Ranked #8 in the ECAC New England Division III poll for a second week in a row, UMass Dartmouth's 34-7 New England Football Conference (NEFC) victory over Maine Maritime was the Corsairs' first victory ever at Castine, Maine. The Corsairs improved their record to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the NEFC.

UMass Dartmouth's high-powered offense was led by NEFC and ECAC Offensive Honor Roll selection Ryan Bland (Dartmouth, MA). The NEFC leader in catches per game (six) and receiving yard (118.8/game) had six catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns (40, 36, 45). Bland caught the first of four Jay Furtado (Swansea, MA) TD passes to open the game's scoring. Eric Lundell's (Mansfield, MA) first of four conversions gave the Corsairs a 7-0 lead. After the Mariners tied the score early in the second quarter, Mike Masse's (Wareham, MA) two-yard TD put the Corsairs ahead, 14-7. UMass Dartmouth increased its lead to 21-7 following a Maine Maritime turnover just before halftime. Charlie Hogan (Waltham, MA) (four catches 43 yards) caught a six-yard TD from Furtado (13-26, 2 Int, 4 TDs) for a 20-7 halftime lead.

Bland added two more TD catches in the second half as the Corsairs' defense shutout the Mariners the rest of the way for the 34-7 victory. UMass Dartmouth's ever-improving ground game was sparked by Steve Wozniak's (Whitman, MA) 112 yards on 22 carries. UMass Dartmouth picked up 171 yards on the ground and 306 passing yards.

After dropping their first two matches of the week, UMass Dartmouth put together a pair of victories over Southern Maine and Worcester State for a 2-2 record last week and a 6-10 mark on the season.

In their most recent outing, Coach Rick Quintin's Corsairs took a 3-1 victory over Worcester State at the Tripp Center. After taking the first set, 15-8, the Lancers scored a 15-12 victory to even the match. UMass Dartmouth put together victories in the next two sets, 15-12 and 15-5 for the 3-1 win. Heather Louro (Dartmouth, MA) had 40 assists and eight serving points in the final game. Allicia Pegg (Westport, MA), who was 100% serving on the night and Jessica Daggett (Chelmsford, MA) sparked UMass Dartmouth with their all-around floor-game play. In the straight-set sweep over Southern Maine, the Corsairs were led by Stephanie Wilson (Dartmouth, MA) with 11 kills, five aces and seven points in one game. Lauro added 15 assists and Marci Lima (Dartmouth, MA) had 12 points plus four aces.

Prior to the win at Southern Maine, the Corsairs had been defeated by Eastern Connecticut (3-0) on October 7 and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (3-2) on October 9. The Corsairs were outmatched against a very strong Eastern Connecticut squad with a 17-6 record. Eastern Connecticut took three matches in a row , 15-0, 15-2 and 15-10. The loss to Worcester Polytech two nights later was a tough one for UMass Dartmouth. The Corsairs won the first two sets, 15-11 and 15-5, but dropped the next two by scores of 15-4 and 15-3. In the fifth and deciding set, Worcester Polytech prevailed, 15-11, to take the match by a 3-2 score.

Two more victories last week extended the Corsairs' winning streak to six consecutive matches as Coach Warren Preti's squad moved to 9-2 on the season. Following a Sept. 16 match with Simmons College, the Corsairs will travel to Plymouth State College on October 18-19 to defend their Little East Conference championship.

In the two victories last week, UMass Dartmouth went 11-1 in singles and 4-2 in doubles play. The Corsairs swept all six singles matches in their 8-1 victory over Salem State College. Mary Bourque (Rochester, MA) took the first of two #1 singles wins and was joined in the winning column by Kelly Berger (Buzzards Bay, MA) at #2, Kasha Gula (Mansfield, MA) at #3, Shannon Kelleher (Saugus, MA) at #4, and Ashley Kennedy (Holliston, MA) at #5. The Corsairs won the #6 singles match by default. Doubles winners were Christine Mace (Abington, MA) and Christina Bendzewicz (Tyngsboro, MA) plus a default win at #3 doubles.

Bourque needed three sets for her #1 singles win over Rhode Island College, but the rest of the Corsairs' singles winners had an easier time of it. Cunha, Kennedy, Bendzewicz and Tina Nguyen (Shrewsbury, MA) had straight-set singles wins in the 7-2 victory. Cunha and Kennedy were #2 doubles winners and Bendzewicz and Nguyen teamed up for a #3 doubles victory.

Ashley Dorman's (Harwich, MA) unassisted goal started the week off on a positive note for the Corsairs as they knocked off Bridgewater State, 1-0. But the Corsairs were outgunned in their next two games, dropping a 4-1 decision to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a 2-1 decision to Assumption College.

Dorman's fifth goal of the season, with an assist from Karyn Hodgkins (Dartmouth, MA) was UMass Dartmouth's lone score in the loss to Assumption College. Dorman's goal tied the game 1-1, but Assumption scored the game-winner with seven minutes to play for the victory. Paula Malcom (Milford, MA) made six saves in goal and picked up her first loss of the season, dropping her record to 4-1. Assumption out shot UMass Dartmouth, 14-3.

In the loss to MIT, the Corsairs had a 1-0 lead at halftime thanks to Kelly Place's (Ashland MA) fifth goal of the season goal with an assist from Maureen Maloney (Blackstone, MA). Goalie Becky Medeiros (Fall River, MA) stopped 23 shots for UMass Dartmouth in a losing effort as MIT fired 55 shots and scored four unanswered goals in the second half.

Earlier in the week, the Corsairs edged Bridgewater State College, 1-0 on Dorman's unassisted goal at 15:04 of the second half. Medeiros did not have to make a save as the Corsairs dominated play, outshooting the Bears, 15-1.

Erik Reis (Westport, MA) had a goal and an assist to lead UMass Dartmouth to a 2-0 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in a non-conference game to open the week. Two days later, however, Reis was the Corsairs' only goal scorer in a 3-1 Little East Conference loss to Keene State College. Coach Niall O'Donnell's Corsairs are 4-7 overall and 0-3 in the LEC.

Mike Ring (Peabody, MA) stopped 10 shots and picked up his first victory of the season in UMass Dartmouth's goal against Mass. Maritime. Fabio Cardoso's (New Bedford, MA) second goal of the season, with an assist from Reis at 23:02 of the first half, gave UMass Dartmouth a 1-0 lead. Reis' second half goal, with an assist from Rob Workman (Bridgewater, MA), was icing on the cake for UMass Dartmouth.

Reis' third goal of the year, with an assist from Mike Tuccillo (Woodbridge, VA), gave the Corsairs a first-half lead over Keene State, before the Owls scored a pair of goals before intermission. Keene State scored one more goal in the second half for the 3-1 final. Ring made six saves in a losing cause.

Coach Susan Yacubian's equestrian team competed at the Johnson and Wales Horse Show for their second outing of the season.

Lisa Hayes was the Corsairs' top performer with a fourth-place finish in Advance Walk-Trot Canter. Four riders from UMass Dartmouth took top five spots in the Beginner Walk-Trot Canter including, Jill Pacheco (Dighton, MA), Becky Torres (Mattapoisett, MA), Melissa Serlin (Holyoke, MA), and Monica Asaff (Needham, MA). In the Intermediate over Fences competition, Adrea Dodge (E. Bridgewater, MA) was third and she took a first in the Intermediate over Flat. Sarah Roberts (Kingston, MA) was second in Intermediate over Flat and fifth in Intermediate over Flat. Mary Ellen Blombach (Hudson, MA) took third in Intermediate over Flat.

In Novice competition, Sara Richardson (Barrington, RI) was second in Novice over Fences and third in Novice over Flat. Stephanie Pacheco (Dighton, MA) was fourth in Novice over Flat and sixth in Novice of Fences and captain Cara David (Mendon, MA) brought home a third in Novice over Flat and fifth in Novice over Fences.

Competing with a field of 20 teams at the annual Albany State (NY) Invitational, the Corsairs placed 13th overall with 334 points. Maura McDonald (Greenfield, MA) was Coach Jon Hird's top runner, placing 21st overall with a time of 19:27 over the 5,000 meter course. Tara Carson (Beverly, MA) was UMass Dartmouth's second runner, placing 46th in 20:04 followed by Melissa Ying (Andover, MA) (74th, 21:11), Laura Caselden (Westfield, MA) (86th, 21:50) and Robin Holzer (Groton, MA) (130th, 25:42).

The Corsairs scored only one goal in a pair of game last week, resulting in an 0-2 mark for the week. Coach Alex Silva's Corsairs are 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the Little East Conference.

UMass Dartmouth was shutout 4-0 by Wellesley College on Oct. 9 and two days later, the Corsairs fell, 3-1, to Keene State College in an LEC contest. The Owls scored a pair of first-half goals for a 2-0 lead and added a third goal before Aja Folino's (Rockland, MA) unassisted goal at 78:27 made the final 3-1. Folino's goal was her first of the season. Jennifer Nelson (Medfield, MA) made 18 saves in the UMass Dartmouth goal.

Gary Mello (Woburn, MA) turned in a very strong performance at the Albany State (NY) Invitational, covering the five-mile course in a time of 26:18.

The Corsairs did not compete as a team at the event, however, two other Corsairs participated for Coach Jon Hird's team. Jeff Reed (Westport, MA) placed 97th overall with a time of 29:50 and Pat Gallagher (Fairhaven, MA) was 105th with a time of 30:25.

UMass Dartmouth cheerleaders had an outstanding performance when the Corsairs captured their division in the Fight Song Competition at the NCA college camp held at Team USA Sports Camp in Port Jervis, NY this summer.

Under the direction of Coach Lisa Cabral, the Corsairs were also awarded the "Best of the Best" trophy and a bid to the NCA Nationals Competition for the fourth consecutive year. Junior Steve Belanger (Fairhaven, MA) was awarded "Top Gun" Tumbler and "Top Gun" Jumper, the second time he has captured both titles in three years.

Junior captain Christie Cardoza (Fairhaven, MA) and freshman Jen Sargent (Raynham, MA) were selected as NCA All-Americans. Only eight All-Americans were selected from a field of 300 cheerleaders.

Among the squad members who attended the camp were senior captain Eric Bichao (Gloucester, MA); juniors Belanger, Cardoza, Amy Carroll (Fall River, MA), and Erin O'Sullivan (Rockland, MA); sophomores Ashley Cohen (Northboro, MA), Allison Mulcahy (Wethersfield, CT), Christine Patnaude (West Springfield, MA), and Kelly Syer (Easthampton, MA); and freshman Kim DePina (Brockton, MA), Sargent, and Lindsey Shea (Swansea, MA).

Coach Bruce Wheeler's Corsairs concluded their Fall baseball schedule by capturing the 1997 Babson Fall Classic. Ryan Pinto (New Bedford, MA) picked up the victory in a 4-2 win over Assumption before the Corsairs dropped a 4-2 decision to Babson College. UMass Dartmouth came back behind pitcher Jason Hinchcliff (New Bedford, MA) to beat Stonehill, 5-3 and advance to the tourney finals. Bob Haskins (Brockton, MA) was the inning pitcher for UMass Dartmouth in a 5-4 victory over Assumption for the title. Eric Alberto (Fall River, MA) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.