Scott Soltis, Sports Editor‘lll4,
Lauren Packer, Assistant Sports Editor Zio
The Behrend Beacon
Calendar of
Events
Behrend
Athletic
Events
Friday, March 7
Indoor Track & Field,
NCAA Indoor Champion
ships, TBA
Saturday, March 8
Indoor Track & Field,
NCAA Indoor Champion
ships, TBA
Women's Water Polo,
Southern Championships
@ Michigan
Sunday, March 9
Women's Water Polo,
Southern Championships
@ Michigan, 9:30 a.m.
Softball, Spring Training,
@ Florida
Baseball, Spring Training
@ Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Men's Tennis vs. Emory &
Henry, Noon
Monday, March 10
Men's Tennis vs. Lebanon
Valley, 4 p.m
Tuesday-fdarch'll
Men's Tennis vs.
Marywood, Noon
Women's Water Polo @
Mercyhurst, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 12
Men's Tennis @ Hilton
Head, TBA
Thursday, March 13
Men's Tennis vs. Mt. Union,
Noon
Friday, March 14
Men's Tennis @ Hilton
Head, TBA
Women's Water Polo,
Behrend/Gannon Invita
tional, TBA
Saturday, March 15
Women's Water Polo,
Behrend/Gannon Invita
tional, TBA
Sunday, March 16
Women's Water Polo,
Behrend/Gannon Invita
tional, TBA
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. Hilbert, 2 p.m.
Women's water polo off and swimming
by Ryan Russell
staff writer
The Flying V. The Circle of Death. Are
these mere ideas from movies or
something more?
Actually, these are just two of the plays
in coach Josh Heynes playbook for the
upcoming women's water polo season,
kicking off in Michigan this weekend, in
atournament that includes Division I
school Indiana University.
Why does the Lady Lion water polo
team play against Division I schools? Well,
because as of right now, there are not many
other options.. There are not enough
Division 111 schools that have a women's
water polo program to form its own
league.
Calling all students
Do you want some cheese with that
whine? That's the question I pose to the
athletic director of Pitt-Greensburg.
I showed up to the women's AMCC
Championship game overflowing with
Behrend spirit, only to have it
crushed by the athleti
of Pitt-Greensburg.
You see, I brought
a cowbell to rin
support of the Lio
This didn't become
problem to Pitt until
there was five
minutes left in the
game and they
were losing. Only Lauren Packer
once did the
cowbell ring
when Pitt was on the foul line, and I'm
not even the one who rang it. Some other
Behrend fan joined in my crusade to
support the women's team.
However, I was then approached by
our athletic director and asked to hand
over the cowbell because the other AD
didn't think it was appropriate. I put the
Baseball starts
rebuilding process
by Lauren Packer
assistant sports editor
Let's talk numbers. After all. baseball
is about numbers
In 2002, Behrend baseball posted a
school-best 35-8 record en route to
winning the ECAC Southern Division
Championship. The Lions had the sixth
best winning percentage in Division 111
and 12 players earned all-conference
honors.
The squad set numerous offensive
records, including a .339 team batting
average, 351 hits, and 379 runs scored.
Pitchers sat down 250 batters, striking
out nine -plus hitters in eight games.
In 2003, Behrend will have to replace
15 men from its championship squad and
reload with 11 freshmen and three
transfer players. The Lions are ranked
third in the AMCC preseason coaches'
poll.
Despite the overwhelming numbers
put up by Behrend last season, the Lions
started their 2003 season this past
weekend at Kentucky with enthusiasm.
"Our freshmen have some big shoes
to fill but they are capable of doing so.
They've been working hard in practice
and have come a long way since the fall,"
said junior outfielder Mike Couts.
"We lost a lot of experience from last
year's team but we are still talented
enough to win the AMCCs, get back to
road ahead of him replacing 15
players from last year's team.
The league that the Lady Lions are in,
along with the rest of the women's water
polo teams, is the Collegiate Water Polo
Association (CWPA), which handles
scheduling for all divisions of teams.
Playing Division I schools isn't a drawback
in any way for the Lady Lions however.
"I don't mind doing that," said coach
Josh Heynes. "Because it makes us better
at the Division 111 level."
And the team returning this year is pretty
good, and getting better. After last year's
double overtime win in the Southern
Championships against heated rival
Washington and Jefferson, a first for the
team, the Lady Lions lost to Grove City in
the final 10 seconds of their next contest,
costing them a shot at nationals.
Returning from last year's team is senior
111 2
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Friday, March 7, 2003
cowbell away out of respect and was told
"thanks for your support."
Was that supposed to console me? I
had just been asked to put away a portion
of my Behrend pride and spirit because
the other team didn't think it was
Ipriate. (Apparently, it was
ropriate when Pitt
Inning.)
At another game I
attended this year, the band
was asked to stop the use of
its thunder sticks. What's
next? Will we be asked to
become mute and check
our shoes at the door?
Will we be discouraged
ro m c
stomping our feet in
fear that our actions will be deemed
inappropriate by the other team? What
happened to home-court advantage and
crazy fans?
In fact, there is a rule stating fans
cannot have artificial noisemakers, so I
was in violation. The rule states, "The
playing of music and/or amplified music
the ECACs and even NCAAs."
Behrend headed into the first game of
a doubleheader against Transylvania
hoping to make a strong showing in their
season opener. Behrend came close in
the first game, losing 3-2.
Veteren Ryan Seyler showed why he
is the Lions ace on the mound.
"With one more victory on the mound,
he will tie the all-time leader in pitching
victories," said head coach Paul Benim.
The senior gave an impressive
performance in his 2003 debut. In five
innings, Seyler walked three, struck out
three and gave up six hits. Last season,
the pitching ace had a 1.36 ERA that
ranked eighth in the country.
"My goal is to use last weekend as a
learning eXperience and to get better as
the season goes on," said Seyler. We
want to get to a level where we have a
chance to win the conference tournament
and get to the postseason."
In the second half of the twin bill,
Behrend sent junior Mitch Reckner to the
hill for his second collegiate start. The
Lions lost the game 7-2. Reckner
allowed five runs in the first inning but
then shut down Transylvania, giving up
just two hits over the next four innings.
"Once Jason settled in, he did a great
job. He will continue to get better,"said
Benim.
Game three of the weekend's action
put Behrend against Spalding. The Lions
lost 11-1. Sophomore Matt Szymanski
allowed five hits and struck out two.
Game four was another loss for
Behrend. this time to Brescia 8-2.
Senior co-caption Keith Lepionka
blasted a home run for the Lions.
Freshman Brent Gahel allowed six hits
and four strikeouts in the loss.
Even though the Lions started the
season on a 0-4 losing skid, the team
remains optimistic
"The trip was beneficial for our
program. It was our first time this year
on a field and we did some good and bad
things. We need to learn from the
mistakes we made and attempt to not
repeat them in Florida during spring
training," Benim said.
Behrend's spring training site is Port
St. Lucie, Fla. The Lions will square off
in 11 games during spring break and look
to get back to their championship form.
Ann Marie Havey, juniors Lauren Packer,
Amanda Brown, Hollie Stash, Tara
Braden, Sarah McGarvey, and sophomores
Christine Williams, and Erin Troester.
Most of this year's squad has been
together since the beginnings of the water
polo team three years ago, so there is plenty
of chemistry between teammates. The
team knows what it will have to do to
reach its goal for this year, which is getting
back to the nationals tournament.
Who is going to lead the team then?
Everyone is.
"This year we are looking at the group
as a whole," Heynes said. "It can't be any
one individual, because other teams will
camp on that individual. We are looking
for a lot of people to step up their level of
play."
and the use of artificial noisemakers
while the game is in progress shall be
prohibited. The only time the game is
not 'in progress' is during a timeout or
intermission."
Then why hand them out?
I'll you why, and this is the heart of
the problem. Not that noisemakers are
inappropriate, or even that I'm madder
than hell my cowbell privileges were
taken away, but the fact is that Behrend
lacks fan support.
Behrend students complain there's
nothing to do on campus. Why not get
out and support your peers by attending
a sporting event? You don't even have
to like sports. You could watch the dance
team or cheerleaders perform, listen to
the hand, or sit and converse with the
other students you would meet.
eering
The men's basketball team had 10
regular-season home games and two
tournaments. The women's team had 12
regular-season home games and one
tournament. Plus, Behrend earned the
right to host the AMCC Championships.
giving Behrend students at least four
Behiend
t
Goalie Jeremy Stehle defends the net
Many students don't know about the
hockey team at Behrend, but there is
one. The team currently has 22 players
on the roster who play as part of the
Provisional Division of the College
Hockey East League.
Being a provisional or a "temporary"
team means that it is allowed to play all
of the provisional teams in the division
as well as the teams that are a full
member of CHE. As a provisional team
they can not participate in any CHE
playoff games. But that will all change
next year.
"The team is looking forward to next
year's season when we will become a
full member of the College Hockey East
league" said junior winger Andrew
Frizzell.
This year the team ended its season
with a record of 3-8-2, which started
with a devastating loss to Slippery Rock.
"The first year went well. The guys
were able to come together as a team,"
said coach Dan Fritts.
"We've improved a lot since the
beginning of the season" said junior
captain Mike Fritts.
"We've been able to learn each others'
playing style making it easier to work
together." freshman center Joe Persang
added.
This showed when the team took
second place this past weekend in the
Heynes looks for some of his younger
players to come up with the big offensive
plays needed to win. He also hopes that
the players who have been on the team
since the beginning can step up and show
the younger players what defense is all
about.
The women know what they have to
do, and they also know who they have to
beat at the Division 111 level to get to the
national tournament at the end of the year.
While Grove City and Washington &
Jefferson pose the biggest divisional
obstacles standing in the path to glory (and
nationals) for the Lady Lions, they also
play many Division I and H schools.
While the Lady Lions may not have
much hope against the likes of these teams,
each game against them is a huge learning
by Amy Frizzel
staff writer
more chances to "do something
Granted, there are those few fans who
attend games and do a great job of
promoting Behrend spirit and pumping
up our teams, but we need more. Pitt-
Greensburg grandparents were making
more noise than Behrend students at the
women's game. If sheer embarrassment
of this fact alone doesn't make you want
to attend a Behrend sporting event. then
I don't know what will.
Yes, I'm angry I was asked to put my
cowbell away, but I'm even more angry
to think I had to use the cowbell to make
up for the lack of interested Bchrcnd
students.
So, between baseball, softball.
women's water polo, and tennis, you
have 43 more chances to get out and do
something with your Behrend spirit to
curb your boredom.
That's why I'm calling all student to
get out more, show some spirit and he
proud of not only Behrend athletics, hut
Behrend itself.
has a
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
first ever Provisional Tournament at the
Indiana Ice Center in Indiana, Pa. Other
participants were Case Western, Cal V,
and Penn State Altoona.
"We had some ups and downs, but a
lot of good things came out of this
tourney," said Mike Fritts. "We learned
how to battle back and how to win in
tough games which we did in our first
game against Cal U."
The Lions beat out Case Western
Reserve and Cal U, who they had
struggled with throughout the season,
to make it to the finals. Due to the fact
that the tourney was based on a points
system, Behrend had to face Cal U yet
again in the finals, where they lost n 4.
Even though the team had a hard
season they have been able to agree on
a goal for next year.
"We want to be a big time contender
next year, that's why we arc playing
harder teams such as Robert Morris
University who is the defending
Division II National Champions this
year," said Mike Fritts.
To become the tough opponents they
want to be, the team will have to work
hard in the off season.
"They will need more practice lime,
which means more ice time along with
finding more hard working players,"
coach Fritts said. "The guys will also
have to keep up with strength training
and, as always, they will need more
student support."
experience for the players, which can help
lay out the steps on the road to nationals.
After traveling to Michigan this
weekend, it will host the Penn State
Behrend St. Patrick's Day Invitational
March 14 thru 16.
The Southern Championships occur
March 28 through March 30. The Lady
Lions last home game is on April 22.
against both Grove City and Gannon, and
the national championships occur May 2
through May 4.
If you love water polo, or just want
something to do on these cold Erie nights,
come out and see the Lady Lions.
And be sure to look for that tricky Flying
V.
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