The Dutchmen football team stands 2-0 after an impressive, wild and wooly 22-14 victory at Muhlenberg. The host Mules have gone to the NCAA tournament three straight years, and had won each of the last two meetings by five points. But the strong play of Arcidiacono and his offensive mates, and the big plays of the defense, produced a huge road victory heading into the Liberty League opener at Rochester this week.
Arcidiacono rushed for 190 yards and a touchdown in earning Liberty League Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. He had a 45-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and also had 17 yards on two receptions. The junior from Castleton, NY and Columbia High enters the game with the Yellowjackets ranked seventh in the nation in NCAA Division III rushing, averaging 163.5 yards per game. Later in the week, Arcidiacono received ECAC Division III Northwest Honorable Mention recognition.
“Thomas has been one of our most consistent players ever since he has gotten into the lineup since the middle of his freshman year,” stated Union Head Coach John Audino. “His toughness has been a great asset to our entire team, and he has developed into a great player.
“Remember,” Audino continued, “he is still only a junior and we look forward to coaching him the rest of his career.”
Union men's soccer coach Jeff Guinn has an Asset of his own, in senior defender Matt Acciani. The Cherry Hill, NJ and Cherry Hill East High product is this week's Liberty League Co-Defender of the Week. He anchored a Union defense that pitched two shutouts last week to help the team remain unbeaten in the last five games. In a scoreless double overtime battle against Medaille, the Dutchmen allowed 12 shots, and just five on goal. In the team's win against Worcester State, Acciani and the defense held the opposition to five shots, and just one on goal.
With the work of Acciani and his backfield mates, Union has allowed just three goals all season, and none in the second half or in overtime.
“I was thrilled that Matt won the defender of the week award,” said Guinn. “He has been a solid starter in the back for four years now. He and Ryan McAleese have been such a strong tandem, winning air balls, defending with abandon and providing a difficult wall for our opponents to pass.
“Matt is a winner, a vocal leader and a great leader by example,” Guinn stated. “He also typifies what Union's student-athletes are all about. He is a Union Scholar, a captain and starter for our team, and also a standout swimmer for Coach Scott Felix.”
Union is 4-1-1 entering league play this weekend, with a Friday game at Rensselaer and a Saturday showing at Vassar.
Indeed, Arcidiacono and Acciani should have made an appearance on Sesame Street when the Letter of the Day was “A.”
In other sports news, Union's cross country teams, idle last week, will return to the course Saturday at Williams College. The men and women's squads opened up the season on September 10 at Hamilton, and this week's meet will prepare Union for the Liberty League Championships at Hamilton on October 1.
Last week's schedule featured some solid squads, but the field hockey team is ready to face off the Liberty League schedule this weekend. Union hosts Hamilton Friday at 4 p.m. and St. Lawrence Saturday at 2 p.m. Junior forward Jessica Trotter (St. Louis, MO/John Burroughs) has five goals on the season, including two in Wednesday's loss at Utica. Elise Wakeland (Arundel, ME/Kennebunkport) has a 4.01 goals against average in the Dutchwomen nets.
The Union women's tennis team pulled out a very nice 5-4 road win at Oneonta on Tuesday, the second win of the season for the Dutchwomen. Freshman Brittany Miller (Scituate, MA/Scituate) was a victor in both singles and doubles in the team's triumph. She scored a 6-0, 6-1 singles win and teamed with Kathleen Rucci (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) for a doubles victory by a score of 8-4. Miller and Sarah Stiles (Rochester, NY/Sutherland) each have two singles wins for the year. The ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) regional championships are at William Smith this weekend.
It felt good to be home for the Union women's volleyball team, which had played the first nine matches of the season off campus. Union has two victories, including a four-game home win over Utica, and three losses have gone the full five games. Julie LaSpina (Roslyn Heights, NY/Roslyn Heights) has a team-best 131 kills for the fall, while Dana De Biasio (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) leads the team with her 181 digs. Union will play Hamilton and Clarkson Saturday at Clarkson.
Coach Brian Speck's women's soccer team is now ranked #12 in the latest NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) NCAA Division III poll. The Dutchwomen are 5-0-1, one of 11 undefeated teams in the top 25 entering the week. After a thrilling 0-0 double-overtime home tie vs. Rochester (the Dutchwomen were ranked #8 and UR #9 in the NSCAA poll), league play commences Friday at home against Rensselaer at 4 p.m. Saturday, Vassar comes to Geris Field for a 2 p.m. start. Cassandra Mariani (Boonton, NJ/Morris Catholic) has four goals and nine points and Julie Gawronski (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) has an 0.86 goals against average.