Connecticut College Sports Roundup

Connecticut College put in strong performances in a number of sports competitions on Saturday, defeating Wesleyan University in a men's basketball game and taking home dual wins in a swimming meet. The following information was provided by William Tomasian, sports information director at Connecticut College

Men's Basketball: Conn College 81, Wesleyan 73

The Connecticut College men's basketball team stormed back from a 66-57 second half deficit with a furious 15-to-0 run and went on to defeat Wesleyan University, 81-73, in front of 300 fans at Luce Field House Saturday.

The Camels improve to 11-11 and are 2-5 in the NESCAC. The Cardinals fall to 10-12 with a 1-6 record in league play.

Matt Vadas (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) exploded with a game-high 30 points, and was 10-for-16 from the field and 6-for-10 from long distance. It marked the third time this season that sharp-shooter reached the 30 point plateau in a single game.

Taylor Hanson (St. Paul, Minn.) netted 16 points and grabbed seven boards for the hosts. Rob Harrigan (Milford, Conn.) contributed 11 points and nine boards.

"We are fortunate to come out on top against a talented and well drilled Wesleyan team," Connecticut College Head Men's Basketball Coach Tom Satran said. "Bobby (Bellotti) really sparked us in the second half and we all followed his lead from there. The crowd was great in the second half and I thought that helped us too.."

Junior Jason Mendell (Bedford, N.Y.) paced the visitors with 27 points in a stellar shooting effort, knocking down 7-of-10 three-point field goals for Wesleyan. Shasha Brown (Harlem, N.Y.) finished with 15 points, while Mike Callaghan (Madison, Conn.) added 11 points and nine boards.

Otis Poisson (Cheshire, Conn.) reached double-digits with 10 points for the visitors.

Wesleyan took its largest lead of the half with 7:55 to go when Mendell knocked down a three-ball from the right side.

But the Camels responded with some terrific play at both ends. Brian Mahoney (Quincy, Mass.) put the Camels in control when he stole a ball at mid-court and assisted Vadas for a field goal and one on the line to put the Camels on top 69-66 with 4:04 to go.

"This is a big win for us and keeps us alive for the playoffs," Mahoney said. "Our team is really moving in the right direction."

Vadas extended the lead to 72-66, when he dropped in a triple with 3:37 remaining. Bellotti played a critical role in the comeback at both ends of the court, providing some key defense and some timely rebounding during the run.

The Camels sealed the victory on the charity stripe, converting six points on the foul line in the closing 1:11 to come away with the 81-73 win.

Connecticut College shot 46% from three-point range (12-for-26) and out-rebounded the Cardinals 36-to-32 in the triumph.

Swimming and Diving

The Connecticut College swimming and diving teams hosted Bates and Wellesley College for a tri-meet to close out the 2010-2011 regular season.

The women (11-1) defeated the Wellesley Blue 207-81 and tamed the Bobcats of Bates in a 170-118 win. The men (7-4) coasted to a 183-96 victory against Bates.

In the men's action, rookie Ryan Dignan (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored the trifecta with three wins. Dignan took the 200 and 500 yard freestyle as well as the 400 yard individual medley, recording times of 1:43.60 and 4:54.91 in the freestyle events to go along with a time of 4:16.08 in his third win.

Junior Tim Walsh (Lincoln Park, N.J.) triumphed in the 50 and 100 yard backstroke with times of 24.01 and 53.03 seconds.

Sam Gill (Springfield, Ill.) posted winning times of 51.95 and 47.94 seconds in the 100 yard butterfly and 100 yard freestyle.

Other individual events winners included: Austin Meszaros (Morristown, N.J.) in the 50 yard freestyle (22.05 seconds), Harry Beauregard (Cumberland, R.I.) in the 100 yard breast (1:05.34) and Joe Gibson (Northwood, N.H.), who triumphed in the 1000 yard freestyle with a time of 10:14.64.

In the 200 yard free relay, the Camel foursome comprised of Gill, Walsh, Kyle Matson (Brookfield, Conn.) and Meszaros posted a winning time of 1:27.26. Walsh, Beauregard, Dignan and Meszaros triumphed with a time of 3:36.85 in the 400 yard medley relay.

In the women's tri-meet, senior Sarah Murphy (Williamsburg, Va.) posted wins in the 100 and 500 yard freestyle with times of 53.66 seconds and 5:11.09 and added a third win in the 400 yard individual medley (4:37.09).

Jessica Schanzer (Monterey, Calif.) won the 50 and 100 yard backstroke with respective times of 29 seconds flat and 1:01.31. Erika Fernandes (Westport, Mass.) posted times of 24.90 and 27.09 seconds to win the 50 yard free and 50 yard butterfly.

Sophomore Katie Karlson (Wayland, Mass.) tied a school record with her win in the 100 yard breast (1:08.06). Ellie Huelbig (Rutherford, N.J.) won the 100 yard butterfly (1:00.59) and Caitlin Munns (Westfield, Mass.) triumphed in the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:57.12.

In the 200 yard free relay, Julia Pielock (Deerfield, Mass.), Schanzer, Munns, and Fernandes teamed up for a win in 1:39.51. Schanzer, Karlson, Murphy and Pielock posted a time of 4:01.11 to win the 400 yard medley relay.

Women's Ice Hockey: Middlebury 3, Conn College 0

Middlebury earned its ninth shutout of the season as the seventh-ranked Panthers (15-3-1, 12-1-1) picked up a 3-0 victory over Connecticut College (9-8-2, 5-5-1) in Kenyon Arena. Alexi Bloom made 15 saves in goal to earn her sixth shutout of the season, improving to 11-2-1.

Middlebury took a 1-0 lead late in the first period, when Anna McNally put home her own rebound at 18:12 for the 52nd of her career. The Panthers ended the period with a 6-4 shots advantage.

Connecticut College put on some pressure early in the second period, but a pair of blasts by Brigid O'Gorman were stopped by Bloom. Middlebury had a pair of power play opportunities midway through the period, capitalizing on the second one at the 11:15 mark. Uglade worked the puck to Madison Styrbicki at the point, with her blast being saved by Amy Leichliter. Lauren Greer was there to bury the rebound for her seventh of the year to make it a 2-0 game.

The Camels had a great chance to cut into the lead in the third, with a pair of power plays including a five-on-three situation for 1:03. Bloom stood tough in net, making several saves as Connecticut College increased its shots advantage to 18-13 in the game at the 7:33 mark.

Middlebury gained some breathing room at 14:20 of the third, with a power play goal just 16 seconds after the penalty. Styrbicki's shot from the left point was tipped in down low by Sara Uglade for her ninth of the year, making it a 3-0 final.

The Camels held a 21-15 shots advantage in the game, as Leichliter made 18 saves in goal.

Indoor Track

The Connecticut College track and field teams competed in the Tufts University Stampede Saturday. Team scores were not kept but the Camels had several strong individual performances.

In the men's action, two Camels had their tickets stamped for the upcoming New England Division III Championship.

In the mile, Mike LeDuc (Canton, Conn.) posted a time of 4:26.13 en route to an eighth place finish. Tim Murtagh (Rowley, Mass.) placed third in the 5k with a time of 15:26.73 to earn his invitation to the New England Division III Championship.

Sophomore Andrew Duarte (Rocky Hill, Conn.) placed sixth in the 1000 meters, with a time of 2:36.40.

In the 4x800 meter relay, Matt Boudreau (Bridgewater, Mass.), Tristan Cole (St. Helen, Calif.), LeDuc and Duarte secured a second place score with a time of 8:16.74.

Senior Tommy Howd (Sudbury, Mass.) finished fifth in the high jump (five feet, 11 ¼ of an inch).

In the women's action, a pair of sophomores qualified for the New England Division III Championship with their seventh place performances.

Sarah Matthews (Westwood, Mass.) posted a time of 1:02.73 in the 400 meter dash while classmate Ali Holland (Watertown, Mass.) covered a distance of 34 feet, two inches in the triple jump.

Holland was sixth in the long jump (15 feet, 7 ½ inches) and added an eighth place score in the 60 meter hurdles to improve on her school record in the trials (9.88 seconds).

Sophomore Carmen Palumbo (Wilmington, Mass.) established a school record with a time of 8.94 seconds in the 60 meter dash.

Senior Kelsey Taylor (East Hampton, Conn.) improved on her qualifying time in the 1000 meters with an eighth place score in 3:10.91.

In the 4x800 meter relay, Taylor, Matthews, Manya Swick (Niantic, Conn.) and Kerry Dermody (Erieville, N.Y.) teamed up for a third place finish in 10:05.38