Talk about resiliency…
December 1, 2009 11:12 pm by Cory
Down eight at the half to SUNY-Cortland and looking next to hopeless on defense, the men’s basketball team buckled down and reminded the Bomber faithful why they are the dominant team in the region, hanging on to win 76-75. Freshman Sean Rossi led the Bombers with 18 points but freshman Andrei Oztemel was clutch off the bench, nailing four clutch threes and finishing with 14 points. He was a perfect 5-5 from the field. The story though was the team settling in on defense and holding Cortland to just 31 points in the second half. Sophomore Jordan Marcus had 15 points but went just 5-15 from the field. Marcus is a better shooter than these stats indicate though and I expect him to improve that percentage in the upcoming games. Conference play begins Friday in Ben Light Gymnasium with the Bombers taking on Hartwick.
In other news, congratulations to Katherine Bixby of the women’s basketball team for reaching the 1,000 point mark in her career. The senior is the 10th Bomber to reach that milestone.
Other milestone news comes from the pool with women’s Head Coach Paula Miller earning her 200th win.
The winter season is in full swing and there are tons of games to check out before winter break. There are sure to be some more thrilling basketball games going down in the gym. It looks like momentum is on our side heading into the conference schedule and I for one expect it to remain that way.
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How do you follow up a great Cortaca victory? By dropping 45 pts. in the men’s basketball opener
November 17, 2009 4:20 pm by Cory
Have the past few days even been real? If you bleed Blue and Gold it may seem like too much to be true. First, let’s start with the obvious. Here is my Cortaca recap for those of you who may not remember some of the things you saw on Saturday.
The biggest key to the Bombers’ win? Two words. Special. Teams. Sophomore kicker Andrew Rogowski was automatic, nailing three field goals. This raised his season total to 12, setting a new school record. Sophomore Kevin Cline recovered a fumble on a Cortland punt return, and senior Adam Drescher blocked an attempted Cortland extra point which proved to be an important turning point in the game.
Senior quarterback Brian Grastorf threw for 158 yards and completed 12 passes, winning his second straight Cortaca game as a starter and the third in a row for Ithaca. Dan Ruggiero had two rushing touchdowns and the Bombers came away with a thrilling 23-20 win, ending the season 7-3 and though they missed the playoffs, ending the season on a high note has to feel good.
So what could possibly rival a great win like this? The men’s basketball team making a huge statement in its season opener. Though they lost four of last year’s starting five, Head Coach Jim Mullins has said he is incredibly confident in this team and it looks like it is justified.
The Bombers traveled to Geneva, N.Y., to take on Hobart College and soundly dispatched them 108-93. The huge story of the game was sophomore guard Jordan Marcus dropping 45 points, tying a school record. Every member of the team got into the game and recorded points, which is always a good sign.
So how do we continue this run of Ithaca dominance? The women’s soccer team is still playing out of their minds and will be playing in the sectional semifinal of the NCAA tournament against Rowan University on Saturday. This team is absolutely on fire and look for them to continue deep into the tournament. Until then, keep riding out this incredible stretch and let’s hope for some more Bomber wins.
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Women’s soccer rules E8, Cortaca looming, does it get any better?
November 10, 2009 5:21 pm by Cory
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The women’s soccer team is so good it’s almost scary. After completely annihilating the field in the Empire 8 Championship tournament, the 14-4-1 Blue and Gold are set for another NCAA playoff appearance. They’ll be taking on Muhlenberg College on Saturday, just up the road in Geneva, N.Y.
Now, you may be asking, “How does a team get so good after graduating it’s best player?” You’re correct, Chelsey Feldman ‘09 is without a doubt the best player to put on the Ithaca uniform, but this season there has been an all-around effort to get the team as strong as it is.
Senior Amy Scheffer leads the team with 13 goals, but she isn’t alone at the top. Lauren Koppel and Rachel are right behind her with 11 and 10 goals respectively. Also, Alyssa Sotomayor has been strong in goal, replacing the departed Aimee Meacham ‘09. A long playoff run is looming for this team and no one should be surprised if we see a lot more soccer this fall.
As far as football goes, what a win over Alfred. The previously undefeated Saxons came into Butterfield Stadium expecting Ithaca to put up a fight, but I’m sure they didn’t expect a 31-10 drubbing at the hands of the Bombers. The passing game looked as good as it has all season, with quarterback Brian Grastorf tying a career high with four touchdown passes and junior wide receiver Thomas Vossler catching two of them.
This game should be quite a momentum swing with the Cortaca Jug on the line Saturday. The 7-2 Red Dragons have looked strong this season and it should be a pretty evenly matched game. Both teams really do not have too much on the line as far as the post season is concerned so this should end up being a good battle for Central New York bragging rights.
Either way, I hope everyone is gearing up for what should be quite a weekend. Be safe out there. More coverage to come in the coming days.
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No assistance needed
October 27, 2009 2:40 pm by Cory
One of the first lessons we all learn growing up is how to be a good sharer. Some are always better than others, but in the history of Ithaca College volleyball, none have been better than Corinna Doctor. Over the weekend Doctor became the Bombers all-time leader in career assists, adding this accomplishment to her single-season assists record.
On Sunday, Doctor recorded 38 assists against conference rival Nazareth College to earn her 5,317 career assist, toppling the previous record that stood for eight years.
Despite an injury plagued season, the Blue and Gold have still managed to piece together a 20-14 season, dominating conference play with a 6-2 record in the Empire 8. With the postseason coming in November, the team can hope that some of these injuries will clear up before playoff time.
The new reigning assist leader and the South Hill squad return to action for two Halloween matchups against Lycoming College and Clarkson University on Saturday in Ben Light Gymnasium. It will be the final regular season games this season.
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38th?!?!? Seriously?!?!?!
October 22, 2009 11:53 pm by Cory
Ok, you know it and I know it. The men’s basketball team is not going to be as good as it was last season. The team that finished 24-3 was based almost entirely around its seniors and four out of the starting five have since graduated. The Bombers’ top scorer, Sean Burton is gone. Their top rebounder and shot blocker Jeff Bostic is gone. Their emotional leader Brendan Rogers is gone and their versatile power forward Sean Leahy is gone as well. That said, the d3hoops.com preseason poll ranking places Ithaca at No. 38 in the country. To me, that’s an insult. This team is far more solid than No. 38.
Junior Chris Cruz, the only returning member from last year’s starting five, is going to be a star in D-III this season. He’s a deep threat, quick on defense, and is a great athletic presence down low. If you need proof:
Senior Tom Brown will be taking over at center. Brown has ample experience starting, especially last season when Bostic went down with an injury. Brown is very determined on the boards and needs only slight improvements in his shot blocking abilities to get to where Ithaca will want its starting center to be.
Sophomore Jordan Marcus could be taking over at point guard. Burton leaves big shoes to fill but Marcus has shown flashes of brilliance in his limited time with the Blue and Gold. He is a streaky shooter but when he’s on, he’s on. He also needs to start using that muscular build to his advantage against some of the smaller guards he’ll be facing.
The other starting positions are still to be determined and nothing will be set in stone until opening tip off. But my point is this. This team is better than No. 38. I know they aren’t as good as they are last year but you don’t win 24 games without an incredibly strong bench. With four of the starting five graduating, that just means the players that gained experience with a lot of bench minutes last year will use that experience in a starting role. So, I don’t know what d3hoops.com based their ranking system on, but don’t be surprised to see the Bombers jump significantly higher as the season progresses.
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State Champions has a nice ring to it
October 19, 2009 3:32 pm by Cory
Congratulations goes out from The Extra Point to seniors Devra Reiman and Sarah Hollis on winning the New York State doubles championship yesterday. Having followed the women’s tennis team for four seasons now, it is clear that this championship was well deserved, especially by two hard working, leadership caliber players.
The manner in which they won was pretty exciting as well. Reiman and Hollis took down the No. 1 seeded team in the entire tournament, a tandem from Vassar College and then rode that momentum to an 8-5 victory over Lisa Mijovic and Ariel Sultan from New York University. The championship match was tied 5-5 but the South Hill squad hung tough for the victory and the state crown.
In other news, the field hockey team picked up an important 2-1 conference victory over Utica College on Saturday to prepare for its Wednesday showdown at home with No. 6 SUNY-Cortland. The men’s soccer team was also 2-1 winners over Utica with both goals coming from junior Fernando Casanova in a span of 20 seconds. The football team beat Frostburg State University 20-10 behind three touchdown passes by senior quarterback Brian Grastorf. The football team has a bye before its Halloween showdown on Oct. 31 at Springfield College.
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Focus on the positives
October 12, 2009 4:47 pm by Cory
Alright look. I could go on and on about the football team taking a beating by arch-rival St. John Fisher on homecoming weekend, but I’m not going to. Just suffice to say, this team has some kinks to work out and a game against 0-6 Frostburg State followed by a bye week is just what the doctor ordered.
Despite the football disaster, homecoming was not a total loss on the South Hill. The women’s tennis team annihilated RIT, winning every match - singles and doubles. With the win, the undefeated Bombers earned the top seed in the Empire 8 tournament which will be hosted by Nazareth on Oct. 24-25. If the Blue and Gold emerge victorious in the conference tourney, they will automatically be in the NCAA championship tournament in the spring. With the way this team is playing, they are certainly worth keeping an eye on.
The women’s soccer team continued its dominance with a weekend sweep, defeating conference rivals Nazareth and Hartwick both on the road. The Bombers are 7-0 in the Empire 8 and are looking once again like a team that could be making some postseason headlines. On top of that, junior Andrea Janda was named the Empire 8 conference player of the week.
So, the football team may have taken a beating, but Bomber fans do have a lot to be excited about. Playoff season is coming and there will be some Ithaca teams in it. Football still has four games remaining and will need our support when they return to Butterfield Stadium on Nov. 7. In the meantime, let’s focus on the positives and realize that Ithaca is still one of the most dominant schools in all of D-III.
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Bombers display conference superiority
September 28, 2009 11:39 am by Cory
This football schedule is really not working out for me. There are only 10 games at the D-III level and for some reason Ithaca is playing six on the road. I need my fix of Bomber football and I need it soon.
Regardless, the Blue and Gold marched into the territory of their Empire 8 rival Utica College Pioneers and pulled out a thrilling come from behind victory. Utica has struggled recently in the conference but have now been rebuilt to give teams like Ithaca, St. John Fisher and Alfred a run for their money. Behind Head Coach Blaise Faggiano, an Ithaca grad who played on the 1991 national championship team, and freshman phenom quarterback Andrew Benkwitt, the Pioneers look like a true contender.
Utica’s offense came out swinging on their home turf in a game that they hoped would be a statement to the rest of the conference. The Pioneers were up 24-14 at halftime and though I couldn’t see the game first hand, the WICB broadcasters sounded pretty grim. From most accounts, it sounded as if the Bombers would fall to a .500 record at 2-2 and be fighting an uphill battle for the rest of the season.
However, the defense must have been woken up at halftime because four interceptions set the Bombers up for a comeback. Two picks a piece from sophomores Mike Conti and Spence White kept QB Brian Grastorf and the offense on the field. After two field goals from Andrew Rogowski, senior running back Thomas Bergerstock took an eight yard run into the endzone to cap the comeback and seal a 27-24 win.
With the win, the South Hill squad moves to 3-1 overall and moves up to No. 20 in the national rankings. Unfortunately, Bomber fans will have to wait another week to catch a game at Butterfield Stadium because Ithaca will once again be on the road to battle the Hartwick Hawks. However, the October, 10 showdown with St. John Fisher is fast approaching and if they keep playing like they have been, the Bombers will remain a force in the Empire 8.
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Soccer teams hot out of the gate
September 23, 2009 7:14 pm by Cory
Fall season is really in full swing now and with a 2-1 football team coming off a massive 41-17 win, but let’s not forget about the sport that the rest of the world calls football. Ithaca’s soccer teams have been playing up to their usual standards and showing why are they are consistently at the top of the Empire 8.
The women’s team, coming off today’s 6-0 rain shortened rout of Alfred University, improves its record to 6-1 with its only loss coming against No. 1 ranked Messiah College. The women’s squad is one of the most consistently strong teams on South Hill and it appears Head Coach Mindy Quigg and the Bombers are at it again. Behind the speed quick-striking ability of forward Winnie Adrien and the steady contributions of midfielder Amy Scheffer, the Blue and Gold certainly have all of the ingredients for a long playoff run. Though the team did lose one of its best players ever last season in Chelsey Feldman ‘09, Feldman is still providing contributions to Ithaca’s success as a graduate assistant coach. The team will hit the road to take on SUNY-Cortland on Friday.
On the men’s side, the team has been trying to recuperate from the losses of forward Kurt Odenbach ‘09 and goalkeeper Andy Wilhelm ‘09. The team has battled to a 3-2-2 record including two double-overtime scoreless ties. Talk about defense. The Bomber backs have not allowed any more than two goals in any game this season. The Blue and Gold take on Alfred to open their conference play at home on Saturday.
So while the football team is on the road for another two weeks, check out the other football. The way these teams are playing, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
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XC cruising along
September 15, 2009 12:40 pm by Cory
The starting gun has been fired on the cross country season and both the men’s and women’s teams have had strong starts to the season. The cross country program has historically been one of the most successfull sports Ithaca has had, but our distance runners have received little recognition for their accomplishments.
Both teams competed at the Oswego Invitational on Saturday with the women finishing first of seven teams and the men placed second of seven.
Leading the way on the women’s side was freshman Jenn Randall, finishing first overall. That’s right, a freshman taking the top spot in her first college race. That’s got to feel pretty good.
Six of the top overall finishers were Bombers with the team finishing with 15 points. Second place finisher and Empire 8 rival Alfred University had 69 points. Talk about dominating the field.
On the men’s side, the Blue and Gold were just edged by SUNY-Cortland. The Bombers finished with 35 points while the Red Dragons had 21. The top four finishers in the race were Cortland runners, but places five through nine belonged to the South Hill squad.
Senior Phil Abbott was the top finisher for Ithaca, followed by freshman Nate Bickell.
Because cross country isn’t particularly a strong spectator sport, these teams don’t get the recognition they deserve. Both have been consistently dominant in the conference and in the country, especially the women behind the experienced tutelage of Head Coach Bill Ware.
Keep an eye on these teams, Bomber fans. If there is anyone that could make a run for a national championship this fall it’s these runners. I strongly urge any and all Ithaca fans to support some of the best athletes we have at IC at their first race in Ithaca on Oct. 23 at the Reif Invitational at Cornell.