Connecticut College Sports Roundup

Tufts University ended the Connecticut College women's basketball season on Saturday, while the hockey and indoor track teams also participated in competitions. The following information was provided by William Tomasian, sports information director at Connecticut College:

Women's Basketball: Tufts 57, Conn College 40

The #2 seed Tufts University Jumbos earned a NESCAC championship quarterfinal victory, 57-40, over the #7 seed Connecticut College Camels on Saturday afternoon at Cousens Gym.

The Jumbos advance to the semifinals against #3 Bowdoin, next weekend in Amherst.

Tufts raced out to an 8-0 lead to start the game, sparked by three-pointers by junior Bre Dufault (Hampden, Mass.) and senior Kate Barnosky (Huntington Station, N.Y.). The Camels came back to tie the contest at 13 at the 10:49 mark on a layup by junior Jeanna Dunleavy (Chatham, N.J.).

The Camels took their first lead of the game at 18-16 and then led again at 20-18 on buckets by sophomore Tara Gabelman (Irvington, N.Y.). The Jumbos tallied the final seven points of the half to take a five-point lead into the break, 25-20.

Senior Tiffany Kornegay (Carver, Mass.) and first-year Hannah Foley (Acton, Mass.) each had six points in the first half to lead the Jumbos. Gabelman's seven points led Connecticut College.

Tufts then controlled the second half, building an 11-point advantage at 41-30 with 11:51 to go. The Jumbos' largest lead came with 8:39 remaining, 48-30. The closest the Camels would get the rest of the way would be 14.

Kornegay led all scorers with 16 points, finishing with a double-double with 10 rebounds. She shot a stellar 8 of 10 from the field. Barnosky finished in double figures with 11 points while Foley connected on 3 of 6 three-pointers to finish with nine points.

Dunleavy finished with a team-high 13 points for the Camels, going 5 for 12 from the field. First-year Carlee Smith (Willimantic, Conn.) was the other Camel in double digits with 10 points.

Tufts ended the contest shooting 38.1-percent (24/63) and held Connecticut College to just 32.7-percent (18/55). The Jumbos scored 20 points off of 16 Camel turnovers.

Tufts is now 20-5 overall while Connecticut College ends its season at 16-7.

Men's Ice Hockey: Bowdoin 6, Conn College 4

The Bowdoin College Polar Bears built a 3-1 first period advantage and went on to defeat Connecticut College 6-4 at Dayton Arena Saturday. The visitors are surging as they head into championship season having out-scored their opponents by a count of 25-to-11 during their current four-game winning streak.

The Polar Bears, ranked #14 in the nation, improve their record to 15-5-3 and 12-3-3 in NESCAC play. The Camels fall to 6-15-3 with a 4-12-2 mark in conference action.

Sophomore forwards Ollie Koo (Greenwich, Conn.) and Harry Matheson (Kingston, Ontario) both had a goal and two assists to lead the visitors. Colin Downey (East Sandwich, Mass.), Jordan Lalor (Needham, Mass.) and Timothy McGarry (Kennett Square, Pa.) all finished with one goal and one assist for Bowdoin.

Sophomore net-minder Steve Messina (Newton, N.J.) stopped 21 shots en route to the victory.

Connecticut College senior Sean Curran (Wilmette, Ill.) scored twice in his final home game for the Camels. Julien Boutet (Amos, Quebec) contributed a goal and an assist for the hosts. J.J. McGregor (Wichita, Kan.) potted his seventh goal of the season for the Camels.

Andrew Margolin (Mahwah, N.J.) made 28 saves in the setback for the Camels.

The Polar Bears took a 3-1 lead with 4:28 remaining in the opening period. Colin Downey made a wraparound move to draw the Camel defense in tight and assisted Timothy McGarry for a one-timer from the high slot. Bowdoin held a 10-to-6 advantage on shots to carry the 3-1 advantage into the first intermission.

In the middle period, the Camels closed the gap to 3-2 with a shorthanded goal. Dawson Luke (Wellesley, Mass.) led Boutet in for a one-on-one situation and the senior forward went to his backhand for his 21st career marker. However, Bowdoin responded just 31 seconds later as Ollie Koo buried his ninth goal of the season on the power play. But the hosts got one back with 8:48 remaining in the second. Michael Doyle (Merrimac, Mass.) dished the puck off to J.J. McGregor and the senior went top shelf at the near post for his 22nd collegiate goal.

Bowdoin held a slim 11-to-10 shot advantage in the second period and carried the 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

With 11:46 remaining in regulation, Colin Downey made it a 5-3 game with the goal that proved to be the difference. Koo and Matheson assisted. Mattheson added an empty netter with 1:56 remaining to put Bowdoin on top 6-3. Curran got one back for the Camels with 47 seconds left but it was not enough and the visitors prevailed with the 6-4 final.

Women's Ice Hockey: Williams 3, Conn College 1

On the last home contest for the five Williams seniors-the Ephs were able to end the season on a high note by downing Connecticut College for the second straight day with a 3-1 final. Two goals from junior Sam Weinstein and an empty-netter from Cristina Bravi paved the way for Williams' 11th win of the season.

In a start similar to last night's contest, a 2-1 win for the Ephs, Williams was quick to jump on the scoreboard. A penalty on Connecticut College defender Amelia Dineen (Arlington, Mass.) left the Camels shorthanded 21 seconds into the game, giving Williams their first powerplay of the afternoon.

With the Ephs a skater up, senior captain Hannah Systrom (Winchester, Mass.) passed the puck to Sarah Herr (Princeton, N.J.) at the point. Herr controlled the puck for moment before finding Sam Weinstein (Marblehead, Mass.) in the slot, who made a move around a Conn defender and ripped a low, blocker-side shot on Camel goalie Kelsie Fralick (West Chester, Pa.) that found the back of the net to give the Ephs a 1-0 lead.

Although both teams would record 3 powerplay opportunities in the opening frame, the Williams and Conn penalty-kill units would keep the status quo to close out the first period.

Opening the middle frame, neither team was able to establish offensive dominance, resulting in much back-and-forth action. Physical play prevailed for the next 13 minutes, neither team gaining an edge until 13 minutes in when Williams saw a chance to increase their lead. Aimee Dennett (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) passed the puck from the low left side to a waiting Alyssa Veil (Eden Prairie, Minn.) in the slot, who one-touched it just wide of the net.

The momentum would briefly shift in the Camels' favor with a Williams penalty following Veil's attempt. However, the playing field was leveled 20 seconds later as a Connecticut College penalty set up a 4-on-4 situation.

It looked as if the contest would remain 1-0 in the Ephs' advantage headed into the locker room, until a late period penalty coming from Connecticut College sparked the Eph offense. With 34 second remaining, Sam Weinstein (Marblehead, Mass.) walked the puck in from the blue line and wristed a shot that deflected off a Connecticut College stick and over Fralick's head. Systrom and Gabby Vukasin (Princeton, N.J.) aided Weinstein's tally.

10 seconds later the Camels answered, posting a late period goal themselves to bring the contest back within one. Leigh Getz (Clifton Park, N.Y.) carried the puck directly across the ice from the right side and slid a backhand shot that found its way past the low blocker side of Chloe Billadeau (Chaska, Minn.).

Williams managed to hang onto their 2-1 lead throughout the final frame, denying the Camel's best attempts, including one coming at the 12:09 mark. Connecticut College had a 2-on-1 with Eph netminder and got a shot off from the slot. Billadeau made the save, but the puck squirted loose, giving the Camel offense an opportunity to capitalize on a rebound. Billadeau would keep the visiting team at bay however, leaving the score at 2-1.

Connecticut College tried to stage a late game comeback, pulling Fralick with 3:51 remaining in regulation. The Ephs failed to relinquish their lead, and taking advantage of an empty net, took a comfortable two-goal lead with 2:13 to go. Eph forward Cristina Bravi (Montreal, Quebec) caused a turnover in the neutral zone, picked up the loose puck, and lofted it into the open net to finalize the score at 3-1.

The Camels saw one last opportunity, as two Eph penalties and an extra skater gave them a 6-on-3 advantage with 28 seconds remaining. Billadeau and the Williams defense would silence their comeback efforts, posting their second straight victory in as many days over Connecticut College.

Both keepers turned away 19 shots on the afternoon, and Billadeau finalized her stellar rookie season with her 9th win of the year. Clinching the 6th seed in the NESCAC tournament with today's victory, the Ephs will face Bowdoin next Saturday at 1 pm in the conference quarterfinals in Brunswick, Maine.

The Camels draw the seventh seed and will visit #2 Amherst on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game at Orr Rink in Amherst, Mass.

Indoor Track

Sophomore Mike LeDuc (Canton, Conn.) posted a personal record setting time of 8:36.11 in the 3000 meters to place fifth at the New England Division III Championship hosted by Springfield College Saturday. LeDuc earns All-New England Division III honors for his finish Saturday.

The Camel men tied Trinity College for 20th place with a score of four points.

Just a short drive north on Route 91, the Connecticut College women's track and field team competed in the New England Division III Championship at Smith College.

Kim Bolick (Hopkinton, Mass.) posted a time of 3:01.30 en route to her seventh place scoring in the 1000 meters, earning All-New England Division III accolades for the Camels.

In the distance medley relay, the Camel foursome comprised of Kerry Dermody (Erieville, N.Y.), Michelle Wesley (Millwood, N.Y.), Ally Bonito (Guilford, Conn.) and Lianne Swanson (Franklin,Mass.) earned All-New England Division III honors with an eighth place finish in 13:07.76.

Junior Sarah Matthews (Westwood, Mass.) broke her own school record in the 600 meters, posting a time of 1:40.50.

With their three points, the Camels finished in 21st place at the Championship.