For Release: April 2, 2007

MEN’S TENNIS EARNS 5-1 MARK IN CALIFORNIA

The Middlebury College men’s tennis team won five of six matches played during its spring break trip to California. The Panthers opened the trip with a 6-3 win over Pomona-Pitzer, before defeating Chapman, 9-0. Middlebury then suffered its only loss of the trip, a 5-4 contest to Azusa Pacific on Monday. The Panthers then picked up a 6-3 win over Fresno Pacific, a 9-0 victory over California Tech and an 8-1 win over Redlands.

Junior Filip Marinkovic (Toronto, Ont.) earned a 5-0 mark on the trip, to lead the team in singles play. Senior Kevin Bergesen (Beverly, Mass.) and first-year player Andrew Thomson (W. Bloomfield, Mich.) each went 4-1, while sophomore Conrad Olson (Waterloo, Belgium) earned a 4-0 mark. Rookie Peter Odell (Scarsdale, N.Y.) went 3-0, while seniors Alex Scott (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.) and George Mayer (Merion, Pa.) and first-year players Andrew Lee (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Eliot Jia (Mt. Desert, Maine) each earned a pair of wins.

In doubles play, Bergesen/Thomson and Marinkovic/Olson earned 4-1 records, while Scott/Mayer won twice.
• Men’s tennis record: 7-1
• Up next: 4/6 @ Hamilton, 4/7 vs. Villanova – 12:00, 4/7 vs. Colby-Sawyer – 4:00

WOMEN’S TENNIS WINS FOUR OF FIVE

The Panther women’s tennis team won four of five matches they played over spring break, including a 9-0 win at Hamilton on Sunday. Middlebury opened the break with a 6-3 win over S.E. Missouri State in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The Panthers defeated Whitworth 9-0 the next day, before falling 6-3 to Depauw. Middlebury handed Missouri-St. Louis a 9-0 loss before returning north to defeat Hamilton.

Sophomore Elizabeth Emery (McLean, Va.) and senior Emily Holick (Sudbury, Mass.) both earned impressive 5-0 records over the five-match span. Junior Claire Smyser (Houston, Texas) went 4-1 on the week, sophomore Clare Burke (Summit, N.J.) went 3-1, while senior Amy Roche (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), sophomores Elizabeth Stone (Cohassett, Mass.) and Chandra Kurien (Fairfield, Conn.), along with first-year player Jamie Haar (Alpine, N.J.) each had a pair of wins.

Roche/Smyser went 4-1 in doubles play, Holick/Burke were 3-0, while Emery/Stone and Kurien/Harr each earned two wins.
• Women’s tennis record: 7-2
• Up next: 4/5 vs. Williams – 4:00, 4/7 @ Amherst

SOFTBALL GOES 7-5 ON SPRING TRIP

The Middlebury College softball team earned a 7-5 mark over a dozen games in Ft. Myers, Florida on the team’s annual spring break trip.

The Panthers opened the season with a 10-8 loss to Bethel in nine innings. Junior Katelyn Cannella (Pleasantville, N.Y.) went 2-4 with three runs scored, senior Susan Miranowski (St. Paul, Minn.) was 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBI, while senior Jennifer Williams (Scarborough, Maine) also had a pair of hits.

Middlebury earned its first win of the year with a 9-7 decision over Southern Maine. The Panthers broke open a 6-6 tie with three runs in the sixth on their way to the win. Junior Lily Hamburger (Silver Spring, Md.) went 3-4 with three runs scored, three RBI and a homer in the game. Junior Allison Bard (Jenkintown, Pa.) was 4-4 with three driven in, while senior Colleen Sullivan (Concord, Mass.) went 3-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Junior Brittany Burke (Medfield, Mass.) earned the win, striking out four over seven innings.

Colby scored three runs in the seventh to pull out a 6-4 win over Middlebury. Canella was 2-2 in the contest, while senior Maura Casey (Garden City, N.Y.) went 2-3 with a pair driven in.

Burke threw a one-hit shutout in a five inning game as Middlebury defeated M.I.T., 9-0. Canella was 3-3 with three runs scored, Casey went 2-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Sullivan was 2-3 with three RBI.

The Panthers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to pick up a 3-2 victory over Potsdam. Canella, Hamburger and junior Carolyn Davis (Sparta, N.J.) each had hits in the game, while Canella stole a pair of bases. Burke earned the win, allowing no earned runs over seven innings of work.

Middlebury pounded out 14 runs on 18 hits as they picked up a 14-2 victory over Oberlin. Senior Ellen Sargent (St. Albans, Vt.) went 4-4 with five RBI on a triple and a homer. Cannella was 3-4 with three runs scored, Bard went 3-4 with a pair scored, while sophomore Amelia Magistrali (Torrington, Conn.) also had three hits. Williams earned the win, striking out 10 over seven innings.

The offense continued against Thomas as the Panthers scored 10 runs en route to a 10-2 win. Magistrali went 3-4 with two runs scored and three RBI with a homer in the game. Casey was 2-3 with three runs scored and three RBI, while Burke earned the win in the five-inning contest.

Middlebury made it five straight wins as they picked up 17 hits in a 15-6 win over Wisconsin-Whitewater. Bard went 3-4 with a double, triple and five RBI in the game, while Magistrali was 3-5 with three runs scored and five RBI. Cannella, Casey, Hamburger and Williams each had two hits, while Hamburger drove in three runs. Williams earned her second win of the season, allowing just three earned runs.

The streak ended against Depauw, as Middlebury suffered a 9-4 loss. Bard went 3-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in the game, while Sargent also had a pair of hits.

Wisconsin-Whitewater avenged a loss earlier in the trip, as they defeated Middlebury, 5-2. Canella went 3-4 to lead Middlebury in the game.

The Panthers dropped their third straight game as they fell to Cardinal Stritch, 6-1. Bard and sophomore Natalie Komrovsky (Independence, Ohio) were the lone Panthers to pick up hits in the game.

Middlebury ended its trip on a good note as they bounced back to thump Cardinal Stritch, 15-3 in a five inning game. The Panthers scored seven runs in the second inning and sixth in the fifth to earn the win. Every player in the line-up had at least one hit, led by Miranowski, who went 3-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Magistrali went 2-3 with a homer and two runs driven in, Burke was 3-4 with two RBI (while also earning the win), while Bard had a pair of hits.
• Softball record: 7-5
• Up next: 4/3 vs. Skidmore – 3:30/5:30, 4/4 @ Norwich (2), 4/6 @ Hamilton, 4/7 @ Hamilton (2)

WOMEN’S LACROSSE WINS TWO OF THREE

The Panther women’s lacrosse team won two of three games last week, playing some tough competition. The week opened with the team taking its first loss of the season, an 11-10 decision at #3 Salisbury.

Middlebury seniors Liza Humes (Greenwood Village, Colo.) (three goals, one assist) and Claire Edelen (Sparks, Md.) scored a game-high three goals apiece to lead the Panthers. Junior Katherine Entwisle (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) and senior Kim Walker (Ridgewood, N.J.) scored two goals each, while junior Amanda Smith (Greenwich, Conn.) added two assists in the loss.

Each team scored their goals in bunches as the game saw four ties and three lead changes. SU scored the game's first two goals followed by three from Middlebury. The longest goal run was five by the Gulls in the first half. The Panthers scored the final two goals before the half to cut the SU lead to one, 8-7, at the break.

In the second half, SU scored quickly on Shores’ second goal of the game. The Panthers answered with back-to-back goals from Entwisle and Humes. Salisbury broke the 9-9 tie with a goal from Khatchatoorian off a feed from senior Natalie Degele. Johnson scored 12 minutes later off Ackermann’s fifth assist only to watch Edelen score eight seconds later to reduce the SU advantage to 11-10.

SU goalie Natalie Pappas made seven saves in the game, while Middlebury sophomore Blair Bowie (Washington, D.C.) stopped 12.

Middlebury bounced back after a loss at Salisbury with an exciting 11-10 overtime victory over top-ranked Gettysburg. The loss is the first of the season for the Bullets, while fourth-ranked Middlebury moves to 2-1. Smith scored seven points on four goals and three assists to lift the Panthers to the win. The loss is the first for the Bullets and just their third in the last 37 games.

The Panthers got a big offensive performance from Walker, who scored three times. Rookie midfielder Dana Heritage (Cheshire, Conn.) and Entwisle scored twice each, while Humes passed out three assists.

Middlebury dominated the game on the draw control, winning 18-of-26 for the afternoon. That led to Heritage and Entwisle each scoring within the first 3:29 to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage. Gettysburg roared back with the next four goals, scoring the first three in a span of 2:07.

Walker and Smith scored the next two to draw Middlebury even at 4-4. The teams then traded goals twice, with Gettysburg breaking each deadlock. Heritage tied it up at 6-6 with 3:19 to go before halftime, but the Bullets answered, scoring twice before the break.

Ceglarski emerged from a scrum about 10 yards in front of the goal with the ball for an uncontested point-blank shot that beat Bowie, who made nine stops in the game. Moore ran the Gettysburg lead to 8-6 with 28 seconds showing on the clock, and that is how the first half would end.

After the break, Browning scored again just 38 seconds in to complete a 3-0 Bullet run. Middlebury took control for an 8:08 span over which it scored four goals to take its first lead since 2-0. Smith’s third goal made it 10-9 with 20:40 to go in regulation.

The Bullets ended the run when senior Katie Hagan netted a free-position goal at the 17:42 mark to tie it up again at 10-10. Less than four minutes later, junior attacker Jamie Giffuni made a nice pass from behind the cage to senior attacker Jen Betts near the right post. Betts pulled the trigger on the go-ahead goal with 14:13 to play, but that would be the end of the scoring for the home team.

With 4:19 showing on the clock, Entwisle scored on Smith’s last assist to even it up. From there, the Panthers called a timeout and won the ensuing draw control. They successfully passed the ball around the perimeter for the next four minutes before attacking.

It appeared that the game was destined for overtime, which it ultimately was, but the last five seconds of the second half were not without drama. A Bullet yellow card led to a Middlebury free-position shot with four seconds left on the clock. The shot was wide, but Heritage gathered the ground ball and got off another shot as time expired. That too was wide, forcing the extra session.

With 1:43 gone in the first half of the overtime period, Smith struck again, this time for the game-winner.

Middlebury won its home-opener on Kohn Field as they earned a 19-8 NESCAC victory over Colby. The Panthers scored nine of the game’s first 10 goals, cruising to the victory.

The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 6:04 of the contest. Colby broke up the run before Middlebury ran off six straight to take a 9-1 lead with 12:36 left in the half. Walker scored a pair in the run, both assisted by Entwisle, while the final two goals by Heritage and Smith were free position attempts.

Colby went on a brief run, scoring four of the next five goals to make it a 10-5 game at the 4:02 mark. Becky Julian scored a pair of goals, while Lauren Barrett and Megan Towe scored free position tallies. Middlebury followed with three goals in the final 1:54 of the half to take a 13-6 lead at the intermission.

Walker scored the first three goals of the second half for Middlebury to make it a 16-8 game with 17:19 remaining. The Panthers slowed down the game from there, adding a pair of goals by sophomore Kate Barton (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and one from junior Mimi Schatz (Baltimore, Md.) to end the scoring.

Walker ended the game with six goals, Edelen netted four, while Barton and Smith had two apiece. Shatz ended the game with four assists, while Entwisle had a pair. Blair Bowie made four saves in 52 minutes, while junior Whitney Wildrick (Flourtown, Pa.) did not need to make a save in the final 8:00.
• Women’s lacrosse record: 3-1
• Up next: 4/4 vs. Williams – 4:15, 4/7 @ Amherst

TRACK & FIELD COMPETES IN CALIFORNIA

The Middlebury College track and field teams were in action in San Diego on their annual spring break trip. The Panthers competed twice at Point Loma, earning some impressive finishes along the way.

Sophomore Alexandra Krieg (Wellesley, Mass.) turned in the top performance of the week, winning the 5000 in the first meet with a time of 17:29.89, qualifying her for the NCAA’s. Senior Mary Frederickson (Florham Park, N.J.) was a winner in the javelin with a toss of 127’10”, while sophomore Emer Feighery (Westborough, Mass.) placed fourth in the pole vault, clearing 10’. Sophomore jumper Kelley Coughlan (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) finished fourth in the high jump (4’10”) and second in the triple jump (35’10.75”).

Senior Kara Plunkett (Topsfield, Mass.) placed second in the 1500 meters (4:51.72), sophomore Jennifer Brenes (Lawrence, Mass.) finished second in the 100 hurdles (15.77), while sophomore Simone Weisman (Newton, Mass.) came in third in the 400 (1:00.39). Junior Sarah Norton (Denver, Colo.) finished fourth in the 800 (2:21.33), while senior Samantha Ritt (Mequon, Wis.) was fourth in the 1500 (5:00.38).

Senior Bobby Marcoux (Campbell Hall, N.Y.) finished second for the men in the discus, with a toss of 146’8”. Senior Pascal Losambe (S. Burlington, Vt.) finished third in the shot put (45’10.5”), while senior Conor O’Neil (Friendswood, Texas) was third in the 800 (1:56.94).

In the second meet at Point Loma, Krieg and Frederickson both repeated as winners in their events. Krieg finished the 5000 in 17:38.67, while Frederickson tossed the javelin 125’1” to win. Sophomore Emily Jacobs (Greene, Maine) placed second in the 5000 (18:26.55), as did senior Andrea Giddings (S. Portland, Maine) in the steeplechase (11:38). Brenes placed fourth in the 200 (26.55), Butler was fourth in the 800 (2:20.87), Plunkett came in fourth in the 1500 (4:44.96), while Coughlan was fifth in both the high jump (4’10”) and the triple jump (34’7.75”).

The men were led by senior Will McDonough’s (Lancaster, N.H.) third place finish in the 1500 (4:02). Losambe came in fourth in the shot pout (45’10.75”), while sophomore Barclay Mackinnon (Norwich, Vt.) placed fourth in the 800 (1:58).
• Track teams open spring season
• Up next: 4/7 @ Springfield Invitational

MEN’S LACROSSE DROPS A PAIR

The Panther men’s lacrosse team suffered its first two losses of the season last week, moving to 4-2 on the year. The week began as they dropped a 9-7 contest at Washington and Lee on spring break. W&L senior goalkeeper Chris Lalli posted 14 saves in leading the Generals to a 9-7 victory over the fourth-ranked Panthers. The game began at Wilson Field, but was delayed by nearly two hours due to lightning before resuming on the W&L Turf Field later in the evening.

Once play resumed, junior Jim Cabrera (Old Greenwich, Conn.) scored the game's first two goals en route to four first-half scores, but the Generals kept pace and the teams entered the halftime break tied at 5-5.

Washington and Lee scored the lone goal of the third period at the 13:29 mark on an unassisted tally by Charlie Clarke, but the Panthers took the lead back by scoring the first two goals of the fourth quarter, including a man-down goal by sophomore Tom Petty (Newburyport, Mass.), for a 7-6 advantage. However, the Generals bounced back with three straight goals to post their fourth-straight victory.

Jim Ryan tied the game at 7-7 with 7:48 left. Tim Skeen and Will Keigler notched the game-winner with a man-up tally at the 6:29 mark. Lee McLaughlin added an insurance goal when he scored unassisted with just 3:37 remaining.

Middlebury was paced by Cabrera's four goals and one goal and one assist each from Petty and senior Will Simpson (Chevy Chase, Md.). Senior goalkeeper Alex Palmisano (Southport, Conn.) recorded eight saves between the pipes.

The Panthers suffered their second straight loss as they dropped a 13-12 double overtime contest at Colby. The Panthers take their first loss against Colby since ’98, when they again fell in Maine, 13-12. Dan Schupack scored with 3:06 left in the second overtime period to lift Colby to the upset win.

Schupack broke in from the right side on a run and ripped a high shot that beat Palmisano. The Mules scored two goals in the final 2:12 of regulation to send the game to overtime. Drew Piekarski blasted a long shot with 2:12 left and then first-year attacker Whit McCarthy got the biggest goal of his young collegiate career with just 38.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Colby took a 4-2 lead after the first quarter, but Middlebury exploded for eight unanswered goals in the second quarter for a 10-4 margin at halftime. The Panthers went up 11-4 about three minutes into the third quarter, but Colby scored six unanswered goals the rest of the quarter to make it 11-10.

Senior Nick Bastis (Old Greenwich, Conn.) tallied for Middlebury with 13:53 left in the fourth quarter, but neither team could manage a goal until Piekarski’s goal with 2:12 left.

Cabrera led the Panthers with three goals and three assists, while sophomore Mike Stone (Boston, Mass.) had three goals.
• Men’s lacrosse record: 4-2
• Up next: 4/4 @ Williams, 4/7 vs. Amherst – 1:00

BASEBALL TEAM RETURNS FROM ARIZONA

The Middlebury College baseball team spent its second consecutive season in Phoenix, Arizona for its spring break trip. The Panthers won their first two games over Colby to start the trip, ending the week by dropping two of three NESCAC games to Williams.

Summaries of the games will be available on the Middlebury website on Tuesday.
• Baseball record: 4-7
• Up next: 4/3 @ St. Michael’s, 4/6 vs. Wesleyan – 4:00, 4/7 vs. Wesleyan – 12/3:00

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SPORTS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB: www.gomidd.com