Athletics News

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SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The sixth-ranked Ursinus Bears played like the defending national champions, downing Swarthmore 10-0 in Centennial field hockey action on Wednesday night at Clothier Field.

The Bears (12-2, 7-1 CC) scored eight straight goals in the first half. Junior Kait Sutherland (Perkiomenville, Pa./ Perkiomen Valley) scored off a penalty corner at 1:28; the assist was credited to senior Meredith Stabley (Hummelstown, Pa./ Hershey). Notching her 10th goal of the season junior Jennie Moore (Phoenixville, Pa./ Phoenixville) sent one in at 2:40, just two minutes later she scored another goal to make the score 3-0. Scoring off a rebound at 7:45 sophomore Jessica Zatwarnicki (Reading, Pa./ Exeter) knocked in her 10th goal of the season. At 10:11, senior Lindsay Cappa (Oley, Pa. / Oley) also netted her 15th goal of the year off a rebound to push the Bears lead to 5-0. Scoring off a penalty corner was sophomore forward Jen Hooven (Lancaster, Pa./ Lancaster Catholic) at 13:45. Freshman Megan Yoder (Lititz, Pa./ Lancaster Mennonite) found her way through traffic at 19:00 for a score. Yoder made a quick pass in front of the goal to Jennifer Baysick (Sugarloaf, Pa. / Hazleton Area) at 23:35 to score her second goal for the season.

Following an action-packed first half, the Bears scored their ninth goal of the game at 42:41 when junior Katie Mastoris (Westampton, N.J./ Rancocas Valley) chipped one past Garnet Goalie Gina Grubb '10 (Pittsburg, Pa./ Oakland Catholic). Dribbling in the final goal of the game was Bayzick, who scored at 63:55.

The Swarthmore field hockey team looks to rebound as they travel on Saturday, Oct. 20th for a Centennial Conference game at Gettysburg at 1:00 p.m.

SWARTHMORE, Pa. -Swarthmore senior goalkeeper Ryan Sutcliffe (Medford, Del./ Medford) was selected as the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Oct. 15th.

Sutcliffe posted his fifth shut-out of the season against ninth-ranked Franklin & Marshall on Oct. 10, making five saves in a 1-0 over-time win for Swarthmore.

Sutcliffe is fourth in the Conference with a goals-against average of 0.57 and fifth in save percentage (.805).

This is Sutcliffe's fourth weekly honor this season and his second nod from the Centennial. He earned Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 6, and two days later, was selected as the Division III ECAC South Region Defensive Player of the Week and selected for the D3kicks.com Team of the Week.

Sutcliffe, a psychology major, is pointed towards a law career, having interned at Tunnell & Raysor two summers ago. He is a McCabe Scholar and serves on the McCabe Scholars' Leadership Committee.

The Garnet are 8-2-3 overall and 3-2-1 in the Centennial, ranking sixth in the Middle Atlantic Region according to the most recent NSCAA/adidas poll.

SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Swarthmore midfielder Kirsten Peterson (Fenton, Mich./ Powers Catholic) was selected as the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week announced Monday, Oct. 15th.

Peterson, a freshman, had a goal and two assists in a 2-0 week for the Garnet,. She assisted on Swarthmore's first goal in a 2-1 overtime win at Muhlenberg on Oct. 10, then followed up with a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win at Villa Julie on Oct. 13.

Peterson leads Swarthmore with six assists in 2007, fifth in the Centennial Conference.

Peterson is the third women's soccer player from Swarthmore to receive a Centennial weekly honor. Forward Danielle Tocchet '08 was selected Offensive Player of the Week twice (Sept. 5th and Oct. 2), while goalkeeper Lauren Walker '09 (Sept. 5) and defender Cait Mullarkey '09  (Sept. 19) earned Centennial Defensive Player of the Week honors.

The Swarthmore women's soccer team has a 10-1 overall record, (5-1 in the Centennial) and is ranked nationally for the first time in program history. The Garnet are 22nd in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) / adidas poll, listing fourth in the Middle Atlantic region.

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SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Garnet junior Ladule Lako Lo Sarah (Davis, Calif. / Claremont) continued his offensive surge Saturday night, sending hometown Swarthmore to a 1-0 overtime upset victory over ninth-ranked Franklin & Marshall. Lo Sarah's fourth game-winner of the season handed the Diplomats' their first loss of the season and improved Swarthmore's record to 8-2-3 overall and 3-2-1 in the Centennial.

The two teams battled through 90 scoreless minutes-it was the fifth time the Garnet played into extra time in 2007. Lo Sarah began the overtime period on the bench, but was strategically re-inserted by Garnet head coach Eric Wagner at 93:30.

The move paid off in a big way for Swarthmore.

The Garnet played a long ball down the center of the field, where Lo Sarah had found a pocket of space in between the Diplomat defenders. The lanky forward settled the ball and turned towards the F&M net with a Dip defender draped on his back. He quickly encountered a second defender in his path. On a full run, Lo Sarah ticked the ball over the step-in by the F&M defender, planted on his right foot and drilled a low line-drive past charging Diplomats goalkeeper Zach Zamek. The ball found the back of the net at 95:31 and set off a mad celebration by the Garnet faithful.

The Swarthmore/F&M men's soccer match-up has turned into one of the better rivalries in all of the Centennial Conference-eight of the last ten meetings have resulted in a 1-0 score. The Garnet improve their overall series record (dating back to 1924) with their Lancaster County-rivals to 33-24-4.

The Garnet exacted a bit of revenge-F&M defeated Swarthmore 1-0 in both 2006 matches, including a victory in the Centennial Conference semi-final in Baltimore.

Franklin & Marshall (13-1 overall, 5-1 CC) controlled play in the opening minutes, with senior All-American Brandon Corday creating a scoring chance in the 11th minute. The pony-tailed speedster found space at the top of the Garnet penalty box and his rolling chip banged off the cross bar. Another bending shot by Corday was deflected away by Swarthmore senior goalkeeper Ryan Sutcliffe (Medford, Del. / Medford), keeping the game scoreless into the intermission.

The visitors enjoyed a 13-6 shot advantage in the first 45 minutes, attempting seven corner kicks to Swarthmore's one.

The Diplomats continued to press the issue in the second half, assuming an 8-0 shot advantage. Sutcliffe (five saves on the night) and the Swarthmore defenders continued to make life difficult for Franklin & Marshall forwards, clearing cross after cross.

The Garnet needed just the one shot midway through overtime, resulting in Lo Sarah's team-leading seventh goal of the season. It easily surpasses his previous career-high (two goals in 2006) and increases his career point-total to 27 (nine goals, nine assists).

Swarthmore has won three out of its last four matches (all in Centennial play) to move just one point out of the final CC spot (idle Dickinson is fifth with 11 points). The Garnet have made the Conference playoffs each of the last three seasons and will need to continue strong road play (3-0-2 in 2007) as two of three remaining Centennial matches are away from Clothier Field.

The Garnet travel to Alvernia on Wednesday, Oct. 17 for a non-conference game at 4:00 p.m. before resuming their Centennial quest at McDaniel (7-4-4 overall, 1-3-2 CC) on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1:00 p.m.

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OWING MILLS, Mary. -- On a windy Saturday afternoon, the 24th-ranked Swarthmore women's soccer overcame the Mustangs of Villa Julie by a score of 3-1 in non-conference action. The Garnet improve to 10-1 overall, marking the fourth time in school history the team has reached a double-digit victory total.

The Garnet dominated play right from the beginning, hitting numerous shots that went just over and wide of the Mustang crossbar. The goal scoring began when Swarthmore midfielder Maggie DeLorme '10 (Lusby, Mary. / Patuxent) stole the ball in the Mustang midfield, made a dash to the wing and sent a lofty cross into midfielder Kirsten Peterson'11 (Fenton, Mich. / Powers Catholic). Peterson finished off the play to get the Garnet on the board at 18:09.

The strong defensive play of Cait Mullarkey '09 (Wilmington, Del. / Ursuline Academy) and Laura Bolger '11 (Centerport, N.Y. / Harborfields ) kept the Mustang shots to a minimum.

Swarthmore continued to pressure the Mustang defense, as Delorme and Julia Luongo '10 (Tallahassee, FL/ Leon) controlled the mid-field, working the ball down the wings. Towards the end of the first half, Peterson won the ball on the wing and sent a perfectly slotted ball to the top of the box to Danielle Tocchet '08 (Highland Falls, N.Y. / James I O'Neill), who notched her fifth goal of the season at 40:26.

The Garnet led in shots at intermission (25-5) with the score at 2-0, Swarthmore.

The Garnet continued to dominate play in the second half with several good scoring opportunities by Megan Colombo '11 (Arcadia, Calif. / Arcadia) and Kelsey Cline '11 (Camano Island, Wash. / Stanwood).

The Mustangs had a quick counter attack and were able to get a ball in behind the Garnet defense, beating Swarthmore backup goalkeeper Kristen Traband '08 (Swarthmore, Pa. / Ridley) on a breakaway at 48:41 with a goal from Rose Phelan. It is just the fourth goal given up by the strong Garnet defense this season.

Swarthmore quickly responded by working the ball downfield to Colombo, who hit a shot off the post. Classmate Cline cleaned up the rebound, scoring her fifth goal of the season at 49:31 (Cline is tied with Tocchet for leading goal scorer on the team).

The Garnet (10-1 overall, 5-1 CC) return to Clothier Field on October 17th to face the first-place Ursinus Bears at 5:00 p.m.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Swarthmore runners Erik Saka ' 09 (right) and Ross Weller '08 placed in the top-ten at the DeSales Invitational Saturday morning, leading the Garnet men's cross country team to a third-place finish out of 20 participating schools.
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WELLESLEY, Mass. - Swarthmore harrier Emma Stanley '09 was selected All-Tournament at the annual Seven Sisters Championship on Saturday morning in suburban Boston, leading the Garnet to a fourth-place finish at Wellesley College.

Mount Holyoke won the team title, accumulating 52 points to out-distance Wellesley (59), Smith (62) and Swarthmore (78). Smith's Anna Cressotti captured the individual crown, finishing with a time of 18:47.

Stanley finished tenth out of 94 runners, completing the 5K course in19:38 to earn her third consecutive All-Tournament selection.

Sophomore Nyika Corbett continued to improve at just the right time, finishing right behind Stanley in eleventh place (19:39). Six Garnet women found their way into the top-30: Ashley Davies '10 (14th, 19:46), Bess Ritter '09 (21st, 20:11), Kathy Feeney '09 (22nd, 20:12), Chelsea Brett '11 (24th, 20:18), Lauren DeLuca '10 (26th, 20:22) and Faith Pampel '09 (29th, 20:27).

The Garnet have two weeks to prepare for the 2007 Centennial Conference Championships, scheduled to be run on Saturday, Oct. 27 in Lancaster, Pa. at 11:00 a.m.

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GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Senior captain Katherine Gold (Cherry Hill, N.J. / Cherry Hill East) registered a season-high 17 digs, yet the hometown Gettysburg Bullets prevailed over Swarthmore 3-0 in Centennial Conference volleyball action Saturday afternoon. The Bullets (15-10, 5-2 CC) slide into fourth place in the Centennial standings while the Garnet slip to 8-14 overall and 3-4 in the Conference. The game scores were 30-7, 30-17, and 30-27.

Gold, primarily a middle blocker in her collegiate career (third in school history with 140 total blocks), has slid back to help the back-row defense as injuries have affected the Swarthmore lineup. Gold has posted double-digit digs in each of the last two matches, and on Saturday added a team-best eight kills.

The other Swarthmore captain, junior libero Erin Heaney (Buffalo, N.Y. / City Honors), posted her 14th consecutive match with double-digit figures for digs, bring her to the brink of 400 (399, 5.18 per game) on the season while moving her to 1,175 for her career.

Junior outside hitter Jen Wang (Palo Alto, Calif. / Henry Gunn) picked up five kills to move past Emma Benn '04 into third place in school history (751 career kills)-Natalie Dunphy is next on the list at 755 kills. Recent graduate Erica George '07 is the school-record holder with 1,151 kills.

The Garnet return home to Tarble Pavilion this Thursday, Oct. 18 for a 7:00 p.m. match against Ursinus College. Swarthmore will celebrate Senior Night versus the Bears, honoring Gold, middle hitter Karen Berk (Havertown, Pa. / Haverford) and right-side Vanessa Wells (Chicago, Ill. / Lincoln Park).

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Swarthmore sophomore forward Julia Luongo (Tallahassee, Fla. / Leon) made her first goal of the season a big one, scoring in the 96th minute to give the 24th-ranked Garnet a 2-1 overtime win over Muhlenberg in Centennial women's soccer action Wednesday night.

Luongo has become a thorn in the Mules' side, tallying her second overtime game-winner in as many games-the sophomore scored from 35 yards out on Sept. 26, 2006 to procure a 1-0 overtime win (snapping a 10-game Muhlenberg winning streak).

Swarthmore (9-1 overall, 5-1 CC) remains tied for second place in the Centennial with 15 points, one point behind Ursinus. The Garnet face the Bears (8-3-2 overall, 5-0-1) on Wed., Oct. 17 at Clothier Field.

In the first half, Garnet goalie Lauren Walker '09 (Fallston, Md. / The Hotchkiss School) thwarted the Mule offense. Aiding the Garnet defense during a close Muhlenberg corner kick, Walker cut off a cross and safely cleared the ball.

The Garnet controlled possession early in the first half-forward Megan Colombo '11 (Arcadia, Calif./ Arcadia) led the offense with four first-half shots. Colombo had a shot attempt off an amazing cross from teammate Katie Kanuka '10 (Oakville, Ontario / Holy Trinity Catholic) with less than ten minutes left in the first half. The game, however, was tied at 0-0 going into the second half.

The Garnet pushed hard for the win in the second half, dominating field play.

The Mules, however, struck first. Walker came out to challenge a Mule striker and beat with quick footwork. Garnet defender Laura Bolger '11 (Centerport, N.Y. / Harbourfields) attempted to aid her goalkeeper, but was flagged for a foul in the box. A penalty kick was awarded and Mules freshman Valerie Patriarca (Hedding, N.J. / The Hun School) took advantage of the free kick, scoring her seventh goal to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

At 71:10, Swarthmore midfielder Kirsten Peterson '11 (Fenton, Mich./ Powers Catholic) sent in a pass right in front of the Mules' goal line, heading towards classmate Kelsey Cline '11 (Stanwood, Wash./ Stanwood). Cline headed the ball home for her fourth goal of the season despite Mule net minder Kate Norrissey (Huntington, N.Y./ Huntington) getting her fingers on it.

Going into extra minutes with a score of 1-1 the game took on a new face, it was win or go home. Luongo's heroics came on a corner kick at 95:36, the ball bouncing off a Mules' defender and the sophomore one-timed it through a gaggle of Muhlenberg players for the game-winner.

Walker made a pair of saves for the Garnet while Morrissey added six saves for Muhlenberg.

Swarthmore women's soccer continues the season on Sat., Oct. 13th when they travel to Villa Julie for a 1:00 p.m. match time.

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Junior outside hitter Jen Wang (Palo Alto, Calif. / Henry Gunn) had 18 kills and 18 digs and senior middle hitter Karen Berk (Haverford, Pa. / Havertown) added a season-high 16 kills as the Swarthmore volleyball team picked up a 3-1 victory at Centennial-rival Muhlenberg Wednesday night.

The Garnet (8-13 overall, 3-3 Centennial) won by game scores of 30-26, 30-24, 30-32, and 30-28 as the Mules slip to 5-14 overall and 1-5 in the CC.

Wang now has a team-high 12 double-doubles in 2007, increasing her team-best kills total to 254.

Junior libero Erin Heaney (Buffalo, N.Y. / City Honors) paced a defense that had five separate players register double-digit digs for the Swarthmore defense. Heaney, the Centennial's leading defender, posted 28 digs, Sarah Lambert '11 (Darlington, Pa. / Blackhawk) added 18 digs, senior middle Katie Gold (Cherry Hill, N.J. / Cherry Hill East) contributed 13 and sophomore setter Kearney Bangs (Kingston, Wash. / North Kitsap) posted 10.

Bangs controlled the offense, handing out 45 assists while Lambert contributed five helpers. Senior right side Vanessa Wells (Chicago, Ill. / Lincoln Park) controlled the play at the net, collecting nine kills to go along with a match-high 4.5 blocks.

The Garnet hit the road for their next match, traveling to perennial-Conference power Gettysburg this Saturday, Oct. 13 for a 3:00 p.m. contest.