This week's stories:
Women continue to roll, win two more
By Joe Enoch
The womenıs soccer team has made a dramatic turn around from last year. The Bonnies have already won three of their first four games, when last season they only won three of 19. In the first game of the season, Niagara defeated the Bonnies 4-0. Despite the loss, the team refuses to let the setback affect its performance. St. Bonaventure breezed past Marist in a 3-1 win on Friday. Head coach Dan Magner responded to the game with enthusiasm. "We played the best soccer since Iıve been here and hope to do it again," Magner said. Lisa Nicola, Lois Bennet and Katie Fredlund all scored goals. There were also good defensive plays by Erin Johnson and goalie Breanne Kraly, who only allowed one goal and had three saves. In the Bonniesı next game they defeated St. Peters 7-1. The game highlighted the team womenıs record for goals scored in a single game, set in 1993 by Danielle Tanzi. Callie Slothert, Lindsay Ardella and Kristen Walczewski also netted goals. Breanne Kraly once again had an impressive game with three saves, while Cheryl Benacci recorded two assists. He said the No. 1 reason the team has performed so well is because of the hard work along with great physical condition of the players. "The team has been working very hard in both practice and games," Magner said. Freshman Kristen Walczewski, who scored her first collegiate goal against St. Peters, attributes the recent success to many factors. "There are a lot of positive attitudes. We have lots of good freshmen and returning players and a lot of future potential," Wakzewski said. The team is working hard at overcoming the mental agonies of last season. Benacci believes there is a new found strength and unity on the field. "We are playing with much more confidence," Benacci said. The teamıs success may be due partially to the new agressive tactics. "We have been taking the game to the opponent," Magner said. Magner plans on using this style to set the tempo and not let the opponent control play. Much of the recent success can be attributed to Nicola. Not only did she tie the schoolıs scoring record, but she has been named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week. When questioned about this recent success she said that she is honored. "I am excited to be recognized, but I attribute much of the success to the team," said Nicola. Magner also said he has set a goal to be undefeated at home. This weekend, the Bonnies hope to make this goal a reality. They play Manhattan at 5 p.m. and Saint Francis on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. One common feeling among the players is that they want fan support. Magner believes that this is helping the team. "We are very prepped for hosting this weekendıs tourney and am excited to play for the fans," Magner said.
Student athlete, offensive threat... line dancer?
By Jesse Fleming
"My teammates pick on me about it, but you canıt come from Calgary and not line dance," said freshman soccer player Lois Bennett. The Calgary, Canada resident may get teased about her love of the two-step, but she canıt get picked on about her performance on the St. Bonaventure womenıs soccer team this season. "Lois has played fantastically, sheıs not played like a first-year player," said Head Coach Dan Magner. "Sheıs shown maturity, and shown a calmness thatıs not common in a first year player." Bennett has scored three goals in her first four collegiate games, including all her teamıs goals in a 2-1 victory over Robert Morris University on Sept. 1. "Lois brings a very positive energy to the team in practice and in games. Sheıs upbeat both on and off the field," said Magner. The Canadian doesnıt share the cultural background of most of the students here at Bonaventure. Born in England she moved to New Orleans at the age of 7. Sheıs lived in Calgary for the last eight years. The reason for her country-hopping youth is her father. Heıs a high-ranking official in the Mobil Oil Company and has moved his family to different areas to set up oil ventures. As for her affinity for line-dancing? Calgaryıs the home of the worldıs biggest rodeo, the Calgary Stampede. "Oh yeah, Iıve been to the Stampede," said Bennett, her smile widening with each word. "Itıs a big tradition in Calgary. On the final day of the Stampede, thereıs a Stampede breakfast, then a parade and then thereıs line-dancing." Her childhood hasnıt only been do-si-doıs and corner kicks. She was voted athlete of the year at Lord Beaver Brook High School after starring in six sports throughout her career. "I played soccer, basketball, field hockey, tennis and I ran cross country and track and field," she said. Bennett doesnıt stay on land for all of her athletic endeavors, her favorite hobby is scuba diving. "Iıve scuba dived in Mexico, Mountain Lake in Canada, which is a glacial lake, and Hawaii." she said. "I plan to go to other places when I get the money." Despite her athletic background, Bennett came to St. Bonaventure because of its strong journalism program. "I looked at schools in Canada and some state schools but they didnıt have as good a journalism program as here." The journalism major is having a great time at Bonaventure so far. "I love it here, itıs so pretty. With the mountains it looks a lot like Calgary, the people here are really nice too," she said. Her favorite class is composition and critical thinking because of her professor Pat Vecchio. "Heıs very supportive of athletes, heıs funny and he keeps my attention which is hard to do." Her experiences and interests off the field do not diminish the love she has for her sport. "I love the feeling I get when I step on the field. Iım so much more passionate about soccer than any other sport Iıve ever played. I used to dread basketball practice, but the excitement of soccer hasnıt run out for me," Bennett said. Her teammates can see Bennettıs passion for the game reflected in her attitude. "Sheıs very positive and energetic," said senior captain Danielle Doemel. "Off the field, she brings a spirit of enthusiasm. Sheıs very charismatic." Bennett thinks that the extra bonding time she spent with her team before the start of school has helped her confidence on the field. "Just being with the team and living with them for two weeks before the start of school has helped me gain confidence in teammates," she said. On the soccer side of things, Magnerıs extremely excited about the future of his program with Bennett. "Sheıs certainly a cornerstone for our program, not only are we building for this year but for years to come," he said. The St. Bonaventure womenıs soccer program has not only added a goal scorer to their roster, theyıve added a person whoıs not your run-of-the-mill athlete. "Weıre not only happy about Lois as a player weıre happy about her as a person." Magner said.
Men fall from Top 25 after splitting games
By Troy Smith
After a strong 2-0 start, the St. Bonaventure menıs soccer team suffered its first loss of the season Sept. 7 when the Colgate Red Raiders downed the 12th-ranked Bonnies 1-0 in overtime. However, the team recovered from the loss defeating the Niagara Purple Eagles 5-2Wednesday. St. Bonaventureıs short win streak was snapped as Colgateıs Jon Cook put in the game-winning goal in the 92nd minute. Sophomore goalie Sean Eyde had nine saves in the losing effort. St. Bonaventure falls to 2-1 on the season as the Red Raiders improve to 1-0-1 with their first win of the season.. "It was a game of halves," said Bonniesı Head Coach Bill Brady. "We were tense for the first 45 minutes. It had a lot to do with the rowdy crowd and the tension caused by our national ranking." Brady was disappointed that the Bonniesı gave Colgate and opportunity to win on an indirect kick due to a high kick call on senior Johnny Phoumanny in OT. "Johnnyıs five foot six and the other guy was six foot four. I donıt understand how that call could be made. We just have to deal with it." Brady was able to draw some positives from the loss. "We really battled. Sean made two very good saves and he commanded the box and took away crosses. We did a solid job, itıs just unfortunate to lose on such a tough call." Brady was impressed by his teamıs defensive effort against the Red Raiders. "The defense played very well, they didnıt allow a close shot," Brady said. After the Colgate loss, Brady felt that the team needed to stop putting pressure on themselves. "We have to play the game for fun," said Brady. "We played defensively (against Colgate)." Brady thinks the loss against Colgate enabled his team to learn a very important lesson. "We did gain perspective through this defeat. If we donıt play spectacular soccer itıs not going to be well enough to win." The team put that perspective to use in its game against the Purple Eagles. "We were relaxed and we played our game, we kept the ball on the ground and we werenıt tentative," Brady said of his teamıs effort against Niagara. Junior defenseman Nick Blair recorded two goals for the Bonnies in the win. Senior forward Jonny Phoumanny, freshman midfielder Andy Garcia and junior midfielder Geron DuPorte each kicked in a goal to wrap up the scoring for St. Bonaventure. Brady was particularly impressed with the play of his co-captain Phoumanny. "Johnny was electric for us. We moved him to forward and he did a great job," Brady said. Brady gave credit to a number of his players for their efforts against the Purple Eagles. "(Senior midfielder) Bobby (Hammer) did a great job. (Freshman defenseman) Konrad (Paszkowski) and (freshman midfielder) Steve (Roach) did a great job in the back for us," said Bates. The team has a week off before traveling to Cornell to a Sept. 18 game against the Big Red. In the meantime, Brady is very pleased with his teamıs performance. "Weıre having fun playing, Colgate is behind us. Weıre going to do some team building this week so weıre flying in our game against Colgate." Brady said.
Collinsı season in jeopardy after injury
By Joe Workmeister
St. Bonaventureıs womenıs basketball program suffered a huge loss on September 9 when Atlantic 10 Rookie of the year Stefanie Collins tore her anterior cruciate ligament while driving toward the basket during a drill. Head Coach Jim Crowley said, "Stef is likely out for the year." "I was working on jump stops and I planted my feet and saw my knee go in and out. Then I felt a pain in the back in of my knee," Collins said. Head Athletic Trainer Renee Kleszczynski will help Collins in the rehab process, which should take anywhere from four to nine months. The biggest factor in the recovery process is when surgery is performed.she said. "We wait until the swelling goes down in the knee and there is a full range of motion before surgery takes place," Kleszczynski said. Kleszczynski described the after-surgery rehab process as excersises in the weight room to regain the full range of motion in the knee. Crowley feels the team can still perform without Collins, but other players need to step up. "Obviously Stef meant a lot to the team, but itıs important for us to continue on and continue to get better. Weıre looking for everybody to step up. Not one person is going to replace what Stef brought to the floor," said Crowley. What Collins brought to the floor was 11.1 points per game (Led A-10 for freshman). She ranked fourth in the A-10 for three-point field goals made and is one of only five St. Bonaventure players to score over 60 three-pointers in a season. Teammate Emma Haywood believes Collins can still help the team even without being on the floor. "Weıll miss her presence on the court, but weıll benefit from her being on the sideline because of her insights and enthusiasm. Our goals to succeed, win and come together havenıt changed," Haywood said. Collins agrees that she will be able to help the team without being on the court. "Iıll be there for moral support. I can see the floor and how people react in situations," she said. Junior Eva Kadlecova suffered a similar injury last year and will help guide Collins along the way. "The big question in Stefıs mind right now is how fast she can come back. Sheıs probably thinking about the surgery and she knows sheıll have to work really hard to get back," Kadlecova said. The team has until October before regular workouts begin and everyone is in agreement they can still succeed. Crowley said, "The players are still confident that we can have an extremely successful year. This doesnıt change our goals."
By Nate Dougherty This wasnıt the Dream Team. This was a nightmare. Last week the United Statesı menıs team lost in devastating fashion to the tenacious club from Argentina 87-80. Basketball had not seen an upset of these proportions since Hickory High School won the 1959 Indiana State Championship. This game was to be the wakeup call for the United Statesı basketball program. They would not glide through the tournament with the ease of their predecessors, the Dream Team. Gone were the days of the forgone victory, the days when more excitement came from Charles Barkleyıs off-the-court antics than the actual games themselves. Winning would now involve more than simply showing up. It was clear that the United States were no longer the powerhouse, the varsity team among a sea of j.v.ıs. More NBA players are coming from foreign countries than ever before. International teams were no longer the doormats they had been in the past. For this first time ever, the United States team faced a gut check. This was an opportunity to prove that the loss was merely a fluke, that maybe somewhere, somehow, Argentina had stumbled across some kryptonite. They needed to bound into their next game and prove to the world that this was still our game. They needed to play like the team that they were, a collection of the countryıs elite athletes, a team oozing with talent. They lost. This time they were cut down by Yugoslavia, an upstart team lead by seasoned veteran Vlade Divac and young sharpshooter Pedja Stojakovic. This loss delivered the knockdown blow to the American team still reeling from the loss to Argentina. Along with unspeakable embarrassment, this loss guaranteed the United States a finish no better than fifth in the tournament. A team that entered the tournament with a 58-0 record when playing with NBA players had suffered two straight losses, and suddenly the basketball universe was thrown out of balance. They finally responded. The United States unleashed their frustrations on Puerto Rico, winning 84-74, but this win would not be enough. They would have one last opportunity to flex their muscles and remind everyone of the team that once coasted through the tournament, leaving a trail of crushed teams in their wake. This final chance would come against Spain, a team that finished ninth at the 2000 Olympics. If they trounced Spain then the world might see that the United States was still a team to be feared. They lost. Again. More than anything else, the United States fell victim to a fatal lack of fundamentals. They missed key foul shots in the tournament, committed costly turnovers in the final minutes, and played defense with all the intensity of a Sunday drive. This lack of fundamentals is a crisis that shouldnıt have even been an issue. After 15 to 20 years of coaching these players should be able to make foul shots. The problem was simply that they played lazy, sloppy basketball. Essentially, the Dream Team had fallen asleep at the wheel. If they had played to their ability, then they would have blown the competition out of the water, they would have fought their way to the gold medal. They wouldıve coasted to victory if they had just focused on playing the game with the same intensity they would approach an NBA playoff game. They didnıt. And they lost.
Bonniesı earn Little Three Title
By Tracy Nelson
The St. Bonaventure menıs golf team is on the right track for an engaging season after a victory at the Little Three Invitational on Sept. 10 at Brierwood Country Club in Hamburg, N.Y. It has been three years since the Bonnies brought home the Little Three Title. "Iım glad to bring the title back to Bonaventure," said Head Coach Steve Campbell. "Hopefully weıll set the tone, and weıll open some eyes for what we believe weıre capable of doing." As a team, the Bonnies shot two-over-par at 290 on the par 72 course. Behind Bonaventure was Niagara with a team effort of 304, and Canisius at 309. Junior Jeff Tracy was a medalist with a one-under-par round of 71, while sophomore Jay Lindell finished at even par. Rounding out the score for the Bonnies was freshman Josh Anderson shooting a 73 and junior George Thomas finished with 74. Consider the Little Three Title to be the start to a promising season for Bonaventure golf. St. Bonaventure returns four out of five starters from last season providing a foundation of leadership and experience. One of the keys to success for Campbellıs team will be the continued dominance of Tracy and Lindell. Tracy was the co-recipient of the Most Improved Player award, having finished second on the team averaging 77.3. He also finished a team-best 11th place at the Atlantic 10 Championship last season. Lindell is coming off a tremendous rookie season in which he captured the teamıs Most Valuable Player award. Lindell was named the A-10 Rookie of the Week four times, and Player of the Week once. He finished the year with an average of 75.8, shot 24 rounds in the 70s, and had six top-ten finishes. Campbell says the team will depend on the remaining starters and the incoming players to carry the rest of the load. "This team is as deep as any team Iıve coached in my ten years," said Campbell. "Itıs not inconceivable that weıre going to go seven deep and be able to rotate our line-up a little bit." "You cannot win or lose a tournament based on one guyıs performance. Itıs going to take a collective effort from five." Hence, the remaining duo of returning starters, juniors George Thomas and Mike Schall, are expected to have a major impact on the success of this yearıs team. Rounding out the Bonniesı roster are juniors Chris Lucas and Vince Puglia, sophomore Jonathan Gonzalez, and freshmen Josh Anderson, Mark Buscaglia, and Brian Pavlock. "Early on here I want to get a couple different guys into action to see what they can do in a tournament situation," Campbell said. "The good news is in no way do I believe that we lessen our chances in any event." The Bonnies will travel to the Bowling Green State University Invitational on Tuesday and Wednesday. "What I want to do is have a real good tournament out in Bowling Green since itıll be against a strong field of teams that we generally donıt see from the Midwest," Campbell said.
Men set sights on winning A10ıs
By Matt Reese
Kicking off a new season, the St. Bonventure menıs tennis team looks to build off its successful third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 last season. Led by senior co-captains Vili Nurmi and Mikko Haulos, the team will have the guidance of two players who have three years of experience. They have compiled 42 and 43 career singles wins respectively. Both feel that the team has only become better since the season has begun. "We were a young team last year, but weıve become better with experience," Nurmi said. Sophomore Mario Arce, last yearıs Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and an All-Conference selection, looks to build off of his impressive 17-3 record. "Heıs someone who is capable of beating anyone in the country and is vastly improving," Bates said. Fellow sophomores Nikhil Murali and Adam Price are also looking to contribute to the team. Murali had never played on a team before, but showed some promise going 8-8 last year. "Nikhil has been playing very well so far, and Adam worked very hard this summer," says Bates. Bates feels that the teams doubles is very solid. "Iım pretty comfortable with our #1 and #2 doubles, they can beat anybody in the region" said Bates. Playing at No. 1 doubles for the Bonnies this season will be the tandem of Nurmi and Arce. At no. 2 doubles will be the team of Haulos and Murali. The team hosts the St. Bonaventure Fall Tennis Invitational this weekend. The team is prepared and is anxious to begin. "Personally, Iım close to being 100 per cent ready for my match. Iım looking forward to being playing again" , says Arce Haulos also felt that he is ready, but had a little different view of how to approach the weekend. "The first match is always very difficult, but we have home court so itıs very exciting", said Haulos. Bates feels that starting the year at home will be good for the team. "Itıs good for our younger players to gain experience on our home court" said Bates. The team is looking to build off their 12-10 record from a year ago. "At least now, everyone has a year of experience, and they have a feel of what to expect day in and day out, especially against tough competition," said Bates. As the tournament approaches the team knows that they have to step up and work harder. "I took it easy this summer, but now is the time to go hard in practice", says Nurmi. The teamıs sights are set on winning the A-10 and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. They feel that they are one of the strongest teams in their conference and they will be able to get to the NCAA Tournament. "Weıre a pretty stong team. They believe they can beat anybody," Bates said. Bates thinks that a tough schedule will help his team improve this fall. "We have 7 or 8 teams on our schedule who are ranked in our region," he says. Despite the tough competition the team has set some very high goals. "Our goal is to be in the top 10 in the region this year", sais Bates. . Bates said that there will be a lot of competiton to fill out the No. 5 and No. 6 singles spots on the roster. "Itıs going to be tough competition for our 5 and 6 spots, we have a lot of depth" Bates said. Bates knows how hard the team is working to attain their goals. "Theyıre not complaining, theyıre very hungry and dedicated this season, theyıre dripping in sweat and working their butts off everyday," Bates said.
SBU making strides in the right direction
By Rachel George
The St. Bonaventure cross country team started its 2002 season placing fifth out of six teams at the Duquesne Invitational on Sept. 7. Freshman Paul Nessle led the Bonnies, finishing 31st out of 89 with a time of 22 minutes and 44 seconds. "I was only a minute behind the top finisher of the A-10," Nessle said. On the womenıs side, sophomore Mary Town placed 41st out of 70 in her first college race, while junior Nancy Hanft placed 47th with her personal best of 22 minutes. Coach Tom Hagen was happy with their effort at Duquesne, but hopes to improve in the Atlantic 10. "They performed very well. We did right about where we expected," he said. "They got a good taste for the same course weıre going to run for the A-10." Captain Mike Hagen feels that the team will improve on its good start to the season. "We just started (weight) lifting and I think thatıs going to help us out a lot." This yearıs youthful team features 14 sophomores and freshmen out of the 21 menıs and womenıs team members. However, Coach Hagen is excited about this. "I think itıs a great base that weıre going to build on for the future." Hagen says. Hagen hopes to win the Little Three Championships and place well at the Notre Dame Invitational and the Atlantic 10 Championships. The team will travel to New York City this weekend for the Fordham Invitational.
Send questions and comments to The Bona Venture. |