Club Golf Competes at National Level

by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019

Friar Sports

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

providence college club golf team nationals — Photo Courtesy of PC Club Golf

The Providence College club golf team recently journeyed southwest to WinStar World Casino & Resort in the small town of Thackerville, OK to take part in the National Collegiate Club Golf Association Fall 2019 National Championship. According to the NCCGA website, this marked the first time the tournament was held in Oklahoma.

This fall’s national championship consisted of 28 club golf teams representing schools from across the entire country who had qualified to compete. The two teams that qualified automatically for the event were Clemson University and Xavier University, as they had won the Spring 2019 National Championship and National Invitational respectively.

PC qualified for participation in the Fall 2019 National Championship by winning the NCCGA New England Regional back in October. PC beat out second place University of New Hampshire, who also qualified for the National Championship, by a whopping 39 strokes in the regional.

The Fall 2019 National Championship consisted of two rounds that were played over the course of two days for a total of 36 holes of stroke play. Team scores for each round were calculated as a sum of the five best scores out of the eight players who competed per team. The team with the lowest total score after the two rounds would be declared the winner.

Players arrived in Oklahoma on Friday, November 15, and began play the next day. PC came out of the gates in round one playing excellent golf. In round one, the team posted a score of 372, which tied PC with the University of Florida at fourth place out of 27 competing teams.

The low scorer for PC on day one was Dave Carey ’22 who shot an outstanding 72. Not only did Carey shoot the team’s lowest score for this round, but he also tied for third place out of 226 golfers in the individual leaderboard after round one.

PC held its own in round two of the championship, shooting a combined 378, which was just six shots higher than its previous round. The low scorer for PC in the second round was Rio Holzwarth ’22 who shot a 72, followed by Carey who shot a 75. PC ultimately finished in ninth place, 17 shots behind Clemson University, the champion of the NCCGA Fall 2019 National Championship.

The low scorer of the tournament for the Friars was Carey, who posted rounds of 72 and 75 for a combined 147. With this score, Carey finished tied for 19th place out of 226 individual golfers.

When asked what it was like to represent PC on a national level, Carey stated, “It was an honor to represent Providence College and play the game I love on a national level.”

When asked what he focused on that allowed him to play so well in the tournament, Carey responded, “I really focused on staying strong mentally even after a bad shot. Coach Conley and my teammate Cole Manning ’20 helped me to stay positive and focused on the course, which greatly contributed to my success.”

Carey’s points of focus were clearly effective as he finished near the top of the leaderboard out of 226 golfers. Holzwarth followed Carey with a score of 149, and Alex Bassetto ’20 finished with a score of 151.

Quality performances by all members of the PC club golf team led the team to finish ninth out of 27 competing schools in the National Championship.

Club Golf Competes at National Level

by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019

Friar Sports

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

The low scorer of the tournament for the Friars was Carey, who posted rounds of 72 and 75 for a combined 147. With this score, Carey finished tied for 19th place out of 226 individual golfers.

When asked what it was like to represent PC on a national level, Carey stated, “It was an honor to represent Providence College and play the game I love on a national level.”

Quality performances by all members of the PC club golf team led the team to finish ninth out of 27 competing schools in the National Championship.

PCI: Should NFL Athletes Have More Choice In What They Wear for Cleats?

by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019

PCI

Allow More Freedom

By Cam Smith ’21

Assistant Sports Editor

The NFL, often labeled the “No Fun League,” is notorious for restricting players’ freedom to wear cleats of their choosing. If the league wants to keep up with the times, that needs to change.

Recently, the cleat controversy has centered around Cleveland Browns wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. A week nine game against the Denver Broncos saw the pair sport unauthorized cleats in the first half of the game, before being forced to change at halftime by a league dress code official. If they refused to comply, the duo would have been banned from participating in the second half of the game and would likely have faced further league punishment.

The fact that this can occur is ridiculous on two fronts. The first being the hypocrisy it displays, as the league very much profits off of the individuality of its stars. In Beckham’s case, the league has gone to great lengths to promote him as one of the faces of the game, featuring him and his flashy play style in everything from commercials to award shows.

The league intentionally highlights Beckham as one of the great personalities in the game in an effort to draw viewers in. That is why it is so abhorrent that they then restrict him in the one area where he can creatively express himself on the field.

Secondly, the absurd nature of the rule is amplified by another American sports league’s recent update on its footwear policy. The NBA changed its dress code rule to allow for sneakers of any color, with designs of the player’s choice. This season, players have already flaunted everything from SpongeBob SquarePants to Minnie Mouse on their basketball sneakers.

“You can learn a little bit more about a guy when you see what he’s putting on his shoe, whether it’s a social campaign or his love for a movie or character or something like that,” said Colleen Garrity, the Vice President of basketball marketing at Excel Sports Management, an agency which represents multiple NBA stars.

Indeed, this increased knowledge of players’ interests has already allowed for greater fan interaction, as fans can now better connect with players they know share similar interests. So too has it added some much needed personality to games sometimes filled with boring and monotonous uniform colors. The NFL has no reason not to follow suit.

Finally, with the advent of items such as social media, players have been given more substance to their public personas beyond simply the uniform and team they play for. Gone are the days of football being just about football, and the cleats the players wear should reflect this.

The NFL must catch up with the changing times.

Keep The Rule

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Many controversies have risen as of late relating to the National Football League’s strict policies about the gear its players can wear during games, and specifically the cleats the players can wear. The league’s strict policies have earned it the nickname the “No Fun League” in recent years, as players have little freedom in terms of wearing customized cleats during games.

In some cases, players have donned customized cleats that are designed to support good causes, such as when Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. sported cleats that raised awareness for cancer research back in 2016.

However, for the most part, giving players freedom to wear whatever they choose welcomes the possibility that players could wear cleats that contain imagery that is inconsistent with the league’s values. These types of unwanted situations would negatively affect the league’s image. This is why the NFL should continue to enforce its relatively strict policies surrounding custom cleats, as doing so helps maintain leaguewide consistency and also prevents players from wearing controversial gear that harms the perception of the league.

Back in 2017, the NFL updated its footwear policy to allow players more freedom in wearing cleats with custom designs. The new policy allowed for players to wear approved cleats with custom designs during team warmups as well as pregame activities.

However, during games, players would be required to wear cleats that are black, white, or team colors. This policy allowed players to show their true colors during warmups, but also maintain consistency with their uniforms during games. This policy returned to the spotlight on November 3, 2019 when Odell Beckham Jr. wore “The Joker”-themed cleats and Jarvis Landry wore flashy gold cleats during a game. The league informed the players that they would have to change their footwear to adhere to league standards at halftime or else they would be prohibited from participating in the second half. The league’s enforcement of its rules during this situation was fully justified, as the players knowingly acted against the footwear policy.

The NFL, just like any other work environment, has a dress code that its “employees” must follow or else they will be asked to change. If the league were to make exceptions to this rule, it would face even more criticism. By enforcing its footwear policy, the NFL ensures that it produces a consistent on-field product that is organized and prevents further controversies from arising.

PC Athletes Earn Conference Honors

by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019

Friar 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.

Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

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.

PC Athletics

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.

PC Athletics

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.

PC Athletics

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.

Sports Shorts

by The Cowl Editor on October 31, 2019

Friar Sports

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Men’s Hockey Update:

On the weekend of Oct. 18, the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team traveled to New York to take on St. Lawrence University on Friday and Clarkson University on Saturday. PC started the weekend off strong with a 6-0 win over SLU. Parker Ford ‘23 led the way for PC with two goals in the blowout win.

PC carried their momentum into its contest at CU, beating the home team with a score of 4-2. Tyce Thompson ‘22 powered the Friars with two goals. On Oct. 25, PC traveled to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College and beat the Eagles 6-2. There were six different goal-scorers for PC in the game. PC returned home to play the University of Massachusetts-Lowell the following day and would ultimately lose to the visiting team 3-2 in overtime. Thompson and Patrick Moynihan ’23 scored the goals.

Men’s Soccer Update:

The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team kicked off a three-game week on Oct. 19 at DePaul University. The Friars fell to the Blue Demons 2-0, but would bounce back when they traveled to play Villanova University the following Wednesday. PC beat the home team 2-0 with goals by Danny Griffin ’20 and Paulo Lima ‘22.

Following their win on the road, PC returned home to host Creighton University. The Bluejays scored the first goal of the game early on, but PC answered with goals by Christopher Roman ’22 and Davis Smith ’21. CU equalized the game late in the second half to force overtime, but Lima scored a golden goal stunner to win the game for the Friars in overtime.

Field Hockey Update:

The Providence College Field Hockey Team recently earned the No. 25 spot in the NFHCA Division 1 Coaches’ Poll, and its recent performance proves it is deserving of this ranking. On Oct. 18, PC beat Quinnipiac University in a 3-2 shootout win. PC hosted Merrimack two days later and beat the visitors 5-1. Olivia Ward ’21 led the scoring for the team with two goals.

PC then hosted Georgetown University on Oct. 25 and beat the Hoyas 2-0. Goals were scored by Mary O’Reilly ’20 and Amanda Collins ’22. The Friars looked to carry this momentum into its Oct. 27 Senior Day game against Rider University. PC fought out a 1-0 victory in the game thanks to a goal by O’Reilly. The team now looks forward to its next game on Nov. 1 at No. 17 Liberty University.

Hockey Returns to the Rink

by The Cowl Editor on October 10, 2019

Friar Sports

Friar’s Dominate Maine 7-0

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team is ready to jump back into action for the 2019-2020 season after enjoying much success in its previous campaign. The 2018-2019 season was certainly one to remember for the Friars, as they made a deep playoff run which ultimately came to an end at the Frozen Four in Buffalo, NY. PC’s impressive playoff run was cut short in the semifinals of the Frozen Four with a 4-1 loss to no. 1-ranked University of Minnesota-Duluth, who would go on to win the 2019 National Championship over the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Although a loss in the Frozen Four was certainly not the way the team and its fans would have liked the season to end, it was certainly not a reflection of the success that PC enjoyed throughout the entirety of the season.

PC finished with a record of 24-12-6, which consisted of wins over multiple ranked teams including an upset postseason wins over no. 3-ranked Minnesota State University, Mankato and no. 10-ranked Cornell University. These underdog wins are certainly something that PC will look back on and use to build momentum heading into the new season.

The Friars graduated six seniors last season, but are returning a core group of talented leaders that the younger players can look up to for guidance.

Key returning players for this year’s team include newly announced captains Michael Callahan ’22 and Spenser Young ’20, both of whom made significant contributions to the team’s success last season and showed promising leadership abilities. The presence of these experienced returning players helped PC get voted third-place in the Hockey East preseason coaches poll behind only Boston College and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

In addition to the core returning group that will look to guide this year’s team, PC also boasts an impressive freshman class of 11 players that look to fill the gaps left by the graduating class. Another addition to the team will look to fill the place of former goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19.

Michael Lackey ’19 GS will take on the starting goalie position this season. Lackey played four years at Harvard University prior to joining the team at PC.

Lackey started six games his first year for the Crimson and earned accolades such as Eastern College Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week. Lackey was unable to play his second season due to an injury but returned for his third season and made 10 total appearances.

During this third season, Lackey had multiple memorable performances including 41 saves against Quinnipiac University and recording his first career shutout against Saint Lawrence University.

In his fourth and final season at Harvard University, Lackey stepped into the starting goaltender role and did not disappoint. In the 26 games that he started in net for the Crimson, he boasted a .918 save percentage, was recognized as the ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week for the week of Jan. 14, and was a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, which recognizes the best American-born Division I College Hockey Player in New England. Lackey also participated in the Buffalo Sabres Development Camp before making the move to PC. With a core group of returning players, a strong incoming class, and Lackey taking over as the starting goaltender for PC, the team took the ice on Oct. 5 for its opening game against the University of Maine with high expectations.

PC, sporting new gray uniforms, kicked off the 2019-2020 campaign and did not waste any time against the visiting Black Bears of the University of Maine.

After two early penalties against UM, PC had a five on three opportunity early on and took full advantage of it.

Just 2:23 into the opening period, Vimal Sukumaran ’20 notched the 25th goal of his college career as he knocked a rebounded puck into the back of the net to give PC the 1-0 lead.

PC did not slow down from this point, as just a few minutes later, Jack Dugan ’22 ripped a shot past UM’s goaltender on a swift assist from Greg Printz ’21 to double the lead to 2-0. Printz continued the scoring for PC into the second period as he tapped home an assist from Parker Ford ’23 and Dugan to make it 3-0. Tyce Thompson ’22 also got on the score sheet in the second period with a hard shot that slipped by UM’s goaltender. Printz would go on to score an additional three goals for PC in the third period for a total of four goals in the game, and the Friars would go on to win by a score of 7-0.

PC’s triumph over of a reputable University of Maine team provides a good indication of the level of talent that this year’s team possesses in all facets, and there is good reason to believe that PC will look to bring the positive takeaways from this game to its next contest against the College of the Holy Cross on Friday, October 11 and throughout the season.

Sport Shorts 9/22-9/29

by The Cowl Editor on October 3, 2019

Friar Sports

Sports Shorts For Sept. 22-29

by Scott Jarosz ’21

Men’s Soccer:

The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team hosted Brown University on Sept. 25 in a crosstown battle. PC entered the game with a record of 5-2, having previously defeated Seton Hall University 1-0 in its Big East Opener. Brown and PC battled for the majority of the game with neither able to find the back of the net, until Ramzi Qawasmy ’22 finally broke the tie in the 77th minute with a volley from the top of the box. PC would hold on to win the game 1-0. PC looked to take the momentum from this win into its next game against Georgetown University, who is currently nationally ranked as the no. 2 team in Division I soccer. PC conceded goals in the 48th and 75th minutes, however Andualem Chisholm ’22 scored in the 80th minute on an assist from Tiago Mendonca ’20RS and Kevin Vang ’22 to cut the lead to 2-1. Unfortunately, this was not enough for PC, as it fell 2-1.

Women’s Soccer:

The Providence College Women’s Soccer Team has been off to a fast start in the 2019 season, racking up wins over talented opponents such as the University of Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and the University of Texas at Austin. PC carried its fast start into this past week as it hosted Northeastern University on Sunday, September 22. Although NU scored the first goal of the game in the 45th minute, PC managed to tie it in the 52nd minute thanks to a penalty kick by Elayna Grillakis ’22. The game remained tied for the duration of regular time, but in the 96th minute, Hannah McNulty ’21 powered a low shot past the keeper from outside the box to win the game 2-1 in overtime. On Saturday, September 28, PC hosted St. John’s University in the first Big East matchup of the season, and the host team did not disappoint. PC shut out the visitors by a score of 4-0 to kickstart its Big East schedule. The team now looks ahead to playing at Marquette University on Thursday, October 3.

Field Hockey:

The Providence College Field Hockey Team entered the Sept. 22 contest at Fairfield University with a record of 4-2. PC started off on the right foot on the road, as Izzy Mendez ’20 scored just 6:55 into the game. However, the home side would go on to score the next two goals and beat PC 1-2. Despite the loss, PC moved on and prepared to host Temple University for its next contest. PC appeared prepared for this game as it beat TU by a score of 1-0, thanks again to Mendez, who scored in the second quarter, which was the only scoring of the game. However, PC was unable to begin a winning streak going, as it fell to the University of Louisville by a score of 0-2 on Sunday, September 29 at home. PC now looks forward to its next matchup, which is away against Villanova University on Oct. 4.

PCI: Are More Home Runs God for Baseball?

by The Cowl Editor on September 26, 2019

PCI

Yes, Home Runs Make Games Exciting

By Cam Smith ’21

Sports Assistant Editor

Pete Alonso New York mets home run derby winner 2019 — Photo Courtesy of the New York Post

A decade after the messy death of the steroid era in Major League Baseball, a new controversy has shaken the baseball world: the juiced ball era. The league has seen an astronomical rise in home run totals that put to shame even the numbers put up by steroid-enhanced players of the turn of the century. This dramatic increase in home runs will prove to be the jolt of energy necessary to revive the sport.

Indeed, it is no secret that baseball has seen a steady decline in popularity. In 2018, the league saw a harsh 4% drop in ballpark attendance, the largest slip in a decade.

Fewer people are also watching the game at home. The 2018 World Series drew only 14 million views per game. In comparison, the 1991 World Series brought in approximately 36 million viewers per game, a startling difference of 22 million.

The MLB has taken steps to remedy these troubling trends, mostly centered around increasing the pace of play. In 2019, the league shortened inning breaks, capped the number of mound visits per game at six, and experimented with a pitch clock during spring training.

Over the past few years, the league has also taken another subtle yet substantial step: remodeling the baseball itself.

The new ball is characterized by a less dense and better-centered core, smoother leather, and significantly lower seams. As a result, the ball has less drag and a smoother flight pattern when hit, causing the ball to travel further. And travel further the ball has.

On Sept. 11, the MLB surpassed the previous record of 6,105 total homeruns hit in a season, with nearly three weeks still left to play.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has denied that the league is intentionally juicing baseballs, yet he has made comments recently that suggest the league would be looking at the specifications of the ball. This is seen as a likely attempt to increase drag and decrease flight distance.

It is justified for the commissioner to want to take a look at the ball specifications, but instead of making the baseball less aerodynamic, he should aim to make it even more aerodynamic. Baseball desperately needs the long ball to add some much-needed excitement to the sport. Indeed, there is a reason All-Star Weekend features the Home Run Derby as its main attraction.

No fan goes to the stadium hoping their favorite player will lay down a spectacular bunt. It is the homerun ball baseball fans want, and it is the homerun ball the league needs in order to survive.

To stave off the plague of falling ratings and shrinking crowds, Manfred and the MLB must emphasize home runs as much as they can, as it may very well be baseball’s best chance to regain popularity.

No, It Takes Away From the Roots of the Game

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Andrew Benintendi strike out are home runs good for baseball — Photo Courtesy of Barry Chin/The Boston Globe

As of Sept. 24, there have been 6,550 home runs hit this season in Major League Baseball. This figure comes with one week remaining in the regular season, as the last games are to be played on Sept. 29. This number has become a significant talking point throughout the baseball community, as home run production this season is the highest it has ever been by a staggering amount.

As a point of comparison, in the 2018 season, there were a total of 5,585 home runs hit. Going back further, in the 2015 MLB season, there were 4,909 total home runs hit. This increase in home run production in Major League Baseball raises the question: are more home runs good for baseball?

The rapid increase in the overall home run production throughout MLB history can be interpreted in several different ways. For one, some have argued that the increase in home runs is a result of the usage of new and improved technology by MLB teams. When watching any given MLB game from the 2019 season, batters can frequently be seen before or after at bats watching footage on tablets in order to prepare for upcoming at bats or review past at bats.

However, this theory fails to completely explain the shocking increase of 890 runs since the 2018 season.

A more common explanation of the significantly higher home run total this season is the possibility that the league is “juicing” the baseballs used in its games. Although this speculation has been going around for quite some time, it gained attention in July when Houston Astros star pitcher Justin Verlander gave his view on the issue, questioning MLB’s recent purchase of baseball-manufacturer Rawlings and accusing the commissioner of using juiced baseballs.

If the increase in home runs can truly be attributed to juiced balls as many players and fans believe, it is bad for the sport. Not only is it unfair to pitchers who are judged on their in-game performance, but it also takes the game away from its roots. If the MLB purchased Rawlings so it could alter the composition of baseballs, it would be problematic on many levels.

One of the most common explanations for the league wanting to juice baseballs is to increase the fan base, as home runs are considered among the most exciting plays in baseball. If this is true, the MLB is failing to understand that a significant portion of its fans watch the game because of its tradition and would oftentimes prefer to see a pitching duel that results in a 2-1 final score as opposed to a 12-10 slugfest.

Overall, it seems that the increase in home runs in the MLB is not beneficial for the sport, as it takes away from baseball’s roots and also can lead to longer games, which is an issue that the MLB has recently made a substantial effort to try to resolve.

Friars Beat Harvard 1-0

by The Cowl Editor on September 19, 2019

Friar Sports

Captain Tiago Mendoca ’20RS Nets Game-Winner at Home

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Tiago mendoca providence college men's soccer — Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/The Cowl

The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team hosted the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University this past Saturday at Anderson Stadium. The Pioneers entered Saturday’s contest with a record of 1-3 and were coming off their first win of the season, a 2-1 victory over Saint Peter’s University. The Friars, on the other hand, entered Saturday’s game with a record of 2-2, coming off a 2-1 loss at the University of Rhode Island.

PC wasted no time against SHU on Saturday afternoon, as Davis Smith ’21 headed a cross past the outstretched arms of the SHU goalkeeper and into the back of the net to make the score 1-0 in the sixth minute of the game.

PC did not stop there, as Andualem Chisholm ’22 chipped a goal past the keeper before halftime to extend the lead to 2-0. PC continued its success into the second half as Danny Griffin ’20 scored on a penalty kick to increase the home team’s lead to 3-0.

To cap things off for the Friars, Kevin Vang ’22 curled a left-footed shot past SHU’s goalkeeper to score his first career goal for PC in the 81st minute on a sharp assist by Matt DePerro ’21.

That was the last of the scoring for PC. The team beat SHU 4-0 to improve its record to 3-2.

The Friars looked to carry momentum from its victory over SHU into Monday’s contest against the Crimson of Harvard University.

The Crimson came into Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium on Monday with a record of 0-3, having previously lost to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Duke University, and the University of Vermont.

Despite Harvard’s recent struggles, they put up a good fight against PC from the early stages of the game. The game started off back and forth between the two teams, with neither team dominating possession or even finding the back of the net.

The 0-0 score finally changed in the 21st minute of the match when Smith and Chisholm assisted Tiago Mendonca ‘20 RS, who unleashed a powerful one-time strike into the back of the net to give PC a 1-0 lead over Harvard.

From this point on, PC maintained a calm and collected play style and controlled possession while also making an effort to keep up its offensive attack. PC ended the game with a total of 27 shots compared to just five shots for the Crimson. PC also earned eight corner kicks compared to three for the Crimson. Even though the Friars controlled the majority of the game, the Crimson kept the game tight for the full 90 minutes thanks in part to goalkeeper Oskar Nilsson, who made six outstanding saves to keep his team within striking distance. However, Harvard was unable to break through and PC earned the 1-0 victory.

PC now looks ahead to Friday, when it opens Big East play at home against Seton Hall University at 7 p.m. at Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium.

Men’s Club Rugby Opens Season

by The Cowl Editor on September 12, 2019

Friar Sports

The Black Pack Ready for a Dominant Season

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

providence college men's rugby club team — Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/The Cowl

The Providence College Men’s Rugby Team started its season off on the right foot against the College of the Holy Cross on Friday, September 6. PC was firing on all cylinders in the 37-22 defeat of the talented Crusaders. The team hopes their strong performance is a sign of what is to come in the new season.

Despite a less than stellar record of 2-5 last season, the team showed few signs of struggle in its home opener for the 2019 fall season.

Joe Bentley ’21 got PC off to a hot start under the lights on Friday night as he scored a try early on to make the score 5-0. The team continued to build on that early momentum as it scored again to increase its lead to 12-0 over the visitors.

However, Holy Cross refused to allow PC to control the game and answered back shortly after. The visiting team scored back-to-back tries to cut PC’s lead to 12-10. But the home side managed to bounce back and added another try to make the score 17-10 heading into halftime.

PC did not lose this momentum coming out of the half and made sure that the lead stayed in their hands. The team outscored the visiting side by a score of 20-7 in the second half.

There were a number of key contributing players for PC in the second half including Alex Feola ’22 and Anthony Lancia ’22. Feola scored two tries while Lancia added one try.

PC’s dominant performance against Holy Cross could be a sign of what is to come for the team in this new season. Not only did the veterans of the team contribute, such as Bentley, but younger players such as Feola and Lancia also made their mark and helped the team secure a victory over a talented opponent.

If the team can consistently get contributions from both veterans and younger players throughout the season, there is good reason to believe that they will continue to have success for the remainder of the season.

Bentley is one of the more experienced players on the team. He has been a forward since his freshman year.

When asked what he believes the strengths of this year’s team are, Bentley said, “I definitely think our strengths are our new strong forwards and our fast backs.”

He continued, “Over the summer, we trained the hardest we have since I’ve been playing for this team.”

Bentley emphasized the amount of training that everyone on the team put in over the offseason. He believes this is what is truly going to allow this team to have one of its most successful seasons in a long time.

When asked what he believes the team needs to do in order to have the most successful season possible, he responded, “We need to focus on the system that our coach has set up for us and not stray from it.”

With plenty of new talent and the high level of training that the team put in over the offseason, the Black Pack is looking forward to a promising season.