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By Naveen Boppana
Men's
and Women's Crew
On a very cold and windy day, the men's and women's crew teams kicked off the
2001-02 campaign at the Textile River Regatta. The Crusaders finished in ninth
place in the open competition, which featured several different rowing associations.
Leading the way for the College was the women's club eight race, which placed
first in its race with a time of 20:26. The men's open eight boat placed fifth
in a time of 18:14, while the men's lightweight eight boat placed second in a
time of 18:26, defeating Boston College by
41 seconds. The women's lightweight eight boat placed fourth to help contribute
to the Crusaders' effort. Holy Cross placed fourth out of 20 colleges that competed
in this regatta.
The College continued its great start at the Housatonic River
Regatta, placing
fourth
in the men's lightweight eight race and finishing fifth in the women's open eight
race. The Crusaders' men's open eight boat placed 11th, while
the second men's open eight boat placed 17th.
Chris Schultz '02 (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Roger Ross '02 (Philadelphia,
Pa.) will try to lead the men's team, while Marie Golden '02 (Stamford,
Conn.) and Rebecca Smith '02 (Torrington, Conn.)
will head the women's effort as Holy Cross will look to continue its success
this fall. The Crusaders will compete at the Head of the Charles race in Boston
and the Head of the Schuylkill race in Philadelphia to close out
the fall season.
Men's and Women's
Cross Country
The men's cross country team began the season winning the Central Connecticut
Invitational for the first time in program history. The women's team finished
in second place at the meet, which represented its best finish in program history.
Sean McCarthy '03 (Chelmsford, Mass.) placed third in a time of 27:11.5,
just 15 seconds behind the winner, to pace Holy Cross. Owen Speer '03 (Hudson,
N.H.) and Matt Karatkewicz '03 (Middlefield, Conn.) also finished
in the top-10-placing eighth and ninth respectively-to highlight the Crusaders' performance.
Holy Cross defeated the rest of the field by 30 points.
On the women's side, the College was without its top runner (Ashley Boyle)
but still managed to rebound and finish in second place. Katy Thornton '05 (Burbank,
Calif.) finished in eighth place to lead the effort. Erin Mosley '05 (Carlisle,
Mass.) and Emily Hogan '02 (Northboro, Mass.) finished 13th and
18th respectively.
The Crusaders placed sixth at the National
Catholic Invitational held at Notre Dame. The men placed
eighth in
the competition.
Holy Cross continued
its successful
start at the Murray Keatinge Invitational in Maine. The women's team finished
in fourth place, behind Arizona, Purdue and New Hampshire while the men's
team finished in eighth place behind, Stanford, Arizona, Michigan, Purdue,
Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont.
Football
The football team has posted a record of 3-2 in its
first five games. The Crusaders ended their two game losing streak
by scoring 49 points in a win over Dartmouth during Homecoming.
Quarterback Brian Hall '03 (Dallas, Texas) continues
to perform, becoming just the third quarterback in College
history to record five or more touchdown passes in a single
game when he notched five TD passes against the Big Green.
On the season, Hall has completed 12 touchdown passes without
an interception. Wide receiver David Thompson '02 (Tarrytown,
N.Y.) notched three touchdown receptions against Dartmouth
and leads the Crusaders in scoring (32 points) and receiving
yards (264). Defensive end Sammy Siaki '02 (Mesa,
Ariz.) led the way defensively against Dartmouth notching
10 tackles, including three for loss. Siaki leads the team
and ranks first in the conference in quarterback sacks with
4.5.
Patriot League preseason defensive Player of the Year, Michael
Blake '02 (Phoenix,
Ariz.) also has continued to have an impact on opposing offenses. Blake leads
Holy Cross and ranks second in the conference in total tackles (52), averaging
10.4 tackles per game. Fellow defensive back Vernell Shaw '02 (Stockton, Calif.)
adds great leadership in the defensive backfield. Shaw also leads the conference
in passes defended with 11.
Men's and Women's
Golf
The Holy Cross men's golf team kicked off its 2001 fall season at the Black
Knight Invitational in West Point, N.Y. The Crusaders finished seventh with
a score of 602 led by Drew Sullivan '04 (Pittsfield, Mass.) and captain Chad
Rusek '02 (Adams, Mass.). Both Sullivan and Rusek were the top scorers
for Holy Cross, finishing the weekend tied for third and tied for 36th respectively.
The Crusaders then defeated Endicott College, 336-309, before participating
in the Toski Intercollegiate Invitational. Rusek once again led the Crusaders
to an eighth place finish. He is tied for 17th with a score of 151. Kevin
Madden '04 (Sandwich, Mass.) (156), Sullivan (158), Steve Finocchi '02 (North
Attleboro, Mass.) (161) and Bobby Loguidice '03 (Springfield, Mass.)
(161) finished second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.
The Crusader women opened their 2001 fall season
at the Mt. Holyoke Invitational in South Hadley, Mass., finishing
13th out of 20 teams. Claudia Rothschild '05 (Garden
City, N.Y.) was the top performer for the Crusaders finishing tied for 33rd
(178). Moira Connors '02 (Corning, N.Y.) (188) placed second on the
team followed by Elizabeth Norden '04 (Callicoon, N.Y.) (192) and Jennifer
Driscoll '03 (Salem, Mass.) (213).
Women's Soccer
After dropping its season opener to Quinnipiac, the Holy Cross women's soccer
team quickly turned things around by winning four straight games. Due to injuries
to some key players the Crusaders have been slumping recently, unable to get
a victory in their last four games-including dropping their first two Patriot
League games. Holy Cross' overall record now stands at 4-3-2 (0-2-0 Patriot
League).
Tri-captain Kate O'Shaughnessy '02 (Marion, Mass.)
has been leading the way for the Crusaders this season. She leads the team
in all major categories
including goals (4), assists (4), and points (12). O'Shaughnessy recently broke
the Holy Cross women's soccer career assist record when she tallied the 18th
assist of her career in a 1-0 victory over the University of New Hampshire.
The record was previously held by former Crusader Erica Robbins, 1993-96.
Women's Tennis
The women's tennis team is off to an outstanding start this fall with a perfect
8-0 record. Their most impressive win so far came against Big East foe Providence.
The Crusaders knocked off the Friars, 6-1. Head Coach Mike Lucas points to
the tremendous team depth as a key to the great start. "We have great depth
from the number one to number six positions, which gives us an advantage every
time that we take the court," he says. "If all continues to go well, we could
start to have an impact in the Patriot League Tournament."
Holy Cross boasts great youth as well, with four of
its top six singles players underclassmen.
Amy Crump '03 (Farmington, Conn.) and sister Missy Crump '04 (Farmington,
Conn.) are the Crusaders' top two singles players. Britt Burns '05 (Cranston,
R.I.) has had an immediate impact and is undefeated in third singles. Erica
Fugelsang '03 (Wading River, N.Y.), Allison Levy '04 (Flossmor,
Ill.) and Melissa Levy '04 (Flossmor, Ill.) round out the top six
for Holy Cross.
Men's Tennis
The men's tennis team has gotten off to a tough start this fall. The Crusaders
recently picked up their first win against Stonehill, 7-0. Featuring a young
team, with just two fourth-year students on the roster, Holy Cross hopes to
develop into a stronger force as the season wears on. The team will not begin
the Patriot League portion of its schedule until the spring season. Gerry
Benedicto '03 (Plainview, N.Y.) and Rich Roberts '02 (Commack, N.Y.)
are serving as team captains this season and their performance as leaders will
go a long way towards determining the Crusaders' success. Benedicto will resume
his role in the first singles position again this year while Roberts will see
most of his action at sixth singles.
Volleyball
The volleyball team, which opened the season with a six-game
winning streak, currently stands at 10-6. The 6-0 start is
the program's best start in more than 10 years. The team
opened the season by hosting the Second Annual Crusader Classic.
The Crusaders defeated Long Island University, Sacred Heart
and Iona to capture the title. Tournament most valuable player Cheryl
Jakielo '03 (Wethersfield, Conn.) led Holy Cross with
28 kills, 39 digs and nine total blocks in three matches. Carissa
Bennett '03 (Easton, Conn.) added 36 kills, 32 digs,
11 total blocks and eight service aces to help secure the
win.
The Crusaders then hosted Central Connecticut State University and defeated
the Blue Devils 3-2 behind the 12 kill and 19 dig performance of Katie Snell '03 (Bogota,
N.J.). Holy Cross traveled to Stony Brook, N.Y., and finished second in the
Holiday Inn Express Volleyball Tournament, losing to Siena in the championship
match.
Holy Cross hit a tough stretch in the last three weeks,
going 4-5, including five-game loss to both Navy and Providence at home. One
bright spot for the
Crusaders in recent weeks was the upset win over Bucknell on Oct. 6 in Lewisburg,
Pa. After losing the first two games, the team rallied and defeated the Bison
in five games. Bennett led the Crusaders with 23 kills and five solo blocks
while Michelle Leahy '05 (Andover, Mass.) assisted on 43 kills and
added 10 digs. Bennett leads the team with 201 kills, 43 service aces and
55 total
blocks on the season while Leahy leads in assists (310), and Snell is the
team's
leader in digs (209).
Men's Basketball
The 2000-01 season was a magical one for Holy Cross and the men's basketball
program. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since
1993 and tied the school record for the biggest one year turnaround. In 2001-02,
Holy Cross hopes that the magic did not disappear with the end of last season.
The Crusaders enter this year looking to continue their march back toward prominence
and build upon last season's success.
Ryan Serravalle '02 (Thorold, Ontario) returns as a four-year starter
at guard for the Crusaders. He ranked third on the team in scoring (11.2
points per game). Serravalle also led the team in three-point field goal
percentage
(.392, 38-of-97) and free throw percentage (127-for-161).
Another player who brings a wealth of experience to
the table this year is Brian
Wilson '03 (Plainfield, N.J.). Wilson has averaged 22.1 minutes per
game over the last two seasons, starting in 27 of 58 games. He ranked second
on
the team in three-point field goal percentage (.359) and shot 82.6 percent
from the charity stripe. Jave Meade '04 (Queensbridge, N.Y.) earned
Patriot League All-Rookie Team accolades last year after notching 7.3 points
and a team best 3.1 assists per game. The Crusaders frontcourt returns
the Pre-season Patriot League Player of the Year in Tim Szatko '03 (Naperville,
Ill.). Szatko has had a great impact on the Crusaders in his two years
in Purple and White. After winning Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors
two years
ago, Szatko came back to win Player of the Year honors last season.
Women's Basketball
The Holy Cross women's basketball team heads into the 2001-02 season looking
to once again be the top team in the Patriot League. With the squad made up
of mostly veteran players who have big game experience, the Crusaders are determined
to win the Patriot League regular season championship for the sixth straight
year and ninth overall. This year's squad features the return of four starters
and five of the top six scorers.
Holy Cross only lost one major contributor from last year's team which went
21-9 and made its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance. Head Coach Bill Gibbons,
who is now in his 17th season at Holy Cross, expects to see leadership from
tri-captains Amanda Abraham '02 (Plymouth, Mich.), Jeanette Paukert '02 (Chicago,
Ill.) and Elisa Zawadzkas '02 (Orleans, Mass.).
Paukert, who started every game, averaged 34.4 minutes per contest last season.
She led the team in scoring (12.5 ppg), assists (4.3 apg), free throw percentage
(.793) and three-point field goal percentage (.391).
Abraham and Zawadzkas headline a very talented Holy
Cross frontcourt. A two-year starter, Abraham finished second on the team in
scoring (11.3 ppg), assists
(2.8 apg) and blocks (0.6 bpg) a year ago. Zawadzkas came off the bench in
all 30 games last season and became an important spark for the Crusaders. She
averaged 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds last season and will challenge for a starting
role this year.
Women's Ice Hockey
The Crusaders look forward to their second season under Head Coach Peter VanBuskirk
and hope to improve on their 7-14-1 record from a year ago. They return the
team's top two scorers from last season in Elizabeth Campbell '04 (Milton,
Mass.) and Rachelle Beaudoin '04 (Berlin, N.H.). Campbell scored 10 goals and
added 11 assists for 21 points while Beaudoin notched seven goals and nine
assists for 16 points. Erin Williams '03 (Ashland, Mass.) also returns
to the Crusaders line-up after notching five goals and adding five assists
for 10 points.
Goaltender Jennelle DiSanto '03 (North Reading,
Mass.) also returns after starting all 21 games last season. DiSanto posted a
.916 save percentage
and a 3.47 goals against average. Joining DiSanto on defense will be Caitlin
Andrew '04 (South Burlington, Vt.) and Alison Hogan '04 (Belmont,
Mass.). Andrew scored four goals and added five assists for nine points while
Hogan scored three goals and added five assists for eight points.
Men's Hockey
The future looks bright for the 2001-02 Holy Cross hockey team as they look
to climb back into the upper echelon of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
(MAAC). Holy Cross returns 23 players from last year's squad, including six
of its top seven point scorers and 77 percent of its point production. The
leadership role now turns to two players, who were members of the 1999 MAAC
Championship team, Tony Deluzio '02 (Jeannette, Pa.) and Pat Rissmiller '02 (Belmont,
Mass.).
Deluzio, who has been a dependable two-way player for
Holy Cross, will look to increase his offensive output to go along with his outstanding
leadership
ability. Last season, Rissmiller was second on the team in goals (14) and tied
for second in assists (15). The Crusaders also return their top two point scorers, Brandon
Doria '03 (Bayonne, N.J.) and Greg Kealey '04 (Nepean, Ontario),
who both hope to build upon the success they enjoyed last season. Doria capped
off his second year with 12 goals and 18 assists. Kealey, a 2001 MAAC All-Rookie
team selection, scored a team leading 15 goals and tied Doria with a team-leading
30 points.
The Crusaders return four defensemen with a wealth of
experience, over 170 games played combined. Tim Bernstein '03 (Sharon,
Mass.) and Chris
Smith '03 (East Greenwich, R.I.) will anchor this year's defense. RJ Irving '04
(Marlboro, Mass.) was a 2000-01 MAAC All-Rookie selection. This marked the
first time that the Crusaders have had two players on the All-Rookie Team in
the same season.
The Crusaders also return their top netminder from last
season. Rick Massey '04 (Weymouth,
Mass.) got the majority of the playing time last season as a first-year
student. He recorded an 89.0 save percentage and a 3.60 goals against average.
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