SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — After pulling the upset at seventh-ranked William Smith (2-1) Saturday, and then blanking St. Lawrence (3-0) Sunday in the William Smith Tournament, the Susquehanna University field hockey team is now 5-0 and ranked eighth in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III poll.
The Crusader women's volleyball team also has swept three-straight home matches to get to 8-4 entering Wednesday's MAC Commonwealth Conference match at Albright.
The men's soccer team also made a good account of itself before losing to 13th-ranked Elizabethtown Saturday (1-0). The Crusaders were still receiving votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III Mid-Atlantic Region Rankings. They played at 19th-ranked Messiah (5-1-1) Wednesday night.
While football, field hockey, women's volleyball and men's soccer top the news out of the Crusader fall sports season, all the programs showed some positives last week.
THE FIELD HOCKEY REPORT
The Crusaders have won their first five games and will try and tie their school record for longest win streak (6 games, 1993) in their next game at King's (4-2), Thursday at 4 p.m. They then host MAC Commonwealth Conference foe Widener (0-5, 0-1 MAC CC) Saturday at 1 p.m.
Freshman inner Leah Bailor (Richfield/Middleburg H.S.) is the MAC Commonwealth Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week and has led a team offensively which starts just two seniors and five freshmen. A 1998 Pennsylvania All-State selection as a high school senior, Bailor leads both the team and the Commonwealth Conference in goals with six (1.20 per game), assists with four (0.80 per game), and points with 16 (3.20 per game). She has scored in all five games this season. Freshman wing Katie McKeever (Worcester/ Methacton H.S.) is second on the team and fifth in the Commonwealth Conference in scoring with four goals for eight points (1.60 ppg).
The seniors lead the defense in tri-captain Amanda Reigle (Middleburg/Middleburg H.S.) – a four-year starter – and Taryn Moser (Lewistown/Lewistown H.S.). Sophomore Kylie Cook (Huntingdon/Huntingdon H.S.) has been the starting goalkeeper and compiled a 0.67 goals-against average and .833 save percentage. When Cook couldn't go to last weekend's tournament because of a death in the family, freshman Katie Hess (Darnstown, Md./Connelly School of the Holy Child) stepped in to record a 0.51goals-against average and .929 save percentage in the two games. The Susquehanna defense has a team 0.60 goals-against mark.
THE MEN'S SOCCER REPORT
The Crusaders nearly pulled the upset over E-town Saturday, missing some good scoring chances before surrendering the lone goal of the game in the 81st minute.
Second-year Crusader men's soccer head coach Jim Findlay has the team at 3-2 overall, 0-1 in the conference going into Wednesday's match at Messiah (5-1-1, 3-0 MAC CC). The Crusaders will host conference rival Moravian (4-2-1, 0-0-1 MAC CC) Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Defense was the name of the game last Saturday, led by the return of senior goalkeeper John Steigerwald (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan H.S.), who made 10 saves while surrendering just the one goal. Steigerwald missed three games because of a nagging ankle sprain, but now has a 0.50 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in his two games this season. Sophomore Patrick Quillian (Oklahoma City, Okla./Casady H.S.) played the other three games and has posted a 2.78 goals-against mark and .809 save percentage — making 38 saves in his outings.
Senior co-captain Steve Russo (Manchester, N.H./Manchester H.S.) continues to anchor the defense in front of the keepers, helping the Crusaders compile a 1.91 team goals-against mark.
Sophomore forward and returning MAC Commonwealth All-Star Aaron Littzi (Kingston/Wyoming Valley West H.S.) is the only player who has scored two goals, also adding an assist to lead the team in scoring with five points (1.25 ppg).
THE CROSS COUNTRY REPORT
First-year head coach Craig Penney and his Crusader men's and women's cross country teams were excited to run against upper division competition last Saturday at Penn State's Spiked Shoe Invitational. While the women finished 16th out of 18 teams, and the men were 20th out of 22 squads, Penney's squads continued their development against Division I and II runners.
They have this Saturday off before hosting their own Susquehanna Invitationals October 3.
Senior captain Sarah Costello (Palmyra/Palmyra H.S.) was the women's team's top finisher with a season best time of 19:49.7 over the 5,000-meter course. Freshman Erin Colwell (Belleville/Indian Valley H.S.) wasn't far behind in 83rd at 19:58.56.
After fighting through illness and suffering a sub-par performance a week ago, sophomore Jake Trevino (Danville/Danville H.S.) was back on top as the Crusader men's leader last Saturday, finishing 138th with a time of 28:45.28 over the 5.2-mile course. Fellow sophomore Mike Lehtonen (Laurens, N.Y./Morris Central H.S.) was second in 174th at 29:34.50.
THE WOMEN'S SOCCER REPORT
The Crusader women's soccer team finally broke out of its road woes Tuesday during a 6-0 MAC Commonwealth Conference rout at Juniata. Prior to that game, the Crusaders had been shutout in all four of their games away from home.
Despite Tuesday's offensive explosion, freshman goalkeeper Dorn McMahon (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell H.S.) continues to be the top story for the women. McMahon already has the fourth most saves in a season at Susquehanna with 93, allowing just 13 goals as she leads the MAC in save percentage (.877) and ranks fourth in NCAA Division III saves per game (now 15.5 per game). She needs 28 more saves to break the school record of 120, set last season by Janee Shaner.
Offensively, five different Crusaders scored in the Juniata rout. Junior forward Lauren Brown (Glenelg, Md./Glenelg H.S.) scored her first goal and added her first assist of the season. Brown has the school record for career assists with nine. Junior forward/midfielder Lindsay Hayes (Troy, N.Y./Tamarac H.S.) and freshman forward Kat Geiger (New Hope/The Hun School) each had a goal and an assist, while sophomore midfielder Michelle Badorf (Lancaster/Penn Manor H.S.) had two assists. Freshmen Kristin Abernethy (Wescosville/Emmaus H.S.) also scored the game's first goal Tuesday and is tied with Brown and Geiger for second on the team in scoring with three points apiece.
THE WOMEN'S TENNIS REPORT
Sixth-year head coach Bob Jordan had to play short-handed again last Saturday in its MAC Commonwealth Conference match at Lebanon Valley, and it cost him and his team. Senior second-seed Sarah Curley (Montrose/Elk Lake H.S.) was unable to attend due to a wedding, and the Crusader went down 5-4 and are now 1-2 overall, 0-2 in the conference.
Curley was back Wednesday as the team played a MAC Commonwealth Conference match at Juniata (3-2, 1-1 MAC CC), and the Crusaders expect to have a full line-up Saturday as they host Widener (2-3, 0-2 MAC CC) in a noon match Saturday.
Senior co-captain Meghan McGinnis (Washington Crossing/Council Rock H.S.) and freshman Carley Kellett (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley H.S.) each scored singles wins at Lebanon Valley and lead the team in singles this season with identical 2-1 records. Kellett played for Curley at number two Saturday. Sophomore Caroline Li (Highland Park, N.J./Highland Park H.S.) also won the first match she played in this season, playing at number-five.
THE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL REPORT
The Crusader netters rolled in sweeps over Dickinson (15-3, 15-2, 15-4), Alvernia (15-13, 15-13, 15-4) and Marywood (15-6, 15-9, 15-6). Seventh-year head coach Bill Switala was hoping his team would continue its run with a conference match at Albright (1-13, 0-1 MAC CC) Wednesday, followed by a competitive weekend at the Elizabethtown Tournament.
Senior outside hitter Jen Mitman (Perkasie/Pennridge H.S.) has led the team in its recent run with 25 kills (2.78 per game), and had just seven errors in 45 total attacks for a hitting percentage of .400. Mitman had nine kills in Monday's win over Marywood, and eight in each of the prior wins — hitting .542 in those victories. She also had five digs, three service aces, and a solo block in the wins.
Junior setter Erin Leslie (Exton/Villa Maria Academy) had 28 assists and six service aces in the last two wins. She leads the team in both assists (245/6.81 per game) and hitting percentage (.317). Leslie has 1,077 assists and 131 service aces in 257 career games.
Senior co-captains Missy Kuruzovich (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop H.S.) and Jenn Ashton (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro H.S.) each led the defensive effort vs. Alvernia as they made eight and seven digs respectively. Kuruzovich also added 10 digs vs. Marywood Monday, pushing her team high total to 77 (1.97 per game). She now has 795 digs in 339 career games.
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