Sports Highlights
Murphy Cup: April 3, 2010
What a difference a week makes. After rowing in winter like conditions a week ago in the Manhattan Invitational, the Sarah Lawrence crew team traveled to sunny Philadelphia for the Murphy Cup and were greeted with eighty degree temperatures and calm waters. After watching her varsity four rowers give their all at the Manhattan event, Head Coach Carolyn Miles fielded two squads on this day–the varsity women's four as well as the varsity women's eight. It turned out to be a successful day, with Miles calling it a huge "confidence booster" for the Gryphon rowers. The Murphy Cup is a highly prestigious affair, one of the largest gathering of northeastern collegiate rowing squads.
The lineup for the varsity four was the same as last week with Nicolo Bracato (cox), Baxter Townsend, Emmy Herland, Zeiland Powell and Chantal Gil. This quartet of rowers was up against a deep field that included perpetually strong teams Lafayette and Lehigh. The Gryphons finished 5th in their heat. The varsity eight Gryphons (the rowers form the four plus Alexis Gordon, Meg Jones, Liza Brandli and Sarah McSherry) had one of the best races of the year for Sarah Lawrence as they qualified for the finals by finishing third in their heat ahead of Franklin and Marshall and Bryn Mawr. All the hard work that the Gryphon coaches have witnessed in the early morning hours paid off handsomely with the fine run. The varsity eight finished sixth in the finals.
Next up for the rowers is the Knecht Cup in Cherry Hill, New Jersey the weekend of April 10th.
Manhattan Invitational: March 27, 2010
With high winds and cold temperatures in advance of the historic early spring storm that would cause significant damage throughout the tri-state area making conditions definitively unpleasant for rowing, the Sarah Lawrence crew team participated in the Manhattan Invitational on Saturday. Head Coach Carolyn Miles, along with graduate assistant Amy Garrison , has watched her rowers practice diligently and were excited to see how they'd perform in the first major meet of the spring portion of the calendar. On this day it was just the varsity women's four that would compete against the other two teams in the race–Manhattan College and Kings Point (Merchant Marine Academy).
And though the weather didn't cooperate, the five veteran Gryphon rowers–Nicolo Bracato (cox), Baxter Townsend, Emmy Herland, Zeiland Powell and Chantal Gil–orchestrated a well paced and consistent race, falling just short of overtaking Kings Point for second place. In all it was a fine race in such miserable weather.
Faced with such stiff competition will surely be great preparation for the Murphy Cup next weekend in Philadelphia–this is a race that attracts dozens of schools and is one of the premier dates on the spring crew calendar.
Pace University Show: March 7, 2010
The Sarah Lawrence equestrian team made another trip out to Briarwood Farm in Readington, New Jersey on Sunday, this time to compete in the Pace University hosted show. Unlike last week's ride which took place in cold temperatures, the riders on this day were greeted with temperatures in the upper 50's making it a perfect day for equestrian competition. And Coach Lori Rakoczy's squad came through with outstanding rides as the team continues to improve with each show.
Two Gryphon riders competed in advanced divisions. First-year Kerin Lawlor notched a fifth place finish in advanced walk trot canter and sophomore Chelsea Catalanotto scored a third place finish in the same event. It was great to see two Sarah Lawrence riders performing so well in the same division. Another highlight on this day was the first place result delivered by Aya Matsumoto in novice fences. With this strong ride, Aya qualified for the Regional Championships later this spring. First-year Lara Eder also came up with a top spot as she claimed first in novice flat. And sophomore Monica Wise had a superb run in open flat, finishing in third.
The Gryphon riders will have a few weeks to rest up and practice as they prepare for the IHSA Regionals, also held at Briarwood, on April 2nd.
William Paterson Show: February 28, 2010
Coach Lori Rakoczy took her equestrian team to Briarwood Farm in New Jersey on Sunday to commence the spring—or should I say late winter as temperatures were in the 30's and a lot of snow still on the ground—portion of the equestrian season. Having witnessed significant improvement from all her young riders (there's only one senior on the roster) in the fall, Coach Rakoczy was looking forward to see how they'd do in their first competition since November. Sure enough there were several stellar performances on the day.
Sophomore Monica Wise competed for the first time in intermediate fences. The initial ride in any new division can be perilous but Monica rode effectively and finished in a superb 3rd place. She also notched a fourth place finish in open flat. Fellow sophomore and Californian (two-thirds of the roster hails from the Golden State) Aya Matsumoto took second in novice fences. Rounding out the results were senior Sarah Aoanon with a sixth place finishing in walk trot ; Lara Eder with a fourth and 5th in novice fences and flat respectively and first-year Kerin Lawlor who finished sixth in the very competitive advanced walk trot canter.
Next up for the Gryphon riders is the Pace University show on March 7th, also to be contested at Briarwood.
Culinary Institute of America: February 7, 2010
In what appears to be a recurring theme for Coach Joe Ross' Sarah Lawrence basketball team, the Gryphons played a competitive game on Sunday afternoon against Culinary Institute of America (CIA) but it just wasn't enough to sustain them towards a victory, with CIA pulling away from a 73-56 triumph in this battle of HVMAC rivals. It was a relatively tight contest until Sarah Lawrence ran into foul trouble midway through the second half which gave the well-balanced CIA team too many opportunities. Nonetheless it was perhaps the strongest effort of this spring semester as the Gryphons played perhaps their most complete game in some time.
Captain Mike Shane and Max Mallory have been a relentless offensive force the last several games and this remained true on this day as well with the duo combining for six three-point baskets and 40 points. Nick Streltzov chipped in seven points and first-year Chauncey Xun Yin recorded his first points in the green and white.
Sarah Lawrence will hope to unify their offensive and defensive efforts on Thursday night when they'll battle longtime conference rival Pratt Institute at the Campbell Sports Center. It's also Senior Night for the Gryphons and the team hopes to see a large crowd in attendance to honor the efforts of the senior members of the roster.
Berkeley College: February 6, 2010
Continuing a brutal stretch of their winter schedule, the Sarah Lawrence basketball team faced off against defending HVMAC champion Berkeley College on Saturday afternoon. And unfortunately for the Gryphons, Berkeley played like champions and cruised to a resounding 87–41 victory over Sarah Lawrence. It was the fourth straight loss for Coach Joe Ross' team. Though they were routed, it's hard to call this loss "disappointing" for the Gryphons as Berkeley is just that much better.
Despite the defeat, Sarah Lawrence kept up their trademark aggressiveness, especially on defense. And though it didn't yield the usual turnovers, it was testament to the great effort the Gryphon squad puts in to each game. As usual, the scoring for Sarah Lawrence was led by captain Mike Shane with 16 points and junior Max Mallory with 14. And Senior Jacob Berezin scored the first points of his collegiate career.
Sarah Lawrence is in the midst of a four game home stand to close out the season. Next on the agenda for the Gryphons will be HVMAC foe Culinary Institute of America tomorrow afternoon at 1 at the Campbell Sports Center.
Saint Joseph's College: February 3, 2010
After a disappointing two games following the holiday break, Sarah Lawrence faced their toughest match–up of the second semester on Saturday night when they traveled to Brooklyn to compete against conference leading St. Joseph's College. And though they went down to defeat 80–51, this loss was not as disappointing as the previous two as the Gryphons were just outmatched against the best team in the league. Head coach Joe Ross' team brought an intense and aggressive effort to this game and there were many positives to emerge from the loss. In the end it was the brutally consistent outside shooting that guided St. Joseph's to the relatively easy win.
There were many superb efforts put forth by the Gryphons. Max Mallory continued his torrid shooting since returning to the team a few weeks ago. Max nailed six three–point shots en route to a game–high 22 points. Captain Mike Shane nearly matched that output by contributing 19 points and also nabbing 10 rebounds. Nick Streltzov (nine rebounds), Ziggy Teicher (5 rebounds, 4 offensive) and Noah Singh (5 rebounds) held their own on the inside against a much taller and strong St. Joseph's squad.
Sarah Lawrence will return to action at the Campbell Sports Center on Saturday afternoon at 1 when they'll engage in another HVMAC match–up – this time against Berkeley College.
Rhode Island School of Design: January 30, 2010
In a rematch of the opening game of the year for Sarah Lawrence, the Gryphons played host to their non–conference foe Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) at the Campbell Sports Center on Saturday afternoon. After losing to RISD back in November, coach Joe Ross' squad was hoping to come out strong and seize momentum early. And just as in their game on Tuesday against Vaughn, the Gryphons started the game efficiently and were down only eight at the half. But terrible second half shooting resulted in a disappointing 80–49 loss for Sarah Lawrence. The final score does not reflect how close the game was early in the second half.
Junior Max Mallory and captain Mike Shane once again led the way for Sarah Lawrence with 17 and 16 points, respectively. And Junior Daniel Missirlian got off the block and notched the first points of his collegiate career. The Gryphons must be able to match their always tenacious defense with consistent scoring. If they're able to manage that feat, then the victories will come.
Sarah Lawrence's next test will come against HVMAC conference leader St. Joseph's on Wednesday night in Brooklyn. This will surely be a true test of the Gryphons' progress to date.
Vaughn College: January 26, 2010
The first game back after an extended vacation break can be a rather tricky affair as there's no way of knowing whether the prolonged rest would serve to re–energize a squad or cause further rust. So when the Gryphon basketball team took the short trip to conference rival Vaughn College on Tuesday night, head coach Joe Ross didn't know what to expect from his tenacious team. It turned out to be a mixed bag. After an inspired first half that left Sarah Lawrence only four points behind, the imposing and powerful front line of Vaughn took over the game and the Gryphons fell 80–42.
Max Mallory, a mid–season addition for Sarah Lawrence, returned to action for the Gryphons after a semester abroad and his impact was felt immediately as he contributed 10 first half points. Other highlights were captain Mike Shane's terrific numbers – 18 points 12 rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Nick Streltzov, added six points and six rebounds. In addition to Max, coach Ross welcomed three other new members to the team; Noah Singh, Chauncey Xun Yin and Daniel Missirlian.
Sarah Lawrence will look to bounce back on Saturday when they'll tussle with the Rhode Island School of Design in a matinee match–up at 2PM at the Campbell Sports Center.
Hampshire College: December 5, 2009
Certain games—win or lose—utterly define a team's character, for better or worse. When the Sarah Lawrence men's basketball team was routed in their last game against the towering front line of Albany College of Pharmacy, it would have seemed reasonable for the Gryphons to run away and hide for the rest of the semester and wait for January to redouble their efforts. But thankfully that was not the chosen path for Coach Joe Ross' devoted squad. On Saturday afternoon Sarah Lawrence traveled to Amherst, Massachusetts (their longest distance road rival this season) in their last game prior to the extended holiday break—albeit with only seven players as several were unable to make the trip due to injury and academic concerns. But the shorthanded Gryphons rose to the occasion in magnificent fashion. After falling behind at halftime by 11 points, the true complexion of this Sarah Lawrence team emerged. Buoyed by superb outside shooting and a relentless team effort, Sarah Lawrence went on to a 52-47 triumph. It was a fulfilling victory on many levels—none more so than to see tangible evidence of a committed work ethic pay dividends.
Though one would hope otherwise, often times it's not the entire roster that contributes, rather just one or two players that carry a team to victory. But on Saturday, it was indeed the entire roster that factored heavily in the thrilling win. The defensive pressure that Coach Ross implores during the dawn practice sessions was on full display in Amherst. Seniors Jacob Berezin and Zack Tornaben were able to sustain a stifling defensive effort throughout, proving a key to the win. Captain Mike Shane led the scoring with 17 points and also added 7 rebounds. Junior Ziggy Teicher notched his first career double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Also, Ziggy's two 3-point shots late in the game gave Sarah Lawrence the lead for good. Nick Stretlzlov poured in 7 points and 7 rebounds. Luk Johnston, who at 5'9 was forced into the unenviable task of playing under the basket and was able to forestall several scoring efforts by Hampshire. And Zhiyan Young finished with a career-high 10 points.
Sarah Lawrence will attain much needed rest as they head into the long holiday break. They'll be back on the court on Tuesday, January 26th when they'll travel to Vaughn College.
SUNY New Paltz Show: November 21, 2009
Competing on back-to-back days on the road is never an enviable task. Such was the case for the Sarah Lawrence equestrian team. A day after their best finish in competition this season, the Gryphons were back riding in their last competition of the fall portion of the calendar. . This time it was the SUNY New Paltz show held at Briarwood Farm in New Jersey. Coach Lori Rakoczy had high expectations for the day, knowing that her riders have started to display peak form. Though they didn't finish in as high a position as yesterday, nonetheless every Sarah Lawrence rider earned a ribbon. It was indeed an exhausting but ultimately satisfying weekend of riding. The team should feel proud of their efforts as they head into the much deserved Thanksgiving break.
A day after qualifying for the regionals in intermediate flat, Monica Wise continued her strong rides with a second place in novice fences. This assures Monica of a spot in the regionals in novice fences. First-year Kerin Lawlor nabbed her first ribbon of the season with a third place finish in walk trot canter. Rounding out the Gryphon ribbon winners—Sarah Aoanan nabbed a second place in walk trot; Lara Eder finished 4th in in novice flat; Emily Macdonald scored a fourth in novice fence and a fifth in novice flat and Aya Matsumoto finished second in novice fences.
After a successful fall season, Coach Rakoczy greatly looks forward to the spring where her riders are sure to continue to improve upon their fine showings of the last two months.
Stevens Institute Show: November 21, 2009
The Sarah Lawrence equestrian team competed in the Stevens Institute of Technology show held at Centenary College on Saturday. It was the start of a busy weekend for the riders as Coach Lori Rakoczy's squad will also be competing on Sunday. The Gryphons' season has been marked by slow but steady improvement with each succeeding show and the Stevens show proved no different. Sarah Lawrence had their best finish of the season, with many riders having personal best days.
Monica Wise, sophomore from California, displayed her best form of the autumn finishing in first place in intermediate flat. The performance secured her a spot at the regional finals next spring in this division. Senior Sarah Aoanan, also from California (four of the six roster members hail from the Golden State) rode to a third place in walk trot. First-year Lara Eder had two solid rides in separate categories, notching a second in novice flat and a fourth in novice fences. Rounding out the scoring for Sarah Lawrence were Aya Matsumoto, 5th in novice flat and Emily Macdonald, second in novice flat and sixth in novice fences.
Coach Rakoczy's team will head back to New Jersey tomorrow to compete in the SUNY New Paltz show held at Briarwood Farm in Readington.
Albany College of Pharmacy: November 22, 2009
One of the most oft-used cliches in sports, especially as it pertains to basketball, is "you can't teach height." And Sarah Lawrence discovered this in brutal fashion on Sunday when the Gryphons played host to Albany College of Pharmacy. Playing against a team sporting three players 6'4 or taller (by contrast only one Sarah Lawrence player stands 6'2) Sarah Lawrence was thoroughly outmatched, especially under the boards, as Albany rolled to a 99-25 rout. It was the third straight conference battle for Sarah Lawrence and also their fourth game in 10 days—the Thanksgiving break does indeed come at an opportune time for Coach Joe Ross and his team.
Even with the defeat there were—as usual—some bright spots for Sarah Lawrence. Chinese native and First-year Zhiyan Yang provided a glimpse into the future of Gryphon basketball with 6 points and tenacious play against an intimidating opponent. Mike Shane scored 10 and grabbed 8 rebounds. With Ziggy Teicher adding 6 points and an equal number of boards.
Sarah Lawrence will look to regroup over the holiday and will return to action on Saturday, December 5th when they'll make the long bus trip to Hampshire College.
Pratt Institute: November 20
A team or player always aspires to play at their best against their staunchest rivals. And in the collection of colleges that comprise the HVMAC, Sarah Lawrence and Pratt Institute have battled each other for many years. When the two teams met up on Friday night, Sarah Lawrence basketball Coach Joe Ross hoped that his Gryphon squad would rise to the occasion and make it difficult for a very strong Pratt team. The Gryphons spotted Pratt an early 20 point lead in the first half and unfortunately for Sarah Lawrence it proved too big an obstacle to hurdle with Pratt winning 77-57.
It was a tale of two halves in a sense for Sarah Lawrence. Though thoroughly outplayed—and also self-sabotaged by mistakes—in the opening stanza, the Gryphons played Pratt even the rest of the way. Mike Shane led the way again for Sarah Lawrence with 17 points, with Ziggy Teicher adding 12. Junior Luk Johnston contributed 6 points and 3 assists to showcase his varied on-court ability.
Sarah Lawrence will return home for a Sunday afternoon game against Albany College of Pharmacy. This should prove to be another tough test for the Gryphons as Albany is likely the best team in the conference.
Vaughn College: November 17, 2009
Armed with a sizable amount of confidence after their utterly exhilarating victory on Friday evening, the Sarah Lawrence basketball team resumed play with a home contest against Vaughn College. This was the first conference game for Coach Joe Ross' squad and the Gryphons had high expectations for the night. But after a tightly contested opening half which saw Sarah Lawrence play aggressively on both sides of the ball, Vaughn pulled away in the second half for a 83-41 triumph. It was a tough loss for the Gryphons after such an inspiring victory last weekend during Homecoming. However, regardless of the outcome, Coach Ross was pleased with the tireless effort displayed by his players.
Mike Shane continued his torrid shooting during the early part of the season as he had 19 points. Ziggy Teicher, in addition to applying his usual defensive pressure, added 14. And first-year Francis Oppong was a presence underneath the basket, collecting 8 rebounds.
Sarah Lawrence will seek to return to the win column when they travel to Brooklyn and meet HVMAC rival Pratt Institute on Friday, November 20th.
Webb Institute: November 13, 2009
Perhaps the Sarah Lawrence basketball team should embrace all superstitions. In a thrilling game framed by the notorious calendar date and Homecoming Weekend festivities, Sarah Lawrence provided the large crowd with an abundance of inspirational plays with a come-from-behind 49-47 victory. A more ideal way to win could not have been scripted any better—even with the emotional roller coaster that Coach Joe Ross' team supplied the fans.
It was the first home game of the season for the Gryphons. And playing in front of the home fans seemed to have created some initial jitters early in the game. Sarah Lawrence's inconsistent play at the start led to a 15 point Webb lead early in the second half. But from this point forward, Sarah Lawrence played inspired basketball. Coach Ross saw before him the payoff from all the hard work in practice that his team has exhibited early this season.
Mike Shane again led the offensive effort, pouring in 19 points. Just as important he contributed 16 rebounds and 6 assists. This superlative effort notched Shane the HVMAC Player of the Week award. Junior Ziggy Teicher displayed his tenacious, relentless defense and held Webb's top scorer without a point for the last six minutes of the game.
Sarah Lawrence will play again at home on Tuesday evening when they'll play host to HVMAC opponent Vaughn College. This will be the first conference game of the year for the Gryphons.
United States Military Academy Show at Centenary College: October 31, 2009
After a frustrating showing at last week's William Paterson event, Coach Lori Rakoczy and her riders were determined to turn in an impressive performance at the USMA hosted show at Centenary College on Halloween afternoon. After all, the fall season's signature day is supposed to be reserved for decoration and imposing fright. And it appears that the Sarah Lawrence riders took this notion to heart, as the Gryphons proved to be a scary force for the opposing colleges. It was just a matter of time before the squad began to jell and reach their potential.
Blue ribbons were handed out to two Gryphons on this day. First-year Lara Eder and sophomore Aya Matsumoto grabbed top honors in their respective novice fences groups. Aya also took home a 3rd place in novice flat. Rounding out the strongest show of the year for Sarah Lawrence—where the team finished in a strong 7th place—were Sarah Aoanon who scored a 3rd place showing in walk trot; Monica Wise, 3rd in novice fences; and Emily MacDonald, 6th in novice fences.
The team hopes this superb performance will create momentum as the squad passes the halfway mark of the autumn season. They'll get their next shot in upstate New York when they'll travel to Marist College for a show on November 15th.
Rhode Island School of Design: November 7, 2009
The Sarah Lawrence men's basketball team commenced the 2009-2010 campaign with a trip along I-95 to visit the Rhode Island School of Design. Head Coach Joe Ross, in his 7th year with the SLC basketball program, was eager to see this edition of Gryphon hoopsters finally take to the court in competition after weeks of dedicated practice. And the results were impressive. Though Sarah Lawrence would go down to defeat 68-44, they kept it close throughout much of the game. Even more an accomplishment is the fact that half the roster had never played a minute of college ball prior to this game.
Captain Mike Shane led the offensive effort with 14 points. Sophomore Nick Streltzov added 10. The defensive pressure applied by Sarah Lawrence yielded them many opportunities and Coach Ross believes defense will become the trademark of this squad. Being a smaller team than most and relatively inexperienced, their effort and determination in games and a work ethic in practice will be the keys to success for Sarah Lawrence.
Next up is a game on Friday—the 13th—at the Campbell Sports Center against longtime rival Webb Institute at the Campbell Sports Center. Additionally it is the Homecoming game.
Webb Institute: October 26, 2009
Being that this is the first year of intercollegiate soccer competition for Sarah Lawrence, the season has already been a success by any measure. Coaches Hassan Turner and Natalie Harris have seen rapid and sustained improvement from each of their roster members. The soccer squad played their final game of the regular season against longtime HVMAC foe Webb Institute at home on Monday evening. Both Webb and Sarah Lawrence were looking to claim their first win of the year so a tight game was to be expected. And sure enough, the Gryphons saved their best for last during this inaugural season and won an exciting game 2-1. It would have been difficult to find a better way to end the season.
For the first time all year—or so it felt—the weather cooperated, providing a beautiful night for soccer at the Sarah Lawrence field as temperatures stayed in the 50's with no rain. After playing in deluges several times this fall, the Gryphons deserved balmier conditions. The Gryphon offense was relentless on this night with senior co-captains Ben Wiessmann and Akash Radia combining for 15 of the 25 shots on goal. This effort supplemented a tenacious defense which turned aside many Webb attacks. The lone Sarah Lawrence goal (the second was an own goal) was scored by first-year midfielder Nathan Thompson.
Coaches Turner and Harris have set a solid foundation for the soccer program and with many players returning for 2010, look for the Gryphons to thrive in the coming years.
William Paterson Show: October 25, 2009
With at least the weather cooperating and providing ideal riding conditions following last weekend's storms, the Sarah Lawrence equestrian team returned once again to New Jersey and Briarwood Farm to compete in the William Paterson hosted event. But the sunny skies and mild temperatures weren't enough to overcome small mistakes and downright bad luck with horse draws that plagued the Gryphon squad on this day. Sarah Lawrence finished 10th overall.
Coach Rakoczy knows her team is on the verge of that "breakout" week where all the riders perform up to their potential. But for such an event to take place, the stars must be aligned as that most nefarious and sinister of circumstances known as the draw to attach rider with a certain horse is always ready to wreak havoc with the best laid plans. Unfortunately for the Gryphons, several teammates were stuck with uncooperative horses. The result were scores not truly reflective of how well the team performed.
Sophomore Monica Wise had the best showing of the afternoon, finishing 4th in intermediate flat. The other notable rides were provided by Lara Eder, 5th in novice flat, and sophomore Aya Matsumoto, 5th in novice fences. Next up for the Gryphons is a Halloween show at the United States Military Academy show at Centenary College.
Head of the Fish Regatta: October 25, 2009
Rain has been a constant for the New York region during most of 2009 and has made athletic contests exercises in putting up with the elements—just ask the Sarah Lawrence men's soccer team. But just as the Gryphon women's tennis team was able to somehow escape the bad weather during their recently completed championship season, the Sarah Lawrence crew team has also evaded the dreary conditions. This proved to be the case last weekend when the Gryphon rowers traveled upstate to Saratoga Springs to compete in the Head of the Fish regatta. After an intensely stormy Saturday the weather cleared and actually provided ideal rowing conditions on Sunday. And the smooth waters allowed for stellar races for all three of the Sarah Lawrence squads. Head Coach Carolyn Miles was so pleased to witness such strong performances from the entire roster just one week after the varsity women's successful Head of the Charles race.
This was the first race of the year for the men's novice—Lukas Fauset, Alex Whiton, Erik Falls, Edward Estanol and cox Jess Munoz—and they performed well, finishing in 18th place ahead of several schools with longer rowing histories. The women's varsity 4+—Baxter Townsend, Meg Jones, Zeiland Powell, Alexis Gordon and cox Niccolo Bracato—finished a strong 14th, beating out Franklin and Marshall, St. Lawrence, Brandeis among other schools. And the women's light 4+—Chantal Gil, Sarah McSherry, Gowri Janakiramanan, Dana Roberts and cox Julia Maritz—had a superb day as they notched a third place finish just behind Binghamton and secured the bronze medal.
The Gryphons will now move on to the sprint portion of the calendar. On Halloween, Sarah Lawrence will race much closer to home at Glen Island where they'll compete in the Fall Met Champs.
Tri-Match: College of New Rochelle and Cooper Union: October 24, 2009
The Sarah Lawrence volleyball team came into their last regular season contest of the year on Saturday with high hopes. Coming off their impressive rout of Maritime College on Thursday, the Gryphons were poised to wage battle against the College of New Rochelle who lead the HVWAC standings. There was an element of revenge in the air also as Sarah Lawrence lost a heartbreaking match in their earlier meeting this season back in September. In that battle, the Gryphons came from two games down to force a fifth but fell just short. ; But alas, Sarah Lawrence was not able to avenge their earlier defeat on this day. Playing inconsistently throughout, the Gryphons fell in a relatively tight match 25-19, 19-25, 21-25, 22-25.
Senior Kyana Moghadam had the most complete performance for Sarah Lawrence. She racked up 15 digs, 12 kills and 6 aces. Fellow senior Kate Mountz added 8 digs, 5 kills and 2 aces. And Brooklyn Moore—the assist machine—contributed 19 assists. All in all, it was a frustrating affair for Sarah Lawrence.
In the second installment of the tri-match, their last regular season match of the season, Sarah Lawrence faced off against former conference foe and longtime rival Cooper Union. And though the Gryphons yielded the first game, they came right back to win the next three and end the season on a high note. The final scores were 23-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-18. After such a disappointing effort against New Rochelle, it was quite satisfying to finish the day on such a strong note.
It was senior Kyana Moghadam's final regular season match for the Gryphons and she went out in style with 12 digs and 9 kills. Senior Lee Cohen finished her career at Sarah Lawrence contributing 3 digs, 3 kills and 1 ace. Captain Danielle Bernstein had a tremendous offensive day with 16 kills. And of course, a wrap-up of the stat line for the Gryphons wouldn't be complete without noting the assists recorded by Brooklyn Moore—26 on this day.
Coach Matt Cribbin will now ready his team for the conference championships which take place over Halloween weekend. Sarah Lawrence will be seeded second for the tournament.
Maritime College: October 22, 2009
A pause in activity is sometimes the tonic that one needs to recharge. The Sarah Lawrence volleyball team needed some time off after a particularly packed portion of their schedule. So after a week away from competition, the Gryphons took on non-conference opponent Maritime College on Thursday evening at the Campbell Sports Center. In addition to the action on the court, it was also "Dig Pink Night" as Sarah Lawrence made this a Breast Cancer Awareness match. And the results couldn't have been more spectacular on both counts. The Gryphons won easily in what coach Matt Cribbin declared was, "the best game I've seen them play" since taking over as coach last year. Sarah Lawrence dominated in all phases of the game. The final score was 25-18, 25-18, 25-21. Additionally, $2,300 was raised to help the fight against breast cancer.
Wearing pink jerseys to display their dedication to the cause, the Gryphons refused to let Maritime mount any successive challenge. In a way, the stat line is less impressive on the defensive side because Sarah Lawrence didn't let Maritime get control on offense for most of the match. Brooklyn Moore had 10 assists; Danielle Bernstein added 5 kills and 4 digs and Lexi Langill tallied 4 kills and 4 aces
With this peerless performance, the Gryphons hope to save some of their prowess for Saturday afternoon when they'll contest a crucial tri-match with Cooper Union and the College of New Rochelle. ; Of most importance is the New Rochelle match as they currently stand atop the rankings in the HVWAC.
All Region Show: October 18, 2009
Sometimes one needs to ignore the score line, be it positive or negative, at a sporting event and just be satisfied with finishing. Such was the case for all the colleges—Sarah Lawrence included—competing at the All Region show on Sunday where all the Zone 2, Region 1 schools were represented. With weather more befitting mid–January then October as temperatures remained in the upper 30's accompanied by a driving rain, Coach Lori Rakoczy's riders did their best to counter the miserable conditions. It was a good test of sorts for the new riders as they have known competed in wildly varied weather in the first two shows of the season.
The high place ribbon winner on the day for the Gryphons belonged to first-year Lara Eder. Lara battled through to score a 3rd place finish in novice flat. Monica Wise and Emily MacDonald each grabbed a 6th place ribbon in their respective novice fences groups. And Sarah Aoanon finished 6th in walk trot. Coach Rakoczy was pleased with the effort put forth from all her riders on such a dreary day.
One can only hope that next Sunday's show at Briarwood Farm is contested under dry skies.
Hampshire College: October 18, 2009
There is perhaps no more beautiful place in autumn than western Massachusetts. And that is where the Sarah Lawrence soccer team found themselves on Sunday afternoon where they contested a non-conference game against Hampshire College in Amherst. But neither Sarah Lawrence nor their hosts were able to revel in the stunning New England backdrop as the weather conditions proved to be about as horrible as one could conjure up for a soccer game. With temperatures in the high 30's and a steady rain making play highly uncomfortable, the Gryphons lost a tough contest 4-1.
This was a particularly difficult loss for Sarah Lawrence to absorb as the Gryphons actually had more scoring opportunities than their hosts. But some bad bounces at critical moments proved to be the deciding factor. Regardless, Coaches Hassan Turner and Natalie Harris were mighty impressed by the determined and fierce effort from their players in such miserable conditions.
Junior Cody Foster had a superb game in goal, turning away numerous Hampshire attacks. Joining him in the defensive effort was first-year Trevor Wallace who covered both ends of the field with tenacity from his midfield position.
Sarah Lawrence gets a well earned rest as their next game isn't until October 26th when they'll play host to Webb Institute in the final regular season game of the year. It's also a crucial HVMAC encounter.
Head of the Charles: October 17, 2009
Part of the joy of collegiate crew is the chance to row down majestic and historic vistas. So with this in mind, the Sarah Lawrence women's crew team was thrilled when they learned that they had been invited to participate in the 45th running of the Head of the Charles in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The regatta is one of the most prestigious international rowing events held in the intercollegiate rowing capital of the northeast. With 54 schools entered, it is considered the jewel on the fall calendar.
The women's Varisty 4+ made the scenic autumnal trip to the Boston area on Friday and were able to get in some good practice that evening. The rowers—seniors Chantal Gill, Zeiland Powell, Alexis Gordon and junior Baxter Townsend along with sophomore cox Julia Maritz—used this time to hone their rhythm and it paid off greatly. The squad finished just behind strong rowing schools Hamilton College and Miami University and finished ahead of Hofstra and Stony Brook. The focus and poise shown by the Gryphon rowers was exceptional and they proved their entry into the event was justified. Coach Miles could not have been more satisfied with how the weekend worked out.
Sarah Lawrence will participate in the final Head event of the fall campaign when they'll travel upstate to Saratoga Springs to take part in the Head of the Fish next Sunday. With the Head of the Charles having been a success, the entire Gryphon team will look to make its mark next week.
York College: October 15, 2009
Concluding a tough stretch of four matches in seven days, the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team took to their home floor on Thursday evening and battled non-conference foe York College. After playing superbly in both victories and defeats lately, Coach Matt Cribbin's team was primed for another strong effort. But it wasn't to be on this night. Sarah Lawrence never found their groove on offense and missed out on numerous opportunities to regain control of the match and lost 14-25, 25-21, 19-25, 24-26. It was likely the most disappointing loss of the season thus far. Most irritating for the team was the fact they let a 21-14 lead vanish in the fourth game.
If the word "assist" is uttered in conjunction with Gryphon volleyball then it's likely the player responsible for those assists is Brooklyn Moore. Once again Brooklyn had an utterly massive night setting up her teammates with 26 assists. Kate Mountz played a clean offensive game with 7 kills and 11 digs. Kyana Moghadam contributed 12 kills and 4 digs. And captain Danielle Bernstein finished with 6 kills and 6 digs.
Sarah Lawrence will enjoy a much deserved week off before hosting Maritime College on October 22nd.
Yeshiva University: October 15, 2009
The Sarah Lawrence men's soccer team under the guidance of coaches Natalie Harris and Hassan Turner, have proved themselves to be aggressive, resilient and adaptable thus far this season despite the considerable competitive odds the team finds themselves up against. And these hallmark characteristics were in abundance on Thursday when the Gryphons made the short trip to the other side of Yonkers to take on a strong Yeshiva contingent. Playing in ugly weather conditions that were more befitting for December than mid-October, with a cold, driving rain making playing unpleasant, Sarah Lawrence put up a strong fight before going down to defeat to the Maccabees 5-1.
Leading the way on offense for the Gryphons were first-year Harper Hunt and sophomore Adam Wiessmann. Harper scored the only goal of the game for Sarah Lawrence on a perfect assist from senior Akash Radia. Robert Winslow maintained a tough defensive profile for Sarah Lawrence as he was able to rebuff several Yeshiva scoring chances. Overall, the Gryphons had 14 shots on goal which is a testament to the relentless effort that Sarah Lawrence was able to maintain for the duration of the game.
Next up for the Gryphons is another non-conference game against Hampshire College on Sunday afternoon.
Brooklyn College: October 14, 2009
With the regular season title already securely in their possession, the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team played their final regular season match on Wednesday evening against non-conference foe Brooklyn College. Playing on their beloved home courts for the second consecutive night, Coach Jeffrey Horn's talented and varied group of players truly saved the best for last as the Gryphons pulled out a thrilling 5-4 victory. It was a spectacular way to finish off the season and gives Sarah Lawrence even more momentum heading into the HVWAC tournament on Halloween day.
It always helps to be lucky and the tennis team has been the beneficiary of benevolent treatment from the weather gods. As foul weather has been a constant in the New York area for much of 2009, Sarah Lawrence has been able to evade the raindrops and has not had a rainout this year—a rarity indeed. But last night the team was especially fortunate as a two-day storm hit the area just after the matches ended. The playing conditions were quite less than favorable as wind—the true weather enemy of the sport—proved to be an obstacle for both teams.
Without question the singles highlight for the Gryphons belonged to first-year standout Laura Fenney. Laura, in the #3 singles slot, found herself facing a 7-9 deficit. But Laura rallied to force and then win the tiebreaker 7-4 to end the match after more than two hours of play. The Brooklyn coach even commented that this was the best match of the seaon. Also adding singles victories were Sarah Morris, Mary Kim and Rachel Franks.
After Brooklyn claimed the first two doubles matches the evening was knotted at four wins apiece. So it all came down to the #3 doubles where Sarah Morris and Antonia Aglialoro won 8-5 to give the Gryphons the victory.
Prior to the match Coach Horn honored the four seniors for their contributions to the team; Carlie Bentley, Emily Zemba, Rachel Franks and Danielle Saporta. All of these players exemplified the commitment to the team that has been a hallmark of the Sarah Lawrence tennis program.
The team will get a well deserved rest before they prepare for the HVWAC championships held at the National Tennis Center on Halloween.
College of St. Elizabeth: October 13, 2009
The Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team took to their home courts on the south end of campus Tuesday night against the College of St. Elizabeth armed with a new title—HVWAC regular season champions. Just two days after securing the crown, the Gryphons didn't miss a beat and continued their winning ways with a closely contested victory over their non-conference opponents, 6-3.
Despite the less than favorable chilly and windy conditions, in addition to several of Coach Jeffrey Horn's players being absent due to illness and academic obligations, the Gryphons got off to a strong start, claiming four of the six singles matches. First-year Laura Fenney got back in the win column after suffering her only defeat of the season against Pratt on Sunday, winning 10-7. Sarah Morris and Mary Kim also won in tight fashion—10-8 and 10-7 respectively. The remaining singles victory belonged to Antonia Aglialoro who had a far easier time, winning 10-1.
So with only one doubles match needed to finish off their foe, the Gryphons were poised to wrap the match up early. But after St. Elizabeth won the #1 doubles, things got a bit more tense. But Emily Zemba and Mary Kim, playing in the #3 slot, were able to put Sarah Lawrence on top with an 8-4 victory. Rounding out the wins for Sarah Lawrence was the duo of Sarah and Antonia who coasted to an 8-1 win.
The regular season ends Wednesday evening when Sarah Lawrence plays host to Brooklyn College. Before the match, Coach Horn will honor four senior Gryphons—Carlie Bentley, Rachel Franks, Danielle Sapporta and Emily Zemba. And then it's back to work for Sarah Lawrence as they'll ready themselves for the HVWAC tournament on Halloween at the National Tennis Center.
Mount Saint Mary: October 12, 2009
Sometimes, despite how well a team plays or tries, it's just not close to being enough to topple a stronger team. Unfortunately that was the way of things on Monday night for the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team. Coach Matt Cribbin's squad fought hard but proved no match for an intimidating and powerful Mt. St. Mary team, losing 13-25, 18-25, 16-25. The Gryphons were unable to find a rhythm in which they could extend points and wear their opponent down, which is their usual strategy. Mt. St. Mary proved to be too stubborn in their refusal to yield control.
Nonetheless, the loss provided Sarah Lawrence with more experience against top notch competition. And there were some Gryphon highlights. Brooklyn Moore contributed 16 assists with 7 digs. Kyana Moghadam numbered 6 kills, 3 digs and 2 aces. And Danielle Bernstein, returning to action after a brief stint on the disabled list contributed 6 kills, 5 digs and 2 aces.
Sarah Lawrence will seek to return to the win column when they battle York College on Thursday evening at the Campbell Sports Center.
Pratt: October 11, 2009
A day after suffering their first loss of the 2009 tennis season, Coach Jeffrey Horn and his players made the quick turnaround on little rest and rode the bus to the Brooklyn campus of Pratt Institute to compete in their final HVWAC match of the year on Sunday. Pratt and Sarah Lawrence are longtime rivals and are usually both in the mix at the top of the standings. But this time the encounter had additional energy - whichever team emerged the victor would claim the regular season conference title. And with a performance befitting their high level of play that they established early on in the season, the Gryphons captured the HVWAC title with a commanding 8-1 victory. Needless to say, Coach Horn is immensely proud of all his players for their effort and performance during his initial season at the helm of the squad.
Playing on the Pratt courts is always a challenge as the indoor surface is very slick and fast, leaving one little time to make necessary adjustments. But the Gryphons were well prepared and played smart tennis on the day. Though the final outcome was utterly decisive, there were several close matches. And as usual Carlie Bentley, playing at #1 singles, provided much of the drama. Carlie was down 0-5 in the tiebreaker before concocting a stunning rally to eventually win 7-5. Another extraordinary comeback was supplied by the doubles team of Emily Zemba and Antonia Verdi. The duo were down 7-3 before rallying to win four consecutive games to force the tiebreaker which they won easily. Sarah Morris, Lauren Hudson, Rachel Franks and Mary Kim all won singles matches in dominating fashion - losing only six games total in the four matches. Ironically, Laura Fenney suffered the only loss on the afternoon—it was Laura's first singles defeat in 10 tries this year.
The strong play by Sarah Lawrence once again did not go unnoticed by the conference—Carlie Bentley received Player of the Week honors and Laura Fenney took home Honor Roll mention.
The team will savor the triumph and conference title for a couple of days before they next play on Tuesday evening, when they'll host the College of St. Elizabeth. Speaking of streaks, it's been years since Sarah Lawrence has lost on their home courts.
Pratt Institute: October 10, 2009
Though they had lost their previous two matches, Coach Matt Cribbin's volleyball squad was nonetheless armed with the knowledge of how strong their effort and play-making acumen have been of late. So with this in mind, the Gryphons made the short trip to Brooklyn where they met Pratt Institute for another chapter in their longstanding rivalry. Sarah Lawrence knew the match would likely be a tight one with both teams being evenly matched. And sure enough, it came down to the final game with the Gryphons pulling out a thrilling encounter 31-33, 25-21, 25-15, 11-25, 15-11. After coming up just short a few days prior, it was most gratifying to win such a close match. And though it may not have been the best level of play exhibited by Sarah Lawrence, a win is a win—sometimes it's more of a test of character to triumph when one isn't at their best.
The Gryphons had to make due without team captain Danielle Bernstein who was nursing an injury sustained against St. Elizabeth. But senior Aubrey Becker stepped up in her spot and proved crucial to the outcome. The Hawaiian native notched 6 kills and 6 digs on the afternoon. First-year Brooklyn Moore seems likely to set an assist record by the time her Sarah Lawrence career is concluded—she added 21 assists to her fast accumulating total. Kyana Moghadam played great defense with 9 digs to go along with 7 kills. And Kate Mountz had a strong serving day, finishing with 7 aces.
Sarah Lawrence will now enjoy an extended period at home with only one away match the rest of the season. On Monday night the Gryphons will host the tough Mt. St. Mary team at 7 PM.
SUNY Purchase: October 10, 2009
With the weather once again cooperating, providing a beautiful mid-fall afternoon for sport, the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team made the short trip across Westchester County on Saturday afternoon where they took on perennial powerhouse and former conference rival Purchase College. The undefeated Gryphons knew they'd face their toughest test yet in this successful season. And Purchase indeed proved to be too difficult an obstacle for Sarah Lawrence to hurdle, with the Panthers securing a 7-2 victory. Even with their hopes for an undefeated season dashed, Coach Jeffrey Horn was immensely pleased with the now-trademark gritty effort put forth by his players.
Without doubt, the match of the day took place in the #2 singles slot where senior Carlie Bentley lived up to her new nickname TQOTB—"the Queen of Tie Breakers"—when she emerged victorious in a grueling three set affair 6-4, 3-6, 10-7. Carlie has shown remarkable perseverance and focus all season long when faced with daunting circumstances. The other victory for the Gryphons was provided by first-year Laura Fenney who has continued to impress with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph. Though the score would seemingly indicate a lopsided affair, it was most decidedly anything but easy. All games were played to at least three deuces, resulting in a tense battle of wills with Laura emerging with her ninth victory in as many tries this season.
In what will be their most physically demanding stretch of tennis all year, the team will have little time to recover. Tomorrow the players will make the bus trip to Brooklyn to compete against Pratt Institute in their final HVWAC match of the season. With Pratt also undefeated thus far as well, the winner of this encounter will be crowned conference champions.
Berkeley College: October 10, 2009
Under beautiful playing conditions for the second consecutive game, Sarah Lawrence battled conference rival Berkeley College on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, the final outcome was not to Sarah Lawrence's liking. Though the Gryphons managed to keep Berkeley within striking distance, the Knights played slightly better when it counted most and were able to defeat the Gryphons 3-0 in the HMVAC match-up.
One of the key points that Gryphon coaches Hassan Turner and Natalie Harris repeatedly implore to their charges is to maintain a focused level of play, no matter what the score or circumstance. And on this count, Sarah Lawrence has shown tremendous improvement. A key to sustaining such focus is to never abandon the aggressive style of play that has become something of a trademark for the young Gryphon squad. Harper Hunt, the first-year midfielder from Paris—Texas, not France—once again played with intensity on both offense and defense, helping keep Sarah Lawrence in the game.
After two straight conference games, Sarah Lawrence will play a non-conference game as they'll travel to Yeshiva on Thursday night.
College of Saint Elizabeth: October 8, 2009
After a fine performance against an extremely tough opponent in Bard College several days ago, the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team found themselves up against another non-conference foe on Thursday when they hosted the College of St. Elizabeth at the Campbell Sports Center. St. Elizabeth, formerly a member of the HVWAC, has always fielded an impressive squad and this year is no different. Though the Gryphons played superbly throughout, it was not quite enough as they went down to defeat in five games 21-25, 22-25 ,27-25 ,25-22, 10-15. But it was easily the highest quality match of the season for Sarah Lawrence and an impressive performance against such high caliber competition.
Coach Matt Cribbin summed it up best when he stated that, "this was possibly the best loss we could have had." And the numbers back it up. Storming back from being down two games to none, the Gryphons won the third game in thrilling fashion and then nearly pulled off the stunning upset. As usual, there were many stellar contributions from across the entire Sarah Lawrence roster. First-year Brooklyn Moore had another monster game with 22 assists. The senior tandem of Kate Mountz and Lexi Langill anchored the offensive effort, combining for 20 kills. Defensive prowess was exhibited by Danielle Bernstein (13 digs) and Olivia Vache (16 digs).
Coach Cribbin and his team hopes this high standard of play is a portend of things to come as the season's final stretch of games approaches. The Gryphons' next test will be on Saturday afternoon when they'll travel to Brooklyn to compete in a crucial conference match against longtime rival Pratt Institute.
Cooper Union: October 8, 2009
Rivalries are a crucial component to any sport and at any level of competition. And for Sarah Lawrence there is perhaps no greater rival than Cooper Union. The two schools have battled through many close contests over the years in tennis, basketball and other sports. And now soccer, while new this year to Sarah Lawrence's intercollegiate program, has also provided its share of tense moments as the Gryphons hosted Cooper Union on Thursday and lost a well played game, 2-0. This was Sarah Lawrence's third HVMAC game of the season. Coaches Natalie Harris and Hassan Turner were pleased with how well Sarah Lawrence held up to the strong Cooper squad, as the team continues to exhibit steady improvement with each game.
Sarah Lawrence was able to keep the much vaunted Cooper offense in check for much of the game. First-year Tennessee native Robert Winslow was especially effective against Cooper. Robert kept alive several scoring opportunities and he was equally effective on defense - which has been a strong suit for the Gryphons during this inaugural soccer campaign - as Sarah Lawrence stayed motivated and kept the score within reach.
The Gryphons will return to the field of action on Saturday and once again play host when they'll take on Berkeley College in another HVMAC contest.
Drew University: October 5, 2009
The Sarah Lawrence equestrian team, helmed once again by standout coach Lori Rakoczy, competed in their first competition of the season as Sarah Lawrence and Drew University co-hosted a show at Briarwood Farm in western New Jersey. With sunny skies and warm temperatures, conditions were ideal for the Gryphon riders to start the 2009–2010 season in auspicous fashion. And that is indeed what came to pass as several Sarah Lawrence women got off to a strong start for the year. Overall, the team finished in a respectable 8th place.
High turnover of roster members is a constant challenge in intercollegiate sports. And Coach Rakoczy is faced with such a test this year as half of the Gryphon riders are new to the team. (On an interesting note this year's squad is utterly bicoastal, as they all hail from either California or New York). First-year Kerin Lawlor had an excellent start to her college riding career, finishing 5th in advanced walk trot canter. The other first-year member of the team, Lara Eder, notched a 6th place in novice fences. Sophomore Monica Wise contributed the strongest ride of the afternoon with a 2nd place in intermediate flat. Rounding out the ribbon winners for Sarah Lawrence were; Aya Matsumoto 4th place in novice flat, Emily Macdonald 4th place in novice flat and Sarah Aoanon 6th place in walk trot.
The Gryphons will return to Briarwood Farm on October 18th to take part in the All Region show.
Culinary Institute of America: October 4, 2009
At least they didn't have to play in the rain. That's one positive Sarah Lawrence can take out of their game on Sunday against the Culinary Institute of America. After playing Vaughn College to a hard fought tie yesterday during a deluge, the Gryphons were not able to fully appreciate the balmy and beautiful weather conditions on Sunday as Culinary routed the Gryphons by the score of 9-0. Coaches Hassan Turner and Natalie Harris were well aware of how difficult a task it would be to play Culinary, who are a disciplined and powerful team. But even with the loss, Sarah Lawrence can view this game as just another step towards maturing as a team during this first season of men's soccer at Sarah Lawrence.
It was not all for naught on this day. Sarah Lawrence played with the kind of effort that the coaches have implored them to do. The outstanding performance for the Gryphons belonged to first-year Trevor Wallace. The Washington state native anchored the defensive mid position and was successful in rebuffing several Culinary scoring opportunities.
Sarah Lawrence will play host to longtime conference arch rival Cooper Union on Thursday evening in what should prove to be a competitive game.
Bard: October 4
Playing a formidable non-conference opponent for the second consecutive afternoon, the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team played well but weren't able to overcome a powerful Bard squad. Coach Matt Cribbin's team went down to defeat 25-23, 25-10, 25-20 in the first of what was supposed to be tri-match against both Bard and Maritime (the match with Maritime has been rescheduled for October 22nd, at Sarah Lawrence). The fact that two of the three games against the perennially strong upstate college squad were close is proof of how tenacious a team that Cribbin helms.
Continuing her torrid pace with assists, Brooklyn Moore added 14 more on this day, to go along with 3 kills and 6 digs. Joining her first-year roster mate, Olivia Vache had another excellent defensive effort as she picked up 10 digs. Displaying her all-court acumen, New York native Danielle Bernstein racked up an impressive stat line with 10 digs, 6 aces and 3 kills. Kate Mountz maintained her sharp play with 7 kills and only 3 errors on 17 attack attempts. Kyana Moghadam added 4 kills and 4 digs.
The Gryphons will finally enjoy the comforts of home when they host the College of St. Elizabeth on Thursday evening at the Campbell Sports Center. The team will enjoy a few days without competition until then.
Medgar Evers: October 4, 2009
After their epic match against Bard on a rainy and cold Friday night, the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team was glad to be back on their home turf on a gorgeous and balmy early October afternoon. And after an exhausting week, the Gryphon players could be forgiven if they didn't want to supply too much excitement and drama on this day. And it worked out that way. Sarah Lawrence routed their conference foe 9-0 and served notice that they are, without question, the team to beat in the HVWAC.
Incredibly, the Gryphons lost only seven games total. And Coach Jeffrey Horn's players notched five shutout victories on the afternoon—Laura Fenney (#2), Danielle Sapporta (#3) and Antonia Aglialoro (#4) in singles. Joining this trio were Rachel Franks, Carlie Bentley and Mary Kim all coasting to routs. In doubles play, the teams of Laura and Antonia and Mary with Beriln Wagner-Kim also refused to give up a game. The other remaining victory was provided by the duo of Emily Zemba and Danielle.
Sarah Lawrence will now enjoy a period of six days before their next match. But they'll need the extra practice time. Next Saturday the Gryphons will drive across the county to compete against an always-tough foe (and former conference rival) Purchase College. Then, and more importantly, Coach Jeffrey Horn's team will have to turn around and travel to Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon to take on Pratt Institute. Pratt and Sarah Lawrence are tied atop the HVWAC standings and whoever wins this match will take home the conference title.
Vaughn College: October 3, 2009
In their inaugural season as part of the expanding Sarah Lawrence athletics program the men's soccer team, under co-Head Coaches Hassan Turner's and Natalie Harris' guidance, has exhibited steady improvement as the team starts to gel and get a sense of how to effectively execute a game plan. After losing handily in their opening game of the season the Gryphons proved that their hard work has quickly paid off as they played Vaughn College to a tie on Saturday afternoon 3-3. The game was played through a driving rainstorm.
The Wiessmann brothers from nearby Hastings were a potent duo on this day. Sophomore Adam kept Vaughn at bay throughout the game with his stifling defensive play. He also added an assist. Senior and older brother Ben kept the offense moving fluidly from his mid-fielder position and had two shots on goal, narrowly missing on one try. Captain Akash Radia, senior from England, supplied the bulk of scoring as he recorded two goals on the afternoon. Akash's explosive offensive abilities during such miserable playing conditions was substantiation of his tremendous all-around game. Senior Pete Libbey secured the third goal for Sarah Lawrence.
A full weekend of competition will continue tomorrow as Sarah Lawrence makes the scenic upstate trip to Duchess County where they'll meet the Culinary Institute of America in a HVMAC game. This should prove to be a daunting test as CIA is a very talented squad.
Tri-Match: Old Westbury and Medgar Evers: October 3
Attaining much needed slumber often proves to be a valuable aid in any endeavor. And so the case proved to be for the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team. After an intense series of matches, the Gryphons appeared revitalized when they traveled to Long Island to compete in a tri-match with non-conference powerhouse Old Westbury and HVWAC opponent Medgar Evers. Though the Gryphons were defeated in the opening encounter against Old Westubry (25-20, 25-13, 25-15), Coach Matt Cribbin's squad came back to score an important victory over conference rival Medgar Evers (23-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-23). With the victory, Sarah Lawrence maintains their second place standing in the HVWAC conference.
The Gryphons knew they were in for a tough, physical encounter with Old Westbury. And the match indeed played out in that fashion. And Sarah Lawrence should be pleased with how well they fought. Leading the way again for the Gryphons on defense was Olivia Vache who notched 13 digs for the second consecutive match. Also reaching double digits in stats was Brooklyn Moore who dished out 10 assists. And numbers don't always give the full breadth of effort, as exemplified by senior Kate Mountz. Kate had 2 kills and 5 digs but what cannot be enumerated in the box score was Kate's brilliant passing and defensive effort.
When Sarah Lawrence took to the court for their second—and arguably more important—match of the afternoon against Medgar Evers, Coach Matt Cribbin was hoping that the effort put forth in the first match would be even more present in the second tussle. And though the Gryphons lost the first game, the squad came back with a gritty and powerful effort, vanquishing their HVWAC rival in four games.
Brooklyn Moore led the way for Sarah Lawrence, distributing an astonishing 25 assists, a career high. The first-year Oakland native has left quite an impression in her debut season for the Gryphons. Not to be outdone by her youthful teammate, senior Kate Mountz once again had a superb match and passed the ball with utter precision throughout. In addition, Kate racked up 6 kills, 5 aces and 5 digs. Adding to the offensive effort was Kyana Moghadam, with 6 kills. And senior Lexi Langill was able to exorcise her serving demons as she contributed 5 aces to go along with 3 kills. Finally, Danielle Bernstein added a career high 11 kills to round out the stellar effort by Sarah Lawrence.
Sarah Lawrence will have little time to enjoy their victory. Tomorrow afternoon the Gryphons will make the short trip to Maritime College in the Bronx where the team will face Bard College.
Bard: October 2, 2009
Knowing they had to take on their strongest competition of the year away from their beloved home courts - where it's been years since the Gryphons have lost a match - Coach Jeffrey Horn and his undefeated squad rode the bus up alongside the Hudson to Annandale on Friday evening where the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team took on Bard College. Bard and Sarah Lawrence used to reside in the same conference and have been longtime rivals. What transpired was a thrilling match which, in the end, left the undefeated streak alive for the Gryphons—albeit technically.
Playing under threatening skies and non-HVWAC rules (doubles play first, best-of-three sets, ad scoring) that they weren't accustomed to, Sarah Lawrence got off to a very rough start and found themselves in an immediate 3-0 hole as Bard swept the doubles matches. This left the Gryphons hardly any room for error as they knew they had to take five of the remaining six matches to record a victory. But things went from bad to worse as the singles competition commenced when senior Carlie Bentley, playing in the #1 position, was beaten by one of the finest players that Sarah Lawrence has competed against. Carlie played tough and left it all out on the court.
So with a 4-0 match deficit, it appeared all was lost for Sarah Lawrence. But as this season has instructed, the Gryphons play with a relentless determination and this was never more exhibited than in the remainder of the match. Playing #2 singles, first-year Laura Fenney yielded only four games in her victory. Her feat was duplicated by #3 Sarah Morris who also recorded an easy win. Then, playing in the #6 slot, sophomore Mary Kim battled through an exhausting three set affair to win the final set 6-4 and with it, Sarah Lawrence had nearly evened the match, being down just 4-3.
But that is where the evening ended. Rain—which had thus far proven to be elusive this season—ended the proceedings. It's impossible to say what could have happened but the remaining two singles matches were both in Sarah Lawrence's favor as Danielle Sapporta playing #4 and Antonia Aglialoro at #5 were both ahead 3-2 in the final set. And with the now trademark fighting spirit being exhibited, it's hard to imagine that the Gryphons would have lost those matches.
After arriving home in the early morning hours on Saturday, the team will have little time to rest as they'll return to HVWAC play with a home match against Medgar Evers on Sunday afternoon.
York College: September 30, 2009
Two streaks were at stake when the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team played host to York College in a non-conference tussle on Wednesday night, with the undefeated Gryphons hoping to retain that label. In addition, this has been an unusually rain-free early autumn which has been most welcomed by all. By the end of the match both streaks were in tact as Sarah Lawrence cruised to an utterly dominating 9-0 victory. The match marked the midway point of the season and Coach Jeffrey Horn could not be more pleased with the progress of his players during his rookie season at the helm.
Though it didn't rain, conditions were not ideal for hitting balls as brisk winds made a cool evening feel that much chillier. But its affect on the team was nil. In the six singles matches, the Gryphons yielded a total of only 15 games with two players—Sarah Morris playing #5 and Danielle Sapporta—rolling to shutout victories. The other singles triumphs were provided by #1 Carlie Bentley, #2 Laura Fenney, #3 Antonia Aglialoro and #4 Lauren Hudson. Joining the victory parade in doubles was Rachel Franks who teamed with Sarah Morris in the #2 slot and Antonia Verdi joining forces with Mary Kim to claim the #3 match.
And on another positive note were the conference accolades bestowed upon the Gryphon players for a second straight week. Lauren Hudson was named Player of the Week and Mary Kim received Rookie of the Week honors.
Sarah Lawrence will most surely have a more difficult task on Friday night. The Gryphons will make the scenic trip upstate to take on former conference rival Bard College. The perpetually strong Bard contingent will provide a true measure of just how outstanding this Sarah Lawrence squad is.
Mt. St. Vincent: September 29
Starting a stretch of three consecutive road contests, Sarah Lawrence traveled to the Bronx to face the College of Mount St. Vincent in a non-conference affair Tuesday evening. After a rough start in the opening game, the Gryphons waged a fierce battle albeit a futile one, as they went down to a tough defeat 25-8, 25-23, 28-26. Though the score was not in their favor, Coach Matt Cribbin was gratified with the strong effort put forth by his squad, especially considering this was the fourth match in six days for Sarah Lawrence.
It was a testament to Cribbin's squad's tenacity that they were able to make the match so close after being routed in the opening stanza. First-year Texas native Olivia Vache led the scrambling, defensive effort with a career high 13 digs. Fellow first-year Brooklyn Moore had a strong all-court game as she contributed 14 assists, 3 digs and 5 kills. Also displaying an all-around effort was senior captain, Kyana Moghadam, with 7 kills and 6 digs. Adding to the offensive power were Danielle Bernstein with 5 kills and Lexi Langill with three of her own.
Thankfully Sarah Lawrence will have three consecutive non-match days before resuming competition with a tri-match against Old Westbury and HVWAC foe Medgar Evers on Saturday afternoon.
Lehman College: September 26, 2009
Facing their toughest opponent of the season thus far, Sarah Lawrence made the short trip to the Bronx to challenge Lehman College in a non-conference encounter. Playing their third match in four days, the Gryphons would have been forgiven for appearing sluggish or fatigued. But quite to the contrary, Sarah Lawrence played superb, energetic tennis and won a closely fought and tense contest, six matches to three. Coach Jeffrey Horn's players remain undefeated on this already stellar season.
There were numerous close matches on the afternoon. Playing #1 singles, sophomore Sarah Morris fought gamely but barely lost 10-8. Also competing in tight matches were Lauren Hudson and Mary Kim, with the two emerging victorious. Lauren displayed tremendous grit in winning 10-7 in a match that turned into a momentum swing for the Gryphons. Mary won her match by the identical 10-7 tally. Also winning in singles for Sarah Lawrence were first-year Laure Fenney, in the #2 position, who won with relative ease 10-5. And senior Danielle Saporta continued her victorious ways with a shutout of her Lehman foe. Danielle and Mary teamed at #3 doubles and cruised to an easy 8-2 victory. Finally, the other win was provided at #2 doubles as Lauren joined forces with Antonia Verdi, winning another hard fought contest 8-6.
The Gryphons will get a well deserved three days in a row without any matches. They'll next return to action on Wednesday when they'll host York College. With a streak of unusually cooperative weather providing backdrop to this undefeated stretch, it's turning out to be a special season for the Gryphons.
Tri-Match: St. Joseph's and Brooklyn College, September 26
The quickest and most effective antidote while recovering from a brutal loss is to win the next match. Such was the hope of the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team when they hosted a tri-match on Saturday afternoon. The Gryphons were eager to put the ghosts from Thursday night's defeat behind them. And sure enough, Sarah Lawrence accomplished their immediate goal when they came out strong and determined, beating HVWAC conference rival St. Joseph's-Brooklyn in three straight games. The final tally was 25-15, 25-19, 25-11. The relatively easy victory could not have come at a more opportune time.
The entire team played focused and intense throughout, leaving the eventual outcome in no doubt. First-year Brooklyn Moore continued her torrid pace with 16 assists. The Oakland, CA native also added 2 aces and 1 dig. Fellow Californian Kyana Moghadam had an impressive stat line with 6 kills and 6 digs. Danielle Bernstein also had an impressive all-court game with 5 kills, 5 aces and 2 digs.
Sweeping a tri-match—much like taking both ends of a doubleheader in baseball—is never easy. And lamentably, the Gryphons were not able to duplicate their first match effort when they took on Brooklyn College in the second match of the afternoon. In fact, the match turned out to be another tough loss for Sarah Lawrence. The Gryphons took the early lead and led two games to one but Brooklyn eked out a very close fourth game and won the non-conference tussle. The final score was 14-25, 25-23, 15-25, 25-22, 15-11.
As usual, the loss was not without superb efforts from the Gryphons. Among them—Brooklyn Moore had an astonishing 21 assists to go along with a team high 8 aces, Kyana Moghadam with 8 kills and 6 digs, Danielle Bernstein had a team high 7 digs, Kate Mountz added 7 aces and 5 kills and sophomore Amanda Ota contributed 3 digs.
Next up for the squad is a non-conference match against Mt. St. Vincent in the Bronx at 7 Tuesday night.
College of New Rochelle: September 25, 2009
It's all too common to engage in overconfidence, a practice that often is proven to be folly -- especially in sports. Yet, it's hard not to be impressed with how thoroughly dominating the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team has been in 2009. And it keeps getting better. On another gorgeous early-autumn evening at the Gryphon home courts, Sarah Lawrence continued their winning ways with a shutout victory over conference opponent College of New Rochelle on Friday. And statistics bear out just how awesome Coach Jeffrey Horn's squad has performed -- out of a total of 36 matches played through their first four meetings of the season, Sarah Lawrence has lost just one match.
Four singles players recorded shutouts on their own; Sarah Morris (#1), Laura Fenney (#2), Mary Kim (#5) and Emily Zemba (#6) yielded nary a game in their triumphs. Lauren Hudson and Danielle Saporta were the other singles winners. The Gryphons have yet to lose a singles match thus far on the season. The doubles victories were nearly as dominant. Mary Kim and Antonia Verdi, playing in the #3 position, won in a shutout.
Sarah Lawrence will have little time to rest as they'll travel to the Bronx to compete against what's sure to be a tough opponent, Lehman College on Saturday afternoon. This will be the first of three consecutive out-of-conference tussles against formidable competition.
College of New Rochelle: September 24
One often hears of "good" losses in sports, where both teams gave everything they had and regret did not play a part at the end of the day. But then there are those losses that stay with an athlete or team for some time. Unfortunately for the Sarah Lawrence women's volleyball team the latter is what occurred Thursday night at the Campbell Sports Center, as Sarah Lawrence lost an excruciating encounter with HVWAC leader College of New Rochelle. Blowing a two games-to-none lead, the Gryphons ended up losing by the scores of 21-25, 21-25, 25-8, 30-28, 15-12. It was the most heartbreaking loss in years for Sarah Lawrence.
Coming into the match Coach Matt Cribbin and his squad were well aware of the daunting task that awaited. The Blue Angels from across the county are a powerhouse in the conference and a Sarah Lawrence victory would have catapulted the Gryhons to the top of the standings midway through this season. And it looked as if that would happen early on as Sarah Lawrence raced to a commanding lead. And after a sloppy third game which New Rochelle won with ease, the Gryphons were in position to win the match in the fourth game. But a horrendous service slump resulting in 19 missed serves - including missing four match point serves in that pivotal fourth game - was the undoing for Sarah Lawrence.
That being said, there were several outstanding performances by the Gryphons. Brooklyn Moore had an utterly dominating day, collecting 22 assists. Seniors Kate Mountz (6 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces), Kyana Moghadam (6 kills, 4 digs, 1 ace) and Lexi Langill (3 kills and 5 solo blocks) continued their strong play. They were joined by two first-years making their first starts in the Sarah Lawrence uniform - Olivia Vache who added 7 digs and Margo Pomelova, with 2 digs.
Thankfully Sarah Lawrence won't have too much time to reflect on the rough defeat. The Gryphons will be hosting a tri-match with conference opponent St. Joseph's College and non-conference foe Brooklyn College on Saturday afternoon at the Campbell Sports Center. The team will look to jump out to an early lead and exorcise any demons remaining from the New Rochelle match.
Mt. St. Vincent: September 23, 2009
The third time indeed proved to be a charm for the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team on Wednesday evening as the Gryphons continued their winning ways with their third consecutive victory to start the 2009 season. The victim this time was out-of-conference opponent Mt. St. Vincent. The final tally was 8-1 in favor of the Gryphons. Sarah Lawrence has been nearly unbeatable at home over the last several seasons and it appears this trend is not in danger of being arrested.
The lone match the Gryphons yielded was in the #1 doubles where sophomores Lauren Hudson and Antonia Verdi lost a tight encounter, 8-6. Every ensuing number put up by Sarah Lawrence was in the W column. Hudson got her measure of revenge in singles where, playing #5, she gave up just a game in winning 8-1. The highlight of the evening's play was the #1 singles match. Sophomore Sarah Morris came back from the precipice of match point five times to claim a thrilling, gutsy victory in a tiebreak (11-9) in a superbly played match. First-year Laura Fenney won her third consecutive singles match, with a win in the #3 slot. The core of senior players who have competed together for several seasons continued to exhibit their fine play - Rachel Franks, Carlie Bentley and Mary Kim all notched singles triumphs with Bentley (teaming with fellow senior Danielle Saporta) also winning in doubles. The other doubles victory was also provided by a senior duo with Emily Zemba and Leila Greiche coasting to an easy win in the #3 position.
The Gryphons will resume HVWAC conference play on Friday evening when they'll host the College of New Rochelle.
SUNY Purchase: September 22
Hoping to duplicate their strong play of their opening match of the season, the Sarah Lawrence volleyball team traveled across the county to take on out-of-conference powerhouse Purchase College. Unfortunately the result proved to a frustrating one as the Gryphons played inconsistently throughout and wound up on the wrong end of the 25-12, 25-22, 25-11 score against a formidable Purchase squad.
Sarah Lawrence had their chances. After being thoroughly outplayed in the opening game, the Gryphons used a relentless defense and knotted up the second game at 22 apiece. That's as close as Sarah Lawrence would come all match as things unraveled from that point on with a missed serve and two more errors to hand the game to Purchase. Overall, the Gryphons amassed 40 unforced errors - obviously far too many to come out on top.
There were several notable performances for the Gryphons. Kate Mountz continued her strong play with 10 points on her serve, including four aces. In addition, Kate notched three digs and a kill. Danielle Bernstein led the team with four kills and also had four digs. Ingrid Loveras had a team high six digs and first-year Oliva Vache added two more.
Sarah Lawrence returns to action on Thursday evening with its first home match of the year. They'll meet HVWAC opponent College of New Rochelle, another tough foe.
St. Joseph's College: September 20, 2009
With the weather gods once again providing beautiful playing conditions, the Sarah Lawrence tennis team traveled to the National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens on Sunday - site of the recently completed US Open - to take on conference rival St. Joseph's College. Coming off their dominating victory over Vaughn College days before, the Gryphons were hoping to continue their winning ways. Their wishes were granted as Sarah Lawrence overpowered the Golden Eagles, recording their second consecutive shutout. The Gryphons have yet to drop a single match this season. Even more impressive, in the nine singles and doubles matches on the afternoon, Sarah Lawrence lost a total of 10 games.
Senior Carlie Bentley, playing #1 singles, dropped only one game en route to a 10-1 victory, her first match of the season. Bentley was not the only senior standout on this day as Rachel Franks, Emily Zemba and Leila Greiche all notched singles victories, with Greiche and Franks not dropping a game. Rounding out the singles victories were triumphs by sophomore Lauren Hudson and first-year Laura Fenney. Fenney and Hudson also joined forces to win #1 doubles. The other doubles wins were provided by the teams of Bentley with Danielle Sapporta and Zemba with Mary Kim.
And there was more good news for the Gryphons. The Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) honored two Gryphons for their stellar performances this first week. Cape Cod native Laura Fenney was awarded Rookie of the Week and Emily Zemba aka "Z-girl" garnered Player of the Week honors.
The Gryphons will look to make it three in a row when they play host to the College of Mt. St. Vincent on Wednesday evening at the Sarah Lawrence courts.
Albany Pharmacy: September 20, 2009
These are exciting times indeed for athletics at Sarah Lawrence College as the men's soccer team kicked off it's inaugural intercollegiate season (joining cross country as two additions to the sports scene at SLC in 2009) on Sunday afternoon. The Gryphons hosted HVMAC foe Albany Pharmacy. Though Sarah Lawrence went down to defeat by the score of 7-1 it was nonetheless a joyful day for the squad to finally compete at this higher level. The gritty and enthusiastic effort displayed by the team was a reward in itself.
Harper Hunt, a first-year player from Paris, Texas scored the lone goal for the Gryphons in one of his two scoring attempts. Seniors and co-captains Akash Radia and Ben Wiessmann (Ben is also a standout on the men's tennis team) each had scoring opportunities against Albany but weren't able to notch a goal. Ben's brother Adam, along with Trevor Wallace, Lucien Chase and Robby Phillips anchored a fine defensive effort on the balmy afternoon.
Co-head coaches Hassan Turner (who also helms the men's tennis team) and Natalie Harris have a large roster of 18 players, with six seniors laying the foundation. With boundless energy and spirit, look for the team to make significant noise as the season progresses.
The next game for the Gryphons will be Sunday, September 27th at 1PM when the team travels to the unique and beautiful campus of Webb Institute in another HVMAC encounter.
Bard Invitational: September 19, 2009
Athletics at Sarah Lawrence College continue to expand in scope and quality. In keeping with such, after a decade long absence, the men's and women's cross country clubs have returned to action this fall under the guidance of Coach Erica Weisberg. Coach Weisberg traveled with her runners to upstate New York to take part in the Bard Invitational, held last Saturday. It was the first competition of the season for the new teams.
On the men's side, though the team finished near the bottom of the standings, there were strong efforts across the board. Colman Durkee, senior from New Hampshire, ran a solid race despite being hampered by stubborn knee issues. With just a little more experience, look for Colman to improve rapidly. Patrick Gallagher, sophomore from Ohio, ran a superb race, surpassing his practice times. Coach Weisberg has a core of seven committed men runners. Rounding out the top five finishers on the men's side were Rob Cook, Tanay Warerkar and Seth Partner. Being that there is only one senior, this group will look to grow together over the next several years.
The women fared slightly better than their male counterparts, capturing a seventh place finish out of 12 schools competing. Senior Erika Nichols displayed her solid cadence and great form to break out from the pack to finish strong and exceed expectations as she finished first among her Gryphon teammates. Her work ethic is matched by her competitive desire which was on full display. The other top finishers were the women included Camille Sanandaji, Laura Bete, Kayleigh Salstrand and Maddy Waldrep. As with the men, the women are stacked with many first-year roster members which bodes well for the future.
The next cross country meet will closer to home, the York Invitational in the Bronx, on Sunday, September 27th.
Vaughn College: September 17, 2009
One of the more difficult tasks in any endeavor is to follow up a successful act. That is the assignment facing first year coach Jeffrey Horn as he assumes the head coaching duties of the women's tennis team after former Gryphon player Vanessa Chu's successful four year run in the position. And it is quite obvious that Coach Horn and his charges are up to the challenge as Sarah Lawrence routed the shorthanded squad from Vaughn College in their first match of the season on Thursday evening at the scenic Gryphon courts, shutting out their conference foe in the process.
Two of the younger Gryphons led the way. First-year Laura Fenney, in the #2 position, played a superb all-court game, sweeping her opponent 8-0 in her first singles match for Sarah Lawrence. Sophomore Sarah Morris, playing in the the #1 slot, also recorded a shutout in her initial competition on the season. And not to be outdone by their younger teammates, seniors Danielle Saporta and Emily Zemba coasted to an easy victory in #1 doubles. The bi-coastal tandem look to be a force to be reckoned with this year.
The Gryphons have a large and balanced roster for the 2009 campaign with six seniors comprising half of the varsity roster. And with 21 players combined on varsity and junior varsity, it looks to be a promising and exciting season. And on another positive note, the weather has cooperated thus far - quite a change from last year when there were numerous and consistent rainouts throughout the season. One hopes the beautiful early-fall conditions continue.
Next up for Sarah Lawrence is a trip to the National Tennis Center on Sunday where they'll meet St. Joseph's College in a non-conference tussle.
Yeshiva University: September 16
The Sarah Lawrence 2009 women's volleyball campaign commenced with a HVWAC match at Yeshiva (played at Baruch College). Second year coach Matthew Cribbin, the incumbent HVWAC Coach of the Year, and his assistant Alex Miller were quite pleased with how well the season started as the Gryphons rolled to a relatively easy win 25-10, 25-20, 25-17. It was a victory marked by strong play in all facets of the game.
Sophomore Danielle Bernstein was a model of consistency, leading the team with eight kills on 21 attempts. Danielle also added eighth aces (including six in one game) and three digs. First-year Brooklyn Moore had a superb all-around performance as the California native dished out 13 assist to go along with three aces and two digs. Senior Kyana Moghadam was relentless in her offensive efforts, scoring numerous kills on key occasions. Senior standout Kate Mountz has assumed a new position this year—outside hitter—and played very well racking up five kills. The defensive effort was a sophomore Ingrid Loveras and senior Aubrey Becker.
The stellar play did not go unnoticed. Danielle Bernstein was named HVWAC Player of the Week and Brooklyn Moore received Honor Roll mention.
Cribbin has a balanced roster with equal numbers of first-years and seniors. And, in what has become a trademark of sorts for Sarah Lawrence, the roster is remarkable in its geographical distribution with players hailing from all corners of the country and beyond - Hawaii, California, Puerto Rico, Texas and Guam.