Tag: Meaghan Cahill ’20
Why the Boston Bruins will Win the Stanley Cup
by The Cowl Editor on September 28, 2017
PCI
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Staff
Despite the tumultuous past couple of seasons, the Bruins do have a strong shot at becoming this year’s Stanley Cup Champions. Last year they finished with a third place position in the Atlantic Division, just behind Montreal and Ottawa, and clinched themselves a playoff seed, which unfortunately ended rather early with an upset by Ottawa as they took the series in six games.
However, this season the Bruins are already showing promise that they will be able to produce a strong and successful season.
With newly hired coach Bruce Cassidy, the Bruins have put together a team that reflects the ever-changing pace of the NHL. With an emphasis on younger and faster players that have an offensive-minded strategy, the Bruins have their picks from many of their young prospects that are making names for themselves in the preseason.
They are also putting together a stronger defensive team with players such as newcomer Charlie McAvoy, who was drafted in the first round by the Bruins and was the top defenseman for Boston University.
The Bruins are also able to have an incredible depth on both the defensive and offensive fronts in returning players such as Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and David Pastrnak. Bergeron especially, as he was the NHL’s top ranked defensive forward last season.
On top of having two solid first and second lines, the Bruins will also be able to present a solid third line this year, which will include former Providence College player Noel Acciari.
The Bruins will also have better goaltending this year as they are able to roster two solid goalies. Tuukka Rask is obviously their top goalie, but because the team now also has Anton Khudobin, he will not have to overexert himself by playing 65+ games this season like he has in previous seasons. Having Khudobin makes it possible for Rask to have a breakout season and have the capability for a stronger playoff push to the Cup.
While the odds are against them, these factors combined create a strong Cup-winning team in the Boston Bruins.
Women’s Rugby Hits the Field
by The Cowl Editor on September 21, 2017
Friar Sports
photo courtesy of Madeline Lally’ 19
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Reporter
While they may only be a club team on campus, the Providence College Women’s Rugby Team is definitely a team to keep your eyes on. The team is a part of the Rugby Northeast Conference. The team is run by Providence College students with an executive board consisting only of seniors. Katherine Shields ’18 is the president of the team, as well as a second row player for the team. She is assisted by Danielle Civitarese ’18, who is the team’s Vice President and occupies the hooker position.
Led by a new coach this year, former Providence College rugby player Michele, the team is completely made up of juniors and seniors, with the exception of Ariel Tavares ’20, who is a flanker. This includes last year’s Fall 2016 Tier 1 All-Conference team qualifiers Mickayla Roan ’18, who is a flanker and also the back’s captain this year, and Aria Ross ’18, who is a center. Ross also made the Rugby Northeast 2016 All-Conference first team and is the forwards’ captain for the team this year. Ross, Shields, and Roan were all named to the 2015 Rugby Northeast All-Conference first team and within that same year, Roan was named Rugby Northeast Player of the Year. The team is not new to the game and clearly have the experience that they need for a successful season. According to Madeline Lally ’19, “The team is a great group of girls who look out and care for one another. They never fail to motivate me and my teammates, do their best, and always improve.”
Their best was proved to be good enough this past Friday, September 16 when they beat Stonehill 42-17 in their first game of the season. Their fall season consists of eight games this season, four home games and four away games. The season goes right into the first week of November and then the team takes a reprieve as they wait for the better playing conditions that the spring will bring.
Lally also commented on the team’s goals for their fall season, saying, “I would say our goal is of course to win as many as possible and to have fun doing it!” Lally played wing for the team last year, but states that this season her position “looks like [it] could be anywhere on the back line.” While talking about the team and the season with her, Lally also explained why she joined the team in the first place, saying that she “joined because I missed the team sports I played in high school and wanted to be a part of something more competitive than intramurals.”
The rugby team plays their next game in Friartown against St. Michael’s College on Sept. 30 at Hendricken Field.
Why The Red Sox Will Win the American League East
by The Cowl Editor on September 15, 2017
Professional Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Staff
At this point in the season, it is almost impossible for the Boston Red Sox not to win the American League East. They have five wins on the New York Yankees with 81 wins this season, which puts them in first place in the AL East and gives them one of the top records in the MLB. The Sox’s record allows them to be almost assured in knowing that they will have home-field advantage in the first round of playoffs.
Red Sox pitcher, Chris Sale, is regarded as a top pitcher in the league. Not only is he a standout, but the depth of the pitching staff is undeniable. Aside from their excellent pitchers, the Red Sox are also able to put together an outstanding defensive outfield, which consists of Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts, and Jackie Bradley Jr., who display just as much skill during the game as they do in their post-game win dances.
And yes, in terms of run production in runs scored, the Sox may be lacking, but that is made up for in their pitching and defensive core. This year, the team has been more aggressive than they ever have been over the past couple of years with their running and stealing of the bases, which also contributes to making up for lack of run production. Their aggressiveness has been helping with positioning players in better scoring positions. It is because of these reasons that the Red Sox will win the AL East.
The competitive mentality of the Red Sox franchise coupled with their outstanding pitching and aggressive offensive will take them to the top of the AL East.
Volleyball Team Looking to be a Hit this Season
by The Cowl Editor on August 31, 2017
Friar Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Staff
The start of a new school year also means the start of a new athletic season in Friartown. One team in particular, the Providence College Women’s Volleyball Team, kicked off the start of the year with three wins out of three games at a tournament hosted by Boston College that took place over the weekend.
The season started with a game against the University of Alabama, Birmingham Blazers (UAB) on Aug. 20. Both teams proved to be evenly matched, as each of the five sets went back and forth between the two teams, with UAB winning the first and third matches 25-23 and 25-22. However, the Friars bested them in the second, fourth, and fifth matches with scores of 25-22, 25-23, and 15-9, respectively. On the second and final day of the tournament, the Friars had a much easier road to success as they dominated in the game against Boston College and swept Fairfield University in the final game of the tournament.
The success of the team can be attributed to the number of returning players. With only three new freshmen on the team, the remaining 10 players are made up of four sophomores, four juniors, and one senior. The veterans of the team are returning from what was the best season the volleyball team has had since 2012, and it can most definitely be assumed that they want to improve their statistics this year.
Allison Impellizeri ’19 and Jenae Alderson ’20, two players who were keys to the success of last season, will both be returning to the team this year. Last season, Impellizeri recorded a total of 246 kills as well as led the Friars in blocks with a total of 112. Alderson had a breakout season with a total of 210 kills. New to both the team and Friartown are Allison Barber ’21 of Woodbury, Minnesota, McKenzie Lydon ’21 of Stuart, Florida, and Victoria Oliver ’21 of Cleveland, Ohio. These three players are not the only new faces joining the team this season.
The Friars ushered in the summer with the announcement of the recent hire of both a new assistant coach as well as a graduate assistant. Keith Smith is the new assistant coach and was formerly a graduate assistant coach at McKendree University. When announcing the decision to hire Smith, Head Coach Margot Royer-Johnson stated, “I am sincerely looking forward to working with Keith. He brings an expertise in the skill of setting that I believe will be a great benefit to our squad…His passion for the game will continue to help us be more competitive in the Big East conference and nationally.”
The new Graduate Assistant Coach is Barbara Gonzalez, a Boston College alumna who played for the Eagles from 2013-2017. Of Gonzalez, Royer-Johnson said, “Barbi will be a great help to the program in the areas of social media and travel assistance, as well as on-court training…We are happy she’s part of the staff!”
With a total of 37 games this season (34 left to play), the Friars will have their work cut out for them as they will be facing some of the top teams in the Big East.
The 2016 season ended abruptly for the Friars by falling to Georgetown University in a Big East matchup. This weekend the Friars will play in the Stetson University Tournament with games against East Carolina University, Bucknell University, and Stetson. Upon returning from the Stetson tournament, they will go on to play in and host the 13th Annual Friar Classic. Their Big East season kicks off against Villanova University on Sept. 22, a game which will take place at 7:00 p.m. in Alumni Gym.
PCI: Who will win the Stanley Cup?
by thecowl.sports on May 4, 2017
PCI
By: Jake Scearbo ’17
The best part about the Stanley Cup playoffs is that if a team makes it in, anything can happen. The parity in these playoffs is unmatched. Despite this fact, the Edmonton Oilers are poised to hoist the 34.5-pound Stanley Cup Trophy this spring. The Oilers made their first playoff appearance since 2006 with the second best record in the Pacific Division but their inexperience does not hinder their ability to succeed. Leading the team is captain Connor McDavid, who at 20-years-old was leading the entire NHL with 30 goals and 70 assists. With a generational talent in McDavid, the Oilers have a player who can take over any game with his poise and skill.
What separates this team though, however, is the stellar goaltending they have received from Cam Talbot. In the Oilers 2-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks this past weekend, Talbot was phenomenal, notching 39 saves to put the Oilers up 2-0 in the best of seven series. Goalies are a necessity to winning the Stanley Cup and the Oilers have their guy in Talbot.
This is not just a two-man team but a talented squad from top to bottom. Centers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl have had strong seasons as young players and former Stanley Cup champion Milan Lucic is a strong veteran presence in the locker room. Lastly, their defense is deeper than it has been in recent years and is led by Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson. With the strong start against the Ducks, the Oilers are in the driver’s seat to advance to the Western Conference finals and ultimately win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1990.
By: Meaghan Cahill ’20
As much as the NHL would love to see Lord Stanley raised once again by its Golden Boy Sidney Crosby, it is a wish they most likely will not see fulfilled. While “back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions” has a nice ring to it, the feat itself will be quite difficult for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they will have to endure a second round against the Washington Capitals.
Despite being down 2-1 in the series, the stars are aligning for the Caps as they are on the quest for the holy grail of hockey. Coming off what could be considered their best season to date, the Caps have a strong and experienced team that has the possibility of knocking out the Pens, winning the Presidents Trophy, and making it to the Stanley Cup Finals. With players like Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and T.J. Oshie, as well as having a very limited amount of injuries, the Caps are arguably one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference. But the same can be said for the Pens, so what sets them apart?
The Pens, who have had a much weaker season than usual, and who are missing some of their top players due to injury, will have a tough time standing up to the strength of the Caps. Plus, while no official statement has been released, the Pens might have to face the challenges of the playoffs alone without Captain Crosby, who was taken from the ice during game three after a hit to the head. Missing Crosby, as well as their top defenseman Kris Letang, could be detrimental to the Pens success in the pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
Ultimately, the injuries Pittsburgh has sustained will prove to be too much to overcome. Capitals take the series in seven.
PCI: Who Will Win the NBA Finals?
by thecowl.sports on April 27, 2017
PCI
Warriors
by Max Anderson ’18
There is no doubt in my mind that a Western Conference team will win the NBA Championship this season. The only question is which team it will be: The newly formed super team Golden State Warriors, or the always reliable San Antonio Spurs?
After watching the regular season, as well as the first four games of the playoffs, I have to ride with the Warriors. While I believe a Spurs-Warriors Western Conference Finals is inevitable, I just don’t think the Spurs have the firepower to overcome a lethal Warriors team. Yes, the Spurs could stick Kawhi Leonard on a healthy Kevin Durant, but even then Gregg Popovich and company would have to find a way to cover the dynamic duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. There is also the fact that NBA Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Draymond Green is guaranteed to defend Leonard throughout the series. At the end of the day, the Warriors just have too many weapons, which will bring them back to the Finals for the third straight year.
This likely means a third straight NBA Finals showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that the Warriors have defeated but also fallen to in the Finals. While it’s difficult to bet against LeBron James, the addition of Durant gives the Warriors an extra boost they didn’t have in last year’s finals. When the dust settles, the Warriors will bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to San Francisco, besting the Cavs in six games.
Cavaliers
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Being from New England, particularly the Boston area, I would love to pick the Celtics to be the winners of the Eastern Conference NBA Finals. However, realistically, they do not stand a chance with the Cavaliers on their side of the bracket. This is why almost every projected playoff bracket predicts the Cavs to win the finals.
Usually, teams are not supposed to place their success on a single player, however, in the Cavs’ situation, it is almost kind of hard not to. LeBron James has been at the center of the Cavs’ success since he rejoined the team back in 2014 after a four year hiatus with the Miami Heat. His consistentency as an MVP candidate can be seen through his stats: averages 28 ppg, 9 rbp, and 7 apg just during his playoff runs, which consists of six straight NBA finals appearances. James is also responsible for more than half of the Cavs’ points every game.
However, the success of the Cavs in making it to the finals will not just fall on LeBron’s shoulders. They have plenty of veteran experience in the playoffs on the team to assist them in this year’s playoff run. Another major key for the Cavs apart is their roster loaded with shooters in all five positions. With this, they will be able to spread out and have the ability to get points from all areas of the court, whether they come from layups, three-pointers, or jump shots.
With all this said, the Cavs definitely have the odds in their favor to win the NBA Finals.
Jake Walman ’18: Future NHL Star?
by The Cowl Editor on April 6, 2017
Sports
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Staff
Since the abrupt end to the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team’s playoff run, defenseman Jake Walman ’18 has had an exciting post-season that unfortunately cut his time as a Friar short.
Back in 2014, Walman was drafted in the third round (82nd overall) in the NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues. Flash forward three years to March 28, 2017, less than two weeks since the Friars season ended against Harvard University, Walman surrendered his final year of NCAA eligibility and signed a three-year contract with the Blues. However, rather than playing with the Blues right away, Walman headed to Chicago to play for their AHL affiliated team, the Chicago Wolves.
In an interview written by Mark Divver for the Providence Journal, PC’s head coach Nate Leaman stated: “It’s a great opportunity for him. He’s one of the better offensive defensemen in the country in the past two years. He can skate. He can make plays. He can gap with the best of them because he is an elite skater.”
Walman, in a post-game interview for the Wolves, discussed his experience briefly as a Friar. Walman reminisced on the three seasons he spent in Friartown by stating they were “the best three years of my life by far. I made great memories there that I’ll have forever.”
Before his departure from the College, Walman was named a New England Division I All-Star for the second season in a row. Walman is the first Friar to earn the title of being an All-Star two seasons in a row since Chad Quennville back in 1993-1994. Walman has notched a total of 20 goals and 53 points over the past two seasons with the Friar. During his sophomore year, Walman lead all of the NCAA Division I defensemen goals (13), points per game (1.04), power play goals (eight), and game-winning goals (four).
Walman also managed to snipe one past the Charlotte Checkers’ goalie this past weekend to net his first ever professional goal. In terms of first goals, Walman joined former Friar hockey player and National Champion Noel Acciari ’15 who also just recently scored his first NHL goal. Acciari plays for the Boston Bruins and, much like Walman, left PC after his junior year to go professional. He spent some time playing for the Providence Bruins before he was called up to Boston.
Other notable PC hockey alumni that have gone professional include Hal Gill ’97 (who played for six different NHL teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins where he won the Stanley Cup in 2009), Steve Rooney ’85 (won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986), Colin McDonald ’07, Tim Schaller ’13, as well as many others. Current Friars who have been drafted by NHL teams and will eventually be going professional include Erik Foley ’19, Anthony Florentino ’17, Kasper Björkqvist ’20, Brian Pinho ’18, and Hayden Hawkey ’19.
Athletes of the Week: Lundstrom ’17 & Mulry ’18
by The Cowl Editor on March 23, 2017
Sports
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Staff
Nicole Lundstrom ’17 and Paige Mulry ’18, members of the Providence College Softball Team, have been consecutively named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. Lundstrom, who is a utility player for the team, and Mulry, who plays infield, were both standouts throughout both the University of Central Florida Tournament and the University of South Florida Tournament the past two weekends, which ultimately resulted in their continued Big East recognition. Both natives of Massachusetts, Lundstrom and Mulry shined in the batter’s box in both tournaments.
Lundstrom especially excelled up at-bat during the UCF Tournament, which was held from March 3-5. During the tournament, she lead the Friars with a .438 batting average. Lundstrom also put up a 1.063 slugging percentage throughout her 16 at-bats and collected five RBIs and three home runs. Of the 16 hits, seven of them were recorded and she scored all seven times.
Lundstrom, who during the 2016 season played primarily as a catcher, has started in every game she has played in since the start of the 2015 season, which is when she transferred to PC from Syracuse University.
During the UCF Tournament, the Friars lost six of their seven games, only out-scoring Florida Gulf Coast University with a score of 5-2.
Alongside Lundstrom, Mulry also excelled in her at-bats throughout the course of the USF Tournament, which took place from March 7-12. During this tournament, Mulry was the one who led the Friars with a .391 batting average with her nine hits. Mulry also achieved seven RBIs.
Her bat really came alive during the game against Stetson University where she hit a solo homerun. In the games against both Monmouth University and Indiana State, Mulry’s bat put its power on display as she hit a triple in each game. During the past two seasons, Mulry, an alumna of Boston Latin School where she earned four varsity letters in softball, has recorded 13 RBIs, 21 runs scored, four doubles, and two homeruns.
During the USF Tournament, the team won two of their five games with a 10-2 win against Monmouth and a 15-11 win against Indiana State.
Following the double header this week against the University of Rhode Island, where the team had a win and a loss, they match up at home against UConn on March 23. After this, the team will travel to New York for their first Big East match-up against St. John’s University. The match-up with St. John’s includes three games over the span of two days starting on March 25.
They will have a small reprieve from playing within the Big East conference with their game on March 29 at Fairfield University. However, their break will be short lived as they will start the month of April off with a roadtrip to Washington D.C. to play Big East rival Georgetown University in a three-game stand, starting with a double-header on April 1.
PCI: Who’s the Friars MVP?
by The Cowl Editor on March 16, 2017
PCI
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
With Providence College being the home to so many excellent athletes, picking an MVP is quite the challenge. However, with that being said, Erik Foley ’19 had a standout season this year as a forward for the Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
Coming off his freshman year, where he harbored a total of 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) and won the Rev. Herman Schneider, O.P. Award, Foley is the Friars’ leading goal scorer, with a total of 15 goals this season. In all of Hockey East, Foley is ranked amongst the Top 20 scoring leaders for this season. In terms of assists and total overall points, Foley falls second in both with 19 assists and a total of 34 points. Foley also had a +/- rating of +17 during the regular season, which is third best on the team. This sophomore also has the most game-winning goals on the team throughout the season, which goes to show just how beneficial he is to Friars Hockey.
Foley, who was the Winnipeg Jets’ 78th overall draft pick, also took his skills beyond Friartown this season as a member of the U.S.A.’s World Juniors Team, where he won a gold medal. And while they do not compare to a gold medal, Foley has also received many weekly nods from Hockey East.
Foley has been a key player all season for the Friars, demonstrating his skill on both the collegiate and national level, which is why he should be considered the Friars’ MVP.
by Max Anderson ’18
Perhaps the biggest question on Friars fans’ minds heading into the 2016-2017 basketball season was how the team was going to replace Kris Dunn ’16. After all, how do you replace perhaps the greatest player to ever put on a Friar jersey? The answer to that question lies in point guard Kyron Cartwright ’18, who is coming off his best season ever here at PC. In a year where the Friars were supposed to regress greatly due to the losses of Dunn and forward Ben Bentil ’18, Cartwright has been everything Friar fans could have asked for, and then some. Not only is Cartwright averaging double-digit points, but his 6.7 assists per game is the fourth best mark in the nation and shows how Cartwright can not only score himself, but also can put his teammates in position to score as well.
Cartwright is not just limited on the offensive side of the floor either; his lightning quick speed has him averaging over one steal per game, and has contributed to a Friars defense that ranks in the top 50 nationally for points allowed per contest. Cartwright’s incredible play when rewarded last week was the Big East named him the most improved player in the conference, as well as placing him on the All-Big East second team with fellow teammate Rodney Bullock ’18. The Friars are heading to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament, and without Cartwright’s contributions, the road would have been much rockier for the team.
Softball Plays in First Tournament
by The Cowl Editor on March 2, 2017
Sports
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
The Providence College Softball Team started their season off with a 2-3 record in the D9 Orange Blossom Tournament held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Florida. PC won their first game 9-3 against George Washington University and ended their last appearance in the tournament with a 3-0 win over Bethune-Cookman University. The games in between included losses to Stetson University, LIU-Brooklyn, and Marshall University.
Providence College split the first day of the tournament with a win and a loss. In the first game against George Washington, Christina Ramirez ’18 pitched the full game with four strikeouts, and she only gave up seven hits and three earned runs. Emma Lee ’19, Mackensie Compton ’20, Paige Mulry ’18, and Nicole Lundstrom ’17 all contributed key hits to the game that allowed the Friars to get the win.
The Friars’ highlight of their 9-3 loss against Stetson University was Brittney Veler ’18, who went 3-3 up at bat with a home-run and two RBIs. The second day of the tournament consisted of two losses for the Friars to both LIU-Brooklyn and Marshall University. Ramirez pitched a full game on the last day of the tournament. She not only had a shut-out win, but she only allowed one hit throughout the entire game.
With six starters returning from last season and six new additions to the team, the Friars should have a promising season ahead of them. Last season, they finished with an overall record of 21-28 and a Big East record of 6-14. The Friars will no doubt be looking to sophomore Lee this season, as she is coming off a very strong freshman season. During her debut season as a Friar last year, Lee started 46 games in right field and set the school record for a single season batting average with a .423, a number that lead the Big East Conference. Lee was also a Big East First Team selection and put up 60 hits in her first season, which was the second most hits on the team. The Friars also will be relying on their top pitcher from last year, Ramirez, as well as catcher Lundstrom, who led the team last year in both RBIs (42) and home-runs (four).
Looking ahead on the season, the Friars will be entered in two more tournaments before the regular season officially begins on March 18 against Holy Cross. This coming week, March 3-7, the softball team will be competing in the University of Central Florida Tournament. This event will consist of seven games for the Friars against UCF, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Stetson University. After the UCF Tournament, the Friars will play in the University of Southern Florida Tournament, where they will compete in five games against Monmouth-New Jersey, SIUE, Indiana State, Fort Wayne, and Western Michigan.
Providence will be looking to improve their record from last year in the Big East Conference, as well as prove many people wrong about their Big East predictions slating them to finish second-to-last, just ahead of Georgetown University. They will want to finish in the top four if they wish to compete for the Big East Championship.
While PC has not played in any conference games yet, their statistics from the D9 Blossom Tournament and the upcoming two tournaments have already affected the team’s ranking in the Big East. Currently, the team is ranked fourth, just behind Seton Hall, Villanova, and St. John’s. Their Big East season will open against St. John’s, who has already been picked to win the Big East Championship this year, at St. John’s on March 25.