Author: David Gottlieb

The women’s soccer team’s shot at their first ever NESCAC championship came up just short last weekend after the team lost to Middlebury in penalty kicks by a final margin of 2-1. Despite the tough loss, the team still qualified for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, which is their first tournament berth in history. The Cardinals will host the regional round of the tournament, starting  this Saturday with a game against 19-1-0 Penn State Behrend.

Before the tough loss in the NESCAC final, Wesleyan defeated third-seeded Hamilton in the semifinals on Nov. 6 by a score of 2-1. Against the Continentals, the Cardinals took the lead 1-0 in the 26th minute as Grace Devanny ’23, who was named NESCAC Player of the Year this week, scored on a header off a pass from captain Emily Ribatt ’21 MA ’22. In the second half, the Red and Black were able to extend their lead to 2-0 as Danielle Soto ’23 scored her first goal of the season in the 80th minute. Wesleyan outshot Hamilton 19-6 and allowed no shots on target throughout the entire game. This win advanced the second-seeded Cards to their first NESCAC championship game in program history on Nov. 7 against the fourth-seeded Panthers.

The game was a closely contested one. Middlebury took the lead 1-0 with just under ten minutes to go in the first half before Wesleyan responded with a goal from Kate Hausladen ’23 to tie up the score less than a minute before halftime. The score remained tied at one throughout the entire second half and overtime, so the game went into a penalty shootout to decide who would take home the NESCAC Championship. In the shootout, Wesleyan fell behind early when the opposing goalkeeper saved their first attempt and the Panthers converted their first two shots. The Cards were then able to tie it up at two after three rounds as Middlebury missed one opportunity, and Caty Clements ’25 and Gianna Argento ’21 MA ’22 both converted from the spot. However, Middlebury stopped the next two Cardinal attempts and converted one of their two to take home the NESCAC championship. On the stat sheet, the Cards outshot the Panthers 21-14. Goalie Sarah Hammond ’22, who was named to the All-NESCAC second team this past week for her efforts in goal this season, made seven saves.

Despite the agonizingly close loss, Ribatt was proud of the team’s performance.

“I think the team played well in both games and gave it our all,” Ribatt wrote in a message to The Argus. “We created so many opportunities and will continue to work on finishing our chances and taking advantage of the pressure we put on other teams this week in practice.”

Even though they lost to the Panthers, Ribatt saw a lot of positives to take away from the experience of playing in such high-pressure games.

“It was an unfortunate outcome, but we had never been in a PK shootout before so it’s always good to gain new experience that we can build on and learn from,” Ribatt wrote. “Again, we created strong chances and pressure in both the semifinal and the final and it gave us great direction for what we can work on and added motivation entering the NCAA tournament.”

Next up, the Cards will host Penn State Behrend in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of this game will take on either Ithaca College or Stevens Institute of Technology on Sunday at Wesleyan. Midfielder Melissa Wilhelm ’22 is confident that the work the team has put in thus far to get to this point in their historic season will power them to victory.

“I think the key to being successful in the NCAA tournament is to play with confidence and intensity right from the whistle,” Wilhelm wrote in a message to The Argus. “We know that when we put the ball down and play our game we can compete with anyone.”

Wilhelm added that even though they have not faced Penn State Behrend before, the most important thing for the team to do is to focus on playing their best game, just as they always have.

“I think the preparation for this weekend is the same as it has been all season,” Wilhelm said. “While it’s important to know another team’s strengths and weaknesses we try to play to our own strengths and not change based on another team and this weekend’s game(s) are no different.”

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu

This weekend is the first Homecoming and Family Weekend since 2019 due to the pandemic. It is a fun weekend on the school calendar for a variety of reasons. For some, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a nice afternoon of football as the undefeated Wesleyan Cardinals take on the Amherst Mammoths in a Little Three showdown. For others, it’s a chance to catch up with family and friends who they haven’t seen in a while.

For me, this weekend has always been a special one and this one will be no different. Alongside the football, I will get to watch my friends play in a NESCAC women’s soccer playoff game at home for the first time. The weekend will also be bittersweet; it will be my last Homecoming as a student and the first one without my grandfather, Robert Gorin ’57 P ’90 GP ’22 ’25, who passed away in the spring of 2020. 

Growing up in a family where both of my parents as well as my grandfather graduated from Wesleyan, this school has been a part of my life since birth. I grew up coming to campus for numerous events, including reunions. However, my favorite Wesleyan tradition that I looked forward to every year was the trip to Middletown with my grandparents to watch the Cardinals play in the annual Homecoming football game.

My grandfather and I had a close relationship, and given the fact that I liked sports, he thought it would be a great idea to take me to the game, just like he took my mom when she was a kid. So in 2008, he brought me for the first time. We then went every year after that. These trips were some of the best times I ever spent with him. We both enjoyed sitting in the bleachers on Andrus Field along with my grandma, and we bonded while watching his and my parents’ alma mater play football. He would tell me stories from his experiences at Wesleyan as well as from when my parents were students. If you know me, you know how much I love these stories and sharing them.

Over the years, we saw some really ugly games that ended in losses, but we also saw some great wins, including in 2013, when Wesleyan defeated Williams 19–17 and won the Little Three Title for the first time since 1970. No matter the score, I cherished being there and spending the time together.

In 2018, this tradition took on a new and special meaning when I decided to attend Wesleyan as a member of the class of 2022. While making those trips with my grandfather as a kid, I honestly never envisioned myself being on this campus as a student, despite my grandparents saying to me that maybe one day I would end up here. The fact that I chose Wesleyan made the last couple of years that I got to spend with my grandfather that much more special. He was so proud of the fact that I was following in his (and my parents’) footsteps. It made the Homecoming weekends in 2018 and 2019 so meaningful for both of us. 2019 was a particularly fun game as we saw Wesleyan once again take the Little Three Title for the second time in four years with a dramatic overtime win over Williams.

Now, as I prepare to spend this upcoming weekend with my mom and siblings, including my sister, who is now a first year (something I am sure that my grandfather is extremely proud of too!), I do so with him in mind. His absence will feel both strange and sad, but I will take great comfort and happiness from knowing how proud he is to have both me and my sister on this campus, keeping the family tradition alive. I love you and miss you, Grandpa.

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu. 

The women’s soccer team had an incredible start to the season with a record-tying win streak of six games in a row and their best start since 1993, the year in which they also went 6–0.

Unfortunately, the team’s incredible winning streak came to an end in their matchup on Oct. 9th against No. 20 Amherst. It was a tight game throughout, remaining tied at 0–0 until ten minutes into the second half, when Amherst scored the lone goal of the game. The Cards fought back hard with 11 shots throughout the rest of the second half, but ultimately neither team found the back of the net, leaving the final score 1–0 in favor of Amherst. The win for the Mammoths also earned them the Little 3 title. 

Despite the scoreline, the Red and Black had a strong offensive effort as they outshot the Mammoths 18–8 with Audrey Lavey ’23 and Ally Stanton ’24 leading the way for the team with three shots apiece. In addition, they also had a huge advantage in corner kicks over Amherst (10–4), so it was unlucky that the Cards could not get on the scoreboard. In goal for Wesleyan, Sarah Hammond ’22 made three saves in the losing effort.

Rather than feeling disappointed by their loss, the Red and Black chose instead to see it as a learning experience to inform the rest of a season.

“Although we lost, and it was a tough loss, we played really good soccer, and we just didn’t get to finish our chances that we created, and we created a lot of chances,” Lavey said. “So I think that a couple of things that we can take away from it are that we hadn’t been in a position where we were down. So being down and keeping the pressure on was huge.”

Following the tight contest, the now-eighteenth-ranked Cardinals had a quick turnaround as they took on in-state and conference rival Trinity on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at home. The Red and Black were able to grind out a key 2–1 victory to push their record to 7–1 overall and 5–1 in NESCAC play. Against the Bantams, the Cards got off to a fast start as Grace Devanny ’23, celebrating her 21st birthday, scored two and a half minutes into the game to put the Red and Black up 1–0. In the 74th minute, the Bantams managed to come back and score their first goal, tying the game up 1–1.

As the minutes ticked by, Wesleyan didn’t back down. In the 83rd minute, Devanny scored her second goal of the game, bringing the score to 2–1 and clinching another victory for the Cards, officially making Devanny the team leader in goals, assists, points, and shots.

The Cardinals then survived a Trinity shot off the crossbar in the final minutes and were able to close out the much-needed victory. On the stat sheet, the shots were basically even, the teams slotting five shots on goal apiece. Wesleyan outshot Trinity overall 9–7. Devanny led the team with four shots on goal, and Hammond made four saves in the victory.

The comeback victory against Trinity demonstrated that a loss won’t keep the Cards down for long. 

“Our coaches told us to view the game against Trinity as an opportunity to respond to our previous loss,” Stanton said. “This motivated our team, and we scored an early goal and stayed composed late in the second half to pull out the win.” 

Captain Emily Ribatt ’21 MA ’22 said that the key to the victory over Trinity was teamwork combined with a high level of offensive play.

“Tuesday’s win was a mix of some really amazing shots and final third play as well as overall team combination,” Ribatt said. “We have so many strong ways to attack, and it was really exciting to get that 83rd-minute goal. It definitely was not the easiest of wins, but the fact that we could keep pushing and get the result shows confidence and real grit and that we can pull out the W in any situation.”

The Red and Black are confident that they will be able to keep this strong momentum they have going and continue to maintain a hopeful and ambitious outlook. Midfielder Melissa Wilhelm ’22 stressed the importance of playing with confidence and motivation as the team heads into the back half of the NESCAC schedule.

“I think in both the Amherst and Trinity games, we strung together some periods of really nice soccer, even though the score lines didn’t necessarily show that,” Wilhelm said. “We just have to remain confident and keep looking forward to the next game and use the past to motivate us.”

Next up, the Cards head up to Maine this weekend to take on Bates and Colby on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Despite the fact that these upcoming competitors are at the bottom of the standings this season, Wilhelm knows that the Cardinals cannot overlook any opponent, given how competitive the NESCAC is.

“We all know that no matter a team’s record, in the NESCAC, any team can win on any given day,” Wilhelm said. “If everyone gives their best effort for all 90 minutes, we should be successful.”

Erin Byerly can be reached at ebyerly@wesleyan.edu.

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu. 

The women’s soccer team’s historic start to the season continued as the team increased their record to 6–0 (4–0 in the NESCAC) this season with victories over Bowdoin and Tufts last week.

In the Sept. 25 game against the Polar Bears, the Cards once again scored first as Audrey Lavey ’23 slotted her second goal of the season off a pass across the box from Grace Devanny ’23 to put the Red and Black ahead. The duo then connected again just two minutes later, as Lavey added another goal off an assist from Devanny to put Wesleyan up by two. Bowdoin was able to cut the lead to 2–1 nine minutes later, before Kate Hausladen ’23 scored the Cardinals’ third goal of the game to restore the two-goal lead right before the half. After halftime, Bowdoin cut the lead to 3–2, but the Red and Black hung on to secure the 3–2 win. On the stat sheet, Wesleyan outshot Bowdoin 16–13, and in the net, Sarah Hammond ’22 made five saves. This victory propelled the Cards to their highest national ranking in program history at #12. In addition, because of her two-goal effort, Lavey was named NESCAC Player of the Week.

Following the win over Bowdoin, Wesleyan went on the road on Sept. 28 and defeated the thirteenth-ranked Jumbos in a hard-fought 3–1 victory in wet conditions. Like they have done in every game so far this year, the Cards scored first against Tufts, this time with a goal from Lavey, who currently leads the team in scoring efforts with 4 goals in the season. Lavey’s goal put the Cards up 1–0. However, Tufts was able to respond quickly and tied the game up with a goal just over six minutes later. The game remained equal until Devanny found the back of the net with just under seven minutes to go in the half, securing a 2–1 lead for the Cards.

In the second half, the Red and Black increased their lead as Ally Stanton ’24 scored her second goal of the season, putting the Cards ahead 3–1. They were able to hold the Jumbos off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game and secure the crucial road victory. As a team, the Cards were outshot 12–8, but Hammond stood tall in net, making three saves. The win was the first for the team on the road against the Jumbos since 1996, and their 4–0 start in conference play is the best in program history.

Lavey was ecstatic with the team’s play across the last two games.

“In the past couple of games, we have definitely proved to ourselves that, even if we don’t play our best soccer, we have the skill and work ethic to pull out a win,” Lavey said. “Knowing that will be important for us going into the second half of our NESCAC games.”

In particular, Lavey highlighted the game against Tufts as being one of their best performances this season.

“The Tufts game had spells of some of our best soccer. As soon as we were able to settle down and get a feel for the wet turf, we strung together some great plays, both offensively and defensively. The rain definitely made the game feel very frantic, especially at the beginning of the second half when we were up 2–1 and they had us backed into our defensive half. The key to getting through those conditions was definitely to remain calm and keep the ball on the ground as much as possible because that’s where we were dominating.”

Devanny highlighted this team effort as being vital to the unprecedented success they’ve had at the beginning of this season.

“I don’t think there is one key to our historic start of the season,” Devanny said.  “Everyone on the team brings something special to the table that is helping our team be successful and win games.”

Next up, the Cards look to continue their undefeated run as they take on Mount Holyoke on Oct. 6 in a non-conference showdown on the road. The match will take place on Wednesday, before the Red and Black return home to take on Amherst in another Little Three matchup on Saturday. The Cardinals will look to defend their Little Three title, which they captured for the first time in 37 years in 2019. Heading into these games, Devanny noted that the team could not afford complacency.

“I think the key to continue this high level is to not get comfortable,” Devanny said. “We need to keep pushing ourselves to continue to get better and grow as a team.”

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu 

The women’s soccer team’s winning ways have continued. The team extended their record to 4–0 overall and 2–0 in the NESCAC with two more wins this past week, including a major Little Three victory over Williams.

During the match, Wesleyan got off to a fast start as Grace Devanny ’23 scored just five minutes from the beginning whistle to earn the Cards a 1–0 lead. This score held for the remainder of the game, leaving the Cardinals with a tight victory over the Ephs in the books. Overall, as a team, the Cards were outshot 10–8 by Williams, but goalie Sarah Hammond ’22 stood tall in net, making the crucial seven saves. This was the Red and Black’s first win at Williams since 1981, though they defeated the Ephs at home in 2019. 

Following their stellar road victory, Wesleyan took care of business against the Coast Guard Academy at home, winning by a score of 4–0. Wesleyan once again jumped out to an early lead as Devanny scored on a header off of a cross from Audrey Lavey ’23 just under 10 minutes into the game. The Cards added two more goals in the first half as Kate Hausladen ’23 scored in the 28th minute and Ally Stanton ’24 scored her first career goal in the 37th, giving the Red and Black a 3–0 lead at the end of the first half. In the second half, Gianna Argento ’21 MA ’22 scored the fourth and final goal of the game in the 54th minute to put the game firmly out of reach.

As a team, the Cards were dominant on the stat sheet, outshooting Coast Guard 24–4. Goalies Hammond and Erin Dailey ’23 only had to make one combined save en route to their second shutout of the season. This 4–0 start to the season by Wesleyan represents their second-best start to a season since 1993, as well as their longest shutout streak in team history. To date, the Red and Black have not allowed a single goal in 360 minutes of action.

Captain Emily Ribatt ’21  MA ’22  said that she has been happy with the team’s performance on the field so far this year. 

“The team has looked really strong in our last two games,” Ribatt said. We have been implementing what we have been working on in practice like 1v1 defending and high-pressure defense from our forwards.”  

According to Ribatt, a major component of this fast start to the season has been the team’s chemistry, despite the long break from competition that the players experienced prior to this year’s season opener. 

“We are trusting our teammates and doing a great job of passing under pressure and staying composed, and I think that these elements have been super important for our success,” Ribatt said. “Everyone is very committed to the team and excited to be playing together after so long.”

Midfielder Melissa Wilhelm ’22 credited the offense’s fast start against Williams as a crucial component of  the victory. 

“I think a key to the win over Williams was coming out strong with energy and getting the early goal,” Wilhelm said. “Also, while Williams had their opportunities, we continued to win our 1v1 battles and never gave in.”

Another important aspect of the Cards’ success so far has been their stout defense. Defender Chloe Odabashian ’23 stressed the importance of keeping up this high level of play as the season continues.

“We need to stay focused and play every game with the same grit that we started the season with,” Odabashian said. “Our coaches say to take our defensive battles personally, and as long as we continue to do so, we will finish strong.”

Next up, the Cards take on Bowdoin this Saturday, at home on Jackson Field. Wilhelm emphasized the importance of keeping up the same level of play that has gotten the team to this 4–0 start. 

“I think the key to keep this high level of play against Bowdoin is to go in with confidence,” Wilhelm said. “We have shown that when we play quickly together and win our 1v1 battles we can play around anyone, and Bowdoin is no different.”

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu. 

Almost 700 days since the last time they took the field for a competitive game, the women’s soccer team returned to action last week to win their first two games of the season over Keene State College and Middlebury College.

In the game against Keene State, the Cardinals won by a score of 7–0, with six of those goals in the first half. Six different players scored: Caroline Simpson ’23, Dani Milovanov ’23, Andrea Chiappetti ’24, Audrey Lavey ’23, Gianna Argento ’21 MA ’22, and Lina Rodriguez ’24 all found the back of the net. The seventh goal was an own goal. As a team, the Cards outshot Keane State 22–3 for the game; goalie Sarah Hammond ’22 only had to make two saves for the win. 

Following their opening victory, the Red and Black headed up to Middlebury for their first NESCAC game of the season, where they were able to defeat the 11th-ranked Panthers by a score of 2–0. Katie O’Connell ’25 opened the scoring for the Cards in the first half, recording her first career goal on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute of the game. Wesleyan doubled its lead just seven minutes later with a first career goal for Saige Rovero ’24. Rovero caught a piece of a deflection following a shot attempt by Melissa Wilhelm ’22 and found the back of the net. This score stood for the rest of the game, as the Cardinals were able to close out the 2–0 victory. On the stat sheet, the shots were pretty even throughout the game for both sides. The Cards were outshot 13–11, but the combination of stifling defense and Hammond’s goaltending—four saves—was enough to keep Middlebury off the board. The victory over the Panthers was just Wesleyan’s second since 1995, and the win vaulted the Cards to 18th in the country in the latest national rankings, which is their highest ranking in team history. 

Across the two games, forward and midfielder Grace Devanny ’23 has been pleased with the team’s performance. 

“The team has looked really strong over the past few games,” Devanny said. “Everyone is really excited to be back playing regular-season games, so the energy is high.”

Devanny also stressed the importance of strong performances early on. 

“I think starting off strong really increased our confidence going forward in the season,” Devanny said. “We just have to continue to prepare and work hard every practice and game.” 

In the win over the ranked Panthers, Lavey highlighted the team’s motivation and balanced performance on the field.

“I think one thing that was key to our victory at Middlebury was the way we adjusted to defend their unique formation, yet still play to our strengths in the wide areas,” Lavey said. “The fact that we were able to shut them down in the midfield and play the way we usually do certainly threw them for a loop. On top of that, we stepped onto the field firing for a win, for the chance to beat a ranked team, and for revenge for our 2019 season, which ended on that same field.” 

Midfielder Andi Wiley ’22 added that the preparation in practice was key in the victory. 

“We worked a lot on the midfield and how to defend against Middlebury’s box midfield formation and we executed our goal of attacking the width and quick transitions,” Wiley said.

Next up, the Cards head on the road to take on Williams College on Saturday afternoon. The last time the two teams faced off in 2019, the Cardinals beat the Ephs for the first time in 37 years. Heading into the first Little Three matchup of the season, Lavey said remaining focused and playing consistent soccer will be crucial to their success against the Ephs. 

“Going into Williams this Saturday, it will be important that we come off our Middlebury win with confidence and energy, but not let that get to our heads and underestimate Williams,” Lavey said. “We know that it’s always a very competitive match, and as our first Little Three game of the season, we have to come out ready to fight and scrap. That being said, I think it will also be key to play our game no matter how the game is going or what the score is because that is where we find success.”

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu. 

The women’s crew team had yet another successful season this past spring, finishing fourth in the NCAA Division III Championship for the second time in a row. At the championship, the first varsity eight boats (Elizabeth Rowe (8), Eva Phelps (7), Jordan Craig (6), Anna Merrifield (5), Mackenzie Wiley (4), Megan Alberding (3), Emily Coombs (2), Avery Kelly (1)) finished fourth with a time of 6:43.602, while the second varsity eight boat (Chase Ames (coxswain), Shelagh Coombs (8), Parkman Moseley (7), Tamar Landesman (6), Anne Horton (5), Elise McCamant (4), Shayna McCarthy (3), Celia D’Amato (2), and Elizabeth Myers (1)) finished third overall in their race with a time of 6:56.947. 

C0-Captain Emily Coombs ’22 said she was elated with this result and motivated for more future success.

“Our team was excited to finish fourth once again, especially being that we had to qualify for NCAAs through an at-large bid after just missing out on making it to NESCAC finals,” Coombs said. “Our points total was actually higher than the year before, meaning overall our boats placed better. The margins between boats were also tighter, which showed more relative speed for our team, so in a small sense it did feel like an improvement. That being said, our team is super ambitious, and definitely would have liked to at least squeezed into the top three. So, as exciting as it was to just be at NCAAs, I think that we all left feeling extremely fired up and motivated to win the whole thing next year.” 

Coombs added that the key was having a lot of rowers who could perform at a high level, as the team had to navigate an ever-changing lineup of rowers.

“The depth of our team absolutely played a crucial role in making it to, and placing at, NCAAs,” Coombs said. “We had lots of lineup changes in the last few weeks before NCAAs, with rowers moving from the 2V boat into the 1V boat and even from the 3V to the 2V. We were lucky in that we had a strong group of women who all wanted to work hard for even the slightest possibility of being able to compete in an NCAA boat.”

Coombs emphasized that the team’s positive attitude contributed to their success in the water during what was a draining pandemic year.

“I would say the collective attitude and positivity of our team was also one of the key elements,” Coombs said. “Last year was obviously a long year, and we were not even sure that we were going to have any sort of season, never mind the chance to go to NCAAs. However, throughout the year we kept training and thinking we were going to have a proper spring season. This was definitely hard and draining at times, especially when there was no end goal in sight. Our team is very close-knit though, and everyone used one another as support and motivation to power the whole team through the fall and winter, and then the spring, NCAA training, and NCAAs itself.” 

Heading into this season, Coombs stressed the importance of using that motivation to work hard and improve upon their fourth-place finish.

“We have a very young team, which ideally bodes well for this coming season,” Coombs said. “At NCAAs, the 2V (which placed third) included six freshmen, and the 1V had four sophomores and a freshman. Our goal is to use this youth and our motivated energy to our advantage as we build off of last year and work to get faster this year. As rewarding as it was to place fourth in the Nation, our team’s goal as a whole has and always will be to work in pursuit of a National Championship. I think that our team is more excited than ever to get back on the water and break our fourth place streak!”

The women’s crew fall schedule kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 3 with the Riverfront Regatta in Hartford. 

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu. 

For the first time in 13 months, the University’s men’s lacrosse team returned to action last Saturday, opening their season on the road against Hamilton. This season will look different than previous years due to COVID-19, as the Cards are only playing a four-game slate against Hamilton (who they will play twice), Williams, and Trinity. The team with the best record at the end of the four games will win the West Division and will then move on to the NESCAC Championship game and face the winner of the East Division, which is made up of Bates, Colby, Tufts, and Connecticut College.

In addition to the shortened, modified schedule, the Red and Black also have had to adjust their roster, as they are coming into the season without a lot of their sophomore and junior players. The Cards have creatively recruited hockey and football players who played lacrosse in high school to fill out the rest of their roster. Those added to the roster include Michael Kerbrat ’23, a hockey player who will be a defender, and Brett Nelson ’24, a football player who will be the backup goalie.

Men’s Lacrosse Coach John Raba spoke to his excitement about the season.

“We love it,” Rada said in an interview with The Argus. “We’ve seen it all. We’ve been around for most ups and downs. This is definitely a different type of challenge that is really making us think, and it’s exciting.”

Despite missing a good deal of their regular lineup, the Cardinals appeared to not miss a beat on Saturday, defeating Hamilton 13–7. It was the Cards’ tenth straight win in the last ten head-to-head matchups they have played against the Hamilton Continentals.

In the game itself, Hamilton got off to a fast start, taking an early 3–1 lead. Hamilton’s advantage wasn’t long lived, however. The Red and Black responded with a 9–0 run to take a 10–3 lead at the end of the first quarter. The margin never got closer than six goals the rest of the way, as the Cards’ offense started the season with a bang. Leading the scoring charge was Ronan Jacoby ’21, who had four goals and two assists, and Matt Chase ’21 who scored four goals of his own. In addition, the Cards also got offensive contributions from Jake Sexton ’22, Nolan Chow ’23, and Pat Grahling ’21.

The Red and Black were similarly strong on defense, as they forced 20 Hamilton turnovers and goalie Max Powers ’21 made 24 saves. Overall, Jacoby was pleased with the result.

“I think it was a great team win. It was tough as it was our first game in over a year, so at times it was sloppy, but we did what we needed to win the game,” Jacoby said in an interview with The Argus. “We played great team O[ffense], and our D[efense] was stellar. Our goalie, Max Powers, also had a phenomenal day, which gives the team a lot of confidence knowing we can get bailed out.”

Jacoby highlighted his team’s ability to play together and to maintain a healthy pace.

“I think with a short roster it is important to control the tempo of the game,” Jacoby said. “We do not have enough players to push in transition as much as we would like to so we have to make sure our settled O is really sharp. The one nice thing is that because it is a short roster, our chemistry is better as we know each other’s tendencies more. The biggest thing is that we have to stay hungry and play as a team regardless of the situation!”

Next up, the Cardinals open up their home slate with a game against Trinity on Saturday at 3 p.m. Jacoby emphasized the team’s need to clean up sloppiness going forward if they want to continue to be successful.

“I think for us what will be huge is to limit the amount of penalties that we take and work for better quality shots,” Jacoby said. “What is awesome is that they are both really controllable things, and I am confident we will be able to do this weekend. It should be a fun game, and I know our whole team is looking forward to playing them at home on Saturday!”

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu. 

Major League Baseball (MLB) announced their decision to remove this year’s All-Star Game and Draft from Atlanta on Apr. 2 in response to the passage of Senate Bill 202, a new Georgia voting law. The new legislation includes voting restrictions such as limiting the number of drop boxes used to collect ballots and prevents government officials to mail out absentee ballots automatically to citizens. Republican legislators passed and signed the bill into law in Mar. 2021. Critics from across the country pointed out that the law especially targets voters of color.

In his statement announcing the decision, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred highlighted the league’s support for voting rights for all Americans and argued that moving the game from Atlanta demonstrates MLB’s commitment to their values. Manfred also added that the decision was agreed upon by both the Players Association and the league. The league subsequently announced on Monday, Apr.5 that the game would be instead be played at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. 

MLB’s decision, however, was not solely motivated by the organization’s values. The league’s decision came after partner corporations such as Coca-Cola expressed their opposition to the law. 

Other sports leagues have encountered similar situations. In 2016, the NBA All-Star Game was moved from Charlotte, North Carolina to New Orleans, Louisiana after North Carolina introduced legislation that required transgender people to use the bathroom that aligned with the sex on their birth certificate. However, given the MLB has been notoriously apolitical (at least compared to the NBA), the decision to relocate this summer’s All-Star Game from Atlanta came as a surprise to many.

In the aftermath of the decision being announced, several celebrities, including former President Barack Obama praised MLB for their decision to stand up for voting rights.

“There’s no better way for America’s pastime to honor the great Hank Aaron, who always led by example,” Obama tweeted. 

There was also support for this decision from team executives across the league, with Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter and Baltimore Orioles chairman John Angelos both releasing statements commending Manfred for the decision. 

Not surprisingly, there was also considerable public backlash. The Atlanta Braves, who would have hosted the All-Star festivities, said in a statement that they were disappointed with the decision to move the game. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, also came out against this decision and advocated boycotting the sport. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also attacked the move.

Additionally, Kemp accused the league of placating Georgia voting rights activist and former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and President Joe Biden at the expense of the Georgia economy.

Abrams also announced her regret over the lost economic opportunity, but attributed the blame primarily to the GOP’s efforts to restrict the vote.

“Republicans who passed and defended Senate Bill 202 did so knowing the economic risks to our state,” Abrams tweeted. “They prioritized making it harder for people of color to vote over the economic well-being of all Americans…I am disappointed that the MLB is relocating the All-Star game; however, I commend the players, owners and League commissioner for speaking out.”

David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu.