Tag: Friar Sports
Sports Shorts Week of Nov. 8-Nov. 21
by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019
Sports
By Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
Men’s Basketball:
The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team had an up-and-down week. On Wednesday, November 13, the Friars fell to the Northwestern University Wildcats 63-72. PC struggled in all aspects of the game in the loss, but were particularly bad on offense where, at times, it appeared they could not even buy a bucket. The Friar’s leading scorer was Alpha Diallo ’20, who recorded his third double-double (15 points, 14 rebounds), but he only shot 6-21 from the field. PC turned things around, however, as they followed that loss with a win at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Saturday, November 16, where they beat Saint Peter’s University 68-47. This was a return to form for PC. The leading scorer for the Friars was David Duke ’22, who dropped 17 points in addition to six assists and two steals. The Friars went on to defeat Merrimack College 93-56 on Tuesday, November 19. Next, PC will host the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 23.
Men’s Soccer:
On Wednesday, November 13, the men’s soccer team beat top-20 nationally ranked St. John’s University Red Storm 2-1 to advance to the Big East Finals. There, they would meet the third-ranked Georgetown University on Sunday, November 17. Unfortunately, their run ended there, as the Friars fell 1-3. The team played well enough to get themselves a bid into the NCAA playoff though, extending what has been a very dominant season here in Friartown. The Friars will host their first-round tournament on Thursday, November 21, and they will be playing the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Considering how hot this men’s team has been not only through the Big East tournament, but also the back end of the season, it is not unreasonable to expect the Friars to go deep into the tournament. Their season statistics and style of play further affirm this.
Women’s Ice Hockey:
The women’s ice hockey team also had an up-and-down week. On Friday, November 15, PC went on the road to take on the University of Maine. This was a Hockey East game, the first of two, that the Friars played this past weekend. That was a game the Friars unfortunately lost 4-5 in crushing fashion in overtime. The game was relatively close, until Maine scored in the final minute of regulation to tie it up. Maine would continue to score in OT, stealing the game away from the Friars. PC got redemption on Sunday, November 17, when they hosted the University of Vermont. The Friars played a good game as they scored twice in the third period, once to tie the game and once in the final minute to win it. The game winner was scored with 16 seconds left by Sara Hjalmarsson ’22. The ladies are back on the ice November 22-23, when they take turns hosting games with Merrimack College.
Men’s Soccer Advances to Championship Game
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
Sports
Team Will Take on Top-Seeded Georgetown University
By Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
Since making it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament in 2016, the Friars have not been back. This season, the Friars are looking to get right back into it—and now they have a very good chance to do so.
Before the Big East Tournament started last Saturday against Marquette University, the Friars finished the regular season with a record of 12-5. Head Coach Craig Stewart led the team to a 6-3 record in Big East conference play and was able to protect Chapey Field, finishing the regular season at 8-2.
The Friars went into the Big East Tournament last Saturday at home as the No. 3 seed in the tournament facing off against No. 6 Marquette. Earlier in the season, on Oct. 12, the Friars beat Marquette 2-0 with goals coming from Davis Smith ’21 and Esben Wolf ’23.
This past Saturday, the Friars held another shutout in the first round of the Big East Tournament, winning 3-0. Goals in this game for Coach Stewart’s team came from Wolf, Trevor Davock ’20RS, and Paulo Lima ’22. The Friars held Marquette to only two shots on target last Saturday with goalkeeper Austin Aviza ’20RS picking up his eighth shutout of the season
In the game this past Wednesday, the Friars continued their fight in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament against the No. 2 seed and the No. 8 ranked team in the country, St. John’s University. St. John’s had a bye in the first round of the tournament but played the Friars at home in Queens, NY
In the final Big East game of the regular season on Nov. 6, the Friars shut out St. John’s in a 2-0 victory at home with goals again from Lima and Wolf.
The semifinals on Wednesday may have been one of the most entertaining games of the season for the Friars. PC went down early to the Red Storm with a 1-0 deficit at the half. Five minutes into the half, Lima scored a header off a corner from Joao Serrano ’20RS to make it 1-1.
The second half was controlled by the Friars, and with just under four minutes to go, Smith put a rebound in the back of the net to take the lead. The game was not over yet as Aviza came up with one more big save with less than 20 seconds left to secure a 2-1 victory in Queens.
Due to the Friars’ great performances throughout the season, five Providence College players received postseason honors. Tiago Mendonca ’20RS and Serrano were both named to the Big East First Team All-Conference. Lima was named to the Second Team All-Conference while Aviza and Danny Griffin ’20 were named to the Third Team All-Conference.
In the season as a whole, Lima led the Friars in scoring with eight goals along with an assist. Serrano led the team in assists with eight and also tallied four goals. Both players have appeared in every single game for PC. Davock and Smith both shared the same stat line after the season’s end with four goals and four assists.
After going to a shootout in the game earlier in the day, the No. 1 seed in the tournament and No. 3 ranked team in the country, Georgetown University, won in penalty kicks over Butler University. The Friars will now travel to Washington D.C. to play in the Big East Tournament Final at 12 p.m. on Nov. 17.
Field Hockey Falls Short of Title
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Staff
For the fourth consecutive season, the Providence College Field Hockey Team earned a spot in the Big East Tournament to play for the league’s conference title. With a conference record of 4-3, the Friars were able to finish fourth in the conference and grab the final playoff spot.
Needing a win to get past the semifinals, PC was set to face-off against the top-seeded University of Connecticut Huskies, who were ranked No. 3 in the country according to the NFHCA Coaches Poll. The two teams met earlier this season with the Friars losing to the Huskies 0-3 down in Storrs, CT. Unfortunately for the Friars, they would suffer a similar outcome, seeing their season come to an end with a tough 0-2 loss against their Big East rival.
The Friars got off to a slow start in the first quarter, failing to register a shot on goal. Luckily the defense was able to keep the Huskies at bay and go into the second quarter tied at zero.
PC almost took the lead early in the second frame. Mary O’Reilly ’20 forced a turnover in Connecticut’s zone and manged to fire a shot that went just off the far post. Forward/Midfield Izzy Mendez ’20 got the rebound and deflected the ball back into the net. While for a moment it seemed like the Friars got the first lead of the game, the goal was soon waved off because a foul was called for the ball going off of Mendez’s foot. This would end up being the Friars best scoring opportunity, as the team manged only three shots on goal for the entire game.
After the teams went into halftime still tied 0-0, Connecticut struck with the first goal of the game on a rebound from Antonia Tiedtke. That goal was all the Huskies needed as they would tack another goal in the fourth and win 2-0.
Despite the early end to the season, it was another successful season for the Friars as they broke into the NFHCA rankings as the No. 25 team in the nation for three weeks before losing in the regular season finale. This was thanks to a tough schedule where PC played seven games against ranked opponents and played four teams that made it into the national tournament. One of the team’s biggest wins came early in the season when they upset no. 24 University of Maine 5-4 in overtime. That was the first time since August 25, 2017 that the team beat a ranked opponent.
The Friars were well represented in the end of season All-Big East Honors Teams. A total of four players from the team were selected, with two on the first team and two on the second team.
O’Reilly and Corinne Kenney ‘18GS represented the Friars on the All-Big East First Team. This is the third time Kenney has been selected to an All-Big East Team, and second time on the first team. She has been one of the Friars’ best defenders during her career and she has started in all 75 games since she came to PC.
O’Reilly has steadily improved every season since her freshman year and set career highs in several offensive categories including, points (16), and goals (five). She would also lead the team in assists with six. Last season she was selected for the All-Big East Second Team. In November she will head down to North Carolina to play in the NFHCA Division I Senior Game.
Mendez and Lydia Rice ‘19GS were selected for the All-Big East Second Team. Rice was one of the best goalies in all of the conference this season, posting a 1.26 goals against average, second best in the Big East, to go along with six shutouts. She was also named to the second team last year.
The team leader in points and goals, Mendez saved her best season for last, recording the team’s first 20 point season since 2016. Mendez’s nine goals were tied for fourth best in the conference. Her 21 career goals is the 26th highest all-time at PC. This is also her second time being selected to the second team.
Looking forward, PC hopes they can finally break into the Big East Finals. The team will return with Niamh Gowing ‘22, Olivia Ward ‘21, and Maddie Babineau ‘21, all of whom tallied eight or more points this season.
Women’s Soccer Staying Positive in Defeat
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
A fluctuating season for the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team ended last Thursday, November 7, in a 0-2 loss to Georgetown University in the Big East Tournament. The loss ultimately brought the Friars to an untimely end to their season at an 8-9-3 record, and 3-5-1 record in the Big East Conference. The Friars’ record had granted them the sixth-place seed in the Big East Tournament.
Highlights across the season included the opening season home win versus the University of Connecticut, the overtime win at the University of Texas, and even the underdog win against Butler University in the Big East Tournament, which ended in a shootout.
Theresa Durkee ’20 and Hannah McNulty ’21, expressed their favorite moments of the season, as well as the tools and strategies they used when going into the last game against Georgetown. They focused on looking forward to the moment of being in the semi-finals and overall not being intimidated by Georgetown’s record as one of the top-ranked teams in the Big East Conference.
These strategies also included keeping possession, exploiting Georgetown’s weaknesses, and remaining confident with keeping the energy in the tournament. As mentioned by McNulty, who led the team with nine goals, “Being the underdog in the tournament certainly provided us with confidence to show everyone who we can be and keep the identity which we tried to create throughout the season, so we will try to take each game day-by-day.”
While the team lost in the semi-finals, they looked on the bright side of what they accomplished this season, as well as the memories they created with the team throughout the season.
The two words that Durkee and McNulty used to describe the season were “memorable” and “growth.” With this being Durkee’s last season, she was both excited and nervous for the season to the start and end.
Herself, as well as fellow seniors Olivia Lucia ’20, Melissa Bambery ’20, Alessandra Arace ’20, and Katelyn Vieira ’19GS, enjoyed being role models for their teammates and creating a culture that is used today within the team.
When asked about one thing she could say to her younger freshman self, back in 2016, Durkee said, “Do not let the pressure get to you,” telling all the future recruits to enjoy the time they have on the team. Durkee even mentioning to all: “Do it for the little girl.”
As she prepares for her senior year on the team, McNulty has one clear goal on her mind: winning the Big East National Championship. She is ready to take the team and lead the charge against all those that stand in their way next season. Looking forward to what the spring sessions have to offer in 2020, she is grateful for what the seniors taught her on how to be the leader she knows she can be.
The culture for the Friars is ready to expand and change the dynamic for years to come.
Club Sports Raise Money For Charity
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
Sports
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
This is an important time of the year for raising awareness for different diseases. Like professionals have done in the past, using sports to promote donations and awareness can help each cause in a special way. In the past, role models in various sports have brought to light the effects certain diseases can have on a person’s life.
In 1941, baseball lost New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease. Gehrig’s speech announcing his diagnosis is remembered today due to his sincerity and compassion towards the sport he loves and the challenges he faced.
Even in the last decade, ALS has gained attention due to yet another talented baseball player, this time at the collegiate level. Pete Frates captained the Boston College baseball team in 2007, and only five years later, he also was diagnoised with the disease.
Using sports to familiarize the disease to the public, Frates initiated the nationwide “Ice Bucket Challenge” to spark fundraising and awareness of the disease. Sports fans everywhere joined together to help fight what seemed like an impossible battle to overcome.
The value of sports goes way beyond just the joy that comes from playing. Relationships between the players grow so strong that they are able to help fight diseases such as ALS. The club sports players at Providence College recognized this opportunity and have made it a part of their efforts during their hectic seasons.
The men’s club ice hockey team recently hosted their annual “Pink the Rink” game in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every year, the team designs pink shirts with their club team name, along with the appropriate pink ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The team sold the t-shirts for $20 in order to promote the awareness of the disease. On Oct. 27, friends and family came out to support the team and the important cause. The rink was full of pink pride, as players dressed in their pink socks and jerseys while fans wore their pink t-shirts. “We decided on a pink the rink game because it’s a fundraiser that brought together our fans and our team to fight against a disease that affects so many people’s lives,” said CJ Joyce ’20. “We knew that it was important to have our fans support not only us, but a great cause by showing up and purchasing shirts.”
Another team at PC looking to use sports to raise awareness for an important cause is club rugby. This month the team is participating in “Movember” in efforts to raise awareness for men’s health.
Friends and families are asked to donate money to their cause, and in return, the boys will grow, or try to grow, a mustache. Nate Jakatis ’20, the captain of the rugby team, explains why it is important for their team to draw attention to men’s health.
“There’s a growing awareness around sports of all kinds about the effects that concussions can have on a person’s overall mental health, from short term to long term, and the damage that they can do if they don’t take care of the injury.”
Since head injuries are common in this sport, Jakatis and the team hope to encourage men to “look out for each other and help those struggling with mental illness who might not feel comfortable asking for help—even if we all can’t grow legendary ’staches just yet.”
Jack Dugan Sets High Goals for Season
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Sports
Sophomore Wants to Bring National Title to PC
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
“I just want to be the best player in college hockey.” That’s the personal goal that Jack Dugan ’22 has this year as he takes the ice for the nationally ranked Providence College Men’s Hockey Team.
Dugan was most recently awarded the Hockey East Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 28 and was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for October. Dugan has been one of the most electrifying players to watch in college hockey this year, and he currently leads the country in assists (13) and points (18).
The Vegas Golden Knights draft pick has caught the attention of hockey fans including ESPN broadcaster and SportsCenter anchor John Buccigross. Buccigross, who coined the term ‘Cawlidge Hawkey,’ religiously follows college hockey and broadcasts the NCAA Tournament and Frozen Four every year for ESPN. Buccigross attended the game on Saturday night at Schneider Arena against Boston College and went onto Twitter after the game and tweeted this:
“I enjoy watching @GoldenKnights draft pick #12 Jack Dugan play hockey. He is hard nosed, confident, has a good release & works well with his linemates. He digs deep & works to make a play even when he’s tired. The PC Friars are very young, so they need his example and consistency.”
Dugan would finish the game with a goal and an assist, and has now recorded points in seven of the eight games this year. In all seven of those games he has recorded at least two points.
The sophomore forward is coming off a promising freshman season during which he skated in 41 of 42 games and was an active part of the Friars offense. He notched a team high 29 assists which led all NCAA freshmen during the 2018-2019 season.
Dugan was a key part of the Friars’ run to the Frozen Four last year. He put up five assists in the Hockey East quarterfinals against Boston College and had two assists throughout the NCAA tournament. The Friars defeated the top-seeded Minnesota State University in the opener of the tournament and rolled over 3-seed Cornell University to advance to their fifth ever Frozen Four.
The Friars unfortunately fell to Minnesota-Duluth, who would go on to win the National Championship. Going to the National Championship is one of the goals that Jack Dugan and this Friar team have their sights set on.
Dugan also alluded to a Hockey East championship, since the Friars did not make it past the Hockey East Quarterfinals last season after being bounced by Boston College on their home ice.
“We were close last year…obviously came up a little bit short.” Dugan added, “We played a really good team that ended up winning the whole thing. Our focus hasn’t changed. If anything it’s a little more focused on ‘alright we know can get there…now what are the little things we have to do to break through and actually win it.’”
It is still very early in the season but so far Head Coach Nate Leaman’s squad has amassed a 4-3-1 record, including a 2-2 mark in Hockey East play. The Friars opened up their season with a thrashing of Maine 7-0 and followed it up with a sweep of St. Lawrence and No. 9 Clarkson. It will take until December-January for the Friars to try and hit their stride. Under the tutelage of Leaman and with promising play from Dugan, the Friars can only get better from here and boast one of the best scoring offenses in the country.
The Boys are Back
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Sports
Friars Ready to Pick-Up the Pace
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
It would be an understatement to say it has been a tough past two years for center Emmitt Holt ‘19GS who has dealt with many ups and downs during his time at Providence College. After having a successful 2016-17 season, Holt suffered an abdominal injury that caused him to miss the entire 2017-18 season. Despite getting a full year to recover, he would only appear in six games the next season and would eventually red shirt once again to gain a sixth year of eligibility.
That made the moment all the more special when the home crowd gave Holt a standing ovation when he checked into the game for the first time in the opening half against Sacred Heart University. He brought the crowd to its feet shortly after when he made his first shot behind the three-point line. His play helped spark the Friars to jump out to an early lead that they would not relinquish for the entire game, beating the Pioneers 106-60. After the game, Holt spoke on the standing ovation he received.
“It was a great moment for me and my teammates. It’s great to be recognized for all the hard work I’ve been putting in at practice.”
Head Coach Ed Cooley was also really happy to see his veteran to come back after two years that challenged Holt mentally and physically.
“I was really proud to see Emmitt out there and how the crowd reacts to him.”
It was a dominant performance on both ends of the court for the Friars, a pleasing sight for a team that finished last season 7-11 in the Big East. Seven players scored in double figures for the team, led by Alpha Diallo ’20 with 19 to go along with his team-leading 14 rebounds. The team also showed a willingness to share the ball, witnessed by 31 assists on 39 buckets.
Coach Cooley raved about how experienced the team will be this year, noting that sophomores A.J. Reeves ’22 and David Duke ’22 have matured a lot since last year. The two combined for 26 points, 12 assists, and, most importantly, no turnovers.
Newcomer Luwane Pipkens ’19GS got the start in his first game for the team. The former University of Massachusetts-Amherst guard came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 11 points in the first half with five assists. He also showed off on the defensive end with three steals throughout the night — an effort that sparked the team emotionally.
“It’s a blessing for me,” Pipkens said on coming to PC. “I’m enjoying myself. I’m happy to be here and try to win some games.”
Going into halftime, the Friars nearly doubled the Pioneers’ score, leading 59-30, as Diallo, Pipkens, and Holt all had 11 or more points. Top recruit Greg Gantt ’23 entered the game with about four minutes left in the half and scored his first college points on a fadeaway a minute later. He would hit the first three shots of his career and finish with seven points.
“He has an ‘it’ factor,” Cooley said of the freshman. “He has a very active body. He has never worked this hard in his life.”
PC’s defense put together a complete 40-minute effort that stifled anything Sacred Heart was trying to do with the ball. Holt and Kalif Young ‘20 provided the Friars with strong interior defense that held Sacred Heart to only 24 points in the paint and 32.2 percent shooting from the floor. Young, who got the start in place of the injured Nate Watson ’21, recorded two blocks and steals apiece and after the game was praised by Cooley as one of the best defenders in the country.
In the second half, the Friars raised their intensity on defense and extended their lead to 49 points at one point. PC scored 30 points off of 19 turnovers. The team also pushed the pace on offense, highlighted by the team’s 16 fast break points, which is a new change Cooley plans to emphasize this season.
“We want to try to score off our defense more. Normally some of our teams have played a little slower; we are trying to be one of the fastest teams in the country endline-to-endline.”
With such a deep team this year, Cooley is not worried about wearing his team down early on.
As PC was able to extend their lead late in the game, Cooley was able to give his bench some extended minutes as nine players got 10-plus minutes of action. Even walk-ons Drew Fonts ’21 and Tommy Dempsey ’23 got multiple minutes at the end of the game. Fonts took advantage of the extended minutes and scored five points and recorded an assist.
The Friars will now prepare for their next game against New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The game will once again be at home and PC will be looking to start the season 2-0. Cooley and the team hope Jimmy Nichols ‘22 will be able to return after he was not feeling well enough to play in the home opener.
Swim and Dive Host Weekend Meets
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Sports
Women’s Team Pulls off First Win of the Season
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
This weekend the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams had two meets against two different opponents. The first was on Friday against Iona College. Unfortunately, the Friars did not come away with the win, but it was a hard-fought meet.
The team seemed to lack energy in the first half, losing the majority of their events. However, the Friars came back in the second half looking alive and shifting the momentum in their favor.
Andrew Ferrell ’21 said, “We were deflated in the first half of the meet, which allowed them to take advantage and keep their momentum going. But we picked up the energy in the second half of the meet and although we performed much better in the second half, it doesn’t matter at the end of the day since we still lost.”
The Friars’ loss in their meet against Iona could have been due to the number of swimmers missing due to injury or sickness. Parker Cramer ’21 explained, “We’ve had a lot of injuries and illnesses plaguing our team this past week, which did not help us when it came to training for these meets. We weren’t as prepared as we could’ve been against Iona but we made those adjustments against Fairfield and it made it a much better meet.”
The Friars woke up Saturday morning ready to take on Fairfield University. Determined to avoid two consecutive losses, the team rose to the occasion, and the fans were extremely engaged in each and every event because of how close it was the entire time.
The men’s team lost 154-137, but the women’s team saved the day on their end, winning 151-149. It was an exhilarating meet to say the least; the final event decided whether or not the meet would end in a loss or split for the Friars.
Jamie Eigner ’21 described the meet as “definitely one of our most competitive and exhilarating meets that we’ve had considering it came down to the last relay.” Luckily, the women’s team came up clutch and got the job done to avoid back-to-back losses this weekend.
Despite the men’s team losing the majority of their events, they set a new school record for the 800 meter freestyle relay with a time of 8:01.19.
Eigner also mentioned, “All of our guys were there for each other the entire meet and I think we all did great. Looking ahead, we look forward to what’s to come in the future and are ready to remain positive and train hard every day for the rest of the season.”
With newcomers like Taylor Loud ’23 on the women’s team, the Friars seem to be in good hands going forward. Loud impressed after placing first in the 100 meter freestyle event against both Iona and Fairfield.
The women’s swim and dive team participated in a tri-meet this Wednesday, November 6 against the University of Rhode Island and Sacred Heart University at 6 p.m.
Club Volleyball Ready to Defend Title
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Sports
by Cam Smith ’21
Sports Assistant Coeditor
Often overlooked on a campus bursting with varsity sports is the presence of some very successful club sports teams. One of these teams, the Providence College Women’s Club Volleyball Team, just so happens to be a league champion.
Indeed, the team, which competes in the Northeast Women’s Volleyball Club League (NWVCL), secured its first-ever league championship last season with a win over Columbia University in the blue division finals. The championship capped off an absurdly successful season for the Friars, who won five out of the seven tournaments they competed in.
The team has already started strong this year, securing a second-place tournament finish while competing against some of the best teams in the Northeast. The finish came at the Friars’ home tournament, as they fell in the third set to the University of Connecticut by a final tally of 13-15.
Despite all of their recent success, the team has their sights set on even loftier goals. Last season, the squad appeared in the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation’s Championships for the first time in program history. The tournament, which pulls the best teams from all the club leagues in the country, did not go the way the team intended it to, as they bowed out in the early rounds. However, this year, the Friars plan to make a deep run.
“Our end goal is to go to Nationals and advance further than last year,” said club co-president Elizabeth Donnellan ’20. “Last season we were not able to get past our pool. It was quite upsetting because we were a really strong team. We are looking foward to using that experience to grow and improve upon our result this year.”
That same strong team returns this season, as the Friars had no seniors last year. Returning veterans include co-president Charlotte Stivala ’21 and secretary Izzy Flaherty ’21. Both fill the roles of the outside hitters on the team and are dominant forces on offense. Joining them is, of course, Donnellan herself, who patrols the right side and is the de facto leader on the court with her ability to visualize the play and make adjustments on the fly.
Siobhan Tierney ’21 and Megan Borrell ’22 also return to the squad. Tierney, a setter, runs the team’s offense while controlling the pace of the game. Borrell, a libero, joins Tierney in the role of setter this year, filling a key void for the Friars.
Joining the returning veterans is Isabelle Heron ’23, a player who excels in her ability to block, often picking up “three or four power blocks in a set,” according to Donnellan.
Certainly, another successful season seems to be in the works for the Friars. However, it was not too long ago when Donnellan herself would have found it difficult to believe they could be playing at this high of a level.
“My freshman year we were good but just not that serious about it,” she said. “My next year we really got a lot more serious as a bunch of new juniors came in, in addition to a really good executive board and then also a new coach. It was a whole new mindset. We won our first tournament in the entire history of the club.”
The Friars have come a long way since winning their first tournament and will now look to continue their recent success as they make a push to return to Nationals. The road to get there continues on Nov. 9, as PC travels to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell to compete in their fourth tournament of the young season.
PC Athletes Earn Conference Honors
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Sports
Four Friars Recognized for their Standout Performances
by Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Athletes from multiple Providence College athletic teams received awards this past week for their athletic performances. The athletes that received awards were Jack Dugan ’22 of men’s hockey, Paulo Lima ‘22 of men’s soccer, Lydia Rice ’20GS of field hockey, and Clare Minnerath ’20 of women’s hockey.
Dugan started off the 2019-2020 season on the right foot to say the least. On Friday, November 1, Dugan was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for October by the Hockey East Association. Dugan currently leads NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey in points with 18 total on five goals and 13 assists. The player of the month honor is not the only award Dugan has won this season, as he was previously named Hockey East Player of the Week after totaling five points in just two games against the University of Massachusetts- Lowell and Boston College. Dugan’s consistently impressive numbers throughout the early stages of the 2019-2020 season show that he is deserving of the Hockey East Player of the Month award.
Another athlete who has put out a series of impressive performances as of late is Paulo Lima of the men’s soccer team. On Oct. 28, Lima was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for the first time in his career. Lima had an outstanding week to earn the honors, as he totaled five points in just two games for PC that week. In the team’s first game of the week against Villanova University, Lima played a part in each of PC’s goals in a 2-0 victory over VU. Lima assisted the first goal and scored the second to secure the win for the Friars. Lima’s impressive week did not stop there, as he scored the golden goal game winner in overtime against Creighton University in the following game. Lima’s five-point week led him to receive the Weekly Honor Roll recognition from the Big East.
Another athlete who received an accolade this past week is Rice, a graduate student goalkeeper for the field hockey team. On Oct. 28, Rice was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week. This marks the first time this season that Rice received the award and the third time in her career. The performances that led to Rice being named defensive player of the week were a five-save shutout against Georgetown University and a three-save shutout against Rider University. These back-to-back shutouts against Georgetown and Rider solidified Rice as the Big East Defensive Player of the Week.
The final Providence College athlete that earned an award this past week was Claire Minnerath, goaltender for the women’s hockey team. Minnerath was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28. In an upset 1-0 victory over Northeastern University, Minnerath recorded 33 saves, a career-high. Minnerath then recorded 20 saves on Oct. 26 in a game against the University of New Hampshire. Her impressive performances against both secured her the defensive player of the week honor.