Author: David Gottlieb

The women’s soccer team has gotten off to a decent start this season, going 1-1 in its first two games.

In their NESCAC opener against Middlebury on Saturday, Sept. 7, the Cards fell to the Panthers by a score of 2-0. It was a tightly contested game, as it remained scoreless until the Panthers scored with three and a half minutes to go in the first half.

In the beginning of the second half, the Red and Black tried to get the offense going, but struggled to find the back of the net. Middlebury then added a second goal with just over ten minutes remaining to secure the win. Despite their inability to sink a goal, the Cards outshot the Panthers 11-10, and had 13 corner kicks as opposed to Middlebury’s solitary one. Rookie Audrey Lavey led the team offensively with three shots; on the defensive side of the ball, goalie Sarah Hammond ’22 finished with five saves in the losing effort.

The Cards were able to rebound on Tuesday evening, with a resounding 10–0 win over Rhode Island College at home. The Red and Black got off to a fast start, as they scored three goals within the first three minutes. Grace Devanny ’23 found the back of the net twice for the first goals of her collegiate career, and Andi Wiley ’22 added a third just 32 seconds after Devanny’s second.

The scoring binge would continue as the Cards tacked on another six goals in the first half, getting contributions from up and down the roster. Captain Emily Ribatt ’21 led the charge with a goal at 18:33, followed by two goals a piece from Kate Hausladen ’23 and Shannon Sweeney ’21. In the second half, the Cards added a 10th goal as Isabelle Martin ’23 found the back of the net for her first time at the University.

Throughout the game, the Cards dominated the offensive side of the ball with 28 shots and 6 corner kicks. On defense, Hammond was only forced to make one save the entire game.

The team’s 10-goal victory set a new record for the most goals in a single game, breaking the previous record of nine, set back in 1991 against Nichols College.

Ribatt was thrilled with how the team performed in their first two games, even with the loss to Middlebury.

“I am really proud of and impressed with the way the team played in our two games so far,” Ribatt said. “Despite the final score of the first game, we put in 100 percent effort in both games and everyone, regardless of their role, was devoted to the greater success of the team as a whole. We all worked together with each other and for each other.”

Despite the wide difference in goal scoring between the first and second game, Ribatt simply attributed the offensive change to the team’s improved cohesiveness.

“I think we didn’t make many adjustments,” Ribatt said. “We just continued to fine tune our brand of soccer, and the more games and practices we get behind us, the more we get to know each other on the field and improve our team play.”

Ribatt also added that it was crucial to be able to score as much as they did against Rhode Island after not finding the back of the net on Saturday.

“It was so important and a great confidence builder for all of our players,” she said. “We had a lot of good chances on Saturday and used that as motivation to drive us to break the school record on Tuesday.”

Next up, the Cards face a tough test at home on Saturday as they take on the defending national champions and Little Three rival Williams.

Ribatt said that continuing to play aggressively on offense and working hard will be the keys to continued success.

“I think having confidence in the final third is key we have so many strong attackers and players who can put the ball in the back of the net,” she said. “If we keep finding them and work hard together as a team, I feel that we will have another strong performance!”

 

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

The men’s lacrosse team’s push for another NESCAC and Division III crown came to a sudden halt last Saturday. The second-seeded Cards were upset by seventh-seeded Middlebury at home in the quarterfinals of the NESCAC Tournament.

The Cards had capped off their regular season with a tight win over Connecticut College. They narrowly edged out their opponent on the road with a final 13-12 victory. Wesleyan jumped out to an early 6-2 advantage and led 9-7 at the half. The Camels made a late push to try and tie the game in the second, but Wes held on to steal the win at the buzzer.

Ronan Jacoby ’21 led the Cards with four goals, while Otto Bohan ’20 made 19 saves to secure the defensive win. Zander Kotsen ’19 also added two goals and three assists. Scoring in man-up situations proved to be a key difference in the game; the Red and Black scored three goals in their two man-up situations, while the Camels only converted one goal in their six opportunities to overtake the Cards.

The win over the Camels clinched the second seed for the Cards in the NESCAC Tournament, setting them up for a match with Middlebury on Saturday, April 27. However, their conference tournament run unfortunately came to an end in only their first game. The Panthers defeated the reigning National Champions by a score of 11-7, pulling off the shocking upset.

During the game, Middlebury jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before the Cards came back to tie it up at 2-2 and then again at 3-3. However, the Panthers went on to score four straight goals and take a 7-3 halftime lead. In the second half, the closest Wesleyan got to tying Middlebury was with a three-goal run before ultimately losing by four.

Tom Martello ’20 led the scoring in the game for the Red and Black with two goals, and Bohan made 14 saves in the losing effort. Carter Hawthorne ’19 also added two assists. On the stat sheet, face-offs were a difference-maker in the game. The Cards only won three face-offs compared to Middlebury’s 18. Defensively, the Panther goalie also played impressively, making 17 saves.

This loss signifies the earliest exit for Wesleyan in the NESCAC Tournament since 2016. The team now waits to see if they will get an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and an opportunity to defend their national title.

Captain Chad Malinowski ’19 said that the team’s performance was underwhelming in both games, even though the Conn. College face-off ended in victory.

“The last two games did not really go how we expected, but we cannot dwell on that anymore,” Malinowski said. “We have to move on, have a great week of practice and wait for the NCAA tournament selection show on Sunday. We had a great regular season, so we are hopeful that things work out in our favor and we are going to prepare for that.”

Malinowski also commented on the distinct difference in the way the team played against Middlebury in the regular season and the way they faced off in their most recent postseason matchup.

“I think the main difference between the two games was our energy level and focus,” Malinowski said. “The good thing about those two things is that we can control them. Obviously, credit to Middlebury, they played a great game with a ton of energy, but we are confident that we can clean up our game and put in the work.”

Going forward, Malinowski noted that the team needs to remain focused. Even though they lost in the conference tournament, there is still the possibility of getting an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, especially because of their successful regular season record and prominent national ranking.

“The message after the game was that we need to be better and we need to work hard if we get another chance,” Malinowski said. “We have to move on and learn from our mistakes so that we do not make them again.”

The Cards will find out whether they get the opportunity to defend their national championship this Sunday night when the selection show takes place. The team has reached the conference championship the past two years and won one conference title in 2017. Whether or not the team continues to more postseason play, the loss was a disappointing end to such a promising conference season this year—one the team entered with high expectations.

 

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

The men’s lacrosse team extended its winning streak to four games over the weekend with a win over Hamilton on Saturday, April 20. The win against the Continentals, coupled with a previous win over Bowdoin, has pushed the team’s record to 11-2 overall and 7-2 in NESCAC play.

In the win over Hamilton, the Cards won by a score of 12-7. The game was close in the beginning as Hamilton scored to open the game and take their only lead of the entire competition. The Cardinals quickly came back to score four in a row in the first quarter and take a lead that they would never relinquish. The Red and Black led by as many as seven before winning by five at the end as Hamilton made a late run to make it a little closer.

Ronan Jacoby ’21 led the Cardinals with four goals, and Otto Bohan ’20 made ten saves in the victory. Zander Kotsen ’19 added three goals and fellow seniors Colin Uyeki and Christian Barker scored two goals each as well. Wesleyan outshot Hamilton by fifteen and also committed fewer turnovers, both of which were keys in the victory. This was Wesleyan’s eighth win over Hamilton since the start of the 2018 season, barring any Continental victories for the past two years.

In the win over Bowdoin, the Red and Black won by a score of 12-4. The first half of this game was back and forth as the Cards and Bowdoin traded goals, and the Cards only had a 4-2 lead at the half before pulling away in the second half. Jacoby also led the team in that game with four goals, including his 100th career goal. Uyeki and Tom Martello ’20 added three goals each in the win. Wesleyan outshot Bowdoin by a wide margin and also played tough defense as they didn’t allow a goal in the final quarter of the game. Goalkeeper Bohan made fifteen saves in the victory. Wesleyan has now beaten Bowdoin seven out of the last eight times they have faced off in regular and postseason action.  

Captain Chad Malinowski ’19 has been pleased with the team’s effort throughout this latest win streak.

“Over the last few weeks our team has really found our identity,” he said. “I think we have been playing a lot better and really working hard and pushing each other in practice. Our ‘1A’ group has been doing an incredible job of learning our opponents’ systems and it has really contributed to our recent win streak.”

Saturday was also Senior Day, the last home game of the season. The Cards honored twelve seniors for their success over the past four years. This year’s senior class has a stellar 60-12 record over the past four years and has won two Little Three Championships, a NESCAC title, have made two Final Fours, and won the program’s first ever DIII National Championship last year.

Malinowski is one of those seniors and spoke about the bittersweet experience of playing his last game of the regular season on Jackson Field.

“Playing in our last regular season home game was certainly an emotional experience,” Malinowski said. “Playing at home, in front of our fans, is really special.”

While this might be a kind of ending for the seniors, Malinowski knows the postseason will bring more home games and that special Wesleyan support.

“We know it isn’t our last, and we want to work hard to make sure we earn more home games throughout the spring.”

Next up, the Cards wrap up their regular season by taking on Conn. College on the road tomorrow afternoon before returning home and hoping to open up postseason play next weekend. The Camels sit at 5-9 overall and 1-8 in NESCAC. Yet in a tough league like the ’CAC, no opponent can be overlooked. Wesleyan has won the last three meetings with the Camels and will be looking to add a fourth victory in a face-off on Wednesday, April 24.

As the team heads into the last game of the regular season and into the postseason, Malinowski said focus and consistency are important.

“The key is really trusting our game plan and all the work that we have put in thus far,” he said. “We have some experience playing in big games so it will be really important to lean on that.”

Hopefully, the Cards will close out the regular season with a victory and will host a playoff game on Saturday as they look to embark on a long playoff run in the NESCAC tournament.

 

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

The men’s lacrosse team bounced back from a tough loss on the road versus No.1 Amherst to upset No.3 Tufts in a comeback victory at home last Saturday. The Cardinals edged out the Jumbos by a close score of 10-9 before beating out the Trinity Bantams 21-6 the following Tuesday. The two wins moved the team’s record to 9-2 (5-2 in conference), and they moved up to number four in the country for Division III lacrosse.

In front of an energized crowd on Jackson Field, the Red and Black jumped out to an early 5-2 lead over Tufts before the Jumbos scored four straight to take a 6-5 lead into the half. The second half was back and forth as the teams traded goals. Tufts took a 9-8 lead early in the fourth quarter but did not get on the scoreboard for the rest of the game; rather, the Cards scored twice in the last 12 minutes. Christian Barker ’19 scored the game-winning goal with just over two minutes to secure the victory. Overall, Ronan Jacoby ’21 and Tom Martello ’20 each scored three goals to lead the team, while Otto Bohan ’20 made 13 saves on the day. Wesleyan was able to secure the win despite being outshot 40-37 by Tufts and going 0-7 in man-up situations.

The team used that momentum to good effect in a strong performance against Trinity. The game was never really that close, as the Red and Black had a 9-2 advantage at the half that included a buzzer-beating goal by Scott Irwin ’19. The team then went on to outscore Trinity 12-4 in the second half. Jacoby once again led the team in goals with five as Bohan made ten saves in the victory. Martello also added four goals to go along with Jacoby’s five. The Cardinals were also dominant on the defensive front, forcing 26 Trinity turnovers in the game and refusing a Bantams score on any of their man-up situations.

Captain Chad Malinowski ’19 is proud of the team’s overall performance in these past two games and the strides it has made in all facets of their game.

“The team looked really good against Tufts and Trinity,” Malinowski said. “I think we are really starting to come together and are playing our best lacrosse of the season. Tufts was a total team effort. The defense as a whole played very well. Otto Bohan came up with a couple of big saves, and short-stick defensive midfielders Sean Penney and Corey Aviles both had outstanding games. Our face-off guys were able to really get us a lot of extra possessions and our offense provided a lot of good possessions and scoring. Ronan Jacoby has really stepped up the past games and is becoming the dominant force our team knew he could be.”

Malinowski added that the energy of the fans on Saturday was an extra bonus to an already exciting matchup with Tufts.

“Playing games in the Bird Cage [Jackson Field] are always fun,” he said.“The energy the fans bring gives our team a lot of energy and creates a really great environment for our team. It makes it a challenging place for opponents to play and fosters a real home field advantage.”

Malinowski also stressed that despite all the attention on the Tufts game, it was important that the team came out with a purpose and played to their potential against Trinity.

“Every game is just as important,” he noted.“The NESCAC is a very tough league and all the opponents are very tough. We tried to make sure we had great energy because in our league, anyone can beat anyone.”

Next up, the Cards challenge Bowdoin on the road this Saturday.

Malinowski says that the best way to keep playing at a high level is to continue to refine and adjust their play, making sure they are always at their best.

“I think the positives are that all aspects of the game are really starting to come together,” Malinowski said. “We have a lot of things to clean up but, as a whole, we are doing things well and have the luxury of being able to focus on smaller issues to really improve our game.”

Come out and cheer the Cards at their next home game on Senior Day on April 20 as the Cardinals take on Hamilton at noon. 

 

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

The men’s lacrosse team is off to a strong start this season, posting a 7-2 record in their first nine games. The team kicked off their season No. 1 in preseason rankings after a victorious and historic 2018 Championship run. In the 2019 season opener, the Red and Black took a big NESCAC and Little Three victory over Williams at home, winning 14-12.

The game was tight the whole way in the stat sheet and on the field, with both teams having similar shot and turnover totals. Williams even had a lead in the second quarter before Wesleyan went on a run to take the lead for good before the half. In the victory, Scott Irwin ’19 and Carter Hawthorne ’19 both scored a team-high three goals, while on defense Otto Bohan ’20 made 16 saves to secure the win.

The Cards then followed their ’CAC victory up with a convincing non-conference victory over the United States Coast Guard Academy at home. The team took an easy win with a 17-6 finish. Hawthorne and Christian Barker ’19 led the offense with five goals and five assists, respectively.

Unfortunately, the team could not repeat its success three days later, falling in their second NESCAC game to Bates. The Cardinals fell to the Bobcats on the road in a tough Top 25 matchup, 15-12. Colin Uyeki ’19 led the team with three goals in the losing effort and Bohan made 17 saves against the Bobcats.

After the conference loss, the Red and Black were able to rebound by winning five games in a row. This included victories against NESCAC foes Colby and Middlebury with impressive scores of 13-5 and 21-8, respectively. In the two conference victories, the Cards gave up a total of 13 goals while scoring a whopping 33 goals in the process. During their latest five-game winning streak overall, the Cards only gave up 33 goals—proof of stellar defensive performance—and scored a total of 68 goals.

However, the winning streak came to a sudden halt on Wednesday, April 3 when they lost a tough top-ten matchup to Amherst on the road. The Cardinals had narrowly beat the Mammoths last year at home, 12-11, to win their second Little Three title in a row. Yet number two-ranked Amherst was able to exact their revenge against the Cards with a 14-9 victory on Wednesday.

During the game, Amherst jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first quarter, and Wesleyan never got closer than two goals during the rest of the game. Ronan Jacoby ’21 scored six of the nine goals from the sixth-ranked Cards (while also recording his 100th career point) and Bohan made nine saves in the loss.

Despite the loss, senior captain Chad Malinowski is pleased with how the team is playing right now as a whole.

“I think the start to the season has been great,” Malinowski said. “The team has really been coming together and has started to find its stride.”

Malinowski noted that the team’s success comes from talent on both ends of the field.

“I think the defense has been performing very well,” Malinowski said. “Otto Bohan has been playing extremely well in goal, and our defense is really starting to come together as a unit. On offense, our team has really been firing on all cylinders. At the faceoff X, guys have been battling really hard and giving us an edge all year.”

The schedule does not get any easier for the Cards, however, as they return home to take Tufts this weekend. The Jumbos are ranked number four in the country and are undefeated at 10-0 and 5-0 in conference, with wins over Williams and Trinity included.

Malinowski says that the key to getting back in the win column is returning to the basics.

“I think it’s just getting back to focusing on us,” he said. “We let our focus stray a little bit this week and started to overcomplicate things so focusing on our fundamentals should prepare us well for Saturday!”

Hopefully, the Cards will be able to reset and get back in the win column against a big conference foe in their upcoming matchup. Hopefully they’ll take that momentum into the final stretch of the season versus other NESCAC opponents such as Bowdoin, Trinity, and Conn. College. Come out and cheer on the sixth-ranked Cards during their marquee matchup vs. Tufts on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

 

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

Men’s Hockey

After a historic regular season, the men’s hockey team’s 2018-19 run came to an end with a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Amherst. The NESCAC semifinal matchup was competitive, with no goals on either side of the puck until double overtime. This 1-0 defeat puts the team’s final record at 16-8-2.

Before this fall, the Cardinals advanced to the NESCAC semifinals with a victory against Middlebury in the quarterfinals, playing in front of a boisterous home crowd. Four different Cardinals scored goals in the game, and NESCAC Player of the Year Tim Sestak ’20 made 30 saves on 31 shots as the Cards cruised to the win.

However, in the game against Amherst, the offense had a much tougher time getting opportunities, as the Cardinals only ended up taking 39 shots in the nearly five periods of hockey played. On the defensive side of the puck, Sestak was stellar as he made a NESCAC record 65 saves on 66 shots in the game.

Despite the tough loss, captain Chad Malinowski ’19 was pleased with the team’s effort in their final game of the season and his final hockey game at Wesleyan.

“The team played hard and left everything on the ice in both games,” Malinowski said. “We gave each other our best efforts and played well. Although we came up short, I am extremely proud of the effort and sacrifice of this group.”

Even with all the success that the team had this year, Malinowski says the loss remains painful even two days later and will likely remain painful for a long time.

“As with most of the other guys, the loss still hurts. We were expecting and working for more and aren’t satisfied with how it ended,” Malinowski said. “We had a great season, historic in many respects, but I’m still not really ready to look at the season as a whole.”

Despite feeling the pain of defeat, Malinowski noted that the program has a bright future ahead. He believes the team has more to look forward to next year after this season’s success.

“The program has come so far in my four years here,” he said. “In those four years, us and Trinity were the only teams to make it to three semi-finals. Before these last three years, the program had only been to one semi-final. While these are great accomplishments, as a program, we are still searching for our first championship. Next year, they return a lot of very talented pieces and are poised to make another run.”

Things are looking up for the Cardinals despite the tough ending, and it will be fun to see if they can achieve even more history again next season.

Women’s Hockey

The women’s hockey season came to an end with a loss to Williams in the NESCAC quarterfinals last Saturday, Feb. 23. The Ephs took a two-goal lead early in the game. First, the enemy snuck one victorious shot past goalie Allegra Grant ’20 at the nine-minute mark. Next, NESCAC Player of the Year Meghan Halloran exploited a 5-3 advantage, pushing Williams ahead 2-0 with five minutes remaining in the first period. With ten seconds before intermission, first-year forward Cali Stevens had her shot knocked aside by the Purple Cows’ goalkeeper.

Williams lept out of the break with yet another score, taking a decisive 3-0 lead that would prove to be the final margin for the day. Although provided with two power plays in the final 22 minutes of play, Williams’ effective penalty kill shut down any hopes of a late Cardinal comeback. Grant made 21 saves in the loss, while Stevens led the Cards in shots on goal with four total. Williams goalie Chloe Heiting made 19 saves, recording her fifth shutout of the season. The Ephs, with a 18-4-3 record, advanced to the NESCAC semifinals, where they subsequently defeated Middlebury, 3-2.

The loss leaves the Cards with a final record of 8-15-2, which is an improvement of just two wins from last year’s season. This progress was especially evident on the ice, as Wesleyan took wins over ranked teams such as Middlebury for the first time in program history. Although successful in out-of-conference play, with solid wins early against Salve Regina University and the University of Massachusetts Boston, they only finished 4-12-1 in conference play, struggling against Amherst, Colby, and Conn. College. Hopefully, they will be able to build off of these wins and be even more successful in NESCAC play next year.

 

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

The Wesleyan men’s hockey team is dealing with its first bit of adversity this season, having lost three games in a row following two tough close losses to Trinity last weekend.

First on Friday night, the team lost a tough 6-5 game at home after holding a one-goal lead going into the third period. Chad Malinowski ’19 had a big game despite the loss and scored two goals including one shorthanded. Tim Sestak ’20 made 32 saves in the loss.

The Cards then followed up the tough loss with a 3-2 loss to Trinity on the road to wrap up the regular season with a 15-7-2 record overall and a 13-3-2 NESCAC record. In the second game against Trinity, the Cards battled back from a two-goal deficit only to see Trinity score with four seconds to go to take the win and clinch the number one seed in the playoffs. Walker Harris ’20 and Matthew Zandi ’21 scored the goals for the Cards in the loss. Matteo Esposito ’22 made 36 saves in the loss on the road. Despite the loss, Malinowski thought the team played pretty well; they just couldn’t finish what they started.

“I think we played well but we definitely have to clean some things up,” Malinowski said. “Trinity is a very good team that forces you to be very attentive to details. We played hard and brought energy, we just needed to execute better in a few key situations.”

Malinowski believes the teams can turn their close losses into wins by tidying up their mistakes.

“We just need to make a few more plays and make sure we clean a few things up,” he said. “I think we played well and while we did not get the results, we want to be peaking at the right time.”

Next up, the second-seeded Cards host the NESCAC Quarterfinals vs. seventh-seeded Middlebury at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Malinowski stressed the need to refocus as everything resets during the playoffs.

“It is a whole new season now,” he said. “We are focusing on the next game and improving our game. Every team has a chance to win any game, and we have to come ready to play on Saturday. Middlebury is a good team, but we are going to prepare like we have all season and be ready to play on Saturday!”

The women’s hockey team also had two tough losses over the weekend, dropping two close games to Little Three rival Amherst.

First on Saturday, the team lost a tough 1-0 game at home. Allegra Grant ’20 made 33 saves in the losing effort.

Then, on Sunday, the team lost 2-1 on the road against Amherst, closing out the regular season with a 8-15-1 record overall and 4-11-1 conference record. Cali Stevens ’22 scored the lone goal for the Cards in the third period of the game, while Grant made 52 saves.

Reflecting on the weekend, Captain Grace Keogh ’19 said that the team’s issues stemmed from not working together efficiently.

“Against Amherst, we got away from playing with confidence and as a unit, which led to problems with our systems, both offensively and defensively,” Keogh said. “Bringing the levels of grit and poise that we have when at our best is crucial in turning these close games into wins going forward.”

Next up, the eighth-seeded Cardinals travel to take on top-seeded Williams in the NESCAC Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon.

Despite the fact that they are underdogs, Keogh has confidence in the team going into the game this weekend.

“Going into playoffs this weekend, our record shows that we are capable of prevailing against any team in this league,” she said. “Having beaten or tied the top four teams in the NESCAC, we fully believe in our ability to win this weekend and play our best hockey in the postseason.”

 

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

Women’s Hockey

The women’s team had a successful weekend, going 1-1 against Trinity. The Red and Black fell to 6-1 on Saturday, but came back with a 2-1 win on Sunday. This pushed their record to 8-13-1, and 4-9-1 in conference.

In the loss on Friday, Sydneé Goyer ’21 scored the lone goal for the Cardinals on the power play, while Allegra Grant ’20 made 22 saves.

The Cards were able to rebound with a good performance on Sunday in the 2-1 victory. Allie Damren ’20 and Gina Mangiafridda ’19 scored the goals for the win, and Grant rebounded from giving up six goals the night before to make 31 saves on 32 shots in the winning effort.  

Captain Grace Keogh ’19 was extremely happy with the team’s performance.

“We generated solid scoring opportunities and maintained control in our offensive zone in both games against Trinity,” Keogh said. “On Saturday, we made critical mistakes in our defensive zone and allowed our opponents to capitalize on those mistakes. We went into Sunday fully prepared to correct those errors, and we were able to prevail.”

Keogh pointed towards the defensive side of the puck, claiming it was the team’s defense that made a difference between Saturday’s and Sunday’s performances.

“The main things that we set out to fix from Saturday’s game going into Sunday were our defensive zone coverage and our shot selection,” she said. “Keeping tighter coverage and shooting the puck low more consistently helped us get Sunday’s win.”

The team plays next on Saturday in their Senior Day matchup against Amherst.

“Going into our final weekend of regular season play, we want to keep the momentum going by coming out strong in our first game against Amherst,” Keogh said. “Playing our best hockey during the first game is an important adjustment that we need to make from our past few weekends going forward.”

Men’s Hockey

The men’s hockey team suffered their first NESCAC defeat over the weekend, going 1-1 in games against Bowdoin and Colby on Friday and Saturday.

In the game against Bowdoin on Friday, Feb. 8, the Cards won 3-1 with two goals from Tyler Levine ’22 and Quincy Gregg ’20. Junior Tim Sestak made 24 saves in the win.

Unfortunately, the Red and Black could not repeat their victory on Senior Day. The Cardinals fell to ’CAC competitor Colby, falling to 4-1. Sestak made 35 saves in the loss and Walker Harris ’20 scored the lone goal. These results moved the Cardinals record to 15-5-2 (13-1-2 in conference).

Captain Chad Malinowski ’19 thought that the team played well in the two games despite the loss.

“I think the team looked good this weekend.” Malinowski said. “There are some things we need to work on, but that has been the case all year. We try to get better every week and focus on peaking at the right time.”

Malinowski added that the key to the win over Bowdoin was the team’s strong defensive play.

“On Friday night, our penalty kill was outstanding,” he said. “We had to really rely on it since there were so many penalties in the game, but it really stepped up. Our team defense was great as it has been all season, and we got some timely scoring.”

Next up, the Red and Black finish their regular season with home games against Trinity tonight and tomorrow, Feb. 16.

Looking ahead, Malinowski believes the team can overcome the Bowdoin loss by returning to their previously successful tactics.

“I think during the Saturday game we got away from some things we had been doing well most of the season,” he said. “We took a lot of penalties against Colby, and tried to force the game rather than being patient and letting the game play out. We’ve had a couple of conversations just to remind ourselves what helped us get to this point so we can emphasize returning to it.”

Come out and cheer on the Cards in their final regular season home game tonight at 7pm.

 

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

Women’s Hockey

The women’s team had a historic weekend, going 1-1 and upsetting sixth-ranked Middlebury 1-0 on Saturday afternoon. This victory pushed their record to 6-12-1 and 3-8-1 in conference. For the Cards, the win was the first against Middlebury in program history, pushing their all-time head-to-head record to 1-58-4. Sarah Goss ’19 scored the lone goal in the second period for the Cards, and Allegra Grant ’20 made 38 saves in the shutout victory.

Captain Grace Keogh ’19 was happy with the way the team played in the victory.

“The combination of playing as a composed unit, picking up our communication, and Allegra Grant’s phenomenal game in net helped us to get Saturday’s crucial win,” Keogh said.

Keogh said that Friday’s close loss also made the team believe in themselves and that they could pull the upset.

“After Friday’s close game, each of us fully believed in our ability to win on Saturday,” Keogh said. “Bringing our same energy and making a few adjustments to our approach helped us accomplish that goal.”

Next up, the Cards have a crucial home and home on Saturday and Sunday against Trinity, where they look to keep the energy and effort from their win going.

“We need to carry the momentum we gained from Saturday’s huge win into the final two weeks of the regular season,” Keogh said. “Now that we have established ourselves as a threat in this league, playing with confidence and grit will be crucial for us to get points out of our last four NESCAC games.”

Men’s Hockey

For the second time in three years and just the third time in the last 32 years, men’s hockey has won the Little Three Championship. The Cards clinched the title by defeating Williams in OT, 2-1, after being down 1-0 in the final minutes of the third. This win, combined with a 2-0 victory over Middlebury the night before, pushed the Cards’ record to 14-4-2 overall and 12-0-2 in conference play.

In the thrilling win over Williams, Walker Harris ’20 scored the tying goal in the third period with just over a minute to go. Andy Espinoza ’19 achieved a similar stunning feat, scoring with 10 seconds left in overtime to take the Cards to victory.

Tim Sestak ’20 earned his second straight NESCAC Player of the Week award for his defensive efforts. He made a great 33 saves for the team, which were key in keeping the score at 1-0 until the Red and Black tied it up late in the third.

“The key to coming back was to never stop believing,” Captain Chad Malinowski ’19 said. “We had been playing well the whole game, generating a lot of scoring chances, and we just stayed positive, knowing that we were eventually going to score. Obviously it came after we had pulled the goalie, but I think there was a strong belief in our team that we were going to come back.”

The team performed fabulously in OT to win even though they could have ended with a tie.

“In terms of winning in OT, I think everyone was a little shocked. Most games that go to OT end in ties but Tyler Wyatt [’20] and Spencer Fox [’20] made an unbelievable play to be able to get the puck to Andy Espinoza on the back door, and he took care of the rest.”

Malinowski added that winning the Little Three in two of the last three years truly shows the team’s progress.

“At the beginning of the year, winning the Little Three is always one of the team goals and is never easy to do,” Malinowski said. “Amherst and Williams are great programs and always seem to be fighting to finish in the top four in the league. To have won it this year is truly a special feeling not only for us, but for the program. From 1972-2016, Wesleyan won the Little Three twice, the last time being in the 1986-1987 season. Having won the Little Three in two of the last three years is a testament to how far this program has come.”

Next up, The Cards take on Bowdoin and Colby at home on Friday and Saturday afternoon, respectively.

Malinowski says it is important for the team to remain focused on the task at hand during these last few home games.

“Our work isn’t done,” he said. “The Little Three Championship is only our first goal. We are in a great position to win the regular season championship and make sure that the path to a NESCAC Championship goes through Wesleyan, but we have to take it game by game.”

Malinowski is looking ahead to more ’CAC competition, especially games to come on the Wesleyan ice.

“We have a big home weekend coming up with Bowdoin and Colby,” he said. “Our fans have been great all year, and we haven’t played at home in two weeks, so we are looking forward to playing in front of them.”

Men’s hockey will play at home this Friday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. in a special “Hockey Fights Cancer” game. The team will honor Connor Albert, a member of the squad through Team IMPACT who passed away last year.

Their final home game takes place less than 12 hours later on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Red and Black will honor their seniors in a competitive matchup against Colby.

 

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