MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2008 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK
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Terps open season with two wins Women’s lacrosse rolls to victories over UMass, Boston College BY BRIAN KAPUR Staff writer
The winter weather was the only thing in Massachusetts that stopped the Terrapin women’s lacrosse team this weekend. The Terps opened their season by thrashing UMass 18-7 on Saturday after snow in Amherst, Mass., pushed the game back a day. And on Sunday, the Terps notched their first conference win of the season, beating Boston College 23-10. “BC is an ACC team; being undefeated against them in such a tough conference is a great thing,” senior midfielder Kelly Kasper said.
Kasper set a new career high in points against the Minutewomen with seven, and then topped the mark with nine points against the Eagles. “It’s a testament to her overall athletic ability and the work she put in,” associate head coach Jen Adams said. “We were all working very hard and had many opportunities; our cutters were getting open for us,” Kasper added. The schedule change just added to the Terps’ list of challenges; the Terps were also without head coach Cathy Reese, who missed the game because of her pregnancy. While the schedule change could have hurt them, the
Terps took advantage of the extra day. “It was relaxing,” Kasper said. “The team went for a swim; we had a walkthrough. It was a fun time to relax before we played.” Saturday against the Minutewomen, the Terps took more than 15 minutes to score five goals. Despite the slow scoring early on, senior goalie Allie Buote allowed just one goal in that span. In the second half, the Terps found their groove, sealing the win with an 11-5 run. “Against UMass, we were a little sloppy at times; we didn’t come out as strong as we could’ve,” Kasper said. “By the end we were our normal selves.” Against the Eagles, the Terps were anything but sloppy. The team ran out to a 6-0 lead and finished the first
half with a 15-5 lead. The second half was more of the same as the Terps finished off the victory. “We came out very strong and were consistent for most of the game,” Kasper said. In both games, the Terps found different means of production from a balanced attack led by Kasper. Senior attacker Lauren Cohen and senior midfielder Dana Dobbie combined for 10 goals against Boston College. Against UMass, it was sophomore midfielder Caitlyn McFadden who set a career high with five points. “I was very impressed with how the team played,” Adams said. “We really showed up as a complete team and a good showing for our first two games.” bkapurdbk@gmail.com
Defense keeps Hoyas’ offense at bay LACROSSE, from Page 10 “After the first goal, I was just going insane,” Catalino said. “I didn’t really expect to score the first goal of the game, and it was off a ground ball. I just shot it, and hoped it went in.” Georgetown answered back, beating Terp goalie Jason Carter less than a minute later. Carter made six first-period saves to allow the Terps to build the lead in his first career start, before giving way to sophomore Brian Phipps in the second half. After the teams traded goals, Young’s score with 5:31 left in the quarter started the Terps on a 5-0 run. Redshirt junior midfielder Jeff Reynolds’ goal with 15 seconds left in the quarter gave the Terps a 5-2 advantage and
had the Terps jumping around celebrating as the quarter ended, while the Hoyas quietly filed to the sideline. “We were just fired up,” sophomore long-pole Brian Farrell said. “This team has so much heart and so much desire. I’ve never been on a team that gets as motivated and pumped up as we do.” The momentum carried over as Reed netted his first career goal 15 seconds into the second quarter. The Terps took an 8-4 lead into the second half. Young and Reed each scored their second goals of the game early in the second half to put the lead at 10-4, and the Hoya offense could never get going against a Terp defense playing its first game since the graduation of two 2007 All-Americans, Steve Whittenberg and Ray Megill.
“We came out strong and played together as a team,” Farrell said. “You can’t really stop a team that’s playing together.” But the story of the game was the freshmen, who accounted for nine goals thanks to midfielder Tony Mendes’ second period tally. Even with 18 true freshmen on the roster, the Terps showed what they are capable of with a road win against a top-five opponent. “It was amazing,” Carter said. “We knew we had a lot of good talent, but I don’t think anybody else really knew it. We wanted to come out and really show it, and I think we did.” In the closing minutes of the game, the Terps’ sideline was once again raucous as they were about to clinch their 15th straight season-opening victory. The silence of the initial
“After the first goal, I was just going insane. I didn’t really expect to score the first goal of the game.” –Grant Catalino FRESHMAN ATTACKMAN
bus ride was long gone on the ride home, and the Terps had earned the celebration. “That’s why you play and you work in athletics, because there’s no feeling better than what just happened for this team,” Cottle said. “They’re so excited in [the locker room]. I hope we just continue to improve.” edetweilerdbk@gmail.com
Errors mark first weekend Defensive mistakes doom baseball BY AARON KRAUT Senior staff writer
The Terrapin baseball team knew it would have to play its best baseball to beat Big South Conference favorite and No. 30 Coastal Carolina in the teams’ two games this weekend. Despite quality starting pitching and their share of offensive opportunities, two Terp defensive miscues led to losses in both games against the Chanticleers, sandwiched around a win Saturday night against Pittsburgh at this weekend’s IMIChotels.com INN-vitational. A rainout Friday night pushed the Terps’ first matchup against Coastal Carolina to Saturday afternoon when, despite getting six hits in a little over five innings against All-America starting pitcher Bobby Gagg, the Terps fell 10-4. Trailing 2-1 with one out and one Chanticleer runner on in the bottom of the sixth inning, shortstop Justin Mayse’s misjudgment of a pop-up off the bat of left fielder Chance Gilmore opened up the flood gates. After walking the next batter to load the bases, Terps starting pitcher Scott Swinson was replaced by Brett Jones, who gave up a grand slam to All-America center fielder David Sappelt, putting the game out of reach at 6-1. The Terps stranded 11 runners in the game. “They’re a good team and they took advantage of a mistake,” coach Terry Rupp said. “But we’ve gotta have someone step up and cut them off before they get out of hand.” Just 30 minutes after the conclusion of that game, the Terps took the field against Pitt, and after starting pitcher Ian Schwalenberg surrendered three solo homers in the first inning, it looked as though it would be a winless night. Down 4-3 in the sixth with runners on second and third, Rupp pinch-hit junior Jensen Pupa, who doubled off the leftfield wall to give the Terps a 5-4
lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Kevin Biringer got the win in relief as the Terps beat the Panthers 10-5. “It taught me a lot about Ian Schwalenberg’s makeup,” Rupp said. “I don’t care what level you’re on, if you give up three home runs in the first inning, it would pretty much shake up anyone. But he was able to give us an opportunity to win.” Catcher Chad Durakis was hit by two pitches in the game, and three total in Saturday’s doubleheader, making him the all-time leader in school history in that category with 37. Yesterday the Terps sent Pupa to the mound for another crack at Coastal Carolina. But a first-inning throwing error by senior second baseman Joe Palumbo with two outs led to four unearned Coastal Carolina runs. Chanticleer starter Austin Fleet shut down the Terps through 6.2 innings, but a Mike Moss pinch-hit two-run homer off reliever Jeremiah Meiners in the seventh cut the lead to 4-3. With men on second and third and two down, Palumbo flied out to left to end the inning, and the Terps would get no closer as Coastal Carolina went on to pick up their fifth run in the bottom of the seventh before winning 5-3. Even with the close calls, Rupp was pleased with his team’s opening weekend, as the Terps showed they could play with a team of Coastal Carolina’s stature. “The thing that was encouraging was we got down in all three games and we battled back in each one and had opportunities to win each game,” Rupp said. “Typically, first weekend out you have to refine some things and understand that when you’re playing good teams it comes down to maybe one or two plays.” akrautdbk@gmail.com
SENIOR GRADUATION PORTRAITS
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he 2008 TERRAPIN YEARBOOK, in association with Carl Wolf Studios, will be taking graduation portraits the week of February 25–29 2008. Although it is TOO LATE for these pictures to be included in the 2008 TERRAPIN, many of you called to request this portrait session. There is absolutely NO cost or obligation on your part. Several poses will be taken, both with and without cap and gown, if you prefer. You will then have an opportunity to purchase portraits at a reasonable charge. Beginning Monday, Feb. 25th, appointments can be made by calling the Terrapin office at (301) 314-8349 between 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
DATES: February 25–29, 2008 • One Week Only!! TIME: 11am-7pm PLACE: 3101 South Campus Dining Hall (TERRAPIN YEARBOOK Office) PHONE: 1-800-687-9327 or cws.ouryear.com School Code: 87101