Lawrence University returns to the Harris Cup semifinals for the third consecutive season when the Vikings travel to Adrian College for a showdown with the fifth-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday. Marian University faces the ninth-ranked Milwaukee School of Engineering in the other semifinal, and the winners meet for the Harris Cup on Sunday. The winner of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Lawrence men take seventh, women ninth at MWC Championships
GRINNELL, Iowa — The Lawrence University men’s track and field team finished in seventh place and the women took ninth as the Midwest Conference Championships wrapped up Saturday at Grinnell College.
The top finisher Saturday for the Lawrence men was the distance medley relay team of Dan Thoresen, Jesse Peterson, Mike Mangian and Sam Stevens, which placed third in 10:43.60.
Stevens led the Vikings indivually with a fifth-place finish in the 800 meters in a time of 1:59.29. Freshman Curran Carlile picked up a seventh-place finish in the 3,000 in 9:03.52.
The Lawrence women earned their lone points of the day with a sixth-place finish in the distance medley relay. The team of Amanda Dwyer, Sam Luebke, Alyssa Herman and Annie Sullivan raced to a time of 13:51.90.
Vikings top Northland 3-1; sweep MCHA playoff series
Lawrence University topped Northland College 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Appleton Family Ice Center to sweep a Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal playoff series.
Lawrence (14-12-1), which beat the Lumberjacks 2-1 on Friday, advances to the Harris Cup semifinals next Saturday (March 5) and faces the host school, Adrian College.
For the second consecutive game, senior forward Josh DeSmit scored the go-ahead and game-winning goal.
DeSmit took a pass from Huck Saunders and beat Northland goaltender Daniel McIntosh at the 3:43 mark of the third to give Lawrence a 2-1 lead.
Lawrence was then forced to kill off a pair of penalties to preserve the lead. Derek Brickan was sent off for interference at 7:33, and just as that penalty was expiring, Sam Johnson was whistled for tripping at 9:34.
The Vikings stymied the Lumberjacks on both power-play chances, but Lawrence would have to withstand another charge by Northland (9-16-2).
The Lumberjacks pulled McIntosh with 1:31 remaining and brought on an extra attacker. The Vikings then sealed the win a minute later when Sam Johnson scored an empty-net goal for a 3-1 Lawrence lead.
Evan Johnson stopped 29 shots for the Vikings and picked up his 13th win of the season. McIntosh made 38 saves and took the loss.
After a scoreless first period, Lawrence jumped on top at the 4:28 mark of the second when Saunders scored his fourth goal of the season. Northland tied it on Nick Hewko’s 14th goal of the season, a power-play tally, at 9:02 of the second.
Vikings blanked by WIAC foes
The Lawrence University men’s tennis team dropped a pair of nonconference matches to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents this weekend. UW-La Crosse downed Lawrence 9-0 on Friday, and UW-Eau Claire defeated the Vikings 9-0 on Saturday.
Carlile paces Vikings on opening day of MWC Championships
GRINNELL, Iowa — Curran Carlile was the Lawrence University track and field team’s top finisher on the opening day of the Midwest Conference Championships at Grinnell College.
Carlile placed fourth in the 5,000 meters in 15:39.06, and teammate David Zane grabbed seventh in 15:52.73.
Sam Stevens was unable to defend his title in the mile run as he took sixth place in 4:30.07.
The Lawrence men are in seventh place in the team standings with 10 points. The Lawrence women are in ninth place with one point. The women’s 800 relay team took eighth place.
Vikings edge Northland in MCHA playoff opener
Josh DeSmit’s second-period goal proved to be the difference as Lawrence University edged Northland College 2-1 in the opening game of a Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal playoff series Friday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center.
Lawrence (13-12-1) needs a win or a tie on Saturday afternoon to wrap up the series. The series winner advances to the Harris Cup Four semifinals on March 5 at Adrian College.
Lawrence grabbed the lead just 1:01 into the game when Jon Bellotti took a pass from Jameson Raymond and beat goaltender Daniel McIntosh for a 1-0 advantage.
Northland (9-15-2) tied the game on the power play at the 6:44 mark of the first. After Brad Scurfield was whistled for slashing, Colin Moberly scored on the ensuing man-advantage to make it 1-1.
DeSmit gave Lawrence the lead at the 11:10 mark of the second. Brady Vandenberk was called for interference at 10:45 to give Lawrence a power play, and DeSmit scored just 25 seconds later off a pass from Raymond.
Lawrence went 1-for-5 on the power play and Northland was 1-for-4.
Both Lawrence and Northland were forced to kill off a penalty in the final period, and the Lumberjacks pulled McIntosh for the final 1:02 but couldn’t get the equalizer.
Evan Johnson made 23 saves for the Vikings to pick up the victory. McIntosh made 39 saves and took the loss.
Inside LU Athletics: Lawrence skaters prepare for playoffs
Mike Szkodzinski knows great things are possible.
The Lawrence University hockey coach has seen him team post some impressive wins during the campaign. As Szkodzinski prepares his team for the opening of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs this weekend, he knows the Vikings can’t just show up and expect to win.
“We have a team that is capable of achieving some special things, but we’re also a team that needs to bring it’s A game the rest of the way in order to achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves,” Szkodzinski said.
Lawrence hosts a MCHA quarterfinal playoff series with Northland College on Friday night and Saturday afternoon at the Appleton Family Ice Center. The winner advances to the Harris Cup Four at Adrian College on March 5-6.
The Vikings need to play well to defeat Northland, which has put together its best season in school history with a 9-14-2 record. Lawrence has beaten Northland in three of four meetings this year, but the Lumberjacks are coming off a weekend split against highly regarded Marian University.
“We’re going up against one of the hottest teams in the league,” Szkodzinski said.
The Vikings (12-12-1) wrapped up the regular season with a split against Finlandia University last weekend and clinched home ice with a win in the series opener. Finlandia, which scored 11 goals in the two games, then defeated Lawrence in the series finale.
“One of the staples of our program has been solid team defense, and that was definitely not the case against Finlandia. We were really disappointed with the way we treated the final game as if it didn’t matter,” Szkodzinski said.
“It’s nearly impossible to turn a switch on an off so we has coaches need to pay attention to every little detail. Attention to detail is the most important thing at the moment.”
On the flip side, Lawrence’s offense scored 10 goals last weekend. The Vikings also converted four of their nine power-play chances against Finlandia, and special teams loom as a key in the playoffs.
“We put up 10 goals this weekend and only one player had more than one. Scoring by committee was a goal this season so hopefully that’s a good omen heading into the playoffs,” Szkodzinski said.
“(Power play and penalty kill) are two things that can make or break a game at this time of the year. Everybody knows everybody so special teams are going to be a focus of the coaches.”
The Vikings also get sophomore forward Brad Scurfield, one of the team’s top scorers, back. Scurfield hasn’t played since being injured against MSOE back on Jan. 28.
“We’ve had some key injures over the past three months, and it looks like we’re going to be a little healthier going into Friday night,” Szkodzinski said.
Another key the Vikings bring to this weekend is playoff success. Lawrence has reached the Harris Cup Four semifinals in three of the past four seasons so this group of seniors understands what it takes to win in the postseason.
“At this time of the year, we always seem to see special play from our upperclassmen,” said Szkodzinski, citing seniors Evan Johnson, Jon Sheridan, Corey Garrett and Josh DeSmit. “Those guys are ready to leave a lasting impression on this program.”
Track headed to MWC meet
The Lawrence track team is headed to the Midwest Conference Championships this weekend at Grinnell College.
The Vikings are looking to improve on last year’s eighth-place finishes, and Lawrence sends an improved team on the men’s side. The Vikings have the defending men’s champion in the mile in sophomore Sam Stevens, who also placed fourth in the 800 meters a season ago.
The women’s team was dealt a huge blow this week when Rose Tepper, a NCAA Division III Championships qualifier in the high jump, was injured in practice. She will not compete this weekend but hopes to return for the NCAA meet on March 12.
Kerkman set throw record
Lawrence track standout Nick Kerkman was named the Midwest Conference Field Performer of the Week after breaking a school record.
Kerkman (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) set the Lawrence record in the 35-pound weight throw at the UW-Stevens Point Eastbay Invitational this past Saturday. Kerkman recorded a throw of 48 feet, 8 inches, to break the record of 45-7.75, which was set by Mike Pierquet in 2008.
Kerkman now holds a pair of Lawrence track records. He set the mark in the hammer throw of 145-1 during the 2010 outdoor season.
Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly 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.
Vikings host Northland in MCHA playoff series this weekend
Lawrence University is set to host Northland College in a Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal playoff series this weekend at the Appleton Family Ice Center. The teams start the two-game series Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Appleton Family Ice Center, and Saturday’s game is set for 4 p.m.
Record-setting throw earns Kerkman weekly track honor
Lawrence University standout Nick Kerkman has been named the Midwest Conference Field Performer of the Week after breaking a school record.
Kerkman (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) set the Lawrence record in the 35-pound weight throw at the UW-Stevens Point Eastbay Invitational this past Saturday. Kerkman recorded a throw of 48 feet, 8 inches, to break the record of 45-7.75, which was set by Mike Pierquet in 2008.
It was the first time in his career that Kerkman has won Performer of the Week honors. Kerkman now holds a pair of Lawrence track records. He set the mark in the hammer throw of 145-1 during the 2010 outdoor season.
The Vikings return to action this weekend when they travel to the Midwest Conference Championships at Grinnell College.
Lawrence men, women finish third at MWC Championships
GRINNELL, Iowa — The Lawrence University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams finished third at the Midwest Conference Championships, which wrapped up Sunday at Grinnell College.
Freshman Hannah Gabriel and junior Peter Brengel had the top finishes of the day for the Vikings.
Gabriel took second in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 18:17.76. She also teamed with Becca Hamlyn, Julia Heller and Chelsea Hameister on the 400 freestyle relay team, which placed third in 3:42.60.
Brengel broke the existing meet record in the 200 backstroke but that wasn’t good enough to defend his title in the event. Brengel took second in 1:53.54, and Grinnell’s Michael Brus won the title in 1:49.46.
Brengel teamed with Collin McCanna, Charlie Mann and Evan Flack to swim to third place in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:11.81.
The Lawrence women piled up 448 points, and Grinnell took the title with 894. Lawrence moved up four spots in the team standings from a season ago.
The Lawrence men had 484 points, and Grinnell won the title with 866. The Vikings moved up one spot from their fourth-place finish in 2010.