Winter sports season under way

Women's basketball opened the season with an impressive 3-0 start, including capturing the title at the 2011 Skidmore Invitational. The Thoroughbreds dominated in the three games, winning by an average of 27 points. In the season opener, senior Megan Gaugler (Amsterdam, N.Y.) had 22 points and pulled down 19 rebounds, while classmate Christina Gargiso (Staten Island, N.Y.) added 18 points. In the championship of the Skidmore Invitational, Gaugler earned MVP honors after hitting a school-record nine three-pointers en route to a career-high 33 points to defeat Utica. Gargiso and classmate Jessie Kavana (Mahopac, N.Y.) joined Gaugler on the All-Tournament Team. Skidmore travels to Hamilton for a 7 p.m. tip on Monday, Nov. 21.

Men's basketball was victorious in its season opener, defeating Cobleskill 77-42 last Tuesday night. Senior Melvis Langyintuo (Tamale, Ghana) led all scorers with 16 points in 15 minutes. Classmate Terron Victoria (Albany, N.Y.) chipped in with 10 points, while junior Kevin Dahill (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) and senior Brian Lowry (West Hartford, Conn.) each added eight. The Thoroughbreds host Southern Vermont at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a rematch of last season's game that went to an NCAA-record 7 OT's.

Men's and women's swimming and diving both picked up wins Saturday at Utica. For the men, senior Doug Pilawa (Chardon, Ohio) won both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives with NCAA qualifying scores and broke his own school record on the 1-meter board for 11 dives, while freshman Nick Sauerbrunn (Avon, Conn.) won three individual events. On the women's side, junior Carrie Koch (Wellesley, Mass.) and sophomore Sarah Shaw (Merion, Pa.) also won three individual events. Both teams host St. Rose starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.

Ice hockey went 1-1 this past weekend. On Friday, the Thoroughbreds shut out UMass Boston 4-0 behind 30 saves from senior goalie Colin Bessey (Montclair, N.J.). In the win, seniors Alex Essaris (Dollard-Des-Ormaux, Quebec) and Nick Dupuis (Holyoke, Mass.) each had a pair of assists. On Saturday, the team suffered a tough 4-2 loss to Babson as sophomore Vlad Gavrik (Kharkiv, Ukraine) and freshman Tim Colvin (Brunswick, Ohio) scored and Bessey made 24 saves. Skidmore hosts the annual Skidmore Invitational Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27. The team will kick off the tournament at 2 p.m. Saturday against Nichols. ~ By Cody Berschwinger