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National attention, the End of an Era, and conference
championships highlight Behrend athletics in 99-00
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men’s basketball just
Erie Hall goes out with a bang;
refused to go out
It’s official. There will never be another
intercollegiate basketball game played in
Erie Hall.
With a 64-60 win over Alvemia College
on March 2, Erie Hall’s storied history as
the home of the Lions ended. '
Alvemia brought an 18-9 record to the
contest, and had won the Pennsylvania
Athletic Conference tournament to earn
the spot in the game. Behrend’s win
improved their overall record to 24-3, and
added to tneir school record for wins in a
season
The win also propelled the men’s team to
the second round of the NCAA Division 111
Tournament where they would defeat
Rochester Institute of Technology.
Behrend continued their dream season
with a win over Cortland State to advance to
the Elite Eight.
Salem State stopped the Lions one game
short of the Final Four with a 75-69 victory,
despite a gutsy effort by the Behrend
players.
The miracle run of the Lions made their
1999-2000 season, a “season for the ages.”
Erie Hall’s basketball
tradition unmatched
Since 1953, Erie Hall has served its main function as the home of
the Behrend Lions basketball teams. The facility has been the home
of many memories and has added its own mystique as the Lions’
home court.
Although the building has been criticized by some as being small
and an uncomfortable space for sporting events, Erie Hall has built
a tradition of being the home of the Lions and a tough place for
visiting teams to play.
Athletic Director Brian Streeter recognizes that tradition. “Erie
Hall has had a great tradition with this campus. It’s a wonderful
place to play as a home court advantage. The fans are part of the
game, everybody in the facility is part of the game. You can’t beat
a better environment.”
For such a small facility, Erie Hall is seen as having its advan
tages that larger gyms are unable to have. “Here, you feel every
pass, you feel the sweat, you see the sweat. A kid can shake his hair
and the sweat will hit the wall behind you. Not too many gyms
have that,” added Streeter.
Behrend men’s basketball coach Dave Niland realizes Erie Hall’s
advantages saying, “it always has been (a tough place to play).” He
added, “Brian Streeter has been able to create a fun atmosphere in
Erie Hall. Yeah, it’s an older building, but when you think of col
lege basketball, certainly on the east coast, you think of Erie Hall.”
Streeter concluded, “there’s so many things that this facility brings,
but the tightness of the whole place is probably the best thing. You’ve
got an old facility that has served the college for 48 years, and it’s
still serving it right now. And it will, it’s never going to end. Erie
Con
Women’s tennis three-peat
The women’s tennis team three-peated as Allegheny Mountain Collegiate
Conference (AMCC) champions this past fall season.
From the start, the women’s tennis team was poised to win their third
AMCC title in as many years. Behrend dominated the AMCC from the
beginning of the season and they ended up with an overall record of 17-2.
Most important, their conference record was a perfect 10-0, which secured
them the top seed at the conference tournament Besides being undefeated in
conference play, the women’s tennis team also set a school record for wins by
winning 17 matches.
Behrend also dominated the all-conference teams, with six players being
named to one or more All-Conference teams. Penn State Behrend’s Julie
Leininger, Jamie Brubaker, Angela Albertson, Jen Morton, and Chnstine
Chan were named to the AMCC All-Conference singles first-team. Julie
Leninger and Jamie Brubaker also were named to the AMCC All-Confer
ence doubles first-team. AMCC All-Conference recognition also was given
to Emily Rubin, AMCC All-Conference singles second-team, and Christine
Chan and Jen Morton for AMCC All-Conference doubles third-team. ‘They
all played very well,” women’s tennis coach Jeff Barger said.
erence (Dominance
EMDOFAh
E P A
Hall will still have a unique part of student recreational life on cam-
The building will continue to serve as an important recreational
center on campus, but its tradition as the home of the Lions will end.
On February 16, the Behrend men and women hosted Pitt-Greensburg
in the last regular season game in Erie Hall.
‘The End of and Era” came with the Behrend men winning their
first round game in the NCAA Division 111 Tournament. The gym
was packed, living up to Erie Hall’s tradition of sportsmanship and
success.
Women’s soccer wins
in dramatic fashion
title
The Lions advanced to the ECAC playoffs this past fall after winning their third
AMCC Championship in as many years on October 31.
Behrend opened the AMCC Championships against Lake Erie in the semi-final match.
Behrend defeated Lake Erie 3-0 en route to the championship game against AMCC rival
Frostburg. But the Bobcats were no match for Behrend, as Frostburg was shutout by
goalkeeper Michelle Malatesta, as the Lions captured their third straight AMCC title by
winning 2-0.
Playing in difficult weather conditions, the Lions fell one goal behind at halftime after
a goal by Villa Julie’s second leading scorer Kerri Harman. Not to be outdone,
Behrend’s Bethany Cummings tied the game at one a piece at the 65th minute. The
game would remain tied throughout the rest of regulation and almost two overtime
periods. Heroics provided by Penn State goalkeeper Michelle Malatesta allowed the
Behrend Lions to remain tied with the opposing Mustangs.
With 38 seconds remaining in the second overtime, Penn State Behrend’s Amy
Laßocca kicked the shot heard ‘round the campus’ when she scored the winning goal.
Her goal helped to advance the Lady Lions to the semi-finals in the ECAC Tournament.
Unlikely Champs
Men’s soccer upsets Frostburg for championship
The Penn State Behrend men’s soccer team claimed the Allegheny Mountain
Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship this past fall. The Lions defeated
AMCC rival Frostburg State by a score of 2-1 en route to claiming the championship.
Men’s soccer coach Dan Perritano was excited about winning a second AMCC
championship. “Our players displayed a positive and enthusiastic spirit in this tourna
ment,” Perritano said. “We put away our chances to defeat a very talented team.”
This is the second time that the Behrend Lions have defeated Frostburg en route to
the AMCC title. Frostburg fell to the Lions in the inaugural championship 1-0 after
Behrend posted a 12-8 season. Last year, the Lions set a school record by ending the
season 13-9, but fell to Frostburg in the AMCC championship game, 4-0.
i : \
Women’s basketball
qualifies for ECACs
The Behrend women’s basketball team completed one of the
program’s winningest seasons by competing in the Eastern College
Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament after hosting their second
straight Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC)
Tournament. The Lions made it to the AMCC championship game
for the third consecutive season, while hosting the event for the
second straight season.
On February 25, the Behrend women faced the La Roche
Redhawks in the opening round of the AMCC Tournament. Despite
falling behind early, the women were able to come back to defeat
the Redhawks.
In the AMCC championship game, the Behrend women couldn’t
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