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(01/30/02 12:00am)
Author: Dan Russel The Panthers began league play on Friday, Jan. 18 as it opened up their New England Small College Athetic Conference (NESCAC) season against Trinity College. Trinity (10-2) made four three-pointers and shot over 50 percent in the first half as Middlebury fell behind 17-4 in the opening minutes of the game. Once again, the men showed themselves to be a remarkably resilient team, cutting the Bantams' lead to six, 33-27, at halftime. Trinity continued its offensive onslaught in the second half, however, making 6-8 three-point shots and shooting 63 percent as a team, at one point leading by as many as 21. Middlebury once again battled back, led by fine performances from former high school teammates, captain Eric Bundonis '03 (15 points) and Michael Salek '05 (10 points). Nate Anderson '04 (7 points, 8 rebounds) and Adam Sinoway '05 (9 points, 6 offensive rebounds) also proved instrumental in helping the Panthers get back into the game, as it cut Trinity's lead to within four. It would get no closer however, as Trinity eventually pulled away 79-65. The team then faced what appeared to be an even more daunting challenge against Amherst College, then the 14th ranked team in Division III, which had just suffered an embarrassing 29 point loss to conference rival Williams College. The Panthers, however, came out to a roaring start and pushed the ball from the very beginning, going on a 12-2 run and leading at one point by as many as 21, spurred on by a burst of three point shooting (6-12 in the first half) and shooting over 50 percent for the game, cruising into halftime with a 41-22 advantage. Amherst finally regained their bearings in the second half, and cut the score to within four with 11:04 remaining. They would get no closer, however, as Middlebury made a number of key defensive stops spurred on by a crippling late-game block by Bundonis. Middlebury then went on an 8-0 run and maintained a five point advantage the rest of the way. The team was led by balanced scoring and individual contributions from everyone in uniform in what was undoubtedly their best game this season and their greatest accomplishment as a team. The team was led by the superb play of Bundonis (20 points, 5-7 from behind the three point arc), Nate Anderson '04 (13 points, five rebounds and four assists), point guard Koby Altman '04 (10 points, four assists) and first-years Salek and Steve Sinoway, both with eight. It was a dominant performance by the young Panthers, handing a stunned Amherst team their second consecutive loss 76-69. The team then traveled Brandeis University, and in a game marred by poor shooting and a sluggish play, Brandeis was able to grind down the tempo of the game, limiting Middlebury's transition opportunities. The Panthers guarded a 24-22 lead going into halftime. In the second-half Middlebury was able to open up the floor and led by as many as 11 at one point. The team was led once again by the stellar play of forwards Bundonis (20 points, 7 rebounds, as well as 4-9 from behind the arc) and Anderson (17 points, six rebounds, 2-3 from behind the arc). Brandeis gradually crept back into the game, tying it at 54 on a pair of free throws with 2:02 left in the game. With Brandeis ahead 60-54, Anderson hit a clutch three-pointer to cut the lead once again to three. Brandeis managed to convert three more free throws, and although Middlebury showed poise and determination hitting another three, this time by Altman, they would never get any closer, as their last two three-point attempts went wide, handing Brandeis the victory 63-60.The Panthers' road trip continued as they traveled to Maine to play Bowdoin College last Friday and then Colby College on Saturday. Against Bowdoin, they once again were forced to recover from an early lead as Bowdoin made 10 of their first 12 shots and took an early 24-9 lead, and held a 42-25 advantage going into halftime. Middlebury's shooting improved dramatically in the second half, however, as they made six of their 12 three-point attempts and went on a 14-3 tear as Anderson once again came up with a crucial three pointer to get the Panthers within four. The team managed to get as close as three on a layup by Altman with only 17 seconds remaining. On the next possession, Bowdoin scored on a fast-break layup with 12 seconds remaining, destroying the Panthers' momentum, with Bowdoin eventually winning 76- 71. Against the White Mules of Colby College, Middlebury led by two going into the half, and the score remained close throughout the first 10 minutes of the second half. Colby scored on four consecutive possessions, taking a 60-51 lead. Middlebury promptly answered as Salek, David Coratti '04 and Sinoway hit consecutive shots from the outside, bringing Middlebury to within three, 70-67. Colby then took control of the game, holding the Panthers scoreless and running off a string of nine straight points over the course of the next few minutes, eventually winning 82-74. The tandem of Bundonis and Salek scored a combined 40 points, while Adam Sinoway chipped in with 12. With the loss the Panthers' fall to 8-10 overall and 1-4 in the NESCAC. Despite their valiant efforts over the course of the past week, they returned home from Maine with a sense of intense disappointment and frustration "We're young, but we've gotta get it done. There's a great sense of urgency to win," says Bundonis. "We were competitive in every game and we didn't even feel like we played that well. This weekend will be a real test to see what this team is made of. We need to jump out on these next two teams[Connecticut College and Wesleyan University]. We've gotta make the playoffs." On Tuesday night, the Panthers improved their record with an 84-77 home victory against Colby-Sawyer College. The win boosts Middlebury's record to 9-10 with four games left to play.
(01/16/02 12:00am)
Author: Emily BerlansteinStaff Writer While the majority of Middlebury students were welcoming 2002 in style, whether at home or on vacation, the women's basketball team rang in the New Year here in snowy Vermont, with practice. The Panthers returned to Middlebury on Jan. 30, and have since been preparing for their upcoming league contests. They recently played several games against non-conference foes, including Springfield, St. Lawrence and Norwich. Suffering their first two losses of the season in the past two weeks, the Panthers appear eager to claw their way back to the top in the upcoming weeks.On Sunday, Jan. 6, Middlebury suffered a heartbreaking loss to Springfield College, despite strong efforts from Alexis Batten '04, who scored a career high 19 points, Wesley Hyatt '03, with 15 and Kristin Hanley '03, with 12. The Pride was simply on fire at the end of the first half, turning Middlebury's early 19-5 lead around to 28-24, in their advantage. In the second half, the teams found themselves in a tie situation six times, but ultimately a pair of three-pointers allowed Springfield to triumph behind a final score of 65-63. The Panthers felt that they executed very well at certain moments, but at other times let down their guard. The Springfield in-your-face, denial defense disrupted Middlebury's offensive flow and allowed them to gain an offensive advantage. Last week was one of ups and downs for the Panthers, who, with smooth transitions and cool confidence were able to manage a second-half win over St. Lawrence on Tuesday. Middlebury ended the first half, with a 14-0 run and carried this momentum through the second half, emerging with a 55-48 victory. Hyatt and Hanley combined for nearly half of Middlebury's points, with 10 each. Megan McCosker '02 was a force under the boards, with nine rebounds. Batten reflects, "it was a game where no player had an exceptional performance, but it was through teamwork and contribution from everyone that allowed us to pull through with the win." On Thursday, the Panthers continued this inconsistent trend, accumulating an early 13- point lead, but ultimately falling to Norwich, 67-53. Norwich retaliated at the end of the first half and opened the second half with an 11-2 run. Batten was once again an asset for Middlebury, contributing 17 points and 7 rebounds. Hanley, with 10 points, was also a force for the Panthers. According to Batten, the Panthers "started out strong and thought the game was going to be easier than it actually was." Unfortunately, Norwich's best player got on a roll and the Panthers "allowed her too many opportunities." Another unfortunate factor that contributed to the loss was Hyatt's inability to play due to illness. Recently, the Panthers have focused on playing at a consistent level. They have realized their potential by experiencing great accomplishments, but have also found that the common cliché, "there's always room for improvement," applies to any successful team. This weekend, as they head into league play with games at Trinity and Amherst, Middlebury hopes to dominate the New England Small College Athletic Conference by learning from their previous mistakes.
(01/16/02 12:00am)
Author: Dan RussellStaff Writer The Middlebury College men's basketball team returned from their break with renewed enthusiasm, as they resumed practice on Dec. 30 in preparation for a grueling winter term schedule, consisting of seven games over the course of 13 days. The new year began on a somber note for the Panthers, however, as they were forced to cope with the unfortunate loss of influential senior forward/center Chris King for the rest of the season to an ankle sprain. As one of Middlebury's co-captains and its lone senior, his quiet but strong presence and veteran leadership proved invaluable in helping the youthful Panthers adjust to their new roles and the rigors of Division III basketball. His loss is perhaps all the more saddening in that this season was to be, in many ways, his first full season, having waiting patiently as an understudy to a team which graduated nine seniors last year, and finally getting the chance to assume his role as a starter. He made his presence felt immediately, showing enormous potential and flashes of brilliant play.The Panthers proved their resiliency, however, as they banded together to face their first true test of the new year against Springfield College (Mass.) on Jan. 6. It was a tightly contested match from the very beginning with the lead changing hands several times throughout the first half. Middlebury was able to hold Springfield (9-1), and its All-American Michael Parker in check with a trapping press defense and entered halftime with a 34-31 lead. Springfield regained the lead in the second half, leading at one point by as many as nine. The Panthers promptly responded with an 8-0 run of their own, cutting the lead to one with 9:27 left in the game. Eric Bundonis '03, the lone remaining upperclassman, turned in a very strong performance, leading all scorers with 17 points and six rebounds, aided by the play of point guard Koby Altman '04 (10 points, 4 assists.) The game also saw the emergence of Michael Salek '05 who, in an offensive explosion, scored 12 points in the space of 12 minutes of play, including a barrage of 3-pointers - 3-of-6 from behind the arc. In a thrilling series, with Springfield up by three with only two minutes left to play in the second half, Salek showed incredible poise by hitting a clutch three pointer to tie the game. Springfield was then unable to score on their last possession, sending the game into overtime. Springfield's experience gave them the advantage in overtime however, as they made 12 of their 13 foul shots, and gradually edged out Middlebury. In a valiant effort, with Springfield ahead by three, Salek hit another three-pointer to tie the game. Yet Springfield was able to score inside on the next series and Middlebury was unable to answer on the other end, as Bundonis' shot went wide. Middlebury was then forced to foul, and Springfield converted their last four free throws, finally winning 81-74. It was a good test of the Panthers' mettle against a very good Springfield team and is an encouraging sign of things to come. The team achieved some measure of redemption against Norwich University following the tough Springfield loss. The game was never really in doubt as the Panthers led from the start and shot 5-10 from behind the three-point line while holding the Cadets to only 36 percent shooting in the first half (as well as out-rebounding them 46-35 in the game); going into halftime leading 33-26. In the second half, they went on a 16-4 run to pull away eventually winning 64-48. Bundonis turned in another find performance with 18 points on 8-15 shooting as well as hauling down four rebounds, and Nate Anderson '04 and David Coratti '04, chipped in with nine and seven points, respectively. The Panthers then traveled to Keene State (9-1), and played perhaps their best game of the season in another fiercely competitive matchup. The Panthers guarded a one-point lead 37-36 at halftime, and led by as many as eight points with 14:59 left to play in the second half on a three-pointer by freshman Adam Sinoway '05 who had 10 points on 2-6 from behind the arc. The Owls gradually fought their way back into the game and regained the lead however, and pulled away for good in the last eight minutes on a flurry of three-pointers and second-chance shots, eventually winning 88-73. The loss of King was perhaps most keenly felt in this match as the Owls exploited the Panthers' weakness inside, out-rebounding them on the offensive boards 23-8. Anderson led the Panthers with a team-high 19 points. The Panthers then returned to Pepin Gymnasium and beat Castleton State handily 80-61, finishing with a 6-6 record overall. The game against Keene State, one of their stronger opponents this season, was an excellent gauge of their ability. The Panthers begin New England Small College Athletic Conference play against Trinity this Friday and then against Amherst the following day, both at home. The Panther's played a late game on Tuesday, Jan. 15 in which they beat Union at home in the newly renovated Pepin Gymnasium. With the 64-58 victory the men's team now moves above .500 sporting a 7-6 record.
(01/16/02 12:00am)
Author: By Megan MichelsonLocal News Editor While the national economy struggles through a period of recession, the Vermont legislatures are attempting to avoid sinking lower into a similar state of economic turmoil. Vermont residents will be affected by upcoming budget cutbacks, including possible cuts from the treasury accounts that provide money to public schools, road maintenance, health services and other general operations. According to an article in The Rutland Herald, Vermont Governor Howard Dean will give a presentation of the state budget to lawmakers at the end of January. In his talk, Dean will show that tax collection totals for the months of November and December were definitively lower than they have been in previous years. This will result in an inevitable decrease in personal income tax totals for the state, a sum that usually represents Vermont's largest source of revenue and provides funds for half of the state's budget. In December a total of $36.6 million was acquired in personal income taxes, an amount that was $7.1 million less than the amount predicted for the month's total. The decrease in taxes will cause legislatures to make cuts in the budget, which will affect citizens of Vermont on a personal level. The cuts have already begun to influence services offered in the Middlebury area and local officials are beginning to express dismay. Executive Director at the Addison County Chamber of Commerce Linda Stern stated, "Any time cuts are made from a program that provides revenue to the state of Vermont for services, I am concerned." However, specific knowledge on which areas of revenue will be targeted will be unclear until final budget related decisions are made. "Until legislature discusses where cuts will be, it's hard to know where the impact is going to be," Stern said. According to Barbara Harding, the travel-marketing director at the Chamber of Commerce, the budget cuts have already affected the town's spending. "We are expecting an additional five percent reduction in terms of funding used for regional marketing," said Harding. Fortunately, the cuts have not forced the Chamber to reduce salaries, eliminate positions or terminate the production of the county's marketing magazine. "We have made adjustments to the budget in the office, and although we're expecting more budget cuts in the 2003 fiscal year, we will have to deal with it," concluded Harding. The Patricia Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury offers adult education and career training, however due to recent cuts of non-degree grants, tuition assistance is no longer offered to adults seeking to enhance their skills. Nancy Slater Cobden, the adult services coordinator at the Career Center, explained that in any given year nearly 100 adults use the government grants to take training programs and without that option, it limits their access to jobs. "It doesn't make sense to me. People are loosing jobs due to the state of the economy, yet legislature is cutting off the one avenue adults have to gain training to apply for new jobs," commented Cobden. Jim Daly, president of Porter Medical Center, said that the upcoming budget cuts could affect important areas of the hospital and Medicare financing. Although no specific information regarding this year's budget cuts at the hospital exists as of yet, Daly is worried about the future. "I'm concerned the cuts will have an impact on services, which will affect patients and residents," Daly said. He said he knows that there is no easy solution to the economic situation and stated, "There is no federal surplus and the state of Vermont will have a challenging time dealing with the budget."Lawmakers will begin to review Governor Dean's proposals for budget cuts following his presentation later this month and will then begin to work on the budget for the fiscal year 2003. Dean, who is considered a fiscal conservative, wishes to avoid using money from the $44 million that are held in the state's "rainy day" reserves. Dean disapproves of increased school spending at a time when the budget is so limited and suggests examining the costs of less necessary state services. However, there is hope for an improved economic state in upcoming months. In a Jan. 13, 2002, article in The Rutland Herald, state economists predicted a recovery of the economy in March. The editor of The Vermont Economy Newsletter Richard Heaps said, "The recession in Vermont will be shallower than the United States' recession."
(12/05/01 12:00am)
Author: John Oliver The Middlebury Ultimate Frisbee Pranksters made their mark on a national level three weeks ago in a tournament that concluded the fall season. Electing to pass on "Frozen Disc," a regional, co-ed tournament held at Dartmouth, the Pranksters instead undertook a thirteen-hour drive all the way to Wilmington, N.C. The tournament, held on the UNC-Wilmington campus, was a meeting-place for many of the best teams in the south-eastern portion of the country, including UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Wilmington, Georgia, University of Richmond, Eastern Carolina University and the University of Maryland. The morning of Saturday, Nov. 10 opened with three exciting games for Middlebury against Illinois, UNC-Chapel Hill and Richmond. In what would turn out to be a morning of incredible first half play and down-turning second halves for the Pranksters, Middlebury opened up strong against Illinois, scoring on the opening pull play with a deep huck from co-captain Alden "McFly" Woodrow '02 to Josh Howe '02, the team's favored deep man this season. After a beautiful hammer throw by co-captain Ray Coffey '02, Midd took the lead into the half. However, a combination of good adjustments by Illinois and some mental errors by the Prankster offense and defense lead to an Illinois comeback. After repeated game points, Illinois won a hard-fought battle by the score of 13-11. The third game of the morning resulted in a deflating loss to University of Richmond by the score of 15-13. The defining moment of the weekend, however, was in the last game on Saturday, versus the University of Georgia. Fighting declining morale and a severe injury to veteran offensive and defensive star Patrick "RoughHouse" Duffey '02, Middlebury rallied late in the game and overcame a 7-4 halftime deficit. In probably the best second half Middlebury has played all season, the Pranksters rolled as night set in and play continued under the field lights. Middlebury's hard-nosed, intensive man-to-man defense shut down the Georgia attack while the Prankster offense utilized the "dump and swing" tactic to keep the disc moving from one side of the field to the other, exhausting the Georgia defense. Middlebury won a solid victory by a score of 13-10. On Sunday morning, the aching and injured Pranksters suffered two losses to a solid Maryland team and the former national champion NC State team. Nonetheless, the games were characterized by good team defense by the Pranksters and inspired hustle. With seniors Matt Noble, Duffey, and co-captain Coffey sidelined with injuries, the remaining Pranksters finished the tournament proudly and positively.
(12/05/01 12:00am)
Author: Devin Zatorski News Editor In an event designed to ignite the Olympic spirit for the 2002 Winter Games, Katie Samson '02.5 will join the 7,200 torchbearers selected to carry the Olympic Flame on a 65-day, 13,500-mile journey spanning 46 states. The route begins in Atlanta, Ga., where the torch last touched United States soil, and concludes in Salt Lake City, Utah, the venue for this year's competition. Torchbearers were chosen from a pool of more than 210,000 nominees, each of whom had an inspirational story, according to the selection committee statement. Assistant Lacrosse Coach Missy Hopkins '99 said a large group of the Middlebury women's lacrosse alumni "sisterhood" nominated Samson for the honor. In their letters of nomination, the former players related a story that began with Samson's debut season on Middlebury's women's lacrosse team in 1999, when she was varsity goalie and received recognition as the Toyota Player of the Game. "She played every minute of every game and led the team to an NCAA title," said Head Lacrosse Coach Missy Foote, who recruited Samson out of a Radnor, Pa., high school. But January 2000 brought a sledding accident that left Samson paralyzed. Just a year later, she returned to campus determined to resume where she left off. To maintain her legacy of athletic involvement, Samson signed on as an assistant lacrosse coach.Foote noted Samson's skill as a "tactician" and her "great eye for the opponents' weaknesses," although in addition to her contributions as a coach, said Foote, Samson has also been "an inspiration to the team." When Foote heard Samson would be a torchbearer in the Olympic Torch Relay this December, she thought, "What a perfect honor for someone for whom sports has played such a significant role, and who is now inspiring so many others." Kully Hagerman '99, now the head lacrosse coach at Babson College in Babson Park, Mass., was a senior on the Middlebury women's lacrosse team when Samson was a first-year goalie. Praising Samson's "contagious" spirit, Hagerman recalled that, "Katie is the type of person that you just want to be around." "To me, Katie Samson is the Olympic spirit," Hagerman continued. "She has faced adversity and overcome it, always with a smile and a laugh." Her remark touched on the criteria for torchbearer selection, which the Salt Lake Organizing Committee characterized as "embodying the Olympic spirit and inspiring an individual or community. Foote recounted the inspiration last year's NCAA championship team drew from Samson's presence on the sidelines. At a press conference after Middlebury clinched the title, captain Betsy Wheeler '01 said that during the game, "she only needed to look towards the sidelines to be inspired by Katie sitting there," Foote explained. Hagerman holds Samson up as a model athlete with qualities she hopes to nurture in her players at Babson. "Katie symbolizes what it means to be a team player and go above and beyond the call of duty," she said. "Now as a coach myself, I can only hope that some of my players embody even 50 percent of the heart and commitment that Katie has. If they do then I will consider myself successful."Hopkins, who played defense when Samson was the goalie, commented, "Katie was a truly amazing goalie and a fierce competitor." She went on to mention that Samson's "smile, laugh and hilarious sense of humor are truly inspiring," and that Samson has taught her to "love every minute of my life."When Samson discovered that she had been selected as a torchbearer, she said that she was "amazed they picked me out of all these people in the country who were nominated for this." "Everybody thinks about being part of the Olympics when they're a little kid," Samson continued, so her selection as a torchbearer was something of a "dream come true."Assessing the significance of the relay, Samson remarked, "It's really important in times like these to carry out inspirational events that people can watch and take comfort in the unity of our country." She practices wheeling a mile a day to prepare, sporting the Coca-Cola warm up suit to advertise the relay's official sponsor. Still, she said, "I'm not quite sure I'm ready for it," but her excitement has not waned. While at home in Villanova, Pa., over Thanksgiving break, the Philadelphia affiliate of NBC News even conducted an interview with Samson. "The [television crew] came to my house, met my family and my dogs," recalled Samson. The station plans to air profiles of the 24 Philadelphia-area residents selected as torchbearers. Foote summed up Samson's effect on the lacrosse team, saying that, "Katie teaches us everyday about personal courage, poise, grace and perseverance. It is impossible for us as a team not to work a little harder and complain a little less when Katie is on the field."
(11/28/01 12:00am)
Author: Peter Yordan Staff Writer The five-time national champion Middlebury Men's Hockey team began another season this past week with three easy victories and one disappointing loss. With several new faces joining a host of veterans, the Panthers are confident that they have once again put together a team capable of vying for a national championship.The team waded gently into its long and perilous season with a couple of low-intensity matches before Thanksgiving break. On Friday Nov. 16, Middlebury traveled down to Saratoga Springs to kick off its season against Skidmore College. Despite scoring first, the overmatched Thoroughbreds soon submitted quietly as Middlebury fired a barrage of 47 shots to take a clean 6-1 victory. Fittingly, last year's leading goal scorer, Adam Foote '04 was the first Panther to find the net this season with a power-play goal 13 minutes into the first period. Five minutes later, Matt Dunn '02 scored another power-play goal to give Middlebury the lead. Seniors Andy Campbell and J. F. Duchesne each scored a goal in the second period to put the game beyond doubt, and Kevin Cooper '04 notched his first goal of the season one minute into the third period. Matt Snyder '02 finished the scoring with a power-play goal with 12 minutes remaining to seal off the team's first win.The next day, the Panthers traveled to Massachusetts College to play in another lopsided affair. Snyder started things off auspiciously with a goal nine minutes into the game. Reeling from the Panther pressure, Massachusetts took an early timeout to attempt to regain their composure. The gambit was proven a failure within a minute when Foote and Cooper scored in rapid succession to give the team a 3-0 lead. In the second period the team gave one back on the penalty kill before Snyder decided to put on a show, scoring three more goals before the period break. Though his four goals would have been enough on their own for the victory, Mike Kennedy '04 added another for good measure early in the third period. Massachusetts salvaged two more goals, but after 49 shots on goal Middlebury left with an easy 7-3 win.The next weekend the Panthers left early from Thanksgiving vacation to take part in the annual Great Northern Shootout. Their first game on Friday was against host Potsdam. Both teams struggled to work the tryptophan out of their systems in the early going, and it wasn't until 15 minutes into the second period that Middlebury was able to break the deadlock with a goal by Dunn. From then on it was smooth sailing for the team and goals by Snyder, Cooper and Andrew Helming '04, along with another by Dunn, gave the team a 5-0 victory.The next day, however, was a different story. Middlebury faced its first quality opponent, their dangerous in-state rivals, Norwich. The Cadets had just survived an exhausting double-overtime match-up the night before, but Middlebury was unable to capitalize on their opponents' fatigue. The Panthers were unable to score early on, despite having a two-man advantage for a full two minutes at 1:47 into the first period. Norwich found the opportunity to right itself when Campbell was called for tripping several minutes later. The Cadets converted their chance and scored again on the power play six minutes later, to go into the locker room during the first period break with a 2-0 lead. If Middlebury dug themselves into their hole in the first period with their penalties, it was Norwich who proceeded to bury them there with an onslaught of three goals in the second period. Dunn's tally 10 minutes into the second was the lone Panther goal of the night, and when the final whistle had blown, the team found itself on the wrong end of a 5-1 score."They came out ready to play, and we didn't," said head coach Bill Beaney. "We couldn't score at all on our power plays."The team will have to rebound quickly to finish off the fall season on a strong note. Before the winter break Middlebury must play several more important games, including a matchup against rival Plattsburgh State, the defending Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champs. Captains Ryan Constantine '02 and Grayson Fertig '02, along with assistant captain Snyder will be looking to lead the Panthers at least as far as last year's team, which lost to Plattsburgh in the NCAA tournament. Last year's team was marked by its youth, with at least seven first-years on the squad. This year those players are maturing sophomores, looking to take a more active role on the team. "The sophomore class will probably be the key class for us this season," said Coach Beaney. "We have a number of solid veteran players this year who have played in big games and understand what it takes to be successful at the national level." Several first-years have also joined the team, with Timothy Graham and Patrick Nugent seeing significant ice time in the early going.Family pride will be at stake when Middlebury plays its home opener this Friday against Southern Maine in another classic "Battle of the Beaneys." Coach Bill Beaney will attempt to deliver a victory to the Panther faithful over his brother Jeff Beaney's Huskies, while the team looks to catch its stride again and put last week's loss behind it.
(11/07/01 12:00am)
Author: David Lindholm Assistant Sports Editor Middlebury's volleyball team played host to the New England Small College Athetic Conference (NESCAC) Championships this past weekend, and the Panthers kicked off the tournament by hosting top-ranked Wesleyan on Friday. Looking toward the game, Head Coach Sarah Raunecker said, "We'll be looking for the one upset, and then we'll take it game by game from there." Her team would finish coming up just short, but put in a good performance against a team that ended up losing in the final to Williams.The Panthers knew that they would have their work cut out for them in the tournament after capturing the final playoff spot in the regular season. Wesleyan came into the match with a 24-7 overall record. However, Middlebury was ready to play.The match started out with a bang as the Panthers shocked the Cardinals in a solid 30-18 first game. The Panthers could not carry that momentum into the second game, however, as Wesleyan shot right back with a 30-17, evening the game at one apiece. The third game was the closest, both in terms of play and score, as the Panthers won 30-28 to go up 2-1. But Wesleyan simply would not quit and won the match with another 30-17 victory in the fourth game and a 15-5 win in the fifth and deciding game.The offense was very spread out, as Evan Kanaly '03, Luz Brito '04, Rachel Faraone '02 and Katy Hicks '05 each had nine kills. Not far behind were Danielle Boniello '04 and Katie Kenney '03, who each had five. On the defensive end, Kenney and Kanaly each had 12 digs; Faraone had nine and Brito had eight. Boniello led the team with three blocks. The team improved a lot over the course of the season and finished with a winning record of 13-12. The Panthers will look to improve on that figure next year as they return nine of 11 players.
(10/31/01 12:00am)
Author: David Lindholm Assistant Sports Editor The Middlebury Women's Volleyball team could not have asked for a better week going into the Nee England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) tournament. The Panthers lost only two games en route to a 4-0 week, sending visiting teams packing for long bus rides home. Now the team is on the prowl for upsets as the top seven teams in NESCAC come to the renovated Pepin Gymnasium for the championships. This Friday at 6 p.m., the Panthers will look to send powerhouse Wesleyan back to Connecticut very unsatisfied.The team started last week by hosting the University of Vermont and Plattsburgh on Tuesday. Not knowing what to expect from UVM, the Panthers came out gunning and quickly overpowered the Catamounts, taking the first game by a score of 30-23. Middlebury continued their dominance in the next two games, as they limited UVM to 18 points in the second game and 17 in third as the Panthers cruised to a 3-0 win. Rachael Faraone '02 led the team with 12 kills and nine digs, getting the job done on both sides of the ball. Luz Brito '04 was not far behind with 10 kills and eight digs. Katy Hicks '05 added eight kills and Kellie Jensen '02 had ten digs.In the second game of the day, Middlebury hopped out to a quick lead against Plattsburgh, winning the first game 30-16 and the second 30-23. However, Plattsburgh refused to go down, and fought to win the third game by a score of 30-25. The Panthers rebounded in the fourth, winning the game 30-21 to take the match. Jensen again lead the Panther defense, digging 18 balls in the four games, 13 more than anyone else on the team. Hicks and Danielle Boniello '04 led the offense with 10 and eight kills respectively. Boniello also had four solo and four tandem blocks in the match."Danielle had a good match," said head coach Sarah Raunecker, who praised the performances of Boniello. With regards to Hicks, Raunecker said, "She's a good player and she's been playing very well; she's improved a lot from the beginning until now."On Saturday, the Panthers were hunting for two more wins as they faced Colby-Sawyer College and Endicott College. In their first game of the day, Colby-Sawyer played the Panthers evenly, and in the end it was the Chargers who won 34-32 to take the 1-0 lead. The Panthers did not mull over the first-game loss, and won the next three for the 3-1 win. On defense, Jensen had 16 digs and Brito had 11; Evan Kanaly '03 had a stellar 19 kills and Faraone had 17 to lead the offense. The Panthers capped the week with a relatively easy 3-0 win against Endicott College. Every player got on the floor during the match, and many different players had their share of kills, blocks and digs. The match gave Middlebury a 4-0 record for the week, which improved their overall record to 13-11."We were expecting to win all four of [the games]," said Raunecker, "and we played well for the week. Overall it was a good performance." Now the team is in their final few days of practice before hosting the NESCAC tournament. The Panthers concluded their NESCAC matches a few weeks ago, and with a record of 3-7 the team had a bit of a mixed blessing. They did make the postseason tournament, earning the eighth seed, but in the first round they face a Wesleyan team that will come into the match with a 27-4 record. "We have a tough draw, but we have definitely improved over the season," says Raunecker. "We'll be looking for the one upset and then we'll take it game by game from there." The Wesleyan match will be played in Pepin Gymnasiam at 6 p.m. The tournament begins with two quarterfinal matches at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by the other two immediately after. Saturday morning will see the semifinals played at 11 a.m. and the final at 3 p.m.
(10/31/01 12:00am)
Author: David Lindholm Assistant Sports Editor I had just come in from the sub-zero temperatures of the tundra where they played the NESCAC men's soccer quarterfinals, and I saw that the common room in my hall was packed full of burly, unshaven men. This could have meant only one thing; it was Sunday and the NFL was on TV. They were all watching the Giants, and I asked if anyone knew the score of the San Diego Chargers – Buffalo Bills game. I received no audible answers, just a bunch of blank stares and a few expressions that meant "dunno" before the guys turned back to the TV. The last few years, the Bills were my favorite team, and this year it's the Chargers. This is true for only one reason: Doug Flutie. Now if any of the six of you who actually read this column don't know who Doug Flutie is, I'll give you a quick bio: Flutie won New England's heart when he completed a Hail Mary pass for Boston College to upset Miami 47-45 in 1984, the season that he won the Heismann Trophy. In 1989 he moved to Canada to play in the CFL, where he became a star. He was MVP six times in nine years, and won the Grey Cup (CFL's Super Bowl) three times. These two QBs, Flutie and Johnson, couldn't be more different. Flutie is fun to watch and is a nice guy, whereas Johnson is a boring jerk. The only mistake Flutie has ever made was signing the contract to do all the 10-10-220 commercials. In short, Flutie rules, and Rob Johnson sucks. Take my word for it. So when the Bills cut Flutie at the end of last season, the Chargers immediately picked him up. Now, San Diego is 5-2 and Buffalo is 1-5. I was eagerly awaiting Sunday's game so that the two QBs could go against each other for the first time. The game was going to be intense; Bills owner Ralph Wilson said last spring that he'd rather beat the Chargers this year than win the Super Bowl. Flutie and Johnson shook hands during the pre-game coin toss. "It was very professional," Flutie said. "He even made eye contact." Johnson said, "We just don't get along personally, that's all. I respect him professionally." And then the battle began. Both QBs played exceptionally well, but in the end, justice was served. Flutie powered into the end zone with 1.10 seconds left in the game, scoring on a 13-yard run to give the Chargers a 27-24 victory.Rob Johnson had a great game—his stats were just about equal to Flutie's—but, as was the case in Buffalo, he just got shown up. Part of the reason why the Bills played Johnson over Flutie is because Johnson is 28 years old, and Flutie just turned 39. But Flutie is the best quarterback so far this year. No, he's the best quarterback in the NFL. In fact, I think he's the best quarterback ever.
