For the second straight week, the Union football team had the opponent's number in the final minute. In front of a Homecoming crowd of over 1,500, the Dutchmen improved to 7-0 and 4-0 in the Liberty League with a 7-0 victory over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Sophomore safety Alex Markel (Miami, FL/Ransom Everglades) returned an interception 76 yards with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Union to the 7-0 victory. The Dutchmen are off to their best start since a 7-0 mark in 1996.
Union held the Bears to eight first downs and 157 total yards, including 62 rushing and 95 passing. The Dutchmen also did not allow a third down conversion for the second straight week, as Coast Guard was 0 for 15 in that category. Opponents are now 0 for 29 in that category over the past two weeks. The Dutchmen also forced six turnovers, including five interceptions.
Markel enjoyed the number three as well. He received the Liberty League Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the ECAC Division III Northwest Player of the Week, and was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week.
“Alex has been playing well for us,” said Head Coach John Audino. He is very steady. He has a nose for the football and probably would be a starter for us if not for a veteran group back there.
“His play on the interception was amazing, and quite a boost for our program. He will continue to be our nickel and dime player in pass defense situations.”
The Dutchmen cashed in on this victory as they moved into the AFCA (coaches) poll, with a #23 ranking. Union is ranked #18 in the Football Gazette poll. The Dutchmen have their final regular season road game on tap Saturday at St. Lawrence at 1 p.m.
After an idle week, the men's and women's cross country teams returned to the races at the Saratoga Invitational. The men finished 12th in the event, led by Victor Guaiquil (Astoria, NY/Stuyvesant), who ran faster then nearly 50 other competitors with a time of 28:47.60. Patricio Guaiquil (Long Island City, NY/Brooklyn Tech) came in three spots later at 28:57.80. The women placed 10th in the meet, as Liz Nyberg (Old Lyme, CT/Old Lyme) came in 54th out of 125 competitors with a time of 20:12.50. Five spots later, Jane Wolkowicz (Mendota Heights, MN) clocked in at 20:26.80. Next up for the squads will be the NYSCTC Championships at Hamilton on Sat., November 5.
The men's soccer team clinched the Liberty League regular season championship with a perfect 7-0 league record, and the 13-2-1 Dutchmen will host the tournament next week. Union will face #4 seed Skidmore on Fri., November 4 at 4 p.m., following the 1:30 p.m. game between #2 St. Lawrence and #3 Hamilton at College Park Field. Prior to that, Union closes out the regular season with games at Utica Wednesday and home against Nazareth Saturday (3 p.m.).
The Dutchmen, ranked third in the region, also went trolling through the national polls. Union is #22 in the NSCAA./adidas national ranking entering this week. Keeping on that number “3” theme, Casey Ftorek (Bedford, MA/Taft School) won his third Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week award, and second straight, with another super showing. Ftorek scored two goals, including a game-winner, and had three assists in a pair of Liberty League wins for the Dutchmen. In Union's 6-0 win over Clarkson, he had one goal and assisted on three others. He scored the game-winning goal in the 71st minute to lift Union over St. Lawrence, 1-0, and help the Dutchmen clinch the league's regular season title. Ftorek is second in the league in goals with 11 and points with 28.
“Casey was very focused this weekend, and you could see it before the St. Lawrence game how important sweeping the league was to him,” said Head Coach Jeff Guinn. “His post goal celebration was magical, and really seemed to energize his teammates, and energize the crowd even more.”
Goalkeeper Rob Kramer (Westport, CT/Staples) has had a fine freshman season in the nets, and he was rewarded with the Liberty League Co-Rookie of the Week award. Kramer increased his win total to 10 games with a pair of victories in league play. He posted six combined saves. In the 6-0 win against Clarkson, Kramer made one save in 36:42 of work as he split time with two other keepers to combine for the shutout. He stopped five shots in a 1-0 win over St. Lawrence, including a point-blank stop in the 19th minute to preserve a scoreless tie. Kramer went the distance in net in this game to earn his second shutout of the season. He also assisted on the game-winning goal against the Saints. Kramer has not allowed a goal in 164:25 worth of work, and has a 0.82 GAA on the year that leads the league.
“Rob Kramer had an excellent weekend. He has really been solid all season in the goal, and has come out with the types of saves that win you games,” said Guinn. “He had a couple great saves in the first half vs. St. Lawrence when momentum had switched their way.”
The women's volleyball squad will be idle this weekend, but will be back in action Tuesday night when Oneonta comes to town for a 6 p.m. match. Union finished second in the Skidmore Invitational, led by a steady senior and a fabulous freshman. Setter Suzy Barbaritz (Clarence, NY/Clarence) was named to the All-Tournament team, helping to lead Union to a second place finish. She had 33 assists and 11 digs with three services aces in a five-game win vs. St. Michael's Friday. Saturday, she posted 37 assists and eight digs with two aces in a three-game sweep vs. CCNY. In the final match of the weekend, Barbaritz had 31 assists and two digs with two block assists vs. Skidmore. Middle hitter Erin Schumaker (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) was also named to the all-tournament team. She had 10 kills, two solo blocks and two block assists in the vs. St. Michael's Friday. Saturday, she posted a team-high 14 kills with a solo block and two block assists in the sweep over CCNY and had eight kills and three block assists vs. Skidmore. After Tuesday, the Liberty League Championships will take place at St. Lawrence, November 4-5.
The other fall teams that clinched Liberty League tourney spots, joining the men's soccer team, were the field hockey and women's soccer squads. The field hockey team took the fourth and final slot with a 4-1 victory over Vassar on Saturday at home. Coach Lacey French has improved the program in each of her three seasons, from three to six to nine victories. Union will play at #1 William Smith at 11 a.m. on Fri., November 4 in the Liberty League semifinals, and if necessary the championship on Sat., November 5 at 2 p.m.
Goalkeeper Elise Wakeland (Arundel, ME/Kennebunk) copped the Liberty League's Defensive Performer of the Week award, her second honor of the month. Wakeland made six saves in a 1-0 shutout win over Hartwick, her second shutout win of the year. She made five stops in a 2-1 loss to RPI, and made five saves and allowed just one goal in the big 4-1 win over Vassar. Wakeland has a 2.71 goals against average.
“Elise has been so instrumental for us, especially down the stretch in our run to the tournament,” said Head Coach Lacey French. “The players are excited about the tournament and this is a good reward for their efforts.”
Union (9-8) will host Oneonta on Thursday to close out the regular season, looking for Win #10 of the 2005 season.
The women's soccer team won three Liberty League weekly awards for the seconds straight week, and plays at Nazareth Friday and St. John Fisher Saturday before opening league tournament play next weekend. Union is 13-1-2 and went 6-0-1 in the league. Erika Eisenhut (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) had an explosive offensive week with a combined five goals and three assists in helping Union to a pair of league triumphs. Game one saw the senior turn in a four-goal, and one assist effort in a 9-0 win over Clarkson. Eisenhut assisted on the game-winning goal and scored the second goal of the game. She then led the Dutchwomen with the first three goals of the second half, all within a three minute span. She followed that up with a goal and two assists in Union's 5-0 win over St. Lawrence. The league's Co-Offensive Performer assisted on the game-winner. She is tied for third in the league with 28 points and is fifth with eight goals.
Goalkeeper Julie Gawronski (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) was the Liberty League Co-Defensive Player, as she upped her win total to 12 this past weekend. She combined for five saves and two shutouts in 155:28 of work. She made two saves in the win over Clarkson in 76:11 in goal and followed that up with three saves against St. Lawrence. Gawronski has four shutouts on the season and has combined for four others. Five of those shutouts have come in the last five games. Gawronski has not allowed a goal in 525:32 of play and has an 0.59 GAA.
The Liberty League Co-Rookie of the Week, Ashley Brown (Plainville, CT/Suffield Academy) scored two goals and added an assist in the win over Clarkson. She is first on the team among freshman with eight goals and 18 points. Brown is second in the league among freshman in points and goals.
“Erika has taken her game to a higher level. She has a wonderful way of making players around her better,” said Head Coach Brian Speck. “Julie and our backs have done a wonderful job working together, especially considering an injury to a starting back prior to the William Smith game. Ashley would start at many of the schools we competed against. She had done a great job at the fourth forward spot and will be our center forward for years to come.”
While one fall team's season has come to an end (women's tennis), a pair of winter teams will open up their campaigns this Saturday. The Union men's swimming and diving and women's swimming and diving teams host the Union relays at 1 p.m.
