This week in Suffolk University sports: cross country earns national bid, women’s hockey sweeps conference weekend, men’s hockey continues conference success and women’s basketball remains undefeated.
Cross country secures historic national bid
Men’s and women’s cross country competed at the NCAA Division III East Regional championships Nov. 15 in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, facing off against the best of the east region.
The men’s team raced to a top-20 finish, securing 19th place out of 32 teams on the 8-kilometer course. The Rams scored 583 points as five of the seven runners were competing at the regional meet for the first time in their careers.
The women’s team raced to a program-best fourth-place finish, beating No. 27 nationally ranked Bowdoin College by five points. Tess Drury, Sofia Moukaddem and Amy Pattelena each earned all-region honors as Drury set records for the Rams in placement, ninth overall, and time, finishing the 6-kilometer race in 21:45.
The next day, the NCAA announced that the Rams had earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III national championships Nov. 22 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This is the first time the Rams will compete on the national stage as a team, and they are the first Conference of New England team to qualify in conference history. Suffolk beat out the No. 29 nationally ranked Coast Guard Academy as they became one of five teams in the East Region to secure a bid to nationals.
Men’s hockey splits two game weekend
Men’s hockey faced No. 6 nationally ranked Curry College on the road Nov. 14, with the Rams falling 5-2 to the Colonels for their first CNE loss of the season.
Suffolk took the lead just 1:31 into the game when Alex Ondos scored his first collegiate goal. The Colonels then scored four straight goals before the Rams finally got on the board again, courtesy of a Daniel McKiernan power play goal in the third period. Curry sealed the win in the final minute with an empty net goal.
The Rams returned to the friendly confines of Porrazzo Rink the next day against Roger Williams University. Suffolk showcased plenty of firepower offensively, overwhelming the Hawks en route to a 7-2 win.
The game was tied 2-2 after the first period after goals from Nicholas Rooney and Cooper St. Hilaire for Roger Williams to go with Marko Giourof and Cole Scott for Suffolk. The Rams then scored three goals in the second period and two in the third, with Scott notching a hat trick in the process. Austin McNicholas made 12 saves in the win for Suffolk.
Women’s hockey posts back-to-back identical wins
Women’s hockey faced Nichols College Nov. 14 at home, riding a little late-game magic to a 4-3 win over the Bison for their first regulation CNE win of the season.
After a scoreless first period, Emma Holmes and Ava Buckley scored in the second period to make it 2-0 Suffolk before three straight Nichols goals left the Rams down by one after 40 minutes.
Holmes tied the game in the third with a power play goal 8:08 into the frame. It stayed that way into the final minute, when Alexia Hill scored with 45 seconds to play to lift Suffolk into the win column. Katelyn Michals came up big in goal for the Rams, keeping Nichols at bay with a 53-save performance.
The next day was a case of deja vu for Suffolk, as they beat the Bison again by an identical 4-3 score.
With the game tied 1-1 after the first period, Nichols scored two goals in the second to take a 3-1 lead in the first 11 minutes of the period. Anya Nichipor and Liliana Moose struck back for the Rams before the period ended to make it a 3-3 game. Cassie Borowski put Suffolk ahead for good 6:48 into the third period to secure the win. Michals had another strong game in net, making 46 saves to shut down the Nichols attack.
Men’s basketball
Men’s basketball continued its undefeated start to the season with a 66-51 win at home over Colby-Sawyer College Nov. 12.
After the game was tied 22-22 at halftime, Suffolk outscored Colby-Sawyer 44-29 in the second half to gain a hefty margin to secure the win. Nick Verdile led the Rams in points with 16, plus three-point shooting as he went 3-for-6 from range. James Jones had a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds, while Greg Keane was responsible for eight of Suffolk’s 12 blocked shots on the day.
The Rams got back in action Nov. 15 against Salem State University, soaring to a 77-58 win over the Vikings on home court.
Suffolk outscored the Vikings 40-30 in the first half and 37-28 in the second half for the 19-point win. Four starters and five Rams in total recorded double figures in points. Jones and Keane each had 14 points, Verdile had 12 and Declan Davis and Harrison Neil each picked up 11 points.
Facing No. 4 nationally ranked Tufts University Nov. 18, Suffolk’s undefeated start came to an end with a 54-47 loss to the Jumbos.
Verdile paced the Rams in points with 18 and three point shooting, as he went 5-for-9 from beyond the arc. Jones, now a two-time CNE rookie of the week, was the only other Ram in double figures in points with 11 while also leading the team in rebounds with six. Neil, Keane and Marquis White all added six points for the Rams, the only other players to record points in the game.
Women’s basketball continues undefeated start
Women’s basketball improved to 3-0 to begin the season with a 65-48 win over Salve Regina University at home Nov. 12.
The Rams outscored the Seahawks in all but the third quarter as they picked up the 17-point win. Allison Bono had a 15-point, 12 rebound double-double, leading the Rams in rebounds plus assists with three. Jordan Moreau paced the team in scoring with 17 points. Suffolk was only 3-for-14 from three-point range, with most of the points coming near the basket.
Suffolk hit the road for the first time this season Nov. 18 against Salem State, picking up a 63-58 win on the road to improve to 4-0.
Entering the second quarter with a three point deficit, the Rams outscored the Vikings in the final three quarters to walk away with the win in their first road contest of the season.
Bono and Ariana Ingram were tied for the team lead in points with 12, with Bono shooting a perfect 2-for-2 from three point range and Ingram going 2-for-7 from beyond the stripe. Ingram produced seven rebounds to Bono’s six, with Moreau leading the team in rebounds with eight and being the only other double digit point scorer with 10.
