Tag: Cam Smith ’21
Men’s Hockey Scores Big to Win Mayor’s Cup
by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019
Friar Sports
Friars Unable to Build Off of Win in Game Against Boston College
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team was looking for a win this past week after two straight losses. In their meeting against Brown University, the Friars did just that.
The annual matchup against the Brown Bears, known for the past 33 years as the Mayor’s Cup, has historically gone PC’s way. The Friars came into this year’s Cup with a 51-46-3 advantage. Last year’s matchup on the Schneider Arena ice ended with a PC win as five different Friars scored in a 5-0 shutout.
There was much of the same this year, as PC won the Mayor’s Cup taking a 5-1 victory. The game was decided soon after it had begun, as PC caught the Bears off-guard with an onslaught of early offensive plays that resulted in four goals in just the first nine minutes of play.
Kasper Björkqvist ’20 started off the festivities as he hammered home a rebound off the post to make it 1-0. The goal was Björkqvist’s 10th on the season, a total that puts him second in goals scored on the team. Just a mere 39 seconds later came the second goal of the night, as Greg Printz ‘21 fired a shot past the goalkeeper off a centering feed from Jacob Bryson ’20. Josh Wilkins ‘20 would get in on the action a couple minutes later with a wrister to the right corner, and Jack Dugan ‘22 would cap off the flurry of first period offense by sneaking one through the Bears’ keeper’s pads for his eighth goal of the season.
PC never looked back after their first period blitz, as they dug in on the defensive end en route to their 5-1 victory. The quick burst of goals and resulting lead allowed for a total team effort the rest of the way, as all three PC goalkeepers saw action in the third period as the game remained firmly in control. The Friars have now held ownership of the Cup since the 2015-16 season and will look to continue that trend in next year’s 34th annual Mayor’s Cup.
The other game on the schedule last week did not go nearly as well for the men’s hockey team, as they fell to Boston College 1-4. It was the second meeting of the year between the perennial Hockey East powerhouses. PC also fell to the Eagles on Jan. 11 by a score of 2-4.
The Eagles jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on a Michael Kim powerplay goal. The Friars would then go on to give up a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0 BC after the first period. The second period of the game went to the Friars, as goalie Hayden Hawkey ’19 made several superb saves while Jason O’Neill ’21 tapped in a Bryan Lemos ‘19 shot to make it 2-1 BC after two.
Unfortunately, the rally would come up short as BC responded in the third period with two additional goals, placing the game firmly out of reach.
The new year hasn’t been so kind to the Friars, as they now hold a 2-3-1 record in the month of January. However, a return to Schneider Arena might help to cure the January blues. PC takes on no. 8 Northeastern University Huskies on Jan. 25 in a battle between Hockey East heavyweights.
Hockey Team Signs Koopman Twins
by The Cowl Editor on January 17, 2019
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team received some reinforcements prior to their 2018-19 winter break. Added to the roster was the dynamic twin brother duo of Matt Koopman ’22 and Kyle Koopman ’22, who joined the team in time for the second half of the regular season hockey schedule.
Natives of Marblehead, Massachusetts, the Koopmans started off their high school careers playing for the Marblehead Headers, before transferring their talents to the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts for their final two years of high school. The pair also spent their offseasons with the Mid-Fairfield Rangers Midget U-18 program, competing against top-notched competition while honing their respective skills.
While the news of the duo’s arrival is unexpected to the average fan, the brothers’ destination of PC has long been decided. Both committed to PC prior to their senior year of high school in 2016. “We always wanted a school that was the best fit for us,” said Kyle back in 2016. “Providence is excellent academically and obviously a great hockey school. It’s worked out perfectly.”
Following high school graduation in 2017, Kyle, a 5’11”, 190-pound defenseman, played parts of two seasons for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) before going up north to Canada to play for the West Kelowna Warriors of the British Columbia Hockey League. Koopman accumulated eight assists in 18 games for West Kelowna during his time with them this year.
Matt, a 5’10”, 178-pound forward, has spent the entirety of the last two seasons with Waterloo in the USHL. Koopman picked up eight goals to go along with 17 assists in just 24 games during the 2018-19 season for the Black Hawks, putting him at an astonishing average of over a point per game. He also tallied two game-winning goals while posting a plus 14 rating.
Matt has already impressed in his short time with the Friars, playing in all six games while also tallying the first goal of his college career on Jan. 4 against no. 16 ranked Miami (OH). He gave PC a 3-2 lead at the midpoint of the third period after tipping in a shot on goal by Josh Wilkins ’20. The Friars would go on to secure the victory at a mark of 4-2.
Matt expressed his excitement of attending PC back in 2016, calling Head Coach Nate Leaman “one of the best coaches in the country.” With an eye on the future, Matt also stated that “being Hockey East players, the both of us, it’s almost crazy to think about. There’s someone always wanting to take it away from you, so it makes you work that much harder to hold onto your position. You have to be prepared for the jump to college hockey.” With an electric start to his college career, it appears as if Matt Koopman is more than prepared.
The future is now for the Koopmans, as they look forward to four years of dazzling onlookers in Schneider Arena.
Twenty Friars Named to All-Big East Teams
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
Friar Sports
Soccer Teams and Field Hockey Each Send Five Players
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The fall sports season has come to a close, meaning that the time to honor athletic accomplishments is now upon us. All six Providence College Division I teams, who finished their seasons by the end of November, saw players receive All-Big East honors. Three of these six teams saw a whopping five players receive conference accolades.
The PC Women’s Soccer Team was one of the teams to nab five All-Big East awards, marking the most in program history. Katie Day ’19 is the second PC women’s soccer player ever to earn back-to-back All-Big East First Team Honors. The dominant defender started every game for the Friars this season, including one in which she headed home the game-winning goal against Marquette University.
Shelby Hogan ‘20RS, Kayla Steeves ’19, and Hannah McNulty ‘21 were awarded Second Team Honors, while Hannah Morgan ’22 was named to the All-Freshman Team. Hogan had a tremendous year in her second season as the team’s goalkeeper, while McNulty led the Friars in goals scored with 10.
On the PC Men’s Soccer Team, five All-Big East awards were also handed out. Tiago Mendonca ‘20RS took home First Team Honors as the crafty midfielder led the Friars in goals (five), points (10), and shots (40). Colin Miller ‘19RS and Klisman Sousa ’19RS picked up Second Team Honors. Miller, the starting goalkeeper for the past three seasons, reached eight shutouts for the second time in his very successful career, finishing the season with nine. Two impressive newcomers in Ramzi Qawasmy ’22 and Gil Santos ’22 were named to the All-Big East Freshman Team. Qawasmy logged the second-most minutes of anyone on the team while Santos hammered home three goals.
The field hockey team rounds out the squads to pick up five All-Big East Honors, as the team saw one member named to the All-Big East First Team and four named to the All-Big East Second Team. The team’s five All-Big East selections are the second-most in program history. Corinne Kenney ’19 was the player to find herself on the First Team. She anchored the Friar defense while also setting a career high in assists with five. Her selection only adds to her long list of accolades, including being an All-Academic Team honoree.
Maddie Babineau ’21, Izzy Mendez ’20, Mary O’Reilly ’20, and Lydia Rice ’19 were the four additional players who garnered All-Big East Second Team Honors. Babineau started all 18 games for PC this year and posted career highs in points (12), goals (three) and assists (six). Mendez accumulated a team-best seven goals, while O’Reilly pitched in 10 points. She also received various academic honors. Rice’s lone season in goal for the Friars was a superb one, as she had five shutouts and had the highest save percentage across the entire conference.
Moving away from the field and onto the race course, four different Friars picked up All-Big East Honors for the cross country teams. On the women’s side, runners Abbey Wheeler ’20, Regan Rome ’18G, and Tessa Barrett ’18G all finished top 20 at the Big East Cross Country Championships, determining their status as All-Big East. Wheeler capped off a tremendous season with a fourth overall finish in a time of 20:35.3.
For the men, Ryan Gallagher ’21 also earned the Honors due to his top-20 finish at the championships.
The final All-Big East honoree was volleyball star Allison Impellizeri ’19. She was named to the All-Big East Second Team after leading the Friars in kills (326) and total blocks (86). Impellizeri also ranked fifth in hitting percentage in the Big East.
As the athletic calendar moves to the winter season, the Friars who will take to the court and ice can only hope to match the all-around success of the fall athletes.
Remembering Mark Adams
by The Cowl Editor on November 29, 2018
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
Mark Adams ’15RS always wanted to go to Providence College. Ten schools recruited the Boxford, Massachusetts native during his time with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, but only one ever had a chance of landing him. “He was hell-bent on going to Providence from day one,” explained his father, Mark Adams Sr. “That’s where he wanted to go.”
Adams, more affectionately known by his nickname “Roo” after the Winnie the Pooh character, appeared in 98 career games for the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team. The smooth-skating defenseman battled injuries for most of his career, limiting him to only seven appearances in both the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. Though frustrating, his scattered appearances allowed Adams to receive a medical redshirt to skate for a fifth season, a season which would culminate with the first national championship in PC hockey history.
As a redshirt senior, Adams appeared in 32 games for the championship Friars, notching a goal and two assists in addition to his shutdown defensive play. To top off the thrill of the victory, Adams was able to lift the championship trophy at TD Garden, in front of family and friends. The Friars defeated Boston University 4-3. “That was great for him, especially being in Boston, too,” said his brother Jack Adams. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him.”
Following his graduation, Adams signed a contract with the Los Angeles Kings, but recurring knee injuries forced him to retire from the game he loved. Instead, he entered into the world of business, and moved to New York to work for a hedgefund. However, the allure of the Bay State proved too strong, and Adams soon moved back to Boston. When his father’s company, Cambridge Therapeutic, expanded, Adams was offered a position running the pharmaceutical division.
Most days, Adams was up at 4 a.m. for a conference call with his associates in China. If someone walked into his office during one of these calls, they might see Mandarin scrawled across the whiteboard. Adams was teaching himself the language for an upcoming business excursion overseas. “People don’t realize how brilliant he was,” Jack Adams said. “He did a great job for us,” commented Adams Sr. on his son’s work. “He was very mature for his age. It was nice, as a dad, to watch that development. He’s 10 times smarter than I’ll ever be.”
It was one of these early mornings when tragedy struck. On Sept. 17, at the age of 27, Adams passed away after suffering a heart attack.
The 2014-15 PC championship team had already lost one of their members when they heard the news about Adams: forward Drew Brown ’16 passed away in November 2017 after a battle with bone cancer. Once again, this close-knit team had to look to each other for support as they grieved the loss of another beloved teammate.
Adams’ teammates mourned the passing of a man whose impact on the team went far beyond his stellar performance on the Schneider Arena ice. “Roo was one of those teammates that would do anything for another guy on our team,” remembered Kevin Rooney ’16, a member of the championship-winning squad. “Almost every single day he would ask the guys to come over to his place for dinner. It got to the point where sometimes we had to say no because we felt bad not buying any of the food.” Rooney recalled a time where Adams hosted the entire team at his apartment in downtown Providence for a Christmas party.
“Roo’s (passing) kind of came out of nowhere,” remarked Mark Jankowski ’16, another key player for the 2014-15 team. “It’s tough any time one of your good buddies passes, never mind two of them,” Jankowski said referring also to the passing of Brown. “They were both ‘one of the boys’ and it’s now tough knowing you won’t be able to see them again.”
The Adams family held a celebration of Mark’s life at Turner Country Club on Sept. 24. Five hundred people attended, while an additional 200 were turned away because the room was well over capacity. Another 80 people sat in the side rooms listening to the service over a speaker. “It was pretty amazing that many people came. I love hearing all the reflections of stories about relationships he had,” said Adams Sr. “…he definitely cared and wanted to do things for other people.”
On Friday, November 30, the Friars will host “Roo Adams Night” for their home game against the University of New Hampshire. There, the Most Outstanding Teammate Award, given annually, will be renamed in Adams’ honor.
Men’s Soccer Falls to Georgetown in Semis 0-4
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The wind was whipping as the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team took on St. John’s University in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament last Saturday November 3 on Chapey Field. Fans braved the unrelenting gusts to watch the Friars defeat the Red Storm by a score of 1-0.
Matt DePerro ’21RS scored the lone goal of the contest, tapping the ball into the net at the 15-minute mark after a header from midfielder Kevin Vang ’22 found DePerro sitting at the right post. The goal did not come without some controversy, as it was originally called back due to the assistant referee calling DePerro offsides. A discussion with the center referee caused the decision to be reversed, as a St. John’s player had slid out of bounds to situate himself firmly behind DePerro. After the dust cleared, both Vang and midfielder Brendan Constantine ‘19 were credited with assists.
The dominant Friar defense was the story of the night, as PC notched its ninth shutout of the season. The defensive unit has been strong all year long, allowing the third fewest goals in the Big East. Joao Serrano ‘20RS, along with Tristan Stowell ’21RS, Malcolm Duncan ’21, and f Ramzi Qawasmy ’22 have spearheaded a resurgent backline that struggled for much of the 2017 season.
On Saturday, the compact back four left little space in the final third for the Johnnies to operate, as the Friars prevented any semblance of link-up play. The visiting squad only registered five shots on the night, and star keeper Colin Miller ‘19RS made a tremendous save on the one ball that found its way to the post. Prior to Saturday’s game, the Friars had closed out the Big East regular season with two consecutive 1-0 wins over St. John’s and Villanova University. These two matches saw PC solidify their 6-2-1 conference record, a record good enough to clinch the third seed in the Big East Tournament.
Saturday’s playoff victory was a welcome development for a Friar team that suffered an uncharacteristic loss in the quarterfinal just a year ago to Xavier University. After the game, the boys in black and white had their sights set on a much loftier goal: the Big East crown and a potential College Cup berth.
Next up for PC in their quest for Big East supremacy: the number two seeded Georgetown University Hoyas. The two Big East powerhouses battled in the nation’s capital on Wednesday November 3 in the conference semifinals.
Weather played a factor in the game, as torrential downpours in the D.C. area made it a muddy affair on Georgetown’s grass field.
The Hoyas dominated possession in the first half, as the Friars seemed to have a hard time adjusting to the size of Shaw Field. Georgetown was able to switch the ball several times on offense, spreading out a Friar defense that had remained so compact on Saturday. The lack of possession for PC led to few offensive chances, as the team did not register a shot on net in the first half. Georgetown’s Kyle Zajec scored the lone goal of the half on a penalty kick after the ball bounced off of Klisman Sousa ‘19RS’s hand in the box.
The second half began on a good note for the Friars as they began to string together some chances, but their momentum was halted when Georgetown scored their second goal of the game with 30 minutes remaining in the half. Hoya forward Riley Strassner finished his own rebound after an unlucky bounce off of Miller’s save. The Friars never quite found their footing after that, and a Gil Santos ’22 red card with 20 minutes remaining in the half put the Friars down a man as they tried to claw their way back into the game. Georgetown would go on to add two additional goals, securing a 4-0 victory and a spot in the Big East championship.
PC ended their season with a 10-7-2 record. The Friars now look ahead to next year as a batch of exciting players return to build on a solid season.
Men’s Basketball Reloads and Retools
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
Friars Ready To Pick Up Where They Left Off
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
It’s been 244 long and arduous days since the Dunkin’ Donuts Center was last filled with the raucous chants and thunderous applause associated with college basketball. Luckily, for Friar Fanatics everywhere, the approach of Nov. 6 means that the Dunk will soon be electrified again. The noise will begin when the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team takes on Siena College next Tuesday on opening night of their 2018-19 NCAA season.
Last year was a resounding success for the Friars as they defeated both the number one seeded Villanova University Wildcats and the number five seeded Xavier University Musketeers in regular season play. The team advanced all the way to the finals of the Big East tournament, eliminating Xavier along the way before coming up short to Villanova in the final. Despite the outcome, PC punched their ticket to their fifth straight NCAA tournament.
Three key seniors from last season’s successful team have moved on from Friartown: Kyron Cartwright ‘18, Rodney Bullock ‘18, and the sweet-shooting Jalen Lindsey ‘18. With the significant loss of veteran leadership, PC will look to forge a new identity with a host of both familiar and new faces. One player who Providence will look to to take a leading role on the team is Alpha Diallo ’20.
Diallo made a huge leap in his second year with the Friars, going from scoring 5.7 points as a freshman to 13.2 points as a sophomore. His impact was felt on both sides of the ball as a talented slasher and pesky defender, and he also threw together a slew of magnificent performances in the Big East tournament. The 6’7” guard from New York, New York will look to continue his upward trend as the focal point of the PC offense. Diallo has already seen himself named to the 2018 preseason All-Big East First Team.
Diallo is far from alone in his quest to lead the Friars to their sixth straight NCAA tournament appearance. The roster boasts a surplus of talent and versatility, as 12 of the 13 players are listed as either guards or forwards. The lone center on the team, Nate Watson ’21, will look to continue the improvements he made as a scorer in the paint as last season progressed, and should be positioned for statistical improvements across the board.
The return of forward Emmitt Holt ’19 is also a major headline for the Friars, as Holt was the second leading scorer on the 2016-17 team before redshirting last year due to injury. Holt finished in the 87th percentile nationally in offensive efficiency two seasons ago; adding his versatility as a scorer will greatly benefit an offense that at some points last season lacked a go-to scorer.
Isaiah Jackson ’19RS, along with Kalif Young ’20, Maliek White ’20, and Drew Edwards ’20RS will also all have opportunities to bring leadership to a young squad. Each could potentially find themselves in the starting lineup at some point this season, as head coach Ed Cooley has fiddled with various lineups throughout the preseason. Jackson’s experience and solid three-point shooting (36 percent) likely gives him the edge to lead the foursome in minutes played.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the 2018-19 team is the addition of two top-50 recruits in guards David Duke ’22 and A.J. Reeves ’22. Providence native Duke is a talented ballhandler and playmaker who excels at creating his own shot. His AAU-teammate and fellow New Englander, Reeves, possesses a beautiful stroke and has great off-ball movement that is a perfect match with the playmaking ability of Duke. The two have the potential to become part of a prolific scoring backcourt that could ignite the Dunk for years to come.
The Friars capped off their preseason schedule on Saturday, October 27, where they defeated the Bowie State University Bulldogs 83-55. Watson led the team in scoring with 14 points, while four other Friars also achieved double-digit point totals. The evenly distributed scoring likely foreshadows things to come, as the Friars are a deep team with seemingly unlimited potential.
Women’s Soccer Begins Big East Play
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
Simply put, the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team is a force to be reckoned with. The Friars’ record of 7-4-1 gives them a position in the top five in the Big East standings, just behind Georgetown University, Butler University, Villanova University, and DePaul University.
The Friars’ success is due in large part to their steady defense and tremendous goalkeeper play. The defense has been anchored by Katie Day ‘19 and Hailee Duserick ‘19, who along with Alessandra Arace ‘20 and Olivia Lucia ’20 have helped PC allow only 10 goals on the entire season thus far, the second-best mark in the conference. Five shutouts from goalkeeper Shelby Hogan ’21 have also helped the Friars keep the scoresheet clean on the opposing side. Hannah McNulty ’21 leads the Friars so far this season in goals scored with eight and is second in the entire conference (just behind Georgetown’s Caitlin Farrell with nine). She will be looking to keep up her prolific scoring as the season enters its second half.
The Friars opened up the season with nine out-of-conference games, in which they went 6-2-1. That stretch saw the team pull off key wins against vaunted institutions such as Harvard University, Brown University, and Drexel University. The Friars’ only two losses came from the third and 17th ranked teams in the entire country, the University of North Carolina and Duke University, respectively. Against Duke, forward Casey Estey ’19 pinned a shot top right corner with 75.2 minutes on the board, pulling the Friars within one goal and effectively silencing the raucous Blue Devil fans. PC would end up falling 2-1, but the Friars proved that they belong alongside the nation’s best.
After finishing off their non-conference schedule with a tie against a talented University of Arkansas team, PC began their Big East portion of the schedule with a 2-0 win over rival Villanova on Sept. 22. The end of the first half saw both teams tied at zero, but that was not for a lack of chances on both sides. PC’s McNulty pushed a shot just wide of the net in the 6th minute from the penalty spot, while Villanova’s Kristen Vinciguerra’s 43rd minute bid to put the Wildcats on top was met with a great save from Hogan. The Friars came out of the half with their foot on the gas pedal, as McNulty fired a laser past the Wildcat keeper to put PC up 1-0 in the 50th minute. Eight minutes later, the scoring onslaught continued as midfielder Kayla Steeves ’19 curled a masterful shot into the net off of a corner kick to seal the game for the Friars.
A home game on Sept. 27 saw PC fall in a heartbreaking fashion to Xavier University 2-3 in double overtime. McNulty and Arace both scored for the Friars in regular time, but a goal from Xavier’s Sydney Schembri snuck past Hogan to drop the Friars to 1-1 in Big East play.
PC took on Butler Sept. 30 and will return to action on Oct. 4 to play St. John’s University, where they will look to build upon a fantastic first half of the season.
MLB Playoffs Are Here
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Professional Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
As the temperature gets progressively more bearable in Aquinas it can only mean one thing: playoff baseball is right around the corner. The Major League Baseball regular season will finally come to a conclusion on Sunday after a grueling 162 game stretch. Over the past six months, the league has seen its fair share of breakout stars and surprise playoff contenders, but after Sunday only 10 teams will remain in the hunt for the coveted Commissioner’s Trophy (All stats as of Sept. 22).
The American League’s five playoff representatives have long been locked in place, as the AL saw four teams reach 90 wins by mid-September. One of those teams is the Boston Red Sox, who clinched the AL East title last Thursday night with a win over the New York Yankees. Boston’s explosive season is due in large part to the impressive performances of MVP candidates Mookie Betts (.339 BA) and J.D. Martinez (41 HR), who have helped propel the team to a 105-50 record. The Sox will enter the playoffs with the best record in the majors but may be hindered by an inexperienced bullpen that has posted a poor ERA (4.00) since the All-Star break.
The Cleveland Indians (86-67) had to stave off the up and coming Minnesota Twins for the first half of the season but glided to the AL Central divisional in the second half. Cleveland’s strength lies in their pitching staff, as it features two Cy Young candidates in Corey Kluber (2.93 ERA) and Trevor Bauer (2.22 ERA), and a deadly combo out of the bullpen in Andrew Miller and Cody Allen.
Meanwhile in the AL West, the Houston Astros (97-57) hold a 3.5 game lead over the Oakland Athletics (94-61) in the race for the divisional crown. While the defending champions and former AL MVP Jose Altuve (.313 BA) were again expected to make the playoffs, the Athletics were given little chance to compete in a division in which they placed dead last in 2017. The Athletics’ meteoric rise can be contributed in large part to Khris Davis, who has helped power the team into contention with his league-leading 45 home runs.
The 95-59 Yankees will be waiting in the Bronx for the team that finishes second in the AL West. The Yanks have seen their share of success in the regular season, and slugger Aaron Judge’s return to health bodes well for a lineup already boasting 2017 National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton. New York’s postseason hopes may rely on ace Luis Severino returning to his pre-All-Star break form after struggling in the second half of the season.
Over in the National League, things are a little more interesting, as nail-biting races for both divisional titles and the Wild Card will likely come down to the final day. The Atlanta Braves (87-68) are the only team with their fate already determined after a division-clinching win against the Philadelphia Phillies last Saturday night. The Braves have been led all season by the strong play of veterans Freddie Freeman (.311 BA) and Nick Markakis (.304 BA) and will look to make some noise in their first trip to the playoffs since 2013.
Kris Bryant and the Chicago Cubs are looking to hold onto the National League Central title as they lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 2.5 games. However, both teams should find themselves in the playoffs as the Brewers currently possess one of the two wild card slots, along with the St. Louis Cardinals (86-69). The Cubs will look to overcome an injury-plagued bullpen while the Brewers will hope to ride the scorching hot play of MVP frontrunner Christian Yelich. The National League West looks very similar, as the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Colorado Rockies by 1.5 games. The Dodgers will look to ace Clayton Kershaw (2.45 ERA) in the postseason, while the Rockies’ playoff hopes may rely on the return of slugger Trevor Story. Colorado currently sits 1.5 games back of the Wild Card, and will have to make a desperate push this weekend to secure a spot in the postseason.
With playoff hopes still hanging in the balance, the last weekend of the 2018 season should be an exciting one.
Young Roster Not Deterring the Tennis Team
by The Cowl Editor on September 20, 2018
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Tennis Team will kick off their regular season on Wednesday, September 26, on the hallowed grounds of the PC Tennis Courts. The Friars are scheduled to take on Fairfield University in a match that is sure to provide some thrills.
The two teams battled it out last year with the Friars coming up just short in the match, falling to the Stags 4-3. Now, the team will have the chance to begin the season on a strong note, against an opponent that they came inches away from knocking off in the 2017-2018 season.
University of Mississippi tennis legend, Jakob Klaeson, enters his third season coaching the Friars after taking over prior to the spring term in January of 2016. The past two years the team has fallen in the first round of the Big East tournament, including last April’s 4-0 result against the seventh seeded Creighton University Blue Jays. However, there is reason for optimism in Friartown, as the squad returns almost all of last year’s members.
The Friars’ lone senior, Risa Takenaka ’19, will look to finish off a successful career at the College. Takenaka started her 2017 fall season in dominant fashion, with a 4-0 record in league singles play. Playing out of the number one slot, Takenaka saw her fair share of exciting victories in the spring season as well. Takenaka took down Villanova’s top dog, Lexi DeNucci, in a riveting match that was decided in a tiebreaker.
Takenaka is far from alone, as her doubles partner Aidan Epstein ’20 returns to the court as well. Epstein also saw a successful run last fall with a 3-1 singles record, and the dynamic duo teamed up for huge match wins in the spring against Sacred Heart (6-4) and Marist (6-3). Emily Collins ’20 and Natalie Pitocco ’20 also return to the team, and will look to replicate their 2-0 fall record in doubles play.
The upperclassmen will be joined by three compelling sophomores: Lauryn Jacobs ’21, Sera Satkowski ’21, and Grace Goyette ’21. The trio had their share of memorable freshman year moments, and will look to build on them in year two. All three were able to win their first singles matches of their collegiate careers, an outcome which the new class of incoming freshmen will surely want to replicate.
Mimi Dailey ’22, a graduate from Ursuline Academy, joins the squad after being named a Catholic Conference League All-Star in high school. Haley Gurski ’22, a Minnechaug Regional graduate, enters her collegiate career after making it to the championship match in all four years of high school play. The third newcomer, Katie Markham ’22, comes in as a veteran of the United States Tennis Association (UTSA) circuits, which allowed her to compete in matches across the country.
The Friars were able to step on the courts for the first time this past weekend, as they traveled to Hamden, Connecticut to participate in the Quinnipiac Invitational. They were joined in Hamden by other big-name schools such as Boston University, West Point, and the University of Connecticut. The tournament provided some much needed in-game experience for a squad coming off a long layoff since the spring season.
After taking on Fairfield last Wednesday, PC will stay at home to face off against the College of the Holy Cross on Saturday, September 29. They will hope to knock off the Crusaders in a similar fashion to last year, when the Friars handed them an emphatic 5-0 loss.
With a mix of savvy veterans and exciting young players, the Friars have a good chance of doing just that.