The sports world comes together in wake of Boston bombings

Posted by Katie Peverada

On Saturday, the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3, a victory that moved the Red Sox to 12-4. This victory meant more than most, though. It was important victory as it helped begin the healing process for the city of Boston after tragic events at the Boston Marathon just five days before.
Sports have long been used to help cities and people move on after tragic events. After the Sept. 11 attacks, a major sporting event did not take place in New York City until Sept. 21. But just as with the recent events in Boston, the various professional leagues had decided that postponing games was the right decision, which it was. But eventually, on Sept. 21, people realized that sports and athletes hold a great healing power.
The first game on Sept. 21 was played between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. It held huge significance in the National League playoff race, so it would have been emotional to begin with, with players and fans alike staunchly holding true to their fandoms.
But something different happened.
The Mets fans and the Braves fans came together. The bitter rivals were cheering together in the stands, waving American flags, and collectively erupting when Mike Piazza hit a towering homerun for the Mets to put them ahead 3-2, the eventual final score.
This past week in Boston, the same thing happened.
On Wednesday, during the Bruins' game against the Buffalo Sabres-the first game in Boston after the marathon bombings-the crowd of 17,565 came together to sing the national anthem. The game was played, though, with each fan cheering for their respective team. The Bruins lost 4-3 in a shootout, and Buffalo fans in the arena rejoiced that their playoff hopes were still alive. But after the game, both teams came together at center ice and raised their sticks in a salute to the fans, and the fans returned with chants of "USA! USA!"
The Braves and Sabres fans weren't necessarily cheering for a Mets victory or a Bruins victory. They cheered for the perseverance of the effected people, but also for a return to normality, something desperately needed. They cheered for the Braves or Sabres not only because Boston fans wouldn't want pity any day of the week, but because it was the normal thing to do.
For people to return to rooting against the Mets on Sept. 21 or continue to boo the Bruins on Saturday shows what sports do in the aftermath of a tragedy: they return people to normality.
Sports gather people together in one place to cheer on teams or individuals competing for a victory. Playing or watching or cheering for sports gives an outlet, no matter how trivial it may seem, for people to be normal again.
After the Sandy Hook shootings, the soccer community came together to help over 1,000 kids from Newtown return to an activity that gave them joy. Names like Landon Donovan, Christie Rampone, Mia Hamm and Cobi Jones were all present and playing soccer with the kids. For these stars to play with the kids allowed the kids to see that being normal and playing sports again was okay.
So whether it's a fan in the grandstand watching Piazza's homerun shoot into the sky or a little kid at the Sandy Hook soccer clinic, sports and its athletes allow people to heal. Sports allow all people-old and young, fans of the Royals or Red Sox, Mets or Braves, Bruins or Sabres-to see that while yes, they are being rooted against, they're also being rooted for.

Liberty League honors three

Posted by Katie Peverada

The Liberty League honored three Thoroughbreds for their performances last week. Nick Petrella '15 (baseball), Jimmy Sherpa '14 (tennis) and Nataly Mendoza '13 (tennis) were all selected for their hard work.
Petrella was named to the Honor Roll after he threw a complete game shutout to help lead Skidmore to a 6-0 win over Vassar College. Petrella scattered six hits and four strikeouts across the seven innings, while only walking two batters. It was Petrella's team-leading fifth win of the season.
Sherpa was named to the Honor Roll after he won his match at the number one singles spot to help lead Skidmore to a 6-3 victory over the University of Rochester. Sherpa also teamed with Jonah Epstein '16 to steal a win at the number one doubles spot.
Mendoza earned her fourth Women's Tennis Performer of the Week as she led Skidmore to an 8-1 victory over the University of Rochester and to a 9-0 victory over Ithaca College. Mendoza, playing at the number one singles spot, won both of her matches and then teamed with Lee Ford '14 to earn two victories at the number one doubles.

NBA Talk: First round predictions

Posted by Andrew Shi

The playoffs have already commenced, so these predictions do have the benefit of witnessing two days of games, but there are bound to be surprises as players fall to injury left and right. Without further ado, the predictions, starting with the East.

Eastern Conference:

Heat(1) vs. Bucks(8):

The Bucks, between Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, have a more impressive backcourt, and this season's breakout of Larry Sanders gives them a much better center than whoever the Heat decide to play there. Still, the Heat have Lebron James, who gets better every year and led the Heat to their best season yet. The Heat also have a substantially improved bench with the additions of Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Chris Anderson.

Prediction: Heat sweep the Bucks

Knicks (2) vs. Celtics (7)

The Knicks have also had a breakout season, with a deeper bench and a deadlier Melo. The Celtics, on the other hand, have lost Ray Allen. The other two members of the Celtics' original Big Three are years beyond their prime and All-Star Rajon Rondo is out with a torn ACL. You can never count the Celtics down and out, and Garnett is still the most frightening man to play against, but it doesn't look good for them this year.

Prediction: Knicks win in six

Pacers (3) vs. Hawks (6)

The Pacers' defense is tougher than ever and Paul George made his first All-Star appearance, and deservedly so. The Hawks, meanwhile, lost Joe Johnson and trade rumors concerning Josh Smith have seemed to depress his playing at times. The Hawks have been inconsistent and a victim of one-too-many injuries.

Prediction: Pacers win 5-1.

Nets (4) vs. Bulls (5).

First time since 2007 that the Nets have seen the playoffs, and, after several shaky moments in their season, they managed to clinch fourth. Much rides on the performance of Deron Williams, who had an unusually lackluster season for a player of his caliber. Meanwhile, the Bulls exceeded expectations  without Derrick Rose. The Bulls have proven tenacious, and once overlooked players are now coming up big (read: Jimmy Butler, Nate Robinson).  Without Derrick Rose and a less-than-100-percent Joakim Noah, everything indicates that the Nets will move on to round two, but the Bulls have proven throughout the season that they can still compete with the best. If any team is to make an upset in the East, it's them.

Prediction: Bulls win in game seven.

Western Conference:

Thunder (1) vs. Rockets (8)

An interesting match-up as James Harden returns to battle old teammates. But not even the skill of Harden will be able to overcome a now play-off experienced team with a much deeper bench than before.

Prediction: Thunder in five, and that's being generous toward the Rockets.

Spurs (2) vs. Lakers (7).

Both of these seeds surprised me. For most of the season, I expected the Lakers to perform better than they did, and the Spurs to play worse than they have. For some reason, the Spurs just won't age and the Lakers were never able to mesh into the team that was to supposedly take on the Heat. Some say that without Kobe, Dwight will be able to take over and lead the team to victory; I say otherwise.  The Lakers will put up a worthy fight, but won't be able to overcome the perplexing skill and chemistry of the Spurs.

Prediction: Spurs win 4-2.

Nuggets (3) vs. Warriors (6).

A late-season injury to Danilo Gallinari certainly dampened expectations for the Nuggets, but an equally dilapidating injury to Warrior David Lee has brought the Warriors down even further. While Wilson Chandler has proven capable of filling in the hole left by Gallinari, the Warriors will be at a lost without Lee. Their one hope is the injury-prone and former first-draft pick Andrew Bogut, because the sharpshooting of Stephen Curry alone won't be able to carry the Warriors.

Prediction: Nuggets 4-1

Clippers (4) vs. Grizzlies (5)

Like the Lakers, I had at the beginning of the season expected the Clippers to place higher than they did. Still, this is the team I have pulling the upset, if any do, and reaching the finals. They're explosive, young, experienced and could easily have the best bench in the league. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, didn't seem to lose much with the Rudy Gay trade, but certainly didn't gain anything either. In a starting five matchup, the only position where the Grizzlies visibly come out on top is with center Marc Gasol, although Deandre Jordan is getting better with every season and is a daily feature on the highlight reel.

Prediction: Clippers win in six.

Women's lacrosse falls to Amherst

Posted by Katie Peverada

The Thoroughbreds traveled to Amherst to take on the 12th-ranked Amherst College Jeffs, but came away on the wrong end of a 17-5 score.
The Jeffs jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, with each goal scored by a different player. It wasn't until almost halfway through the first half that Skidmore found the back of the net, when Emma Harris '16 netted her 18th goal of the season. Amherst responded with two goals of their own to make it 6-1, but Spencer Morgan '15 cut it to 6-2 when she took a pass from Robin Fetterolf '14 to the net. Again, Amherst responded with a scoring attack, again with four unanswered goals to make it 10-2 with 5:38 left in the half. Each team would add one more goal before the break, with Skidmore's Lexi Melville '13 beating the Amherst goaltender with a shot to the bottom right corner to make it 11-3.
Amherst opened the second half with two goals, and it was again not until the midway point that Skidmore would respond. Maggie Murphy '16 and Melville would both net goals to close the gap, but yet again Amherst scored four straight goals on their way to the 17-5 victory.
Hillary Densen of Amherst led all scorers with two goals and five assists. Melville led the Thoroughbred charge with two goals, while Murphy, Harris, and Morgan all chipped in with a goal. Anna Gubbins '15, Tess Mattimore '16 and Fetterolf all had a helper in the game. Shelby Witheford '15 finished with eight saves.
Skidmore looks to get back on track at home on Friday in a 4 p.m. Liberty League contest against Rochester.

Red Sox returning to form

Posted by Katie Peverada

The MLB season is young, with most teams having played about 14 games, or eight percent of their season. The Atlanta Braves turned heads with their 10-game winning streak and the Miami Marlins continue to make headlines for their lack of attendance. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox are quietly plugging along and sit atop the American League East with a record of 10-4. It must be a fluke, right?

Everyone from Sports Illustrated to Bleacher Report tabbed the Red Sox to finish last in the AL East this year, just as they did in 2012 while in the midst of yet another manager controversy. They aren't even supposed to be in the running to have another monumental collapse like they did during the 2011 season. And the last time they made the playoffs? 2009.
The 2013 Red Sox look different. The roster has been completely overhauled. There are only four players remaining from the 2007 World Series roster, and only one player remaining from the 2004 World Series roster. The Red Sox, for what seems like the first time ever, don't have a bona fide superstar like Adrian Gonzalez. The closest thing to one is 37-year-old David Ortiz, who is currently on the disabled list. The motto going into this season, especially after the past few years of missing the playoffs and media scrutiny, has been "We can only go up from here!"

And they have.
New manager John Farrell is a far cry from last year's Bobby Valentine fiasco. Farrell, a former Red Sox pitching coach, is similar in temperament to Terry Francona, the man who led Boston to those 2004 and 2007 titles. His calm approach to the game has been a welcome presence and has enabled the new players to mesh with the old. Fans are hoping he is their new Francona.

It also helps that the bats are alive again and the pitching has returned to form too.

Last year's 27th ranked pitching staff (4.70 ERA) is now second in the league (2.66). Two big reasons behind that improvement is the reemergence of aces Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. In 2012, Lester and Buchholz threw 4.82 and 4.56, respectively. This year, both have an ERA below 2.00. Newcomer Ryan Dempster is doing what he was brought in to do, which is eat up innings with quality starts. He also happens to be leading the team in strikeouts with 25. Offensively, Shane Victorino, another new addition, leads the team with .333 average, and Dustin Pedroia is not far behind with his .315. Hopefully, whenever he returns, Ortiz can put up the same numbers that he has put up the past two seasons (.318 average, .415 on-base percentage). And in the field, they are second-best with two errors on the year.

And in the media? The Red Sox are hardly even being mentioned. For once.

The Red Sox are off to an auspicious, unexpected start, and it is far too early to be making any predictions. But when October rolls around don't be so surprised if the Red Sox are battling for a playoff spot. Things are already looking up for the Boston Red Sox.

Men's lacrosse struggles against Middlebury

Posted by Katie Peverada

On their way to a 12-5 win, the Panthers of Middlebury scored four unanswered goals on three occasions throughout the game.
In the early goings, Skidmore looked posed to give the 11th ranked Panthers a good game, as Kevin Mulvey '16 put one home early to give the Thoroughbreds the early 1-0 lead. This was right after Matt Diaco 14' had made a fantastic save to start the offensive transition. Unfortunately, it would be their only lead, as Middlebury went on to score four unanswered goals, two coming from Panther Andrew Metros, to head into the second period up 4-1. At the 6:34 mark of the second, Josh Berger '15 made it 4-2 off of a Bryan Connolly '13 pass, but again Middlebury went on a 4-0 scoring streak to go up 8-2.
Skye MacLeod '16 opened the second half scoring, netting the first goal of his Skidmore career, and Mulvey added his second of the game to cut the lead in half. But, with seven seconds remaining, Middlebury's Joel Blockowicz made it 9-4 and ignited another scoring attack. By letting Middlebury score the first three goals of the fourth period, Skidmore found themselves in their deepest hole of the game, 12-4. Jon Hoeg '13 would score with 23 seconds remaining to make it 12-5, but it was too little too late for the Thoroughbreds.
Overall, Diaco looked strong in net, making 14 saves. Jon Broome of Middlebury led all scorers with three goals and an assist for four points. Kevin Mulvey had two goals and an assist for the Thoroughbreds, while Hoeg, Berger, and MacLeod all added one goal. Matt Ohara '15 added two assists and Connolly tallied one. Sam Christiansen '15 was strong on defense with four groundballs and two forced turnovers, while Chris Damm '15 scooped up three groundballs.
Skidmore, who fell to 4-9 overall, plays at home at 5 p.m. on Saturday against the Tigers of RIT in a crucial Liberty League match up.

Taking a look at the NHL playoff picture

Posted by Katie Peverada

With teams having no more than 10 games left in the NHL season, it's time to start looking at the playoff picture. Chicago and Pittsburgh were the first two to clinch spots in the playoffs this past weekend. But who else will?
Below Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference sit 11 teams with a realistic chance of making a playoff push. There is a bit of a surprising logjam at the bottom of the standings. And by surprising, I mean the teams that are there are unexpected. The New York Rangers were supposed to dominate, but they're fighting against the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets for their ticket to the playoffs.
The top three spots automatically go to the respective division winners, and in the Northeast and Southeast, it's wide open. In the Northeast, first-place Montreal (55 points) and second-place Boston (56) are separated by two points, both with nine games remaining. Boston's remaining schedule is easier, so look for them to win the division. Both teams will make the playoffs, though, with Montreal getting the fourth seed. In the Southeast, Washington (44) leads Winnipeg (42) by two points. They face each other in Washington on the April 23, a game Winnipeg could utilize to clinch the division. With a strong push against weaker opponents over their last eight games, six of which are at home, Winnipeg could pull ahead of Washington in the standings before they even meet. Whoever loses the Southeast, though, will have to fend off the feisty New Jersey Devils and (surprise!) New York Islanders.
The six through eight seeds in the East will be fought out until the final game, with the current sixth place Ottawa Senators (44) separated from 10th place New Jersey (40) by four points. Buffalo (38) and Philadelphia (37) are still in contention, but their disappointing seasons will end with them on the outside looking in. Ottawa (44) will make the playoffs based on the strength of their goaltending, and Toronto (48) will finally be back in the postseason hunt for the Stanley Cup. New Jersey will put up a good fight, but with half of their final eight games against top four teams, they will fall short of the final spot. So, look for Pittsburgh, Boston, Washington, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, New York Islanders and Winnipeg Jets to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
Below Chicago (64) and Anaheim (59) in the Western Conference sit 12 teams all in realistic contention. Chicago and Anaheim will win their divisions and be seeded first and second, respectively. Vancouver (52) is in third-place overall in the West and leads the Northwest division by six points over Minnesota (46). Minnesota does have an easier schedule to close out the season so they will threaten Vancouver for the number three spot. Los Angeles (48) has returned to form and will have a chance to defend its title. San Jose (47), even though they are third in the Pacific division, will be in the playoffs, it is just a matter of what seed.
The seventh and eighth playoff spots are where it gets tricky, with seventh place St. Louis (46) separated from 12th place Edmonton (39) by seven points. Phoenix (42) is in ninth and will remain outside of the playoffs, as seven of their last 10 games are on the road, where they have only won four times all season. Dallas and Columbus all have 39 points, four behind eighth place Detroit's 43 points. Edmonton has a tough schedule to close out the season, and five games against the top three teams will keep them from the last spot. Ditto for Dallas, who faces five top five teams in their last ten games. And while it would be great to see Columbus make it to the postseason, they won't.
So, the last two spots will go to St. Louis and Detroit. St. Louis plays seven of their last ten at home, three of which are against the bottom two teams: Calgary and Colorado. And Detroit will make it purely because they are Detroit and have made the playoffs for the past 21 seasons. In the Western Conference it will be Chicago, Anaheim, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Jose, Minnesota, St. Louis and Detroit.

Baseball drops three, wins one in four game series against St. Lawrence

Posted by Katie Peverada

The men's baseball team went 1-3 over the weekend, with their only victory an 8-5 win on Saturday afternoon.
In the first game Saturday, a 3-4 loss, all three Thoroughbred runs came in the first inning. Leejay Pollacchi '13 started things off with a walk, and then his teammates moved him along as Geoff Green '13, Erik Watkins '14 and Alex Barber '13 hit three consecutive singles. Matty Tatkow '13 then scored Watkins with a sacrifice fly. Green and Watkins each went 2-4 with a run scored, and Watkins also added an RBI. Nick Petrella '15, who ended up going six innings, struck out five, and gave up four runs (one earned) on seven hits. St. Lawrence scored their final run in the fifth inning to go up 4-3.
The Thoroughbreds then went on to score eight runs on 14 hits in the second game, with Watkins again having a strong game. The junior went 4-5, scored three runs and hit an RBI. Barber went 3-5 with three RBIs and scored a run of his own, while Spindel and Pollacchi were both 2-5. Pollacchi again got things started with a leadoff single and scored on an Alex Barber single. Max Martins '13 moved to 2-2 on the year after going 6.2 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on just three hits. Isaac Forman earned the save in his two innings of relief.

On Sunday, St. Lawrence won both games, beating the Thoroughbreds 2-1 and 7-2. Skidmore dropped to 3-5 in Liberty League play and 6-10 overall.
Matty Tatkow '13 scored Skidmore's only run in the first game off of a Mike Pannozzi '13 single. Skidmore starter Jordan Keysor '13 went 5.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits. Nick Masterson '16 and Mike LaVita '16 combined to hold the Saints scoreless in the relief effort.
In the second game the Saints went up 1-0 in the first inning and never looked back winning 7-2. Skidmore starter Andrew Bannon '15 pitched four innings, giving up three runs on four hits (two earned). Pollacchi had a strong day at the plate, hitting two doubles, while Geoff Green went 2-5 with a stolen base and Matty Tatkow went 3-5 with two stolen bases. Watkins, Spindel, Pannozzi and Jeremy Selecky '14 each added a hit for the Thoroughbreds.

Riding team moves on to IHSA nationals

Posted by Katie Peverada

The riding team earned a trip to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships by way of its second place finish at Zone II Championships this past weekend.
Skidmore scored 35 points, behind only St. Lawrence University's 44 points. Also competing were Alfred University, SUNY Stony Brook and the University of Connecticut. Only the top two teams move on to the national competition.
During the team competition, Natalie Williams '15 and Jiakun Fu '15 placed first in Novice over Fences and Walk Trot classes respectively. Keena Newton '13 placed second in Advanced Walk Trot Canter. Four Thoroughbred riders have also qualified to compete in individual classes at the IHSA national competition. Flavia D'Urso '13, Julia Mazzarella '13, Sandrine Couldwell '13 and Bettina Salfeld '14 will all compete with the top riders in the nation.
The IHSA nationals are being held May 2-5 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Skidmore and St. Lawrence also competed at the 2012 national show, placing second and first respectively. Overall, Skidmore has won six IHSA national titles, with the most recent win coming in 2010.

NBA Talk: Are the Lakers out?

Posted by Andrew Shi

As the final weeks of the regular season commence, NBA fans will be closely watching the Lakers and the Utah Jazz as they battle it out for the eighth and final playoff seed. Currently, the Lakers hold the spot but are only a half a game in front of the Jazz. The Lakers have seven games left and the Jazz have six. This could give the Lakers the opportunity to advance their lead over Utah, but the Lakers face a dramatically harsher schedule than the Jazz.

In the next seven games, the Lakers will have to play against the Grizzlies, Clippers, Hornets, Trailblazer, Warriors, Spurs and Rockets, in that order. Of these seven opponents, only two are currently ranked lower than the Lakers: The Hornets and the Trailblazers. Fortunately for the Lakers, all but two of their games are home, and one of those away games is against the Clippers, so they will still play on their own court.

The Lakers have not won a single game against the Spurs, Grizzlies or Clippers this season, which indicates these are three set-in-stone losses. History says they will likely lose to the Rockets, but both of their previous losses to the Rockets were away games. Their lone victory was at home and their next encounter is at home as well. They should be able to easily dispatch the Hornets, and they should be able to overcome the Warriors, who they're 2-1 against.

The Portland Trailblazers, though, is the other away game. The Lakers are 2-1 against them, but the two they won were home and the one they lost was away. Furthermore, their game against the Trailblazers is the second of a back-to-back night. The Lakers this season are 6-10 on back-to-back games, but the ones they've won have been against bottom seed teams and a Dirk-less Mavericks. Of the ones they've lost, one has been to the Trailblazers. It's generous to give the Lakers a 3-4 record for their last seven games, assuming they beat either the Trailblazers or Rockets, but more realistically it will be 2-5, with their two sole wins against the Hornets and the Warriors.

Now, the Jazz in their next six games have three on the road and three at home. Also, three of the games are against higher ranked opponents. The Jazz face the Hornets, Warriors, Thunder, Grizzlies and the Timberwolves twice. This season, the Jazz have gone 2-1 against the Hornets, and 2-0 against the Timberwolves. They are 1-1 against the Warriors, and 1-2 against both the Thunder and the Grizzlies. Against the Warriors, the Jazz won their match at home but lost away. This third game is away as well. A likely record for the Jazz is 3-3, but in their last game against the Grizzlies, depending on the standings, the Grizzlies may rest their better players as is customary for teams that know they are making the playoffs. Add in the fact that the Jazz are battling for a playoff seed and they could very well go 4-2.

In a realistic, best-case scenario for the Lakers, they will go 3-4 and the Jazz will go 3-3. That will leave the Lakers with a record of 42-40 and the Jazz at 42-40. A tie would give the Jazz the playoff berth by virtue of them winning this season's Jazz-Lakers series. It is highly unlikely that the Jazz will finish their last six games with less than three wins. If the Lakers wish to reach the playoffs they will need at least four wins. It's possible, but don't hold your breath.

Liberty League honors five Thoroughbrds

Posted by Katie Peverada

The Liberty League has honored five Skidmore athletes for their performances last week. The following five were winners of this week's awards:

Women's Tennis:
Nataly Mendoza '13 was named the Performer of the Week after going undefeated against Vassar College. Mendoza won the number one singles match with scores of 6-1, 6-3, and then teamed with Lee Ford '14 as the number one doubles pairing to win 8-4
Caroline Hobbs '16 earned Rookie of the Week after winning 6-4, 6-4 at number six singles against Vassar College.

Softball:
Cassie Fishkin '16 pitched all seven innings against Cazenovia, striking out four and allowing one unearned run on four hits. She also had a homerun against Cazenovia and was five for 13 at the plate on the weekend, which included two games each against Cazenovia and Utica.
Carol Brown '13 earned Performer of the Week for her work at the plate in games against Utica and Cazenovia. Brown had five hits in 12 at-bats, earned four walks, hit in two RBIs and scored four runs.

Men's Lacrosse:
Matt Ohara '15 was named to the Honor Roll for his performance against Vassar. Ohara scored a career-high five goals, forced one turnover and scooped up one groundball in the 14-4 Thoroughbred win.

Riding team heads to IHSA Zone II finals

Posted by Katie Peverada

Seven Skidmore riders earned the right to compete in individual classes at next week's Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Zone II Finals after their performance at the regional IHSA event this past weekend.
Seniors Flavia D'Urso, Julia Mazzarella, Emily Keefe and Sandrine Couldwell will all be competing in individual classes. They will be joined by Rachel Comp '15, Kyle Olson '14 and Bettina Salfeld'14.
Several Skidmore riders will also be competing in the team competition. In addition to her individual events, D'Urso will also be competing in the team competition. She will be joined by Olivia Cameron '13, Madeline Frank '13, Emory Wonham '13, Natalie Williams '15, Michelle Fu '15, Jessica Stoukides '16, and Kenna Newton '13.
The IHSA Zone II finals will be held in Greenvale, N.Y. on April 7.

Men's lacrosse beats RPI

Posted by Katie Peverada

Mike Perlow '13 netted three goals and an assist as the Thoroughbreds beat RPI 8-6 on Wednesday to improve to 2-1 in Liberty League play and 4-6 overall. RPI fell to 1-2 in the league and 5-5 overall.
RPI opened the scoring, but the game remained close throughout the first quarter. Perlow scored with 1:40 left to put Skidmore up 3-2, a lead they would never relinquish. When the second quarter began, the Thoroughbreds came out ready to play as they scored the first three goals. Kevin Mulvey '15 put one in at 3:24, his second of the game, to make it 6-2. RPI would add one before the half to make it 6-3 going into the break.
RPI scored the first goal of the second half to make it 6-4 and then answered a goal by Matt Ohara '15 with two more to make it 7-6 at the 13:28 mark. Just when it looked like Skidmore's lead was about to fall, a timely Perlow goal sealed the 8-6 Skidmore victory.
Perlow was the leading scorer of the day with three goals and one assist. Mulvey and Ohara each added two goals and an assist, while Jon Hoeg '13 tallied a goal and Bryan Connolly '13 added an assist. In goal, Matt Diaco '14 stood strong and made eight saves, while Taylor Best '14 added five groundballs and Brock Bakewell '15 had six.
Skidmore is back on the road against Hamilton College on April 10.

NBA Talk: The Delay of Rose

Posted by Andrew Shi

On Wednesday, the Bulls, without Derrick Rose, without Joakim Noah and without two more of their supporting cast members, defeated the red hot Miami Heat. They took the lead early but allowed the Heat to catch up before winning by four points. The Bulls' victory ended a 27 game streak that had put the Heat on the cusp of breaking the '71-'72 Lakers record of 33 games won in a row.

There had been three teams that could have plausibly ended the Heat's streak: The Spurs, the Knicks, and, tentatively, the Bulls -- very tentatively. What's important to take away from this game, though, is not the remorse of coming close to experiencing one of the greatest win streaks in NBA history, but the pressing thought of what would be the current seeding if the Bulls had Derrick Rose.

The Bulls were able to overcome the Heat without their eccentric center, Joakim Noah. But Noah has been intact for most of the season and the Bulls are just barely clinging to fifth place in the Eastern conference. If Derrick Rose, 2011 season MVP, was back, would the picture be different? Undoubtedly, yes. Many critics, analysts, commentators, fans and bandwagoners agree that the only threat to the Heat for the Eastern Conference championship is the Bulls with Derrick Rose.

Fortunately for every fan that just wishes to watch the Heat burn, rumors are circulating that the return of Rose is imminent, and many had expected him to return for the Heat game. But he didn't, and perhaps he shouldn't.

It might be best if Rose took the rest of the season off. It's possible that a Bulls rearmed with Rose could seriously challenge the Heat for the Eastern Conference, but Rose hasn't played a game all season; he's practiced, but that is much different than games.

There will be contact in games, especially in the playoffs. The same rumors percolating through the web also reveal that the only thing holding Rose back from the court is not a doctor's note (his doctor has been quoted as saying Rose is ready to return), but that Rose lacks the confidence to return. And that is fair; a knee injury as severe as his (torn ACL) is a frightening thing to return from.

For that reason, it's unlikely that the Bulls, with an overly cautious Rose who is unsure of his own abilities and body, can take on the Heat.

It may be best for the Bulls to let this season go and permit Rose to take off the rest of the season and summer to train and restore the confidence that allowed him to lead his team to victory and the best record in league in the 2011-2012 season. After Jordan, the Bulls waited a long time for another superstar of this caliber that could lead them to another championship. They can wait one more year.

Men's lacrosse falls to Williams

Posted by Katie Peverada

With 6:26 left to play in the fourth quarter Tuesday night, the men's lacrosse team looked poised to rally from being down 13-9. Their attempt to overcome their second four-goal deficit of the game was not enough, as they fell to the Ephs of Williams College 13-11.
Williams won the opening face off, and Conor Roddy soon scored for them. Less than five minutes later, Skidmore came right back on a man-down goal by Mike Perlow '13, which would prove to be the first of his season-high five goals. Williams, though, would up their lead to four goals as the Thoroughbreds found themselves trailing 5-1 with 13:53 left to play in the second quarter.
The Thoroughbreds went on a tear, scoring five of the game's next six goals, evening the score at 6-6. Perlow tallied his second and third goals on the run, while JP Sullivan '13 added two and Bryan Connolly 13' added one.
But the Ephs never allowed the Thoroughbreds to take the lead, as they scored seven of the next 10 goals to task Skidmore with overcoming a 13-9 deficit. And while the Thoroughbreds made a charge, late goals from Sullivan and Kevin Mulvey '16 were not enough to complete the comeback.
Offensively, Perlow's five goals proved to be the game-high, while Sullivan finished with three goals, and Mulvey and Matt Ohara '15 each had one. Connolly ended with one goal and one assist. Jon Hoeg '13 added two assists while Taylor Best '14 added one. Conor Roddy and Evan Dedominicis each had three goals to lead the Ephs.
Defensively, Matt Diaco '14 finished with 10 saves on 13 shots. Sam Christiansen '15 had six groundballs and Thomas Park '15 had four.
The Thoroughbreds fall to 2-6 on the year, but look to get back on track in Liberty League action Saturday in a home game against Vassar at 1 p.m.

March Madness: Busted brackets, Harvard and Dunk City

Posted by Katie Peverada

Every year around this time, sports fans dutifully fill out a bracket for the NCAA tournament. Usually there's an upset or two, but by the Sweet Sixteen most of the teams that are supposed to be alive still are, and besides the expected 12 seed upset over the 5 seed, our brackets are in good shape.
But let's face it: this year, everyone's bracket is toast. We've been busted by teams we've never even heard of, or by teams that weren't supposed to win. How were we supposed to know a team that just started Division I competition a few years ago is going to pull off two upsets in a row? Or that a school known more for its non-athletic alumni would be victorious? That's the thing, though: we aren't supposed to know those things. And it's what makes having our brackets blown-up bearable, or even fun. But while this year seems like it's particularly mad, it really isn't.
Usually, these teams all have a similar blueprint. Take Virginia Commonwealth University in the 2011 NCAA tournament. They made a run all the way from the First Four, the play-in games, to the Final Four, becoming known for their young coach's
"Havoc" defense. Or take a look at the No. 5 seed Butler Bulldogs in the 2010 tournament. A school of just 4,500 advanced all the way to the National Championship under the tutelage of young Brad Stevens and his "Butler Way" system. Frankly, this year is no different than those before it.
On Dec. 22, 2012, the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles lost to the University of Maine Blackbears 84-78 in front of 980 people in Orono, Maine. Now the No. 15 seeded Eagles have grabbed the spotlight and their Cinderella story is being shared across the country. After upsetting No. 2 seeded Georgetown, they went on to beat No. 7 seeded San Diego State. They are the first ever 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16. The Eagles are built like all the past Cinderella teams, with an upstart coach, Andy Enfield, and a certain style of play that is being broadcasted everywhere, "Dunk City." The Eagles have gone from losing to a team from arguably one of the least-competitive conferences in Division I Basketball to having their victorious smiles plastered all over the Internet.
And then there's No. 14, Harvard. While you might think Harvard has a stellar basketball program because of last year's Linsanity craze, it's not what you think. Harvard plays in the Ivy League, a conference whose schools don't even give out athletic scholarships. Harvard has the second-worst all-time win percentage in that conference, behind only Brown. It has to deal with tougher admissions requirements, as well as the stigma that they're just a team of nerds. That's what made their upset of No. 3 New Mexico, Harvard's first ever NCAA tournament victory, so great. The Crimson finally won somewhere else than in the classroom.
Meanwhile, three No. 12 seeds scored victories over No. 5 seeds, with the Cal, Ole Miss and Oregon defeating UNLV, Wisconsin and Oklahoma State, respectively. And No. 13 La Salle beat No. 4 seed Kansas State to move on. Doesn't it seem like a lot of upsets? Not really.
Take a step back, and look: most of the big names are still in it, with Indiana, Duke, Florida, Michigan and Ohio State still standing. All in all, there are still three No. 1 seeds, three No. 2 seeds, three No. three seeds and two No. 4 seeds.
So really, the only difference between this year and years past is that there is more parity in the earlier rounds. The country is simply getting to see smaller-market teams play good basketball, something that will most likely come to an end following this tournament. Hopefully it won't, though, and the Eagles will keep rolling.

Miami Heat and Chicago Blackhawks go streaking

Posted by Katie Peverada

The Chicago Blackhawks opened the season without being beaten in regulation in 24 straight games, an NHL record (if you include last season, the streak grows to 30 games of being unbeaten). And while it did fall short of the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers' 35-game unbeaten streak, it was very impressive. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have won 24 straight games in the middle of the NBA season. The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers hold the all-time record with 33 wins in a row. Both Chicago and Miami's winning streaks are impressive, but which one is more impressive? Chicago.
Over the course of their winning streaks, both teams have had notable comebacks in individual games. Twice the Blackhawks had to rally from two goals down, beating the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime, and scoring four unanswered goals to beat the San Jose Sharks 5-3. The Miami Heat have had to comeback too, with their biggest coming Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers when they overcame a 27-point deficit to win 98-95.
Both teams have dominated offensively, as the Heat are averaging 105.4 points per game, with notable blowouts of the LA Clippers and Philadelphia Sixers. The Blackhawks scored at least five goals in five of their games and won eight games by more than one goal. Chicago also outshot its opponent in 16 games. They have so far scored 75 goals, good enough for 3.13 per game. Both teams are seeing dominating offensive output from their stars: LeBron James is third in the league in scoring with 1,759 points, and his 476 assists are sixth best in the league. Chicago's Patrick Kane put up 27 points over the course of the 24 games and registered at least one point in 19 of those games.
Both streaks were undoubtedly kept alive by defensive efforts as well. The Heat have been limiting their opponents to 94.2 points per game. That's an 11.2 point differential, with the all-time season record of 12.3 being shared by those 1971-72 Lakers and the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago received great goaltending over the course of their streak, giving up 43 goals, or 1.79 goals per game.
But which streak is more impressive? In order to tell, we have to compare apples to apples.
The Heat still have to win 9 straight games to tie the record. Their streak is pretty impressive, but long streaks are pretty common in the NBA. During the 2007-08 season, the Houston Rockets won 22 straight games, and the next year the Celtics won 19 in a row. Just this season, the LA Clippers won 17 straight games. The NBA also tends to see the same teams over and over in the playoffs. Since 2000, only six different teams have won the championship and none lower than a sixth seed has ever won.
The NHL is far more equal, making the Blackhawks' streak all the more impressive. Out of the last 12 Stanley Cup Finals played, 10 different teams have won, including eight different teams in the last eight seasons. Since 2006, 29 of the 30 NHL teams have made the playoffs, and just last year the eighth seed LA Kings won the Cup. The parity in the Western Conference itself, Chicago's conference, is incredible, as places three through 13 in the standings are separated by a mere seven points.
According to Richard Cleary, a mathematician at Bentley University, starting a season like the Hawks only happens once every 700 years. So, even if you ignore for a second that the Blackhawks' streak came during a lockout-shortened season in which they had a week of training camp and once played five games in seven days and had five back-to-backs, their streak is more impressive. Don't get me wrong, the Heat have been impressive. However, I feel like I've seen something like it before.

Female Thoroughbreds recognized for their hard work

Posted by Katie Peverada

Over the past few weeks, several winter athletes have been honored for their performance this winter, with a few awards continuing to roll in.
Women's Swimming and Diving: While the Liberty League honors have yet to be announced, the women's swimming and diving team has been recognized for their work in the classroom. With an overall team GPA of 3.34, the women ranked 45th overall in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Fall 2012 Scholar All America Division III team honors.
Women's Basketball: Jordyn Wartts '14 was tabbed as the Liberty league Defensive Player of the Year and was voted to the honorable mention team. Angela Botiba '15, who led Skidmore in points per game (10.2) and rebounds per game (7.1), as well as overall steals (42) and blocks (37), was voted first team. Dani DeGregory '16 and Skylar Caligaris 16' were both named to the all-rookie team.
Logan Frederick '13 was recognized for her hard work off the court, one of 10 women selected to the Allstate Women's Basketball Coaches Association Good Works Team. Frederick, a captain, will be recognized at the NCAA Division 1 Women's Final Four. She acts as a volunteer firefighter/EMT, tutors in math and geosciences, volunteers at a local church, and serves as president of the Newman Club and Resident Assistant. Frederick started all 26 games for the team this past season, averaging 4.8 points per game.

Liberty League, ECAC honor male athletes

Posted by Katie Peverada

            The Skidmore male athletes had successful winter seasons, with all teams making the playoffs. Several of the individuals on those teams have been honored for their hard work.

            Men's Basketball: Aldin Medunjanin '16 earned Liberty League Rookie of the Year and was voted first-team all-league as well as the all-rookie team. Medunjanin was also named the ECAC Rookie of the Year and the D3hoops.com All-East Region Rookie of the Year. Medunjanin led the Thoroughbreds in points per game (15), assists per game (4.9) and in rebounds per game (5.6). Conor Merrill '15 was named to the second-team all-league and Tanner Brooks '16 was tabbed for the all-rookie team and was also voted to the honorable mention roster.

Men's Ice Hockey: The ECAC recognized three members of the ice hockey team for their efforts this season. Zach Menard '13 was nominated to the first-team on the strength of his scoring (9 goals, 19 assists), as he led Skidmore's defense and placed third among defensemen in the ECAC. Vlad Gavrik '14, who led Skidmore's offense with 25 points (10 G, 15 A), was elected to the second-team. Jack Even '16, who was second among Skidmore's defense with 12 points (3 G, 9 A), was tabbed for the all-rookie team.

Men's Swimming and Diving: While the Liberty League honors have yet to be announced, the men's swimming and diving team has been recognized for their work in the classroom. With an overall team GPA of 3.29, the men ranked 19^th in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Fall 2012 Scholar All America Division III team honors.

Men's spring sports preview

Posted by Katie Peverada

The men's baseball team is coming off of last season having won the Liberty League Championship. Skidmore, predicted to finish third in the league, returns all but two players from last year's squad that reached the NCAA Regionals. Pitcher Max Martins '13, a first-team selection last spring, will lead the Thoroughbred pitching staff with help from Isaac Forman '14, who led the team in innings pitched last year. Andrew Bannon '15 looks to maintain his role as the closer. Second baseman Erik Watkins '14, who led the team last year in batting average (.385), a school-record in hits (65), doubles (17), and RBIs (39) will try to resume to lead the Thoroughbred offense. Geoff Green '13, Leejay Pollacchi '13 and Matty Tatkow '13 all return having hit above .317 last year. The defense will look to improve upon last year's performance, as they finished sixth in the league with a .950 fielding percentage and led the league with 85 errors. Skidmore opens up the season in Fort Myers with eight games before coming home to play RIT on March 23.

The men's lacrosse team opens the season hoping to return to the Liberty League playoffs, as last year they were shut out with a 5-10 record (1-5 in league play). Mike Perlow '13 and Sam Christiansen '15, who were both named 2013 Face-Off YearbookDivision III Preseason honorable mention All-Americans, look to lead the offense and defense, respectively. Perlow was second in the league in scoring last year with 36 goals. Skidmore also returns its second and third leading scorers in Richie Davis '14 and Jon Hoeg '13, and will expect help from JP Sullivan 13' and Bryan Connolly '13. The Thoroughbreds will look for Matt Diaco '14 to have a strong year in net. Skidmore sits at 1-1 with already two games under its belt. The team will play Endicott College away on March 6 before returning home to take on Trinity College on the ninth.

The tennis team stands at 3-0 and will soon travel to California to take on California Lutheran University and to compete in the Stag-Hen Invitational. Currently ranked 22^nd in the nation, Skidmore is receiving strong doubles play from Oliver Loutsenko '14 and Danny Knight '14 as well as strong singles play from Gabe Steerman '14 and Jimmy Sherpa '14.

The crew team will go down to Oak Ridge, TN to get in a week of training and racing before coming back up to race in the Sacred Heart Invitational on April 6. This year, Skidmore will host the Liberty League Championships on April 28.

The golf team heads down to Georgia for the Jekyll Island Collegiate Championship and to North Carolina for the Camp Legeune Intercollegiate Championship. They are led by Anthony DiLisio with a 73.3 scoring average and are currently ranked 14^th in the first Golf World/Nike Golf Division III College Coaches' Poll of the spring season.