Field Hockey
The field hockey team entered this past weekend heading into the Empire 8 Tournament for the first time since 2009. The Bombers finished off the regular season at 10–7, and would face the Utica College Pioneers in their semifinal game. The Pioneers defeated the Bombers earlier this year by a score of 4–0.
The Blue and Gold took the field Saturday in Hoboken, N.J., against the Pioneers. The Bombers defense stood strong in the first half as they stopped 15 shots taken by the Pioneer offense. The period ended tied at zero, and the game did not get much easier.
Utica forward Louise Steele-Norton did not net the first and only goal of the matchup until the 56th minute of the competition from six yards away. Steele-Norton has 38 points for Utica this season with 17 goals and four assists.
The South Hill squad looked to fight back in the final 15 minutes of the game, but could not connect as the Pioneers advance over the Bombers on a 1–0 win.
The Ithaca offense struggled in both halves of this game, tallying only two shots in the first half and one in the second. The Bomber defense carried the team with freshman goalie Katie Lass saving 17 of 18 shots on net. Junior back Sarah Pfeifle and sophomore back Laurel Schnider also had defensive saves for the Bombers.
The field hockey team concluded its 2013 season with 53 goals on 319 shots, 37 assists, and only 36 goals against.
Volleyball
The volleyball team ended their 2013 season with a loss to the top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks at the Empire 8 championship tournament on Nov. 9. The Bombers fell in straight sets, 3–0, in the semifinal round.
The Blue and Gold kept it close in the first set until the Ducks went on an 8–0 run to close out the set, 25–16. It was close again in the second set, which at one point was deadlocked at 19–19, but again Stevens was able to put Ithaca away with a 6–1 run to end the set, 25–20. In the third set, Stevens took control as they powered to a 25–12 victory to end the match.
Freshman outside hitter Shaelynn Schmidt led the Bombers with seven kills while fellow freshman setter Molly Brown set for 11 assists. Junior middle Abbie Hutchinson and senior outside hitter Justine Duryea each had two aces. Defensively, sophomore outside hitter Dylan Gawinski Stern led the team with seven digs, while freshman middle Breanne Tuohy added four block assists.
The loss marks the end of the 2013 campaign for the volleyball team. The squad will lose two talented seniors in Duryea and Syline Kim, but the Blue and Gold will look to improve next year as they become a more experienced team.
Men’s Soccer
The Bombers entered the most important part of their season on Nov. 6 as they traveled to Utica College to face the Pioneers in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 tournament. The Blue and Gold had previously beat the Pioneers earlier this season, winning by a score of 4–1 at home.
This game didn’t bring a similar result. The Pioneers got on the board first in the 22nd minute when senior forward Kevin McAllister headed the ball into the back of the net off a pass from senior midfielder Alex Sheridan. Sophomore midfielder Dennis Runikera scored again 20 minutes later for the Pioneers and Sheridan picked up another assist. The game ended with a final score of 2–0.
On Saturday, Stevens Institute of Technology won the Empire 8 conference championship, beating the Pioneers 2–0. The Bombers finished their season with a 4–13 record and finished third in the Empire 8, one place behind their preseason projection. Freshman forward Sean Forward finished with seven goals and five assists, both team highs. Blair Carney led the Blue and Gold with two game-winning goals and junior goalie Jordan Gentile led the team with 37 saves and a .725 save percentage.
Wrestling
The wrestling team opened its season winning the team title at the Ithaca Invitational on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9. The team finished with 177 points, beating second place Johnson & Wales University by 12.5 points.
Five Bombers triumphed in their weight classes. Top prospect, junior Alex Gomez, won the 133-pound weight class with a pair of major-decision victories, 15–2 and 16–2. He is ranked No. 2 nationally by National Wrestling Coaches Association in his weight class. Ranked No. 8 in the nation, senior Dominick Giacolone won at 141 pounds in his championship bout.
Two freshmen gained varsity-debut victories in the invitational. In the 174-pound weight class, Carlos Toribio won 7–5 in his semifinal, and then dominated in his final match with a 19–4 technical fall victory. At 197 pounds, Matt Booth posted a major decision at 14–4 in his semifinal and pulled out a win in his final match, 6–3.
Junior Kristopher Schimek, a transfer student in the 165-pound weight class, won his semifinal match 9–3 and won the final match 8–4. Junior Anthony Cabrera placed second at 125 pounds, losing in his final match, 5–0.
The third-place finishers in their weight classes were freshman Jimmy Kaishian at 125 pounds, freshman Nick Wahba at 133 pounds, and sophomore Eamonn Gaffney at 149 pounds.
The Bombers will compete Nov. 16 at the SUNY Oneonta Quad Meet, facing opponents Rhode Island College, Alfred State University and meet host SUNY Oneonta.
