Men’s Lacrosse bows at Keene

KEENE, NH-Keene State scored six consecutive goals in the second quarter, took a 6-4 halftime lead, and went on to a 10-7 victory over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s men’s lacrosse team in the Little East Conference opener for both teams at the Owl Athletic Complex Saturday afternoon.

Jamie LeSage scored twice for the Owls during that span; with his second goal giving KSC a 6-3 lead with 8:30 to play in the first half. The Corsairs had used goals by senior midfielder Mark Lapointe (Tyngsboro, MA/Tyngsboro HS), sophomore midfielder Matt Swirbalus (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth HS) and freshman attackman Andrew Lewis (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow HS) to take a 3-0 lead 13 seconds into the second quarter, and sophomore defenseman Andrew Getto (Westfield, MA/Westfield HS) scored with 6:30 left in the second quarter to close the gap to 6-4 at halftime.

The Owls scored the first three goals of the third quarter. UMass Dartmouth rallied, getting two more goals from Lewis and one from sophomore midfielder Zach Eagan (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield HS), but fell short.

“Both teams played well,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Kevin Mahoney. “They got us with a spurt and we couldn’t answer back. They are a good team with a lot of experience. We had a much better effort than we did the last time out.”

The Owls out shot UMD, 44-26. Junior goalkeeper Steve Chase (Boston, MA/Boston Latin HS) made 16 saves for the Corsairs, while Matt Johnson made 10 for Keene State.

The Corsairs fell to 3-3 and 0-1 in the Little East Conference with the defeat, while the Owls improved to 6-0 and 1-0 in LEC play with the victory. UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they host UMass Boston in a Little East Conference game Tuesday afternoon.

Corsairs split baseball doubleheader with UMB

By Jay Oza

Last weekend, the UMD Men’s baseball team played its first games within the Little East Conference. It was on Saturday that they hosted UMass Boston for a doubleheader. The Corsairs made the most out of their offensive chances, played solid defense, and got top notch starting pitching to win the first game 3-0.

In the second game, UMass Boston took advantage of UMass Dartmouth’s defensive struggles and won the game 11-6. After the split of the doubleheader, the Corsairs’ LEC record is 1-1 to go along with a mediocre 4-9 overall record.

Freshman Adam Gustafson is now responsible for half of the team’s wins this season. He improved to 2-0 in his young college baseball career. He pitched a complete game shutout in game one, a very impressive performance. Gustafson gave up six scattered hits, and walked only three in this outing. He also struck out three in perhaps the finest outing of his entire life.

Sophomore left fielder Peter Gomez provided more than enough offense for the Corsairs. He doubled and singled to drive in two runs from the bottom third of the order. First baseman Dylan Zygmont also drove in a run for UMD. Despite an error and two fewer hits than UMass Boston, the Corsairs sailed to a 3-0 win and prepared for the nightcap.

Starter Dave McGuire got his first decision of the season in the second game. Despite pitching seven innings he gave up ten runs off of eleven hits. Only five of the runs were earned. He walked two and struck out one, in an outing that was decent until it was ruined by some awful defense. Six errors on defense were responsible for the five unearned runs scored by UMass Boston.

UMD hung in the game, however. Down 11-1 in the bottom of the eighth, the Corsairs came up with two runs. In the bottom of the ninth, they rallied for three more. Too little, too late. The final score was 11-6.

Early in the season, the Corsairs have a glaring issue that they need to mend before they start winning. Their defense has had some big holes in it. The hitters are taking advantage of most of their opportunities and the starters are pitching well enough to win.

A little defense is just what the team needs to turn it around. With a 4-10 record, the Corsairs upcoming games are Tuesday against Framingham State, Thursday against Rhode Island College, and Saturday against Keene State.

Kavanaugh steps down as football coach

By Ricky Smith

After leading the UMD football program for the past seventeen years, head coach Bill Kavanaugh announced his resignation last Wednesday. Upon his resignation, Kavanaugh has accepted the offer made by Bishop Stang High School and will coach the Spartans next season. Kavanaugh inherits a Stang team that has made it to the MIAA Division III Super Bowl the past two seasons, losing both games.

In his seventeen years at UMass Dartmouth, Kavanaugh had compiled and 104-64 career record as head coach. UMD has finished above .500 in 14 of his 17 seasons as coach. He has twice led the Corsairs to New England Conference titles.

In 2002, Kavanaugh led the Corsairs to a perfect 11-0 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division III Championships, losing in the first round to Muhlenberg. The very next year, Kavanaugh led the Corsairs to their first ever post-season win, defeating Worcester State in the 2003 EAC Division III Northeast Championship Bowl.

Kavanaugh has been named New England Football Conference Coach of the Year three times in his career (1991, 1994, and 2002) and has also earned Boston Gridiron Club and New England Football Writers Coach of the Year honors.

Also this week, assistant coach Chuck Allaire, who served under Kavanaugh as both defense and offensive coordinator as well as assistant coach accepted a head coaching offer from Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech and will coach the Bears next season. Voc-Tech is looking for Allaire to turn around their football program, which has been struggling for the past 20 years.

Track performs well at Tufts invitational

MEDFORD, MA-The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth track and field team acquitted themselves well in their first outdoor meet of the season at the Tufts Snowflake Invitational at the Dussault Complex Saturday afternoon.

For the men, senior Brian Vatcher (Stoneham, MA/Stoneham HS) was fifth at 5000 meters in 15:56.51, senior Casey Cavanaugh (Wilbraham, MA/Minnechaug HS) was fifth in the 3000 meter steeplechase in 10:18.83, Matt Denninger was seventh in the triple jump (42 feet, six inches) and eighth in the long jump (20-10 1/2), and the 4 x 400 meter relay team of junior Sam Machuor (Newbury, MA/Triton Regional HS), sophomore Jason Muller (Norton, MA/Norton HS), junior Chris Jodoin (Uxbridge, MA/Maine) and freshman Corey Sleep (Fall River, MA/Durfee HS) was fourth in 3:33.68.

On the women’s side, senior Jen Munyon (Berlin, MA/Assabet Valley HS) was sixth in the 400 meter hurdles in 1:09.49, and sixth in the high jump at 4-11. Junior Katie Malloy (Agawam, MA/Agawam HS) was fourth in the high jump at 5-3, sophomore Teresa McGrath (Saugus, MA/Saugus HS) was eighth in the shot put at 34-6, sophomore JuJu Saba (Dedham, MA/Dedham HS) was fifth in the shot put (35-1) and eighth in the discus (110-7 1/2), and the 4 x 400 meter relay team of sophomore Lenora Benson (Brockton, MA/Brockton HS), Katie Malloy, junior Alicia Malloy (Agawam, MA/Agawam HS) and Munyon was sixth in 4:31.01.

“We had a few good surprises,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Devlyn Lovell. “Matt Denninger, a transfer from Bridgewater State, did really well in the long jump and the triple jump, and some of the distance people did very well. Brian Vatcher was steady, and Casey Cavanaugh did really well in the steeplechase. We have a lot of work to do, but overall, I was not disappointed.”

Two sets of 25 Sox Predictions

After a long winter it’s finally baseball season! Of course what would baseball season be without two of Red Sox Nation’s most distinguished citizens not seeing eye to eye? Professor Torch reported in with his 25 predictions for this year’s season, which left the Sports Monstah wondering where the good doctor got his degree. It’s a regular clash of the titans in this week’s sports section and to the victor goes the spoils (aka bragging rights). Check back at the end of the season to see whose sooth-saying was the most accurate. If either sports nut gets less than 17 guesses correct, they will be punished by a means determined by you the reader. Email your punishment suggestions to torch@umassd.edu.

PROFESSOR TORCH

By Adam K. Ellis

1. 45 - The combined number of wins the Sox three aces will have..... Schilling, Beckett, and Matsuzaka.

2. 180 - This is the Media Guide’s listing for Dustin Pedroia weight....By June we will all hate this man and scream for the return of Mark Loretta.

3. Joe McEwing - On that note, begin to familiarize yourself with this name....He will be the Sox starting 2nd baseman by June.

4. If they manage to stay healthy, Manny and Papi will become the first teammates to hit 50 home runs each since Maris and Mantle in 61’.

5. Kevin Youkilis will no longer be referred to as the Greek God of Walks.......but Red Sox all-star first baseman.

6. Despite again batting below .250, we will be reminded for the 10 millionth time of “how valuable Jason Varitek is with the pitching staff.”

7. Repeat after me......”I miss when Julian Tavarez used to start”....Yeah, you probably thought you’d never say those eight dreaded words, but this is practice for when Jon Lester replaces him in June.

8. Josh Beckett is going to be unstoppable.

9. Despite a solid season of 25 home runs and 100 RBI’s, I will not forgive J.D Drew for wearing Trot Nixon’s number.

10. As much as we love Tim Wakefield, this is the year Fenway Faithful will wish for the departure of him, and his lover, Doug Mirabelli.

11. AL EAST -We will win the AL East by at least 5 games.

12. AL CENTRAL - The Detroit Tigers will win the Central by at least 15 games and take the crown of league’s best regular season record. With that said, Gary Sheffield is still a jerk no matter what jersey he wears.

13. AL WEST - This is the year that Billy Beane’s “Moneyballed” Oakland A’s finish around .500. No team can continually lose its best players year in and year out, and win. The Angels will take the AL West.

14. AL WILDCARD - Kei Igawa is the Japanese acquisition that hasn’t received as much attention per say one Dice-K. But Sox fans will have a new Yankee to hate, as the left-hander will win 14 games and help the Yanks pull down the AL Wildcard.

15. AL CY YOUNG - Johan Santana will continue his path on becoming one of the greatest left-handed pitchers ever and win his 3rd Cy Young. Sadly, this just means he will be one year closer, to signing the biggest contract for a pitcher......with the Yankees (sad face).

16. MVP-api!! - with Kevin Youkilis in front and Manny and J.D Drew behind him, Big Papi will finally receive a much-deserved M-V-P title.

17. NL EAST - The return of Pedro Martinez in July will spring the Mets over the Braves and Phillies. Mets win the NL East pennant by four-and-a-half games.

18. NL CENTRAL - The retaining champion Cardinals will once again benefit from playing in the least competitive division in the MLB and win the NL Central.

19. NL WEST - The most competitive division in baseball will be the NL West. With that said, the Dodgers, powered by the addition of Jason Schmidt, will have the upper hand.

20. NL WILD CARD - The Diamondbacks, and not the Balco-infused-San Francisco Giants, will win the NL Wild Card.

21. NL CY YOUNG - The Opening Day match-up of the Reds and Cubs will be a preview of the NL CY Young Race: Carlos Zambrano vs. Aaron Harang. And the winner is.........Carlos Zambrano

22. NL MVP - A player of Miguel Cabrera’s talent is worth more than his 7.4 million dollar salary. With the maturation of the young players around him, he will improve on his 26 homers, 114 RBIs, and .339 BA.

23. AL PLAYOFFS - Tigers overmatch the Yanks. Sox aces shut down the potent lineup of the Angels. And the Sox will beat the over-hyped Tigers in 6.

24. NL PLAYOFFS -Mets over Cardinals. Dodgers over the D-Backs. Mets down the Dodgers in 7. If the Mets were healthy last year, they may have won it all. And they will get to prove this in 07’.

25. WORLD SERIES CHAMPS - Sox return the favor for the 86’ squad that fell one strike short. Schilling wins two games and Papi has an MVP-like series. On this note, I will begin taking bets for the over/under on UMD riot arrests.

THE SPORTS MONSTAH

By Ricky Smith

1. 15- The number of wins the Red Sox one ace, Curt Schilling will have at season’s end. This will go along with a 10 or so loss and an ERA around 4.00. The Professor’s other two Ace’s Josh Beckett and Dice-K Matsuzaka will combine for 24 wins. Let’s say 13-12 with a 4.80 ERA for Mr. Beckett and a solid 11 wins for our Japanese import, Dice-K to go along with 8 losses and a 4.25 ERA.

2. Dustin Pedroia will do fine, it’s Julio Lugo we should worry about. If you’re looking for Alex Gonzalez-like defense, you’re not going to find it here. Lugo will have 20+ errors this season.

3. Joe McEwing will be the Red Sox second baseman the day hell freezes over.

4. No one will touch the 1961 season Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle had, not even Papi and Manny. Papi will hit somewhere around 45 homeruns, Manny 35 to 38. Anyway, chances are that Manny will want to be traded by August, July the earliest, and he will stop trying.

5. Kevin Youkilis will not only make the All- Star game (Prof. Torch got one right), but he will also win his first gold glove.

6. Jason Varitek will hit in the .270- .280 range, but would be half the defense catcher if it wasn’t for Mirabelli handling of Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball.

7. Again hell freezes when someone says, “I miss when Julian Tavarez used to start.” Tavarez walked 12 in five starts last season, to go along with an ERA over 4.70. Those aren’t number I would miss.

8. Josh Beckett will prove that he was not worth trading shortstop Hanley Ramirez to the Marlins. Ramirez led the Marlins to a surprising playoff push last season with a .292 average, 17 HR, 59 RBIs (leading off), and 51 stolen bases. Ramirez will have similar numbers this year, while Beckett will be lucky to crack the 10 win mark.

9. I will also not forgive J.D. Drew for wearing Trot Nixon’s number 7. I will not forgive Professor Torch for believing Drew will be healthy enough for a 25 home run, 100 RBI season. We will see a lot of Wily Mo Pena in right field this year.

10. Tim Wakefield will pitch until he dies. He will have another 13-15 win season.

11. AL EAST- I hate to say it, but the Yankees win by 2 games.

12. AL CENTRAL- The Twins win the division by a game over the Tigers. The Indians prove they were overrated this season finishing 10 games back.

13. AL WEST- The Angels will struggle offensively, leaving the door open for the A’s to win the division. Watch out for A’s outfielder Bobby Kielty who will start the season on the DL, but led the A’s in batting average last season in limited at-bats. With Nick Swisher playing first, Kielty will get more at-bats and help round out an outstanding A’s outfield.

14. AL Wild Card- The Sox win the Wild Card by a few games over the Tigers who will get of to a slow start without Kenny Rogers.

15. AL Cy Young- Everyone knows it’s Santana’s to lose. He won’t lose it.

16. AL MVP- I would love to say David Ortiz, because no one deserves it more than Papi, but a DH is not going to win the MVP because they don’t play defense. I know it’s a load of you know what, but it’s true. A-Rod will win the MVP, but once again, buckle to the pressure October brings.

17. NL EAST- The Mets are the team to beat, but watch out for the Braves who will be looking to start a new streak.

18. NL CENTRAL- Alfonso Soriano and the Cubs will edge out the Cardinals, who will miss the playoffs.

19. NL WEST- Greg Maddux has resurgence in San Diego and the Padres win the west. Randy Johnson’s knees fall off as the D-Backs finish third. Barry Bonds’ head explodes from the steroids and the Giants finish last in the division.

20. NL WILDCARD- Nomah and the Dodgers edge out Ryan Howard and the Phillies by a game or two.

21. NL Cy Young- Aaron Harang? I can see Zambrano being in the Cy Young race, but Harang? Harang wins maybe 12 games this season and watches old man Tom Glavine walk away with the Cy Young, just beating Carlos Zambrano.

22. NL MVP- The Marlin’s Miguel Cabrera is a great player, but Albert Pujols is the best player in the game today. He wins the MVP.

23. AL Playoffs- Yankees fall to the Twins in the first round. Sox beat the A’s in five. Twins break our hearts in the ALCS with their deep pitching, beating the Sox in 6. Santana wins games one and six.

24. NL Playoffs- Mets kill the Padres. Cubs handle the Dodgers. Cubs beat the Mets in 7 in the NLCS.

25. World Series Champions- I didn’t believe in the Curse of the Bambino, so I certainly don’t believe in the Curse of the Billy Goat. The Cubs, yes the Cubs, beat the Twins in a mid-west showdown. This also leads to the second Chicago Fire as Cubs fans riot for weeks.