Friday, February 8, 2008
Behrend female diver earns NCAA bid
by Andrew McLachlan
co-editor-in-chief
asmsoo6@psu.edu
Becoming a national champion is not a common
thing for a student at Penn State Behrend. For one.
most of our sports, whether it is a club or varsity
sport, compete at a Division-111 level and even
though we have been successful within our confer
ences, our showings at the national stage have been
nothing to brag about. Behrend freshman Krystal
Kovach will look to change this trend within the
next month.
Kovach, who is a diver for the Behrend
Swimming and Diving team, has been a standout all
year for the defending Allegheny Mountain
Collegiate Conference (AMCC) champions.
Recently, at a meet against Penn State Altoona and
Frostburg State, Kovach’s scores were good enough
to qualify for a bid at the Women's NCAA
Championship held in Ohio Wesleyan on Mar. 13.
Even though she is extremely motivated, her
sights were on other things than nationals. “I was
really just trying to qualify for the ECAC (Eastern
Behrend bailers
by Ryan Smosna
contributing writer
rsnsoos@psu.edu
The Behrend men's basketball team kept their
undefeated home record alive and continued their
dominance in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate
Conference (AMCC) with wins over Pitt-
Greensburg and Hilbert College. Behrend improved
to 10-0 at home with the win over Pitt Greensburg
and moved the men atop the AMCC standings with
a 10-3 conference record and an overall record of
16-4.
In the early stages of the game against Pitt-
Greensburg, Behrend rallied off of a very animated
crowd in the bleachers under their basket. Senior
forward and last week's Behrend Lions Athlete of
the Week Dave Gahan said. "The crowd had us fired
up all game. “ Behrend quickly got ahead with other
contributions from senior center Kevin Buc/.ynski.
who moved into second place on Behrend's all-time
scoring list, and sophomore Adam Potter. Although
Behrend only shot 1-10 from behind the are in the
first half, they held Pitt Greensburg to a feeble 22
points and were up by eight at the end of the half
In the second half, Behrend came out with precise
shooting and aggressive defense. Behrend stroked
seven three-pointers with help from sophomore
guards Adam Kaiser and Justin Kovac. Kaiser and
Kovac nailed three each and finished with a com
bined 24 points. From inside the arc. Senior Dan
Ziegler pounded 12 points home and Behrend's
leading scorer Buczynski added 15 points.
Behrend’s outstanding defense has held their
opponent under 50 points, an incredible, eight times
this season. The men are currently ranked first in the
country in points against only giving up 54.3 points
Behrend drops two,
by Jess Carlson
sports editor
jlcsolB(p'psu.edu
Penn State Behrend's Ice Hockey Team laced two
of the top teams in the Atlantic Region of the
American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)
and walked away with two tough losses.
Behrend was upended by top-ranked California
University of Pennsylvania. 11-5 at Bladerunners in
Bethel Park, PA. Behrend started off to a
respectable 3-2 first period deficit to a Cal team,
who has been ranked No.l all year in the
ACHA. Cal turned"
period, grabbing fivt
goals in the second ai
look back. Behn
together a quick rai
the third period, bi
was too little too
for the Lions.
Leading the way
the losing effort wai
freshman JosJ
Horvath, wh<
walked away with i
hat trick. Also pick
ing up goals foi
Behrend was soph<
more Eric Fry ai
freshman N
Winarski. Sophoi
Chris Simanic sn;
two assists and so]
Brian Hammel and
Craven had an
Sophomore goaltenc.
was peppered with shots, picking up 30 saves in the
loss. Thiessen, who is 8-4 on the season, got a
learning experience from the loss against Cal. “We
need to be more sound in all areas of the ice. With
tough teams like Cal, you have to be flawless and
we still have some areas we need to work on,” says
Thiessen.
College Athletic Conference)
championship. When they
told me that my scores were
good enough for nationals, it
was quite a shock,” said
Kovach.
A graduate from Charters
Valley High School, Kovach
was never on a diving team
until joining Behrend. “I
actually started diving this
past summer,” says Kovach.
“I really didn’t even know
that we had a diving team at
Charters Valley until after I
graduated.” Kovach has been
a gymnast since she was little
and learned to dive after she
was hired to work at a diving
event. “I pick up on it pretty
quickly and have really
enjoyed it,” said Kovach.
While looking for col-
win 10 in a row
per contest, and a slim 662 points in conference
play. Senior center Buczynski said “we really like to
get after them: playing pressure defense helps us get
energy and leads to easy baskets on offense.”
After the blowout against Pitt-Greensburg,
Behrend traveled to Hilbert and delivered a 61-58
victory in front of a pack house in Hilbert. After
being down ten points at halftime, Behrend came
alive, outplaying Hilbert in all areas of the court.
Leading the way for Behrend was Buczynski with
16 points, Kaiser with 12, and Kovac with 11.
Potter and junior Tom Newman chipped in with six
assists each.
The undefeated home record combined with ten
straight wins has more fans than normal showing up
at the Junker Center. According to senior Jacoby
Curtis, "last Saturday's crowd was a sign of things
to come." The lively student's occupied nearly the
entire bleacher area next to the band under
Behrend's first half basket. Chants such as
"defense", "P. 5.8.”. “you can’t do that”, and “start
the bus" were just some of the many that could be
heard from this rowdy yet respectful gang. One of
the members of the student section sophomore
Frank Nagy said “we are really trying to get an
energetic student section going, and now that we
have started we hope others will join.”
Behrend has one more road game, followed by a
three game home stand, which will end the regular
season. The men will head to Penn State Altoona on
Saturday Feb. 9 before coming home to the Junker
on Wednesday Feb. 13. “Each and every player
understands how important these last few games
are. We want to host the AMCC tournament this
year and. in order to do that, we must continue to
play hard and smart,” Buczynski said.
prepares for playoffs
With the win, Cal clinched the North Division
title in the College Hockey East (CHE) and will
receive the Kaliena Cup, which is awarded to the
team with the best record in the CHE. Behrend has
also qualified for the CHE playoffs as one of the top
wild-card teams. If Behrend can get through the
first two rounds of the playoffs, they could very
well see Cal in the CHE title series.
After the loss to Cal, Behrend came home for
senior night to face another top team in Fredonia
State. After getting out to a 3-1 second period lead,
Behrend let Fredonia State get back into the game
away with a 5-4 victory,
ite, who is currently
.3 in the Atlantic Region
ACHA, is now 3-0
t Behrend this season,
tehrend junior Justin
ler had two goals in a
ting effort. Also pick
tg up goals for Behrend
/as sophomores Aaron
Marks and Simanic.
Craven finished a solid
weekend, with two
\ssists against Fredonia
tate. Senior goaltender
it Laskey played solid
his final home game,
•ping 23 shots,
tehrend will look to get
in track with two tough
,ames this weekend. On
Feb. 9, Behrend will
‘.y of Pittsburgh D-111,
.runners in Harmarville,
i nen on Sunday, Feb. 10, Behrend will con
tinue their road trip with a division clash with
Robert Morris University D-111 at 2:30 p.m. at the
Island Sport Center at Neville Island, PA. Behrend
will be also the center of attention on Sunday’s
evening sportscast on WSEE, Erie’s CBS affiliate.
The evening news begins at 6 p.m.
■PG'PT
Kovach is first Behrend diver to qualify for
NCAA title
Intramurals heating up at Junker Center
by Nick Haller
contributing writer
nphsol2(a'p suet * u
About a quarter into the second semester, proba
bly one of the most important weeks approaches.
Intramural basketball playoff week, this is the
moment all intramural players dream of, a chance
to take that tee shirt home to mom and dad.
With several teams battling in each division, it is
safe to say that everyone will put it on the line this
upcoming week. The teams that made it from the
competitive league are Renegades. Predalien.
Windex, Chuckin’ Deuces, So Nasty, Swisher
Sweet, Your Mom, and Fart Head.
Now these eight teams have worked all semester
long to get to this point and it becomes a matter of
who wants it more, all is on the line and the reign
ing champs Fart Head are looking to win another,
and it sure looks like nothing will stop them.
Robert Wittman was quoted on saying. "That Fart
Head was the best intramural team he has seen in a
long time, they shoot well and they have great
chemistry and it is going to be tough to beat them."
When talking to team captain Ryan Smosna
about this he said very humbly, "dominance comes
from hard work and our players working out in the
gym and junker five to ten hours a day." Ladies and
gentleman, that is pure dedication right there, and it
all comes from the leadership of Smosna himself.
Wittman also explained how they have a lot of
chemistry and that they play very well together. 1
asked Ryan how that came to be and he said, “took
a while we had to feel eachother out. but now I just
feel that we are playing like the 8u115...0f the early
This Weekend’s Schedule
Saturday. Feb. 9
Behrend W. Basketball: @ Penn State
Altoona, 2 p.m.
Hockey: @ University of
;h D-m, 8:50 p.m
'ear, Kovach was
searching outside of the
state, but ended up at
Behrend after falling in
love with the campus. "My
mom really wanted me to
stay local and I could not
be any happier being at
Behrend.” says Kovach.
When visiting the campus.
Kovach and her mom got a
chance to speak with
Behrend’s Swimming and
Diving Head Coach Jen
Wallace. While only hav
ing about two months of
experience. Kovach joined
the team, unknowing of
what was ahead of her.
“I'm a big fan of just
being outside and
involved in activities.
so I saw the team as a
Behrend M. Basketball: @ Penn
State Altoona, 4 p.m.
Behrend Hockey: @ Robert Morris
University D-111, 2:30 p.m.
The Behrend Beacon I
chance to he apart of something great and have
something to occupy sometime while 1 was up
here." says Kovach.
While excelling at diving. Kovach admits that she
does have some faults. "1 am by no means a good
swimmer and at times I can be clumsy." With
Kovach preparing for ECAC and the NCAA's, she
knows that if anything, it will be a great experience.
"It was something that 1 thought that was out of
reach and unachievable, but now I am just really
excited to compete and hope for the best." Kovach
is one of the two divers that is on the Behrend ros
ter and is the only female diver on the team.
Behrend's female swimmers currently are 6-7 on
the season, putting them in first place in the AMCC.
The men are also in first, with a record of 8-3. The
next match up for the swimming and diving team is
the AMCC championship, held in Grove City on
Feb. 14. Kovach will also travel to the ECAC
championship that will be held in Pittsburgh. Pa on
Feb. 29.
90s of course." This team expects to win the cham
pionship this year, and is already on their way with
a perfect 5-0 record.
The Fart Head's are not only the unbeaten team
this year: teams Chuckin' Deuces and Windcx are
right there at 5-0. I got a chance to talk to Chuckin'
Deuces point guard and soul of the team Mark
Ferguson aka “Fcrg." Ferg got injured in the last
game and is listed doubtful for the playoff run.
W'hen talking to him I asked about the inji ry and
if the Deuces still have a shot at a championship
run. He responded. “Total faith. 100 percent
believes in his team." And why wouldn't he? The
Deuces won a game with just four people when
Ferg went down. Yes. this is a very dangerous team
who will most likely meet team Windcx in the
semifinals. Team Windex's spokes person was
unavailable for comment, but I have a feeling they
will come to play, strictly from there team motto
"Work hard. Play harder."
Wittman believes that sometime people take this
game too seriously and its just to get in shape and
have fun. 1 for one am totally for it but others have
different views Ferg believes that. "No matter w hat
we do say its playing checkers or tiddlywinks, win
ning to us is the most important thing, because for
us winning is fun."
Intramural basketball is a sport, and it brings
blood, sweat, tears to life. I believe in the fact that
it's for fun and to get a good run in. but if you want
to get a head and get that sweet t-shirt, you just got
to put a little more into it. and that is exactly what
these eight competitive league teams have done. I
wish much luck to all teams and players. Next
week is a big week gentlemen, lets all go to work.