Kevin Fiorenzo & Amy Frizzell,
s orts editors
On Deck
Behrend
Athletic
Events
Saturday
Women's Water Polo
@ Allegheny Championships
@ Michigan
TB D
Men's Tennis
AMCC Championships
@ Behrend
9 a.m.
Men's and Women's
Track and Field
0 Slippery Rock Invitational
9 a.m.
Softball
@ Frostburg
1 p.m.
Baseball vs. Pitt-Greensburg
1 p.m.
Sunday
Women's Water Polo
@ Allegheny Championships
@ Michigan
TBD
Monday
Golf
@ Grove City Invitational
1 p.m.
Tuesday
Softball
@ Laßoche
3 p.m.
Baseball
@ Allegheny
3 p.m.
Men's Tennis @ Thiel
4 p.m.
Thursday
Baseball
vs. Fredonia
2 p.m.
Friday
Baseball
@ Hilbert
3 p.m.
Dynamic duo of Cibula
and Ludwig rewrite
water polo records
by Lauren Packer
editor in chief
In just her first season playing water polo for
Behrend, freshman Cara Ludwig has broken the
single-season scoring record and holds the record
for most goals in a game.
With one tournament remaining in the 2004 sea
son, Ludwig currently has 61 goals, one more than
former Lion Christine Williams scored during the
2003 season.
It was another Williams' record that fell when
Ludwig scored seven goals against Carthage at the
Wheaton Invitational. Williams set the previous
record in her freshman season as well, scoring six
goals against Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Ludwig was a third-team all-state selection her
senior year at North Penn High School. Only once
in her career has she topped this season's seven
goal performance. Ludwig once scored nine against
Wyoming Valley West in her senior season.
Ludwig and Williams are no strangers. The two
played against each other in high school, Ludwig
for North Penn and Williams for rival Pottsville.
Current teammate Brittany Yost also played for
Pottsville.
"Brittany has told me a lot about her," said
Ludwig. "It feels really good to break the record
because I know she's such a good player. Plus, I
went from swim season not breaking a record to
polo season where I broke a record."
Ludwig's achievements haven't been a result of
her efforts alone. Teammate Samantha Cibula leads
the team in assists with 26. Together, the duo of
Cibula and Ludwig have ignited the Lions' offense
and have become something of a one-two punch
against their opponents.
Both Ludwig and Cibula recognize their chem
istry in the pool.
"My first thought should probably be to look at
the goal, but my first look is always to Cara,"
laughed Cibula. "Anytime I think she's open, I pass
to her. A lot of the time she is nodding her head no,
but I give it to her anyway."
"Sam sometimes can see that I'm open, even
when I think I'm not," said Ludwig. "She really
has good set passes and I just work really well with
her."
"I think my name should go under Cara's because
probably all of my assists have been to Cara," added
Cibula.
Not only do her teammates count on her, but also
head coach Joe Tristan counts on Ludwig to make
things happen.
"We really try to get the ball to Cara as much as
possible because we know she's going to get the
shots off," said Tristan. "She's probably one of the
best centers in the area and she's going to get her
shots off. Even if everybody in the water is against
her, she's going to find a way to get the shots off."
"I feel confident that (Ludwig) can work the ball
into the goal. Usually when I get the ball she knows
that there's a pretty good chance that whether she
wants the ball or not it's coming to her," Cibula
said. "Cara has taught me a lot of stuff about water
Track team fields
several ECAC runners
by Justin Bootes
staff writer
With chirping birds and teeter-tottering weather,
spring has brought several meets for the track team.
The Behrend track team competed in the Mount
Union Invitational this past weekend. The men
would have placed second and the woman would
have placed seventh had the meet been a scored
meet.
The women's team managed to qualify for the
ECACs in two events while breaking one Behrend
record.
Marlena McNutt placed sixth in the 100 m with a
time of 13.56
The women's team had two qualifiers for the
ECACs. Jessica Sarver placed first in the 1500 m
with a time of 4:53. She also managed to qualify
for the ECACs.
Jessica Knapp placed first in the 5000 m run with
a time of 18:01. She managed to not only qualify
for the ECACs, but she also broke the Behrend
record for that event.
The woman's 4x4 relay team placed fifth with a
time of 4:20. Although they did not qualify for the
ECACs, it was a new Behrend record.
The women's team seems to be on its way to a
very good season with a meet this weekend at Slip
pery Rock.
The meet brought about five ECAC qualifiers,
four Behrend records and one NCAA provisional
SPORTS
Friday, April 16, 2004
0I
I
Cara Ludwig
61 goals
34 steals
27 drawn kickouts
7 goals in one game vs. Carthage
39 percent shooting, Ist career all-time
Scored 4 or more goals in 7 games
Samantha Cib
3 goals in one g
60 steals
20 drawn kickou
26 assists in one season
35 career assists, 3rd all-time
polo. When there are better people on the team it
makes me want to do better because I don't want to
bring them down. You work harder to be at their
level."
Adjusting to new teammates has been the big
gest challenge for Ludwig.
"I had to adjust to playing with so many new
people," said Ludwig. "But I think through prac
tice, we've all come together. We bonded really
well during swim season and I think that has helped
us to become a better team."
Ludwig all but has the single-season scoring
record locked up for this year. Sarah McGarvey
has scored 32 goals this season, a little more than
half of Ludwig's total. Cibula could have her record
broken this weekend. Close behind are McGarvey
and Yost, with 23 and 21 assists, respectively.
Both Ludwig and Cibula are quick to give credit
to teammates for their success.
"Sarah and Brittany are both experienced play
ers," said Cibula. "They have a great feel for the
game and they know how to find the open player."
Tristan explained that once teams start seeing the
connection that Ludwig and Cibula have, they try
to put and end to the dynamic duo.
"When they start seeing that Sam and Cara are
working so well together, they start to press more
on Sam. And that's where Sara and Brittany come
in," Tristan said. "When Sam knows she can't get
that pass in, there's the other two, right there ready
to get that pass in."
qualifier.
Jason Kuntz placed fourth in the 100 m with a
time of 11.23. This time also earned the team an
ECAC qualifier position.
Brad Ruffo competed in the 5000 m run. He
placed first with a time of 15:44, a new Behrend
record.
Isiah Meek is ranked 11th in NCAA Division 111,
as of Wednesday. He placed first in the 110 m
hurdles. The new Behrend record is 14.76, held by
Meek.
The track team placed second in the 4xloo meter
relay. Shane Rock, Meek, Jordan Gray and Kuntz
qualified for the ECACs with a time of 44.15.
In the field events, the team earned three ECAC
qualifying positions. Dan Hackworth pole-vaulted
14 feet, placing fourth in the meet and qualifying
for the ECACs.
Dan Mitchell took second in the javelin with a
throw of 177 feet while qualifying for the ECACs.
Nick McGrady placed third in the javelin with a
throw of 169 feet and also earning a ECAC quali
fying position for the team.
The men's track tear/1 seems to have high hopes
with NCAA provisional qualifiers in its future.
"Jess Knapp is only 13 seconds away in the 5000
meters with 18:01.60. Dan Mitchell is less than 6
feet away in the javelin," said head coach Dave Coo
per.
The men's track team also competes this week
end at Slippery Rock.
The Behrend Beacon
Senior
Spotlight:
Becky
Corbin
Senior pitcher Becky Corbin currently has
a 3.26 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
by Ben Raymond
staff writer
Name: Becky Corbin
Position: Pitcher/First Base
Major: Mathematics
Semester: 08
Hometown/high school: North East/North East
High School
Favorite Food: McDonald's cheeseburgers with
mayonnaise
Favorite Movie: "Happy Gilmore"
Beacon: What are your plans for after graduation?
Corbin: I am getting married to Dan Steves on June
19, and we plan to stay in Erie. I currently work
for Larson Texts Inc., as a student programmer and
I plan to continue working there. I am also think
ing about taking a few more undergraduate classes
so that I can go to dental school in a year or two.
Beacon: What is something that not many people
know about you or what special talents do you have?
Corbin: I play the saxophone and I love to golf
and sing karaoke. I also love scrapbooking.
Beacon: What is one of your favorite sports memo
ries while at Behrend?
Corbin: After my sophomore season, I was ranked
30th in Division 111 as Toughest to Strike Out; I
only struck out two times in 127 at bats.
Beacon: How does the team this year compare to
those of others?
Corbin: It has been a rough season so far, but we
are coming together and we are playing very well
together. We get along better than any of the past
teams and that makes it fun to play, even when we
lose 11 games by one run! We have great team
chemistry and we are finally starting to adjust to
the new coaching. Hopefully we can finish the sea
son strong and end up with a decent record.
Beacon: What is one thing that you feel you've
improved on in your time here?
Corbin: I am a lot more mentally strong as a pitcher.
I don't let things get to me as easily as I used to,
and I am a better pitcher because of that.
Beacon: Behrend is currently in first place in the
AMCC. What are your feelings on the rest of the
season?
Corbin: I believe that our team can win AMCCs.
We definitely have the talent and the ability, we
just need to put everything together at the right
times. I am very optimistic because I know that we
have what it takes to do it.
Beacon: How do you feel that being a student ath
lete has affected your college experience?
Corbin: Being an athlete has taught me a lot about
time management. When you play a sport, you have
to get your work done on limited time and that
makes you get it done. I have also met a lot of
awesome people (my teammates) and I will never
regret playing college softball. It has been a great
experience and I am proud of myself for making it
through four years. Though it has been a huge time
commitment, I have still managed to excel in my
classes and to earn an honors de tree in math.
Page