This week in Suffolk University sports: Men’s hockey bounces back convincingly, women’s hockey’s losing streak extended, women’s basketball continues conference struggles and men’s basketball wins thrilling game.
Men’s hockey earns two convincing wins
Men’s hockey ended a five game losing streak with a dominating performance against Western New England University Feb. 7, pouring on the offense in a convincing 9-5 win over the Golden Bears.
Sixteen of the 19 Rams skaters had at least one point, and Josh Milso paced the Rams with a goal and three assists to his credit. Captain Thomas Dempsey’s second period goal was his first collegiate goal. The nine goal game for the Rams is the most goals scored in a game since a 9-5 win against UMass Dartmouth in January 2016.
The Rams followed that up Feb. 9 with another win against the Golden Bears, this time by a 5-1 score. After spotting WNE a first period goal, Suffolk scored five straight goals to take control of the game. Daniel McKiernan, Jake Grace, Matt Pimental twice and Ryan Webb all scored for the Rams as three goals were also on the power play.
Women’s hockey handed fourth straight loss
Women’s hockey got hit with their fourth straight loss in a 4-2 defeat against Nichols College Feb. 8. The Bison built themselves a 3-0 lead before Bella Schmidt and Sam Molind scored goals for the Rams to make it a one goal game. An empty net goal in the final minute sealed Suffolk’s fate.
Men’s basketball pulls off dramatic win
Against Gordon College Feb. 5, men’s basketball took home a 74-56 win against the Fighting Scots to push their winning streak to five games. The win also marks the Rams’ ninth straight win against the Fighting Scots. They are 9-1 against them under head coach Jeff Juron and are 8-0 against them on the road.
Danny Yardemian, Keenan Robertson, Nick Verdile and Jake Gomez all had double digit points for the Rams. Yardemian posted a 18 point, 11 rebound double-double.
The Rams could not make it six wins in a row, as a Feb. 8 home game against Endicott College ended in a 82-62 loss. Despite a 25 point, 10 rebound double-double by Robertson, the Rams were outscored 37-30 in the first half and 45-32 in the second half to end their three game winning streak against the Gulls.
The Rams visited WNE Feb. 11 and had a battle all the way down to the final buzzer with the Golden Bears. Robertson led the Rams with 27 points, but it was his three-pointer with six seconds left in regulation that was the biggest shot of the day. He was fouled on the shot attempt with the Rams down by three, and his shot went in to tie the game. He made the ensuing free throw to put the Rams ahead for good. The win puts the Rams at 11-4 in conference play this season.
Women’s basketball continues conference struggles
Taking on Gordon Feb. 5, women’s basketball outscored the Fighting Scots in the first three quarters to pick up a 88-74 win on the road to improve to 11-9 overall and 6-7 in conference play.
Amanda DeAngelis paced the Rams with a 19 point, 12 rebound double-double, her sixth double-double of the season. Colby Guinta was the points leader with a 25 point performance while adding eight rebounds.
The Rams could not pick up a second straight conference win, as a Feb. 8 home game against Endicott saw them end up on the wrong side of a 75-68 final score. Down by 10 at halftime and 21 in the third quarter, the Rams’ comeback attempt fell short.
DeAngelis, Guinta and Aisling Crowley all had double digit points for the Rams. DeAngelis supplied 21 points, Guinta had 13 and Crowley chipped in 11.
Against WNE Feb. 11, the Rams were dealt another CNE loss, falling to 6-9 in conference play with a 65-55 loss. The Golden Bears outscored the Rams 41-19 in the first half, with a late Suffolk comeback attempt cutting the deficit to 10 by the end of the game. The Rams are 1-3 through four games in February.
Track & field succeeds at pair of meets
Men’s and women’s track & field competed at both the Crimson Open meet and the Tufts Cupid Challenge, with school records being set and history being made.
At Tufts, Josh Catino and Devyn Battistoni competed in the pole vault, with Catino vaulting 3.60 meters to set a new personal best while Battistoni vaulted 3.10 meters.
Freshman Nico Carrillo made program history at Tufts, as he became the first Suffolk student-athlete to compete in the heptathlon. Carrillo competed in the 60 meter dash, 60 meter hurdles, one kilometer race, pole vault, high jump, long jump and shot put. He finished the 60 dash in 7.59 seconds, the 60 hurdles in 9.49 seconds, and the one kilometer in 3:22.11. He vaulted three meters, high jumped 1.66 meters, long jumped 5.74 meters and threw the shot put 10.43 meters. He set a personal best in every event except the 60 hurdles.
At the Crimson Open meet, Emily Concepcion qualified for the DIII New England championships in the 800 meter race with a 2:21.50 time. Lydia Comprosky and Emma Withers set personal bests in the weight throw, while Gracie O’Connell set a new personal best in the shot put. JJ Conteh tied her personal best in the 60 meter dash with a 7.90 second time.
Michael Nossek broke his own school record in the 60 meter dash and qualified for the DIII New England Championships in the process, winning the finals with a 6.80 second time after running a 7.03 in the prelims to qualify for the finals.
Tighe Hosman set personal bests in the 60 meter dash and 60 meter hurdles, taking 7.85 seconds to finish the 60 dash and 9.07 seconds to finish the hurdles. Sean Jacobsen set a personal best in the 800 meter race with a 2:07.03 time. Cormac O’Brien, Nathan Fernandes, Michael Frodelius, Declan Shannon and Suffolk Journal Sports Editor Michael Najarian also set personal records.
