Press Release

THIS WEEK IN SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE ATHLETICS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              FOR MORE INFORMATION October 17, 2005                                                                               Contact: Daniel O’Reilly                                                                                                         Phone: (802) 654-2929 COLCHESTER, Vt. – The field hockey team (9-7, 9-5 NE-10), ranked ninth in Tuesday’s STX/NFHCA Division II National Coaches’ Poll, suffered defeat twice this past week. In Wednesday’s contest against Bentley, ranked fifth in the nation, goals scored by senior Nikki Pickman (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) and freshman Jessica Finlay (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth) off of assists from junior Lindsay Brancaleone (Gloucester, Mass./Manchester Essex Regional) and sophomore Chelsea Kimball (North Berwick, Maine/Noble), weren’t enough for the Purple Knights, as they dropped a 3-2 contest in double overtime. SMC then traveled to Merrimack on Saturday, where Cassie Dewey (Lebanon, N.J./Mount Saint Mary’s Academy) and Megan Lagasse (Newburyport, Mass./Governor Dummer) scored in a 4-2 losing effort against the Warriors, despite Tina Nardi’s (Rupert, Vt./Salem Central) five saves. The women’s cross country team placed second in its four-team meet against Vermont, Lyndon State, and Norwich on Friday on the Saint Michael's campus. For the Purple Knights, senior Kim Fahner (Westminster, Vt./Vermont Academy) led the way, finishing five kilometers 19th out of 45 runners in 20:32. Sophomore Courtney Richard (Holliston, Mass./Holliston) was 20th in 20:42, freshman Mary Lynn Denholm (Sparks, Md./Okemo Mountain School) placed 24th in 21:00, senior Jessie Sedore (Craftsbury, Vt./Craftsbury) finished 29th in 21:45, and sophomore Bridget Craig (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) was 31st in 22:19. The men’s cross country team, competing with the same schools as the women, placed third on Friday. Junior Thomas Lichtenberger (Bloomfield, Conn./Northwest Catholic) placed fourth with an eight kilometer time of 26:15. Also for the Purple Knights, who finished with 71 points, senior Lionel Welch (Worthington, Mass./Wahconah Regional) was 14th out of 56 runners in 27:27, sophomore James Heelan (Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe) placed 19th in 27:44, freshman Will Manning (Jericho, Vt./Mount Mansfield Union) finished 25th in 28:25, and classmate Brendan Johnson (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock South) was 30th in 28:47. The volleyball team (1-10, 1-9 NE-10) played three matches this past weekend, and picked up its first victory of the season on Saturday against Assumption. Friday against American International, the Purple Knights jumped out to a quick 2-0 advantage in the best of five game format, but fell victim to a Yellow Jacket comeback, and lost the match 3-2. Saturday, co-captain Jessica Mulroy (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus) handed out 61 assists and classmate Kaitlyn Rae (Willbraham, Mass./Minnechuag Reg.) had 20 kills. Sophomore Leslie Herwig (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) had 25 digs and three aces for the Purple Knights, as they defeated the Greyhounds by a 3-2 score. SMC then hosted Merrimack on Sunday at the Ross Sports Center, losing straight sets to the Warriors, 3-0. The women’s soccer team (4-11-0, 2-10-0 NE-10) suffered two shutout losses last week, first to Southern New Hampshire by a 1-0 score, then to Assumption on Saturday, 2-0. Laura Tuveson (Norfolk, Mass./King Philip Regional) made her first career home start Saturday, which also marked the final collegiate home game for two Purple Knights seniors, Judy Cronin (Norfolk, Mass./King Philip Regional) and Kaylin Williamson (Barrington, R.I./Barrington). Cronin, who scored a hat trick within the first 14 minutes of her freshman campaign on August 31, 2002, has gone on to tally 24 goals and four assists in her career, which is good for ninth on the school’s all-time scoring list. Williamson, a catalyst in the Saint Michael's backfield over the past four seasons, has not missed a start since opening day of her sophomore year, and can take a great deal of credit for the 1.37 goals against average that the Purple Knights have boasted since she joined the team. The team has just two regular season games remaining, as this week’s match with Post University was canceled due to the Eagles’ scheduling conflicts resulting from the recent weather. The men’s soccer team (5-9-1, 3-7-1 NE-10) won a battle with Southern New Hampshire on Wednesday, by a final score of 1-0, beating the Penmen for the first time since 1986. After playing a scoreless tie for the first 76 minutes of the game, a corner kick by Mitsuhiro Hamakawa (Chiba, Japan/Gakushuin University) found defender Kimoi Seale (Brooklyn, N.Y./Prospect Heights), who then sent it over to freshman Scott Hinman (New Hartford, Conn./Northwestern Regional), who was able to find daylight in the back of the net for his third goal of the season. Patrick Melvin (Belmont, Vt./Black River) made seven saves in the match, five of which came in the second half, en route to the senior’s fourth shutout of the season. The team then traveled to Franklin Pierce on Saturday where, after a nearly three hour rain delay, the team suffered a 6-0 loss. The golf team opens up day one of the two day NEIGA Championship on Monday, which is being held on Cape Cod in Brewster, Massachusetts. This Week’s Schedule: 10/17-18 Golf at NEIGA Championships, Brewster, Mass. 10/18 Men's Soccer vs. Middlebury 3:30 p.m. 10/19 Volleyball vs. Franklin Pierce* 5 p.m. 10/20 Field Hockey at Saint Anselm* 4 p.m. 10/21 Volleyball at Skidmore Tournament vs. Union 6 p.m. 10/22 Volleyball at Skidmore Tournament vs. Skidmore 10 a.m. 10/22 Volleyball at Skidmore Tournament vs. Hamilton 2 p.m. 10/22 Field Hockey vs. UMass Lowell* 1 p.m. 10/23 Cross Country Northeast-10 Championship at Bryant TBA 10/23 Women's Soccer at Bentley* 12 p.m. 10/23 Men's Soccer at Bentley* 3 p.m. ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002