Tennis prepares for NCAA Tournament

Though the school year may be coming to an end, the tennis team has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success this season on their way to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Tournament, which is set to take place from May 22-27. 

With an overall record of 11-7, the team looks to continue their success by beating their last opponents of the regular season, St Lawrence University, on Saturday April 15 and taking that momentum into the NCAA Tournament. 

After conquering rival SUNY New Paltz to claim the title of SUNYAC Tournament Champion in the fall, the team appeared outmatched in several of its matches during the spring season. The team has split their last two, with an 8-1 defeat of Union College and a 9-0 loss to the University of Rochester. Despite the 1-4 record in April, there is still a sense of optimism for this team to do remarkable things in the NCAAs.

“During the fall, we competed against teams like SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Cortland in our effort to win the SUNYAC Tournament in October,” junior captain Rachel Ollis said. “During the spring semester—after we were victorious in the SUNYAC Tournament—we played against private schools in preparation for the NCAAs in early May.”  

During the season, it is a grind on a week-to-week basis. 

“Practices are two hours, but we usually get a day off during the week. However, during practice, we warm up, practice shots, participate in many drills, work on the net game, work on doubles and compete against each other,” Ollis said. “My typical day as a Geneseo athlete is class, then immediately practice.”

When accounting for the team’s success this season, it is difficult not to concentrate on head coach Jason Stephens, but there are several other additional factors that contribute to a team’s overall success on the court. 

“We are lucky to have a tennis coach who teaches tennis as a profession,” Ollis said. “As a result, practices run more effectively because he knows what he is doing. He works on the players individually with what they need to work on.”

The team’s relationship has been another factor in their success. 

“We never let anyone stand out on the courts by themselves—supporting each other is a huge thing,” Ollis said. “We always do everything together—get along, live together—and we have grown into a family.”  

The women hope to finish the season strong and to do well in the NCAA Tournament. Their goal is to focus on training over the summer so that they can come back swinging during their main season in the fall.

NFL draft has fans excited for season

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Defensive end Haason Reddick of Temple University goes through a drill during the National Football League football Scouting Combine, held in Indianapolis. Many other players demonstrated their skills at this combine with the hopes of getting the attention of NFL coaches. (Michael Conroy/AP Photo)

It has been more than a month since the New England Patriots captured their sixth Super Bowl Championship in Houston. Overcoming a 28-3 deficit at halftime to the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Tom Brady and company came up victorious in overtime with a score of 34-28. This comeback has garnered historic fame as one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, let alone the Super Bowl. 

As the New England fans clamored with the feeling of victory for a record-sixth time, the National Football League fans of the 31 other franchises could barely hold the anticipation for what the 2017-18 season would bring for their beloved teams. Even though the NFL calendar did not begin until March 9, scouts, general managers and coaches all gathered in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium for the NFL Scouting Combine starting Feb. 28. 

This event marked the beginning of the draft process for those college football athletes who declared eligibility for April’s draft. 

Prospects from all skill positions competed in various drills to test their skills in certain football situations. Many athletes participated in the bench press, 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and on-the-field workouts. For each position group, the workouts varied. For example, the running back prospects would catch passes, while the offensive linemen would focus on their footwork and moving laterally. 

To begin this event, the linemen and running backs performed on March 3, the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends on March 4, linebackers and defensive linemen on March 5 and the safeties and cornerbacks on March 6. Through every drill and workout, the players tried to raise his draft stock and prove to a potential NFL franchise that he is worth the selection. 

 Not only did the prospects display their football ability, but at the end interviews were conducted to get to know the players’ background and the people they grew up with. Some coaches even tried to interview their little-league coaches about what they were like as kids. 

After the combine concluded, there were still questions surrounding the prospects and the franchises searching for talent. The Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 overall pick and the No. 12 pick in the first round—but it is still unclear what their plans are. 

Myles Garrett, one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class, did not disappoint at the combine. He showed power, speed and quickness throughout every drill. Even though it has been said the Browns will take him with the first pick overall, head coach Hugh Jackson has not ruled out selecting a quarterback. 

With the onset of a new NFL year, free agency began on March 9 at 4 p.m. Usually, several teams try to sign veterans who can fill glaring holes on their rosters. The implications of this period would give potential first round picks hope and despair if a team that was interested had signed another player to compete at their position. This would ultimately determine if a highly sought after athlete would be taken in the first round, or slide into the later rounds. 

Teams may look to sure up a certain position if the individual they signed is older. With the recent onslaught of pro days and individual workouts, players can show the scouts and coaches first-hand how talented they are in a more intimate setting. 

Consequently, this provided teams with a chance to see an athlete perform in his home field. Additionally, players not only received a comprehensive description of how they would fit in with the teams that they have an interest in, but the prospect also could attempt to correct any drill that he performed poorly at the combine. 

Through this individual workout, the player’s stock will skyrocket with the comforts of home.

Men’s club soccer provides competition, camaraderie

The Geneseo men’s club soccer team gives students an opportunity to continue playing competitive soccer after their high school careers. While there are other opportunities to play soccer here at Geneseo—such as intramurals—the club program allows for students to play at a more competitive level.

Junior communication major Pat Hurley is a devout member of the club soccer team. “[Club soccer] is an incredible opportunity,” Hurley said in an email interview. The team has quite a selective process when it comes to choosing new members. 

“At the beginning of the fall season, there are a few days appropriated for tryouts,” Hurley said. “Of all those who tryout, only 22 will compete on the active roster. Such a roster entails a game squad and practice squad.” 

For those select few who are able to claim a spot on the active roster, they must be ready to make a serious time commitment. 

“We compete in the fall for only a few months because of weather and the availability for fields, as we are not a Varsity sport,” Hurley said. 

Despite the time commitment, the league is relatively informal. There is not a set playoff system that is to be followed. Instead, the team seeks to play only a few games when the weather begins to get nicer in the spring. 

“We make cuts in order to play at a higher level, pitch in for jerseys and look to take this opportunity as seriously as possible,” Hurley said.  

To compete in matches against other clubs across the state, there needs to be a hierarchy of positions to ensure that the program moves smoothly. Students who are players on the team fill these roles. 

“The president runs everything through the school, like reserving fields,” Hurley said. “There is a student coach that runs practices, names the game squad and the captains act as general leaders to get the players ready to go for that week’s upcoming game.” 

Throughout the rest of this season’s campaign and moving into the future, the team works to improve and to grow as both individuals and as a program. Like many other athletes, however, Hurley is confident in the team’s attempts to build this team and organization into a great threat. 

“We are always looking to improve,” Hurley said. “It’s OK to not be satisfied, as we always want to get better at skills. With hard work and commitment, we are looking to grow in every aspect of the game—whether it be mental, physical or just kicking the ball around.” 

Such improvement will not come without serious commitment from everyone involved in the team and the organization. If everyone is doing their best, then they can only hope to improve in their future endeavors.

Spring 2017 women’s lacrosse preview

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The women’s lacrosse team endures the harsh Geneseo weather in order to prepare for their 2017 season. The women’s first game will take place on March 1 in a home game against St. Lawrence University. (Ash Dean/Photo Editor)

The Geneseo women’s lacrosse team is anticipating the beginning of their 2017 spring season, with their first game scheduled for Wednesday March 1. Looking to pick up where they left off last spring, the women are expecting to be successful and to have a fair shot at the SUNYAC title.  

With the buildup of positive momentum from the 2016 season, the women hope to expand on it in order to capture another SUNYAC title. During the 2016 campaign, head coach Carly Ritchlin led this team to a 12-6 regular season record. More importantly, the women conquered their own conference, finishing the year with a 6-2 record against divisional opponents. 

After the regular season concluded, they competed in their 16th SUNYAC Tournament semifinal game in the past 18 years. This seems to be a nod toward the potential this team has for the upcoming year. 

When looking forward to the season, Ritchlin is anxious and cannot wait to be competing once again. She holds strong standards for this team. 

“This team has worked very hard in the offseason to improve on their skills,” Ritchlin said. “There has been much adapting and adjusting, as new systems were established since last season.” 

Ultimately, she is convinced that the strong offseason work can carry over into the season. 

“We have a lot of talent on this team,” Ritchlin said. “There are numerous goal-scorers and athletes who can play strong defense. If we hold to this standard, we can win a lot of games and be successful.” 

Though several new players joined the team, Ritchlin does not believe this is a sign of weakness. 

“We have to set the bar high every year,” Ritchlin said. “The ultimate goal is to win the NCAA Tournament.” 

There were nine freshmen added to the ranks this offseason. Several are playing at a high level, according to Ritchlin. These freshmen look to help contribute to the team’s success early and often. Even though the season has not yet started and the women have yet to be tested, strengths and weaknesses of the team have already been apparent.

“We are a very good team, but our real strengths lie in our speed, stick-work and the ability to shoot and score,” Ritchlin said. “We are a very talented team with a lot of good players.”

Their weakness, however, lies in the fact that they are a young team. 

“Even though we are so young, we attempt to equip every player on this team with the tools and skills to be successful if called upon,” Ritchlin said. 

This team is primed to repeat the success of last spring. With such lofty goals for so young of a group, it will be interesting to see how these players perform during the season. 

The team is set to play their first game against St. Lawrence University on Wednesday March 1 at 4 p.m. There, they will look to begin their journey toward a title.

Intramural broomball adopts new rules

With the beginning of the second semester comes the start of the second intramural broomball season. This season will be slightly different from the rest, however, as there are new rules that will be introduced to the sport. 

Broomball is one of Geneseo’s most beloved intramural sports; consequently, a myriad of students became concerned when they heard about the most recent changes. Intramural and Recreational Director Brooks Hawley helped to clarify these new rules. 

“Instead of six people on the ice at once, there would now be five, including the goaltender,” Hawley said. “This new rule was established so that the score would pick up. People would have more room to move around and pass.” 

This was a response to several games ending with scores of 0-0 and 1-1 in the fall semester. To ensure that these types of scores do not occur as often in the future, though, new overtime rules were also instated. 

“There will now be a two minute overtime for which three people on each team would be on the ice at once,” Hawley said. “Whoever scores first would win the game. If, however, there was no score within that two minute interval, the result would unfortunately be a tie.”

These new rules apply to the regular broomball season. There are special cases to the new overtime rule in the playoffs, however, according to Hawley. 

“We need a winner [with overtime matches]. There can be no ties,” Hawley said. “If a winner cannot be found within the two minutes allotted, there would ultimately need to be a shootout.” 

This new shootout policy will make it easier to determine a winner during the postseason and will help to send teams up in the rankings.

While this announcement may come as a surprise to many broomball players, Hawley said that they were necessary for the game to continue to be successful. These new rules should essentially make it easier for each team to score on their opponents.

“These rules needed to be instituted immediately because it would offer more scoring and in effect be more exciting to those participants who compete in these matches … we need to get away from these low-scoring games in broomball,” Hawley said. “With the amount of people on the ice being reduced, each athlete will have more freedom to move and pass more efficiently.” 

These new rules are something to be excited about, according to Hawley. 

“There will undoubtedly be more enthusiasm during every game,” Hawley said. “With those late-night hours, players will be more enthused that their effort will not be for nothing.” 

These new rules look to make teams more successful and they aspire to allow for the playoff brackets to be fairer. With the ever-increasing popularity of broomball, these rules should be easy to adapt to and will likely end up being beneficial for players.

Geneseo intramurals provide stress relief for students

While many people may envision college athletics to consist solely of varsity and club sports, it is important to recognize the importance and popularity of the intramural sports program. The intramural program at Geneseo caters to a large portion of the campus community, allowing for everyone to participate in sports, whether they were former high school athletes, current varsity athletes or students who just enjoy playing the sport.

It may not be the most competitive or serious sports program, but that’s exactly what makes it perfect for so many students. It is a program that almost everyone tries out at some point during his or her college career, as participation in the intramural has increased dramatically over the years.

“Participation has been very good. Teams send their entry forms to my office, or can complete an online submission,” Intramural and Recreation Director Brooks Hawley said. “The online submissions have been a good option for the students, as more than half of the team submissions have been online.”

There are many reasons why one should join an intramural sport, but some students may be tentative to participate, especially if they believe that they do not have the skill to play. Hawley clarified some key reasons, however, as to why college students should join intramural sports.

“Students should participate to have fun and be with friends in a relaxed atmosphere,” Hawley said. “For those who have played a high school sport but do not currently play in college, it is an excellent way to compete.”

Many colleges and universities boast of an excellent intramural program, but the program at Geneseo is one-of-a-kind in that it provides students with a way to balance school with other situations of their lives.

“When one plays an intramural, they can leave the stress of a test behind, begin to decompress and take advantage of all the student life Geneseo has to offer,” Hawley said.

There are currently four intramural seasons at Geneseo. Of the numerous sports offered throughout each of the four seasons, however, the two sports that have been the most popular during the 2016-17 school year so far are outdoor soccer and broomball, according to Hawley.

One of the most popular and original sports to play at Geneseo is broomball, which can be thought of as an original take on hockey. One of the main reasons Geneseo offers this sport is because not many students have prior experience in competing in such an unusual activity.

“It takes place in the ice rink on campus; all participants wear sneakers, the ice is worn down so everyone is at a disadvantage, the stick used is like a broom where one team is trying to hit a heavy ball into another team’s net,” Hawley said. “The teams are usually six-on-six players, where the games are usually three periods for seven minutes. Since there are only three to five games in a season, everyone shows up, as there are no forfeits.”

The more difficult aspect of creating a broomball team, however, is the prospect of playing games as late as 1:30 a.m. That scares away many potential players who have early classes and love their sleep.

“The only reason intramurals are played so late at night is the order of teams who could use the ice during the season,” Hawley said. “The varsity teams have the right to use it first, then the club sports and, finally, the intramurals.”

In addition to broomball, there are many highlights that should be mentioned when speaking of intramural sports, such as flag football and outdoor soccer.

Patriots prove they are still No. 1 in AFC East

The Buffalo Bills proved that the New England Patriots are still the class of the American Football Conference East, especially with Tom Brady under center, during the game on Sunday Oct. 30 in Orchard Park. The return of Brady gave the Patriots a tremendous advantage not previously held during the first meeting between these franchises.

The last time the two teams met, Brady was still serving a four-game suspension for deflating footballs. Their already-injured third string quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, started and the Patriots were shut out at home for the first time since 1993 with a 16-0 defeat. This defeat is the only loss on their record coming into Sunday’s game.

The Bills came into Sunday’s game at an immediate disadvantage to the Patriots. With three of their most potent weapons being out with injuries—including wide receiver Sammy Watkins, running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Robert Woods—the lineup, especially on the offensive side of the ball, appeared depleted. This did not bode well for a team who could potentially sweep an organization that has been so competitive in recent years. In fact, the Bills had not swept the Patriots in a season series since 1999.

The defense looked to get after Brady early, only to watch as he carved up the defense with crisp passes and incredible accuracy. Even though the pressure forced Brady to scramble in the pocket, he was still able to be as accurate as ever, delivering two touchdown passes to wide receivers Danny Amendola and former Bill Chris Hogan on the first two Patriots possessions. He then hit tight end Rob Gronkowski for his 69th career touchdown reception—a Patriots record.

To finish the day, Brady hit wide receiver Julian Edelman for his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon, ultimately silencing any hopes of a comeback for Buffalo. He finished the afternoon completing 22 of 33 of his passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns, each to different receivers.

Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the rest of the Bills offense added two touchdowns late, one on a 26-yard keeper from Taylor himself and another six through running back Jonathan Williams.

It seems the injuries keep piling up for the Bills, as linebacker Lorenzo Alexander did not return to action. One of Buffalo’s young wide receivers, Brandon Tate, left the game and is currently being examined in the concussion protocol. On top of all of this, running back Reggie Bush is suffering from a groin injury.

The Patriots have been rolling on a four-game winning streak with Brady’s playing. With the perennial all-pro quarterback playing his best football at 39 years old, the Patriots are still the class of the AFC and look to return to the Super Bowl for the second time in the past four years.

The Bills are left to ponder the “what if” of sports. With a victory, they would have snapped the streak and swept the Patriots in their season series. With the defeat, the Bills’ record stands at 4-4 at the midpoint of the regular season. Headed into their bye-week, the Patriots hold the best record in the NFL at 7-1.

When looking at how many games New England has on the Bills in the division, it seems inevitable that the Pats will conquer the AFC East for yet another straight year.

Women’s soccer make SUNYAC tournament

The Geneseo women’s soccer team finished the regular season in a dominant fashion on Saturday Oct. 22 with a 3-0 victory over SUNY Plattsburgh and an overall record of eight wins and two losses. With this impressive feat, the women not only boast an excellent record, but also have clinched the second seed and a first-round bye to the SUNYAC Tournament.

What made this day even more special was the fact that it was Senior Day for the graduating class. Head coach Nathan Wiley thought that this tradition was great for the players; Wiley acknowledged that there is much more emotion that goes into these games than some would suspect, as this is the last time the seniors will be competing on their home field.

“It is a credit to play well and get the result we want,” Wiley said.

A key contributor to the success of the Knights was senior midfielder Emily Green, who netted the first goal that day.

The team was also victorious against SUNY Potsdam on Friday Oct. 21. Senior midfielder Laurie Knapp netted the game’s only goal in a 1-0 victory.

“We have played very well defensively,” Wiley said. “Our ability to attack the goal has led to great success.”

The multiple goals scored against Plattsburgh in the last regular season match of the year is evidence of the Knights’ strong offense. Over the previous two games against Plattsburgh and Potsdam, the women have not allowed in any goals against them, proving that their defense is exceedingly successful.

As far as correcting any weaknesses his players might carry, Wiley believes that their most recent success is attributed to what the team does well.

“These women have done excellent in honing their strengths consistently throughout the last two matches,” Wiley said.

Wiley had nothing but positive things to say with regard to a potential run in the playoffs. Even though the women have been playing excellent soccer as of late, there are still many areas of their game that need to be consistently evaluated.

“With a little more than a week to prepare for the semifinal match, the women must remain focused and determined,” Wiley said. “We need to stay healthy and active if we are to be successful during the playoffs next week.”

Even though the team is on a first-round bye for the SUNYAC Tournament, there are still several aspects of their game that need to be cleaned up before playoffs begin.

“We need to pressure up the field better and take better advantage of opportunities around the net and restarts,” Wiley said

In the meantime, the women continue to work on strengthening their skills. They hope to win on Wednesday Nov. 2 to move on to the SUNYAC Tournament finals.

Women’s soccer approaches postseason with tenacity

The Geneseo women’s soccer team continues their strong play with a record of six wins and two losses as they look to advance into the postseason. Head coach Nathan Wiley is proud of their success thus far; however, he acknowledges one of the main things that he seems disappointed about: their high number of ties. While the women may have plenty of more wins than they do losses, they still have five ties on their record, making their record 6-2-5 on the season.

Not bad, but Wiley knows that they are capable of much more. Wiley claims that as a team, “We’ll figure it out,” not allowing the issue to get in the way of the remainder of the season. Overall, the ladies are playing well, coming off of victories in two out of their last three games, including two 2-0 wins against SUNY Cortland and SUNY Brockport.

The new players have adjusted quite well and appear to be a valuable asset to the team in upcoming seasons, according to Wiley. Some of the freshmen have grasped the attention of the coaching staff with their contributions to the team so far. Wiley mentioned how they are models of the prestigious soccer program that Geneseo embodies.

“Their work ethics are incredible and we are so excited about the future,” Wiley said.

Wiley believes that the women should be able to clinch the No. 2 seed in conference play after their most two recent victories. Altogether, he claimed that keeping this in mind is important for the women, as they just want to have a strong finish to their season.

Wiley pointed out several strengths of the team including great soccer IQ, speed, playing well within the system and having a strong defense. As far as weaknesses go, Wiley said that the team has had trouble starting the games off as fast as the coaches would like.

“We need to be competitive for 90 minutes,” he said. “We need to grab that physical nature to get ahead.”

Wiley had nothing but excellent things to say about the squad’s chemistry. In fact, he went on to say that they are all fantastic teammates. In addition, they encourage each other to push until the end and to promote the soccer program at Geneseo in the most spectacular way possible.

“These women do a wonderful job and my coaching staff and I cannot wait to see what the future will bring,” Wiley said.

The women look to continue the momentum when they take on SUNY Potsdam on Friday Oct. 21 and SUNY Plattsburgh on Saturday Oct. 22. With their skill level and motivation, victories in these games are possible. The girls’ level of play will hopefully exceed Wiley’s hopes for the team to end the season on a strong note.