Friday, January 25, 2008 Women cagers keep with pack in AMCC by Jess Carlson sports editor jlcsolB@psu.edu The Penn State Behrend women's basketball team was off to a bit of a slow start, beginning their season with a record of 0-4. Now. about halfway through the season, the women hold an overall record of 7-8 with a conference record of 5-3, and currently standing in fifth place in the conference. With 10 regular season games remaining, all of which are conference opponents, a lot is up in the air with how the season may end up. A major strength for the team is their abili ty to make it difficult for opponents to score. Currently the women are ranked second in the league in scoring defense, con sistent with the last five seasons of being ranked either first or second. "The focus is on defense, and out working our oppo nents," said head coach Roz Fornari. Fornari has been the Guard Natalie Engel looks to women's head coach Bradford for 15 straight seasons. Throughout her years of coaching at Behrend. Fornari has made quite a name for herself. She is the all time leader in vic tories for the women's basketball coach at Behrend. Under Fornari's direction, the ladies have made it to the NCAA tournament three times, and five times to the ECAC tournament. In the 1995-96 season the women captured the ECAC tournament cham pionship. Assistant coaches included Alanna Daniels, Becky Reed and Amy Stranahan. The Lady Lions roster consists of three quality seniors, forwards Meagan Bielanin, Anne Priester and guard Julia Andrus. All three players were named to the AMCC All-Academic Team last year, as well as started every game in the 2006-07 season. "Our seniors are doing an outstanding job of men- If interested contact Rob Wittman at rww3@psu.edu ehrend hockey grabs two wins over weekend by Chris Lafuria editor-in-chief cslsoos@psu.edu The Penn State Behrend icemen outscored their opponents 14-5 in a pair of wins last weekend. The Blue and White defeated Akron 5-3 in a come-from behind effort and proceeded to earn a 9-2 victory over host Division II West Virginia. Senior D.J. Craven was the offensive leader for Behrend in both affairs, earning three goals and four assists in the two-game span. Senior Daniel Thiessen also contributed to the winning efl two goals and four assists on to-back nights. Craven says the wins ai important for their natioal recognition. "It's very important to keep the nation al ranking status as is." The visiting Akron, who arrived in Erie with a 1-14 overall record, took a 3-1 lead over the host Behrend ai Igloo Ice Arena. Sophomoi Chris Simanic marked the tally for Behrend. After the took the lead, Behrend cra . with a power play goal from defenseman Senior Josh Grumski. Akron would take a 3-2 lead going into the last period. Craven would even the score with a goal early in the third period, bringing the score to 3-3. After a shuffle in the middle of Behrend's scoring zone, Senior Brysten Jones scored, to put the Lions up 4-3. Senior Andrew McLachlan was credited with the assist. Craven would put Behrend up for good with a goal late in the last period of play. Eric Thiessen, Behrend's net-minder, had a strong showing, lead Intramural Deadline Up Swimming Deadline is Friday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. Ping Pong Deadline is Friday, Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. Arena Football Deadline is Friday Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. toring and leading this year's team," says Fornari. Point Guards Natalie Engel and Ellen Kolos, along with guard Kayla O'Connor are the three jun iors on the Behrend basketball squad. Five returners for the sophomore class will be competing for time on the court. They are guards Rachel Richardson, Kristen Sienicki, Kayla McLaughlin, Christine Krankota and forward Jenn Emberg. McLaughlin played in all 27 games last season while Krankota and Sienicki played in 11 games each. Emberg saw time in 26 games last season, while Richardson returns as an improved player from last year, coming into the 2007-08 season in search of more time on the court. Kelly Nowacinski and Amy Oldach are the two freshmen rounding off the roster. Both players will help take the team into the postseason in any way possible, as well as be competing for time in the guard position. Upcoming games for the Behrend Lions are two away conference games when they travel to Lake Erie on Thursday, Jan. 24 and Frostburg State on Saturday Jan. 26. Following the away games will be two home con ference games on Wednesday, Jan. 30 against Mt. Aloysius and Saturday, Feb. 2 against second-place Pitt-Greensburg who are 7-2. Last season the Lady Lions finished with a record of 15-3, taking second place overall in the AMCC Conference and competing in the ECAC Southern Region Tournament. Coach Fornari is looking to lead her team to another conference championship by making it to the post season and knocking out defending champions Medaille College. Medaille currently sits atop the AMCC with a record of 9-0. For more information on Behrend women's bas ketball. visit their website at http://www.behrend.psu.edu/athletics/wbball/index .htm. score against Pitt- ing the defense with 23 saves. Seven Behrend players scored as the visiting Blue and White swung a 9-2 victory over West Virginia at Morgantown Ice Arena. This loss for the Mountaineers marked a three-game home losing streak. Simanic and Thiessen both had two goals and three assists for Behrend, who improved their record to 14-4-1 overall with the successful week end. Junior Justin Duchini, freshman Josh Horvath, Jones, McLachlan and Craven each tallied goals for Behrend. ophomore Eric Thiessen had ier strong outing in the net, :outing 22 saves for the Blue and White. Thiessen is still ranked No. I in all goaltending catergories in the College Hockey East (CHE). "We came out flat in the first half," said Craven. "But it was nice to come out and show them how good we were." Behrend has gone . ough many changes late in the in, preparing the offense for G against the stronger late-sea- son opponents. "We're changing the lines to spread the offense and make the team more bal anced against the better teams like Cal and Fredonia," said head coach Gio Duchini. Craven says that the change in lines will help cre ate more scoring opportunities and more goals. "We're just trying to create more production in the top three lines," he said. Behrend hockey will be back in action on Saturday Jan. 26, when Hilbert College visits for a showdown at Mercyhurst Ice Arena. Gametime is at 7:20 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 No Games Scheduled Saturday, Jan. 26 Behrend Track & Field: @ Case Western Reserve, 10 a.m. Behrend Swimming: @Washington & Jefferson, 1 p.m. Behrend M. Basketball: @ Frostburg State, 3 p.m. .1 A Sunday, Jan. 27 No Games Scheduled Men hoopsters extend winning streak to seve by Andrew McLachlan co-editor-in-chief asmS(H)6Ol psusedu A couple days after New Years. most Behrend students were still at home. enjoying their time off from school. For the Behrend men's basketball team, not only were they practicing. but starting their best winning streak to date this year. Since beating Fredonia on Jan. 5. Behrend has won seven in a row, including the latest one against Lake Erie 58-42 on Thursday night to clinch the num ber one spot in the A MCC Conference. Last year, Lake Erie defeated Behrend two out of three times, including the A MCC Championship, which was a 59- 58 victory over Behrend. Lake Erie's dynamic duo of Darnell Campbell and Derrick Thornton has been absolute ly stellar this sea son. Campbell Sophomore guard Justin Kovac drives to the basket against leads in nine dif ferent categories for Lake Erie this season, including points per game (15.1), defensive rebounds (3.8). total points (227 in 15 games), and field goal percentage (56 percent). Thornton leads in rebounds (5.9 per game), steals (2.3), and is second on the team in points. averaging 14.7 per game. The two scoring machines from Lake Eric tested This Weekend's Behrend W. Basketball: @ Frostburg State, 1 p.m. ' I I . O 4,, P*NOIVV Nlei.1.1410.10.4"0”, Hiackey: vs. Hilbett Mercyhurst Ice Rink the hest scorin defense in the ANICC in Behrend and came up short. So far this season. Behrend has only gi \ en up 55.2 points per game. I I points het ter than-Pitt Bradford who is second in the ANICC. Behrend held the l.ake Erie Storm's Camphell to In points. Behrends /One defense kept them shooting from lone range. Is a result. the Lake Erie Storm strug gled to sink their haskets. going 3-for-22 ith shooting average of 13.6 percent in the three-point area and their oxerall rostburg State on Saturday Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. to begin the second half of their conference play this season. Their next home game will he Wednesday Jan. 30, against the tough Mt. Aloysius at 8 p.m. in the Junker Center. For more information Chit the team's website at http://ww .behrend.psu.edutathletics/mbba I 1/i ndex .htm. The Behrend Beacon I Schedule • . „ . • • "i;:trept . 41, 4 - • . . .y •, .~.J..-t. shootim2. averioN Wati a season lo‘‘ at 25.8 percent Behrend was in the lead at the end of the first hall with a score ()I' 30-19. They con tinued and held their lead for the rest of the game to hying home a win and take hold of the first place position in the AMCC Conference. With the \ icto r. ON er Lake Erie. Behremrs record improves to 13-3 overall and 7-2 in the Conference. Tied for second place are Lake Erie and Pitt- Greensburg with a record of 6-3. Bchrend will travel to Penn State
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