SWIM AND DIVE TEAMS SET FOR HOME OPENER ON SATURDAY

A newly renovated pool and a reenergized roster will highlight the Clark University men’s and women’s swim and dive teams home opener at Kneller Athletic Center on Saturday. The Cougars will face Bridgewater State College in a dual-meet set to kick-off at 1 p.m.

“It’s exciting whenever we get a chance to compete at home,” said fourth-year head coach Paul E. Phillips. “It’s a great atmosphere; we usually have big crowds and a lot of noise. It’s a fun time for us every year.”

After both teams fell to Bridgewater two years ago, the Clark men (2-1) rebounded to post a 154-113 victory last season, while the Cougar women (1-2) beat the Bears 160-120. “Bridgewater has always been a tough team,” said Phillips. “They have a deep roster on both sides, so it will be a good test for us.”

Poised to have another strong season, the men’s team is led by backstroke record-holder Drew Jackson who posted a new school mark in the 50-yard back last season and finished third at the NEWMAC Championship in the 200 (2:00.42). Second-year swimmers Tim O’Keefe (breaststroke), Mike Smith (distance freestyle), and Brian Walsh (distance freestyle) are expected to swim forward in their respective events, while sophomores Sal Pezzella and Dave Carnevale give Clark a one-two punch in diving events.

Despite a 146-116 setback to Bryant University last weekend, the women’s squad is starting to take shape. The Cougars have been bolstered with the addition of newcomers Dana Akerfelds (backstroke, freestyle) and Alicia Roman (butterfly, breaststroke). Akerfelds, a freshman from Bronxville, N.Y., has led the women with three individual first place finishes in each of Clark’s last two meets. Looking to build on a fine freshman campaign, sophomore Kayleigh Lagasse, a butterfly specialist, entered the season just .55 off the school mark in the 200-yard fly, while Lindsey Stone looks to improve in the sprint competition. The trio of Jessica Baker, Lauren Gesner, and Hannah Perlmutter will lead Clark’s diving contingent.

“I’m happy with the way our team is competing hard early in the year,” Phillips said. “However, it’s a lengthy season and we have to be focused on the long haul.”

How will the Cougars fair against Bridgewater on Saturday? “It’ll be a challenge,” said Phillips. “But our energy and enthusiasm will be alive on the pool deck. That’s one thing I know we can do better than anyone.”

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SAAC TRICK-OR-TREATS FOR A CAUSE

Clark University athletic teams dressed up for a good cause on Halloween. The Cougars participated in the second annual “Trick-or-Treat for Canned Goods” fundraising effort in the Salisbury Street neighborhood last Tuesday.

Organized by the community service board on Clark’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), student-athletes collected 1,070 pounds of canned goods for the Worcester County Food Bank.

“The response was very positive from student-athletes and the community,” said Emily Tremaine ’07, a cross country member and co-chair of SAAC’s Community Outreach Committee. “We had about 50 athletes take part in the event, and we more than doubled the number of canned goods we received last year.”

Preparation played a part in the groups’ success this time around. Led by field hockey player Kaitlin Kelley ‘07, the committee mapped out the area and distributed flyers, and spread the word to SAAC representatives, coaches, and student-athletes to play a part in the event. The community outreach co-chair also provided routes to the participants to ensure all the bases were covered.

Donned in Clark University apparel, Cougar athletes took to the streets and were not left disappointed. According to Tremaine, many of the houses were out trick-or-treating themselves, but made sure to leave bags of food with a note for Clark athletes.

“This was an exciting way for college students to have fun on Halloween, but do some good in the process,” Tremaine said. “We had a good showing from our athletic teams, a warm response from the community, and needless to say, the Food Bank was blown away by the amount of food we delivered.” Spoken like a kid in a candy store, Tremaine said, “they were thrilled the event was such a success, and hopes it continues to grow in the future.”

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NEWMAC ANNOUNCES ANNUAL FALL AWARDS

Field Hockey

Clark University’s Kaitlin Kelley and Carley Corkum have been named to the All-New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) field hockey first and second teams, respectively, it was announced on Tuesday. The Cougar squad also received the first-ever Sportsmanship Award, as voted on by the players of each institution.

Kelley, a senior goalkeeper from Guilford, Conn., finished her career ranked first in saves per game (12.38) and second in save percentage (.835) in league play. The four-year starter stopped 198 shots this fall, including a season-high 29 saves against conference foe Wheaton College. She concludes her career with a .835 save percentage. Making her second appearance on the All-Conference first-team, Kelley also earned NEWMAC Player of the Week honors this season and was selected to play in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Senior All-Star game on Nov. 18 at William Smith College in Geneva, N.Y.

Originally from Newbury, Mass., Corkum is a first-time All-Conference selection. The freshman defender had an outstanding season at center back for the Cougars this fall. She started in all 16 games, tallying a pair of defensive saves and contributed offensively collecting her first collegiate point on an assist in a victory over cross-town rival Worcester State College.

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Women's Soccer

A pair of Clark University women’s soccer players received New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) second team recognition, it was announced on Tuesday. Amanda Ramos and Amy Wilson are making their first appearance on the all-conference squad.

Ramos, a junior midfielder from Williston Park, N.Y., led the Cougars in scoring with a career-best 21 points on 10 goals and an assist. After notching a hat-trick in a victory over Keene State College, Ramos was named the NEWMAC Player of the Week. She finished the year tied for third in the conference in goals and finished second in goals per game (.59).

A native of Wilbraham, Mass., Wilson was the backbone of Clark’s defense this season. A vocal tri-captain, she acted as one of the last lines of defense, clearing balls and making key team saves in the clutch. Appearing in all 17 games, Wilson helped secure a pair of shutouts and chipped in offensively with an assist in a conference victory over Coast Guard Academy.

Clark advanced to the conference tournament for the third consecutive year and concluded its season with a 4-12-1 overall record and 2-6-1 NEWMAC mark.

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Men's Soccer

Two members of the Clark University men’s soccer team were named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) all-conference teams, it was announced on Tuesday. Lino Goncalves received first-team recognition, while Matt Talbot earned second-team accolades.

Goncalves, a senior midfielder from Newton, Mass., is a two-time All-NEWMAC selection. A work-horse performer, he finished third on the team in scoring (2-2-6), netting game-winning goals over Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Albertus Magnus College this season. This is his first appearance on the All-NEWMAC first-team.

Originally from Harvard, Mass., Talbot, a four-year goalkeeper, helped lead the Cougars to the number one scoring defense in the conference this season. The senior co-captain anchored a defense that ranks sixth in the nation in goals against average (7 GA, .39) and tied for ninth in shutout percentage (.65). He also topped the league in goals against average (.40) and save percentage (.894), and ranked second in winning percentage (.706). Talbot posted six straight shutouts to start the season, one shy of the program record, and capped his career with 10 scoreless games. The two-time NEWMAC All-Conference goalie also earned conference Player of the Week honors earlier this fall.

Earlier this season, Clark (11-4-2, 3-2-1 NEWMAC) saw its first national ranking (20th) and highest regional placing (3rd) in head coach David Kulik’s seven-year tenure.

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WOMEN CROSS COUNTRY TO MAKE AN NCAA RUN

Seven women cross country runners will make a bid for an NCAA Championship berth at this weekend’s NCAA New England Regionals at Springfield College. Becky Mayer, Ellen Durand, Katilyn Sephton, Alison Camp, Vera Simon-Nobes, Kerri Powers and Amanda Haimes will compete for the coveted spots for the Cougars.

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CLARK’S LABADORF TO PLAY IN VOLLEYBALL SENIOR ALL-STAR GAME

Margo Labadorf was selected to play in the New England Women’s Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Senior Classic match hosted by Clark at the Kneller Athletic Center on Sunday (1 p.m.).

Labadorf, a senior from Columbia, Conn., has been a four-year member on the Cougar squad. The team’s strongest attacker, she ranks first in kills (250) and kills per game (2.98), and was second in digs with 275. Playing in one of the toughest conferences in New England, the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), Labodorf finished 10th in kills per game.

Clark concluded its season with a 12-13 overall mark, its highest number of wins since 2001.

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The highlights for this newsletter are provided by the
Sports Information Office
Dalya Qualls, Sports Information Director, 508-793-7164
Email: dqualls@clarku.edu

The Catchin’ Up with the Cougars e-Newsletter contains highlights about selected athletic teams and/or news regarding the Clark Athletic Department. For complete information on all Cougar squads, please visit the links listed on the right side of the page.

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SWIM AND DIVE TEAMS SET FOR HOME OPENER ON SATURDAY

SAAC TRICK-OR-TREATS FOR A CAUSE

NEWMAC ANNOUNCES ANNUAL FALL AWARDS Field Hockey

Women's Soccer

Men's Soccer

WOMEN CROSS COUNTRY TO MAKE AN NCAA RUN

CLARK’S LABADORF TO PLAY IN VOLLEYBALL SENIOR ALL-STAR GAME

NEWMAC ANNOUNCES ANNUAL FALL AWARDS

Field Hockey