Ice hockey advances to ECAC East semifinals

Skidmore?s men?s ice hockey team defeated Salem State College, 4-3, Saturday afternoon to advance to the ECAC East semifinal round for the first time since the Thoroughbreds moved into the conference in 1998.

Freshman goalie Colin Bessey (Montclair N.J.) had 41 saves in net for Skidmore while sophomore Brett Bandazian (Wyckoff, N.J.) scored twice to lead the Thoroughbreds.

Skidmore will now face Babson College in the semifinal round at New England College at 3 p.m. Friday, March 6. The Thoroughbreds were victorious in a meeting between the two teams earlier this season, posting a 5-2 win Jan. 3 at the SUNY Oswego Pathfinder Classic .

Women?s basketball gave Union College a run in the Liberty League semifinal round, but came up short as the Dutchwomen advanced to the finals with a 61-51 win over the Thoroughbreds. Junior Sharlyn Harper (New York, N.Y.), who was named an All-Liberty League honorable mention selection earlier in the week, scored 12 points to lead Skidmore. The team ended its season with an 11-15 record, advancing to the postseason for the first time since 2000-2001.

The men?s swimming and diving squad had a successful trip to the UNYSCSA state championship meet over the weekend, finishing 13th out of 16 teams. The Thoroughbreds set 10 new school records, ending the season with a total of 15 new records. Freshman diver Doug Pilawa (Chesterland, Ohio) finished in third place in 3-meter diving with a score of 399.90

Senior Nick Coppola (Basking Ridge, N.J.) scored five goals and added five assists to lead the men?s lacrosse team in a 16-6 win over Babson College Saturday in the first contest of the 2009 season.

Men?s tennis continued its success as they corralled two more wins this weekend, posting a 6-3 win over TCNJ and a 9-0 victory over Vassar. In its opening weekend the women?s tennis team beat NYU 7-0 Friday and lost to TCNJ, 5-4 , Sunday. ~By Sytiva Seitz