homepage

Category: homepage

Used to identify posts that will show up on the LU homepage.

Vikings top Anna Maria in season opener

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team downed Anna Maria College 8-2 Friday in the Vikings’ season opener.

The Vikings, who won their season opener for the third consecutive year, collected eight hits and had to rally from an early deficit.

Shannon Murray led Lawrence’s attack by going 3-for-4 with a double and a run batted in. Murray also pitched the first five innings to pick up the victory. She allowed only three hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.

Anna Maria scored a pair of unearned runs in the first, but Lawrence took the lead for good with three runs in the third. Alissa Geipel belted a run-scoring triple in the third, and Murray added a RBI double.

Lawrence made it 5-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth, highlighted by Mary Diduch’s run-scoring double. The Vikings then sealed the win with three more runs in the sixth.

Freshman Liz Barthels made her Lawrence pitching debut with a pair of scoreless innings.

Inside LU Athletics: Vikings poised to take a step up

Please forgive the Lawrence University softball team if they are getting tired of the ugly dresses that you’ll only wear once. In other words, they’ve had enough of being the bridesmaid.

Lawrence begins its season later this week with 12 games in Clermont, Fla., and the Vikings’ goal is to get back to the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament for the first time since 2006.

“We were close last year,” Lawrence coach Kim Tatro said. “The two teams (from the North Division) that qualified for the tournament, St. Norbert we split with and Ripon we lost two one-run games. We felt like we had a shot last year, and I feel like it’s the same type of scenario.

“That will always be a goal for us every year to qualify for the conference tournament. I say this just about every year, and it’s true just about every year. The North Division is strong and there’s a lot of parity. … It wouldn’t surprise me if all five teams split with each other. From that standpoint, it makes it exciting.”

Lawrence, which finished 13-16 a season ago, needs to rely on its big three of pitcher/infielder Shannon Murray, outfielder Cathy Kaye and pitcher/infielder Emily Perish.

Kaye hit .356 last season with five home runs and 18 runs batted in. She was an all-conference and All-Great Lakes Region selection in 2011.

Murray, who earned all-region honors in 2010, hit .358 with a pair of homers and a team-high 29 RBIs. Murray also posted a 6-9 record and 4.38 earned run average. She struck out 52 and walked only 18.

Perish is the lone senior on the squad and is half, along with Murray, of Lawrence’s 1-2 pitching punch. She went 6-6 last season with a 4.17 ERA while hitting .354 with 18 RBIs.

“It’s important for those three to step up, but to be honest, if we’re going to take the next step, everyone has to step up,” said Tatro, who is nine wins shy of 300 for her career.

The rest of the Vikings are relatively young but already have significant experience. Lawrence will likely have four sophomore starters in shortstop Cory Paquette, third baseman Alissa Geipel, outfielder/first baseman Mary Diduch and catcher Alex Chiodo, and another sophomore, Brielle Bartes, also will challenge for a starting spot.

“They have a different level of confidence than a lot of sophomores might because they got a lot of time as freshman,” Tatro said. “It’s one thing to practice as a freshman, it’s another thing to have game experience. Hopefully that will show in our play.”

Geipel hit .318 a season ago with a homer and 16 RBIs, and she had the top fielding percentage among the starting infielders. Paquette hit .250 last season but is now focused solely on playing shortstop after seeing some time on the mound last season.

Tatro calls Diduch “the most improved player from last year,” and Chiodo started every game as a freshman. Bartes hit .268 as a freshman and showed some pop with a homer and seven RBIs in only 41 at-bats.

A trio of freshman, Appleton native Coley LaChance, Kara Vance and Liz Barthels, also have an opportunity to see serious playing time.

“It will be one of those things where we will have a couple of different combinations of lineups depending on what’s working for us,” Tatro said.

Lawrence will play some tough squads in Florida, including UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater, but it affords the Vikings a chance to sort out some things.

“It’s a good opportunity for everyone on the team to establish themselves, find their roles on the team,” Tatro said. “If you’re hitting, we have to find a spot for you on defense.”

Traveling time

In addition to the softball team heading to Florida for a week of spring break competition, the Lawrence baseball and men’s and women’s tennis teams also will be in the Sunshine State.

The baseball team has eight varsity games scheduled in Florida, and the tennis teams have 11 matches scheduled.

Whiting facelift

When the Lawrence baseball and softball teams return home, fans will see improvements to Whiting Field.

The softball field has been fully enclosed with new fencing and has outfield warning tracks. The baseball field also has new outfield fencing and outfield warning tracks. The short left field fence, aka the “screen monster,” is now higher in an effort to make it tougher to hit one out to that part of the diamond.

Both the baseball and softball teams have their home openers on April 5. Softball faces Alverno College and baseball entertains Ripon College in the last appearance at Whiting Field by Red Hawks coach Bob Gillespie. He plans to retire at the end of the academic year after 34 years at the college.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Baseball team looking for confidence, consistency

Jason Anderson believes his team has the experience and talent to find success on the diamond. What remains a wild card for the Lawrence University baseball coach is his team’s confidence and consistency.

Anderson, now in his fourth season at Lawrence, is attempting to instill in his team self-assurance about victory.

“We have to figure out, learn how to win, and play with confidence that way,” Anderson said.

“Last year, we had two seniors and everyone else was a freshman or a sophomore. … When you have one or two guys having a bad day, it affects everyone. The biggest thing we’ve learned and improved on is our consistency, playing at a high level day in and day out.”

After several years of struggling with an extremely young lineup, the Vikings are in a position to have a squad with experience. The leadership of this group and finding that path to success will fall to senior pitcher/designated hitter Eric Bohling.

Bohling is healthy for the first time in his career after having surgery on his labrum early in his career. Last season, he posted to a 1-3 record on the mound and hit.274.

“Bohling is going to be the glue of the entire team,” Anderson said. “He’s the only senior and he’s a captain. He’s one of the best captains I’ve ever had.

“After that, we will have three freshman starting (pitchers), and the fourth guy will be a sophomore. If Eric sets the tone, we’ll have a good conference series. If he doesn’t, it could be kind of a struggle.”

Sophomore John Doran is one of the pitchers looking for consistency, and freshmen Davis Ogilvie, Kelton Jenkins, Drew Doares and Atley Gay will be asked to contribute immediately.

Bohling has a solid group backing him up in the field with only two starters, including All-Midwest Conference outfielder Robert Rashid, lost from a season ago. Anderson likes the maturation he sees from his returning players.

“What jumps out right away are the guys who were sophomores and have been playing for a couple of years have taken a big jump,” Anderson said.

“We have a significant amount of upper-class leadership despite being very young because they’ve played for two years. It’s really showed on the offensive side of the ball so far.”

Junior shortstop Gabe Henriques, who missed nearly half of last season, and junior second baseman Davide Harris, form the backbone of Lawrence’s defense and spark the offense. Harris led the team with a .324 batting average last season, and Henriques hit .286.

“Those guys will play up the middle and be the lead-off and second in the order. It’s noticeable on the field that they are quite the team, quite the duo,” Anderson said.

“They are two of our best hitters and two of our best defenders. They are probably are two best athletes. Davide was our best hitter last year, and I expect nothing less from him.”

The Vikings also return versatile performers like outfielder Alex Brewer, outfielder/first baseman Sam Kossow and infielder Phil Wisniewski.  

Siebert, Crisman honored

Men’s basketball standouts Chris Siebert and Tyler Crisman have been named to the All-Midwest Conference team in a vote by league coaches.

Siebert, a sophomore guard from Baraboo, Wis., was selected for the second team, and Crisman, a senior guard from Frankfort, Ill., received honorable mention.

Siebert averaged 16.4 points per game and that ranked sixth in conference play. Siebert was fourth in the conference at 4.2 assists per game, and he also averaged 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest. Crisman finished seventh in the conference in scoring at 16.2 points per game. 

Hughes, Raymond selected

Matt Hughes and Jameson Raymond have been named to the All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Team in a vote by league coaches.

Hughes were both chosen for the first time.

Hughes, a senior forward from Goodrich, Mich., led the team with 12 goals in MCHA play, and he added 10 assists for 22 points. Hughes ranks fourth in Lawrence history with 46 goals and is sixth with 91 points.

Raymond, a senior defenseman from Flint, Mich., finished second in scoring by league defensemen. Raymond picked up three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in MCHA play. Raymond ranks fifth in school history with 55 assists and is ninth with 73 points. 

Skaters honored

Lawrence also had six players chosen for the Academic All-MCHA team.

Senior defenseman Jesse Byam-Katzman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior forward Ben DiMarco (Galveston, Texas) were both honored on the academic all-conference team for the third time. Junior goaltender Michael Baldino (Woburn, Mass.) was named to the team for the second time, and junior goaltender Kevin Aslett (Portland, Ore.), junior forward Phil Bushbacher (Glenview, Ill.) and sophomore defenseman William Thoren (Gothenburg, Sweden) were all chosen for the first time. 

Stevens runs to record

Junior Sam Stevens broke the Lawrence University record in the mile run last Saturday at the Pointer Qualifier at UW-Stevens Point. Stevens, a junior from Suamico, Wis., raced to a record time of 4:19.95 to break the mark of 4:22.1, set by Joe Berger in 1985. 

Fencers ninth

The Lawrence fencing team finished ninth overall at the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships at Notre Dame last weekend.

The men’s epee squad led the way by taking fifth with a 5-2 victory over the University of Chicago. The Lawrence men finished eighth overall among the 20 teams, and the women were 11th.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Stevens breaks school record in mile

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Sam Stevens broke the Lawrence University record in the mile run on Saturday at the Pointer Qualifier at UW-Stevens Point.

Stevens, a junior from Suamico, Wis., raced to a record time of 4:19.95. He broke the record of 4:22.1, set by Joe Berger in 1985.

The top finisher on the day for the Lawrence women was Rose Tepper, who placed fifth in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 2.25 inches.  

Results

Vikings fall to Adrian in Harris Cup semifinals

ADRIAN, Mich. — Lawrence University came close again against No. 6 Adrian College, but the Bulldogs held on for a 2-1 victory in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup semifinals on Saturday at Arrington Arena.

This marks the third time in three meetings this season that Adrian (20-5-1) posted a one-goal win over the Vikings (13-11-4).

Adrian scored both of its goals in a two-minute span in the first period.

After Huck Saunders got sent off for cross-checking at the 12:48 mark, Adrian’s Shelby Gray scored just nine seconds later on the power play for a 1-0 lead. Adrian finished 1-for-4 on the power play.

Zach Graham then made it 2-0 just 2:03 later on an even-strength goal for the Bulldogs.

Lawrence battled back midway through the second period. After Josh Ranalli was whistled for a five-minute charging penalty at 6:47, the Vikings cashed in. Brad Scurfield scored a power-play goal off assists from Jameson Raymond and Matt Hughes at the 10:28 mark. Lawrence went 1-for-5 on the power play.

The Vikings then dominated play in the third period but could not get the equalizier. Lawrence outshot the Bulldogs 13-2 in the third period and enjoyed a 36-24 edge in shots for the game. Adrian didn’t get a shot on net in the final 17 minutes of the game.

Lawrence had one power-play chance in the third period when Ranalli got a two-minute charging penalty at the 10:53 mark. The Vikings got four shots on net during the power play but couldn’t get one past goaltender Scott Shackell.

Shackell stopped 35 shots in the victory.

The Vikings pulled goaltender Peter Emery with 1:14 remaining but couldn’t get a shot on goal. Emery stopped 22 shots for the Vikings.

Adrian faces either MSOE or Marian University in the Harris Cup championship game on Sunday.

Box score

Hughes, Raymond earn All-MCHA honors

Matt Hughes and Jameson Raymond have been named to the All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Team in a vote by league coaches.

Hughes (Goodrich, Mich.), a senior forward, and Raymond (Flint, Mich.), a senior defenseman, were both chosen for the first time.

Lawrence also had six players chosen for the academic all-conference team.

Hughes led the team with 12 goals in MCHA play, and he added 10 assists for 22 points. Hughes in tied for fifth in the conference in goals per game. On the season, Hughes has 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points heading into this weekend’s Harris Cup semifinals.

Hughes ranks fourth in Lawrence history with 46 goals and is sixth with 90 points.

Raymond, who was named to the All-MCHA Freshman Team back in 2009, finished second in the league among scoring by defensemen. Raymond picked up three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in MCHA play. On the season, Raymond has three goals and 15 assists for 18 points.  

Raymond ranks fifth in school history with 54 assists and is ninth with 72 points.

Senior defenseman Jesse Byam-Katzman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior forward Ben DiMarco (Galveston, Texas) were both honored on the academic all-conference team for the third time.

Junior goaltender Michael Baldino (Woburn, Mass.) was named to the team for the second time, and junior goaltender Kevin Aslett (Portland, Ore.), junior forward Phil Bushbacher (Glenview, Ill.) and sophomore defenseman William Thoren (Gothenburg, Sweden) were all chosen for the first time.

To be eligible for the academic all-conference team, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.

Siebert, Crisman earn All-MWC basketball honors

Lawrence University men’s basketball standouts Chris Siebert and Tyler Crisman have been named to the All-Midwest Conference team in a vote by league coaches.

Siebert (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) was selected for the second team, and Crisman (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) received honorable mention.

This was the first all-conference selection for Seibert, a sophomore guard. Siebert averaged 16.4 points per game and that ranked sixth in conference play. Siebert was fourth in the conference at 4.2 assists per game, and he also averaged 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest.

Siebert shot 90.4 percent from the foul line and that led the conference. He also ranked seventh in 3-point shooting at 41.7 percent.

On the season, Siebert averaged 16.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Siebert shot 43 percent from the floor, including 41.6 percent on 3-pointers, and 88 percent from the foul line.

Crisman, a senior guard, received honorable mention for the second consecutive season. Crisman finished seventh in the conference in scoring at 16.2 points per game.

One of the league’s top 3-point shooters, Crisman was third in the conference at 2.8 3-pointers per game and ranked ninth in 3-point shooting at 40.2 percent. Crisman also averaged 2.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds and had a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.

On the season, Crisman averaged 16.1 points, 2.6 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game. Crisman shot 45.3 percent from the floor, including 39.7 percent on 3-pointers.

This marks the 18th consecutive season Lawrence has had at least one player chosen for the all-conference team.

 

Inside LU Athletics: Vikings set for Harris Cup showdown

The Lawrence University hockey team has reached the point of the season where it’s one and done so the Vikings are clearly focusing on the one and not the done.

Lawrence heads to Adrian College this weekend for the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup semifinals. The Vikings face the host school, Adrian, in one of Saturday’s semifinals, and MSOE takes on Marian University in the other.

The prize at the end of Sunday’s championship game is the Harris Cup and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

“As has been the case all year, one game at a time,” Lawrence head coach Mike Szkodzinski said. “It may be cliché, but at this time of the year, clichés are real.”

Lawrence (13-10-4) has embraced a certain style of play and has seen results by winning eight of its last 10.

“The real challenge this time of year is staying focused on the task at hand,” said Szkodzinski, who has 21 freshmen or sophomores on the team. “Our team has bought into the idea of focusing on the plan, and the results will take care of themselves. We have lofty goals, but we can’t reach those goals without taking care of what’s directly in front of us.”

Standing in Lawrence’s path is MCHA champion Adrian (19-5-1), the 2011 national runner-up. The sixth-ranked Bulldogs aren’t quite the scoring juggernaut they have been in recent seasons, but Adrian remains a formidable foe.

Slowing down Adrian is the task for freshman goaltender Peter Emery and the Lawrence defensemen.

“Our total team defense has been very consistent over the past 10 games,” Szkodzinski said. “Peter has been there when we need him, especially in overtime last Saturday, but our defense has also been there for him as well. Our program is built on solid team defense and we think we have the talent to execute that philosophy.”

Emery is 12-8-3 on the season with a 2.39 goals against average and .924 save percentage. Over the last 10 games to which Szkodzinski referred, Emery has been even better with a 1.97 GAA and .937 save percentage.

“We have been fairly consistent since the beginning of January,” Szkodzinski said. “We have really done a good job limiting the ‘grade A’ chances against us, and Emery has made some big stops at key times. The confidence in the defense has led to our forwards being a bit more aggressive in the offensive zone as well.”

Lawrence has seen an uptick in its offense in the last 10 games with an average of 3.6 goals per game. Over the first 17 games, the Vikings averaged only 2.7 goals per contest. That extra one goal per game has helped Lawrence forge an 8-1-1 record in the last 10 contests.

Junior forward Brad Scurfield has scored six goals and handed out 10 assists for 16 points in the last 10 games. On the season, Scurfield has 12 goals and a team-high 19 assists for a team-leading 31 points. Scurfield’s linemates, Matt Hughes (15-11-26) and Phil Bushbacher (13-12-25), are second and third, respectively, on the team in scoring.

The other factor that really stood out in Lawrence’s MCHA quarterfinal playoff series win over Finlandia University last weekend was the Vikings’ physical play. Lawrence took it to the Lions with some bone-crunching hits, and that seemed to set the tone for the Vikings’ play all weekend.

“We try to play aggressively in all three zones and part of that means taking the body,” Szkodzinski said. “We talk about ‘separating and eliminating’ the opponents from the puck and the play. To do that, we need to be physical and compete at a high level.”

The Vikings will need to play at that high level to beat any of the three teams this weekend. In Lawrence’s eight total games this season with Adrian, MSOE and Marian, the goal differential stands at zero. Lawrence lost a pair of 3-2 games in its only meetings with Adrian this season.

“Our big players need to make big plays at key moments,” Szkodzinski said of matchup against Adrian. “Our role players need to do their jobs relentlessly. If we execute our game plan, this will be a very competitive game once again and hopefully we can get a big play at the right time.”

Making the grade

The Lawrence cross country teams were named United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Scholar Teams for the third consecutive year.

The Lawrence women had a 3.40 team grade point average, and the men were at 3.38. To be eligible for the award, a team must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.10 through the fall term.

Stevens takes title

Junior Sam Stevens continued his great year by taking a title at the Midwest Conference Indoor Championships this past weekend. Stevens, who won the individual title and led Lawrence to the conference cross country championship in the fall, won the 5,000 meters in 15:21.93.

Stevens also ran to a third-place finish in the 3,000 and anchored the second-place distance medley relay team.

Bolgrien runs to record

Freshman Anna Bolgrien finished third in the 60-meter hurdles at the MWC Championships this past weekend and set a school record with a time of 9.58 seconds.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

MCHA Harris Cup preview

The Lawrence University hockey team travels to Adrian, Mich., for the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup this weekend. Lawrence takes on sixth-ranked Adrian College in one semifinal on Saturday, and No. 10 MSOE faces Marian University in the other semifinal. The semifinal winners meet Sunday for the championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Preview

Vikings tie Finlandia; Lawrence advances to Harris Cup semifinals

Is this case, a tie was just as good as a win.

Lawrence University forged a hard-fought 2-2 overtime tie on Saturday with Finlandia University, and that was enough to allow the Vikings to win this weekend’s Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal playoff series at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Lawrence (13-10-4) beat Finlandia (7-18-1) 5-1 on Friday night and won the series with a 1-0-1 record. Lawrence advances to the Harris Cup semifinals next Saturday, March 3, at Adrian College.

The Vikings had to rally from a pair of deficits to earn the tie.

Alex Heinonen gave Finlandia a 1-0 lead just 3:23 into the game. Lawrence then tied the game at 1-1 on Matt Hughes’ goal at the 12:33 mark of the first.

Finlandia’s Clancy MacNeil got sent off for holding at 15:40 of the first, but it was Finlandia that took advantage. Dmitry Antipin scored a short-handed goal at 16:06 to give the Lions a 2-1 edge.

The score stayed that way until the 7:34 mark of the second period. Phil Bushbacher took a faceoff for Lawrence to the right of Finlandia goalkeeper Mike Wuthrich. The draw went toward the net, and Bushbacher battled to the puck and beat Wuthrich to tie the game at 2-2.

Finlandia thought it had tied the game late in the third period, but a Lions skater had kicked the puck into the net with his skate and the goal was waived off by the referee.

The Lions had a great chance in the final minute when a shot was redirected in front of the net by Travis Armstrong, but Lawrence goaltender Peter Emery made a spectacular save with 21 seconds left to preserve the tie.

Both teams had five shots in the overtime, and Lawrence did a nice job of keeping the puck in the Finlandia zone late. The Lions were looking to pull Wuthrich to get the game-winning goal because Finlandia needed a win to force a decisive mini-game to determine who would win the series. Lawrence kept the puck in the Finlandia zone in the final minute and ran out the clock.

Emery made 30 saves for the Vikings, and Wuthrich stopped 48 shots for Finlandia.

Box score