mat1992
08-25-2003, 02:07 PM
University's Towson Tiger Weekly Sports Report
THE TIGERS THE FIRST TWO WEEKS
(August 25-September 7, 2003)
FOOTBALL (0-0)
Sat. Aug. 30 at Morgan State University (WTMD-FM) 7:00
Sat. Sept. 6 LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY (WTMD-FM) 7:00
VOLLEYBALL (0-0)
Sat. Aug. 30 at Univ. of Dayton Flyers Classic TBA
Sun. Aug. 31 at Univ. of Dayton Flyers Classic TBA
Fri. Sept. 5 at West Virginia Tournament TBA
Sat. Sept. 6 at West Virginia Tournament TBA
MEN’S SOCCER (0-0)
Sun. Aug. 31 at Lehigh University 7:00
Fri. Sept. 5 UMBC (Battle of Baltimore) 4:00
Sun. Sept. 7 NAVY or LOYOLA (Battle of Baltimore) TBA
WOMEN’S SOCCER (0-0)
Sun. Aug. 31 BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY 1:00
Fri. Sept. 5 at Navy (Navy Tournament) 7:00
Sun. Sept. 7 Butler (Navy Tournament) 12 noon
FIELD HOCKEY (0-0)
Sun. Aug. 31 at St. Francis, Pa. 1:00
Wed. Sept. 3 UMBC 5:00
Sun. Sept. 7 at Kent State 1:00
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Sat. Sept. 6 at Baltimore Metro Meet at Oregon Ridge 10 a.m.
* Colonial Athletic Assoc. games
For ticket information, call (410) 704-2244.
FOOTBALL:
Tigers Visit Rival Morgan State In Season Opener on Saturday
Hoping to open the season on a positive note, the Tigers will travel to rival Morgan State University to face the Golden Bears in their season opener at Hughes Stadium on Saturday, August 30 at 7:00 p.m.
The Tigers, who posted a 6-5-0 record last season, will be opening the season against Morgan State for the second year in a row. Last year, Towson beat Morgan in the opener, 49-28. The game was played before a record crowd of 8,517 at Minnegan Field.
The Tigers will be facing Morgan State for the 17th time since the series started in 1979. Towson and Morgan have faced each other in the season opener five times. The Tigers, who have won 12 of the 16 previous games, have beaten Morgan State three times in a row. Towson has also won 12 of the last 13 games between the teams. Morgan won the first three games in the series.
However, the Tigers are facing the best Morgan State team since 1980 on Saturday night. Last year, Morgan won six of its last seven games to finish the season with a 7-5 record. It was Morgan’s first winning season since 1979.
The Tigers, who have won nine of their last ten season openers, have eight returning starters on defense and six starters back on the offensive unit.
Defensively, the Tigers will be led by senior linebacker Neal Regan (Archbishop Ryan H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.) and junior defensive back P.D. Moore (Middle Township H.S./Cape May Court House, N.J.). The Tigers’ leading tackler last season, Regan earned second team All-Patriot League honors. He made 110 tackles, second in the league.
Moore was named first team All-Patriot League after making 75 tackles, second on the team and ninth in the league. He also had three interceptions and made nine tackles for lost yardage.
Seniors Steven Nance (Laurel H.S./Beltsville, Md.) and Jason Troilo (Hunterdon Central H.S./Whitehouse Station, N.J.) return to anchor the defensive line. Nance made 45 tackles with six quarterback sacks last year while Troilo tied Nance for fourth on the team with 45 tackles.
Senior linebacker Steve Hessler (Cedar Cliff H.S./New Cumberland, Pa.) also returns after making 60 tackles last year.
Offensively, senior guard Jason Gunning (Pennsauken H.S./Pennsauken, N.J.) and senior center Kevin Mager (Urbana H.S./Monrovia, Md.) are the top performers on the offensive line. Gunning, a 6-2, 300-pound veteran, was named first team All-Patriot League last year. He was also honored as a pre-season All-American by THE SPORTS NETWORK.
Junior quarterback Jason Amer (Holy Cross H.S./Pennsauken, N.J.) is coming off a very productive sophomore season. A starter in all 11 games, he completed 163 passes in 299 attempts while throwing for 2,214 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Senior Jason Galloway (Old Mill H.S./Glen Burnie, Md.) is the Tigers’ top returning wide receiver. He caught 31 passes for 456 yards and three TD’s last year. Galloway now has 77 career receptions for 1,061 yards. He has also excelled as the Tigers’ punt return specialist for the last three years and has a 7.1 career average.
The Tigers have plenty of depth at the running back position with senior Matt Romeo (St. Joseph Regional H.S./New Milford, N.J.), junior Mikal Lundy (Florence H.S./Willingboro, N.J.) and sophomore Kerry Miles (Mount Pleasant H.S./Wilmington, Del.) all returning.
Last season, Romeo led the Tigers in rushing with 990 yards and nine touchdowns as he became the team’s featured back. He moved into that role when Lundy went down with a leg injury early in the season. A transfer from Kent State, Lundy rushed for 205 yards in just three games while scoring three TD’s. Miles played in nine games as a freshman, rushing for 279 yards and two touchdowns.
“Our goal is to win the Patriot League championship this year, just like every year,” says Coach Gordy Combs. “This is our last chance to win it since we’ll be part of the Atlantic-10 Conference next year. Offensively, we’ll be able to score and defensively we are capable of keeping our opponents from scoring too much.
“I like our overall experience and depth. We just hope it doesn’t come down to injuries like it did last year,” he added. “We’d rather have a fighting chance than no chance at all.”
The Tigers open their home schedule on Saturday, September 6 against Lock Haven at 7:00 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER:
Young Tigers Open Season At Lehigh
Coming off their eighth consecutive winning season, Coach Frank Olszewski and the Tigers will face Lehigh University in their season opener on Sunday, August 31.
Olszewski, who earned his 200th career victory last season, may have the youngest team he has ever had this year. After losing ten letter winners to graduation, Olszewski has just one senior on the roster, Galen Cunnington (Albuquerque, N.M.), a transfer from the University of New Mexico who is playing his second season for the Tigers.
"It may sound strange," says Olszewski, "but this is an exciting challenge for the coaching staff. We have a young, enthusiastic group and they're ready to go. Some of our older players have been watching our graduated players for a year or two. Now, they think it's their time to win.
"We were very encouraged by the way the team played in the Spring. We had a very challenging schedule and our team responded very well."
The Tigers, who have 13 letter winners returning, also have a very talented group of freshmen. Says Olszewski, "this is one of the best recruiting classes we have had. I could see four or five freshmen cracking the starting lineup."
Olszewski is not the only one impressed by the Tigers’ recruiting class. The Tigers’ recruiting class was ranked 33rd in NCAA Division I by the web site, CollegeSoccer.com.
Junior Steve Fell (Stephen Decatur H.S./Berlin, Md.), one of the Tigers’ five returning starters, will be the Tigers’ captain. Juniors Nate Zachmann (Centennial H.S./Ellicott City, Md.) and Peter Johnson (Archbishop Curley H.S./Baltimore, Md.) also return, along with sophomores Mike Dougherty (Mount St. Joseph’s H.S./Baltimore, Md.) and Kosta Fleytman (Franklin H.S./Reisterstown, Md.).
When the Tigers visit Lehigh in the season opener, they will be facing a very formidable opponent. Lehigh earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament last year and had an 11-8-2 final record.
After visiting Lehigh on Sunday, the Tigers return home to host the Battle of Baltimore on September 5 and 7. Joining the Tigers in the tournament will be Navy, Loyola and UMBC.
WOMEN’S SOCCER:
Tigers Host Bucknell In Season Opener
Starting her fifth season as the Tigers’ head coach, Leslie Wray will lead a veteran Towson team into its season opener on Sunday, August 31 against Bucknell University at 1:00.
With seven seniors among the team’s 17 returning letter winners, the Tigers have one of the most experienced teams they’ve ever had. With that kind of experience, Coach Wray is very confident that the Tigers will be vastly improved over the team that went 6-12-1 last year.
"We're looking for a much better year," says Wray, who has a 30-38-5 record as the Tigers' coach. "This year's team has more experience, more leadership and our team speed is our biggest asset. We also like the experience and stability that we have on defense.
"The team leadership has been very good," she adds. "We could have as many as five seniors on the field at once and that will help us quite a bit. Our seniors did a good job as leaders in the Spring and we're confident that will continue when the season starts."
The Tigers will be led by a trio of senior defenders, Natalie Klisas (River Hill H.S./Columbia, Md.), Kristen Gayo (Fallston H.S./Forest Hill, Md.) and Jesse Eckerl (Mercy H.S./Baltimore, Md.). In addition, the Tigers have a very experienced goalkeeper with the return of senior Yasmin Alter (Archbishop Spalding H.S./Bowie, Md.). Alter is a third-year starter who had four shutouts last season.
On the offensive end of the field, Towson can count on seniors Holly Noga (Severna Park H.S./Severna Park, Md.) and Martha Bielefeld (Hammond H.S./Columbia, Md.).
Noga is one of the leading scorers in Towson history with 21 goals and five assists in her career. She led the team in scoring as a freshman and sophomore. A standout at midfield, Bielefeld has scored six goals with nine assists in her career.
Coach Wray can also count on senior Melissa Raszewski (Severna Park H.S./Severna Park, Md.) as a valuable reserve. Raszewski has been a solid performer for the Tigers since joining the team as a sophomore.
After opening the season against Bucknell, the Tigers will play in the Navy Tournament the following weekend. Towson faces Butler and Navy in the tournament in Annapolis.
FIELD HOCKEY:
Tigers Open Season With Three Games In A Week
Last season, the Tigers were one of the most improved field hockey teams in NCAA Division I. They went from posting a 5-14 record in 2001 to compiling a 10-9 mark last year.
The Tigers’ ten wins were the second highest single season total in school history, a mark topped only by the 1996 team which was 11-7.
The Tigers, who have nine returning starters, open their season on Sunday at St. Francis (Pa.). Towson returns home on Wednesday afternoon to host UMBC. On Sunday, the Tigers close out a very busy opening week
"I was thrilled for our players that we had such a good season," said Coach Lynette Mitzel. "They worked very hard and deserved the success that they enjoyed.
"However, we can't be satisfied with a 10-9 record," she adds. "We should have won three more games and made the CAA playoffs. We played three overtime games and despite outplaying the other team, we lost all three. That was the difference between 13-6 and 10-9."
"Last season was part of the maturing process for us," adds Coach Mitzel. "We have a lot of experience and depth returning. Although we only lost two starters to graduation, they were very important players for us. Fortunately, we have experienced players who can step in and replace them."
Led by forward Andrea Schlezes (Mount Pleasant H.S./Wilmington, Del.), goalkeeper Loren Wolf (Lakeland H.S./Shrub Oak., N.Y.) and defender Melanie Esders (Magruder H.S./Derwood, Md.), the Tigers have seven seniors on the roster.
However, the Tigers will be counting on a trio of juniors for their offensive output. Julie Lambi (Oley Valley H.S./Fleetwood, Pa.), Ashley Bacon (Elkton H.S./Elkton, Md.) and Brandi Franks (Long Reach H.S./Elkridge, Md.).
Honored as a second team All-Colonial Athletic Association pick last year, Lambi led the Tigers with 14 goals and one assist. Bacon was second on the team with six goals and five assists while Franks had nine goals and added three assists.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S
CROSS COUNTRY:
Tigers Open Season At Baltimore Metro Meet
Starting his 18th season as the coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams, Coach Roger Erricker feels that this year’s teams are quite possibly the best ones he has had at Towson.
The Tigers make their debut on Saturday, September 6 when they compete in Baltimore Metro Meet at Oregon Ridge State Park. Johns Hopkins is hosting this year’s meet.
On the men’s side, the Tigers have a strong trio of veterans returning to lead the squad. Senior tri-captains Jason Miller (Calvert Hall H.S./Baltimore, Md.), Tim Walsh (Arlington H.S./Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Chad Zimmerman (Mount Hebron H.S./Ellicott City, Md.) are expected to lead the Tigers to a strong finish at the Metro Meet. Last season the men captured third place with Zimmerman finishing in 19th place, and Miller taking 22nd place.
The women’s team also returns a strong lineup, led by junior Laura Brazil (Perry Hall H.S./White Marsh, Md.) and sophomores Erin Riddle (Lenape H.S./Mount Laurel, N.J.) and Megan Lerch (Kingsway Regional H.S./Mullica Hill, N.J.).
The Tiger women’s team won the Baltimore Metro Meet last year and is aiming to repeat the accomplishment this year. Brazil led Towson with a second place finish, while Lerch followed in sixth place. Senior Jody Benedict (St. John Vianney H.S./Keyport, N.J.) and junior Kim Weisner (Victor H.S./Farmington, N.Y.) also contributed to the Tigers’ title with eighth and eleventh place finishes, respectively.
At the Baltimore Metro Meet we are looking for a top two finish on the men's side,” says Coach Erricker. “We won't be happy with anything less than another championship for the women.”
VOLLEYBALL:
Tigers Open Season At Dayton Tournament
Coming off their second straight 20-win season, the Tigers will travel to the University of Dayton this weekend to join an impressive tournament field at the Dayton Flyers Classic.
The Tigers, who were 23-10 last season and reached the semi-finals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, have all six starters returning from last year’s squad. Coach Chris Riley will be counting on senior Lisa Weir (Montgomery Blair H.S./Silver Spring, Md.), the team’s defensive specialist, as well as junior standout Liz Goubeaux (Lockport H.S./Lockport, N.Y.), a first team All-CAA pick last year.
Joining Towson in the Dayton Classic field are host Dayton, Tulsa and Stony Brook. All four teams are coming off 20-win seasons.
Dayton had a 22-9 record last year and reached the semi-finals of the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament. Tulsa went 20-13 last season while Stony Brook had a 22-13 record and finished as runners-up in America East.
Starting his fourth season as the Tigers’ coach, Riley has an outstanding career record of 66-32. The 2001 America East Coach of the Year, he has led Towson to a combined 51-14 mark the last two seasons.
Goubeaux, who led the CAA with a .384 hitting percentage last season, broke her own school record for hitting percentage.
Weir, the Tigers’ lone senior, led the CAA with 4.2 digs per game. She was named as the Defensive Player of the Year in America East in 2001.
Junior Sarah Miller (Waubonsie Valley H.S./Aurora, Ill.) also returns for her third season as a starter while Mary Clare Coghlan (Notre Dame H.S./Northridge, Cal.) will be the Tigers’ setter. Sophomore April Hoffman (Millard North H.S./Omaha, Neb.), the co-winner of the 2002 CAA Rookie of the Year Award, is also back. She averaged 3.8 kills per game, a team high.
THE TIGERS THE FIRST TWO WEEKS
(August 25-September 7, 2003)
FOOTBALL (0-0)
Sat. Aug. 30 at Morgan State University (WTMD-FM) 7:00
Sat. Sept. 6 LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY (WTMD-FM) 7:00
VOLLEYBALL (0-0)
Sat. Aug. 30 at Univ. of Dayton Flyers Classic TBA
Sun. Aug. 31 at Univ. of Dayton Flyers Classic TBA
Fri. Sept. 5 at West Virginia Tournament TBA
Sat. Sept. 6 at West Virginia Tournament TBA
MEN’S SOCCER (0-0)
Sun. Aug. 31 at Lehigh University 7:00
Fri. Sept. 5 UMBC (Battle of Baltimore) 4:00
Sun. Sept. 7 NAVY or LOYOLA (Battle of Baltimore) TBA
WOMEN’S SOCCER (0-0)
Sun. Aug. 31 BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY 1:00
Fri. Sept. 5 at Navy (Navy Tournament) 7:00
Sun. Sept. 7 Butler (Navy Tournament) 12 noon
FIELD HOCKEY (0-0)
Sun. Aug. 31 at St. Francis, Pa. 1:00
Wed. Sept. 3 UMBC 5:00
Sun. Sept. 7 at Kent State 1:00
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Sat. Sept. 6 at Baltimore Metro Meet at Oregon Ridge 10 a.m.
* Colonial Athletic Assoc. games
For ticket information, call (410) 704-2244.
FOOTBALL:
Tigers Visit Rival Morgan State In Season Opener on Saturday
Hoping to open the season on a positive note, the Tigers will travel to rival Morgan State University to face the Golden Bears in their season opener at Hughes Stadium on Saturday, August 30 at 7:00 p.m.
The Tigers, who posted a 6-5-0 record last season, will be opening the season against Morgan State for the second year in a row. Last year, Towson beat Morgan in the opener, 49-28. The game was played before a record crowd of 8,517 at Minnegan Field.
The Tigers will be facing Morgan State for the 17th time since the series started in 1979. Towson and Morgan have faced each other in the season opener five times. The Tigers, who have won 12 of the 16 previous games, have beaten Morgan State three times in a row. Towson has also won 12 of the last 13 games between the teams. Morgan won the first three games in the series.
However, the Tigers are facing the best Morgan State team since 1980 on Saturday night. Last year, Morgan won six of its last seven games to finish the season with a 7-5 record. It was Morgan’s first winning season since 1979.
The Tigers, who have won nine of their last ten season openers, have eight returning starters on defense and six starters back on the offensive unit.
Defensively, the Tigers will be led by senior linebacker Neal Regan (Archbishop Ryan H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.) and junior defensive back P.D. Moore (Middle Township H.S./Cape May Court House, N.J.). The Tigers’ leading tackler last season, Regan earned second team All-Patriot League honors. He made 110 tackles, second in the league.
Moore was named first team All-Patriot League after making 75 tackles, second on the team and ninth in the league. He also had three interceptions and made nine tackles for lost yardage.
Seniors Steven Nance (Laurel H.S./Beltsville, Md.) and Jason Troilo (Hunterdon Central H.S./Whitehouse Station, N.J.) return to anchor the defensive line. Nance made 45 tackles with six quarterback sacks last year while Troilo tied Nance for fourth on the team with 45 tackles.
Senior linebacker Steve Hessler (Cedar Cliff H.S./New Cumberland, Pa.) also returns after making 60 tackles last year.
Offensively, senior guard Jason Gunning (Pennsauken H.S./Pennsauken, N.J.) and senior center Kevin Mager (Urbana H.S./Monrovia, Md.) are the top performers on the offensive line. Gunning, a 6-2, 300-pound veteran, was named first team All-Patriot League last year. He was also honored as a pre-season All-American by THE SPORTS NETWORK.
Junior quarterback Jason Amer (Holy Cross H.S./Pennsauken, N.J.) is coming off a very productive sophomore season. A starter in all 11 games, he completed 163 passes in 299 attempts while throwing for 2,214 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Senior Jason Galloway (Old Mill H.S./Glen Burnie, Md.) is the Tigers’ top returning wide receiver. He caught 31 passes for 456 yards and three TD’s last year. Galloway now has 77 career receptions for 1,061 yards. He has also excelled as the Tigers’ punt return specialist for the last three years and has a 7.1 career average.
The Tigers have plenty of depth at the running back position with senior Matt Romeo (St. Joseph Regional H.S./New Milford, N.J.), junior Mikal Lundy (Florence H.S./Willingboro, N.J.) and sophomore Kerry Miles (Mount Pleasant H.S./Wilmington, Del.) all returning.
Last season, Romeo led the Tigers in rushing with 990 yards and nine touchdowns as he became the team’s featured back. He moved into that role when Lundy went down with a leg injury early in the season. A transfer from Kent State, Lundy rushed for 205 yards in just three games while scoring three TD’s. Miles played in nine games as a freshman, rushing for 279 yards and two touchdowns.
“Our goal is to win the Patriot League championship this year, just like every year,” says Coach Gordy Combs. “This is our last chance to win it since we’ll be part of the Atlantic-10 Conference next year. Offensively, we’ll be able to score and defensively we are capable of keeping our opponents from scoring too much.
“I like our overall experience and depth. We just hope it doesn’t come down to injuries like it did last year,” he added. “We’d rather have a fighting chance than no chance at all.”
The Tigers open their home schedule on Saturday, September 6 against Lock Haven at 7:00 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER:
Young Tigers Open Season At Lehigh
Coming off their eighth consecutive winning season, Coach Frank Olszewski and the Tigers will face Lehigh University in their season opener on Sunday, August 31.
Olszewski, who earned his 200th career victory last season, may have the youngest team he has ever had this year. After losing ten letter winners to graduation, Olszewski has just one senior on the roster, Galen Cunnington (Albuquerque, N.M.), a transfer from the University of New Mexico who is playing his second season for the Tigers.
"It may sound strange," says Olszewski, "but this is an exciting challenge for the coaching staff. We have a young, enthusiastic group and they're ready to go. Some of our older players have been watching our graduated players for a year or two. Now, they think it's their time to win.
"We were very encouraged by the way the team played in the Spring. We had a very challenging schedule and our team responded very well."
The Tigers, who have 13 letter winners returning, also have a very talented group of freshmen. Says Olszewski, "this is one of the best recruiting classes we have had. I could see four or five freshmen cracking the starting lineup."
Olszewski is not the only one impressed by the Tigers’ recruiting class. The Tigers’ recruiting class was ranked 33rd in NCAA Division I by the web site, CollegeSoccer.com.
Junior Steve Fell (Stephen Decatur H.S./Berlin, Md.), one of the Tigers’ five returning starters, will be the Tigers’ captain. Juniors Nate Zachmann (Centennial H.S./Ellicott City, Md.) and Peter Johnson (Archbishop Curley H.S./Baltimore, Md.) also return, along with sophomores Mike Dougherty (Mount St. Joseph’s H.S./Baltimore, Md.) and Kosta Fleytman (Franklin H.S./Reisterstown, Md.).
When the Tigers visit Lehigh in the season opener, they will be facing a very formidable opponent. Lehigh earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament last year and had an 11-8-2 final record.
After visiting Lehigh on Sunday, the Tigers return home to host the Battle of Baltimore on September 5 and 7. Joining the Tigers in the tournament will be Navy, Loyola and UMBC.
WOMEN’S SOCCER:
Tigers Host Bucknell In Season Opener
Starting her fifth season as the Tigers’ head coach, Leslie Wray will lead a veteran Towson team into its season opener on Sunday, August 31 against Bucknell University at 1:00.
With seven seniors among the team’s 17 returning letter winners, the Tigers have one of the most experienced teams they’ve ever had. With that kind of experience, Coach Wray is very confident that the Tigers will be vastly improved over the team that went 6-12-1 last year.
"We're looking for a much better year," says Wray, who has a 30-38-5 record as the Tigers' coach. "This year's team has more experience, more leadership and our team speed is our biggest asset. We also like the experience and stability that we have on defense.
"The team leadership has been very good," she adds. "We could have as many as five seniors on the field at once and that will help us quite a bit. Our seniors did a good job as leaders in the Spring and we're confident that will continue when the season starts."
The Tigers will be led by a trio of senior defenders, Natalie Klisas (River Hill H.S./Columbia, Md.), Kristen Gayo (Fallston H.S./Forest Hill, Md.) and Jesse Eckerl (Mercy H.S./Baltimore, Md.). In addition, the Tigers have a very experienced goalkeeper with the return of senior Yasmin Alter (Archbishop Spalding H.S./Bowie, Md.). Alter is a third-year starter who had four shutouts last season.
On the offensive end of the field, Towson can count on seniors Holly Noga (Severna Park H.S./Severna Park, Md.) and Martha Bielefeld (Hammond H.S./Columbia, Md.).
Noga is one of the leading scorers in Towson history with 21 goals and five assists in her career. She led the team in scoring as a freshman and sophomore. A standout at midfield, Bielefeld has scored six goals with nine assists in her career.
Coach Wray can also count on senior Melissa Raszewski (Severna Park H.S./Severna Park, Md.) as a valuable reserve. Raszewski has been a solid performer for the Tigers since joining the team as a sophomore.
After opening the season against Bucknell, the Tigers will play in the Navy Tournament the following weekend. Towson faces Butler and Navy in the tournament in Annapolis.
FIELD HOCKEY:
Tigers Open Season With Three Games In A Week
Last season, the Tigers were one of the most improved field hockey teams in NCAA Division I. They went from posting a 5-14 record in 2001 to compiling a 10-9 mark last year.
The Tigers’ ten wins were the second highest single season total in school history, a mark topped only by the 1996 team which was 11-7.
The Tigers, who have nine returning starters, open their season on Sunday at St. Francis (Pa.). Towson returns home on Wednesday afternoon to host UMBC. On Sunday, the Tigers close out a very busy opening week
"I was thrilled for our players that we had such a good season," said Coach Lynette Mitzel. "They worked very hard and deserved the success that they enjoyed.
"However, we can't be satisfied with a 10-9 record," she adds. "We should have won three more games and made the CAA playoffs. We played three overtime games and despite outplaying the other team, we lost all three. That was the difference between 13-6 and 10-9."
"Last season was part of the maturing process for us," adds Coach Mitzel. "We have a lot of experience and depth returning. Although we only lost two starters to graduation, they were very important players for us. Fortunately, we have experienced players who can step in and replace them."
Led by forward Andrea Schlezes (Mount Pleasant H.S./Wilmington, Del.), goalkeeper Loren Wolf (Lakeland H.S./Shrub Oak., N.Y.) and defender Melanie Esders (Magruder H.S./Derwood, Md.), the Tigers have seven seniors on the roster.
However, the Tigers will be counting on a trio of juniors for their offensive output. Julie Lambi (Oley Valley H.S./Fleetwood, Pa.), Ashley Bacon (Elkton H.S./Elkton, Md.) and Brandi Franks (Long Reach H.S./Elkridge, Md.).
Honored as a second team All-Colonial Athletic Association pick last year, Lambi led the Tigers with 14 goals and one assist. Bacon was second on the team with six goals and five assists while Franks had nine goals and added three assists.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S
CROSS COUNTRY:
Tigers Open Season At Baltimore Metro Meet
Starting his 18th season as the coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams, Coach Roger Erricker feels that this year’s teams are quite possibly the best ones he has had at Towson.
The Tigers make their debut on Saturday, September 6 when they compete in Baltimore Metro Meet at Oregon Ridge State Park. Johns Hopkins is hosting this year’s meet.
On the men’s side, the Tigers have a strong trio of veterans returning to lead the squad. Senior tri-captains Jason Miller (Calvert Hall H.S./Baltimore, Md.), Tim Walsh (Arlington H.S./Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Chad Zimmerman (Mount Hebron H.S./Ellicott City, Md.) are expected to lead the Tigers to a strong finish at the Metro Meet. Last season the men captured third place with Zimmerman finishing in 19th place, and Miller taking 22nd place.
The women’s team also returns a strong lineup, led by junior Laura Brazil (Perry Hall H.S./White Marsh, Md.) and sophomores Erin Riddle (Lenape H.S./Mount Laurel, N.J.) and Megan Lerch (Kingsway Regional H.S./Mullica Hill, N.J.).
The Tiger women’s team won the Baltimore Metro Meet last year and is aiming to repeat the accomplishment this year. Brazil led Towson with a second place finish, while Lerch followed in sixth place. Senior Jody Benedict (St. John Vianney H.S./Keyport, N.J.) and junior Kim Weisner (Victor H.S./Farmington, N.Y.) also contributed to the Tigers’ title with eighth and eleventh place finishes, respectively.
At the Baltimore Metro Meet we are looking for a top two finish on the men's side,” says Coach Erricker. “We won't be happy with anything less than another championship for the women.”
VOLLEYBALL:
Tigers Open Season At Dayton Tournament
Coming off their second straight 20-win season, the Tigers will travel to the University of Dayton this weekend to join an impressive tournament field at the Dayton Flyers Classic.
The Tigers, who were 23-10 last season and reached the semi-finals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, have all six starters returning from last year’s squad. Coach Chris Riley will be counting on senior Lisa Weir (Montgomery Blair H.S./Silver Spring, Md.), the team’s defensive specialist, as well as junior standout Liz Goubeaux (Lockport H.S./Lockport, N.Y.), a first team All-CAA pick last year.
Joining Towson in the Dayton Classic field are host Dayton, Tulsa and Stony Brook. All four teams are coming off 20-win seasons.
Dayton had a 22-9 record last year and reached the semi-finals of the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament. Tulsa went 20-13 last season while Stony Brook had a 22-13 record and finished as runners-up in America East.
Starting his fourth season as the Tigers’ coach, Riley has an outstanding career record of 66-32. The 2001 America East Coach of the Year, he has led Towson to a combined 51-14 mark the last two seasons.
Goubeaux, who led the CAA with a .384 hitting percentage last season, broke her own school record for hitting percentage.
Weir, the Tigers’ lone senior, led the CAA with 4.2 digs per game. She was named as the Defensive Player of the Year in America East in 2001.
Junior Sarah Miller (Waubonsie Valley H.S./Aurora, Ill.) also returns for her third season as a starter while Mary Clare Coghlan (Notre Dame H.S./Northridge, Cal.) will be the Tigers’ setter. Sophomore April Hoffman (Millard North H.S./Omaha, Neb.), the co-winner of the 2002 CAA Rookie of the Year Award, is also back. She averaged 3.8 kills per game, a team high.