Tag Archives: BC Eagles

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 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 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.

Mar 23 2013

Mass. College Hockey: BU Remains Focused On Winning A Championship

Boston University Logo

By Matt Noonan

BOSTON, MA – Jack Parker must have said something motivational to his troops during a media timeout last night during the Hockey East semifinals against Boston College.

The Eagles, who were leading the Terriers by two tallies midway through the second frame, appeared to have all the momentum on their side. Yet, something was different, especially about this particular match.

Boston College has always felt at home at the TD Garden. They’ve won four consecutive Boston Beanpot championships, as well as the last three conference crowns, too. And even though history appeared to be on their side with a two-goal advantage, their momentum vanished after two quick strikes from BU’s Evan Rodrigues and Matt Lane, which tied the game at 2.

Lane’s goal, his fourth of the season, was what really changed the contest as the first-year forward stole a pass off a face-off in his team’s zone and raced down the ice to net the equalizer.

“I don’t know if we got complacent, but they got a few lucky breaks, we didn’t catch those breaks and I think we kind of got away from what made us successful in the first 35 minutes,” said BC’s Pat Mullane, who watched Lane’s goal from the bench.

“I don’t think guys sat back, we still attacked, but maybe just the bounces didn’t go our way tonight.”

BU’s offensive onslaught continued with a go-ahead goal from Garrett Noonan, who didn’t appear in his team’s last three contests, late in the second, which pushed the Terriers ahead for good.

Danny O’Regan, a member of this year’s Hockey East 2013 Pro-Ambitions All-Rookie Team, tacked on two power play goals early in the third to seal the win for the Terriers and setup a rematch of the 2009 conference championship against UMass Lowell, who defeated Providence College in the first game on Friday.

The win was certainly an impressive performance for a BU team that had struggled in January and February, but entered the contest on a four-game winning streak, two of which came last weekend against Merrimack College in the first round of the tournament. And while the players know this is Parker’s last ride, they certainly don’t seem interested in concluding their season without some hardware.

“I think especially after the first period we kind of realized that he’s such a great coach that we weren’t going to let him lose to BC at the Garden,” said O’Regan. “We were willing to do whatever it took.”

BU appeared flat following the opening face-off and destined to skate off the ice with a loss, but whatever Parker said to his squad during that timeout provided the Terriers with the necessary spark to rally and beat the Eagles.

“We have our backs to the wall, we played pretty well down the stretch here, but buried ourselves earlier in January and February, (especially) early February and we have to win to continue the season,” said Parker.

“After the way we played in the Garden (during the Beanpot tournament), I didn’t think we were going to be here this time, but the way we fought back and got home ice and took advantage of home ice by beating a really good Merrimack team and then get by BC tonight (was good for our team). I’m very proud of these guys and very happy for them and they have a chance to play a championship, (so) we’ll see what happens.”

It certainly will be an emotional night for the Red and White, who will once again be the underdog against a River Hawks club that’s 6-1 in the current month. And even though they haven’t defeated UMass Lowell this season, don’t expect the Terriers to lie down. Friday’s game proved that BU is determined to extend their season for another week, as well as do whatever is necessary to pull out a win.

“It’s obviously good to beat BC in the Garden,” said Noonan. “I don’t know if we have yet in my career here, but the jobs not done yet and we need to win tomorrow and it was a good win tonight.”

Mar 22 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Hockey East Championship Weekend Roundtable

By NoontimeSports.com 

In honor of the Hockey East semifinals and finals, which commence later today, we’ve decided to call upon the local college hockey gurus to breakdown each matchup and determine who’ll be skating around the TD Garden Saturday evening with some hardware.

Noontime Sports would like to thank Joshua Kummins (Associate Editor of BostonSportsU18.com & SB Nation College Hockey Contributor), Mike McMahon (Senior Writer/Recruiting Editor of College Hockey News), Josh Seguin (College Hockey News) and Rich Slate (Boston Metro) for their help with this particular post.

So, without further ado, here’s our breakdown:

Game No. 1: No. 1 UMass Lowell vs. No. 4 Providence College (Fri., 5 p.m.)

Who is one player to watch in this particular matchup? What can we expect from him? 

Mike McMahon: Has to be Jon Gillies. Quite frankly, the Friars have gone and will go as far as Gillies takes them. He hasn’t shown an indication that he’s wilt under the bright lights. That being said neither has Connor Hellebuyck. It’s definitely a showcase of goaltenders here and likely a 2-1 game. Goals will be at a premium.

Rich Slate: Providence’s freshman goaltender Jon Gillies, who was arguably the top player in Hockey East this season. He won’t give up many goals and was 1-2 against UMass Lowell this season.

Which line will make the biggest impact for Providence and UML?

Joshua Kummins: Each forward on the Friars’ top three lines are double-digit point scorers. Freshman Mark Jankowski and senior Tim Schaller start on the top line, while sophomore Ross Mauermann is a stalwart in the middle of the second unit.

McMahon: Getting Shane Luke back is a big plus for the Friars. He really helps solidify three lines for Providence. For UML it’s Riley Wetmore‘s line. They — and especially him — do a lot of things that go underappreciated. All three of those guys — Wetmore, Derek Arnold and Ryan McGrath — are solid two-way players.

How does UMass Lowell defeat PC and advance to Saturday? 

Kummins: This game will be about defense because after getting this far, I cannot expect either Gillies or Hellebuyck to have a “bad” game.

Josh Seguin: It will probably be a pretty defensive game, but they need to do what they do best, which is timely scoring and responding to everything the Friars send at them.

How does Providence College defeat UML and advance to Saturday? 

Seguin: Jon GIllies will have to take control of the game. The young guys have to stay composed, too.

Slate: Providence will have to find a way to score more goals against the River Hawks. In their two losses against them this season they had one goal in each contest.

Who wins this series and why? Score prediction? 

Seguin: UML wins, 3-1. Right now, they are playing some of the best hockey in the country. Providence is young and may struggle with the environment.

Slate: The River Hawks have been one of the hottest teams in college hockey for the second half of the season and they will be looking for revenge after getting upset in the Hockey East playoffs last season by PC. My pick: UMass Lowell wins 3-2.

Game No. 2: No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Boston University (Fri., 8 p.m.)

Who is one player to watch in this particular matchup? What can we expect from him?

Kummins: Everybody knows how dynamic Johnny Gaudreau is for Boston College, but Steven Whitney is a senior that has kicked it up a notch in his final season in a Maroon and Gold sweater. The Reading, Mass. native and Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Walter Brown Award winner led all Hockey East players with 25 goals, but his 126 career points still trails his older brother Joe Whitney (2007-11), who is tied for 42nd in the all-time BC record books.

Seguin: Johnny Gaudreau has to be the go-to player for the Eagles. If the Terriers do not stop him, it will be a long night. Gaudreau has been a primetime player in his career and I would expect that to continue this weekend.

Which line will make the biggest impact for BC and BU? 

Kummins: Gaudreau-Pat Mullane-Whitney would have been the definite answer for the Eagles about six weeks ago, but head coach Jerry York has shuffled things up a bit after a dry spell that saw the Eagles go 2-4-1 in January. Even with Mullane and Whitney shifting down to join sophomore Quinn Smith on the second line, the trio is still potent in BC’s balanced attack.

For the Terriers, the answer is simple: Matt Nieto, Danny O’Regan, and Evan Rodrigues, who make up BU’s second line. They’ve combined for 33 goals and 40 assists this season. O’Regan, a St. Sebastian’s product, leads all Hockey East first-years with 36 points.

McMahon: The Gaudreau line for BC is the one to watch for, obviously. For BU, I’d keep an eye on Nieto’s line.

How does BC defeat BU and advance to Saturday? 

McMahon: They’re going to need their defense to really rise to the occasion. There’s no reason to believe they won’t, but at this time of year, you need to start from the back end.

Seguin: BC just has to be BC, quite simply. If they do the little things and don’t defeat themselves they will win this one. A steady dose of Johnny Gaudreau, Steven Whitney and Pat Mullane may be difficult to handle for the Terriers, so get them involved.

How does BU defeat BC and advance to Saturday? 

McMahon: They need to get a solid game out of Sean Maguire, who looked terrific vs. Merrimack last week. I also think they BU should try to keep the puck moving, especially in the offensive zone, cycle when they can. Make that BC defense work. BC’s dangerous with the puck, and the best defense is to make sure they don’t have possession.

Seguin: BU needs to play stout, defensive hockey. The defensive breakdowns that plagued them the better part of the second half cannot be present. BU needs to stop Gaudreau, Whitney and Mullane. If they can do those things they could easily pull the upset.

Prediction: Who wins this game and why? Score Prediction?  

Kummins: BC’s recent domination in the Hockey East Tournament (and its senior experience on the big stage) will prove to be the difference in this game. Over the last four years, the Eagles have won 14 conference tournament games and I see that streak continuing in a 5-3 win.

McMahon: It’s an interesting matchup because both of these teams aren’t nearly as deep as they typically are, but I was really impressed with BU last week and I think they upset the Eagles here. It’s a close game though, maybe even OT, but I’m going 4-3 BU. The Terriers need the win to stay alive in the Pairwise, where BC will make the NCAA tournament regardless of the result.

Game No. 3: Hockey East Championship (Sat., 7 p.m.)

Based off your predicted winners on Friday, who wins on Saturday and why? 

Kummins: My championship match of Boston College and UMass Lowell should be a great one, especially since both squads are headed to the NCAA tournament. Both teams are on strong streaks, but I think it is BC’s Garden experience that pays off in a close victory.

McMahon: Defense wins championships and there isn’t a better all-around defense than Lowell, who’ll win 3-2.

Seguin: UML right now is the most complete team of the four remaining. The River Hawks beat the Eagles about a month ago. They respond well and score in timely situations, which makes them dangerous.

Slate: BC will defeat UMass Lowell because of their experience in the Beanpot Finals, Hockey East playoffs and NCAA Tournament. BC beats UMass Lowell, 4-3.  

Early thoughts on the NCAA tourney: How far does the winner go in the Frozen Four? 

Kummins: I don’t think Boston College has quite enough to capture a second consecutive title, but UMass Lowell could certainly make some noise. With a pairing in Manchester or Providence likely, the River Hawks definitely have enough to break through with a trip to the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh this year.

McMahon: Lowell has their best chance ever to make a Frozen Four. You look at their record — 20-3-1 in their last 24 games — and it’s so much about catching fire at the right time. Those BC teams that won national titles always went on runs to end their season.

Seguin: UML, BC and UNH are all in. The former two have the best chance of a deep run and if BU can get in they may be as well. UNH can make some noise if they get back to the defensive juggernaut they once were in the first half. Lowell is deep, while BC has a dangerous trio that can light up any team in the country. Lowell and BC both have the talent to earn a spot in the Frozen Four, but it’s all about matchups. Sometimes it’s the matchups and where teams play, which makes all the difference.

Slate: BC advances to the Frozen Four, but loses in the semifinals.

Mar 21 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Weekend Schedule

By Matt Noonan 

We’ve got a busy weekend of college hockey upon us and below is the schedule. Make sure to checkback throughout the weekend for scores, roundups and recaps.

Men’s Ice Hockey: Hockey East Semifinals/Finals @ TD Garden 

* Game No. 1: Providence College vs. UMass Lowell, 5 p.m. @ TD Garden (Fri., Mar. 22) 

* Game No. 2: Boston College vs. Boston University, 8 p.m. @ TD Garden (Fri. Mar. 22) 

* Championship: Winner of Game No. 1 vs. Winner of Game No. 2, 7 p.m @ TD Garden (Sat., Mar. 23) 

Women’s Ice Hockey: NCAA Frozen Four @ University of Minnesota 

* Game No. 1: Boston College vs. Minnesota, 6 p.m. (Fri., Mar. 22) 

* Game. No. 2: Boston University vs. Mercyhurst, 9 p.m. (Fri., Mar. 22)

* Championship: Winner of Game No. 1 vs. Winner of Game No. 2, 4 p.m.  (Sun., Mar. 24) 

Mar 16 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Saturday Afternoon/Evening Roundup

By Matt Noonan 

A variety of tournament hockey games occurred this afternoon and evening, and below are their summaries.

Men’s Ice Hockey: 

Boston University 5, Merrimack College 3 - Ben Rosen netted the go-ahead strike for the Terriers at 5:11 in the third as BU defeated Merrimack and earned a first round series sweep. BU’s Wade Megan, who was one of three players to finish with two points, recorded two assists in the victory, while Merrimack’s Jordan Heywood recorded two assists in the setback.

Boston College 4, Vermont 1 - Johnny Gaudreau, Pat Mullane and Steven Whitney each registered one goal and one assist as the Eagles soared past the Catamounts and earned a first round sweep.   

Women’s Ice Hockey: 

Boston College 3, Harvard 1 - Alex Carpenter, Caitlin Walsh and Haley Skarupa each netted one goal as the Eagles defeated the Crimson in the NCAA quarterfinals. Mary Parker netted the only strike of the afternoon for Harvard, which occurred at 16:00 in the first.

 

Mar 15 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Hockey East Quarterfinals Scoreboard

By NoontimeSports.com 

The Hockey East men’s quarterfinals commenced for most teams this evening and below are the local scores.

UMass Lowell 2, Maine 1 (OT) - Derek Arnold‘s extra session goal lifted the River Hawks past the Black Bears and provided the hosts with a series sweep. With the win UMass Lowell will advance to next Friday’s semifinals.

Boston College 4, Vermont 2 - Johnny Gaudreau‘s 19th goal of the season, which was recorded at 18:58 in the third, secured the Eagles their first win of the best-of-three series.

Boston University 3, Merrimack College 0 - Matt Nieto recorded two points (one goal, one assist) as the Terriers topped the Warriors in Boston and earned their first win of the best-of-three series.

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 14 2013

Mass. College Hockey: BC Ready For Hockey East Tourney (VIDEO)

By NoontimeSports.com

The Boston College men’s ice hockey team will begin its quest toward another Hockey East crown tomorrow evening when they host Vermont in their first quarterfinal matchup, and in honor of their contest we’ve provided a video from the Eagles Marketing YouTube channel, which features highlights and interview with the players, who’re ready for the tournament to start.