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(09/30/10 4:04am)
This weekend’s tournament at Williams College proved to be a challenging early season test for the Panthers, coming off a week of rest and a glowing set of victories at the Middlebury Invitational. The men’s squad made significant runs in both the singles and doubles brackets, but no Panther was able to capture a title amidst tough competition from other NESCAC schools.
The tournament’s number one seed, the Panthers’ own Andy Peters ’11, advanced in impressive fashion to the semifinals after coming off a straight set title run at the Middlebury Invitational. In the semis he met Matt Bettles of Bates, a player that he downed just two weeks earlier, but Peters was unable to strike on some key points and ended up falling to Bettles 7-5, 7-6 (2). Bettles would go on to lose to Williams’ Felix Sun for the title. Derrick Angle ’12, Chris Schlabach ’13 and Teddy Fitzgibbons ’14 all advanced to the round of 16, racking up a pair of victories each before being ousted by various other competitors.
In doubles play, Brantner Jones ’14 teamed up with Andy Peters ’11 and made a promising run to the semifinals before losing 8-3 to the Amherst duo of Kahan and Rattenhuber. Jeronimo Riefkohl ’11 and Mike Malhame ’11 also made an impressive dash to the quarterfinals, where they were ousted by Williams’ Chow and Micheli by a score of 8-3.
“Overall it was a fantastic tournament,” said Williams head coach Greenburg, obviously excited by Sun’s victory in the singles tournament. “We were lucky with the weather and fortunate to have the best players from seventeen New England schools compete on campus. It was a privilege to host.”
As for the Panthers, the lack of a title at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Tournament does not mean the end of their season. Rather, the tough semi-final losses are bound to send the squad firing on all cylinders at next weekend’s Dartmouth Invitational.
“It was great to see the competition and realize where we are in the mix,” said head coach Rob Barr to his team. “We’ve got a lot of work to do between now and March. If we can continue to improve our games, I think we can make another strong run.” These encouraging words from Coach Barr have left the team hopeful about the future.
“This weekend was a good test for us,” offered Zach Bruchmiller ’14 . “We know where we stand now and we know what we have to do to improve. I think fans can expect a great showing at next weekend’s tournament.”
The Panthers are not a team to dwell on a non-exemplary performance. Expect great things next weekend and in the tournaments to come.
(09/30/10 4:04am)
Stocked with pies, crumbles, syrups and nearly every kind of apple you could ever want, the Champlain Orchards farm shop is as Vermont as Vermont gets. Go upstairs, though, and you’re in Jamaica.
Bill Suhr, the owner of the Shoreham orchard, opened the door to the Jamaican immigrant workers’ second-story apartment in front of me, letting loose a wave of steamy hot air.
“It’s hot up here, and they keep it that way,” Suhr said. “Welcome to Jamaica.”
Suhr employs Jamaicans each year through the H2-A program, a government initiative that allows nonimmigrant foreigners to work in the agricultural sector for one season per year. This year, Suhr has employed 25 Jamaicans to maintain the orchard and help with the apple harvest.
I had walked right into the middle of dinner. The kitchen was a beautiful chaos: sizzling meats and vegetables, a blaring TV, a warm barrage of Jamaican, English and Creole and about a dozen Jamaicans each preparing their own massive masterpiece of a feast. They had just finished a 12-hour day, so a hefty tub of pork, potatoes and dumplings seemed appropriate.
“It’s hard to get used to your food, man,” Utneil Hines said to me. “Foodkind, you can’t get it as easy as you can get it in Jamaica. There, you can just step over and pick your food. Here, you go to the supermarket.”
Hines, 22, is a first-year worker at Champlain Orchards. He’s three weeks into his stay at Shoreham. (“Vermont is very, very cold,” he said. I apologized in advance for January.)
Hines is from St. Elizabeth Parish, one of the Jamaica’s most popular tourist destinations, as he was quick to let me know. He is a farmer, a self-employed car mechanic, and a cab driver. He heard about the H2-A program from his father and brother, veteran apple pickers at the orchard who are also working there this season.
The Jamaicans’ work schedule is extraordinarily demanding, by their own design. They work throughout the day filling large bins called jacks with 13 sacks of apples each, completing about 11 jacks a day. Although they do have the option to take time off or finish work while the sun is still out, they rarely choose to do so.
“It’s from 7 until we say when, sometimes even later,” Hines said. “We just do our stuff, normal. We don’t really force it. It’s fun, because we’re all here. We get along quite well.”
Suhr takes the Jamaicans into Middlebury on Tuesday nights to go shopping, but that’s their only scheduled break off the orchard.
“I don’t really get to know this place a lot, don’t really get a clear view of the place. We just go (to Middlebury) for one food stop and then we go back,” Hines said.
Curtis Barclay, 35, shared this point of view.
“It’s cool so far. The only thing is we don’t get to go out a lot. The only thing we know is Hannaford. Or T.J. Maxx,” he said.
Barclay is a native of Portland Parish and a father of three children. He said he isn’t frustrated about the self-imposed constraining hours of his work schedule, however. After all, he has been working at Champlain Orchards for four years now. “Really we come here to work and we need the money, so that’s where it comes from. Work the 15 hours,” he said.
“This is my vacation. I work and make some money and I bring it back. Yeah, it’s no problem,” Ken James told me.
James, 54, has picked apples through the H2-A program in Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida and Vermont. He lives with his wife and two children in St. Elizabeth Parish when he’s not in Shoreham.
“I do a little bit of everything in Jamaica: carpentry, farming, I drive for a funeral home,” he said.
The day-to-day isolation of this Jamaican microcosm is somewhat inevitable given the demands of the apple harvest and their own financial goals. There’s just no time to experience Vermont off the orchard. Interactions with Americans who aren’t fellow workers are also rare.
“Down in Jamaica we actually socialize with Americans more. Sometimes we are out (in the orchard), and they are like scared of us,” Hines said, a big smile contrasting this somber observation. I asked him why and he shrugged, nonplussed.
“I don’t know. Maybe the color,” he said, laughing lightheartedly. “I’m just doing my job. It doesn’t really matter. I don’t live here so I don’t have to get used to it.”
This cheery levity in the face of an exhausting work regimen and an isolating foreign environment was both humbling and inspiring to witness. A subtle nostalgia seemed to underlie this overarching “no problem” attitude, though.
“I’ll be even more excited that that is home,” Hines said when I asked him about his return. “That’s home. We’re just staying here because of work. In Jamaica, that’s our home. Here is your home. Home is everything.”
Hines, Barclay and James all said they feel very welcome here and would love to come back next year, continuing a Champlain Orchards tradition of over thirty years. After such a long history, the Jamaicans are an integral part of the business and family at the Shoreham orchard.
“Bill is constantly in touch with these guys everyday, and they give him a lot of feedback every year.
“They are a key part of what runs our business,” said Andrea Scott, Suhr’s wife. “They’re just wonderful people. We love them.”
I asked James and Barclay if there was anything they’d like to tell the students who’d be reading this article. After some thought, Barclay said, “I would want all the college kids to take a trip to Jamaica.” I told him that visiting his country is one of my dreams, to which James replied, “You should sleep more often.”
(09/30/10 4:01am)
The more I learn, the more I learn that I have learned very little. Bertrand Russell said of this inverse relationship: “those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision.” I like to use this quote. It lends credence to my perception of my self, which is that I am very smart because I am very doubtful and indecisive.
But I’m not just doubtful of the practical things like where Laos is on the map, or who the 19th president was — you know, sporcle stuff — I’m doubtful about very basic things. A good starter question is: “do I exist?” Although, what I’ve found is that one question leads to another which leads to a road of confusion which becomes a highway which leads to a bridge, which is out. A big ****ing black hole is in its place. A perpetual Criss Angel Mind-Freak. I want some damned answers, now! So I’m taking a philosophy class for the first time. And I think I get it. I think I’m not a brain in a vat, but also that I can’t really ever be sure. I’m confused. There’s no answer?? I take offense. I’m much more than vat-brain. I exist, dammit!
Mmmm. Actually I’m a little uncertain. I desire a philosophy essay that’s entirety could consist of a header and the following text: “I’m a little uncertain,” and receive a passing grade. Or, if there were a multiple choice quiz, whose d) was “cannot be sure.” I would do well.
So in my free time I devised a list of possibilities for the universe around us, and other general theories:
1. Vat-brain.
2. Matrix.
3. In the primordial past, life forces brought the material world into existence for their own pleasures. The universe exists because we agree that it does. And for humans, humans are the incarnations of these individualized expressions of the cosmic source, I call these things thetans. Cash contributions lead to enlightenment.
4. If ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
5. This has already happened.
6. There’s a man who lives in outerspace. He created us in his image — a bit egotistical if I might say so. Unless he was lonely, in which case, I think it understandable. If I were alone, and possessed such a power, I might do the same and create more humans like myself. So, a lonely God created us in his image. Does this make humans generally lonely? Long story short, he is your answer to everything. We know this because reliable celibate men speak to him and relate what he seems to want.
6b. Wait, but who created God? More lonely men?
7. Nothing exists. Consider its implications. They don’t exist.
8. We are stuck in the game of Jumanji in a creaky attic. Please send curious children … you know, because ... Nevermind.
9. Our universe exists on a thin slice of prosciutto, which exists on top of mozzarella, which exists on top of basil, which exists on top of a tomato slice which exists on a slice of foccaccia bread, which has been drizzled in olive oil.
10. Hunger is our only perception of truth.
11. String theory
12. Rope theory
13. Yarn theory
14. The universe is divisible into a nearly infinite amount of bad puns. These puns are the roots of self-loathing.
15. Our universe is one atom within a collection of universe-atoms which composes a decorative floral display in a foreclosed apartment put up for resale. They were bought from Jerome’s Florist on 96th and Madison. Jerome is God.
16. We are in a TV show. It has a poor cast.
17. I am dreaming, and when I sleep I am alive, and I am popular and strong.
18. The dollar is God. Pennies are Satan. They fell from heaven.
19. Free-will does not exist. This can be proven by the inevitability of puns.
20. Harry Potter or Avatar
21. Any other movie plot I forgot.
Consider these. I have.
(09/23/10 4:06am)
The Middlebury men’s Rugby Team opened up their regular season with a decisive victory against the Norwich Cadets. With firm control over the pace of the game and a final score of 53-7, the Panthers’ hard work and determination is obviously paying off.
“Norwich is traditionally a good team with extreme military discipline,” said Geoff Kalan ’12.5.
MCRC knew they had a tough match ahead of them, but drawing upon their hours of work on the pitch leading up to this opening game they managed to clearly overpower the Norwich team.
“We came out firing and managed to get some early points and establish ourselves right away,” said co-captain Brian Sirkia ’12.5. “We’ve been working on a new system of play that should get the ball out wide to the wings more often, and we used it to great effect against Norwich”
This new system of play led to an incredible three tries from winger Kennedy Mugo ’12, who was one of many on the Middlebury squad to catch the Norwich defense entirely unprepared on the outside. His success would not have been possible, however, without the strength and determination from Kalan , Chris Vandergrift ’11 and Sirkia and the domination in every scrum by Cameron Wilson ’14.
“We played a mostly liquid style of rugby and had success moving the ball rapidly through the hands and across the entire pitch,” said Kalan.
Other tries were scored by Ross Berriman ’12, Danny Powers ’11.5 and Don Song ’13. Song’s try was especially sweet for the squad as it marked his successful return to the game after withdrawing from the MCRC last spring.
The impressive performance from Vandergrift added another two tries to Middlebury’s tally. A player with incredible field awareness, his three tries in the past two games have put him in the running to be a top try scorer on the season despite being a prop.
“Yesterday’s game was a major success for us because we were able to really play flowing and open rugby, something we’ve been working on from the start of the season,” said co-captain Rowan Kelner ’12. “I really think we are playing the best rugby that I have seen since I’ve been here.”
The Panthers return to the pitch this week to prepare for their game against the University of New Hampshire, a former D1 team, on Saturday. “We do still have a lot of work to do and will be training hard this week to prepare for our away game against UNH,” said Sirkia.
(09/16/10 4:07am)
The Middlebury men’s tennis team opened up the fall season with a bang this last weekend, taking home victories in the A, B, C and D singles flights as well as one of the two doubles flights of the annual Middlebury Invitational tournament. The Panthers recovered seamlessly from the departure of last year’s coach, who led the squad to the NESCAC championship in his final season.
This year, heavy talent from top singles player Andy Peters ’11, who just may be the best player in the NESCAC, as well as Mike Malhame ’11, Jeronimo Riefkohl ’11, William Oberrender ’13 and Alec Parower ’13, has ensured that the Panthers are a force to be reckoned with yet again and a threat to repeat their success from last year. The team is also strengthened by a surge of powerful first-year talent –– five skilled first-year players join the Panthers veterans.
Andy Peters ’11 dropped just 17 of 64 games on his way to four straight-set victories against some of the toughest contenders in the league. Brantner Jones ’14 won C-flight singles in straight sets as well.
But despite all of Middlebury’s success on the courts, one of the most alluring aspects of this tournament had to be the first round A-flight singles match between Parower of Middlebury and senior Rich Bonfiglio of Trinity College, a former Panther player. Bonfiglio outplayed Parower to win the first set 6-1, but then a couple key points and an arguably controversial call turned the tables in Parower’s favor. Parower capitalized on inappropriate court behavior and immature outbursts from Bonfiglio to capture the second set 6-4. Just as Bonfiglio looked as if he was ready to throw his racket, cry and quit, he stepped up his game and took the third set super-tiebreak by a score of 10-7.
Although Parower might not have won that particular match, sometimes the moral victories in life are just as important as those on paper. This weekend’s impressive and sportsmanlike play from the Panthers has shown that fans can definitely expect big things from Middlebury’s men’s Tennis team this year.
(09/16/10 4:05am)
Women’s volleyball started its 2010 season with a very strong showing at the Endicott Tournament in Beverly, Mass. this past weekend. After opening the tournament with a 3-0 victory against Emmanuel on Friday afternoon, Middlebury lost a hard-fought game against the host school 3-2 in a heart breaker that night. Shaking off their loss, the Panthers came out strong on Saturday and posted decisive 3-0 victories against Eastern Connecticut and NESCAC opponent Bowdoin College.
The setback against Endicott proved to be the only disappointment of the weekend. If this tournament is any indication of the season these Panthers have in store, it promises to be a very exciting fall for their many enthusiastic fans. Even though the games were all out-of-conference (the team will take on Bowdoin again later in the season for conference play), they provided an opportunity to shake off any early season jitters that the team may have been experiencing and allowed the players to learn how to work together as a team.
An example of how the team is already starting to work together as a coordinated unit could be found in a spectacular face-off between the Panthers and the Polar Bears. In the final match of the weekend, Middlebury started the first set down 21-13 before staging a remarkable comeback and outscoring Bowdoin 12-2 to finish with a win. The team took the momentum from this first set and defeated Bowdoin in the next two sets to win the game. The final two sets provided some tough competition, but with the confidence from the first set the team was able to come up with a 3-0 win.
Elissa Goeke ’12 attributed the impressive rally to positive energy and mental toughness, while Caroline Cordle ’12 felt that team chemistry and depth were key ingredients in making this type of surge so early in the season. They hope the team can continue to find ways to win against future opponents this season by using the lessons of hard work and perseverance exhibited in their dominant first outing this weekend.
“We’ve really come together as a team this fall and everything has really clicked,” said Cordle. “Everybody contributed.”
After a particularly impressive weekend, co-captain Jane Handel ’12 earned well-deserved recognition from both the tournament and the NESCAC. After making the All-Tournament team this weekend, the junior was named NESCAC player of the week on Monday.
The Panthers travelled to Norwich on Wednesday to play the Cadets and will host Amherst for their first conference match this Friday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. in Pepin Gymnasium. If the team continues to flex its muscles on the road in such an impressive fashion, we should be in for quite a show when they play here at home with the support and encouragement of their classmates and friends.
(09/09/10 4:07am)
It was 8:30 a.m. in San Francisco, and while most of the city was just waking up, Charlie Koch ’13 had already put in a full day’s work.
Less than an hour before, he’d already run about 20 miles with a pack led by a 3:10 pacer in the San Francisco marathon. But with only six miles to go, he decided that the pacer was running too slowly. Breaking off from the group, Koch realized that although he wasn’t hitting “the proverbial wall,” his muscles were starting to cramp. He had done practice runs of around 22 miles, but had never run a full marathon — and wasn’t sure how long it would take. But with the end in sight, and the 3:00 pacer’s yellow t-shirt visible only a couple hundred yards ahead, Koch had a goal — he wanted to complete the marathon in under three hours.
So with the finish line finally in sight, Koch pushed forward, gradually speeding up to catch and pass the three-hour pacer.
“Getting under three hours is nice aesthetically; it would have been kind of frustrating to come in at three hours, one minute or something,” Koch said.
Koch’s final time: 2:59:41. He finished 63rd of 6,000 to 7,000 and qualified for the Boston Marathon next April.
Although the bay area’s hilly streets add difficulty in themselves to the San Francisco Marathon one the Wall Street Journal calls “The Race Even Marathoners Fear” Koch saw the 5:30 AM start time as the more challenging aspect of the race (runners needed to start early in order to have the Golden Gate Bridge blocked off).
But if Koch had been running the Adidas Sunrise Marathon in Singapore, like Avery Shawler ’13, he would have been finishing, not starting, the race at sunrise. The marathon challenges participants to “beat the sunrise,” a feat they can attempt only if they begin in the middle of the night. Midnight, in fact. Although Shawler’s family surprised her by appearing along the course, the 90 percent humidity due to Singapore’s equatorial location, the lack of distracting scenery, and the silence of no spectators made the Sunrise Marathon a race fairly unlikely to elicit one’s best running especially after training in Vermont’s cool spring weather. Additionally, most runners didn’t go to bed that night, making the finishing the marathon both physically and mentally exhausting.
“I guess it’s a good first place to do my first marathon because I can only get faster,” Shawler said.
For both Shawler and Koch, the most challenging aspect of their marathon experience was training. With respective May 29 and July 25 dates, it was necessary to begin training for both marathons during the school year. Towards the end of training, this meant daily runs for upwards of one hour.
“You have to make a pretty sizeable commitment of your time for quite a while,” Koch said. “Sticking with it and keeping motivated is the most difficult part. The race itself, while difficult, sort of pales in comparison to the amount of work you have to put in to get there.”
Shawler did lots of 14- and 16-mile runs, mapping out her routes around Middlebury on Google Maps and writing the directions on her arm before setting out. Freshman hall mates remember a sign that appeared on Shawler’s door the afternoon she did a 20-mile practice run containing a map of her route and a only half-joking note at the top, “If I’m not back by 6:00, come look for me along this route.” She was afraid of getting lost.
Koch ran frequently throughout the school year and trained specifically for the marathon for 10 weeks, while Shawler started training four months in advance. But not all students who competed in events submitted themselves to grueling training regimens.
For Melissa Mittleman ‘13, who participated in the Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) this August 6 and 7, training wasn’t as intense.
“I got on my bike three and a half weeks beforehand and hadn’t ridden since I was about eight,” Mittleman said. “It was definitely a busy three weeks and I was pretty sore.”
The PMC is a charity bike ride for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute with multiple alternative routes, but Mittleman’s particular cycling team rode about 170 miles over two days, spending the overnight on a friend’s boat. Mittleman’s laid-back training for the race made her even more surprised when she averaged 5 miles per hour faster during the race than she had in training rides. She suspects, though, that the crowds of people lining the route cheering her on boosted her speed.
“It’s a really fun interactive ride. Not only are you riding for yourself, but you’re riding for all the other riders [on your team] and all the people who are cheering you on,” Mittleman said. “It seems to have such a bigger purpose.”
Like Mittleman, Christine Shozer ’13 adopted a relaxed training program in preparation for her own summer fitness challenge. An alpine ski team member, she decided to compete in the Queens Half Marathon in order to benefit her skiing through improving her cardiovascular base. Shozer had never raced more than six miles before competing in the Queens Half Marathon in New York, and trained for only a month beforehand with longer runs and bike rides.
As in Shawler’s Sunrise Marathon, Shozer had to contend with stifling heat and humidity. Although she did come in second in her age group, New York City’s record heat this summer did nothing to boost her time.
“Had it not been so hot I probably could have broken the two-hour mark, but on miles 10, 11, and 12 the heat was pounding and I definitely slowed down,” Shozer said.
Koch, Shawler, Mittleman, too, were first-timers in their respective races. Although Koch and Shawler had run track and cross-country in high school and Koch had done the San Francisco Half Marathon the year before, neither had raced this kind of distance before. For Shawler, seeing graduates of her high school’s cross country team compete in the Adidas Sunrise Marathon their first year in college provided the impetus. Her parents, too, had competed in fitness events.
“My parents had done marathons when they were younger, so I thought, if my parents have done it, then I can do it, too,” Shawler said.
Similarly, Shozer’s parents had always been active, competing in multiple full and half marathons. In fact, Shozer ran the first eight miles of the Queens Half Marathon with both her parents before speeding up.
For Mittleman, the PMC was also a family affair. Both she, her parents and her two older siblings rode as part of the same 22-person team of family friends. As a child, Mittleman had watched the ride from behind a roadside lemonade stand, and as a high schooler, she volunteered at the event. Mittleman only started thinking seriously about riding the PMC this August towards the end of June.
“It’s been a long tradition in our family,” Mittleman said. “But this is the first year that my whole family did it together.”
Although Koch had run the half marathon with his father last year, running the full marathon this year was less motivated by family tradition than the lure of finally putting his fitness to the test.
“For me it was that I was interested in seeing what I could do because … the last year so I was running without any finite, concrete goals I that was trying to achieve,” Koch said. “Deciding I was going to do a marathon gave me something to work towards.”
So, the verdict? Although Koch warns that without proper training, running a marathon, “can be one of the most painful experiences of your life,” no one found their fitness experiences incredibly taxing.
Shozer saw that her training made the marathon, “easier than expected,” and wants to do a full marathon sometime when she’s not ski racing. Shawler and Mittleman want to compete again, too. For Koch, the decision as to whether or not to race in the Boston Marathon next April depends on how confident he is in his ability to keep motivated to train on a treadmill during the Vermont winter, as the Marathon would require three to four months of preparation. He’s also interested in competing in an “ultra marathon,” which is defined as any marathon longer than the typical 26.2 miles.
Maybe the most positive indication that Shawler, Mittleman, Shozer and Koch will continue in their fitness pursuits is the fact that they have all been lifetime athletes, competing in sports all through high school. After all, active people stay fit because they enjoy it, and nothing can replace pure satisfaction at physical activity.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this if I didn’t enjoy on some level the simple act of running,” Koch said. “I can’t really force myself to do something I hate.”
(09/09/10 4:03am)
Across
1. Flamenco music style
6. Ballpark authority
9. Despise
14. Ivan IV and Catherine II, e.g.
15. Sun, to Santiago
16. Only State with just one syllable
17. Muhammad’s God
18. Allergic reaction remedy ‘___Pen’
19. Ire
20. Safety measure for a tot
23. URL application (Abrv.)
24. Slip up
25. Popular cowboy hat manufacturer
27. Provides commentary on, as in a film
32. McCarthy era anti-comm. agency
33. The loneliest number?
34. Confirmations
36. Place for 6-down, for short
39. It may be opened at a bar (2 words)
41. Greek name meaning ‘well-spoken’
43. Without company
44. Calf-length skirts
46. Popular state sch. in New England
48. Giants’ slugger Mel
49. Attack, like a bear
51. Middle East region including Turkey
53. Top-ranked novel of all time, as deemed by
Random House Publishing
56. Strike
57. Keyboard button above Caps Lock
58. One-time pseudonym of Ben Franklin
64. Express feelings
66. _____ Vegas
67. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” author Ken
68. Possess something once again
69. Off-road rider
70. Number one?
71. Peeved
72. One of 435 in D.C.
73. Test for private school applicants (Abrv.)
Down
1. Wound with a shiv, e.g.
2. Scandinavian capital
3. 19th century French composer Édouard
4. Chalk cleaner
5. Place for butts
6. See 36-across
7. Cleans with water
8. Wields
9. One just shy of going pro
10. Prohibit
11. 2006 Disney hit “__________ Musical”
12. 12:59, colloquially
13. Raced again
21. German natural scientist Hans
22. Varsity or J.V. participant (Abrv.)
26. Chinese weight unit
27. M.I.T. Linguist Chomsky
28. Against, briefly
29. Plea from a struggling author
30. Biblical brother of Jacob
31. “Hellboy II” actress Blair
35. Former transliteration of Xi’an, China
37. Repeated answer from the puzzle, like the repeated letter in this puzzle’s theme
38. Alpha follower
40. A preemptive opinion
42. Japanese beer
45. Hang
47. Robbery at gunpoint
50. Dicaprio, to his friends
52. Nicole Kidman 2001 film “The _______”
53. Female reproductive organs
54. Less cool
55. Energy or power starter
59. Unit of measurement
60. Request on an invitation
61. Huge landmass
62. Borrow, like with a movie
63. Colors
(05/06/10 4:00am)
Before these games, the Panthers were 8-4 and just 4-4 in conference play, a sub-par performance for a team used to finishing in the top echelons of the competitive NESCAC conference. However, the season has reached its turnaround point, where failure spells elimination and victory leads the team one step closer towards the NCAA Tournament, in which the Panthers have participated for the past 12 seasons.
(05/06/10 4:00am)
Middlebury’s track and field teams traveled to Tufts University to compete in the New England Championships last weekend, and both teams saw a number of strong performances.
On the women’s side, Margo Cramer ’12 was Middlebury’s top finisher in the 800m run, placing third with a time of 2:13.52. Cramer was followed closely by first-year Juliet Ryan-Davis ’13, who took fifth with a time of 2:13.90.
Assistant Coach Nicole Wilkerson considers Cramer and Ryan-Davis’s performances in the 800m two of the highlights of the meet.
“Quite exciting was that [Ryan-Davis] ended up fifth overall in the 800m from the slowest section of the 800m. She won that heat by about five seconds, and her time not only placed her fifth overall but qualified her provisionally for Nationals,” said Wilkerson.
Cramer and Ryan-Davis, joined by Laura Dalton ’10 and Anjuli Demers ’10, were also part of the 4X400m relay team that took third. Posting a time of 3:36.82, the relay broke Middlebury’s school record by almost two seconds, and came within about one half of a second of the provisional qualifying time for Nationals.
Other top finishes for the Panther women included Dalton’s second place finish in the 400m hurdles (1:03.44), and a seventh place finish in the same event by Alice Wisener ’11 (1:06.67).
Amanda Lee ’11, who was previously named NESCAC Performer of the Week for her success in the steeplechase at the Princeton Invitational, took fifth in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:30.51.
In the 400m dash, Grace Close ’11 placed 20th (1:01.44) while teammate Christina Kunycky ’11 took 22nd (1:02.10). First-year Sarah-O’Brien ’13 was Middlebury’s top performer in the 1500m run (5:00.28), and Julia Sisson ’12 was the top Panther in the heptathlon, placing ninth in the event.
In the field, first-year Grace Doering ’13 also brought in points for the women, taking fifth in the high jump (1.63m). In the pole vault, Danielle Baker ’13 took 10th (3.10m) and Jocelyn Breton ’12 placed 12th (2.95m).
The Middlebury men also had a strong presence in the 1500m run. Michael Schmidt ’12 took sixth in the event with a time 3:55.14, breaking the school record, which has been broken twice already this year. Wilkerson notes that Michael Waters ’10 had set the new record only two weeks ago at 3:55.24. “Kind of a fun battle going on there,” she commented.
Schmidt was followed in the 1500m by Jack Davies ’13 (3:56.46), Waters (3:56.60) and Victor Guevara ‘10 (3:57.82), who took 10th, 11th and 14th, respectively.
Micah Wood ’10 also earned points for the Panthers with his fifth place finish in the 400m dash (49.59). Wood was followed by teammates Ethan Mann ’12, who took 10th (50.04), and Connor Wood ’11, who placed 19th (50.86).
Mann, and Micah and Connor Wood were joined by Louis Cornacchione ’13 in the 4X400m relay, taking seventh with a time of 3:24.28. The men’s 4X800m relay of Davies, Waters, Guevara and Schmidt also scored, taking fifth in the event with a time of 7:53.06.
First-year Stu Fram ’13 garnered points for the men with his third place finish in the 110m hurdles (15.26).
Addison Godine ’11 also scored for the Panthers, taking seventh in the 800m run with a time of 1:54.53. The top Panther in the 400m hurdles was Jason Jan ’12, who took 13th with a time of 57.23. Middlebury’s top performer in the 3000m steeplechase was Nat Nelson ’11, who took 13th with a time of 10:01.40.
In the field, Silas Wong ’12 placed ninth in the triple jump (13.44m), while Nicholas Plugis ’11 scored for the Panthers in the javelin throw, taking fourth overall (57.06m).
The men’s and women’s track and field team now prepare for the Open New England Championship to be held next weekend at Northeastern University. Wilkerson is looking forward to the meet with great anticipation.
“[We’re] excited for Open New Englands –– overall a higher quality field to compete against,” she said.
“I’m looking for some season or lifetime bests to come from it, and the team will get some rest this week to be ready for it.”
(05/06/10 4:00am)
The women’s tennis team traveled to Amherst last Saturday to play the 2nd-ranked Lord Jeffs. It took more than four hours to determine a winner, with the Jeffs eventually clinching a 5-4 win that so nearly belonged to the Panthers. Trailing 2-1 after the doubles play, Amherst rallied to win four of six singles matches to avoid defeat.
For the Panthers, it is their third straight loss after winning seven consecutive matches and drops their record to 12-4 and 4-3 in NESCAC play. Despite the recent string of losses, head coach Mike Morgan continues to be pleased with his team’s performance.
“The bottom line is that the team played with tremendous heart and fight against a very talented Amherst team,” said Morgan.
“In a funny way, I think everyone felt like it was the start of the season. It was a great step to move forward playing like this, but everyone knows that we have plenty of really tough challenges lying ahead.”
Senior co-captain Jamie Haar ’10 reiterated Morgan’s sentiments. “The match against Amherst was a great one in that I think we played the way we know how to play,” said Haar.
“Even though we had a hiccup against Tufts last weekend, we didn’t let that get in the way of playing some great tennis. We had the win at our fingertips, but we were unable to convert in the last two matches.”
The Panthers were points away from victory. Doubles team Victoria Aiello ’12 and Anna Burke ’12 were defeated 9-8 (7-3) in a tiebreaker. It was one of three tiebreakers the Panthers would lose on the day, accompanying two crucial third set losses that would have swung the result in Middlebury’s favor.
Four more points for Aiello and Burke would have sealed a victory for the Panthers. But the Jeffs had their own plans as Amherst rallied late with two three-set victories to ensure the second seed in the NESCAC tournament where Middlebury hopes to capitalize.
“This experience of coming so close to beating the second-ranked team in the country I think will help us in the NESCAC tournament in regards to playing under pressure,” said Haar.
“Everyone competed well and the energy was high. If we compete the way we did against Amherst, I think we can beat anyone.”
Haar was one of the bright spots for the Panthers in the performance against the Jeffs, as she won both her doubles match with first-year player Alexandra McAtee ’13 and her singles match later in the afternoon.
Like many others, Haar credits much of the success of the team to its younger players, which features a very talented first-year class.
“I think the underclassmen — especially the first-years — handled the pressure with a lot of poise and left everything out on the court,” she said.
The Panthers return to Amherst this Friday to compete in the NESCAC tournament.
(05/06/10 4:00am)
The Middlebury softball team watched its season come to an end this weekend after losing two of three games in a must-win series against Wesleyan University. After winning game one of the key home series 5-0, the Panthers could not muster another win on the weekend, instead falling prey to the Cardinals 10-7 and 6-4 in games two and three.
Wesleyan will move on to the NESCAC Championship tournament next weekend against top-seeded Tufts University of the NESCAC East division. Williams College will host the tournament.
The weekend series began well for the Panthers, as Geena Constantin ’11 pitched a one-hit shutout. At the plate, first baseman Megan Margel ’11 led the way in the bottom of the third inning, batting in three runs with a no-out double after Emily Burbridge ’11, Jessa Hoffman ’13 and Kira Gordon ’12 all reached base.
In all, Middlebury struck for four runs in the inning and scored once again in the bottom of the fourth. Wesleyan only advanced one runner into scoring position over all seven innings, as Constantin was sharp once again.
Collecting the win for the Panthers, Constantin earned her seventh victory on the season in convincing fashion, reminiscent of her perfect game earlier in the season.
“We started the weekend out great and played really well in our first game on Friday,” said co-captain Kristin Maletsky ’10.5. “Our bats were on fire and our defense was solid.”
Friday afternoon’s victory would prove to be the Panthers’ last of the season. After falling to the Cardinals 10-7 in the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader, both teams faced a must-win situation heading into the rubber match of the series.
Although Wesleyan was able to claim victory in game two, both teams fought until the bitter end of the contest.
“Unfortunately, on Saturday, we just couldn’t piece everything together all at once, and Wesleyan could,” said Maletsky.
Margel, who had six total hits on the day, started off the scoring in the bottom of the first inning for the Panthers, driving in the first of five runs the Panthers would score in the frame.
Designated player Jessica Poracky ’13 drove in an additional three runs with a no-out home run to left field before the Panthers added an unearned run to cap off the inning.
After a six-run third inning for the Cardinals, Constantin came on to pitch in relief of Ali McAnaney ’11 who had been solid to that point.
By the time the Panthers returned to the plate, Wesleyan had pushed their lead to two runs, but would not take its 7-5 lead out of the bottom of the fourth. Middlebury scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game at 7-7.
The gridlock would hold through the normal seven innings, forcing extra innnings in this important game.
The Panthers’ defensive errors in the top of the eighth inning proved costly, as Wesleyan capitalized and took a three run lead before Middlebury could record three outs. Without production in the bottom half of the inning the Panthers surrendered game two of the series.
Offense was relatively slow at first in the rubber match of the series. Each team scored a run in the first inning before Wesleyan took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning.
An offensive surge by the Cardinals in the sixth inning pushed the Wesleyan lead to a seemingly insurmountable five runs. Middlebury’s bats were largely silent until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Hoffman plated two runs with a two-out triple.
Burbridge then singled in Hoffman, taking a bite in Wesleyan’s lead.
“Obviously this weekend was very disappointing for us,” said co-captain Sophie Dorot ’10.
“We definitely could have won that series but things didn’t fall in place for us in those last two games.”
The final score would be 6-4, after Poracky lined out to the pitcher.
Though hard-fought, the game was disappointing for the Panthers, who finish the season with one more win than last year at 18-12 and 7-5 in the NESCAC West division.
Both captains, who have now played their final seasons in Panther uniforms, are optimistic about the team’s future.
“All in all, this was a really great season for us,” Dorot said,
“and next year the team will be even stronger as most players are returning and can continue to build upon the success we had this year.”
Maletsky added that she has similar hopes for next season.
“While the outcome of this weekend was very disappointing, I am confident that the team will be even better next year and will be the team to beat in NESCAC.”
For now, however, the Middlebury softball team will have to settle for the offseason.
(05/06/10 4:00am)
The Middlebury Women’s Lacrosse season came to an end with a 9-8 loss to Colby on Sunday in the NESCAC playoffs in the Quarterfinal game. Middlebury was coming off of an exciting 11-10 win over Williams in their final regular season game when they entered the playoffs. With the win, Middlebury earned the sixth seed for the playoffs, which pitted them against third-seeded Colby.
Middlebury and Colby have developed a rivalry in recent seasons. Colby had eliminated Middlebury in the NESCAC playoffs for the two seasons prior to this one. Middlebury was able to avenge last season’s eliminating loss in the NCAA Regional Final where they met Colby again and won, but this year Middlebury will not receive an NCAA bid for the first time since the tournament has existed. The rivalry continued into this season. In the regular season match-up between the two teams this year, Colby won 11-10 in overtime.
Middlebury struck first, just four minutes in, when Chase Delano ’11 converted a free position shot. Colby was ready to respond, scoring four goals in the first half to take a 4-2 lead at halftime. Middlebury’s other first-half tally came from rookie Heather Marrison ’13.
“We were beating ourselves in the first half of the game, but we really turned things around in the second half, especially at the end of the game when we scored four in a row,” commented defender Kasey Rischmann ’10.
The second half saw more goals than the first. The Middlebury defense had a better half than the first, limiting Colby to only nine shots in the second half in comparison to the nineteen they were able to take in the first. Middlebury, on the other hand, was able to put the ball on net 17 times in the second half, but only scored four.
Colby was on the board first in the second half, but the scoring was mostly back and forth between the two teams. Delano scored two more goals as the teams battled for the lead. However, Colby maintained a significant lead over Middlebury for most of the second half.
They held a 9-4 lead over the Panthers with just under seven minutes remaining in the game, but Middlebury would not give up.
The Panthers went on a four goal scoring run in the final minutes of the game to come within one goal of Colby’s lead. The team came together in an effort to close in on Colby. Goals came from four different scorers: Sally Ryan ’11, Elizabeth Garry ’12, Margaret Souther ’13 and Delano once again.
While the scoring streak in the final moments of the game seemed promising, Colby was able to cause two turnovers in the final two minutes to give Colby possession. With possession Colby was able to effect a stall to run out the time of the game and secure the win. It was a disappointing finish for Middlebury, especially after such an impressive push in the end of the game.
“We were excited to play Colby and we played hard against them, especially in the second half. Obviously it didn’t end the way we wanted but we were proud of our play at the end of the season and we had fun along the way,” said Delano.
Middlebury goalie Lily Nguyen ’12 made yet another impressive performance. She finished the game with 13 saves between the pipes. Nguyen finishes the season leading the NESCAC in save percentage and is second in the NESCAC in both saves overall and saves per game. Nguyen has played a huge role in Middlebury’s defense this season.
“It was rough to lose, but Colby was a good team,” said Rischmann.
“Every single person on our team put in their best effort, which was inspiring to be a part of. As a senior, its bizarre to think that I will never be a part of something so cohesive as this team, but I am confident that the returners can come together next year and pick up where we left off this spring.”
Middlebury finishes the season with an overall record of 8-7. The team will graduate five seniors. Middlebury will lose attackers Lindsay Winstead and Dana Heritage, in addition to defenders Catherine Gotwald, Kasey Rischmann and Carrie Sparkes.
(05/06/10 4:00am)
Before opening day this season, before the first pitch and the first rained-out series and the first grudge match against Williams, I asked sophomore pitcher Dirk van Duym ’12 about the team’s expectations of themselves for the coming season. Van Duym responded by saying that the team would be very disappointed with anything less than a .500 record for the year.
A .500 record would have been a vast improvement over the last two season’s outcomes, which have been mediocre, to say the least. Flash forward two months, where, 27 games later, Middlebury baseball sits at 10-17, their worst finish since winning the NESCAC crown in 2006.
“We feel pretty disappointed in our overall performance this season, especially considering the remarkable talent we had,” said pitcher Peter Kinchley ’12.
“I think the main thing that prevented us from being successful was our lack of consistency in all three areas of the game.”
The team this year was exceptionally young, and youthful inexperience often translated into inconsistent performances on the diamond. Last weekend, the Panthers seemed to find some sort of redemption in the season, beating Hamilton two games out of three for their only NESCAC series win of the season.
They carried that success into last Friday, when they beat Amherst 5-0 in one of their most complete games of the season and brought their NESCAC record to .500, with a chance to finish well above that with four conference games remaining.
However, after dropping two games the next day to the the Lord Jeffs at home, they managed only four hits in two games at Tufts on Sunday, wasting two excellent pitching performances by Tyler Buckingham ’13 and Will Baine ’12. This uncharacteristic lack of offensive production (the Panthers hit .305 as a team on the season) was almost as surprising as the equally uncharacteristic solid pitching, as the team will finish the season with an ERA of 7.65 despite late recent success on the rubber.
The dichotomy exhibited in the final series against Tufts was a microcosm of the series as a whole; the team was at times brilliant, beating nationally-ranked Southern Main 10-6, and at times less so, allowing Bowdoin more runs than they had scored in four years in a 21-6 loss.
“While at times we were able to be successful in all phases of the game, other times we would have solid or even stellar performances in one area but come up short in others,” said Kinchley of the Panther’s season.
The good news for Middlebury baseball is that they will return 23 players next year, many of whom were some of the top contributors to this season’s team.
Tri-captain Donnie McKillop ’11 led the squad with a .423 batting average, and first-year Joe Conway ’13 provided the brunt of the team’s power, hitting five home runs and leading the team in RBIs with 29.
Both McKillop and Conway will join a young pitching nucleus that, despite struggles this year, should be much improved next year with a season of experience under their belts.
Van Duym led the team in ERA this season, allowing only 1.17 runs per contest in limited action, and Baine overcame a rough start to post numbers more on par with his tremendous level of talent towards the end of the year. Nick Angstman ’11 figures to anchor the rotation next year, finishing this season with an ERA of 8.39 that is not indicative of the consistency he gave to the staff throughout most of the season.
One player that the Panthers will miss will be graduating tri-captain center fielder Erich Enns ’10.
Enns, who broke the all time Middlebury stolen base record this past week, will also finish his career as the leader in walks and tied for the school lead in triples and home runs. Joining him on graduation day will be tri-captain infielder Danny Seymour ’10, first baseman/catcher Peter Baumann ’10 and pitcher Matt Lowes ’10, the last remaining members of the NESCAC championship team from four years ago, Middlebury’s last taste of baseball success.
“It was tough to walk off the field for the last time on Sunday, but I think the wonderful thing about college sports is that you are able to track the legacy you leave behind,” said Baumann, who will surely be checking the box scores next season, along with the other seniors who will be moving on.
It will be up to McKillop, Conway, Angstman and the rest of the team next year to get Middlebury baseball back to the proverbial promised land of postseason baseball.
“I think this team has the potential to be very good next year,” said Baumann.
“They are going to be in a very successful position to be moving forward.”
Next year’s team will have the talent, but they will have to prove to themselves that they have the mettle.
(05/06/10 4:00am)
Local playwright shows “My Ohio”
May 6 and 7, 8-9 p.m., May 8, 2-3p.m. and 8-9 p.m., May 9, 2-3 p.m.
Come down to the Town Hall Theater for a few laughs this weekend. Local Middlebury resident and playwright Dana Yeaton presents her new musical, “My Ohio.” Tickets are $24 for the general public, but only $12 for students from the College. Call the Town Hall Theater’s Box Office at (802)382-9222 or go to
www.townhalltheater.org to get tickets.
Shop till you drop!
May 7, 10 a.m. - 5p.m.
Looking for some summer flare at low prices? Mendy’s Clothing and Accessories is holding its first annual sidewalk sale on Friday. There’s no better way to celebrate the end of the semester than to head down with some friends and find brand-name clothes for great prices. Support a local business and come away with a new wardrobe! Call 802-388-3434 and ask for Addy if you have questions.
Champlain Philhamonic Orchestra
May 7 and 8, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Celebrate spring with classical music! The Champlain Philharmonic Orchestra, led by guest conductor Paul Gambill, will perform at the Vergennes Opera House. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Take advantage of the discount and contact the Vergennes Opera House at (802) 877-6787 or www.vergennesoperahouse.org Happy listening!
Apple Blossom Derby
May 8, 9:30 a.m.
The 28th Annual Apple Blossom Derby offers a 10k and 5k run, a 5k walk and a Family Fun Run. A gorgeous setting is guaranteed as the trail offers a view of beautiful Lake Champlain. Food will be available to all participants after the race.Sound like fun? Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for participants under 18. Call (802) 922-0681 for more information, or visit www.shorehamschool.org/derby to download a registration form.
Jay Parini lecture
May 12, 5 p.m.
Jay Parini, poet, novelist and Donald E. Axinn Professor of English and Creative Writing, will share and discuss his work at The Lodge at Otter Creek. He has written Apprentice Lover, Benjamin’s Crossing and The Last Station, which has been made into a motion picture. Call The Lodge at Otter Creek at (802) 388-1220 for more information.
Wildlife walk
May 13, 8 - 11 a.m.
Feel like a walk in the woods? Come enjoy nature and take a stroll! Meet on the corner of Pulp Mill Bridge Road and Weybridge Street to spend the morning meandering through Otter View Park and Hurd Grassland. Otter Creek Audubon and the Middlebury Area Land Trust have organized the event. For more details, call (802) 388-1007
(04/29/10 4:00am)
In what has been a season of extreme highs and lows for Middlebury baseball, the outlook has turned up for the moment. The team took two of three from the Hamilton Continentals last weekend, notching its first NESCAC series win this year.
The Panthers won the first and third games of the three-game set, while Hamilton picked up its first NESCAC conference win in the second contest.
“We knew coming into the season that we were capable of playing like this, but this weekend was our first sustained effort,” said first-year Joe Conway ’13. “Even when we got behind we battled back, and that is a huge sign of improvement.”
Matt Lowes ’10 turned in one of the finest pitching performances the team has seen in the first game as he continues to provide some consistency for a pitching staff that has struggled all season, with the team ERA hovering around eight runs allowed per game. Lowes went six innings, allowing just four hits and one run, and struck out three Hamilton batters in picking up the 13-1 win.
He was helped by a lineup that lit up the scoreboard as it has been doing all season. Donnie McKillop ’11 and Joey Liberator ’11 had three RBIs apiece, and Erich Enns added two more. The combo of McKillop and Enns has proven lethal all season for opposing pitchers, hitting .442 and .380, respectively, and making major contributions to an offense that is hitting .314 as a team on the year.
The offense was potent again in the second game, putting up seven runs, five of which were driven in by Peter Baumann ’10, who hit a grand slam in the seventh.
However, the pitching was not nearly as reliable this go-around, as starter Nick Angstman ’11 was touched up for 11 earned runs in five innings of work, seven of which came in the Hamilton half of the third inning, putting the Panthers in a hole that they could not climb out of in the later innings.
The third game of the series was another slugfest. Middlebury led 7-1 after three innings and never looked back on their way to a 20-8 win. Murphy McCurdy ’12 had the best game of his Middlebury career, going four-for-four and scoring four runs and Zach Roeder ’12 homered twice and drove in six runs.
Conway continued to make his case for team Rookie of the Year, as he went four-for-four with three RBIs, bringing his total to 23 on the season, leading all other Middlebury batsmen. John Wiet ’13 picked up his first career win as a Panther after going six innings and striking out two.
Only games against NESCAC west opponents count in the conference standings so the Panthers were able to improve their conference record to 4-5 and have a chance to finish above .500 in conference play if they can win at least two this weekend against Amherst, their last home series of the season.
“We may be out of playoff contention now, but we are going to go out and compete. We want to go out strong, and give the seniors a memorable final weekend of college baseball,” said Conway.
(04/29/10 4:00am)
“I think this series was a wake-up call for us,” said pitcher Ali McAnany ’11.
In their two-game series at home against neighbor Castleton State College last Saturday, the Panthers went one-for-two in two very close match-ups. The first game of the day was characterized by a real lack of offensive play from both teams, a fact illustrated by the surprising 1-0 final score.
It was not until the fifth inning that the first, and what was ultimately to be the only, run of the game was scored. Megan Blongy of Castleton State was driven home by teammate Sarah Flore’s RBI single, giving the Spartans the 1-0 advantage that later proved enough to clinch the game.
With the exception of Flore’s RBI single, offensive production throughout the contest was essentially nonexistent. On the game, the Panthers were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position; Castleton fared only marginally better, going 1-6 with RISP.
“We were a little over confident and didn’t play our game,” noted McAnaney, who led the Middlebury defense in the first game. Allowing only one run, she struck out 10 Spartans, keeping the final score much lower than anticipated.
However, while the Panther defense was the only thing keeping the squad alive in the first game of the doubleheader, it became clear early on that the second game would follow a different trajectory.
“Although we struggled offensively in the first game, we came out with the bats from the start in the second game and everyone contributed to help us bounce back,” said first baseman Megan Margel ’11.
Two triples, a bunt and a double later and the Panthers were up 4-0 in the bottom of the first. Castleton was quick to answer with a few runs of its own, scoring three in the top of the second.
Middlebury scored again in the bottom of the second, tallying five to Castleton’s three in a game that was shaping up to be somewhat of a call and response by the opposing offenses. Castleton’s response to the Panther’s call was to tie the game up at 5-5 in the top of the third.
A Castleton pitching change in the bottom of the third took some life out of the Panther offense, which was held scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when the team managed to sneak in a run off a Spartan error.
Castleton was again quick to respond, tying the game at 6-6 in the top of the sixth. Coming in for last licks, the Panthers added one more run to their total off a Margel double that brought Jessa Hoffman ’13 home and gave the Panthers a 7-6 lead ––and, more importantly, the win.
Margel had an impressive game overall, batting 3-for-4 with a triple, double and two RBIs. Rookie Emma Katz ’13 led the Panthers from the mound in her first career start and win, while fellow rookie Jessica Poracky ’13 notched a pair of doubles and a pair of RBIs in the victory.
While the Panthers certainly recovered from the early loss, they were nonetheless disappointed with the series’ results –– a series they’ll try to learn from going into the postseason.
“Although it was one of the more frustrating losses, I think it was an important lesson learned before our upcoming Wesleyan series,” said McAnaney.
This weekend’s match up against Wesleyan is very important in determining the Panthers postseason fate, but rather than give in to nerves, they have been drawing confidence from what has been a successful season to date.
“This weekend is huge for us,” noted Margel, “because whoever wins the series will make the NESCAC tournament.”
“Thus far we’ve had an incredibly successful season,” she continued, “and have put ourselves in a position to qualify for the NESCAC tournament.”
Postseason prospects hinge on a positive result against Wesleyan, a series both Margel and McAnaney are confident they can win.
“I’m confident that if we play our game we’ll be in a great position to take the series,” said Margel.
“We’re competitive, scrappy and confident,” echoed McAnaney. I’ve never been more sure that we can do this. All we have to do is play our game.”
The Panthers take on Wesleyan at home Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
(04/29/10 4:00am)
The Middlebury women’s lacrosse team turned the tides of a rough patch in the season with an exciting 13-9 win over the sixth-ranked Tufts University Jumbos. The win for Middlebury, ranked 16th, snapped two streaks: Middlebury’s three-game losing streak and Tufts’ nine-game winning streak. The Panther victory came at a crucial time for the team, with playoffs quickly approaching. Tufts is currently ranked fifth in the NESCAC, followed by Middlebury who is now ranked sixth in the NESCAC.
Tufts gained the lead early in the game, but the Panthers quickly demonstrated that they were not going to let yet another game slip away from them. Middlebury scored four straight goals to take a 5-2 lead over the Jumbos. Senior tri-captain Dana Heritage ’10 scored two of the four. In the final minutes of the first half, Middlebury scored once more and Tufts got two to reach halftime with a 6-4 score in Middlebury’s favor.
The two teams exchanged goals for the first five minutes of the second half. However, with the score at 8-6 Middlebury, the Panthers went on yet another four-goal run to take a decisive lead. This time the scoring was led by Chase Delano ’11 and Sally Ryan ’11, who each scored twice to give Middlebury a 12-6 lead over the Jumbos.
After scoring once, Delano left the field and reentered unguarded as a substitute. She was able to sneak in behind Tufts defense unnoticed and put the ball in the net for the Panthers. Ryan scored once off of a transition from defense to offense and again by converting a free position opportunity.
“In previous games, we have struggled to bring momentum to the game from the start,” said Delano. “We would usually finish the game with a solid scoring run, but we would run out of time before we could tie or win the game. Against Tufts, we brought our best game from the beginning and were able to keep the lead for the vast majority of the game. It looked like a different team.”
But Tufts did not give up, even in the final minutes of the game. They scored a few late goals to come within three of the Panthers. With the score at 12-9, Middlebury was able to gain possession of the ball and effect a stall to run down the clock. For the final three minutes, the Middlebury offense passed the ball around, beating Tufts defenders and securing the win.
The final exciting moment of the game came when Steph Gill ’12 cut out of the stall for a pass from Delano and, finding the goalie out of position, added one more insurance goal for Middlebury.
It was evident throughout the game that Middlebury’s offense and defense were playing their best games. The offense was connecting, feeding each other for goals throughout the game, while the defense was all over Tufts, shutting down their scoring opportunities.
Goalie Lily Nguyen ’12 was spectacular in the net. She made 14 saves on the game, all of which seemed to come at crucial moments.
She took control of the game in the defensive end, leaving the net at times to run the ball up the field and initiate the transition from the defensive end to the offensive end. At one point, she passed the ball to Steph Gill ’12 who fed the ball onto Heritage and Ryan, who then put the ball in the net. Fans on the sidelines were calling out for Nguyen to get the “fourth assist.”
Nguyen was named Player of the Week on Monday for her brilliant goal-tending in the weekend’s match; aided by the Panther defense, she limited the Jumbos to nine goals –– five below their season average per game.
“Our team really came together against Tufts and played with so much confidence and momentum,” added Delano. “Everyone had fun out there and it was so important to end our losing streak from the week before. Our alumni were also back and were cheering for us on the sidelines, which was really motivating.”
Middlebury hopes to gain another win at Skidmore today at 7 p.m.
(04/29/10 4:00am)
All good things must come to an end. After enjoying a 12-1 run to open its season, including a 4-0 record in NESCAC play, the 15th-ranked women’s tennis team dropped two straight matches this week against perennial conference rivals Williams and Tufts.
The week started on Wednesday in Williamstown, Mass. as the Panthers travelled to take on a powerhouse opponent in second-ranked Williams College. Williams has only lost two matches this season: the first to first-ranked Amherst and the second to a Division I opponent in James Madison.
Williams defeated Middlebury in dominating fashion. Led by 11th-ranked singles player Grace Baljon, who took down Middlebury ace Victoria Aiello ’12 in straight sets, the rivals from Williamstown went 7-2 in overall match play. Williams took all six singles matches and one of three doubles matches. Number four Middlebury singles player Jamie Haar forced her match to a third set, but was overpowered by Williams opponent Lucy Marchese for the loss.
The team can be happy with its doubles performance, outscoring Williams 20-16 in overall games, but the overall result shows that a possible rematch against Williams in the NESCAC tournament will be a challenge.
“Williams went into singles play down 2-1, the first time this year I believe,” said Alyssa Puccinelli ’12. She went on to add that the team is keeping its head high despite the loss. “We arrived at Williams confident in our playing abilities and left just as confident.”
Middlebury then hosted 17th-ranked Tufts University on a sunny Saturday afternoon on the Proctor tennis courts. The Jumbos have had success in NESCAC play this year, entering Saturday’s action with a 5-2 record, and have lost only to first- and second-ranked Amherst and Williams. The Panthers could do nothing to stop the Jumbos, falling 6-3 in match play, setting their overall record on the season back to 12-3.
Middlebury’s Alexandra McAtee ’13 earned the Panthers only singles win of the weekend, beating 32nd-ranked singles player Meghan McCooey from Tufts in straight sets. Otherwise, the results were similar to Wednesday’s defeat: the team lost the other five singles matches but was able to secure two of three doubles wins.
An important point for the Panthers as they head into their final week of the regular season, with a tough match-up against the Div.-III national leader and NESCAC rival Amherst this Saturday, will be the struggle of their singles play. With only one win in 12 singles matches last week, the team’s play leaves much to be desired. Furthermore, Amherst has lost only once since mid-March in a close match against Williams. The team will need to find its game if it wants to be confident heading into NESCAC tournament play.
“It is always difficult to lose two straight matches, but we are keeping our heads high,” said Puccinelli. “Our match against number one Williams was closer than the 7-2 score, and our match against Tufts could have gone either way as there were many tie-breakers. We enjoy playing the more challenging teams and are interested to see how we match up against Amherst.”
(04/29/10 4:00am)
With Winter Term long gone and the last traces of snow finally melted, it would appear that spring has arrived once again at Middlebury College. And we all know what that means: finding summer internships, navigating room-draw, preparing theses and final papers and trying not to think about how little time we have left until term ends. Wrong! While for many of us the magnetic pull of the library may still be too strong, it is important to remember that we live in one of the nation’s most beautiful and picturesque states. What is college life if you don’t take in the scenery once in awhile?
But with the ski slopes all devoid of snow, it appears that some of us may need a little prodding in the right direction. For everyone who is still counting the trek to Twilight as a trip into town, The Campus is providing some fun ways to explore Vermont this spring. Ranging from near to far and dry to very, very, wet, these suggestions can fill up a weekend or just a few hours between classes. As a campus, let’s pledge to resist the siren call of the indoors and get outside this spring (and no, eating on Proctor Terrace doesn’t count).
Mad River
While it’s a slightly longer trip from the College, the Mad River area offers a more extreme experience than our other swimming holes. Not to be confused with Mad River Glen, this getaway provides the same intensity of the ski resort that shares its name. Canoeing and kayaking lovers beware — it is not an easy ride.
But with several sites throughout Moretown, Waitsfield and Warren, Vt., the Mad River area caters to those looking for a tamer experience as well. With boulders lining the water, swimmers can enjoy a refreshing dive into the notably clear and rocky water.
Depending on the location, visitors may find waterfalls, natural jacuzzis, small stony beaches and the occasional stretch of sand. This being Vermont, the river is kept impeccably clean and littering rules are strictly enforced. Interestingly enough, multiple Mad River sites also specifically advertise skinny-dipping. For the Midd student that just can’t get enough polar-bearing, these spots provide yet another outlet for baring it all.
Bristol Falls
As one of the most popular swimming areas in Vermont, Bristol Falls provides a one-of-a kind experience for the interested student. A short drive from campus, it offers Mother Nature’s alternative to the diving board: a 15-foot waterfall. Needless to say, this is one well-frequented swimming hole. Hot days sometimes see well over 100 visitors. But not to worry, the falls are over 20 feet across and can accommodate multiple jumpers. For the less aquatically-inclined, rocks litter the area and offer shorter drops into the pool created by the waterfall.
But Bristol Falls offers much more than just diving. A few well-placed steps among the slippery rocks will lead the curious behind the waterfall, where a small cavern begs to be explored. Large boulders encircle the area and soak up sunshine, practically beckoning the sunbathers and book-lovers among us. And in case you aren’t convinced, the area of the New Haven River known as “Circle Current” lies a short distance upstream. This environmental wonder boasts jacuzzis, waterslides and even a small beach — all completely natural features of the river. Not bad for a landlocked state.
Lake Dunmore
Just a short drive down Route 7, Lake Dunmore is home to some of the College’s quirkier traditions. The lake community also boasts its own set of unique customs.
Anyone who visits the lake before the annual breaking of the ice may catch a glimpse of Lord Dunmore, a kilt-clad mannequin that residents place on the water to determine the exact moment that swimming season begins. Taking after a similar tradition at Joe’s Pond (another Vermont swimming hole), the Lake Dunmore/Fern Lake Association offers a cash prize to whoever most accurately pinpoints the moment that spring “arrives” to the lake.
Advertising snorkeling, waterskiing, diving and boating, Lake Dunmore provides a plethora of activities for those who tire of just swimming. Members of the crew team will vouch for its role as more than just a swimming hole. Each year they log many hours in their early morning practices on the lake. Dunmore also plays host to Middlebury’s infamous tradition of “polar-bearing” — in other words, diving naked in the middle of the night into a lake of often freezing cold water. Later this year, the Mountain Club will also hold its annual Flaming Flamingo barbeque on Lake Dunmore.
Chipman Hill
For those of us without wheels, Chipman Hill provides a respite from college life within easy walking distance of campus. Arguably the most prominent geological structure in Middlebury, it rises roughly 360 feet above town and boasts several miles of trails. A mere 15-20 minute walk from the college, Chipman promises beautiful views of the Green Mountains and the town for those who make it to the top.
Runners and hikers alike will enjoy Chipman Hill.
“As far as hikes go around here, Chipman is quick and easy — there’s a small time commitment,” said Emma Loizeaux ’13.
But don’t be fooled — the hill’s often steep and root-laden trails provide a real challenge for those that seek one, particularly mountain bikers. An old ski jump left over from Chipman’s days as the College’s ski slope provides temptation for Middlebury’s daredevil bikers. But the hill is not just a haven for those of us with a wild side. Picnickers, casual hikers and even overstressed students in search of a short escape from work will enjoy Chipman Hill.
Worth Mountain Lodge
Forget skiing — the Snow Bowl is the perfect spring destination for students seeking to get off-campus for a day or two. Located a short distance from the top of the chairlift, Worth Mountain Lodge is a cabin built and operated entirely by the Middlebury Mountain Club. The hike up, far from treacherous, is 40 minutes and can even be accomplished in the dark. Complete with both a woodstove and fire ring, this two story cabin has ample floor space and can accommodate up to 25 people. Best of all, the cabin can be reserved for free by Middlebury students (e-mail Renee Igo ’11 at rigo@middlebury.com for details). It is easy to get there without a car, too — ACTR takes your right to the trailhead on Route 12S.
“It’s a great place to go for clubs if they want to do team-bonding as well as friends looking for a spontaneous adventure,” said Marty Schnure ’10.5. As head guide of the Mountain Club, Schnure has been to Worth Mountain Lodge five or six times over her Middlebury career and hopes to visit it after she graduates. Outside the Mountain Club and groups of MOO/OINK alumni, the cabin remains a lesser-known part of Middlebury culture, but with such strong historical ties to the College community, this affordable retreat is a must-see for all Middkids.
Lincoln Peak Vineyard
Another great local attraction, the Lincoln Peak Vineyard lies three miles north of Middlebury on Route 7. A thriving wine-producer, Lincoln Peak recently took two Double Gold medals, a “Best in Show” award and several other distinctions at the International Cold Climate Wine Competition in St. Paul, Minn. Dedicated to and dependent upon the concept of cold weather grapes, Lincoln Peak got its start as a vineyard six years ago thanks to innovations by the University of Minnesota and a particularly intrepid grape breeder.
The friendly staff at Lincoln Peak welcomes guests at all times, encouraging them to drop in throughout the growing season. Visitors can tour both the vineyard and the winery, either alone or guided by a staff member. Picnickers are also welcome.
Visitors in the 21-or-above age range will also undoubtedly enjoy the tasting room. Lincoln Peak proudly boasts that all its wines are “estate-bottled.” In other words, they use only their own grapes when making wine. The vineyard has patented several of its own varieties, and even sells cuttings of some of its vines. For those of us with the ID and the cash, Lincoln Peak still has wines available from last year’s season.
Battell Beach
Too bogged down with work to make it off campus? Still have to write a few dozen pages of that thesis? Perhaps you forgot to start reading that iconic Russian novel until the day before it’s due? Not a problem. Middlebury College has fortunately provided us all with a totally-free, ultra-convenient outdoor space that provides endless outdoor entertainment year-round. Whether you’re looking for ultimate frisbee, a good snowball fight or that weird sport with the broomsticks, Battell Beach is guaranteed to deliver.
Enjoy Battell’s picturesque slopes on your daily hikes to Bi Hall and Ross Commons. Boasting both wooded and cleared sections, it’s perfect for that frantic shortcut when you’re late to class. Those who frequently brave the summit tell of beautiful panoramic views of the backs of both Forest and Battell Hall and a glimmer of Le Chateau in the distance. Best of all, the early spring snow melt tends to put much of Battell Beach underwater — it doubles as a swimming hole. So next time you make the excuse that you don’t have the time to enjoy nature, remember: it is just a short trip across College Street.
