Wrestling
Mar. 1st at NE Regional Tournament, 8th with 54 points
The SUNY Oneonta wrestling team competed this past weekend at the NCAA Northeast Regional Tournament hosted by Wesleyan University. The tournament serves as the qualifying event for the NCAA championships in two weeks in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Red Dragons scored 54 points and finished tied for eighth overall in the 18-team tournament, which is the largest regional in Division III.
Although Oneonta did not have an NCAA qualifier, which goes to the top-3 in each of the 10 weight classes, they did have five wrestlers earn All-Region honors by virtue of finishing in the top-6 in their respective weight classes.
Oneonta had five wrestlers vying for NCAA berths today in each of their weight classes with two wrestlers competing in the 3rd/4th place matches. The Red Dragons came away with two fourth place finishes, two fifth place finishes and one sixth place finish.
Senior
Ben Mikac (Williamsville/Williamsville East) and sophomore
Shaun Gillen (Bohemia/Connetquot) both found themselves in the championship semifinals after the first day of competition. Mikac, who was seeded #3 at 141 lbs., fell in the semifinals to second seeded, Dominick Giacolone of Ithaca, 3-2, in an overtime tiebreaker. Gillen was seeded fourth at 165 lbs. and fell to top-seeded, Kristoph Schimek of Ithaca, 3-0. The losses dropped both wrestlers into the consolation bracket of their weight classes.
Mikac defeated Tyler Tilbe of WPI, 5-3, to advance into the consolation championship with the winner earning an NCAA berth. In the match, he fell 3-2 to Michael Ferinde of Johnson & Wales, who was seeded sixth.
In the consolation semifinal, Gillen defeated Stephen Jarrell of Johnson & Wales, 6-4, in the first period of sudden death overtime. He then was upended by third-seeded, Dylan Foley of Springfield, 2-1, in a match that went to the tiebreak period of overtime in which each wrestler tries to escape within 30 seconds to score a point. Gillen was unable to escape in his 30 second period, which ended the match.
The other three wrestlers who earned All-Region honors for Oneonta were seniors
Dan Graff (LaGrangeville/Arlington),
Chad Obzud (Cohoes/Lansingburgh) and
Sean Hanson (Lorraine/South Jefferson). Both Hanson and Obzud finished fifth at 133 and 197 lbs. respectively. Graff finished sixth at 174 lbs.
Men’s Track & Field
Mar. 1st at SUNYAC Championships, 2nd with 122 points
The SUNY Oneonta men's track & field team scored 122 points and finished second last Saturday at the SUNYAC indoor championships hosted by Brockport. Their bid for a repeat title fell eight points short, as Buffalo State claimed its second team title all-time with 130 points.
The men came away with a pair of individual SUNYAC champions, as sophomore
Jake Alviene (East Greenbush/Columbia) successfully defended his 60m hurdle title while junior,
J.D. Roth (Pearl River/Nanuet), captured the conference title in the weight throw with a huge personal best and school record heave. Alviene's and Roth's performances earned them both First Team All-Conference honors.
Roth continues to go farther each week while moving up nationally on the Division III performance list. Last weekend, he took back the school record in the event and yesterday he soared past that mark by over a half meter. Roth won the event with a toss of 18.87m, which eclipsed his previous school record mark of 18.37m. His distance is currently fifth best in Division III with the NCAA championships only two weeks away. Roth was also third in the shot put to earn a second medal for his efforts.
Alviene ran a season best time of 8.25 seconds to win his second consecutive crown in the 60m hurdles. Alviene also scored points with his fourth place finish in the 200m dash.
In all, Oneonta claimed nine individual medals and one relay medal. Other individual medalists were juniors
Patrick Weinert (Schenevus/Schenevus),
Mike Didas (Endwell/Maine-Endwell) and
Charles Remillard (Peru/Peru) and sophomores
Thomas Wheeler (Rocky Point/Rocky Point),
Joe Carr (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and
Micah Patterson (Plattsburgh/Saranac). The relay medal came in the 4x400m relay event where the Red Dragons took third place.
Carr ran a personal best time of 7.02 in finishing fourth in the 60m dash. He also ran the first leg of the 4x400m relay, which included Wheeler and Patterson and freshman
Mike Engesser (Medford, NY/Longwood). Carr ran a time of 22.14 to finish third in the 200m dash to score points in that event for Oneonta.
Wheeler and Patterson also medaled in the 400 meters with their second and third place finishes respectively. Wheeler recorded a personal best time of 22.67 in the 200 meters in finishing sixth in that event.
Didas crossed the finish line in a time of 8:40.42, which gave him a second place finish in the 3000m run.
Remillard ran a personal best time of 14:58.75 to claim his medal with a third place finish in the 5000m run. He also finished fifth in the 3000m run.
Weinert was second in the weight throw to claim his medal. He also recorded a personal best distance of 15.01m in the shot put where he came in fourth place.
Weinert, Wheeler and Didas were all named to the All-Conference Second Team for their performances in the meet yesterday.
Women’s Track & Field
Mar. 1st at SUNYAC Championships, 4th with 93 points
The SUNY Oneonta women's track & field team moved back into the top half of the conference after its fourth place finish at the SUNYAC indoor championships hosted by Brockport last Saturday. The Red Dragons, who finished 6th at last year's championship, doubled its point total to score 93 points. SUNY Cortland accumulated 130 points to win the overall team title.
Oneonta came away with a pair of individual SUNYAC champions, as senior
Danielle Kennedy (Stony Point/Albertus Magnus) successfully defended her 3000m run title while classmate,
Brittany Cocchieri (Airmont/Suffern), captured her first conference title when she won the 200m dash. Kennedy's and Cocchieri's performances earned them First Team All-Conference honors.
Kennedy crossed the finish line in a time of 10:24.98, four seconds ahead of her teammate, freshman
Mary Kate Bida (Millbrook/Millbrook), who ran a 10:28.34 to finish second. Kennedy also ran a personal best time of 5:06.91 to finish second in the mile. Bida earned a medal along with earning a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.
Cocchieri ran 25.72 to win the 200m, which was a personal best time for the event. She was also the lead-off leg for the 4x400m relay that finished third with a season best time of 4:01.67. Junior
Chelsea Christonikos (New City/Clarkstown South) and freshmen
Carrie Small (Rockland County/North Rockland) and
Amanda Knox (Gloversville/Goversville) joined Cocchieri, as they earned a medal for its third place finish.
Oneonta's Distance Medley Relay along with freshmen
Hannah Baker (Marlboro/Marlboro Central) and
Alexandria Kober (Webster/Webster Schroeder) earned medals.
Baker cleared a personal best height of 1.65m to finish second in the high jump. She also earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.
Kober earned her medal with a third place finish in the triple jump. She recorded a distance of 11.10m to claim her third place finish at her first indoor championship. She also placed eighth in the long jump to score another point for the Red Dragons.
Oneonta's DMR was made up of for freshmen, who recorded a season best time of 12:40.65. The foursome included
Rachael Shine (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa),
Kierra Keys (Rensselaer/Columbia),
Megan Ottati (Amsterdam/Amsterdam) and
Olivia Popovitch (Clermont/Red Hook). Shine also ran a personal best time of 2:21.14 to finish fourth in the 800m run. Ottati was sixth in the event in a time of 2:23.05.
Softball (2-2/0-0 SUNYAC)
Mar. 1st at Christopher Newport, L 0-6; Mar. 1st vs. Eastern Conn. St., W 10-2 (6)
Mar. 2nd vs. Eastern Conn. St., W 8-6; Mar. 2nd at Virginia Wesleyan, L 0-5
The SUNY Oneonta softball team returned home from its weekend trip to Virginia Beach with a 2-2 overall record, splitting the doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.
In the second game of Saturday afternoon’s, the Red Dragons defeated Eastern Connecticut 10-2 in six innings, scoring five runs in that inning to end the game.
Eastern Connecticut took the lead in the third 1-0. Oneonta responded, plating three runs in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.
Traci Lichtenstein (Plainview, JFK) started the inning off with a single to left field. An error by the second baseman allowed
Brianna Rivera (Pomona, North Rockland) to reach base and advanced Krystn Neroda, who came in to pinch run for Lichtenstein. Nicole followed with a single and
Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park, Shenendehowa) scored Neroda on an error by the third baseman.
Jennifer Brocco (Kingston, Kingston) stepped to the plate and double to right field bringing home the other two runs of the inning.
Eastern Connecticut would close the game to 3-2 in the top of the sixth but Oneonta closed out the game by scoring five runs to end the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Marzillo, O’Gorman, Brocco,
Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls, Roy C. Ketcham),
Jamie Whittam (Saugerties, Saugerties),
Kelly Graham (Staten Island, Moore Catholic), Lichtenstein and Rivera all got on base via hits with doubles by Marzillo and Lichtenstein. The Red Dragons did this without recording a single out before ending the game by the run rule.
Rachel Hitt (Boonville, Adirondack Central) earned her first win of the season allowing three hits, two earned runs and two strikeouts.
On Sunday, they opened the doubleheader session with a win against Eastern Connecticut State, 8-6.
In the top of the second, Rivera tripled and was scored on a single by Marzillo to right field.
After Whittam was hit by a pitch, she would steal second and score on a Lichtenstein single to right field. Rivera stepped in a laced a triple to left field scoring Lichtenstein to give the Red Dragons a 3-0 lead.
Eastern Connecticut cut the lead to 3-2 after four innings but Oneonta would tack on two more runs in the top of the fifth for a 5-2 lead. Back-to-back bunt singles by
Meaghan Foster (Walden, Valley Central) and Whittam put runners in scoring position for Rivera once again as she roped a double to center field.
Eastern Conn. would again add two runs in the bottom of the inning and just like clockwork, Oneonta put two more on the board. After a Brocco double, Cuevas singled to center field to move Brocco to third. Nichoel Paolino walked to load the bases. Graham brought home the two runs on a single to right field.
Oneonta would close it out with a run in the seventh as Marzillo started the inning off with a double and then stole third. Cuevas would be the third out by the pitcher but not before Marzillo was able to score the eighth and final run for the Red Dragons.
Freshman Sabrina DeAngelis would earn her first collegiate win, allowing two earned runs on eight hits and striking out one in four innings of work.
Men’s Lacrosse (0-3/0-0 SUNYAC)
Mar. 1st at Farmingdale State, L 8-9 OT
Four straight goals gave the Farmingdale State men's lacrosse team a 9-8 overtime victory in last Saturday’s non-conference game against Oneonta State.
Farmingdale State led 3-0 after the first period, with an 11-4 ground ball advantage as they held the Red Dragons to three shots on goal.
In the second period, Oneonta got two goals on the board in the first ten minutes as the Rams held a 4-2 edge at the halftime break. Sophomores
Brandon Hickey (Pearl River/The Harvey School) and
Josh Heller (Plainview/Plainview JFK) scored for the Red Dragons.
Oneonta controlled the third period with 11 ground balls and forcing six turnovers as they posted three goals to take a 5-2 lead. Sophomore
Devon Casey (Garden City/Kellenberg) scored two of the goals including the go-ahead goal with 1:34 remaining in the period.
In the fourth, Oneonta added two more to nearly put the game out of reach at 7-4, before Schaefer made it 7-5 with an unassisted goal. Casey scored his third goal of the game that gave the Red Dragons a three-goal lead at 7:29.
With 3:39 on the clock and trailing 8-5, the Rams scored two goals to make it 8-7 with 2:38 remaining in regulation. The game-tying came with 48 seconds to go.
Oneonta opted not to shoot and held the ball over the final seconds to secure the opening possession in overtime. At the 1:43 mark in OT, the Rams goalkeeper saved a point blank shot by Heller to keep his team in the game. With 47 seconds on the clock and Oneonta clearing the ball, a Ram forced a turnover, picked up the ground ball and dished it to a teammate who sent it home for the game-winning score.
The Red Dragons were led by Casey, who had three goals, while Heller tallied two goals and an assist. Sophomore goalie
Kevin Fitzpatrick (Rocky Point/Rocky Point) had eight saves in defeat.
Mar. 5th vs. Union, L 6-8
A comeback effort for the SUNY Oneonta men's lacrosse team fell short against Union College last Wednesday in its home opener.
Senior
Daniel Stern (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) led the offense with one goal and two assists while sophomore
Connor Coyle (Centerport/Harborfields) added a pair of goals for Oneonta (0-3).
Sophomore Nolan Stauffer led Union (1-1) with two goals.
Stauffer and junior Connor Hall scored just 14 seconds apart in the opening period to give the Dutchmen and early 2-0 lead. Both goals were unassisted.
Sophomore
Heller scored an unassisted goal for the Red Dragons with 54 seconds remaining in the first period to cut the lead in half entering the second period.
Union got goals from Greg Mooney, Stauffer and Adam Johnson in the second period to build a 5-1 lead at halftime.
In the third period, the two teams combined for five goals with Union having a 3-2 advantage to lead 8-3 at the end of the period. Coyle and classmate
Casey scored for Oneonta in the period.
Oneonta began to close the gap when Stern scored an unassisted goal at 12:31 of the fourth period to make the score 8-4. Coyle brought Oneonta closer with a goal at 5:52 off an assist from Stern. The Red Dragons scored one final goal with 28 seconds left for the final of 8-6.
Sophomores
Fitzpatrick and
Justin Benigno (Massapequa/St. John the Baptist) split the game in goal for Oneonta and combined for eight saves.
Women’s Lacrosse (4-0/0-0 SUNYAC)
Mar. 1st vs. Rensselaer, W 7-6
Freshman
Katie Flannery (Massapequa/Plainedge) scored the game-winner with 3:59 remaining in last Saturday's contest, as the SUNY Oneonta women's lacrosse team tripped up preseason No. 10 Rensselaer, 6-5, in its home opener. Flannery took the pass from senior
Casey Sarle (West Islip/West Islip) before shooting the ball past Erin Amarello.
The swarming Oneonta (3-0) defense, anchored by sophomore goalie
Amanda Reichardt (Kings Park/Kings Park) and junior defender
Marissa Makar (Yorktown/Yorktown), denied the Rensselaer attack over the final four minutes to secure the win that keeps the Red Dragons perfect in the early season. Reichardt recorded eight saves including one final save with 33 seconds. Makar collected five of Oneonta's 14 caused turnovers in the game.
Junior
Nikki Fioretti (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown) tied the score for Oneonta 37 seconds previous to Flannery's goal with an assist from senior
Chelsea Collins (St. James/Smithtown East).
Rensselaer grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes of the contest.
Junior
Jillian Donodeo (Holbrook/Sachem East) then scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at two apiece in the ninth minute.
The Red Dragons went ahead, 3-2, on an unassisted goal by junior
Nicole Boylan (Massapequa/Massapequa) in the 20th minute. Page of Rensselaer then scored back-to-back goals in the final 5:27 to give the Engineers a 4-3 lead at the break.
Just 23 seconds into the second half RPI scored to give them the two-goal lead back at 5-3.
Junior
Kiera McNally (East Northport/Northport) got Oneonta to 5-4 when she scored an unassisted goal in the 37th minute. The goal for McNally was her 100th collegiate goal.
Mar. 4th at Hartwick, W 17-6
The No. 17 SUNY Oneonta women's lacrosse team jumped out to a 9-2 halftime lead en route to a 17-6 runaway victory over cross-city rival Hartwick College.
Senior
Collins led the offense with one goal and six assists while junior
McNally added five goals and one assist. Sophomore
Catherine Clark (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills) scored three goals while juniors
Fioretti and
Boylan each scored two goals to round out those players who had a multi-goal game for Oneonta.
Senior
Stefanie Rodriguez (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown) opened the scoring in today's match, as she notched her first collegiate goal in the fourth minute with an assist from Collins.
Twelve minutes into the game, the two teams were tied, 2-2, before Oneonta scored seven unanswered goals to close out the half with a 9-2 lead. McNally scored three of her four first half goals during the run.
In the second half, Clark scored her three goals, as the Red Dragons put up another eight goals en route to the final of 17-6.
Sophomore
Reichardt made four saves in 43 minutes of action, as she picked up her fourth win of the season. Senior
Laura Grose (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown) played the final 17 minutes for the Red Dragons and made three saves while allowing two goals.
