The Lion’s Eye wins arenoc Hockey club’s 13 victories can’t disguise pain of slew of injuries By JULIA HAGAN Lion’s Eye staff writer JAH1003@psu.edu The Penn State Delco ice hockey club's impressive 13-3-2 record does not illustrate a struggling team, but the 2004-05 season, which continues into February, has not been without its share of obstacles, including a string of serious injuries. The club's list of game-delaying injuries began Oct. 24 during a tumultuous road game against rival Penn State Berks. Freshman for- ward Brian McKoy, a reliable and adept player, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, triggering a painful and premature end to a promising first season of college play. Oct. 30, during a trip to Pittsburgh, freshman forward Matt McKinley experienced a concussion and has been recovering. The following weekend, yet another freshman forward, Mike Kelly, endured a concussion at the Naval Academy. Despite the upsetting injuries to an entire offensive line, Delco proved victorious in each of the games. But on Nov. 13, the team lost another forward when senior Ryan Cell received a three-game ejection for fighting and a facemask violation against Edinboro University. And the most recent impediment occurred Nov. 21 when senior cap- tain Tom Fischer suffered a damag- ing hit against the boards leading to another possibly torn ACL for the Delco roster. Team members recognize that among the reasons for their midsea- son decline are areas in which they need to improve their play. "We have to play consistently," said Cell. "Now, we don't play three periods of hockey. We play down to the level of the other teams." With big games against schools including Penn State Berks and a tournament trip to Florida on the horizon, the players have remained confident in the ability of their team and love of their sport. "The team is distraught over all of our recent injuries and setbacks," said Fischer, "but hopefully we can bounce back in upcoming games." "We have to come back healthy and practice hard," said goalie Jeff Wild, "like we did earlier in the sea- son. Hopefully, we can have a strong showing in Florida to boost our morale." "I can’t quit hockey," said Cell. "I ~ December 7, 2004 Photo by Bill Hammond Tom Fischer unloads a shot while Penn State Delco teammate Brian Hurley looks on during recent against against Navy. break on Jan. 7 against Kutztown University. Home ice is Ice Line Skating Arena in West Chester. can't let go." The team's next home game will be held over Penn State's winter Men post two victories; Lady Lions earn a split By JULIA HAGAN and KATIE NEWS Lion’s Eye staff writers JAH1003@psu.edu KMN151@psu.edu Photo by Katie News Megan Peterkin of Penn State gets off a shot during a recent victory over Harrisburg Area Community College. After a three-game losing streak to start its season, the Penn State men's basketball team rebounded last week with a pair of wins. The Lions defeated Penn State Wilkes-Barre on the road, 82-76, overcoming a 20- point deficit along the way, then earned their first win at home, 70-67, over Penn State Schuylkill. The Penn State Delco women’s team, meanwhile, lost to Manor College, 66-48, then rebounded with a 67-60 decision over Harrisburg Area Community College. The Lady Lions played at Penn State Abington Saturday in a game that ended after deadline. Highlights of the men’s win over Wilkes-Barre included 24 points from cap- tain Mike Thornton and impressive play from fresh- men Carlos Gonzales (17 points) and Barry Robinson (15 points). "We were a little lazy get- ting off the bus," said senior Hisham Rhami, "but the team really came together." Against Schuylkill, Steve Corey contributed 13 points. “We cut our turnovers in half," said Corey. "We ran our offense and played like a team." "It's always good to win when it's a team effort," said Rhami. The next men's home game is Thursday, Dec. 9, against Penn State York. The Lady Lions played hard against Manor but fell short. “We have a lot to work on,” said starter Dana Johnson, who had 11 points. “We are working hard so we can be where we want to be. We just have a lot to do.” The Lions then conquered Harrisburg, with forward Katie McBrearty contribut- ing 13 points and forward Megan Peterkin adding 13. Angela Clupp, a forward, added nine points. The Lady Lions used 3- point shooting and rebound- ing to come out on top. The win against HACC gave the Lady Lions a record of 4-3 pending Saturday's game. The Lady Lions return home Dec. 9 to play Penn State York at 6 p.m.
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