S P O RT S
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
RECORDS: Sanu aims to develop into complete WR continued from back which culminated with Sanu’s three-touchdown effort in the St. Petersburg Bowl. Then, Sanu said, he could focus on becoming the best technical player. Wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck arrived last season, and the pair worked toward Sanu’s goal of becoming a complete wide receiver. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Sanu has the frame to develop into a consistent blocker and route
runner, one of his priorities entering the 2011 season. Sanu insists he gets as much thrill out of initiating contact with a defender or earning a block that spurs one of the Knights’ running backs. The unselfish play replicates a first-quarter reception, getting Sanu into rhythm, he said. “If I get that first hit in, that first good play in, I start with a good start and go from there,” Sanu said. He also wanted to catch 100 passes, he said, but being a multidimensional wideout stemmed from an inner desire to perfect Sanu’s craft. “You never settle for being anything less,” Sanu said. “I’m
just that type of person who wants to be the best at everything. If I’m not, I’m going to strive for it.”
MOHAMED SANU Head coach Greg Schiano enjoyed a stable of productive receivers throughout the course of the previous six seasons,
OCTOBER 27, 2011 including Sanu, Britt, Wright and Tiquan Underwood. But Sanu’s consistency set himself apart from the rest of the group, despite Britt’s downfield ability, Schiano said. “Not the big plays yet, and that’s where Kenny set himself apar t,” Schiano said. “Kenny was a home r un hitter. But Mohamed is certainly performing at a high level.” Sanu’s 10 catches against Louisville gave him four games this season in which he hauled in double-digit passes. He caught 10 balls in his first career game, the Knights’ 2009 season opener against Cincinnati.
PROVIDENCE: Knights meet PC for first time this year continued from back
CONOR ALWELL / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshman forward Stephanie Scholz makes her Big East Championship debut today in the Knights’ match at Providence. Scholz is second on the team in scoring with three goals.
the Knights did not play during the regular season. “I’m excited to be back [in the Big East Championships],” said senior Julie Lancos, who played forward in the team’s past two games. “I know for a while it was a little nerve-racking whether we would be back there or not. Now it’s the fun part. Now in order to move on you have to win, so it’s kind of do or die every game now.” Between Rutgers and Providence, both teams understand the necessity of performing in the clutch. The Friars (7-8-4, 5-6) won their final two regular season games to qualify for the final spot in the American Division, earning 6 points with wins against Pittsburgh and Connecticut. The Knights also came through with a 1-0 overtime win on the road against Cincinnati, followed by their most recent tie with Seton Hall. More production offensively — the Knights scored three goals in two games — made the difference in the matches, with Lancos’ overtime goal against the Cincinnati saving the team’s season. “We haven’t scored too many goals this year, but the past two games we’ve been scoring a lot more and I think it’s just going to keep getting better,” Lancos said. Freshman Stefanie Scholz, the Knights second-leading scorer with three goals, noted Lancos’ strength in the front third as a key component in enabling more opportunities.
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But in Rutgers’ two losses this season, no other receiver caught more than three passes from either sophomore Chas Dodd or freshman Gar y Nova. Sophomore Quron Pratt’s six catches against Syracuse are the most for any Rutgers receiver not named Sanu. Sanu deserves everything he gets, Nova said. By all indications, he will continue to garner Nova’s attention, and rightfully so. “Mo is a special player, and he’s a great guy, too,” Nova said. “I love playing with him, and he’s probably the most unselfish guy, and I love that about him. He goes out there, [and] he works hard every day.” The South Hackensack, N.J., native makes her collegiate postseason debut for Crooks. Also making her first career postseason start in the front third is freshman forward Amy Pietrangelo, who returns after missing two games with the Canadian National Team. Junior back Shannon Woeller will remain with Team Canada through tonight, when it takes on Brazil in the championship of the Pan American Games. With Lancos up top and Woeller missing her third consecutive game, the Knights are forced to compensate in the back line. Freshman Morgan Kennedy and sophomore Tori Leigh both assumed Woeller and Lancos’ roles as center backs on a full-time basis. The responsibilities continue in today’s match, with either junior goalkeeper Emmy Simpkins or junior Jess Janosz starting in net. Simpkins remembers the Knights’ early exit in the conference tournament last season at West Virginia, the team hosting this year’s semifinals and finals. Before the Knights can qualify for NCAA’s they will have to go through Morgantown, W. Va., and even before then, they must win on the road against Louisville. But Simpkins and Co. understand success comes one step at a time. A tie against Seton Hall generated the initial sigh of relief, and now the Knights want to stay breathing for as long as they can in the postseason. “Right now, it’s getting past Providence, then going to Louisville to take Louisville down on their home pitch and then back to West Virginia,” Simpkins said. “Good ol’ Morgantown.”