Women’s Hockey trounced in semis
Making their first appearance in the ECAC semi-finals since the 2003 season, the USM women’s ice hockey team got all they could handle from Norwich University, losing 8-2 on Saturday.
The loss ends the Huskies’ impressive turn-around season and leaves their record at 14-9-4 on the season.
The #3 ranked Huskies had all they could handle from the #2 ranked Cadets in the first period. Norwich out shot USM 21-to-5 in the opening period, building a 2-0 lead.
Norwich tacked on two more goals, separated by just 42 seconds in the second period, to give them a comfortable 4-0 lead heading into the final period of play.
USM finally chipped into Norwich’s four-goal lead with two power play goals in the third period. The first was a Jessica Knight (Alfred) score during a 5-on-3 stretch. She was assisted by Danielle Ward (Lansing, MI) and Jana Sacco (Niagara Falls, ONT). Knight then assisted Joanna Gaub (Woodstock, CT) 20 seconds later for another power play goal.
But late game heroics were not to be had. The Cadets tallied four more goals to dash any hopes of a USM comeback.
Freshman Kristen Gresko (Phoenix, AZ) made 37 saves on the evening, capping off an impressive freshman campaign.
The Huskies’ season was an immense improvement over their 2007-2008 campaign where they failed to advance in the conference tournament and struggled to a 7-18-1 record.
National title hopes dashed women’s basketball ousted in first round
A man of firsts, junior Mike Morin (Fryeburg) of the USM wrestling team became the school’s first-ever All-American this weekend with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Div. III National Championships.
Appearing in the tournament for the second straight year, Morin, wrestling in the 165-pound weight class was seeded sixth in the tournment.
Morin defeated sophomore Orlando Ponce of Augsburg College by decision 8-5. In his second match, Morin took his first loss of the season to third-seed Ben Youel of North Central by decision 11-4.
However, thanks to the double-elimination tournament set-up, Morin stayed alive and went on to defeat Matt Curley of Heidelberg College 10-6 in the consolation bracket. In his first match of day two, Morin edged out Pat Nagel of the University of Wisconsin Whitewater 5-4 to advance to the consolation quarterfinals.
Morin defeated the University of Dubuque’s Josh Terrell, the third seed in the tournament, by decision 5-4 to advance to the third place match. Morin dropped just his second match of the season by major decision 12-4 to take fourth place at the tournament falling to Tyler Burkle of Coe College.
Morin’s efforts alone are impressive, but, as coach Joe Pistone acknowledged, Morin’s bracket was one of the toughest, boasting five returning All-Americans from the 2008 championships.
“Mike represented USM in the highest of fashion, becoming the first ever Husky wrestler to earn a victory at the NCAA
After an impressive tear through the Little East Conference tournament, the USM women’s basketball team saw their National Title hopes disintegrate with a heart-breaking 55-49 loss to Emmanuel College on Friday.
Poor shooting (34 percent) and a season-high 24 turnovers proved to be the fatal formula for the Huskies who finished their season with a 22-7 record.
The Huskies had a control of the game mid-way through the second half, clinging on to a six-point lead, but were unable to stymie Emmanuel’s dynamic duo of sophomore Kristen Lebel and junior Iman Davis who combined to score 37 points – 33 coming in the second half.
Mustering a meager 19 points at the half, USM trailed by only two points, a testament to their solid defense. But, despite building a 36-30 lead on the back of an 11-2 run, the Huskies simply could not make enough shots to claim yet another NCAA tournament victory.
Davis and LeBel sparked a 7-0 run over a span of 1:36 to regained the lead for the Saints. In the ensuing four minutes, the teams traded the lead five times and there was one tie before LeBel scored six straight points to give the Saints a 49-45 lead with 3:52 to go.
The Huskies were able to cut the lead to three thanks to a lay-up by junior Haley Johnson (West Simsbury, CT), but solid free-throw shooting by the Saints iced the game.
Junior Kaylee Demillo (Jay) led a balanced scoring attack for USM with 12 points. Senior Stacey Kent (Northwood, NH), the team’s lone senior, chipped in with 10, while Johnson and sophomore Kristi Violette (Readfield) each snatched 10 boards.
Kent ended her career as one of the school’s best players of all-time. Amassing 1,187 points during her four years in Gorham, Kent reigns as one of the school’s most adept three-point shooters.
The Huskies made an impressive run through the conference tournament after an at times shaky stretch in conference play. They finished the season with a 13-2 mark in non-conference games against a 9-5 conference mark.
First year head coach Mike McDevitt was able to maintain the strong tradition left behind by Gary Fifield who left his post as head coach earlier in the season pursue a more active administrative role with the university. USM’s 22 wins marked the 29th consecutive season that the squad accrued more than 20 wins.
National Championships and eventually earn All-American honors,” Pistone said of the Fryeburg native.
And, as if his unparalleled success on the mat were not enough, Morin and teammate, junior Doug Christensen (Middletown, NY) also got it done in the classroom, earning unprecedented Academic All-American honors for the first time in the school’s history.
“Mike and Doug each represented the Huskies honorably on the mat” Pistone said. “But, most importantly they took care of their main responsibility in the classroom and led by example.”
Morin had more success at this years NCAA’s. Just a year ago, he lasted only two matches before being ousted. The two-time All-New England Honoree has a career record of 89-16, good for an .847 win percentage.
Morin ended his weekend with a 4-2 mark.
He ends his season with a 40-2 record overall.