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(10/16/02 12:00am)
Author: Edward Pickering As White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer '82 spoke in Mead Chapel Sunday evening, almost 900 protesters rallied against a unilateral war on Iraq.Carrying signs, holding candles, and singing songs, the protestors voiced strong opposition to a possible invasion of Iraq. Footage of the protest was aired on CNN.Middlebury College alumna and town resident Virginia Snodgrass spoke for the protesters in a Oct. 13 press release. "We want to make clear that we in no way support the repressive regime of Saddam Hussein. However, it is totally without precedent and without justification to preemptively invade another country on the basis of circumstantial evidence."Calling itself United for Peace, the ad hoc coalition included students, faculty and staff from Middlebury College and activists from the town and around the state. As stated in its press release, the coalition's goal was "to promote a multilateral, peaceful solution to the problem of Saddam Hussein's repressive regime through United Nations weapons inspections and other diplomatic measures." Protesters considered Fleischer's visit a prime occasion to voice their dissent publicly. Professor of Political Science David Rosenberg explained that Fleischer's presence "provides the perfect opportunity to send a message to the national press." Middlebury town resident John Ceballos expressed the prevailing sentiment even more succinctly: "This is a good forum." Said Morgan Bryne '05 of Fleischer's speech and the related protest, "It's all about profile."The protesters gathered on the Middlebury town green at 6 p.m. Sunday evening, where they distributed placards, banners, pamphlets, candles and songs. A half hour later, following a short vigil and speech by event organizers, the protesters began their march toward Mead Chapel, snaking along the sidewalks in an impressive show of solidarity, their spirits undampened by the rain. At one point, the line of protesters stretched from Warner Hemicycle all the way to the Otter Creek Bridge.Banners and signs dotted the crowd, expressing as wide a range of sentiment as the marchers who held them. Many were skeptical of the Bush administration's motives for a possible war with Iraq. "The real threat is the people in the White House, who equipped Saddam Hussein in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war," said University of Vermont philosophy professor and member of Green Mountain Veterans for Peace Will Miller. "It's entirely an oil war," continued Miller, who characterized Fleischer as "a glib jerk, and the willing mouthpiece of a corrupt administration." Mike Palmer, an organizer from the town of Middlebury, said, "the timing of [a possible invasion], at the crux of an important election cycle is very suspect."Numerous protesters expressed doubts regarding the legality of an invasion. In the press release, event organizer Ben Brouwer '04 said, "The Bush administration is ignoring international opinion. None of our allies want this. This sort of unilateralism sets a dangerous precedent."Still others questioned the wisdom of an attack. "The quickest way to lose the war on terrorism," said Rosenberg, "is to attack Iraq. An invasion of Iraq will generate another generation of mujahadeen. Invading Iraq is like tossing a match into a pool of gasoline." All were of the opinion that the question of Iraq could be resolved peacefully. "I'm here to show my support for diplomacy," Ceballos said.By 7 p.m. the protesters had gathered on the hill below Mead Chapel. They clustered around street lamps, with the rear of the crowd waiting outside the chapel doors. When the doors opened the protesters' chants rose to a fortissimo. Several knots of protesters made it inside the chapel. As the seated crowd awaited Fleischer's appearance on stage, protesters intermittently broke into song and chanted slogans. The most vocal protesters were strung along the back pews. Fleischer walked on stage to a mixed reception of strident boos and resolute applause.Fleischer was interrupted several times by the sporadic outbursts of a few, visible protesters, many of whom were later removed by police. A particularly striking moment occurred when, on cue, protesters in the upper balcony unfurled banners denouncing an invasion of Iraq. Fleischer handled the boos and jeers with aplomb. Noticing a backward-facing banner, Fleischer quipped, "Shouldn't that go the other way?"The protesters maintained a continual presence within and without Mead Chapel as the evening wore on. They were there en masse, holding candles, as the audience left for the night. Event organizer Brouwer was extremely pleased with the evening's protest, particularly the media coverage it received. Brouwer was ecstatic to learn that footage of the Middlebury protest had appeared on "Wolf Blitzer Reports" on Oct. 14. Blitzer said in his report, "Hundreds of people turned out to protest an appearance by White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer at his alma mater Middlebury College. He was there to receive an award and to give a lecture. A peace march through downtown drew almost 900 people." Brouwer commented on the noticeable presence of a few "agitators" among the otherwise respectful protestors. McCardell agreed that "the most vocal protesters tended not to be Middlebury students."When asked if he was disturbed by the vehemence of these protesters, Fleischer replied, "Yes, a little bit. But Middlebury kids are great. The way I see it there were two types of people who came to protest, those who held different opinions and expressed them politely, and those who disagreed and did not express themselves politely. If I had been a freshman and come and heard that speech, I too would have protested. I was liberal then. But my views have changed. You gotta follow your heart."
(10/16/02 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Zimmermann In its only game of the week, Middlebury lost to Williams 3-1 Saturday. In what amounted to a battle for a share of first place with Bowdoin, Middlebury fell victim to the one of Williams' star players, Tori Scott, whose goal and two assists in the game earned her New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Field Hockey Player of the Week honors. With the loss Middlebury now sits in a tie for third place in the NESCAC with Bates, a team it has yet to play this season. Williams capitalized right away with a goal in the second minute, showing it was well adjusted to the natural grass conditions. Middlebury, in typical fashion, fought back but could not produce a goal from the spirited play. With 7:14 to play in the opening period, Williams scored again. It was a hole out of which Middlebury could not climb."We gave up the first goal," said Coach Katharine DeLorenzo, "and that sort of was a mood-setter early on." The early troubles on the defensive end DeLorenzo attributed to the Panthers defenders dropping back and packing the goal area too early in Williams' offensive sequences, which allowed the Ephs to operate efficiently between the 10 and 25 yard lines. Williams consequently was able to set up more scoring chances and had more freedom within the Panther zone. The result was a great many scoring chances for the Ephs, which meant many defenders were blocking shots in addition to sophomore Jo Opot, who had nine on the day. The second half was a split with Williams tallying the first goal and Middlebury the second. It was an all-rookie affair for the Panthers at the 4:13 mark in the second half when Allison Smith '06 assisted Channing Weymouth '06 for the first goal of her Middlebury career. At the final whistle Williams left 3-1 victors although DeLorenzo pointed out that it was a "strong performance throughout. The team played very hard against a first-place team."At 4-2 in the NESCAC, Middlebury enters its final three conference games tied with the Bates Bobcats in the standings. DeLorenzo noted that despite the loss the Panthers are right where they hope to be in positioning for the post season. "In the whole scheme of things the Williams game was not terribly important," she said. If the regular season were to end today, Middlebury would be in line to face Williams again in a tough semifinal match up. Union College will pose a threat as a non-conference opponent in a game Thursday afternoon in Middlebury. The squad from Schenectady recently fell to Williams by just one goal. For Homecoming Weekend the Panthers will take on Bates in a battle for third place in the NESCAC. Both upcoming games this week look to be tight, well-played contests. Thursday's game against Union will begin at 4:15, and Saturday's matchup with Bates starts at noon.In the waiting period, the Panthers will reorient themselves with the articificial surface on which they will be playing the remainder of their games this season.
(10/09/02 12:00am)
Author: Neil Onsdorff Middlebury has a very good football team — but Middlebury does not have a football team with a very good record. This weekend, in front of a packed Alumni Stadium full of rowdy fans and parents, the Panthers suffered their second heartbreaking loss of the season, this time to Amherst. This match-up featured a stellar Amherst offense, against an extremely ruthless Middlebury defense, resulting in a season-low 17 points for Amherst. Unfortunately for the Panthers, their offense was only able to muster a season-low 10 points. As the game started, it looked as if the Panthers were going to score points in bunches. On the first play of the game, Middlebury's running back William Lazzaro '03 jaunted 55 yards to the end zone. He did so behind some vicious blocks carried out by fullback Christopher Davis '03 and an offensive line anchored by Lion Carter '05 and Andrew Angoff '03. This was just a prelude of what the ground attack was capable of. Middlebury had close to 200 total yards and Lazzaro finished the day with over 150 yards for the second straight week. With Middlebury leading the game by seven points, the remainder of the first quarter saw little action from either team as both sides were partaking in a battle for field position. As the quarter came to a close, Amherst was able to get on the scoreboard with a long field goal, which left the score at Middlebury 7, Amherst 3. As the second quarter began, so did a connection between Middlebury quarterback Michael Keenan '05 and wide out Denver Smith '03. On Middlebury's first drive of the second quarter, the two combined for three completions for a total of 54 yards, which brought the Panthers deep into Amherst territory. But a red zone penalty, which clung to the Panthers all day like a suspicious rash, moved the offense back. On fourth and long, Middlebury brought in place-kicker Michael Frissora '03 for a long field goal. The field goal was blocked and the momentum shifted to the Lord Jeffs. Two drives later, Amherst, frustrated by its inability to gain any yards on the ground, was able to score through the air on a bubble, or short wide out screen, in turn tying the game at 10. "All week we worked on stopping their running game," said defense tackle James Galuchie '05. "But since we were shutting down their best rusher, [who had been averaging over 180 yards per game] Amherst had to go to the aerial attack. Unfortunately some mistakes we made in defending the passing game hurt us in the end."With the score tied at 10, Middlebury looked to take the lead as it marched into Amherst territory. But, as a fourth down pass play slipped through the fingers of a Middlebury receiver, many in the crowd could feel a sense of dread as the Amherst offense appeared once again on the field. On Amherst's very first play of the ensuing drive, defensive end Phil Reiff '05 picked off a clueless Amherst quarterback on a well-timed and crafty zone-blitz. Sensing a golden opportunity to take the lead, Middlebury found itself on the Amherst 19-yard line poised to strike for six points. But to the dismay of Middlebury fans, another deadly penalty moved the offense back and left it with a must-pass situation for a first down. With Amherst anticipating a Middlebury pass, it had a well-called defense in place, which rendered a defender perfectly positioned to intercept a slightly tipped ball, crushing any chance of scoring. Using the pass to its advantage, Amherst moved down the field for the go-ahead score. "I thought our whole team played really well, but we weren't able to capitalize on the chances we needed to beat a good football team like Amherst," said defensive back Ernie Miller '03. "We had big offense plays and defensive turnovers that put us in position, but we couldn't finish on either side of the ball."The fourth quarter was a true testament to Middlebury's inability to finish. With Middlebury looking to even the score, a fumble on the Amherst 13-yard line ended one drive. On the next Middlebury opportunity, punt returner Smith, using some smooth and sleek moves, brought Middlebury to the Amherst 13-yard line. Once again, a penalty for blocking in the back killed the great return and, in essence, the drive as well. Finally, on a Panther fourth down and 17, a 20-yard pass was negated for holding and Middlebury was unable to get a new set of downs. The game ended with Amherst celebrating in victory as their quarterback took the final snap and harmlessly took a knee. In reflecting on the loss, Coach Ritter said, "It was a difficult loss for us to take on Saturday. Coming off the field and looking into the eyes of our players I could tell that they had left every emotion they had on the field that afternoon. Frustration is the best word to describe the emotions of being a 1-2 football team that could definitely be 3-0. That said, I am incredibly proud of our players dedication, and the sacrifice every one of them makes to our program."This weekend the Panthers travel to Williamstown, Mass., to take on perennial powerhouse and loathed Williams College Ephs.
(10/09/02 12:00am)
Author: Liz Lathey In light of Governor Howard Dean's recent announcement that the state will be reducing its education budget by between $7 to $8 million next year, Vermont is facing new problems in terms of how it will enact reforms to better its educational system.Improving education has become a nationwide initiative, due to several recurring problems students face when they have received less-than-adequate elementary and high school educations. Reports also indicate that disadvantaged and minority students have been displaying a lack of progress in recent years, which some claim is due to ineffective teaching.Studies have shown that many students at the university level still need to be placed into remedial math and English classes. According to the National Commission on Excellence in Education, in 1993 to 1994, 40 percent of public high school science teachers did not have a major or minor in their field and 34 percent of public school math teachers did not have a major or minor in their field. Despite these statistics, Vermont's quality of education has improved slightly in recent years. For example, the state recently managed to lower the number of schools on the Vermont Department of Education's "Needing Improvement" list from 28 to 4.In addition, the Department of Education recently released a report that Vermont's college board scores are at a 10-year high. However, they are still about 40 points below the national average.Although Vermont has scored higher than many states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, between 60 and 70 percent of fourth and eighth grade students are still not considered proficient in math or science. Vermont's standards and assessments also do not seem to be up to par, as the Princeton Review ranked the state 44th in the country for its assessment program.SCHOOL CHOICEAt a time when a college degree is becoming more and more necessary for one to attain a desired career after school, a focus education reforms at the lower levels remains imperative. Supporters of Vermont's school choice program argue that it gives students more of a chance for a quality education.School choice gives parents and students the opportunity to choose which school a student goes to, theoretically mitigating some of the problem areas in Vermont's education system. With the initiation of school choice, schools need to improve the quality of the education they provide in order to attract more students. Advocates of school choice in this year's election include gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas, candidate for lieutenant governor Brian Dubie and congressional candidate Bill Meub, all of whom are Republicans. Other goals of the state's push to improve its education system include higher academic rigor, more reliable assessments and better teachers. Vermonters for Better Education (VBE) proposes that the state set higher academic goals which would serve as guidelines rather than directives.VBE also suggests that rather than using unreliable testing programs such as the New Standards Reference Exams, Vermont should continue participating in national standardized tests like the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Finally, VBE suggests that all teachers take a test before attaining licensure, even those who are already employed as teachers.THE COST OF EDUCATIONAlthough lowering Vermont's education budget certainly will not aid in educational reform, studies have shown that the state's high spending on education has not always yielded better results. Previous high costs for education have been directed towards lowering the student to teacher ratio (13.4:1) relative to the national average (16.9:1). Although Dean's cuts may not do serious harm to education as it is, the outgoing governor's decision calls in to question how Vermont will ahieve the above-average standards it desires.
(10/02/02 12:00am)
Author: Gale Berninghausen Students who enjoy the convenience of smoking in their own rooms or near the entrances of on- campus buildings may soon have to change their ways. Though few people know about it, Middlebury has recently introduced an initiative that seeks to ban tobacco use in residence halls and near building entrances. This initiative has been proposed by the Commons Administration Office and is also supported by the Office of Health and Wellness Education. If the smoking ban is achieved, frustration and dissatisfaction will most likely be the response of students who smoke, while non-smokers will have cause to celebrate. The fate of smoking on Middlebury's campus will undoubtedly be of great interest to both factions as the proposal plays out over the year. The Middlebury College Handbook asserts on page 38 that, "the Middlebury College workplace is a smoke-free environment. In compliance with state regulations, all areas in the College are smoke free, with the exception of residential space." Students are permitted to smoke in their rooms only if it is agreeable to their roommate(s) and anyone who may be affected in adjacent areas. However, many have noticed that while this may be the policy, it is not necessarily the actuality. By its nature, smoke travels and areas that may be deemed "smoke-free" are frequently infiltrated by smoke. The doorways and entrance areas to most buildings around campus are often occupied by smokers, especially during times of bad weather, and the smoke drifts in through doors and windows. Many non-smokers have complained about this exposure to second-hand smoke, provoking efforts to change the smoking policy.Mariah McKechnie, residential system coordinator in the Commons Administration Office, has submitted this proposal for smoke-free residence halls in response to the vast increase in student interest in substance- and smoke-free living. McKechnie commented that about 60 percent of the room change requests she receives have something to with moving to a substance free hall. Her proposal has prompted the creation of a task force comprised of nine students who work throughout the year to write a smoke-free policy. They plan to then have the policy officially adopted by the College and to develop more effective campaigns for the cessation of smoking. These students — eight sophomores and one senior — will receive a small stipend for their work from the American Cancer Society, which trains students and college administrators across the country in how to build and launch a campaign that is effective and isn't negative. McKechnie emphasized the nature of initiative: "This is not a campaign to alienate smokers but rather to decrease exposure of second-hand smoke to non-smokers and to make our campus safer and healthier."The issue of health is a driving factor behind the intended smoking intervention program. Yonna McShane, director of the Health and Wellness Education Office, is collaborating with the student task force, McKechnie and the American Cancer Society. McShane is able to offer her extensive knowledge about the use of substances on the Middlebury campus. She understands both the health and the social implications of this objective to make all residential space smoke free.Every two to three years a national study, called CORE, is conducted on alcohol and drug use by college and high school students. Tobacco is one of the categories in this study, which was most recently performed here last year. Six hundred male and female Middlebury students of all class years were randomly selected and about 70 percent participated in the 2001 CORE Study. The results indicated that 93 percent of Middlebury students don't use tobacco products on a daily basis and that the percentage of Middlebury students who use tobacco products three or more times a week is 16.6 percent compared to 24 percent nationally. McShane believes that it is good news that Middlebury students are "smoking less than at other colleges nationally." The number of Middlebury students who indicated a preference to live in a tobacco-free residence hall was close to 60 percent and 55 percent of Middlebury students stated that they been exposed to second-hand smoke on 1 to 7 occasions each week.When asked about the effects of second-hand smoke, McShane was quick to offer startling statistics and extensive information. She cited the 30,000 lung cancer deaths that occur annually in healthy non-smokers, eye-irritation, headaches, nausea, dizziness, the increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) for children whose parents smoke as well as pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infections and the exacerbation of asthma. All of these are convincing factors in the initiative to decrease exposure to second-hand smoke for students living at Middlebury. McShane put it bluntly: "Second-hand smoking will kill you just as smoking will." There's little doubt that the negative and often severe health consequences of smoking build a strong argument in favor of the smoke-free proposal.But tobacco use remains a part of college life in spite of the health risks, and McShane expressed an understanding of this fact. Vermont advertising for tobacco products is $11 million while in Massachusetts it is $119 million. The CORE study from October 2002 showed that most students who use tobacco products here at Middlebury started using between the age of 13 and 20. The majority started between the age of 16 and 17 and the second greatest majority started between the age of 14 and 15. This reveals the fact that most tobacco users at Middlebury began smoking before coming to the College. McShane spoke about the tobacco cessation treatment that is offered by Parton Health Center in Carr Hall, Middlebury's local Porter Hospital and the Vermont Quit Line. She was optimistic, remarking: "there are more resources available to smokers who want to quit than in the past." Kathleen Ready, R.N. and administrative director at the Health Center, offered further information about the number of students who are currently trying to quit by using the patch or other effective medical interventions. Ready noted that "smoking is a form of self-medication…I'm always glad to see people who need information or assistance." She further commented upon recent studies that have shown that "social pressure against smoking has an effect on stopping smoking."While some Middlebury smokers, or tobacco users, may be trying to quit, others are not and the initiative for smoke-free residence halls will probably cause problems for those students. The argument that they are of age (Vermont State Law allows the buying of tobacco at age 18) and that they retain individual rights to smoke in their personal space is certainly strong. These students are adults and should be able to smoke at their leisure. But the other argument rests upon the idea of shared community space and the rights of those who have chosen not to smoke. The residence halls and building entrances are considered to be shared community spaces and the impact of smoke on non-smokers is hard to ignore. Thus the task force will preclude smoking in all rooms, hallways, stairwells, lounges and entrances and will evaluate each building on campus to determine the distances in which smokers must refrain from lighting up. The next step will be to map out smoking areas that are mutually agreeable to smokers and non-smokers.This may sound like the creation of a smoke-free campus altogether, in which smoking is not permitted on the grounds, but McKechnie assures that while "some campuses have chosen to go to smoke-free grounds, Middlebury would like to start with residence halls and building perimeters" to judge how the program works. McKechnie understands that this does seem "heavily weighted towards the non-smoker" but is echoed by her colleague McShane who remarks that the proposal for smoke-free buildings "is not an attempt to punish smokers." President of the Student Government Association Ginny Hunt '03 noted that while the Student G
overnment Association Senate has not yet been approached about the proposal, she does know about it and it "will be addressed as a senate issue. It's on the radar and students are aware of this important issue." McKechnie and the task force plan to seek approval from Community Council, which is co-chaired by Ben LaBolt '03 and Dean of Students Ann Hanson. LaBolt was certain that the initiative would be "considered for the Community Council agenda this fall."The proposal, McKechnie further noted, takes into consideration the fact that faculty are not allowed to smoke in their offices and the current policy that permits students to smoke in their rooms is unfair. Not only is it unfair, she says, but it is also an extreme fire hazard and has proved costly in dorm room repairs and renovations. "Students are not allowed to burn candles or incense or have halogen lights in their rooms and neither should they be allowed to smoke," McKechnie stated, "because smoking is the number-one cause of house fires."McKechnie and the task force hope to work quickly and to have the new policy adopted by January because Michael Katz, director of the summer Language Schools, has indicated to McKechnie that the language school will agree to accept this policy and it will start in the summer of 2003. Smoke free residences and buildings will then be instituted for the academic year of 2003-2004. Smokers and non-smokers alike will soon encounter this campaign that seeks to provide a smoke-free environment as the answer to an issue that has long been a concern for many in the College community.
(05/08/02 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Winning Title, Men Silence QuestionersBy Nick FerrerYoungman Field may soon change its name to the Field of Champions. On Sunday, the men's lacrosse team captured its second straight NESCAC championship by defeating conference foe Colby 14-8 in front of a wild and boisterous home crowd. And, while their feat over a feisty White Mule squad may seem impressive, the bigger accomplishment is no doubt the Panthers' automatic berth into what will be their fifth consecutive NCAA tournament. There, top-seeded Middlebury will have a chance to defend its national title. The Panthers began their NESCAC tourney campaign on Saturday where they faced Amherst in the semifinals. Having already secured the number one seed and home field advantage for the tournament, the Panthers took advantage of their first-round bye, which allowed their players several days of rest before resuming preparation for their conference title run. Clearly, the rest paid off. In the first quarter, Middlebury broke an early 1-1 tie as sophomore attackman Mike Saraceni netted two of three unanswered Panther goals to take a 4-1 lead that would last until the quarter's end. In the second quarter, the Lord Jeffs showed uncanny offensive spark to show the Panthers they were not ready to let up. After both teams exchanged six goals, the Panthers led 7-4 at halftime.If the first half was a show of the Panthers' dangerous offense, the second half was an equal show of defensive merit. Behind sophomore Eric Krieger's dominating performance in goal, Middlebury's defense allowed the Lord Jeffs just one second-half goal late in the third quarter. Krieger finished the day with 16 saves, and while the rest of the defense continued its near-perfect second-half showing the Panther's offense never slowed. Up 9-4 entering the final quarter, Middlebury exploded for seven straight goals. Led by senior midfielder Matt Dunn's seven points, the Panthers cruised to a 16-4 victory. Peter Albro '02 and Saraceni each tallied three goals and an assist, while sophomore attackman Charlie Howe scored twice. After the convincing win over Amherst, Middlebury patiently awaited the outcome of the other semi-final matchup between cross-state rivals Colby and Bowdoin. Both teams had given the Panthers considerable trouble earlier in the season, and though it was Bowdoin that handed Middlebury its only loss, Colby would emerge victorious. With the coveted bid to the NCAA tournament on the line, Middlebury and Colby took to Youngman Field on Sunday under a bright spring sun. Within minutes, the Panthers made it obvious that they owned the home field advantage. Leading 2-1 early in the first quarter, Greg Carroll '02 scored two quick goals to expand the Panther lead to three. Shortly thereafter, midfielder Albro continued his postseason tear when he found the back of the net to make it 5-1. The White Mules tallied again as the first quarter came to an end, closing the gap to just three goals.In the second quarter, it was Dunn who got on the board first. Yet shortly after Dunn gave the Panthers a 6-2 lead, Colby struck back. Within less than six minutes, the White Mules scored four unanswered goals to tie the game at six and shock both players and fans alike. Two consecutive goals by Middlebury regained the Panther lead, but seconds later Colby again cut the difference. Colby's strike would be the last of the half, and Middlebury headed into halftime clutching a one goal, 8-7 lead. After several minutes of scoreless play in the third quarter, defenseman Sebastian Astrada '02 broke the silence when he coasted across the field and ripped a bounce-shot past Colby's MVP goalie John Shea. Minutes later, Colby responded when the converted a fast-break opportunity to bring the score to 9-8. The White Mules' eighth would prove to be their last. Thanks to another late defensive stand, Middlebury repeatedly denied the White Mules any chance of mounting a comeback. In almost repeating their performance against Amherst, the Panther's offense scored five consecutive second-half goals en route to handing the team a 14-8 win and a second straight NESCAC championship. Carroll led all scorers on the day with four goals and an assist, while Dunn added two goals and an assist. Dunn's weekend showing was good enough to earn him Warrior/Inside Lacrosse Division III Player of the Week. "He was great. What else can I say, he's a relentless warrior out there," said Albro about his fellow midfielder. Both Albro and Zach Herbert '02 tallied three times to pace the Panther's winning effort. Now Middlebury looks ahead to what it's been waiting for all season — a chance to defend its national title for the third time. Under the guidance of Head coach Erin Quinn, the Panthers have made five-straight tournament appearances, and six in the last seven years. In each of the last three years, the team has reached the finals. In each the last two years, it came home victorious. An astonishing record aside, the Panthers are still patient in awaiting their fast-approaching endeavors. The NCAA tournament, as they all know very well, is almost a whole new season that will offer unparalleled challenges. Fortunately for the Panthers, the team is loaded with veteran leadership that should help guide the road to the finals at Rutgers Stadium. That road begins on Wednesday at 4:15 p.m., when the top-seeded Panthers face New England College at Youngman field. If victorious, the team will again enjoy home field advantage when it tackles the winner of Whittier vs. Eastern Connecticut State on Sunday. After that, only time will tell.Defense Sparks the Offense for Midd WomenKate NerenbergLast weekend, the Middlebury women's lacrosse team nabbed their second consecutive NESCAC championship, with a semifinal win over fourth seed Colby and a victory in the title game over second seed Amherst. With the win, Middlebury received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and will host one of the four regional tournament games this weekend. On Saturday, the White Mules could not stop the Panthers from scoring for the first 20 minutes of the first half, as Middlebury quickly put eight goals on the board. In this scoring run, Kristin Hanley '03 scored three of her six goals, while Julia Bergofsky '02 and Nuala O'Donohoe '04 added two apiece. Colby was not able to find the back of the net until a free position shot went in with 9:30 left.Tri-captain Dana Chapin '02 attributed the strength of the first 20 minutes to the defensive improvement of late: "Defensively, our zone has really begun to connect and act as a unit, intimidating our opponents from the get-go," she said. Before the break, the Panther offense was on its toes as well, knotting three more goals to go into halftime with an 11-2 lead. However, the White Mules came out firing in the second half, scoring at 27:22 on a high shot. The Colby defense held strong, denying the Panthers a shot on goal for the first 10 minutes of the half. Liv Wilson '03 finally broke through at 15:32 to increase the Middlebury lead to 12-3. However, the White Mules responded with a string of four goals over the next 1:30, fighting for a comeback. But the Panthers had a response of their own, as they threw in three straight goals before Colby was able to stop the run, tallying an eighth goal. Hanley and Wilson scored just 10 seconds apart to bring the score to 17-8. The Panthers did not stop there, either. They used the last two minutes of the game to score another three goals and ended up walking away with a 20-9 win. Hanley led all scorers with six goals and three assists, and Bergofsky ended the game with four goals and one assist. In the championship game against NESCAC rival Amherst, Middlebury again used the opening minutes of the game to gain control, as they scored six unanswered goals in the first 10 minutes. Sco
ring on a free shot just 2:30 into the game, O'Donohoe put the Panthers on top, a position they would not relinquish. Hanley then scored her seventh goal of the weekend, and only 15 seconds later, Meg Bonney '03 put the Panthers up by three. O'Donohoe then ran the entire length of the field to score her second of the afternoon. Middlebury found the back of the net twice more before the Lord Jeffs started to respond at the 18-minute mark. "In both games we started off strong and go off to an early lead which really intimidated our opponents," tri-captain Bergofsky, noted. "Before we played Amherst [head coach] Missy Foote told us that they do not have enough good defenders to cover all of our attack players. The depth of our attack is a great advantage for us because if they try to shut one person down, five others can step it up."The Panthers held onto a comfortable 8-2 lead for a majority of the first half, before Amherst also started a comeback, starting with two more goals before the end of the first half. The Lord Jeffs continued their run into the beginning of the second half, coming to within three goals before O'Donohoe responded with her third goal of the game to put the Panthers up four. Bonney scored her fourth goal at 16:38 to increase the lead to 10-5. After a Lord Jeff goal, Hanley recorded another assist, as she found O'Donohoe and put the Panthers up 11-6. Keeping the attack varied, Bonney and Bergofsky each scored again, sealing the win for the Panthers, who ended the weekend with a 13-7 and win a championship plaque. Quietly playing very strongly, Sarah Grenert '04 made 14 saves in goal for the Panthers.As the team enters the second half of post-season play, it is still looking to improve despite its incredible success already. Chapin remarked that the team is looking to "fine-tune our level of play," while Bergofsky said, "We concentrate on improving and bringing our game to a whole new level. Our opponents are ourselves, and we play to constantly raise the bar and make practices harder than games. Therefore, in practice we really challenge each other and try to make our teammates better by playing them harder than the opponent will."The Panthers will use this motivation as they take on the winner of the Western New England and Springfield game on Kohn Field on Saturday May 11. Hosting an NCAA Regional, the Panthers, if they get past their first game, will face the winner of a William Smith and Rown match. But the Panthers' won't overlook anyone. As Chapin says, the team "will play every game like it's our last and hope for the best."
(04/24/02 12:00am)
Author: Jen Bloomer An important part of the Middlebury College ultimate frisbee team has gone relatively unheralded of late — the women. After losing the game that would have sent it to Nationals last year by 2 points to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Lady Pranksters have continued to work hard towards the goal of Nationals again this year. The season began after a successful week in the South for Spring Break where the women went 11-4, winning a weeklong tournament in Savannah, Ga., and coming in second to Williams at College Southerns. They still found time for beach parties galore where they discovered hidden talents such as senior co-captain Jenny Levin's amazing flexibility in the limbo and senior Kelly Jewell's unflappable catching abilities in the water, both with and without her suit. After Spring Break the team took part in a skills clinic given by the Boston area women's club team, Lady Godiva. Godiva has won eight National Club Championships (more championships than any other team, men's or women's) and is composed of some of the best women's ultimate players in the world, including Middlebury's own Assistant Political Science Professor Judy Layzer. Needless to say, the clinic was incredibly helpful and an inspirational experience. Ready to employ these new techniques in their next tournament, the Lady Pranksters headed to Yale Cup, one of the biggest and most competitive tournaments of the season. The Middlebury women were up against tough competition as they battled against Brown University, Bucknell University, University of Delaware and Columbia University. The first three of those four opponents on Saturday were Nationals attendants last year, and ranked in the country's Top 25. Despite going one and three on the first day, taking their single victory over Columbia, the Pranksters only improved by facing such challenging competition. The Lady Pranksters seemed to get out all their quirks on the dance floor that night as they succeeded in winning the tournament party. Sophomore Kate Kellogg stated: "Things that are fun — winning the party." Senior co-captain Morley McBride agreed, "Yeah." After a long, fun night, the Midd lebury women surprised rivals Dartmouth and Williams by coming out strong on Sunday and defeating both teams to become winners of their pool. The whole team played marvelously, proving that the Pranksters were a force to be reckoned with. The increasing desire to play ultimate at Middlebury has allowed the Pranksters to field both an A and B team this season. While the A team played at Yale cup, the B made their debut at a Williams tournament, giving many players their first taste of the competitive game, along with a reputation for unrivaled flare. This past Sunday, both Lady Prankster teams headed to Dartmouth for College Sectionals, which would determine their seating for Regionals in two weeks. The windy, cold weather proved challenging for all the teams and injuries abounded. Al Barker '04 suffered severe knee damage, Tauna Saunders '02 took four stitches to the chin and Devon Sigman '02 was taken out with a sprained ankle. Despite these casualties, Jewel demonstrated her skills in the end zone catching nearly all of the scores in the game against UVM to lead the Pranksters to a 13-2 win. Dartmouth came out strong in their next game, determined to redeem themselves after their loss at Yale Cup, but the Pranksters persevered and squeezed out the win. The fifth game of the day against Williams was tough as the Lady Pranksters were contained by a tight zone defense in high winds. Senior Eleanor "Swillanor" Tutwiler was seen on the sidelines shaking her head in disbelief, mumbling "Swill, swill, swill..." Although Williams took the win this time 13-7, the two teams will meet again at Regionals in two weeks as the rivalry continues. The Lady Pranksters have high hopes for the season, they are psyched to play their game, wherever it may take them.
(04/24/02 12:00am)
Author: Karen Nerenberg This past week, the Middlebury women's lacrosse team improved to 10-0 with two wins over non-conference opponent University of Vermont (UVM) and NESCAC challenger Trinity College. The Panthers overcame UVM by a score of 17-3 and topped the Bantams, 16-9.Earlier in the week, against UVM, Middlebury threw in 15 first half goals to take a lead that would never be smaller than 13 goals. Holding the Catamounts to three shots on goal in the first half, the Panthers posted an impressive 7-0 start, starting with junior Kristin Hanley's goal in the first two minutes. Char Glessner '03.5 had a strong half, ending the first session with four goals and an assist. The Catamounts were only able to find the back of the net once, when first-year Kate Parker scored at 17:31. The Panthers responded, scoring ruthlessly until the last minute of the half, when Beth Seeley '05 scored her third of the first half. In the second half, the Panthers slowed the game down a bit, working the ball around the 12-meter fan for minutes at a time, playing more of a possession game. Meg Bonney '03 was able to score twice, on set plays, at the two ends of the half, once at the beginning and once at the end. Nuala O'Donohoe '04 assisted the first goal, while Bonney used a pass from Liv Wilson '03 on the second goal. The Cats were able to score twice in the second half as well, at 22:13 and 11:31. However, the Panthers were much too strong for the Catamounts to close the gap any more, ending the game at 17-3.On Saturday, the Panthers traveled to Hartford, Conn. to take on Trinity College, ranked seventh in NESCAC play. Once again, Middlebury used a strong first half to take command in the game, going into the break with an 8-1 lead. Also similar to the UVM game, Glessner led the team with five goals and one assist. O'Donohoe walked away with three goals. In the cage, Sarah Grenert '04 made nine saves.For her nine-goal week, Glessner earned NESCAC Player of the Week, becoming the first Panther to earn the award this season. She ended the week with 19 points, leading Middlebury to two wins.Seeley tried to justify the consistently large margins of victory, commenting that the team is "using the fast break really well and our zone [defense] is working very effectively." She added that the Panthers are just "trying to focus on each game," and not looking past challengers.In what should prove to be a test, the Panthers play their last home game of the season on Wednesday against Williams College, tied with Amherst for second place in NESCAC. "We just have to play up our level and play our game," Seeley said about the challenge. On Saturday, the Panthers take on Bates in the last game of the regular season.
(04/17/02 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Zimmermann It is common knowledge that the Middlebury ultimate frisbee team peaks towards the end of the season. With that in mind the next few weeks should bring strong play and strong results, as last weekend at Yale it was the latter that was lacking. With Western New England Sectionals just two weeks away, the Pranksters won just two games in the tournament while failing to reach A pool play on Sunday for a chance at the outright tournament title. However, with only two-thirds of the team present and some strong play at times, the squad could still have the possibility to repeat the strong regional performance of last year. Saturday's open format of play saw Middlebury taking on big brother, Ivy League academic institutions Princeton, Yale, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). Those squads, along with others, represented the best group of competition the frisbee team had yet faced. Middlebury, in its three losses on the day was only out of one game early, that being a 13-7 loss against a strong Cornell team. Like the week before at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) tournament, Middlebury locked horns with Princeton only to lose a close, hard-fought decision in the end. The game against UPenn produced almost the same storyline as the Pranksters lost in close fashion 13-11. "We pretty much had it in the bag," said Co-captain Alden Woodrow '02, whose troops led 7-3 after an excellent first half. The letdown resulted in another loss against a team the Pranksters had a potential to beat. The day ended with an easy win against the Yale 'B' team composed mostly of first-year players. Middlebury entered Sunday's play beaten up and taking part in the B pool of teams based on the previous day's results. Against Salisbury University the Pranksters dropped a close game followed by a well-earned win against Columbia University. With two wins against a 'B' team and a weaker Ivy League team Woodrow said of the results, "We didn't put in the showing we'd hoped for. It was rather disappointing." Bright spots on the weekend came in the form of junior Andrew Forsyth's hustle and "lay-out defenses." Tim Riedel '02 played a consistent, strong role on offense during the weekend, seizing every opportunity to push the team forward.The road will only get tougher as Middlebury hopes to put the pedal to the metal in the charge for the Regionals. A newer format this year will only allow one team from the Northeast Regional Tournament to compete in Nationals. Last year three teams made the cut. "We still have a shot," said Woodrow. The Yale Tournament did not provide a true indicator of the Prankster's depth and skill. The first half against UPenn "was the only half of real ultimate we played," noted Woodrow concerning last weekend. With the devotion of a willing, dedicated core of first-years and the experience of a full representation of seniors, Middlebury has the potential to put it all together at the right time of year to make a run in the post season. Woodrow thinks that under such circumstances the Pranksters can play with just about anyone in the region. For now there will be two long weeks for the squad to think about where it has come and where it hopes to go. The weekend of April 27 will be the Sectional Tournament pitting teams from all over Western New England. In recent history the Pranksters have not down particularly well there but have nevertheless had success that the Regionals that ensue. This year Middlebury along with UMass and Williams are the favorites to take the tournament and the momentum going into the hot days of May and the Regional Tournament.
(04/17/02 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Zimmermann Busy would best describe the Middlebury softball team which, making up for a late start to the season, played six games over the past week, winning one and losing five. The most recent of the double-header match-ups involved the Panthers taking one from St. Lawrence in a tight, well-pitched 2-0 victory. However, the onus is now on the team to win its remaining league games and hope division leaders Amherst and Williams stumble toward season's end, if it is to expect any chance of making the NESCAC tournament. On April 11 Middlebury took on a tough Norwich squad losing the first game 3-2 and the second 5-0. The team was not so lucky against Williams on Saturday however, as it dropped both games to the NESCAC West foe by the tallies of 2-0 and 9-1. Laura Legere '03 was a bright spot in the losses, hitting .455 in the four games going 5 for 11. Yesterday Megan McCarthy '05 continued a spectacular rookie campaign, pitching to a shutout in a 2-0 win against St. Lawrence. She has been the starting pitcher in all five of the Panther's wins to date. She along with Lauren Guza '05 were able to collect bases loaded RBIs to account for the difference in the win. The second game saw veteran Andrea Russo '03 take the mound for the first four innings before Lauren Bowe '04 relieved her. Middlebury could muster just two runs and only three in the four preceding games. Co-captain Meghan Cannella '02 explained, "We have focused on hitting for the four years I have been here at Middlebury. This year we have strong hitters but have had trouble stringing the hits together." The lack of continuity on offense would explain the sparse output yet as Cannella noted, "In the late innings we have scored runs." Indeed two weeks ago the Panthers won a 7-6 thriller in 13 innings. The year, although not over, has seen some nuances and surprises for the Middlebury softball team. "Our defense is 100 percent better this year as opposed to last," said Cannella. The addition of three backup middle infielders who earned significant playing time, has meant a huge difference in the defense. The biggest factor in the team's makeup this year however, "has been our depth," commented Cannella. McCarthy has both spelled relief for an overburdened pitching staff from last year and has been crucial in the success of the team along the way. Cannella also sees Michaela George '04 as having improved dramatically this year as she has help in the demanding catching duties. In just its fifth year of existence the softball team will be hard pressed to make the playoffs with Amherst and Williams playing so well. Cannella, a player with nearly four years of experience has seen the team evolve as it has become more competitive. Each incoming class has brought greater contributors she said. "We have improved and grown so much. We are a lot more confident and have a good amount of potential." That potential will be tested against Hamilton, which currently sits in the middle of the pack in NESCAC West. Today the Panthers play Green Mountain College away in what will be the first step in the rest of the stretch run.
(04/10/02 12:00am)
Author: Kate Nerenberg With three wins this past week, the Middlebury women's lacrosse team improved to 7-0 and remains the top ranked Division III team in the nation. To start off their run, the Panthers handed Union College its first loss of the season with a 13-4 victory at home. In a huge weekend, Middlebury picked up two NESCAC victories: an 8-4 win over Amherst College and a 12-5 domination of Tufts University at home the next day.Behind the leadership of senior Julia Bergofsky and junior Katie Simpson, who scored two goals apiece in the first half, Middlebury took control in the first half, going into the break with an 8-2 lead. The Panthers held strong in the second half, in which Simpson picked up her third goal and Char Glessner '03 her second. Beth Seeley '05 was able to find the back of the net twice, while Kristen Hanley '03 registered one goal and three assists. In goal, Sarah Grenert '04 and Johanna Rosenfield '05 combined for 13 saves. On Saturday, the Panthers made a trip to Amherst to take on the team they beat by one goal in overtime in last year's national championship. The Panthers were looking to prove they belonged on top, while the Lord Jeffs were looking to prove they could beat the best. Once again, Middlebury was able to hand another team its first loss of the season.Through the first half the outcome of the game was largely in question, with Middlebury taking a only a narrow 4-3 lead at halftime. Four and a half minutes into the second half, Lord Jeff Allison Aldrich scored her second goal of the game to cut the Panthers' lead to 5-4. Undaunted, Middlebury took control, scoring the next three goals to seal the win. Over the next 11 minutes, Bergofsky, Hanley and Glessner put the Panthers up, 8-4. Meanwhile, in goal, Grenert held off the numerous waves of Amherst attackers, including two point-blank shots in the last three minutes. Head Coach Missy Foote was impressed with the play in the cage: "Goalie Sarah Grenert had an amazing game, with a 96 percent save average." Foote also praised the play of Glessner, who ended the game with three goals, while Bergofsky and Nuala O'Donohoe '04 scored two apiece. Foote attributed the win to her midfielders: "Both teams were tense in the beginning but our settled offense and our zone defense worked very well. The thing that made the difference was our midfield pressure however. We caused numerous turnovers and capitalized on Amherst's mistakes."With the hard earned win on Saturday, the Panthers continued strongly the next day to crush Tufts at home. "We did just what we needed to do on Sunday. We readjusted to the turf, played aggressively and stayed strong despite having a hard game the prior day," commented Foote.Bergofsky and Glessner combined for five of the team's first six goals as Middlebury ran to an 8-2 halftime lead. In the first 7:30 of the second half, Tufts brought themselves to within four after goals with the play of Willow Hagge and Maureen Mahon. In the next 11 minutes, the Panthers responded with four goals, including two by Meg Bonney '03, to put any thoughts of a Jumbo comeback to rest. Before the half was over, Tufts was able to slip one more goal past the Panthers, to reach a final score of 12-5. Grenert and Rosenfield combined for four saves. Although Middlebury confidently overcame some big opponents this past week, they still have their work cut out for them. This Saturday, they take on Bowdoin, currently ranked second in the latest NESCAC poll. And, as always, as Foote says, "we are looking to improve with every practice."
(04/03/02 12:00am)
Author: Nick Ferrer Almost halfway through the regular season, the men's lacrosse team finds itself where it hoped to be: undefeated and sitting atop the national Division III polls. With three impressive victories over Spring Break and another win Tuesday against Union, the Panthers improved to 6-0 and are already living up to their preseason number one ranking. Middlebury began its Spring Break tour in New London, Conn., where it faced off against the Connecticut College Camels on March 23. Surprisingly, it was the Camels who came out of the gates first as their attack quickly opened fire on the Panther defense to give them a 4-2 lead at the quarter's end. Not surprisingly, the Panthers responded to take a 6-5 lead at halftime before cruising to a well earned 13-9 victory. Perhaps it was the thought of being down for the first time since last season, or perhaps the Camels simply ran out of gas, but there was no doubt that the second half was reminiscent of traditional Panther lacrosse. Zach Herbert '02 and captain Dave Seeley '02 recorded three goals each to lead the potent attack in victory, while Mike Frissora '03 and Greg Bastis '04 helped Middlebury control the transition game by combining for three goals and three assists at the defensive middie position. Eric Krieger '04 anchored the Panther's solid second-half defensive effort, coming up with 12 saves. Four days later, Middlebury arrived at Gettysburg College for one of the season's most anticipated games — a rematch of last year's national title game and a showcase of this year's two top ranked teams. With their number one ranking on the line, the Panthers came to play. Again led by its veteran attack unit, the team took a 5-2 lead in the first quarter. The Panthers had little time to relax, however, as Gettysburg's defense broke down the Middlebury's offense bit by bit. The Bullets held Middlebury scoreless in the second quarter, another first for the Panthers this season, and scored twice in that time. They would then enter halftime down just 5-4 with the momentum swinging in their favor and carrying into the third quarter, when they again outscored the Panthers 2-1. In the fourth quarter, Middlebury looked poised to defend last season's title. Thanks to strong riding efforts, the Panthers were able to force key turnovers on which the offense capitalized. After being unusually quiet for much of the game, Seeley came alive late in the game. He scored on a breakaway with just 3:15 left to play, and just 13 seconds later Greg Carroll '02 fired a shot past Gettysburg goalie Tim McGinnis. The goals gave Middlebury a 10-8 lead and would be the last of the game as Krieger stepped up and continued to deny the Bullets with one show stopping save after another. "He was unbelievable, just sick. I don't know how he did it, but he's my hero," claimed transition specialist Frissora, who recorded one assist in the win. While Krieger was certainly one of the game's heroes, he certainly was not the only one. Herbert was equally sensational in tallying twice and dishing out four assists, while fellow seniors Sebastian Astrada, Carroll, Seeley and Matt Dunn provided the kind of leadership that coaches can only dream of. Astrada helped anchor a solid defensive performance while Carroll, Seeley and Dunn added three points each to charge the offense. On March 30, Middlebury hosted NESCAC foe Wesleyan — the only other team to go undefeated last season in regular league play. Immediately, Middlebury jumped to a 5-0 lead as Dunn and Carroll each found the back of the net twice. While Wesleyan outscored the Panthers 5-4 in the second quarter, it would not be enough. Middlebury improved its 9-5 halftime lead to 12-7 by the end of the third quarter, and Herbert erupted for three goals at the opening of the fourth to lead a 4-0 run that allowed Middlebury to sail to a 17-10 victory. Herbert ended the game with four goals and two assists. Combined with his performance in the Gettysburg win, Herbert ended the week with 12 points, numbers good enough to earn him both NESCAC Player of the Week honors and the title of the league's top scorer. After just two day's rest, Middlebury played host to Union College on Tuesday afternoon. This time, it was Dunn who wowed the crowd with his aggressive play that would provide ESPN with some worthy highlight film. Dunn contributed part of Middlebury's first eight goals, and he made it clear to Union that the Panthers' offense goes far deeper than its attack. Ultimately, Dunn and the rest of the offense proved to be too much for Union. Middlebury maintained its perfect season with a 14-8 win. With its win over Union, the Panthers extended their unbeaten streak from last season to a remarkable 19 games. Still, Middlebury knows it is far from reaching its most difficult of goals, a third consecutive national championship. There are still seven games remaining in the regular season, and despite its 6-0 record the team will tell you it has a lot to work on. "We're looking good, really good. But its still early, and there are always ways you can improve. Being undefeated now is one thing, but being prepared for the playoffs is another," explained junior face-off man Brian McGregor.
(04/03/02 12:00am)
Author: Ashley Elpern As applicants for Middlebury College's Class of 2006 hear this week whether they will have the choice of matriculating at Middlebury this fall, the admissions office is in the midst of studying the demographic shifts that occurred in this applicant pool. Overall, 120 less students applied to Middlebury in 2002, with 5,294 applications received compared to 5,414 in 2001 — a banner year which had marked the College's largest applicant pool in history. Dean of Enrollment Planning Michael Schoenfeld said that when the admissions office studied the breakdown of this year's applications, the loss of applicants appears largely due to a 13 percent decrease in international student applications from 929 in 2001 to 812 in 2002. Schoenfeld cited the events of Sept. 11 as the most logical reason for the decline. "We did have to cancel a trip [to attract international students to Middlebury] to Europe a week after Sept. 11," he said, "and overall there was slightly less travel [to recruit applicants] for the rest of the year." He said fewer recruiting trips combined with a tense international climate could have contributed to the loss of international applicants. "If you put yourself in the position of a parent abroad, you could see why they might be apprehensive about having their children travel," he explained.Director of Admissions John Hanson said that while the drop in international students is evident, "they are still a large group, and Middlebury has always had a large representation of them on campus." He noted that due to the great amount of international interest and the College's aim to have international students comprise 10 percent of every class, a great deal of qualified students will not gain admission despite the decrease in applications this year.Because the admissions office anticipates the final size of the Class of 2006 to rest at 570, Schoenfeld said, "It is easy to get 57 qualified international students [from the large pool of applications], as there are more qualified international and national students than can be accepted."Demographic shifts within the United States indicated an 8 percent increase in applications from the Midwest, marking the largest numerical gain from last year's 446 to this year's 482 applications. New England sent 29 more applicants, a 2 percent increase from 1,445 to 1,474. The Mid-Atlantic region of the United States has the largest decrease of 6 percent, 1,315 to 1,240, with other areas showing slight decreases — the West with 21 fewer applicants, the Southwest with 7 fewer applicants and the South with 18 fewer applicants.Hanson noted that these changes come from "nothing we can trust" since admissions officers employ many techniques to recruit students. "The easy part is coming up with the figures," he continued. "When we travel to secondary schools, we try to do many things. We aim to maintain the visibility we have in schools that already send us applicants, and we also try to expand the frontiers of the existing pools."Hanson added that the fluctuations often have less to do with recruitment by the admissions office and more to do with what is going on in each state and region. He cited the end of affirmative action in the admissions process of the University of California as one instance in which more qualified students of color applied to colleges outside the California school system after 1978.Schoenfeld said that overall he does not expect the student body to change, despite the slight decrease in applications. "We still can only accept one out of every four students that apply," he said. "It is nice that this year's class can be slightly larger, as the outgoing class is large. It allows us to have a greater diversity of students overall, as we can accept a few more students than in most years."
(03/20/02 12:00am)
Author: Peter Yordan It was Shakespeare who said heavy rests the head that wears the crown, but for the men's hockey team there will be no coronation this year. Middlebury, the nation's number one ranked team and the host of the NCAA Championship, suffered a stunning and painful 5-2 loss to Norwich University in the semifinals last Friday. The defeat was a bitter final chapter to the Panthers' storybook season, an awkward ending to what had been one of the most dominant performances of any team in Middlebury hockey history.Heading into the semifinal match-up many questioned the NCAA's decision to pair Middlebury and Norwich, the top two teams in the tournament. In the quarterfinals the week before, Middlebury had coolly ended Wentworth's Cinderella season with a pair of commanding wins by scores of 6-0 and 9-1. At the same time Norwich was busy driving the final nails into Bowdoin's coffin with victories of 3-0 and 7-0. The stage was set for a thrilling hockey game between the intrastate rivals. Norwich was the only team that had defeated Middlebury all season, but Middlebury had beaten them cleanly in their previous match-up in February. "I'd be surprised if it ended up being more than a one goal game," said Middlebury Coach Bill Beaney. Tickets were in short supply for a game that many expected to be the de facto championship, and a large Norwich cheering contingent was expected to butt heads with the Middlebury faithful in a jam-packed and raucous Kenyon Arena. The Panthers, however, were given a rude shock and an inauspicious omen of things to come when Norwich won the puck off the opening face-off and broke in on the Middlebury net as a Cadet forward swept in from the side and banked a goal in off of Christian Carlsson '02's pads. Thirty-one seconds into the game Norwich had staked a 1-0 lead. "We were too hesitant to make mistakes at the start," said Beaney. "That first goal put us back on our heels."Middlebury floundered, unable to adjust their game to the relentless Norwich pressure. The Panthers yielded Norwich a power play at the six-minute mark, and paid for their undisciplined strategy when a redirected Cadet slap shot found its way past Carlsson's shoulder for the second goal of the game.Norwich nearly took a 3-0 lead on a goal that was disallowed on a high stick call with five minutes remaining, and Middlebury looked dead in the water playing in front of a stunned and silenced crowd. "For some reason we just didn't come out with any intensity," said Adam Foote '04. "They outworked us for loose pucks." Going into the locker room for the first intermission it was the first time all season that the Panthers could make the dubious claim of having been outplayed on their own ice.In the second period the Panthers started playing with some renewed vigor before their game was derailed by penalties. Foote was whistled for a retaliatory hit eight minutes into the second and Norwich converted their man advantage to put them ahead by three. One minute later a crosscheck by senior Matt Dunn was deemed worthy of a five minute major by the referees. Middlebury fought valiantly on the penalty kill to keep the game within reach, holding the Norwich machine at bay for four minutes before sacrificing the power play goal at 13 minutes. "They seemed to know where we were going before we even went there," said a shell-shocked Beaney.Middlebury refused to go quietly into the night, however, and returned to the third period with a reckless abandon. Robert Chisholm '03 breathed life into the Panthers' offense just 13 seconds into the period with a wrist shot which found its way through the five hole of the Norwich goalie. "We wanted to go out playing as hard as we could," said co-captain Ryan Constantine '02. Ten minutes later Andrew Helming '04 scored to cut the Norwich lead in half, bringing the entire crowd to their feet. Middlebury's desperation nearly paid off again when Kevin Cooper '04 took a shot that rang off the post. The team kept up the pressure, but time was not on the Panthers' side. With 2:49 left on the clock Beaney pulled Carlsson for the extra attacker. The dual threat of Norwich and the clock proved too much for the Panthers, however, and Middlebury finally gave up the ghost when Norwich put a shot past a diving Constantine for the empty net tally and a 5-2 win."We were a little overconfident. We didn't win pucks, we didn't skate," said Constantine. "The most difficult thing is that we had a chance to host the championship and win at home in front of our fans." In the end, the team that all year long had been resourceful enough to find some way to win the big game finally ran out of steam. In retrospect, playing against a weak opponent like Wentworth in the quarterfinal round may have been a curse in disguise. The Panthers seemed unable to marshal the intensity needed to match up with Norwich. "Our best just didn't play as well as their best," said Beaney. Overall it was a tough day to be a Swedish goaltender. Both Carlsson and his Plattsburgh State counterpart Nicklaus Sundberg were victimized by their opponents as Wisconsin-Superior defeated Plattsburgh 5-0 in the other semifinal. The next day Wisconsin-Superior won the NCAA Championship over Norwich by scoring with a minute left to force overtime, where it eventually scored the game winner.The Panthers will have to content themselves with a season that saw the team tie the program record for wins with 26. Their overall record was a somewhat decent 26-2-1. The team won their third consecutive NESCAC championship, and Kevin Cooper '04 tied the school record for most goals in a season with 28. The team will graduate seven seniors: co-captains Grayson Fertig and Ryan Constantine, assistant captain Matt Snyder, defensemen Matt Dunn and Andy Campbell, forward Jack Kennedy and goaltender Christian Carlsson. "The seniors are the heart and soul of our team," said Foote candidly. "It's going to be tough next year without them."
(03/20/02 12:00am)
Author: Lindsey Whitton I found out last night that an old friend had been found dead in New York City from a drug overdose. He was 18 years old. My mom spent this morning at his relatively poorly attended funeral, surrounded by anonymous elderly parishioners who seemed to have accidentally gone to the wrong service. Now, as I try to concentrate on writing a history paper, all I can do is wonder how this boy could have drifted from bouncing around the back of a yellow school bus just four years ago to his lonely death in some small dingy room in New York. I keep wondering, as I stare at my blinking cursor, if his cheeks had still been red and chubby and if he had still giggled in that goofy way with his addict friends. Suddenly, it occurs to me that he may not have had any friends. It appears as though they didn't show up at the funeral. A few Middlebury students who I mentioned this terrible incident to expressed the same shock that I felt. Do kids in our generation really die from drug overdoses? Of course, we know it happens, but I thought of drug deaths as only black and white statistics on a glossy magazine page, a product of the 1980s that we still study because it used to be an issue. It seemed that in real life even the worst cases find their way to the hospital and are saved by modern medicine and modern addiction therapy. The deaths, I thought, were mostly over the drug business — late night drive-bys and tragic inner city clashes over bags of cash. Our generation, dubbed the Millennials, has been hailed as "the next Great Generation," and President McCardel reminded my class of this esteemed prediction in his Convocation speech last year. We have been told that we are conservative, choosing chardonnay before vodka and Advil before heroine. The most popular drug at my high school seemed to be different kinds of Ritalin that were ground up and snorted — not for a high but for concentration when the desire to succeed went beyond the body's ability to stay awake. Millennials are told that we look and act like our grandparents' generation, only with a little more diversity and a lot more stress. We don't want to be bad to stand out — we want to be the best. So where does that leave us with the drug problem? Was my friend's death just an anomaly, an insecure upper middle class disaster that shouldn't be used as an example of a trend or a significant problem? In the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 27th annual study conducted in the spring of 2001, their organization found that for the fifth consecutive year elicit drug use has remained the same or declined in certain cases. Although the use of ecstasy has been rising over the past couple of years, between 2000 and 2001 the rise slowed significantly for students in all three grades studied. The use of heroine, which had also been rising slightly over the past few years, decreased conspicuously between 2000 and 2001 among 10th and 12th graders. Inhalant use also fell, especially among 12th graders. Cocaine abuse in general has fallen off since the mid '80s, when the NIDA estimated that 5.7 million Americans age 12 or older were using the drug. Now the organization estimates that 1.5 million Americans, or .7 percent of the population, use cocaine. In Vermont, however, the state's heroine problem was highlighted recently, especially after the thirteen deaths as a result of the drug in the year 2000 and a recent article examining the issue in The Burlington Free Press. Experts cite the relatively new, more pure form of heroin as the cause of the drug's comeback. Since needles are no longer necessary and heroin can be snorted or smoked, some potential users may find the drug less daunting and may consider it less dangerous. When I went through the brief biographies of the 13 Vermonters who fell victim to heroin in 2000, however, I noticed that the vast majority of them were older I calculated the average age to be 35. There were two 19-year-olds that died, one of whom was a student at Bennington College, but the next two youngest victims were 26 and 30. Only one of the victims was a college graduate. I went to see the movie "Traffic" three times in one week last year. My friends and I were fascinated by the cinematography, the interwoven plot lines and the concept. We all agreed, however, that the idea of upper middle class successful students in the year 2001 falling victim to cocaine and heroine seemed foreign. The use of hard drugs among the Millennial generation seems to be less prevalent and less popular than it may have been for the generations preceding it.I do, however, want to stress that although my generation may be less likely to shoot up heroin or snort cocaine, this is only a positive trend and not a uniform phenomenon. As I learned yesterday, some of my peers still seriously abuse hard drugs and let the habit drag a chubby-cheeked, goofy little boy under the crushing wheels of addiction. Maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised. Maybe the current achievements and sunny forecast for the future of the Millennials made us and our parents less aware of drug deaths than teenagers and parents in the '80s and early '90s. Maybe the only people who weren't surprised were the elderly parishioners who filled the pews at his funeral.
(03/06/02 12:00am)
Author: Shannon Egan In 1966, the men's swimming and diving team from Williams College began a 35-year New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) winning streak. It lasted until Sunday. Now, thanks to the men from Middlebury, it's over. For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, Williams lost and the men from Middlebury were declared champions.The meet, which lasted three days and saw an extraordinary amount of NCAA qualifiers, NESCAC records and varsity records on the part of the swimmers and divers, couldn't have been more perfect. Middlebury finished with 1,544 points, followed by Williams with 1,422 points and Amherst with 1,301 points. From the very first race, it was obvious the meet would be a close one. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of David Hawkins '05, co-captain Scott Strickler '02, Jason Korsmeyer '05 and co-captain Grayson Stuntz '02 took second with a National B consideration time of 1:24.85. Other highlights from Friday night began with the 50-yard breaststroke, in which senior Mike Malloy took fourth with a time of 27.43, followed close behind by Steve Kinney '03, who took sixth in 27.56. Stuntz won the first event for the Panthers, taking the 50-yard butterfly in a new NESCAC meet record of 23.23. Also in the 50 butterfly, Max Ovsjanikovs '05 took sixth in 23.74. Sophomore Karl Whittington started off the distance races on a good note, as he took seventh in the 500-yard freestyle in 4:47.54. The 50-yard backstroke, a race Middlebury traditionally dominates, saw Strickler, Andrew Boyce '02 and Korsmeyer take first, third and eighth, respectively. Strickler's 24.52 was a new NESCAC meet record. Stuntz, up again, took second in a very close race in the 200- yard individual medley, finishing with a National A qualifying time of 1:53.04. Finally, Hawkins took fifth in the 50-yard freestyle in 21.60. Friday night ended as the Panther's took second in the 400-yard medley relay. The team of Strickler, Mike Malloy '02, Stuntz and Korsmeyer finished with a new NESCAC and meet record and National B consideration time of 3:27.69.Saturday night's session began on a high note as well, as the 200- yard medley relay team of Strickler, Malloy, Stuntz and Matt Clark '04 took first, dominating the field with a National B consideration time of 1:34.11. In the 1,000-yard freestyle, Whittington broke the varsity record, finishing fourth with a time of 9:50.45. Junior Andrew Sterling took seventh in the same race, in a time of 10:05.16. In the 100-yard butterfly, Stuntz captured his second NESCAC title and new meet record of 50.70, a National B time. In the 100 butterfly as well, Hawkins took fourth in 52.01. Also on Saturday, first-year Adam Rahal had an impressive 200-yard freestyle, as he took eighth in a time of 1:46.60. Malloy took the consolation heat of the 100-yard breaststroke and took first in his career-best time of 59.84. The trio of backstrokers, Strickler, Korsmeyer and Boyce, took second, third and sixth in the event. Strickler's 52.49 and Korsmeyer's 52.99 were both National B qualifying times. Finally, the relay team of Hawkins, Rahal, Whittington and Korsmeyer finished up the session with a 7:03.70 in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The final night, the Panthers held their ground. They knew the best would come. In the first event, the 1,650-yard freestyle, Whittington took sixth in 16:45.87, followed closely by Sterling, who captured eighth in 16:50.00. In the 200-yard backstroke, Strickler took first with a National B time of 1:54.49. Korsmeyer took fifth (1:56.55) and Boyce took seventh (1:57.48). Hawkins made another strong appearance in the 100-yard freestyle, as he took fifth in 47.61. First-year Rob Norman made his first National B consideration time in the 200-yard butterfly, taking fifth in 1:56.17. In the 100-yard IM, Kinney took second in 54.66, followed by Ovsjanikovs who finished eighth in 56.88. In the final relay of the meet, the 400-yard freestyle, the team of Hawkins, Strickler, Korsmeyer and Stuntz earned a National A time, finishing second in 3:07.13.The divers were, as always, an integral part of Middlebury's success. On Friday night, in the one-meter competition, captain Derek Chicarilli took first, scoring 473.60 points. First-year diver Blake Lyons also had an amazing performance, finishing fifth with 402.90 points. The results on Sunday night were similar, as Chicarilli captured his second win with 500 points on the three-meter board. Lyons scored 378.55 points, finishing fifth once again. Middlebury dominated the awards podium as well. Lisa Gibbs, head diving coach, was selected as the NESCAC Diving Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year. Chicarilli was given two honors: he was selected as the NESCAC Diver of the Year and was also awarded Senior High Point Winner, for scoring the most points over his four years. Head Swim Coach Peter Solomon was selected as the NESCAC Swimming Coach of the Year. Solomon agreed that it was the depth of the team, the energy and the enthusiasm that, together, led to the win. He said he was confident in the team all along, knowing that a championship is always where Middlebury swimmers and divers perform best.At the beginning of the season, Solomon made a deal with his swimmers that if they won NESCACs, he would shave his head. Upon receiving their first place plaque, the swimmers and divers sat him down in a chair on the pool deck, and each senior took his chance at payback.Up next, the men who qualified will head to Miami University of Ohio for NCAA Division III Championships.
(03/06/02 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Arts:Paintings by Ken Leslie, "Space + Time," Flynn Theater, Amy E. Tarrant Gallery, March 15 - May 4 (Sat. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.) FREEDance:Jane Comfort & Company, Flynn Theater, Fri. March 8 (8 p.m.), $25.50/$20.50 Pre-performance lecture, Amy E. Tarrant Gallery (6:30 p.m.) FREEMusic:Smokin' Grass, Higher Ground, Fri. March 8 (8 p.m. doors), $8 advance, $10 day of show, 18+Ahmad Jamal, Flynn Main Stage, Sat. March 9 (8 p.m.), $23-29 student/$28-34 general admissionDr.Didg, Higher Ground, Sat. March 9 (8 p.m. doors), $8 advance, $10 day of show, 18+Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Flynn Main Stage, Sat. March 16 (8 p.m.), $6 student/$9-37 general admissionTheater:"Our Town," Presented by Vermont Stage Company, Flynn Space, Wed. March 6 - Sun. March 10 and Wed. March 13 - Sun. March 17 (7:30 p.m. Wed - Sat. and 2 p.m. Sun.), $15 student, $23-$26 general admission"Funny Girl," Broadway National Tour, Flynn Main Stage, Wed. March 20 (7:30 p.m.), $36/$31Contact Info:Flynn Theater: 802-86-FLYNNHigher Ground: 802-654-8888Always check showtime and ticket availability as both are subject to change after publication.
(02/27/02 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Zimmermann After its best result of the season in the Middlebury Carnival, the nordic ski team will send six of its members to the NCAA National Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. Shams Helminski '02, Colin Rogers '04 and Tim Weston '03, who played an integral role in the weekend's success, will go to Alaska along with Kate Newick '04, Hillary Patzer '02 and Kate Whitcomb '04. Middlebury, carried by the strength of these members and others on its team, came in second as host of the Middlebury Carnival. The result was a season best for the team. The nordic squad had a beautifully warm weekend to race at its home course of the Rikert Touring Center and turned in a solid performance. The highlight included the women's team winning the 15-kilometer freestyle event on day two, which began with a mass-start. Throughout the weekend the Panthers never finished below fourth as a team in any event. On Friday the staggered five-kilometer classical event took place for the women while the men skied the same format at 10-kilometers. Patzer, who proved to be the dark horse in both events, cruised to a second place finish in the classical race. Her teammates Whitcomb, Diana Johnson '05 and Newick clustered at places 13, 14 and 15 respectively to ensure a third place team result overall in the event. The men raced to a tie for third place with the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Helmiski continued the strong racing of senior skiers both nordic and alpine with a third place finish. Torgeir Lien of the University of Vermont (UVM) proved himself to be skiing in another dimension by undercutting the field by 1:17.6 in a race just over six miles in length. Men's captain Weston bustled to seventh. The next closest Middlebury finisher was Marshall Greene '04 in 32nd. The Panthers missed the likes of Rogers, perhaps the squad's most talented skier, as he was disqualified. Like the alpine team, day two promised even better results for the nordic team as it enjoyed a breakout performance. The women's squad put all its resources together and beat UVM in the 15-kilometer freestyle by a score of 111 to 110. It marks the first time such a result has occurred this season. Placing five racers in the top 17, it was truly a team effort for the Panthers. Patzer again led the team, nearly taking the event by finishing in second place just one second behind Claudia Reithofer from UVM. Whitcomb herself finished just one- tenth of a second out of fourth position, as she and Patzer were among the five in the lead pack at the finish. Crucial results for the women were Newick in 11th and Berkley Leach '04 in 15th. Johnson was not to be forgotten as she clocked a quick time and aided in the win with a 17th place finish. The men had a tougher time with the mass-start freestyle event yet still managed to place fourth, behind Dartmouth, with three racers in the top 15 slots. Rogers, Weston and Helminski finished in the order and showed they are worthy candidates to represent the nordic team in Anchorage. The format will challenge the nordic team in the NCAA Championships, since it will be the same that it encountered this past weekend. The first race on Thursday, March 7 will be a classical setup with the women racing five kilometers and the men 10. On Saturday, March 9 the teams will participate in a freestyle format with the men skiing 20 kilometers and the women 15. Though the competition will be stiffer, the team hopes for results like it had this weekend, as it would mean a good chance for the Panthers to garner a top national finish.
(02/20/02 12:00am)
Author: David Lindholm The Middlebury College indoor track teams competed in the New England Open Championships last weekend at Boston University, with both teams finishing in the lower half of the pack but featuring many strong individual performances. The women, led by Jess Kosciewicz '04, finished 16th out of 26 teams, whereas the men finished 19th out of 24 teams.Strong finishes were abundant for the women, as Kosciewicz finished fourth in the 55-meter dash in 7.78 seconds, and also placed 16th in the 200-meter dash with a time of 28.40. In the 600-meter run, sophomore Maryanne Porter finished eighth in 1:42.47.Meredith Bazirgan '02 was 14th in the 1000 meter run in 3:07.61, and sophomore Hannah Huegel finished the long jump in fifth place with a jump of 5.13 meters. Sophomore Jen March finished 18th in the weight throw with a throw of 11.89 meters. The women's distance relay team earned a sixth place finished in 12:24.09.On the men's side, senior Andrew Boyer led the team with a fifth place finish in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.92 seconds. Junior Mike DeLeo finished 14th in the 55 meter dash in 6.88 seconds, and junior Adrian Logalbo finished the 800 meter run in 16th place with a time of 2:24.42.Next week the teams will travel for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championships and the following week the teams will make their way to Ohio Northern for the NCAA Championships.
(02/13/02 12:00am)
Author: Daniel Russel Two thrilling Panther victories were sandwiched by disappointing losses as the men's basketball team went 2-2 in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play. The four games were indicative of the team's season, as the Panthers showed poise in a double-overtime victory over Wesleyan University on Feb. 2, but then slumped to a 103-88 loss to Tufts University a week later.On Feb. 1, the Panthers hosted Connecticut College, and dominated the opening minutes of the game, building a 12-3 advantage in the first few minutes. Connecticut eventually made their way back into the game, taking a 30-25 lead into the break.The Camels built on their momentum and extended their lead to 11 with 8:11 remaining. Middlebury, as it has done so many times in the past, demonstrated their resilience and indomitable strength of will, regained the lead on an 18-5 run, spurred on by the play of Donnelly (11 points, 7 rebounds) and the gutsy play of first-year Mike Salek (13 points, 2-3 from behind the arc) and capped off by the exhilarating play of Anderson (14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block), who showed remarkable poise as he caught the ball at the top of the key and drained a three to give the Panthers the lead. They were unable to score again, however, in what would prove to be a frustrating anticlimax, as Connecticut regained the lead on a free-throw with 1:54 left to play. In a display of utter futility, Middlebury turned the ball over five times in each of their final five possessions as the Camels held on for the win. While the end of the game demonstrated the team's critical lack of experience, the rest of the game showed how much the team has already matured and the players' vast potential. The next day, the Panthers finally delivered their masterpiece, a 100-87 double-overtime victory over Wesleyan. The game was the fulfillment of the promise the Panthers had shown against Connecticut. It was tight all the way through, as Wesleyan guarded a slim 36-33 lead going into the second half and maintained that lead for the majority of the second half. But the Panthers stayed close and went on a 9-0 run to go ahead 65-60 with 3:51 left to play. The team was also given renewed energy after David Coratti '04 took a charge toward the end of regulation that caused Wesleyan star Leo Jones to foul out of the game. Excitement began when Wesleyan proceeded to tie the game, In perhaps the most thrilling series this season, Wesleyan's Chris Bray and Salek each traded back-to-back three pointers, Salek's second coming with only 15 seconds left to play to force overtime. This exchange was repeated at the end of the first overtime, as Salek, demonstrating phenomenal skill under pressure, hit two more three pointers to tie the game and force a second overtime. In the second extra session, the Panthers went on a 7-0 run, and eventually won 100-87. Salek finished with 14 points on 4-6 shooting from behind the arc, while Bundonis (28 points) and Anderson (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) turned in superb performances, and were aided by the surprising play of first-year Simon Behan (10 points). The Panthers then continued their brilliant play, as they traveled to Bates College and dispatched the Bobcats easily. Entering halftime with a 50-38 lead, Middlebury continued to extend its lead, opening the second half with a 17-7 run. Consecutive three pointers by Bundonis (15 points, 5 rebounds) and Altman (12 points, 5 assists). Middlebury cruised to an easy victory 101-66, as Coratti had 16 points, and Anderson added 15 points in a game in which six players scored in double figures. Tufts was nexts, and in a hard-fought game marred by 57 fouls and 74 free throw attempts, the Panthers took a 51-45 lead going into the second half on 20-22 free throw shooting. Tufts gradually crept back in the game, taking the lead 59-58 on a three-pointer with 15:12 left, but Middlebury responded with a 13-4 run of their own, giving them the lead 71-68 advantage at 9:30.With the score tied at 73-73, the Jumbos took control. Middlebury struggled to keep up, and the Tufts ended with 103-88 win. Anderson (11 points), Coratti (10) and Altman (14) all contributed well in the losing effort. With the loss the Panthers move to 11-12 on the season, and 3-5 in the NESCAC. The Panthers will next play Williams on Saturday in a game that may well decide whether it gains a NESCAC playoff berth. "We want to be in control of our own destiny," says Bundonis. "We can't rely on other teams to decide our fate. We're looking at this last game as a must-win situation. We've progressed a lot, but we shouldn't have dropped both games on that Maine trip [against Colby and Bowdoin]. Now there's pressure on us for this last week."
