Season ends for field hockey; winter sports underway

The Skidmore fall sports season officially ended as field hockey saw its run at a national championship thwarted in the national quarterfinals. Riding highlighted the week for winter sports with its third win of the season, while men’s basketball notched a win in its season opener. Women’s basketball came up just short in its opening weekend, men’s hockey was topped by a pair of conference foes and swimming and diving competed hard in meets against Oneonta and Saint Rose.

Field hockey suffered a heartbreaking 2-1-overtime loss against Bowdoin in the national quarterfinal after beating FDU-Florham, 5-1, in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Dani DeGregory ’16 netted a hat trick and added two assists, and Sam Skott ’15 scored a pair of goals. DeGregory added a goal in the quarterfinal and currently leads the country with 38 goals and 91 points. Goalkeeper Amy Beck ’15 kept the team in the game against Bowdoin, making a career-best 17 saves, but it was not enough as the Polar Bears found the game-winner in overtime. The Thoroughbreds concluded their season with an overall record of 18-4.

Riding remained perfect, winning its first home show of the season by 13 points. Lauren Bosche ’15, Ursula Green ’16, and Whitney Steele ’15 were all double winners and competed in a ride-off for High Point Rider. Bosche was declared the champion and Steele was named the reserve champion. The team opened its season at the Hartwick College show, placing first of 11, and followed that performance with a first-place finish at the Morrisville show. Green has a team-high six first-place finishes on the season. The team hosts its next show at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

Men’s basketball opened its season with an 82-74 win over Ithaca. After a back-and-forth first half, the Thoroughbreds used a 10-0 run in the second half to pull away for good. Aldin Medunjanin ’16 had a double-double with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds to go along with six assists. Erik Sanders ’16 had 17 points and six rebounds, Perun Kovacevic ’15 added 13 points and six boards and Connor Merrill ’15 chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds. The team hosts Castleton State at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Women’s basketball was narrowly edged by Trinity and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the 38^th annual Skidmore Invitational Women’s Basketball Tournament. The team led 62-56 with 1:37 remaining against Trinity, but the Bantams surged late for a 65-62 win. Kelly Donnelly ’18 posted a double-double, leading all scorers with 21 points and pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds and all-tournament team selection Angela Botiba ’15 added 12 points and nine boards. The Thoroughbreds outscored Coast Guard 42-29 in the second half, erasing a 17-point second-half deficit before the Bears sealed the win with a late three. Amber Holgate ’16 produced 14 of her game-high 16 points in the second half, going 4-6 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line. Molly McLaughlin ’15 had 14 points, five assists and five rebounds and Donnelly scored all of her 11 points in the second half. The team returns to action with a home game against Hamilton College at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24.

Ice hockey dropped a pair of conference games, falling against New England College and Saint Anselm. Marc Cibelli ’17 scored his first goal of the season against New England College and goalie Jack McDonald ’17 made 32 saves. Sean Timmons ’18 gave the team a 1-0 lead against Saint Anselm, but the Hawks answered with three goals in the second period en route to a 5-3 win. Christian Leahy ’18 tallied his team-leading third goal of the season and Cibelli produced his second goal in as many games in the loss. Anthony Bird ’17 had an assist in both games and has recorded a point in each of the team’s first five games. The Thoroughbreds (2-3, 1-3 ECAC Men’s East) go on the road for two conference games this weekend, taking on Babson at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, before facing UMass Boston at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.

Men’s and women’s swimming and diving were both upended in meets against Oneonta and Division II opponent Saint Rose. Diver Jacob Nathan ’15 earned a spot in the NCAA Division III Diving Regional, winning the 3-meter event in both meets with NCAA-qualifying scores of 306.30 and 293.47. Nick Sauerbrunn ’15 won the 500 free against Oneonta and teamed with Mario Hyman ’16, Bailey Best ’17 and Ramzy Kahhale ’15 for first in the 200-medley relay against Saint Rose.

Catherine King ’15 paced the women’s team, winning the 50 free and combining with Yookee Roh ’16, Monica Abdul-Chani ’17 and Kate Lambos ’15 for first in the 200 free relay against Saint Rose. Roh also added an individual in the 200 free. The teams host Utica College at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22. ~ By Dan St.-Jacques