Edition II: March 9, 2004
Sports Covered:
Men's Hockey
Women's Hockey
Indoor Track
MEN'S HOCKEY WINS NESCAC CHAMPIONSHIP
The Middlebury College men's hockey team won its fourth NESCAC Championship in the five years of the tournament with a pair of wins last week. The Panthers will make their 10th straight NCAA Tournament appearance this weekend when they host Wentworth in an NCAA Quarterfinals game on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
In the semifinals, Middlebury out shot Hamilton 47-21 on its way to a 3-1 win over the Continentals. Senior Kevin Cooper (Mississauga, Ont.) opened the scoring at 4:43 as senior Andrew Helming (Sharon, Conn.) skated up the ice on the left wing before finding Cooper with a crossing pass for the one-timer. Cooper almost made it 2-0 just 30 seconds later, but his breakaway attempt was stopped by Rob MacNeil. The Panthers were able to solve MacNeil for the second time at 8:44 of the second period to take a 2-0 lead. Cooper fed the puck to junior Brian Phinney (Ripton, Vt.), who's shot from the left side was tipped into the net down low by Helming.
Cooper made it a 3-0 game 7:41 into the third period as he broke in all alone and scored through the five-hole of MacNeil. Hamilton scored at 13:46 of the third period to break up the shutout. Senior Marc Scheuer (Pt. Claire, Que.) made 20 saves in goal for Middlebury, while MacNeil made 44 stops for Hamilton
In the title game, Middlebury scored five goals in a 9:24 span on its way to a 6-2 win over Trinity. The teams felt each other out in the early goings, with Middlebury having a few early chances. The Bantams earned their first shot of the game at 14:41 of the first period as Ryan Stevens was stopped by Scheuer as he was breaking in all alone. Trinity scored the game's first goal at 4:47 of the second period with a one-timer from the slot. Middlebury answered on the power play just 3:06 later as senior Mike Velez (S. Windsor, Conn.) ripped a shot from the left point before Phinney scored on a backhander from the high slot. On the ensuing face-off, sophomore Shady Young (Bethlehem, Pa.) came out of the pack with the puck and scored with a low shot to the right side. Cooper made it a 3-1 game at 11:35 with a shot through the five-hole on a breakaway for the shorthanded goal. Middlebury scored another special teams goal at 16:39 as senior John Dawson's (New Canaan, Conn.) snap !
shot from down low deflected into the net off a Trinity skate. The Panthers kept coming as Dawson scored another power play goal just 34 seconds later, after a rebound and a scramble in the slot area. Trinity scored at 12:35 of the third period before senior Adam Foote (New Hartford, N.Y.) added the Panther's fourth power play goal of the game at 15:19 to make it a 6-2 final. Scheuer made 18 saves in goal for Middlebury.
* Men's hockey record: 24-3
* Up next: 3/13 vs. Wentworth - 7:00 (NCAA Quarterfinals)
WOMEN'S HOCKEY FALLS IN NESCAC FINAL, EARNS NCAA BID
The Panther women's hockey team lost in the NESCAC title game at Bowdoin, but earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Middlebury will host Elmira in the quarterfinals this Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
In the semifinals, Middlebury put the first goal on the board when junior Lorna Gifis (Princeton, N.J.) got free on a breakaway and netted the puck in the top right corner. Less than a minute later, first-year player Abby Kurtz-Phelan (Denver, Colo.) extended the Panthers' lead to two with a shot through the five-hole. Williams cut the lead to 2-1 before the Panthers regained their two-goal advantage when first-year player Shannon Tarrant (Brookfield, Conn.) netted a wrist shot from close range. Middlebury went up 4-1 midway through the third period as Gifis notched her second goal of the afternoon. Gifis did not stop there, as she completed her hat trick minutes later with a goal on a rebound. Sophomore Kate Kogut (Springfield, Mass.) made 38 saves in goal as Middlebury earned the 5-1 win.
In the championship, Bowdoin scored late in the first period to take a 1-0 lead. In the second period, the Polar Bears took a 2-0 lead on a power play goal. Middlebury brought the game within one on an early power play in the third period. Senior Jean Butler (W. Hartford, Conn.) ripped a slap shot that was tipped into the net by Yale-Loehr. Bowdoin answered just over a minute later with an unassisted goal to give them a 3-1 lead. The Polar Bears sealed the game with six minutes left as they scored to take a 4-1 lead. Senior Kati Madouros (White Plains, N.Y.) made 28 saves in goal.
* Women's hockey record: 21-4
* Up next: 3/12 vs. Elmira - 7:00 (NCAA Quarterfinals)
INDOOR TRACK TEAMS COMPETE AT ECAC'S
The Middlebury College indoor track teams took part in the ECAC Championships last weekend at Bowdoin.
Senior Maryanne Porter (W. Roxbury, Mass.) led the women's team as she placed fourth in the 400 meter with a time of 59.50, earning All-ECAC honors.
Two men's relay teams enjoyed tremendous success, while junior Nick Digani (Northfield, Ill.) performed well individually. Digani finished second in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:31.66, earning all-conference honors.
The men's 4x800 relay team of Digani, junior Jon Erwin (Rumson, N.J.), sophomore Matt Horesta (Pomptain Plains, N.J.) and first-year runner Connor O'Neil (Friendswood, Texas) took 19 seconds off the school record with a time of 7:59.89. They placed eighth overall, earning All-ECAC honors.
The 4x200 relay team of senior Tony Garofano (Colchester, Vt.), junior Liam Aiello (Middletown, Conn.), sophomore Kevin Bright (Sharon, Mass.) and first-year athlete Alex Wellman (Charlotte, N.C.) placed fourth overall in 1:33.68, earning All-ECAC honors.
* Indoor teams compete at ECAC's
* 3/12-13 @ NCAA Championship
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SPORTS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB: www.gomidd.com