while adding five rebounds and two steals in the contest. Junior Meghan McCormack (Barrie, Ont./Saint Peter's Secondary School) also earned double-digit figures, netting 10 points for the Purple Knights.

MEN'S ICE HOCKEY (2-8-1, 2-5-1 ECAC East, 1-1 NE-10)

The men's ice hockey team made their excursion to Maine this past weekend, tying Colby College 5-5 on Friday for the first time in program history before suffering a 6-2 loss to Bowdoin the following afternoon.

On Friday, Purple Knights' senior assistant captain Tim Geverd (Horsham, Pa./N.H. Junior Monarchs/University of Vermont) took the lead as he netted the first puck of the game toward the end of the opening frame on a play from sophomore Reave MacKinnon (Winnepeg, Manitoba/Winnipeg Saints) and senior Ryan Nest (Gansevoort, N.Y./National Sports Academy). The Colby Mules quickly evened the score by the end of the period. Saint Michael's started the second period by taking back the lead when Geverd found junior defensemen Matt Rigtrup (Upper Montclair, N.J./Pickering Panthers) in scoring position. After the Mules tallied two goals, it was Saint Michael's turn to even the score by the end of the period, as senior Kyle Marquis (Richmond, Vt./New England Huskies) connected on a puck delivered by classmates Jean-Maxime Legare (Saint Augustine, Quebec/Restigouche Tigers) and Paul Nannicelli (Walpole, Mass./Boston Junior Bruins). The Mules took a two-goal lead at the beginning of the third frame, but Geverd and junior Glenn Belmore (Cornwall, Ontario/Willington Dukes/University of Maine) tied the game with back-to-back goals before the end of regulation time. Senior assistant captain Alex Higgins (Phoenix, Ariz./Kent School) added a helper to each third-period goal, while freshmen Rigtrup and Josh Geary (Wellesley, Mass./Phillips Andover Academy) each earned an assist. Freshman net-minder Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made a career-high 44 saves in the game.

The following afternoon, the Purple Knights were facing a two-goal deficit midway in the first period, before Belmore tallied the first goal for his team, assisted by Geverd and Geary. The Bowdoin Polar Bears started the second period in similar fashion, netting two goals before the Purple Knights were able to answer back with one of their own, as senior captain Dave Vorozilchak (Clarks Summit, Pa./Capital District Selects) and junior Nick Sheehan (Potsdam, N.Y./Cornwall Colts) teamed up on a power-play to assist Geverd for the second and final Purple Knight's goal in the contest. Although Saint Michael's was able to hold the Polar Bears to a scoreless third period, the two shorthanded goals they faced at the end of the second frame sealed their fate with the final 6-2 score. Dizgun set aside 34 shots in the contest.

WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY (3-11, 1-10 ECAC East)

The Purple Knights were 0-2 in their contests this past week. In the team's midweek game at Wesleyan University on Tuesday, the women were overcome by the Cardinals 3-2. On Friday, the Purple Knights suffered a 7-0 shutout against UMass Boston.

In Tuesday's contest, an unassisted effort by sophomore Kiera Nelligan (Melrose, Mass./Arlington Catholic) put the Purple Knights on the board early in the first period. The Cardinals came back to tie the game by the end of the frame, but senior co-captain Meghan Sweezey (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) answered back midway in the second period, assisted by classmate Desiree Biron (Bow, N.H./The Gunnery School/University of Vermont). The Purple Knights were unable to come back from the Cardinal's two goals in the final period and faced the 3-2 loss at the end of regulation time. Junior Alysia Goldman (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Hebron Academy) set aside 21 shots in the contest.

On Friday, the Purple Knights returned to Cairns Arena where they were shutout by the UMass Boston Beacons, 7-0. The Beacons tallied three goals in the first period, immediately taking control of the game and denying the Purple Knights of any and all scoring chances, as they stopped all 25 of Saint Michael's shots on goal. Freshman Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Conn. Polar Bears) played the first period in net, recording 17 saves, while Goldman took over the net in the second and third frame, setting aside 25 shots. The game marked the second-to-last home contest for the Purple Knights, as they will not return to Cairns Arena until their last game of the season on Feb. 13.

SWIMMING AND DIVING

The Purple Knight's swimming and diving teams returned to the pool after their five-week winter break. They began their 2010 schedule at Bentley University, where the men were defeated 144-90, and the women were delivered a 158-76 loss.

For the men, sophomore Tim McGrath (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable) helped to lead the Purple Knights by winning the 100-yard freestyle and assisting in the team's first place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Junior Aiden Warhall (New Haven, Conn./Notre Dame) swam to first-place in the 200-yard butterfly event. In the women's events, freshman Katie Cox (South Hadley, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) earned points for the Purple Knights by finishing first in the 500-yard freestyle event.

UPCOMING EVENTS (January 11th - January 17th):

Day Date Event Time

Tuesday Jan. 12 Women's Basketball @ Southern Connecticut State* 5:30

Men's Basketball @ Southern Connecticut State* 7:30

Friday Jan. 15 Men's Ice Hockey vs. Saint Anselm*^ 7 p.m.

Nordic/Alpine Skiing @ Saint Lawrence Carnival 9 a.m.

Women's Ice Hockey @ Nichols* 8:30 p.m.

Saturday Jan. 16 Women's Basketball vs. Pace* 1:30 p.m.

Men's Ice Hockey vs. New England College^ 3 p.m. Men's Basketball vs. Pace* 3:30 p.m.

Nordic/Alpine Skiing @ Saint Lawrence Carnival 9 a.m.

Swimming and Diving @ Saint Rose 1 p.m.

Women's Ice Hockey @ Southern Maine^ 4 p.m.

Northeast-10 contest *

ECAC East contest ^

##PURPLEKNIGHTS###