Basketball conference wins celebrated

Men’s basketball went 3-0 in conference play, holding off St. Lawrence University and cruising to wins against Bard College and RPI. Tanner Brooks ’16 scored nine of his 17 points against the Saints in the final 2:15 of the contest to help the Thoroughbreds (12-7, 6-4 Liberty) secure a 69-66 win. Brooks also produced 15 points against Bard, Connor Merrill ’15 and Erik Sanders ’16 tied for the game-high with 16 points, and Larry Cermak ’17 chipped in six points, six rebounds, and two blocks off the bench in the team’s 83-37 blowout. The win marked the Thoroughbreds' largest margin of victory this season.

The team avenged an early- season loss to RPI with a dominant 82-49 victory. The Thoroughbreds managed to stifle the Engineers’ offense, which averaged 89.5 points per game going into Saturday’s match-up. Merrill led the team with 19 points, Sanders recorded a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, and Perun Kovacevic ’15 had 15 points and eight boards. The Thoroughbreds host Clarkson University at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Following a mid-week loss to St. Lawrence University, women’s basketball secured back-to-back conference wins by knocking off Bard College and RPI. Every player on the team scored in the 64-49 win over Bard. Molly McLaughlin ’15 scored 11 points to go along with four rebounds and a game-high seven assists, and Jordyn Wartts ’14 added a team-high 14 points. The Thoroughbreds (8-11, 3-7 Liberty) completed their season sweep of RPI with a 73-55 victory on Saturday. Angela Botiba ’15 finished with her eighth double-double of the season, registering 18 points and 13 rebounds and McLaughlin led all scorers with 20 points. The team hosts Clarkson University at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Men’s hockey tied an NCAA Division III record with its seventh tie of the season in a 2-2 contest Friday at No. 14 UMass Boston. The Thoroughbreds (7-8-7, 3-6-6 ECAC East) have played nine overtime games this season. Marc Cibelli ’17 and Vlad Gavrik ’14 both potted goals and Jack McDonald ’17 made 42 saves on 44 shots to help preserve the tie. The team dropped a tightly contested matchup against No. 6 Babson College, 5-3. Cibelli tallied two goals and Gavrik netted one, extending both points streaks to six games. The Thoroughbreds welcome a pair of conference opponents this weekend, taking on Saint Michael’s College at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, and Norwich University at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8.

Women's swimming and diving placed fourth of six at the 2014 Skidmore College Women's Sprint Invitational. Erin Donovan ’17 was a double-winner for the Thoroughbreds, placing first in the 50 Back (29.65) and the 100 Back (1:02.52). Yookee Roh ’16 was another top finisher, touching in third in 100 Fly (1:04.39) and 100 Free (58.17). Donovan and Roh teamed with Kate Lambos ’15 and Katherine Kelloway ’14 for a third place finish in the 200 Free Relay (1:47.56). Kelloway also contributed a strong individual performance, placing fifth in the 400 IM (5:03.69) and sixth in the 50 Back (31.34). Jesse Sandberg ’17 earned fifth in the 50 Breast (35.13) and Emily Przysinda ’15 finsished sixth in the 500 Free (5:37.35). The Thoroughbreds compete at the UNYSCSA Championships Feb 19. - Feb. 22. ~ By Dan St. Jacques