Category Archives: ACC Conference

May 20 2013

Mass. College Sports: Highlights And Notes From The Weekend

By Matt Noonan 

There were a variety of local teams competing this past weekend in baseball, softball and lacrosse NCAA tournaments, and below are a few highlights and notes.

* Endicott College’s run toward the NCAA Division III World Series ended with a 9-0 setback to Southern Maine on Sunday. The Gulls set a program record with 35 wins this season, as well as won their first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) title since 2006.

* Endicott won three of their first New England Regional games against Saint Joseph’s (ME), Wheaton College and Southern Maine.

* Colin Sitarz and Tyler Hitchcock (Abington, MA) each represented Endicott on the All-Tournament team.

* Amherst College saw its season conclude, too, as the Lord Jeffs, who set a program record for wins, fell to Cortland in the New York Regional.

* Tufts University’s softball team will play for the Division III championship this afternoon against the winner of Cortland-Salisbury. The Jumbos haven’t lost a game in the championship bracket as they’ve defeated Texas-Tyler, Montclair State and Cortland. Tufts have only surrendered one run in all three contests, too.

* Finally, Westford’s David Lawson netted a game-best five goals, including the game-winner for Duke against Notre Dame in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse tournament. Lawson now has 32 goals and 15 assists for the Blue Devils this season.

May 10 2013

Mass. College Lax: Weekend Schedule

By Matt Noonan 

A variety of local lacrosse squads will be competing this weekend in either the first or second round, and below is the schedule. Remember to circle back for a daily roundup, as well as releases and news, too.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

* Western New England @ Nazareth (Saturday, May 11), 12 p.m.

* Stevens Inst. @ Tufts University (Saturday, May, 11), 12 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse: 

* Boston College vs. Dartmouth College (Friday, May 10), 4 p.m. in Syracuse, NY – Winner advances to face Syracuse on Sunday in the second round

* UMass vs. UConn (Friday, May 10), 6 p.m. in University Park, PA – Winner faces Canisius/Penn State in second round on Sunday

* Stonehill College @ LIU Post (Saturday, May 11), 12 p.m.

* Endicott College at Middlebury College (Saturday, May 11), 11:30 a.m. – Winner advances to Sunday’s quarterfinals against Gettysburg/RPI.

May 5 2013

Mass. College Lax: Locals Earn Spots In NCAA Tournaments

By NoontimeSports.com 

The NCAA released all six brackets (Division I, II and III) this evening for the upcoming men and women’s lacrosse tournaments, which start this week, and below are the squads that earned a spot, along with their first round matchup.

Men’s Division III

* Eastern Conn. State at Western New England (Wednesday, May 8) TBA

* Norwich University at Tufts University (Wednesday, May 8) TBA

* Springfield College at Cabrini College (Wednesday, May 8) TBA

Women’s Division I

* Boston College vs. Dartmouth College (Friday, May 10) @ 4 p.m. Game will be played at Syracuse University.

* UMass vs. UConn (Friday, May 10) TBA. Game will be played at Penn State.

Women’s Division II

* Stonehill College at LIU Post (Saturday, May 11) @ 12 p.m.

Women’s Division III

* Bridgewater State at Bowdoin College (Wednesday, May 8) @ 7 p.m.

* Lasell College at Colby College (Wednesday, May 8) @ 7 p.m.

* Springfield College at Endicott College (Wednesday, May 8) @ 7 p.m.

May 1 2013

Mass. College Football: Locals Invited To NFL Rookie Mini Camps

Merrimack's Isaiah Voegeli signed his undrafted free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday! (Photo Credit: Merrimack College Athletics)

Merrimack’s Isaiah Voegeli signed his undrafted free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday! (Photo Credit: Merrimack College Athletics)

By Matt Noonan

As noted on our blog yesterday, Bentley University graduate student Nick Halloran was invited to this weekend’s New England Patriots’ Rookie Mini Camp.

“Just amazing news, not a better way to start the day,” Halloran told the Boston Globe on Tuesday.

Halloran isn’t the only local college football player to earn an invite to a rookie mini camp this weekend as Framingham State’s James Muirhead will attempt to earn a spot with the St. Louis Rams, while Middlebury College’s Ryan Moores, who prepped at Governor’s Academy, will tryout with the Atlanta Falcons.

“I’m braced for it,” Muirhead told the Brockton Enterprise on Tuesday. “I understand what’s going to happen. But you know what? I’m not there to make any friends. I’m there to compete. I’m going there to get a job.”

Merrimack College’s Isaiah Voegeli became the fourth player in program history to sign with a professional team as the Hyannis native inked his name on an undrafted free agent contract Monday with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity,” Voegeli said in the college’s release.  “I can’t thank head coach Dan Curran enough for his help and guidance and preparation to get me to this point. This is a dream come true that I’ve dreamt about since I was 7, to just have a shot and I’ve been blessed this opportunity.”

Voegeli will leave the North Andover campus as the all-time receiver in multiple receiving categories, which includes catches (211) and yards (3,554). He also ranks second in program history with 34 touchdown receptions, too.

Prior to this year’s NFL Draft, the Boston Herald reported that Muirhead, Voegeli and Moores, along with Assumption College’s Nick Haag and Boston College’s Jim Noel worked out with the Falcons, Patriots and New Orleans Saints.

Apr 9 2013

Mass. College Lax: Locals Receive Votes In This Week’s IWLCA Poll

Boston College's Mikaela Rix (left) netted four goals on Saturday, which lifted the Eagles to their second consecutive conference win! (Photo Credit: Syracuse.com)

Boston College’s Mikaela Rix (left) netted four goals on Saturday, which lifted the Eagles to their second consecutive conference win! (Photo Credit: Syracuse.com)

By NoontimeSports.com 

The Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) unveiled their weekly poll on Monday and a few local teams earned spots on the Division I, II and III polls.

* UMass (11-2, 3-0 A-10) - The Massachusetts women’s lacrosse team has been on fire over these past few weeks and is coming off a 10-9 win against George Washington. UMass remains the 13th best team in the country for the second week in a row and will return to the grass on Friday when they host Temple at 4 p.m.

* Boston College (6-6, 3-2 ACC) - The Eagles earned a spot on this week’s poll as the 19th best team in the country. BC has won its last two Atlantic Coast Conference matches against Duke and Virginia, which evened their record. Mikaela Rix earned WomenLax.com’s Player of the Week honors following a four-goal performance against the Blue Devils.

* Stonehill College (7-4, 6-2 NE-10) - The Skyhawks slipped from ninth to 11th this week following an 18-9 loss to Le Moyne. Stonehill will return to the grass this evening when they host No. 12 Bentley University in a big conference match.

* Bentley University (6-3, 4-1 NE-10) - The Falcons, who’re ranked 12th for the second week in a row, soared past the Owls last weekend for their sixth win of the season. On Monday, Ally Dorman was named NE-10 Goalkeeper of the Week, which included two back-to-back wins.

* Amherst College (6-3, 3-3 NESCAC) - For the second week in a row, the Lord Jeffs check in as the 10th best team in the land. However, their five-game winning streak ended on Saturday against No. 3 Middlebury, who hasn’t lost a game this season. The Purple and White will attempt to rebound against Connecticut College on Wednesday.

* Tufts University (5-4, 2-4 NESCAC) – The Jumbos slipped one spot from 16 to 17 after sustaining a 15-8 loss to Middlebury. Tufts will be at home on Thursday when they welcome Wheaton College to Medford for an important non-conference tilt.

Apr 6 2013

Mass. College Lax: 10 Saturday Games To Watch

By NoontimeSports.com 

Happy Saturday to everyone! In honor of another gorgeous day in Massachusetts, we’ve decided to provide a list of great lacrosse games to attend this afternoon.

Make sure to circle back later this evening for recaps, roundups and releases.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

* No. 2 Cornell at Harvard, 1 p.m. – This is a big game for the Crimson, who almost defeated Duke last weekend. Cornell will provide challenges for Harvard’s defense as the attacks and midfielders for the Big Red can dodge and slide quite well. Harvard will need to stop Rob Pannell, who is the nation’s third leading scorer (5.4 points per game).

* UMass at Towson, 1 p.m. – The Minutemen’s offense has been suspect this season, but in an important conference match it’ll be important for them to locate the back of the net.

* Williams at No. 4 Tufts, 1 p.m. – The Jumbos enter today’s tilt on a six-game winning streak, while the Ephs are coming off a tough quadruple overtime setback to Bowdoin.

* Middlebury at Amherst, 2 p.m. – This is a big one for the Lord Jeffs, who snapped their three-game skid last weekend with a victory against Hamilton. The Panthers, who’re 7-1, started the current month with a 16-8 victory against New England College.

Women’s Lacrosse: 

* Navy at Holy Cross, 12 p.m. – The Crusaders have done quite well in Patriot League play. Yet, can they improve their mark to 3-1 against Navy?

* No. 9 Stonehill at No. 7 Le Moyne, 12 p.m. – The Skyhawks picked up their seventh win on Wednesday and will attempt to conclude their three-game road trip with a win against the Dolphins.

* So. Conn. State at No. 12 Bentley, 12 p.m. – The Falcons defeated AIC on Wednesday, 16-2, which snapped a two-game skid. Can they carry that momentum into this afternoon’s contest against the Owls?

* BU at Vermont, 1 p.m. – The Terriers haven’t won a game away from Nickerson Field this season, so a victory against their America East foe would be huge.

* Duke at BC, 1 p.m. — This is another big game for the Eagles, who defeated Virginia last weekend, 10-7. Duke enters the contest on a one-game losing streak as the Blue Devils lost to North Carolina last Thursday in overtime.

* No. 10 Amherst at No. 3 Middlebury, 1:30 p.m. – Could the Lord Jeffs pull an upset against the third best team in the land? Amherst is 1-1 against Middlebury in the past two seasons, but the Panthers defeated the Lord Jeffs last season, 8-5.

Apr 1 2013

Mass. College Lax Notebook (4/1/13)

Cori Murray recorded her 100th point in an UMass uniform on Saturday! (Photo Credit: MassLive.com)

Cori Murray recorded her 100th point in an UMass uniform on Saturday! (Photo Credit: MassLive.com)

By Matt Noonan 

It’s the first day of April, which means we’ve officially past the midway point of the lacrosse season, so let’s take a trip down memory lane and catch up on some of the news and notes from the current season, as well as this past weekend.

* First, congratulations to Cori Murray, who recorded her 100th point in an UMass uniform on Saturday against La Salle. Murray recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in her team’s 20-11 victory, while teammate Lauren Terracciano registered five strikes. UMass started the season with a 16-4 setback to Northwestern, but has won nine of their last 10 contests.

* Boston University’s women’s lacrosse team is coming off a dramatic win against Harvard on Friday evening as the Terriers netted a free possession strike with 11 seconds remaining to seal the win. Their next game is in two days, as the Terriers will host Albany for a critical conference match at 4 p.m. BU dropped their first America East game two weeks ago to UMBC in overtime, but defeated Albany once last season.

* Boston College’s women’s lacrosse team concluded the month of March with an impressive win against Virginia and according to the release, the Eagles have now beaten the Cavaliers twice in the past three seasons. BC’s victory marked the first time they’ve defeated a top-10 squad since 2011, too. Also, Sarah Mannelly, who scored three goals on Saturday, has now registered at least three or more strikes in four games this season.

* Merrimack College’s men’s team hasn’t appeared in the loss column since suffering a 13-10 setback to Limestone on Mar. 9. The Warriors have won their last four contests, which include victories against Lake Erie and Le Moyne. Corey Lunney leads the unit with 21 points (17 goals, four assists), while teammate Greg Melaugh has contributed 17 points (14 goals, three assists).

* Melaugh’s brother, Ben Melaugh, has made an impact with the Salem State Vikings as the first-year leads the squad with 26 points (17 goals, nine assists).

* Merrimack’s women’s team snapped a six-game skid with a double-overtime win on Saturday against Dowling, a squad that’s currently the seventh best team in the country. Mia Rapolla netted the game-winning strike for the Warriors in the first overtime period, which sealed the win.

* Bentley University’s women’s lacrosse team will host a Coaches vs. Cancer game on Saturday, April 6. The Falcons will host Southern Connecticut for a Northeast-10 Conference match, which is slated for a 12 p.m. start. According to this morning’s release, the team will be collecting used equipment and cash donations, but for more information – HOP HERE.

* Sticking with the Falcons, the men’s team will host St. Michaels on Wednesday for a critical NE-10 matchup. Bentley is coming off a tough loss to Pace on Saturday, but received some help from Tim Matheson, who recorded a hat trick, as well as Brendan Murphy, who finished with two points (one goal, one assist).

* Stonehill College’s women’s team saw their six-game winning streak conclude with a 12-5 loss to Adelphi, a squad that hasn’t lost a game since 2012. The Skyhawks, who’re currently ranked 10th nationally, will attempt to rebound with a road victory on Wednesday against Southern New Hampshire.

* After sustaining two back-to-back losses to start  the season, Tufts University’s men’s team has won five straight. Beau Wood, who is in his third season with the Jumbos, leads the squad with 20 points (13 goals, seven assists), while Cole Bailey leads all players with 10 assists.

* Finally, one last congratulations, this time to Wheaton College’s women’s lacrosse team, who defeated Springfield College for the first time since 2007. Charlotte DeSantis recorded a game-best four points (three goals, one assist), while teammate Melanie Sharick finished with a hat trick.

Mar 30 2013

Mass. College Lax: Saturday Roundup

Alyssa Buffis recored a career-best seven goals, two assists and nine points, which helped the Bison top the Leopards in Boston! (Photo Credit: Nichols College Athletics)

Alyssa Buffis recored a career-best seven goals, two assists and nine points as the Bison topped the Leopards in Boston! (Photo Credit: Nichols College Athletics)

By NoontimeSports.com 

Another Saturday of lacrosse is in the books and below is various game summaries from across the state.

Men’s Lacrosse:

Bucknell 16, Holy Cross 9 – Michael Ortlieb, who is the Crusaders goaltender, scored two goals, but that wasn’t enough to spark the visitors as the seventh-ranked Bison improved to 9-2 overall and 3-0 in the Patriot League.

Saint Joseph’s 7, UMass 6 – Matt Whippen and Ryan Izzo netted two goals, respectively, while Will Manny recorded two points (one goal, one assist), but that wasn’t enough to help the Minutemen defeat Hawks in Philadelphia.

Duke 12, Harvard 11 – The Blue Devils sealed the win with a 4-0 run in the fourth as Duke defeated Harvard for the second time three seasons. Murphy Vandervelde recorded a hat trick in the setback, while Peter Schwartz finished with two strikes and two helpers.

Merrimack College 19, Saint Rose 2 – Greg Melaugh recorded a game-best five points (five goals) as the Warriors cruised to their fourth victory of the season.

Pace 9, Bentley University 6 – Jason Knight’s fourth quarter strike brought the Falcons within one with 8:37 remaining, but the Setters responded with two tallies, which secured the win.

Tufts University 16, Trinity College 12 – Andrew Fiamengo recorded five points (three goals, two assists), Beau Wood recorded a hat trick as the Jumbos defeated the Bantams and earned their fifth straight win.

Amherst College 11, Hamilton 6 – The Lord Jeffs three-game losing streak is history as Quinn Moroney’s four points (two goals, two assists) lifted the visitors to their third win of the season.

Wheaton College 11, Clark University 4 – Matthew Hillman recorded a game-best five goals as the Lyons defeated the Cougars and earned their first Pilgrim League victory of the season.

Springfield College 11, WNEC 10 – Ryan Murphy netted four goals, while Ryon Lynch and Bryce Serriello recorded two goals, respectively, as the Pride defeated the Golden Bears.

Women’s Lacrosse:

Boston College 10, Virginia 7 – Sarah Mannelly recorded a hat trick, Mikaela Rix netted two strikes as the Eagles soared past the ninth-ranked Cavaliers in Newton.

Holy Cross 15, Colgate 14 (OT) – Sara Hennessey (three goals, one assist) netted the game-winner on a free possession with one second remaining in the extra session as the Crusaders snapped their four-game skid.

UMass 20, La Salle 11 – Cori Murray, who finished with three goals and three assists, recorded her 100th career point as No. 16/11 UMass defeated La Salle and extended their current winning streak to six games.

Adelphi 12, Stonehill College 5 – The Panthers raced out to a 7-1 lead and never looked back as they defeated the Skyhawks and improved to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in NE-10 play. Heather Sullivan and Kelsey Shannahan led Stonehill with two goals apiece.

Trinity College 13, Tufts University 4 – The Bantams ballooned an 8-0 advantage at the break into a nine-point victory against the Jumbos in Connecticut. Trinity, the reigning NCAA Division III champion, extended its winning streak to 15 games. Kerry Eaton led Tufts with three points (two goals, one assist).

Amherst College 15, Hamilton College 6 – Priscilla Tyler recorded a game-best four points (three goals, one assist) as the Lord Jeffs extended their winning streak to four games.

WNEC 16, Castleton State 11 – Kaitlynn Stevens netted four strikes, while Megan Doyle and Jessica Scannapieco each recorded hat tricks as the Golden Bears topped the Spartans in a non-conference clash.

Nichols College 20, Wentworth 17 (OT) – Alyssa Bufis recorded career-highs with seven goals, two assists and nine points, while teammate Erica Antonison recorded a career-best six goals as the Bison defeated the Leopards in overtime.

Mar 14 2013

Mass. College Sports: Thursday Evening Roundup

Olivier Hanlan's 41 points carried the Eagles to a first round victory! (Photo Credit: Boston Globe/Boston.com)

Olivier Hanlan’s 41 points carried the Eagles to a first round victory! (Photo Credit: Boston Globe/Boston.com)

By Matt Noonan 

Another day of college sports are in the books and below are Thursday’s summaries.

Men’s Basketball: 

Boston College 84, Georgia Tech 64 - The Eagles outscored the Yellow Jackets, 46-31 in the second to earn a first round win in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) tournament. BC’s Olivier Hanlan set a conference record with 41 points, which broke the old mark of 40 by North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes.

UMass 77, George Washington 72 - Chaz Williams‘ jumper with 35 seconds remaining secured a first round win the A-10 (Atlantic-10) tournament. Williams paced UMass with 16 points, while Terrell Vinson and Trey Davis finished with 14 points, respectively.

Men’s Ice Hockey: 

UMass Lowell 4, Maine 2 - Scott Wilson‘s second goal in the third frame provided the River Hawks with the lead for good as UMass Lowell defeated Maine and earned their first quarterfinal victory.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

Anna Maria College 7, Nichols College 5 - Chris Summers and Jason Baker each netted two strikes to help the AMCATS improve to 2-2 overall. Nichols’ Brian Hancock led all scorers with four goals.

Wentworth 10, UMass Boston 9 - Ryan Coakley (three goals, three assists) scored his team’s final three goals in the fourth, which helped the Leopards defeat the Beacons at Sweeney Field. Ryan McGoff paced UMass Boston with four points (three goals, one assist), while Henry Bristol recorded a season-best 22 saves between the pipes.

Women’s Lacrosse: 

Washington College 14, Wheaton College 7 - Charlotte DeSantis (three goals, one assist) and Leila Mills (four goals) each recorded four points, but that wasn’t enough to lead the Lyons past the Shorewomen.

Curry College 11, Fitchburg State 2 - Haley Carey and Mel Brickey each recorded four goals, Ana Bottary registered five points (three goals, two assists) as the Colonels defeated the Falcons and improved to 3-1 overal.

Mar 6 2013

Mass. College Sports: Midweek Check-In

By Matt Noonan 

It’s “hump day,” which means we’ve officially reached the midway point of the current week. So, let’s take a trip around the Bay State and catch up on some of the latest college sports news.

* Tuesday was a special day for the Anna Maria College softball team as the AMCATs snapped a 40-game winless streak by defeating Penn State – New Kensington at the Dot Richardson Invitational, 6-1. Saugus’ Nicole Lowe earned her first victory on the bump this season, while Kayla Lapierre recorded two runs and two hits.

* Northeastern University’s men’s basketball team finished their season with a loss to Old Dominion at Matthews Arena last weekend. However, they did earn the season crown and will tip-off against the winner of Drexel-George Mason on Sunday. So, let’s keep our fingers crossed for the Huskies!

* In case you didn’t know, Boston College’s Nicole Boudreau was named to the 2012 ACC All-Freshman team yesterday. Boudreau, who hails from Andover, became the first Eagle freshman to earn this award since Carolyn Swords during the 2007-08 season. According to the Boston Herald, Boudreau appeared in every game this season and netted 324 points, recorded 105 rebounds and tallied  67 assists.

* The Worcester Telegram reported that the Nichols College field hockey team received the 2012 Gladiator by SGI/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division 3 National Academic Team Award. Congrats Bison!

* Holden native John Henrion was named the Hockey East’s Athletic Republic Co-Player of the Week on Monday following a four goal weekend for the New Hampshire Wildcat. Henrion registered his first collegiate hat trick during Saturday’s 4-0 victory against UMass. Henrion has been a major contributor for the Wildcats this season and currently has 22 points (13 goals, nine assists).

* Sticking with the Hockey East, the league announced its women’s Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team for the 2012-2013 season and a few local teams featured some skaters on this team. CLICK HERE to access the team and release.

* Finally, I’d like to wish the local men’s Division III hockey clubs the best of luck this evening as the quest for Lake Placid begins. We’ll have highlights from the games posted later.