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(12/02/10 5:03am)
The Middlebury Alpine and Nordic ski teams kicked off their seasons on the snow during their Thanksgiving break trips. The Alpine teams headed to Vail, Colo., while the Nordic teams traveled to West Yellowstone, Mont. After training off the powder for months, both teams were eager to get back on the snow.
“It provided us with a great chance to get on the snow, since the East is lacking any form of it,” said men’s Alpine captain Bobby Poehling ’11. “Everyone’s fundamentals are looking sound, and over the next couple weeks we will be working to get our timing down and get our race pace back.”
Unfortunately, this opportunity came with a price: waking up for a 7 a.m. session of grand slalom on Thanksgiving morning in single digit temperatures. Forgoing family camaraderie and turkey are just a few of many sacrifices the teams must make in order to prepare themselves for the highly anticipated upcoming season.
The men’s team is returning their entire NCAA Championship team from last season, including Bryan Shpall ’13, Jake Lund ’11 and Poehling, the members of the team who captured fourth place in the slalom and fifth in grand slalom at the NCAA Championships. Supplementing this core of returning skiers is the large first-year class of Nick Bailey ’14, Robert Cone ’14, Liam Mulhern ’14 and Hig Roberts ’14.
“The four freshman will contribute to a men’s team that will rival the best in the carnival circuit,” said Poehling.
On the women’s Alpine team, the key to this season will be keeping the team healthy.
The team will be returning captains Nicole Dvorak ’11 and Tash Woodworth ’11, the racers who competed at last year’s NCAA Championships. The team will look for contributions from their newest additions, Emily Hammel ’14 and Emma Kitchen ’14.
“We will be looking toward a couple individual carnival wins this season on the men’s and women’s side, along with numerous other individuals climbing the podium,” said Poehling.
With the Alpine teams atop the mountains in Colorado, the men’s and women’s Nordic teams spent their Thanksgiving in the picturesque setting of West Yellowstone. Blessed with nearly two feet of snow on the day they arrived, the Nordic skiers took to the hills only 30 seconds away from their cabins. The team was so excited to get off the roller skis and onto the snow that they were hardly perturbed by the couple of days when the temperature never broke into the positive digits.
“We return a strong core of juniors and seniors, four of which skiied in the top 10 at Carnivals,” said Nordic co-captain Graham Egan ’11.
“Everybody was psyched to be skiing and made transition to the snow seamlessly,” said men’s co-captain Jimmy Levins ’11. “In terms of technique, the team is skiing well above expectations for this time of year. I think everyone is in a great place to begin to make the small adjustments we need to make to be ready to race.”
Both teams will be looking for a bounce-back from last year’s finish in the NCAA championships, where the women finished 17th and 18th in the 5K and 15K and the men finished 13th and 11th in the 10K and 20K. Levins is confident that the team will see improvement as the season progresses.
“We have a great team this year that has been pushing each other every day, and that will continue throughout the season,” said Levins.
(11/18/10 5:06am)
Last Saturday, the Panthers finished the 2010 football season in style, beating the Tufts Jumbos (1-7) to improve to 4-4, salvaging a .500 season and sending the 17 seniors off with a win.
“It’s not everyday that you get to go out with some of your best friends, strap on a helmet and battle for a common goal,” said Andrew Plumley ’11 in a pre-game e-mail. “And knowing that this Saturday is the last time in your entire life that you get to do that is hard to describe. If we can go out this Saturday at home, play well and get a big win on our home turf for the last game of our careers –– that is really all that we could ask for.”
In the Panthers’ best performance of the season, they did exactly that, totaling 532 yards of offense in a dominant 42-20 win. After trailing 7-0 early in the first quarter and 14-7 after the end of the first period, the Panthers took a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Senior quarterback and co-captain Donnie McKillop ’11 was surgeon-like in his dissection of the Jumbos defense, completing 29 of 41 passes for six touchdowns and 339 yards. The six touchdowns, three of which went to junior wide receiver Matt Rayner ’12, gave McKillop the all-time Middlebury record for touchdowns in a game –– the one Panthers passing record he did not hold going into the game. McKillop finished the season with 319.5 yards passing per game, 19 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions and a 61 percent completion rate. He was honored with the NESCAC offensive player of the week award for the second time this season.
It is hard to imagine, over a career filled with accolades and record-setting performances, that McKillop could have played his best game in his last start as a Panther. But anyone who attended Saturday’s game can attest to just how unstoppable number 16 was. It was not so much because he completed an unreal 70.7 percent of his passes or that he hardly made a mistake all game. Instead, MicKillop was at his best when he needed to be, connecting on six different occasions to three different receivers for touchdowns.
Nearly every play he made was highlight-worthy, but his 50-yard bomb to Rayner was nothing short of breath-taking. The touchdown pass came on the first play from scrimmage at midfield after the Panther defense created a crucial turnover. The senior from Poway, Ca. threw a beautiful touch pass that came down over the shoulder of his receiver, Rayner, who streaked into the end zone.
McKillop’s brilliance was mirrored in nearly every aspect of the game by his senior teammates. Running backs Gary Cooper ’11 and Plumley rushed for a combined 183 yards from scrimmage. For Cooper, who has struggled with multiple injuries since his freshman year, it was a career day, as he ran the ball 23 times for 123 yards. Tight end David Reed ’11, meanwhile, caught seven passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line, led by a senior-laden group, was equally impressive, opening up holes for the Panther running game and not allowing a sack.
On defense, senior co-captain Connor Green ’11 led the way, with 12 total tackles, three passes broken up and an interception that sealed the win for the Panthers with just less than three minutes remaining in the game. Linebacker Andrew Poulin ’11 also added eight tackles, finishing his season with a team-high 77 tackles.
“It was great to see the seniors play some of their best football in the final game,” said Bob Ritter. “That was even more enjoyable than the win, and the win was very enjoyable.”
The Panthers won the game with big plays on offense and defense, and also showed that there is a lot of up-and-coming talent in this football program. The receiving core led the way –– wide receivers Nick Resor ’12, Rayner and Zach Driscoll ’13 all had big games. Driscoll, just a sophomore, hauled in a touchdown pass to tie a team-high six touchdown receptions on the season. Defensively, Dan Kenerson ’13 gave a glimpse of the future with two interceptions, one of which was made on a spectacular diving play that set up a Panthers score.
At the end of the day, however, this was a win was for the seniors –– a group who started their careers as NESCAC champions and finished with a fantastic win.
(11/18/10 5:05am)
Men's Hockey
The men’s hockey team enters the 2010-2011 season with big shoes to fill. The team won the NESCAC crown last winter and is currently ranked fourth in the nation among Division III teams. This year the team is setting out to defend their title and preserve the prestigious reputation they won last year.
“People know we’re out there,” said co-captain Ken Suchoski ’11. “Last year was a high point for the team and we’re going to try and build on that this year.”
Despite graduating a standout class of seniors last year, the Panthers have been inundated with new talent, as they welcome 12 first-years to the squad, many of whom are capable of stepping in and making an immediate impact. The team spent much of preseason incorporating these new additions into the Middlebury hockey tradition, at the same time as they were training intensely to get back into prime hockey shape for the start of the season, which is this Friday’s home game vs. Tufts.
“It’s also a matter of the upperclassmen helping the new players transition from high school hockey to playing at the college level,” said Suchoski. “It’s important that the first-years become comfortable with our style of play.”
Middlebury’s hockey program has been steadily building its standing during the past few years, and is currently at an apex of success. The Panthers have won eight NESCAC championships and are regular participants in the NCAA tournament. Despite this impressive history of dominance, however, the team is keeping its sights set on the short term and consistently playing to the best of its ability. If they achieve this, needless to say, the scoreboard will take care of itself, and the Panthers will be poised to make another run at a national title.
“Obviously we want to go as far as we can,” said Suchoski, “but at the end of the day it’s about being the best team that we can be.”
–– Katie Siegner, Sports Editor
Women's Hockey
Last season, the Panthers’ season came to a heart-breaking end with a 4-OT loss to Trinity in the NESCAC semifinals, a game that proved to be the longest Division III women’s hockey game ever played. Despite the much-touted potential of the team, Middlebury fell short of a NESCAC title and an NCAA bid, and their season ended far sooner than they would have liked. This year, the Panthers are on a mission to turn their luck around.
“We’re sick of hearing about our ‘potential,’” said forward Jamie Harisiades ’12, “and we’re ready to act on it.”
The team returns a strong class of veterans with the skill and experience to lead the team to post-season glory, including last year’s leading scorer Anna McNally ’11. McNally and fellow forward Julia Ireland ’11 will captain the 2010-2011 squad. Meanwhile, a strong incoming class of six first-years should provide solid defensive options for the Panthers, as well as some sparks on offense.
“Everyone is looking really strong,” said Harisiades, and much of this strength is undoubtedly due to the team’s intense pre-season regimen. “Preseason went really well,” continued Harisiades. “We worked really hard in both off-ice training and practices.”
Middlebury is traditionally one of the top Division III hockey programs in the nation, and not just because of their record-setting 4-OT showdown with Trinity –– although the length of the game does demonstrate the impressive stamina of the Panther squad. The Panthers are ranked seventh nationally heading into the new season, and are gunning to knock their perennial rival Amherst out of the top spot. The two teams have a long history of crucial match-ups, well illustrated by the 2008-2009 season when Middlebury defeated Amherst for the NESCAC crown, but fell to the Lord Jeffs a week later in an NCAA match-up. The Panthers set out this season with high expectations to redeem their position as one of the top hockey teams in Division III.
–– Katie Siegner, Sports Editor
Women's Basketball
After back-to-back losing seasons, the Middlebury College women’s basketball team is optimistic about their chances to finish above .500 this year, which will see them return three of their top four leading scorers from last season, including Lauren Sanchez ’11, last year’s points leader for the Panthers and co-captain of the 2010-11 squad along with Allison Needham ’11. Other key returners for Middlebury include 5’11” forward Stephanie Surette ’12, who averaged 7.7 points and led the team with 8.2 rebounds per game last season, and guard Brittany Perfetti ’12, who was second on the team in scoring with 9.1 points per game and first on the team with 27 made three-point baskets.
Middlebury started fast last year, at one point ripping off six straight wins en route to a 8-4 start, including a 66-53 win over Bates in the teams’ NESCAC opener. However, the team sputtered from there, at times struggling offensively and losing nine of their last 11 games, finishing the season on a four-game losing streak in which they failed to score 60 points in any game. The final result was a 10-13 overall record, with a disappointing 2-8 record in NESCAC play.
For the second year in a row the Panthers will feature a relatively young roster. This year’s team, like last year’s, contains only two seniors, and will be looking for contributions from a bevy of new first-year players. This year’s roster will carry six rookies, including soccer star Scarlett Kirk ’14, a 5’9” guard. With a good mix of returning, experienced players and incoming first-year talent, the Panthers are very well poised to make a run in the NESCAC in their quest to make their first conference title game since 2002.
–– Dillon Hupp, Sports Editor
Men's Basketball
Last season, the Middlebury basketball team set a school record for wins (25), had a player go on to play professionally in Germany (former captain Tim Edwards ’10) and advanced to the NCAA regional finals, just missing the sweet 16 after a loss to the Rhode Island Anchormen. This season, the team is led by captains and returning starters Jamal Davis ’11, Andrew Locke ’11 and Ryan Wholey ’11 as well as Jeff Brown, entering his 14th as head coach of the team. Given this depth of experience, the bar is set even higher.
“Our goals and expectations for this season are high for sure,” said Jake Wolfin ’13, a guard for the team. “You’re always motivated to win a NESCAC championship.” This is a feat the team almost completed last year, losing to Williams in the NESCAC finals. Yet, with a taste of success in the NCAA tournament fresh in the team’s mind, their goals stretch beyond the NESCAC tournament. “We got our first-ever NCAA win in last year’s tournament,” said Wolfin. “We really want to be able to make a longer run in the tournament this year.”
The Panthers hope to emulate last year’s quick start, in which the team won its first 10 games as well as 17 of its first 18. They also hope to continue their success in NESCAC play, with only two conference losses last season, both at the hands of Williams. The team certainly has the height to compete with the NESCAC’s best once again, as the 6’10 center Locke is joined by 6’8” forward Ryan Sharry ’12, 6’7” forward Peter Lynch ’13 and 6’8” forward Jack Roberts ’14. With eight returning junior and senior varsity players, the team should have the leadership necessary to compete as well.
The Panthers open up their season at the UMass-Dartmouth Tournament Nov. 19-20, and host their home opener against Johnson State on Nov. 28. Upon students’ return from Thanksgiving Break, the team is widely expected to boast a 4-0 record.
–– Andrew Silver, Staff Writer
Men's Squash
The Middlebury men’s squash team is anticipating a breakout season in which they assert themselves as one of the top 15 teams in the nation. Last season the team repeated as the victors of the Summers Cup, establishing Middlebury as the top team in the C-draw of the national championship and good for 17th overall. This season, with a ladder featuring the return of the top three players from last year’s team and a strong class of freshmen, the Panthers expect to jump to the top of the B-draw (teams 9-16). Co-captain Brian Cady ’12 was bold in his predictions for the upcoming season.
“We will be moving toward the top of the NESCAC standings and jump past several B division teams in the process,” said Cady. “It is going to be a very exciting year for men’s squash.”
“Parker Hurst ’14 will play within the top three and Will Moore ’14 and Cooper Redpath ’14 will contribute in the middle of the lineup,” added co-captain Addi DiSesa ’12. “Chris Ivsin ‘14 and Trevor Truog ‘14 will also be vying for ladder spots.” The addition of these first-years creates significant competition for the nine spots on the ladder. They will battle the experience of DiSesa, Spencer Hurst ‘13, J.P. Garafolo’12 and Will Piekos ‘11 for playing time, while supplementing last season’s top three of Valentin Quan ’12, Jay Dolan ’13 and Cady. With two returning players who earned all-NESCAC honors last season, the Panthers are guaranteed to have formidable star power at the top of the ladder. DiSesa is certain that the competition all the way down the rest of the ladder will bring out the best in the team, and, like his co-captain, does not shy away from bold statements.
“This is easily the best team in Middlebury men’s squash history,” proclaimed DiSesa. If the captains’ premonitions prove to be true, the team could potentially break into the rankings of the nation’s top 10 teams this winter.
–– Brooks Coe, Sports Editor
Women's Squash
The women’s squash team has lofty expectations for the 2010-2011 season, which opens the first weekend in December with four matches at the Wesleyan Round Robin. While the first match is still weeks away, the women’s team has already turned some heads in the world of college squash.
When the College Squash Association released its preseason national rankings on Nov. 3, the placement of the Panthers in the number 11 position to start the year surprised many, and most likely motivated the team’s bitter rivals, Bates, Amherst and Mount Holyoke. After finishing the 2009-2010 season as the 14th-ranked team in the nation, Middlebury’s improvement to the 11th spot is a great accomplishment and reflects the potential of this year’s squad.
Co-captains Virginia Shannon ’11 and Kathryn Bostwick ’12 see the high ranking as a standard for the season, and believe an influx of new talent will help the Panthers get the job done in 2010-2011.
“We have so many new first-years who will add to the depth of an already strong team,” Shannon said. “Our goal is to achieve to our preseason ranking and I think that we can do that.”
This season, the Panthers welcome several new players, many of whom will play near the top of the ladder. Additionally, Elena Laird ’11.5, who transferred from Bowdoin last spring after playing number one on the ladder for the Polar Bears from 2008 to 2009, is expected to play within the top three.
These new faces will join an already formidable line-up, including Shannon, Bostwick, Al Boillot ’12, Jamie Burchfield ’12, Sarah DeCamp ’12, Lindsay Becker ’13, Molly Hubbard ’13 and Annie Ulrich ’13. Despite an injury to highly-touted first-year Bailey Marshall ’14, all of these players should combine to form the strongest Middlebury women’s squash team in the program’s history.
–– Addi DiSesa, Staff Writer
Swimming & Diving
Coming off one of their best performances in over a decade at the NCAA Division III championships last March, the Panthers are back in the pool this winter looking to build on the tremendous success they had last year. Led by coach Peter Solomon, the men’s team finished with a 4-5 record during last year’s meet season, and came in fourth place at the NESCAC championship before traveling to Minnesota and capturing seventh place at the national championships. John Dillon ’11 earned All-American honors in four events, shattering both school and NESCAC records. The women’s team ended the meet season with a strong 7-2 record, finished third at NESCACs, and earned an 11th-place finish in the national tournament. Meagan Collins ’12 broke the school three-meter diving record and earned All-American honors for her performance.
This year’s team will be led by experienced coaches –– men’s coach Solomon is currently embarking upon his 14th season and women’s coach Lisa Gibbs is beginning her 13th –– as well as senior captains Dillon, Kevin Glatt ’11, Matthew Vukich ’11, Annie Friedlander ’11 and Emily Whitaker ’11. Though last year’s seniors will surely be missed, the Panthers welcome a corps of very talented and determined freshman. These swimmers could be seen bonding during orientation week and have become very close leading up to the start of the season. The season officially started on Nov. 1, but the swimmers have been training together since September either in small groups or in practices led by team captains.
“We hope to keep the momentum that we established last season and continue our climb up the NESCAC and NCAA rankings,” said coach Solomon. “We certainly have the talent and depth to do so, but a lot will depend on the team chemistry and how the team pulls together in the months ahead. Based on the attitudes and work ethic that I’ve seen in the first two weeks of the season, I predict that we will once again surprise a few schools when it comes time for our championship season.”
–– Kevin Yochim, Staff Writer
(11/18/10 5:04am)
Many Middlebury students know that Noonie’s Deli, a sandwich shop in Marble Works, sells some of the biggest, tastiest, reasonably priced sandwiches around. Owner Bryan Phelps, along with his fiancée Jenny Condon, a graduate of Middlebury, bought the deli from Karen Phelps in March of this past year.
Born and raised in Middlebury, Phelps graduated from Middlebury Union High School and promptly left for Boston College, beginning the journey that would eventually bring him back to Middlebury. While living in the Boston area, Phelps worked a number of corporate jobs and started his own property management business, which he went on to manage for seven years. After meeting Condon and moving to New Hampshire, Phelps and his fiancée began toying with the idea of buying a house in Middlebury.
“We had had conversations about at some point moving back to Middlebury,” said Phelps. “We bought a house we fell in love with, started talking about it and decided to pull the trigger and move back to the area.”
After that decision, the pieces began to fall into place. Condon was able to continue her work in software sales from their new home in Middlebury, and Phelps sold his business in Boston with the hopes of finding something new.
“I was pretty much looking for any business opportunity that was out there, and Noonie’s was for sale at the time,” said Phelps. “It [the deli] was something I grew up with. I was 12 or 13 when it opened in Middlebury, and I have a lot of connections to that deli.”
Similarly, Condon also had a special place in her heart for Noonie’s, a place she always made sure to visit whenever she returned to Middlebury. The timing was right, and the couple became the new owners of Noonie’s Deli.
“The previous owner was excited about transitioning to someone who had local ties,” said Phelps. Karen Phelps had been approached by other interested buyers with outside perspectives or a desire to change the deli’s concept.
“She wanted to stress that she wanted it to remain much the same as possible, and that was certainly the way I felt,” said Phelps.
Phelps does not have any radical changes planned for the deli.
“Any changes I’ve made have been mostly process changes,” said Phelps, who notes that he has taken some measures to be more efficient at busy times, such as Parent’s Weekend and Homecoming Weekend. Phelps stressed his desire to keep Noonie’s as a community fixture that both college students and residents of the town can enjoy.
Living in Middlebury and owning Noonie’s has been “a bit of a homecoming” for Phelps, who explained his love for the sense of community only present in a small town like Middlebury. After having gone away and returned to Middlebury, Phelps is delighted to own a piece of what makes the town so special. He and Jenny have intentions of starting a family soon, and they are happy to call Middlebury home
“Middlebury and the deli are both special places for Jenny and I, and we wanted to continue to be a part of it and keep that alive,” said Phelps. “It became clear to me that there was a lot about Middlebury that we wanted in our lives.”
(11/11/10 5:27am)
Head coach Bob Ritter and the Middlebury Panthers got back in the victory column on Saturday, beating Hamilton 30-26, improving to 3-4 and keeping their hopes for a .500 season alive. The Panthers win marked their first and only road win of the season.
“Getting a win on the road was nice,” said Ritter. Though the Panthers never trailed in the game, it had its share of dramatic plays. The Panthers made game-changing plays in every phase of the game. The special teams were, in a word, special. Led by kicker Anthony Kuchan ’11, who connected on three of four field goals, and highlighted by defensive back Jared Onouye’s ’14 blocked punt, the Panthers’ special teams play was pivotal to the team’s victory.
“[Special teams play was] huge,” said Ritter. “Onouye blocked the punt that set up the score. It was a big play that changed the momentum of the game. Anthony made a couple huge field goals. The 37-yarder in the fourth quarter let us cushion a lead and secure the win.”
On the first Panther drive of the game, Kuchan finished a 15-play, 85-yard drive by drilling a 21-yard field goal through the uprights. While the special teams continued to make big plays throughout the game, none was bigger than the play that Onouye made with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter, when he blocked the Continentals’ punt. The Panthers recovered at the Continentals 24-yard line and after a 19-yard completion to Nick Resor ’12, quarterback and co-captain Donald McKillop ’11 found tight end David Reed ’11 in the end zone for a five-yard score.
Leading 10-0, the Panthers had a chance to extend their lead to 13-0, but Kuchan failed to connect from 23-yards out –– a rare miss for the senior who leads the NESCAC with 10 field goals and is second in the division with a .833 conversion percentage. Quarterback Jordan Eck led the Continentals on a 10-play 80-yard scoring drive on the subsequent possession that pulled Hamilton within three. The Panthers got the ball back with just over three minutes left in the second quarter and McKillop methodically drove the Panthers into field goal range where Kuchan atoned for his earlier miss by converting a 29-yard try and extending the lead to 13-7 at the half.
After a McKillop interception and two stalled drives to start the second half for Middlebury, defensive back and co-captain Connor Green ’11 made one of the decisive plays of the game. With the Continentals trailing 13-7 and driving with the ball into Middlebury territory, Green intercepted Eck at the Panthers 44-yard line and returned it 33 yards to the Continentals 23-yard line. McKillop found Zach Driscoll ’13 on the next play for a 23-yard touchdown to increase the Panthers lead to 20-7.
“That was nice to get points off the punt block and points off the turnover,” said Ritter, who knows all too well the struggles his team has had trying to convert big plays into points.
The Continentals responded immediately, however, driving 65 yards on 11 plays in under six minutes to pull within six points on running back James Stanell’s touchdown run from four-yards out.
Middlebury’s counterpart Andrew Plumley ’11, however, was just as good. On the ensuing drive, the senior from Burlington finished a five-play, 58-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run in which he broke multiple tackles to reach the end zone. The play before the touchdown run, Plumley, who has been a crucial part of the passing offense this season, caught a short screen pass that he turned up field for 19 yards. On the day the senior finished with 69 yards rushing and 58 yards receiving, and 80 of his 127 all-purpose yards came in the second half.
“He was great,” said Ritter. “We hit him on a couple screen passes that he converted into some big yards in a couple key situations. He did a great job finding the seams that the offensive line opened for him.”
While the first half and much of the third quarter had been dominated by each team’s defensive units, the last quarter of the game turned into a back-and-forth affair as the Continentals matched the Panthers score for score, not allowing them to extend and maintain a two-score lead. After the Panthers took a 27-14 lead on the Plumley touchdown run, the Continentals marched down the field, finding the end zone after a 12 play, 72-yard drive that culminated with another touchdown run from Stanell.
Now leading 27-20 after the Continentals failed to convert the point after try, the Panthers put together a drive of their own on 3rd and 8 from the Hamilton 18-yard line that nearly resulted in another Middlebury touchdown, but instead, the Panthers were flagged for offensive pass interference and what had appeared to be a possible game-clinching touchdown was instead 3rd and 23 from the Hamilton 33-yard line. Now in need of someone to step up and make a play to cushion the one-score lead, Middlebury got exactly that from wide-out Matt Rayner ’12 who picked up 16 yards on a shallow drag route, setting up Kuchan for a 34-yard field goal to send the lead back to a 10 for the Panthers.
Kuchan’s field goal proved crucial as the Continentals put together another impressive drive. Eck led Hamilton on an eight-play 85-yard drive in just over three minutes which ended with another Stanell touchdown.
After Hamilton once again failed to convert the extra point, they attempted to recover an onside kick with 2:34 remaining in the game. The ball only traveled eight yards and the Panthers recovered. To ice the game, however the Panthers still had to pick up a first down. The Panthers faced a crucial 4th down and three from the Hamilton 31-yard line with the game on the line. Coach Bob Ritter put the ball in the hands of the most accomplished quarterback in NESCAC history, trusting McKillop to put the game out of reach. He did just that, finding Matt Rayner for a seven-yard reception that allowed the Panthers to kneel the ball to run the clock out.
Offensively, McKillop led the Panthers once again, passing for 359 yards on 30 completions in 46 attempts with two touchdowns and one interception. Resor led all receivers with 10 catches for 146 yards receiving.
“Nick Resor had a great day,” said Ritter. “Those 10 catches –– a majority of those were to pick up first downs or take us down to the goal line. He made some clutch plays.”
Defensively, Andrew Poulin ’11 led the way again for the Panthers with 12 total tackles and a sack.
“He had a great day,” Ritter said, “and actually had a couple tackles where if he doesn’t make them they’re going to be big plays for them.”
This weekend the Panthers host the Jumbos of Tufts (1-6) in what will be the final game of McKillop’s historic career as a Middlebury Panther.
“It’s going to be an air-show on Saturday,” said Ritter. “Both teams like to air it out, both teams have very good quarterbacks, so it’s going to be a fun game to be a part of.”
(11/11/10 5:26am)
The MCRC bounced back in a big way on Saturday, beating Rensslaer Polytechnic Institute 36-5 in the quarterfinal round of the Northeast Rugby Union playoffs on a crisp fall day in Burlington. The Panthers played significantly better against the Engineers than they did the previous weekend against UVM, where muddy conditions and sloppy play led to a narrow 10-7 victory, the closest of the season so far for the MCRC. Middlebury set the tone early against RPI, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back.
The Middlebury side featured a new-look backline due to players both returning and being unavailbe because of injuries. With regular flanker and forwards captain Rowan Kelner ’12 out with a concussion, starting nine-man Ross Berriman ’12 was forced to join the pack, while normal fly-half and backs captain Brian Sirkia ’12.5 took over for Berriman. Dusty Atwood-Dupont ’13.5 filled in at fly-half, and fullback Geoff Kalan ’12.5 returned from injury, allowing Allan Stafford ’13.5 to move back to his natural position of wing. Despite all the changes, the backline quickly dispelled any concerns the MCRC coaching staff might have had about the lineup when Stafford scored the fist Middlebury try of the day just five minutes into the match. Sirkia converted the kick to give the Panthers an early 7-0 lead.
“I thought Dusty did a really good job filling in at Brian’s spot, especially considering we really one had one practice session to get him ready.” said center Sam Harrison ’11. “Additionally, our defense in the first half was incredible. Although RPI was bigger than us at pretty much every position, they were hardly able to get past the gain line against us.”
Coach Muchadei Zvoma ’07 also praised the defense, especially Harrison’s tackling.
“Sam made what seemed like a million incredible tackles,” said Zvoma.
Middlebury’s defense, coupled with a scoring barrage between the 15th and 31st minute of the first half in which the MCRC added three tries, led the Panthers to a 24-0 halftime lead. Dane Steel ’11 scored the first try of his career for the MCRC in this period. Chris Marshall ’11, acting forwards captain with Kelner injured, added a try of his own.
The second half started much like the first for the MCRC, as Zach Bills ’11 added the fifth Panther try just five minutes after the second kick-off.
“The tries scored by the forwards were really big for us,” said Harrison.
After an unconverted RPI try 28 minutes into the second half which cut the lead to 29-5, Harrison added a try of his own in the closing moments of the match, which Sirkia would convert to produce the final score of 36-5.
“It was nice to get some tries from the centers in this game,” said Harrison, refering both to his score and a first-half try scored by Ben Cmejla ’11, the other MCRC center. “Most of our scoring this season has come on the wings, so it was good to see that we were producing scoring oppurtunities from every part of our back line in this game.”
With the win over RPI, the MCRC advances to the semifinals of the NRU playoffs. They will travel to Bowdoin, the host school, this weekend, where they will play Bentley University for a spot in the finals. Should they win that, they will advance to the Division II NCAA tournament in the spring and look to compete for their third national championship in the last five years.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” said Harrison. “If we can get out and play our game this weekend, we think we have a really good shot to make it back to the NCAA tournament.”
(11/11/10 5:20am)
Middlebury teams have long enjoyed a tradition of excellence in D-III athletics. Panther teams have won NESCAC titles and athletes have earned Player of the Week honors. But which teams and players distinguish themselves within the Middlebury athletic community?
For the first time ever, the Sports Editors of the Middlebury Campus set out to determine the faces behind the teams’ successes and the most critical moments of the fall’s athletic competitions. Which player carried the team on his formidable passing arm? What moment defined the women’s soccer team’s season? The Fall Sports Awards say it all.
TEAM OF THE FALL
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER UP: VOLLEYBALL
Women’s cross country continued their tradition of dominance this fall, losing races only to top D-I programs. Volleyball, one of two NESCAC tournament champs, got the nod over men’s soccer because of their historic victory.
PERFORMER OF THE FALL
MICHAEL SCHMIDT ’12, MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER UP: JANE HANDEL ’12, VOLLEYBALL
Schmidt was the clearly the top choice after leading the Panthers in every race. Handel edged out field hockey’s Lauren Greer ’13 because of her three NESCAC Player of the Week honors.
ROOKIE OF THE FALL
SCARLETT KIRK ’14, WOMEN’S SOCCER
RUNNER UP: COLETTE WHITNEY ’14, WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
First-year forward Scarlett Kirk not only led the women’s soccer team in scoring, but scored three of the most crucial goals of the season in the team’s incredible comeback vs. Amherst (see below). Colette Whitney turned in some clutch first-place finishes for the best team of the fall, earning her runner-up.
SENIOR THAT WILL BE MISSED MOST
DONNIE MCKILLOP ’11, FOOTBALL
RUNNER UP: WOMEN’S SOCCER CAPTAINS
Donnie was the unanimous favorite for this category, for obvious reasons. The women’s soccer tri-captains represented an incredibly strong core of leadership, guiding their team over the numerous hurdles they faced during the season.
MOMENT OF THE FALL
MCKILLOP BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADING PASSER
RUNNER UP: PICKING UP BUTCH ON E:60
McKillop broke the D-III New England all-time record for passing yards in style, completing his 7,847th yards by the end of football’s Homecoming game vs. Bates. Picking Up Butch is a heart-warming reminder of the community spirit characteristic of Middlebury athletes.
GAME OF THE FALL
WOMEN’S SOCCER COMEBACK WIN VS. AMHERST
RUNNER UP: MEN’S SOCCER NESCAC CHAMPIONSHIP WIN IN PKS
Scoring four goals in 15 minutes to come back and win is impressive enough, but doing it against a conference rival makes the win even sweeter. Men’s soccer battled for 110 minutes before clinching the ’ship in PKs.
(11/11/10 5:00am)
“Thoroughly Modern Milly”
Nov. 11-13, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Make a trip to Vergennes Union High School (VUHS) to see a fantastic musical comedy. Presented by the VUHS Music Department, “Thoroughly Modern Milly” is sure to delight audience members of all ages. Tickets, available at Linda’s Apparel in Vergennes and in the VUHS lobby, are $10 for adults and $8 for high school students and seniors.
Origami workshop
Nov. 12, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Looking for a new artistic hobby? Join Barrett Ogden this Friday at the Ilsley Public Library to learn origami! It’s the perfect way to unwind after a long week of class. Decorate your dorm room with the intricate paper creations, or give them to lucky friends. For more information, call (802) 388-4095.
Board game marathon
Nov. 13, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
For over 12 hours on Saturday, the Ilsley Public Library will host a board game extravaganza. Participants of all ages are welcome to stop by and give the games their best shot. There will be a raffle with various prizes given away throughout the day as well. If you are interested in volunteering, email Eric at gatheringofthegamers@yahoo.com. Happy gaming!
Craft fair
Nov. 13, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
With the holiday season approaching, now is the perfect time to pick up some great gifts at the annual craft fair in Bristol. The event, held at Mount Abraham Union High School, benefits Project Graduation 2011. Browse through dozens of hand-crafted items from artists from Vermont and New York, and satisfy your appetite with the homemade lunch and bake sale. There will also be a silent auction and raffle.
Metropolitan Opera showing
Nov. 13, 1 p.m.
The excitement of a big city opera comes to Middlebury! The Town Hall Theater (THT) will screen Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” live in HD on Saturday afternoon. Relax and enjoy a high-quality performance on the THT’s big screen. Tickets ($10 for students, $22 for general public) are available at the THT box office, online at http://townhalltheater.org or by calling (802) 382-9222. Can’t make this showing? The THT is holding an encore screening on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
Jay Parini Reading
Nov. 16, 7 p.m.
Join author and D.E. Axinn Professor of English and Creative Writing, Jay Parini, as he reads from his novel “The Voyages of H.M.,” a story recounting the life and career of Herman Melville. The reading will be held at the Town Hall Theater as part of the Vermont Book Shop Author Series. Admission is free, and there will be a cash bar at the event. Be sure to visit the THT’s website at http://townhalltheater.org for more information.
(11/10/10 11:35pm)
On Oct. 28, the Byers Studio of the Middlebury Town Hall Theater was transformed into a true cabaret setting: small, candlelit tables faced the front of the room where several instruments and three musicians awaited the arrival of Deb Brisson. The intimate atmosphere differed greatly from the festive mood of the familiar rock ‘n roll concerts for Brisson. Currently a member of the local band The Horsetraders, a group that performs lively, upbeat music, Brisson has been playing music in the area for 20 years.
“I tend to gravitate more towards singer-songwriter and rock and roll music,” said Brisson, who grew up in Weybridge, Vt. “I like to dance and move, and the crowd tends to be more lively.”
That didn’t stop Doug Anderson, executive director at the Middlebury Town Hall Theater (THT), from pushing Brisson to step outside of her comfort zone. After working successfully with Brisson last year on a show for the THT entitled “Middlebury Does Woodstock,” Anderson encouraged her to try something new and suggested she perform slower jazz songs.
“I wanted her to expand her options,” said Anderson.
So, Brisson began working with Chuck Miller, a local musician who played the keyboard during the performance. Miller, who worked with Brisson on “Middlebury Does Woodstock” as well, asked her to select several of her favorite songs. Anderson and Miller then gave Brisson feedback on the list of 20 songs she had compiled, and choose 13 of them, a mix of fast and slow beats. Miller and Brisson rehearsed at Brisson’s house, but eventually moved to the music room at Mary Hogan Elementary School, where Miller is a music teacher. Guitarist Kevin Boyea and Glendon Ingalls, who played the trumpet for the show, joined rehearsals before the performances.
“For as little as we worked at it, it went well,” said Brisson, who hopes to bring the show to other venues such as 51 Main and the The Grille.
Many in the audience were extremely pleased with Brisson’s performance, which included songs by Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones, Rickie Lee Jones and Chuck Miller himself.
“I thought I’d come and take in her attempt at branching out,” said Larry Sims, an administrator at Rutland Town Elementary School, who once taught Brisson.
Sims, along with many others in the audience comprised mainly of Brisson’s friends and family, was delighted.
“I am really blown away,” said Perry Lessing, a neighbor and friend.
Members of The Horsetraders attended the 9:00 show and helped create a laid-back, playful atmosphere as they joked with Brisson throughout the performance.
“I was overwhelmed by the support,” said Brisson. “I can look out on the audience and know so many people and they’re all smiling.”
Brisson acknowledged that she was slightly more comfortable during the later performance, as she had already sung the pieces for the 7:00 show and felt more confident due to the relaxed atmosphere.
“I can see the nerves wearing off,” said Anderson, who said that the THT is one of the only theaters in the country that sells out of the earlier show before the later one. He joked that 9:00 “is generally too late for Middlebury people.”
All those who came, however, enjoyed equally powerful performances. Brisson was pleased with the outcome as well, though she admitted that learning the jazz songs was a challenge.
“The timing is a bit off and it’s harder to understand,” she said.
Whereas the cues are more consistent and predictable with rock ‘n roll, “it [jazz] tends to go all over the place.”
Still, Brisson said that jazz allowed her to connect with the music and the audience deeply. She was happy she took an artistic risk, and even said she had gained a greater appreciation for the new type of music.
This type of exposure was precisely what Anderson had in mind.
“This is exactly what my vision of the Town Hall Theater cabaret should be,” said Anderson, who hopes the theater, which opened just two and a half years ago, will continue to be a “celebration of local talent.”
(11/10/10 7:35pm)
Following a tough 1-0 loss at home to Bates on Oct. 23, the Middlebury men’s soccer team needed a win on the road against Williams to secure the top seed in the upcoming NESCAC tournament. The Ephs entered the game as perhaps the Panthers’ strongest opponent of the season with a record of 10-1-2. Facing its rival on the road with some key injuries, the Panthers fell 3-0 to Williams, conceding one less goal in the game then they had previously let in all year.
Williams jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 13-minute mark of the first half on a goal scored by the Ephs’ Kiel Bonhomme. Williams added two more goals in the second half to seal the victory, scored in the 55th and 75th minutes. Middlebury outshot Williams 10-7, but this statistic was not enough to secure the win for the visitors.
“The simple truth on the day was that Williams was more clinical in front of goal than we were,” said Saward. “We did not defend individually or collectively as well as we have and against a very strong team, we were punished.”
“We made some personnel changes before and during the game because of injuries,” said co-captain Carson Cornbrooks ’11. “We moved new guys into different positions and had some trouble adjusting. We had just as many close chances as they did, but where they capitalized we missed. We moved the ball well, but failed to make the little plays that in the end win games.”
Having lost its last two NESCAC games in a row by a combined score of 4-0, the team ended up finishing third in the conference with an 11-3 overall record. However, the team refocused its effort heading into Sunday’s post-season contest.
“We’ve been there before and we know what it means; show up or go home,” said Cornbrooks. “We stayed positive, spent some time as a team off the pitch, and made sure everyone was on the same page. We were playing for another week of practice as a team, and that made it all the more important to everyone.”
The Panthers came out at home and buried the Jumbos early, putting up three goals by the middle of the first half. The return of Tyler Macnee ’12 proved to be a game-changer, as he scored in both the seventh and the 25th minute. Brett Brazier ’13 scored the Panthers second goal in the 16th minute. The performance on Sunday mirrored the team’s play in its 7-0 start, scoring goals early and then playing stifling defense, with Tim Cahill ’12 recording his ninth shutout on the season. Cornbrooks stressed the importance of several line-up changes that helped get the team the win.
“The Tufts game looked more like our earlier play because we moved guys back into their original positions,” said Cornbrooks. “Macnee scored two great goals, and much of our offensive outburst was due to his return to the pitch.”
Heading into this Saturday’s NESCAC semifinal match-up against Amherst, the team is hopeful that it will be the first of two games on the weekend, as the finals are set for Sunday.
“We are all very confident that we can come home Sunday with a championship,” said Cornbrooks. “We perform well under pressure against good opponents, the likes of which we will face this weekend. The team is very excited, and looking forward to a solid week of practice before the biggest weekend of our season.”
The Panthers face Amherst on Saturday, with the winner facing the victor of the Wesleyan-Bowdoin game on Sunday for the championship.
(11/10/10 7:08pm)
Following its first loss of the season back on Oct. 2 to Colby, the Middlebury men’s soccer team has been on a roll. Leading up to Saturday’s NESCAC matchup against Bates, the team had reeled off four straight wins, outscoring opponents 6-1 and pushing its record to 11-1, 6-1 in conference, during the stint. Head coach Dave Saward gave a strong review of his team’s performance over the past three weeks.
“We played effectively over those four matches and had a number of good performances from several of players,” says Saward. “I felt that the key players in those four victories were Tim Cahill ’12, Harrison Watkins ’11, Otis Pitney ’12 and Carson Cornbrooks ’11. They all infuenced the team in a variety of ways, but collectively led us to three shutout victories and Otis scored two vital goals.” However, injuries are becoming a concern for a Panthers team that has already lost some key players.
“We have had some injuries, including an issue with Tyler Macnee [’12], Rob Cole [’13], Alex Colucci [’12] and Martin Drolet [’12,]” said Saward. “However, Willie Gevertz [’14] and Graham Knisley [’14], both first-year players, have stepped in and performed very well.”
Injuries may have played a part in Saturday’s loss against a Bates side that came into the game with a lowly 1-5-1 record in the NESCAC.
Saturday’s loss against Bates marked the first game in which the Panthers have failed to score a goal all season. The Bobcats needed only one free kick in the 38th minute to cement a 1-0 lead that ended up being the final. Bates forward John Murphy blasted a perfectly placed free kick into the top of the net past Middlebury keeper Tim Cahill ’12.
“The Bates game was challenging emotionally,” said Saward. “I actually think in the second half we played well, but soccer is all about putting the ball in the net, and we failed to capitalize on our chances. The one thing about soccer is that all the stats in the world mean very little unless you score.”
Middlebury outshot Bates 15-5 throughout the match, forcing the Bates keeper to make four saves. However, the one shot on target by Bates was the game clincher. When asked about this disappointing statistic, Coach Saward did not put the blame on starting goalie Cahill.
“Tim has won us a number of games this year including the Amherst and Conn College games, where he performed heroically,” said Saward. “My feeling is that the team let him down against Bates with their inability to put their chances away.” Nevertheless, Saward sees no reason to panic about his offense.
“We generated enough opportunities, and credit should go to the Bates keeper who made three or four outstanding saves,” said Saward. “If you look at the overall season goals scored vs. goals conceded, we are at perhaps our best ever difference. Thus, we keep doing what we have been doing.”
The Panthers travel to Williams tomorrow for a game that will determine the regular season NESCAC champion. The team, now ranked fifth in New England, remains first in the NESCAC despite the loss to the lowly Bates Bobcats; however, they must emerge from Williamstown with a positive result in order to maintain their standing. With a win, the team can secure home field advantage for the NESCAC tournament and push its regular season record to 12-2, a marked improvement over last season’s 7-4-2 regular season campaign.
(10/14/10 4:05am)
In 188 different countries, people joined together at 7,347 Global Work Parties across the globe. Groups gathered to celebrate the environment, and to inspire political leaders across the world to take action and to curb the effects of global warming. The College’s Sunday Night Group and local community members coordinated and planned the events of 10/10/10 with help from 350.org, an international environmental organization.
“Today is only a humble part of a lifetimes work,” said Jon Isham, associate professor of economics, who is also involved with 350.org. “Today is a great start and a day to get recommitted to politics.”
Isham believes the most important step in achieving 350.org’s goal of “350” is forcing politicians to listen and to take action, so climate changes can be controlled. This number represents the amount of carbon dioxide in parts per million that is safe for our environment. Everyone must get to work so the world can get to 350.
“We all understand numbers, and this is the most famous number in the world,” said Isham.
After weeks of preparation, community members gathered on the Town Green last Sunday afternoon. To begin the festivities, a drum circle played several West African pieces. The drummers, who have been taking classes together every Thursday for the last 12 years, played djembes or tall drums.
“Our drumming is a community builder,” said Louise Brynn, one of the drummers and a resident of Bristol, Vt.
Fellow drummer from Salisbury, Vt., Netaka White, echoes Brynn, as he believes that the music is not a performance, but rather a loose gathering of community drummers. Laura Asermily, the Middlebury Energy Coordinator, asked the group to open the 10/10/10 celebration. Following the drumming, Isham and Asmerily both spoke to the crowds. Their speeches, along with a photo, were sent to the 350.org leaders in Washington, D.C.
Numerous pamphlets were available for the community, including a booklet called the Low Carbon Diet. This 30-day program teaches people how to save money and energy by, for example, eating less red meat and being more fuel-efficient.
Asermily also organized a Carbon Buster Fashion Show and had volunteers dress up like “Carbon Cuttin’ Cats.” She talked about reducing waste, using energy efficient light bulbs, air sealing and insulating houses, reducing the amount of hot water being used and “thinking before you go,” which is an effort to off-set air travel and encourage biking.
“Forty-six percent is the number on my mind,” said Asermily. “This is the amount of carbon emission related to transportation in Middlebury.”
She advocates modifying transportation and instructs locals about proper space heating methods by “buttoning-up” their houses, as she believes these are two significant ways to reduce the levels of atmospheric carbon. Asermily met with an energy auditor and in the last three years, she has been weatherizing her home. The changes cut her fuel bill by one-third; she has saved 900 dollars per year and now uses 300 gallons less of oil.
“It is about efficiency and conservation,” said Asermily, who weatherized her home by insulating her attic and basement, and sealing her windows. She has also cut an additional 200 gallons of oil by installing a wood stove in her fireplace and placing solar panels on her roof.
Asermily feels efficiency is “environmentally benign.” Her current projects, “Way to Go,” which inspires locals to bike ride and walk instead of driving, and “Efficiency Vermont,” which offers businesses free energy visits, aim to provide people with the necessary information and resources to change their actions. By teaching small businesses about the benefits of saving energy and weatherizing offices, they will save thousands of dollars and help control climate changes. This is why Asermily offers free home and business energy visits; she wants people to make alterations to the space heating and cooling in their homes.
On Sunday, she spoke to a group at the Isley Library about “buttoning up Middlebury.” She discussed the importance of home efficiency because 56 percent of Middlebury’s carbon emissions are due to space heating and cooling.
“People are too dependent on their cars in rural Vermont,” she said. “We need to take local action.”
Middlebury residents also participated in the festivities by taking a solar tour of the town. The walk aimed to spread knowledge to the community about the importance of solar energy. Asermily highlighted the option of group net metering, a process in which neighbors invest in solar energy together.
The day’s events would also not have been possible without the contributions from Sunday Night Group. In addition to singing a catchy tune to engage community members, the club was also involved in canvassing and hoped to register green voters. One member, Audrey Tolbert ’13, talked about the College’s involvement in “Race to Replace” and “Dorm Storm” events. These campaigns seek to register voters who believe in electing green candidates in the upcoming Vermont elections. The college teamed up with fellow schools, including Bennington, Johnson State College and the University of Vermont, to raise awareness about 10/10/10 and to get students excited about voting for clean energy.
“There is only so much we can do on the campus,” said Olivia Noble ’13, another member of the Sunday Night Group. “We need to expand our work into the town and into Addison County, and to integrate all areas.”
Some left the Town Green and went to an elementary school in Cornwall, Vt. to plant a vegetable garden, while others took a hike or participated in gleaning activities.
Asermily realizes it is hard to change habits, but asserts that all must get involved to reach the goal of 350. It starts on a local level.
“We need another political revolution,” said Isham. “We did it with slavery and the Progressive Era.”
The environment is next.
(10/14/10 4:02am)
In honor of former head coach Gail Smith, who holds a record 107 wins during her tenure that lasted from 1983 to 1999, Middlebury hosted its first home competition of the year on a beautiful Parents Weekend and had a very strong showing. The Panthers had three weeks to prepare since their last tournament and did not disappoint the many fans in attendance.
Middlebury’s top doubles team of sophomores Leah Kepping ’13 and Brittney Faber ’13 dominated their group stage, winning 8-1, 8-1, and 8-0 against two sides from Trinity and one from Amherst. They proceeded to beat another Amherst duo in the quarterfinals, 8-5. Kepping and Faber found themselves in a deep hole in the semi-final match, down 7 games to 3 and 15-40 against another Amherst squad serving for the match point. However, the Panthers managed to force the game into deuce and rallied to win six straight games for the victory, shocking their opponents.
The Middlebury duo had to face yet another Amherst side in the championship, the same Lord Jeffs that knocked out Kepping and Faber in the ITA semi-finals three weeks before. In a hard-fought battle with many close games, freshmen Jordan Brewer and Gabby Devlin from Amherst took the crown.
“We made great strides compared to last year’s tournament, which is definitely a confidence booster for the competition in this upcoming weekend,” said Kepping. “Brittney and I are incredibly excited about our ability to come back in the semi-final match, and we can’t wait to have another go at the Amherst team that beat us in the final.”
That opportunity may come this weekend, when Middlebury travels to Amherst for the New England Women’s Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament, where teams from every D-III school in the region will be competing. The NEWITT caps off the short fall season for intercollegiate tennis competition, which resumes in the spring.
“Any time in the fall when we really start to come together as a team and everyone is really motivated, I feel like we have accomplished quite a bit,” said Head Coach Mike Morgan, who is proud of the direction his team is moving in. Despite the short season, he has seen many improvements and knows his team is working to meet the rest of their goals.
The doubles team of Dorrie Paradies ’14 and captain Sally Wilkey ’12 also won one match against Skidmore in the group stage and knocked out Amherst and Rochester sides in the consolation bracket. They also fell to yet another Amherst duo in a close match, 9-7, to conclude their weekend.
Coach Morgan did not hesitate to praise Paradies’ work ethic on the court. The only first-year, she is improving tremendously, and Coach Morgan is excited to see what she and Wilky can do this upcoming weekend. Although they have not quite yet found the results they’re looking for, the team knows that they will come.
“The team is pretty fired up and motivated going into the last week of the fall. You can’t ask for much more than that,” said coach Morgan.
The Middlebury women’s tennis team will be looking to build off their experiences at the NEWITT this weekend in Amherst, hopefully with the chance to take down some of the Lord Jeffs that came up to Vermont for the event.
(10/14/10 4:01am)
The 18th-ranked Panthers field hockey team continued their resurgence on Saturday with a 4-1 home victory over the NESCAC rival and 17th-ranked Lord Jeffs. The Middlebury win snapped Amherst’s five-game winning streak and came just four days after the team shut out Union 4-0, increasing their winning streak to four games.
Lauren Greer ’13 had three of Middlebury’s goals in Saturday’s match and assisted the other, while Becca Shaw ’12 saved 11 of the 12 shots fired at her, the only goal allowed coming off an Amherst penalty corner late in the game.
“The win was very emotional for all of us,” said Coach Katharine DeLorenzo. “We maximized our strengths on the offensive end and played a strong unit with purpose for most of the game”.
Surprisingly, the game was a defensive stalemate for much of the first half of play. Amherst (6-3) continuously reached their scoring zone but failed to get the ball passed Shaw’s excellent goaltending, while Middlebury (5-3) struggled to reach the scoring zone at all. The Panthers finally ended the stalemate with just seven minutes left in the half. The scoring play started when Charlotte Gardiner ’13 found Greer inside the scoring zone on a beautiful, field-spanning pass. Greer quickly found Elinore O’Brien ’14 wide open for the easy, un-savable score that gave the team a 1-0 lead going into the half.
From the beginning of the second-half whistle to the end of the game, Middlebury, led by Greer, showed the offensive dominance that made them such a highly ranked team going into the season.
“We used our new formation that spreads the field out and really accentuates people’s strengths,” said Greer of the Panthers’ offensive resurgence. Less than three minutes into the half she took full advantage of the new spread offensive, driving past all of the Lord Jeff defenders. With only the goalie to beat, Greer fired a shot from the left side that found the upper right corner of the net for the unassisted goal, giving Middlebury a 2-0 lead. Nine minutes later Greer put home her second goal of the game off a rebound that bounced off the Amherst goalie’s pads. She would score her third goal in similar fashion, finishing off another successful Panther attack and giving the team a 4-0 advantage with less than eight minutes left to play.
Greer earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors for her stellar contributions to the Panthers’ win over Amhersst.
By the time the Lord Jeffs finally got on the scoreboard, it was too late for a comeback, as the surging Panthers sealed their fourth victory in a row 4-1. Despite the difference in score, however, the Lord Jeffs held a 12-7 shot advantage as well as a 10-6 penalty corner advantage, making the victory a testament to Shaw’s stellar performance in goal as well as of Middlebury’s ability to take advantage of every shot they are given.
“Now that we know we are capable of playing that kind of field hockey, the possibilities are endless,” Greer said after the game. “I’m confident that the kind of energy we created Saturday will carry us through the rest of the season.” The Panthers face a series of road games before returning to Kohn Field the week of Homecoming to take on St. Lawrence on Wednesday and Bates on Homecoming Saturday.
(10/14/10 3:57am)
The Brooklyn-based indie rock band Yeasayer will play in Nelson Recreational Center on Nov. 13. DOM, the Worcester, Mass.-based electronic pop group, will open.
For Middlebury students, tickets are available online now: until Oct. 18, tickets cost $7; until Oct. 31, they will cost $10; from Nov. 1 through Nov. 13, they will cost $12; and at the door they will be $15. Tickets for non-Middlebury students will go on sale Nov. 1 and will cost $25. The Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) adopted this graduated pricing system for tickets after concerns that not enough tickets were available for Middlebury students for the Kid Cudi show in the spring.
This semester, the MCAB Concerts Committee has aimed to arrange more programming more frequently, rather than one large show per semester, as is often the case. The Yeasayer event will be more of a “mid-sized show,” said MCAB Concerts Committee co-chair Hannah Wilson ’11.
However, holding the concert in Nelson will bring the large show feel to the event, said Wilson. The band, which has released two albums since 2007, describes its sound as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel.”
“We’re trying to bring a variety of genres to campus,” said Wilson, noting that for the past three semesters, the large concerts have been hip-hop acts. “While we appreciate hip-hop, it’s not our job to exclusively feature hip-hop.
“We’re trying to bring concerts that have more atmosphere,” Wilson continued. “We’re making our budget go as far as we can.”
“It’s going to be a fun time, said Cathy Ahearn ’11, the other Concerts Committee co-chair. “Yeasayer’s music is very eclectic and danceable.”
For more information about the event, visit go/yeasayer.
(10/07/10 4:07am)
All good things must come to an end. The Middlebury men’s soccer team’s 673-minute shutout streak that dated back to overtime of the 2009 NESCAC final game was snapped last weekend, as Colby scored two minutes before the end of the first half of Saturday’s 2-1 double-overtime loss. The Panthers still have a lot to be happy about, however, as they remain in first place of the NESCAC overall standings with a 7-1 record, 3-1 in conference play.
The past week was up and down for the team, with a commanding 4-0 victory over Plymouth State on Wednesday and the aforementioned 2-1 loss to Colby on Saturday.
Wednesday’s match against Plymouth showcased the dominant Panthers’ side that had shown up in the first six contests of the year. Otis Pitney ’12 scored unassisted 18 minutes into the game, taking a shot from the top left side of the penalty area and smashing it in off the post. Carson Cornbrooks ’11 scored in the 34th minute assisted by Robbie Redmond ’12 to put the team up 2-0. Jake Edwards ’11 and Martin Drolet ’12, assisted by Tyler Smith ’14 and Brett Brazier ’13 respectively, sealed the victory by scoring eight minutes apart late in the second half, at the 68th and 76th minute marks. Tim Cahill ’12 recorded his fifth shutout of the season making only one save on the day. Coach Dave Saward was highly complimentary of his team’s performance.
“Pitney was magnificent against Plymouth, working hard on both sides of the ball,” said Saward. “Cornbrooks and Redmond were also all over the place while Tyler Macnee ’12 probably had his best match in a long time.” He added that his back four were “well organized” by Harrison [Watkins ’11]. All in all it was a very good road win against a very athletic and hard-working team.”
Saturday’s trip to Waterville, Maine. pitted the team against NESCAC rival Colby as it sought to keep its shutout streak and unblemished record alive. A Colby goal scored by Nick Aubin in the 43rd minute ended the first impressive streak, while Aubin’s second goal of the game in the 109th minute sealed the losing result for the Panthers. In the eyes of Saward, the Colby game left much to be improved upon.
“We failed to exert the necessary influence in the game,” said Saward. “Colby deserves credit for working hard, not dropping their heads, and scoring a goal just before the break. The biggest disappointment was our lack of threatening chances. We ran out of creativity at the most critical moments.” However, Saward was still impressed by one of his star players.
“Pitney was once again a standout player, and not simply because he got the goal. His work rate was extraordinary.” The most telling statistic of the game with regards to Middlebury’s defeat was that Colby keeper was only tested three times with shots on net.
“That is a statistic that has to improve,” said Saward. “We never tested the keeper, either with quality shots or testing crosses.”
The team will look to once again find its stride as it hosts a dangerous NESCAC rival in the Amherst Lord Jeffs this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on the turf.
(10/07/10 4:06am)
The Panthers dropped to 1-1 on Saturday, losing to NESCAC rival Colby 38-27. It was a frustrating day for the Panthers, who, despite forcing four turnovers, also committed four turnovers themselves in what was a very sloppy game. The defense has continued to be something of a dichotomy for the Panthers. Though they continue to make impact plays, they also allowed five plays of twenty-five yards or more.
The Panthers were able to move the ball for a large part of the game, but constantly beat themselves with costly turnovers and crippling penalties. Both offenses were held scoreless in the first quarter, although the Panthers threatened to take the lead late in the opening period. Facing a third and six from the Colby 27-yard line, Panthers quarterback and co-captain Donnie McKillop ’11 threw an interception that was picked off by sophomore defensive back Derrick Beasley. It was the first of two interceptions in the game and McKillop’s third interception of the season, but head coach Bob Ritter remains extremely confident in his quarterback.
“He’s an excellent quarterback,” said Ritter. “Probably his greatest asset is his decision making. He’s playing very well.” The box score supports Ritter’s inclination. McKillop finished the game 32 of 52 for 312 yards and two touchdowns along with his two interceptions.
“When your quarterback throws the ball nearly 100 times in two games, a couple of balls are going to be thrown off-target,” said Ritter.
The solution? The Panthers will need to find a better mix of their passing and running games this weekend against Amherst.
“When we had a lead last week against Wesleyan, we ran the ball and ran it pretty effectively,” said Ritter. “When we got down this week and had to come back in a hurry we had to put the ball in the air more. It’s more dictated by the flow of the game.”
The Panthers looked to establish the run early in the game, but immediately had trouble doing so. On the second offensive possession of the game, running back Andrew Plumley ’11 gained eight yards on first down, but after gaining just a yard on second and two, he was stuffed for a one-yard loss on third down and the Panthers were forced to punt. That series foreshadowed the struggles of the Middlebury offense the rest of the game –– the Panthers were able to move the ball, but could not pick up key first downs in the first half when they needed them. On the next drive, McKillop was picked off and the Panthers were held scoreless in the first half for the first time since they lost 20-10 to Amherst almost a year ago.
Meanwhile, the Colby offense capitalized on a crucial pass interference call that negated defensive back Jared Onouye’s ’14 interception in the end zone by punching the ball in from four yards out on the next play to take a 7-0 lead. After the Panthers failed to convert on fourth and seven from the Wesleyan 36-yard line, the Mules then took the ball down the field on an eight play, 69-yard drive that finished with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nick Kmetz to tight end Spencer Merwin, increasing their lead to 14-0. Merwin proved to be a nightmare for the Panthers defense, catching four passes for 84-yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers, however, would get the ball back twice more before the end of the half, but McKillop’s second interception ended one drive and then the Panthers failed to convert a fourth and 10 from the Colby 39-yard line with 11 seconds left in the half.
“In the first half, there were some mistakes we don’t usually make with some turnovers,” said Ritter. “Offensively we weren’t sharp in the first half. Defensively we played pretty well given the field position so we were fortunate only to be down 14-0.”
The second half was a different story entirely for the Panthers offense. After an interception by co-captain Conor Green ’11 gave the Panthers the ball in great field position, the offense took over and Plumley carried the ball for a 17-yard gain and then followed with 3-yard touchdown run. After a successful extra point by Anthony Kuchan ’11, Middlebury had halved the Colby lead to 14-7.
The defense put the Panthers’ offense back in position to tie the game shortly after, when they sacked Kmetz, forcing a fumble, and recovered the ball on the 50-yard line. Instead, the offense went three and out and were forced to punt.
After a fantastic punt from Kuchan, Colby started the ensuing drive from its own two-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Kmetz connected for a 30-yard pass to Merwin, bringing the ball out from the Mules goal-line. For the Panthers, the biggest blow in the game was about to come. On fourth and 10 from the Colby 47-yard line, instead of punting the ball away, the Mules punter Connor Sullivan pulled the ball down and just managed to run for a first down.
“They faked the punt and we had a chance to make a play and we couldn’t make a tackle,” said Ritter. “We had a chance to tackle him for a loss and have great field position. Instead they end up picking up the first down by inches and going on to score. That was the pivotal momentum changer.”
The Mules capped the 10-play, 98-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Kmetz to wide receiver Patrick Burns, extending the Mules lead back to 14 points. After another Middlebury possession failed to yield points, Colby took the opening drive of the fourth quarter 85 yards on eight plays and Kmetz once again found Burns for a touchdown, this one for 35 yards, pushing the Colby lead to 28-7. Burns, Kmetz’s favorite target, had six receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the Panthers’ Zach Driscoll ’13 led all receivers with eight catches for 99 yards.
Trailing by 21 points, the Panthers offense finally came to life, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter, but another turnover and ten more Colby points meant that the game was never closer than two scores.
After McKillop connected with his running back Gary Cooper for a 24-yard touchdown, which closed the score to 28-14 with 9:52 remaining in the game, the Middlebury defense forced a quick punt from the Mules offense. On the first play from scrimmage, however, Plumley fumbled and the Mules defense recovered the ball at Middlebury’s 22 yard-line. Four plays later the Mules extended their lead to 31-14 on a 36-yard field goal from placekicker David Bendit.
With just over five minutes left in the game, McKillop found the end zone, scrambling for a six-yard score. After the Panthers failed to recover an onside kick, however, Mules quarterback Nick Kmetz responded by rushing for a 22-yard score, putting the game out of reach at 38-21. With 3:19 left to play, the Panthers closed the score to 38-27 after a four-yard touchdown pass from McKillop to Matt Rayner ’12. The Panthers attempted another onside kick after the touchdown, which the Mules recovered before running out the clock .
Despite the number of points allowed, Ritter was encouraged by what he saw from his defense. “Our defense played a lot of plays,” said Ritter. “We have to do a better job of sustaining some drives [on offense], getting first downs, and keeping the defense off the field. I think the turnovers are a big deal. We have to convert those into points. Our defense got worn down because they spent so much time on the field.”
The Panthers host a formidable Amherst army this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. –– the Jeffs are 2-0 on the season and have outscored their opponents 82-7.
(10/07/10 4:04am)
Middlebury (3-3) got their record even and their season back on track with a 2-1 road victory over NESCAC rivals Colby (3-4) on Saturday. The game completed the Panthers’ brief two-game road stint and furthermore ended the team’s two-game losing streak, during which Middlebury was held scoreless by Bowdoin and Skidmore.
Things did not look good out of the gate for the offense-heavy Panthers. After failing to score a goal against Skidmore in a game strongly influenced by the rain-drenched playing field, the team found itself offensively stifled once again. Saturday, the Mules’ strong midfield play and continuous offensive attack kept the Panthers scoreless throughout the first half, pushing Middlebury’s scoreless streak to two and a half games. Colby dominated the first-half stat sheet as well, holding a 13-5 shots advantage and a 5-1 penalty shot margin in the first period.
“We weren’t quite playing ‘Middlebury’ field hockey in the first half,” said captain Sally Ryan ’11. “Our connections on the field were lacking and we knew we had to fix that or else the game wouldn’t go our way.”
However, strong defense by the Panthers kept the game from slipping out of their grasp. Due in large part to the play of goaltender Madeline Brooks ’13 –– seven of her nine saves coming in the first half –– Colby only managed to score one goal in their 13 shots and five penalty attempts. The goal came on an unassisted shot by Heather Quadir with 10:50 left in the opening half.
“At half time, we talked about what we needed to improve, we switched around some players in different positions and we started to play really well as a team,” said Ryan. “We were able to have a successful build up all the way up the field and had a lot of corner opportunities im the second half, which really changed the momentum of the game.”
Things would turn around quickly for the Panthers in the second half of the game. Middlebury’s strong defensive play continued from the first period, as the defense allowed no more Mules near the net –– Colby managed just four attempted shots for the rest of the game. More importantly, however, the stagnant Panther offense came alive for the first time in nearly three games, scoring two goals in the period despite a valiant effort by Colby goaltender Liz Fontaine, who had 11 saves in the game, eight of which came in the second half. The offensive turnaround showed on paper, with the Panthers holding a 14-4 shot advantage as well as a 7-2 penalty advantage in the second period, a complete flip from first half statistics.
Middlebury’s offense was sparked early on in the half by an unassisted game-tying goal from the captain herself that came right off the bat, just 1:10 into the period. Ryan was finally able to crack through the tenacious Colby midfield and fire a shot that found the back of the board.
“We hadn’t scored a goal in our last two games and we needed something to fuel us,” said Ryan. “There is no better sound than hearing the ball hit the back of the goal. It really boosted the morale of the team and pumped everyone up.”
Middlebury continued its offensive pressure with several good plays from standout forward Lauren Greer ’13, and took the lead with 11:11 left in play off of yet another unassisted goal. This time, midfielder Charlotte Gardiner ’13 scored the game-winning goal for the Panthers, and aggressive defense as well as great goaltending on both sides of the field kept another shot from finding the net in the contest.
Middlebury’s win could not come at a better time, as the Panthers return home to defend Kohn Field in an important match-up against fellow NESCAC competitor Amherst. With the Panther defense playing stronger than ever and the offense finally back on track, things look promising for the Middlebury team to reclaim its spot in the top echelons of the national rankings.
(10/07/10 4:01am)
Some things just never seem to change about Middlebury Athletics, and the glowing success of the men’s tennis squad is certainly no exception. Last weekend’s less-than-exemplary performance at Williams’ ITA Tournament has quickly been forgotten as the Panthers returned this weekend in top form at the Dartmouth Shootout.
The Ivy League tournament features top competitors from Division III schools as well as Division I schools, but the stiff competition was no match for the poised Panthers as they powered their way to many victories. Most impressive among the Panthers’ numerous accomplishments this weekend were the combined efforts of singles players Andy Peters ’11 and Teddy Fitzgibbons ’14.
The experienced Peters and rookie Fitzgibbons battled their way through the A-flight, featuring the toughest players from around the area, only to meet each other in the finals. Peters cruised through to the finals without dropping a set and downed teammate Fitzgibbons 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Fitzgibbons also managed an impressive victory over Amherst’s Austin Chafetz on his way to meeting Peters in the all-Panthers affair.
Spencer Lunghino ’13 picked up the C-flight championship with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the finals over Reindel of Amherst. Reindel advanced to the finals by ousting another Middlebury first-year, Zach Bruchmiller ’14, in a tight third set super-tiebreak by a score of 10-8.
Doubles play also saw Middlebury domination. Peters returned with first-year partner Brantner Jones ’14 to secure the A-flight championship in an intense 8-7 victory over Roby-Greif of Dartmouth. Peters and Brantner faced five match points and a 6-3 deficit before clinching the title 11-9 in a decisive tiebreak. Their victory was especially sweet because it came in part at the expense of one of the doubles’ teams from Brown University, where former Middlebury head coach Dave Schwarz is now employed.
Panthers also prevailed in the D and E-flight doubles tournaments. D-flight went to the duo of Spencer Lunghino ’13 and Will Oberrender ’13 8-6 in the finals, and first-years James Burke ’14 and Andrew Lebovitz ’14 cruised to victory with a smooth 8-3 win. Fitzgibbons and Bruchmiller saw some success at B-flight doubles but fell to Dartmouth’s DeBot and Ghorbani in a super-tiebreak in the final.
It was no surprise to see that Panthers dominate Dartmouth the way they did, but it sure was refreshing for the players after a few disappointing losses at the ITA tournament.
“The team was very happy with the way we played at Dartmouth this weekend, overall,” said Jeronimo Roethkoe ’11. “We definitely feel as though we’re improving with every week, and we remain confident that we have a chance to make another serious run at a title if we keep putting in the hard work week in and week out.”
While these tournaments do not count toward the Panthers contention for a repeat NESCAC championship, they still gauge the players’ standings and keep their games conditioned through the fall and winter until the real domination starts.
Men’s tennis boasts a lethal mix of youth and experience that will undoubtedly lead the squad to many more victories this fall season.
(09/30/10 4:08am)
Six games. No goals conceded. The 2010 Middlebury men’s soccer team has made a habit of shutouts. In fact, the last goal it allowed was the one that sent it packing in overtime of last season’s NESCAC championship game.
Thanks to a three-win week against opponents Norwich, Bowdoin and Colby-Sawyer, the team pushed its record to 6-0 overall, 3-0 in the NESCAC and kept its zero goals-against streak alive. This impressive, defensive week of play, in which Middlebury outscored opponents 13-0 and outshot them by a lopsided 60-12, had Coach Saward harkening back to the 2007 Panthers squad, which allowed only seven goals in 21 matches.
“I think the success, which feeds on itself, is that the whole team takes pride in its defensive consistency,” said Saward. “The 2007 team was excellent defensively, but it is still early so we shall see with this crew as to how it will ultimately compare.” Goalie Tim Cahill ’12 has been solid in the net for the squad, recording two full-game shutouts against Norwich and Bowdoin (numbers three and four on the season) and one more shutout appearance before being lifted in the Colby-Sawyer game.
“Tim has been steady and has made good strides in all aspects of his game,” said Saward. “All we ask of him is to play within himself and trust his good instincts, which is what he is doing.”
The Panthers opened their week on Wednesday at home against Norwich, handing the in-state rival a resounding 7-0 defeat. Tyler Smith ’14 and Harrison Watkins ’11 each netted two goals, with Sam Peisch ’13.5, Martin Drolet ’12 and Ethan Gallette ’13 each adding one. The scoring did not begin until 30 minutes into the first half, when Smith scored his first, but then the floodgates opened, as the team scored five of its goals within a 19-minute span of the second half.
“The Norwich game was one of those days where everything went well for us,” said Saward. “We scored three or four very good goals, which on another day would not go our way.”
Jake Edwards ’11 turned in the performance of the match, assisting on the team’s first three goals and in the process tying the school record for assists in a game. Edwards, an outside defender and midfielder, won NESCAC player of the week for his efforts, a rare honor for the less flashy positions.
“I think it is interesting that as we look at our stats, almost 50 percent of our goals this year have come from set plays,” said Saward. “That always points to the guy who supplies the delivery, and for us that is Jake. To break any record is an achievement and Jake deserves all the credit.”
The win against Bowdoin on Saturday, however, was by far the most important of the team’s week as it recorded its third NESCAC win and increased its conference goal differential to +4.
The game, played in front of yet another vibrant home crowd, saw Alex Colucci ’12 score off a set piece in the 43rd minute, assisted by Carson Cornbrooks ’11. Smith then added an insurance goal off a feed by Edwards in the 71st minute. Saward was especially impressed by Colucci’s game-winning goal.
“Colucci’s goal was excellent, and typifies Alex’s determination to succeed,” said Saward. “A lot of players would not have gotten their head on that cross but Alex was brave and courageous –– a great goal, scored at a very opportune moment.”
The team secured its final victory of the week downing Colby-Sawyer 4-0 on Sunday. Matt Martin ’12.5, Watkins, Edwards and Tyler Macnee ’12 all scored for the Panters. Zach Abdu-Glass ’13 got some time between the pipes as he relieved the starter Cahill in the 62nd minute.
“Graham Knisley ’14 got the start at left back, performed very well and got the assist on the first goal,” said Saward of the final game of the week. “Watkins was excellent once again, as were Otis Pitney ’12 and Cornbrooks, who simply outwork their opposite numbers every day.”
The team faces NESCAC rival Colby on Saturday as it looks to extend its already impressive winning streak.
