Apr 14, 2008

Weekly Ram Report

Simply put, the Philadelphia University baseball program is in the midst of their finest stretch since joining the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) prior to the 2006 campaign. Last week, the Rams went 6-2 overall with a sparkling 6-1 mark in league play. They won the season series two games to one against Caldwell College; at the time the Cougars were ranked fourth in the NCBWA Division II Northeast Regional poll. The ballclub has won five of their last six and eight of their last 11 games this season. Their 8-3 record in CACC contests has the Rams positioned in second place in the league standings entering this week's play, and the competition is starting to take notice.

That said, there were signs late in the 2007 season that Head Coach Mark Heineman's team was emerging as a factor in the conference. The Rams finished last season on a 5-2 run in league games, missing the CACC postseason tournament by just one game. At the start of the 2008 campaign, the Rams faced a non-conference schedule chock full of regional and national powerhouses. As a result, the club's won-loss record was, well, not very attractive heading into the meat of the conference schedule. Despite taking their lumps, the team never wavered in their confidence and that determination is paying dividends now that they are in the rhythm of CACC play.

Sophomore second baseman Tyler Mentzer is second in the conference with a batting average of .396. His four home runs are tied for third in the league, and his play at second base keys a Philadelphia University team defense that's tops in the CACC with a fielding percentage of .955. Last week, Tyler was at the top of his game, and was named the conference's Player of the Week. The Gettysburg, Pa. native hit .577 (15-for-26) last week with a .686 on-base percentage, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored. He also belted two homers, four doubles, and swiped three bases. Mentzer collected multiple hits in five games, including three, 3-hit performances and three, 3-RBI games.

Meanwhile, the Rams are getting solid pitching to go along with clutch defense and timely offense. Kyle Noonan, a junior right-hander from Morristown, N.J. notched two wins last week and allowed just one earned run and seven hits in 16.0 IP, striking out 10 batters in key wins at Caldwell and versus Chestnut Hill. For his efforts, Noonan earned CACC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors.

This week, the Rams have four nine-inning games and one twinbill of two seven-inning contests. They are at Nyack Tue. night, followed by home games on Wed. afternoon vs. USP and Fri. afternoon vs. Dominican. They travel to Dominican on Saturday for a rare twi-night doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. and wrap up the week with a non-conference tilt at Widener on Sun. at 3:00 p.m.

Here is a look at how the rest of the varsity athletic teams fared this past week:

GOLF - First-year Head Coach Tony Berich and his Philadelphia University golf team competed in three events, including a CACC tri-match and a conference quad-match. On Monday, April 7, the Rams' linksmen finished second behind host Caldwell and ahead of Chestnut Hill at the Caldwell College Invitational at the Essex Fells Country Club in Essex Fells, N.J. Junior co-captain P.J. O'Brien was third individually and the top Ram with a score of 86 at the par 72, Essex Fells layout. On Wednesday, April 9, Philadelphia University was third of four at the Holy Family Invitational at Torresdale-Frankford Country Club in Northeast Philadelphia. O'Brien was again the leader for the Rams and fourth overall with a 10-over par 82. On Thursday, the golfers were fourth among the four teams at the Tom Ruggieri Invitational II hosted by Widener University at The Springhaven Club in Wallingford, Pa. O'Brien once again topped the Rams lineup with an 85 on the par 70, 6,355-yard course. This week, the golf team will compete in the two-day CACC Championships at the Back Creek Golf Club in Middletown, Del., on Mon. and Tue. Apr. 14-15. They conclude the 2007-'08 campaign on Friday vs. USP at Island Green Country Club in rounds that tee-off at 1:00 p.m.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE (7-2 overall, 1-1 ECC) - The Philadelphia University lacrosse team won all three of their games last week to improve to 7-2 overall on the season. Two road victories came at Georgian Court on Thursday by a margin of 14-12, followed by a 19-7 triumph at St. Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday. The Lady Rams capped their unbeaten week at home on Sunday with a 17-8 win versus Wilmington; the same score of Philadelphia University's road victory against Wildcats back on March 29th. Head Coach Jenn Devinney's squad has featured a balanced attack, stout defense and steady goalkeeping during their winning run. Senior midfielders Maggie Bornhorst (30 goals, eight assists) and Brooke Woodland (18 goals, six assists), along with senior attacker Shannon Shippey (22 goals, 13 assists) and sophomore midfielder Kathleen Maurer (19 goals, seven assists) lead the Lady Rams in scoring for the season. Shippey scored nine goals on 17 shots and added eight assists in the 3-0 week; for her efforts, she earned East Coast Conference (ECC) Player of the Week accolades. On the other side of the ball, the Philadelphia University defense, led by junior Amanda Harding (12 caused turnovers) has held its opponent under 10 goals six times in nine games this season. Sophomore netminder Kelly Staerk has earned six of the Lady Rams' seven victories and she ranks second in the ECC with 9.12 saves-per-game.
Up next for the women's lacrosse team is an overnight trip to the New York Metro area for key conference and regional matchups. On Saturday night, April 19 at 7:00 p.m., the Lady Rams will be in Hempstead, N.Y. to face Adelphi University. The undefeated Panthers (7-0) are ranked third in this week's IWLCA/Under Armour National Poll for Division II Women's Lacrosse. On Sunday, Philadelphia University visits Orangeburg, N.Y. for a 1:00 p.m. face-off with the Lady Chargers from Dominican College.

SOFTBALL (8-20 overall, 4-10 CACC) - The Philadelphia University softball team began the week on the highest of highs but unfortunately their momentum was short-lived come Sunday evening. Last Tuesday, April 8, the Lady Rams swept a home doubleheader with 9-8 and 2-0 upset wins over Wilmington University, at the time ranked sixth in the Northeast Region. The nightcap victory represented the fourth straight for Philadelphia University, which is the longest streak in third-year Head Coach John Kelly's tenure. But three road twinbills loomed for the Lady Rams later in the week, and they dropped five of six games, including both at Felician before splitting at Caldwell, finally falling in two mercy-rule encounters at Holy Family. The last two were especially heartbreaking since Philadelphia University held tenuous 1-0 leads after three and a half innings of both contests against the rival Tigers. This week, the team finally gets a homestand going, with 3:00 p.m. doubleheaders at the campus softball field vs. Goldey-Beacom on Wednesday and Nyack on Friday. They close out the week with two non-league twinbills in the New York Metro region, somewhat shadowing the lacrosse team, as the Lady Rams will be at Molloy on Saturday and at Adelphi on Sunday.

MEN'S TENNIS (11-7 overall) - Head Coach Marty Gilbert's men's tennis has won four straight, including three wins last week. The Rams, ranked number eight in the NCAA Division II East Region, downed Millersville 7-2 last Tuesday before shutting out Chestnut Hill and Bloomfield 9-0 on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Freshman Kyle Kaltenbacher and senior Anders Novesky have paced the Rams at number one and two singles while also teaming as the first doubles tandem. The Rams will be on the Main Campus Courts all this week for three more important matches in their quest for an NCAA East Region tournament berth. On Tuesday, April 15, they host Caldwell College at 4:00 p.m.; on Wednesday, April 16, it's a key rematch with Adelphi University at 3:00 p.m. and on Saturday, April 19, the Rams entertain Post University at 1:00 p.m.

WOMEN'S TENNIS (16-5 overall)- Coach Gilbert's Philadelphia University women's tennis team was idle last week, and they will be back in action on Saturday, April 19th, hosting Queens College in a key non-conference matchup at the Main Campus Courts; as the Lady Rams remain in the hunt for an at-large NCAA tournament bid.


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Their 8-3 record in CACC contests has the Rams positioned in second place in the league standings entering this week's play, and the competition is starting to take notice. That said, there were signs late in the 2007 season that Head Coach Mark Heineman's team was emerging as a factor in the conference. The Rams finished last season on a 5-2 run in league games, missing the CACC postseason tournament by just one game. At the start of the 2008 campaign, the Rams faced a non-conference schedule chock full of regional and national powerhouses. As a result, the club's won-loss record was, well, not very attractive heading into the meat of the conference schedule. Despite taking their lumps, the team never wavered in their confidence and that determination is paying dividends now that they are in the rhythm of CACC play. Sophomore second baseman Tyler Mentzer is second in the conference with a batting average of .396. His four home runs are tied for third in the league, and his play at second base keys a Philadelphia University team defense that's tops in the CACC with a fielding percentage of .955. Last week, Tyler was at the top of his game, and was named the conference's Player of the Week. The Gettysburg, Pa. native hit .577 (15-for-26) last week with a .686 on-base percentage, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored. He also belted two homers, four doubles, and swiped three bases. Mentzer collected multiple hits in five games, including three, 3-hit performances and three, 3-RBI games. Meanwhile, the Rams are getting solid pitching to go along with clutch defense and timely offense. Kyle Noonan, a junior right-hander from Morristown, N.J. notched two wins last week and allowed just one earned run and seven hits in 16.0 IP, striking out 10 batters in key wins at Caldwell and versus Chestnut Hill. For his efforts, Noonan earned CACC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors. This week, the Rams have four nine-inning games and one twinbill of two seven-inning contests. They are at Nyack Tue. night, followed by home games on Wed. afternoon vs. USP and Fri. afternoon vs. Dominican. They travel to Dominican on Saturday for a rare twi-night doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. and wrap up the week with a non-conference tilt at Widener on Sun. at 3:00 p.m. Here is a look at how the rest of the varsity athletic teams fared this past week: GOLF - First-year Head Coach Tony Berich and his Philadelphia University golf team competed in three events, including a CACC tri-match and a conference quad-match. On Monday, April 7, the Rams' linksmen finished second behind host Caldwell and ahead of Chestnut Hill at the Caldwell College Invitational at the Essex Fells Country Club in Essex Fells, N.J. Junior co-captain P.J. O'Brien was third individually and the top Ram with a score of 86 at the par 72, Essex Fells layout. On Wednesday, April 9, Philadelphia University was third of four at the Holy Family Invitational at Torresdale-Frankford Country Club in Northeast Philadelphia. O'Brien was again the leader for the Rams and fourth overall with a 10-over par 82. On Thursday, the golfers were fourth among the four teams at the Tom Ruggieri Invitational II hosted by Widener University at The Springhaven Club in Wallingford, Pa. O'Brien once again topped the Rams lineup with an 85 on the par 70, 6,355-yard course. This week, the golf team will compete in the two-day CACC Championships at the Back Creek Golf Club in Middletown, Del., on Mon. and Tue. Apr. 14-15. They conclude the 2007-'08 campaign on Friday vs. USP at Island Green Country Club in rounds that tee-off at 1:00 p.m. WOMEN'S LACROSSE (7-2 overall, 1-1 ECC) - The Philadelphia University lacrosse team won all three of their games last week to improve to 7-2 overall on the season. Two road victories came at Georgian Court on Thursday by a margin of 14-12, followed by a 19-7 triumph at St. Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday. The Lady Rams capped their unbeaten week at home on Sunday with a 17-8 win versus Wilmington; the same score of Philadelphia University's road victory against Wildcats back on March 29th. Head Coach Jenn Devinney's squad has featured a balanced attack, stout defense and steady goalkeeping during their winning run. Senior midfielders Maggie Bornhorst (30 goals, eight assists) and Brooke Woodland (18 goals, six assists), along with senior attacker Shannon Shippey (22 goals, 13 assists) and sophomore midfielder Kathleen Maurer (19 goals, seven assists) lead the Lady Rams in scoring for the season. Shippey scored nine goals on 17 shots and added eight assists in the 3-0 week; for her efforts, she earned East Coast Conference (ECC) Player of the Week accolades. On the other side of the ball, the Philadelphia University defense, led by junior Amanda Harding (12 caused turnovers) has held its opponent under 10 goals six times in nine games this season. Sophomore netminder Kelly Staerk has earned six of the Lady Rams' seven victories and she ranks second in the ECC with 9.12 saves-per-game. Up next for the women's lacrosse team is an overnight trip to the New York Metro area for key conference and regional matchups. On Saturday night, April 19 at 7:00 p.m., the Lady Rams will be in Hempstead, N.Y. to face Adelphi University. The undefeated Panthers (7-0) are ranked third in this week's IWLCA/Under Armour National Poll for Division II Women's Lacrosse. On Sunday, Philadelphia University visits Orangeburg, N.Y. for a 1:00 p.m. face-off with the Lady Chargers from Dominican College. SOFTBALL (8-20 overall, 4-10 CACC) - The Philadelphia University softball team began the week on the highest of highs but unfortunately their momentum was short-lived come Sunday evening. Last Tuesday, April 8, the Lady Rams swept a home doubleheader with 9-8 and 2-0 upset wins over Wilmington University, at the time ranked sixth in the Northeast Region. The nightcap victory represented the fourth straight for Philadelphia University, which is the longest streak in third-year Head Coach John Kelly's tenure. But three road twinbills loomed for the Lady Rams later in the week, and they dropped five of six games, including both at Felician before splitting at Caldwell, finally falling in two mercy-rule encounters at Holy Family. The last two were especially heartbreaking since Philadelphia University held tenuous 1-0 leads after three and a half innings of both contests against the rival Tigers. This week, the team finally gets a homestand going, with 3:00 p.m. doubleheaders at the campus softball field vs. Goldey-Beacom on Wednesday and Nyack on Friday. They close out the week with two non-league twinbills in the New York Metro region, somewhat shadowing the lacrosse team, as the Lady Rams will be at Molloy on Saturday and at Adelphi on Sunday. MEN'S TENNIS (11-7 overall) - Head Coach Marty Gilbert's men's tennis has won four straight, including three wins last week. The Rams, ranked number eight in the NCAA Division II East Region, downed Millersville 7-2 last Tuesday before shutting out Chestnut Hill and Bloomfield 9-0 on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Freshman Kyle Kaltenbacher and senior Anders Novesky have paced the Rams at number one and two singles while also teaming as the first doubles tandem. The Rams will be on the Main Campus Courts all this week for three more important matches in their quest for an NCAA East Region tournament berth. On Tuesday, April 15, they host Caldwell College at 4:00 p.m.; on Wednesday, April 16, it's a key rematch with Adelphi University at 3:00 p.m. and on Saturday, April 19, the Rams entertain Post University at 1:00 p.m. WOMEN'S TENNIS (16-5 overall)- Coach Gilbert's Philadelphia University women's tennis team was idle last week, and they will be back in action on Saturday, April 19th, hosting Queens College in a key non-conference matchup at the Main Campus Courts; as the Lady Rams remain in the hunt for an at-large NCAA tournament bid.