Sports Highlights 01.13.2014

The First Girls’ Squash team improved to 3-0 for the season by virtue of an exciting 4-3 win over Suffield Academy. The top of the lineup did the job, starting with quick wins by LailaSamy ’14 at No. 1 and Ginny Durfee ’15 at No. 2. At No. 4, co-captain Cricket diGaloma ’14 prevailed in four close games. Abby LeBlanc ’17 and her opponent split the first two games in the decisive No. 3 match. LeBlanc took a 2-1 lead only to have it evened up again, but in the fifth, she played disciplined and smart squash to secure an 11-5 result that sewed up the team victory.
 

Two wins more wins for the Martlets as they defeated Kent 7-0 and Deerfield 5-2.

Against the Lions, Mimi Connelly ’15, Kate Breed ’15, Sarah Poling ’16, Abby Newman ’16, Julia Cooper ’15, Olivia Bey ’15 and Katie Deveaux ’16 completed the shutout, each winning in three straight games. For the first time in seven years, the squad bested DA. Mary French ’15 won in the No. 2 slot, and Bey prevailed at No. 6 after losing the first game. Poling, playing No. 7, won in three straight games. Breed won in four at No. 5 while Connelly lost the first two games at No. 3 but came back to win in five.
 

The Martlets added two victories this week over Williston 7-0 and Taft 5-2. Isabel Tibbetts ’15, Katherine Ogden ’16, Claire Egan ’14, Callie Brossman ’16 and Kelly Andrien ’14 were all double winners for the week.
 

Westminster started 2014 with two wins on the road against Choate and NMH. In the 1-0 win over the Wild Boars, Cat Crawley ’16 scored the only goal of the game. Brooke Wolejko ’14 played very well in goal to secure the shutout. Against NMH, the Martlets had a big first period, scoring three goals. Kelcie Finn ’14, Crawley and Erin Ozturk ’15 earned goals. Ashely Carbone ’16 and Shannon Cherpak ’14 were solid on defense all afternoon. Again, Wolejko made the saves needed to earn the shutout.
 

It was a good week for the Martlets with 7-0 wins against KO and Kent. Alvin Heumann ’14 at No. 1 looked particularly strong in both matches, giving up only four points against KO and playing well against a tough opponent from Kent. Also against Kent, Ben Shively ’14 at No. 2 lost only eight points.
 

After a decisive win against Salisbury earlier in the week, the Martlets had to work hard to beat Kent. Sam Worcester ’16 at No. 2, Addison Cilmi ’16 at No. 3, Luke Tressy ’16 at No. 5, Ben Shaver ’16 at No. 6 and Bryan Yekelchik ’16 at No. 7 all managed to win in three competitive games. After splitting his first two games, Andrew Bell ’14 finished off his opponent at No. 4.
 

The Martlets earned a 5-2 victory over KO. At No. 4, Mac Larned ’16, who has yet to lose a game this season, won convincingly in straight games. In a very close four-game match, Minh Nguyen ’16, at No. 6, eked out a 13-11 victory in the fourth game to seal the victory. Declan Horrigan ’16 and Nick Rohn ’16, playing at No. 1 and No. 5, used deft drop shots and powerful drives to sweep their respective opponents 3-0.
 

In two exiting games this week, the Martlets defeated Taft in overtime and fought back to tie Salisbury. Against the Rhinos, the Martlets found themselves playing from behind throughout the game but scored the important game winner in OT. Mario Benicky ’14, TaggartCourriveau ’16 (2), and Joey O’Connor ’16 all earned goals and McDermott and Frankie Sullivan ’15 finished the game with two assists, with Tristan Rai ’14 and Anthony Di Placido ’15 adding one each. Against Salisbury, Benicky and Courriveau each scored. Zac Hamilton ’14 finished the game with 35 saves.
 

The Seconds rebounded from a tough loss last Wednesday against Taft to beat a strong Salisbury team 2-1. Down 1-0, Brett Roenick ’16 tied the game. Philippe Morin ’15 scored the game winner with assists from linemates Bryson Tomcik ’15 and Stephen McCormick ’14. Nick Sanford ’16, stood tall in the Westminster goal and shut the door on the visiting Knights.
 

Westminster earned its first win of 2014 against Salisbury 4-3. After going down 0-2, Brendan Jacobs ’17 scored two goals in one shift to tie up the game. Hughie Plumb ’17 scored to put the Martlets ahead. Salisbury battled back in the third tying the game. Determined not to let this one slip away, the Black and Gold redoubled their efforts and applied a last-minute push. Owen Johnson ’17 scored the winning goal as a pileup ensued in front of the Salisbury net. Assists go to Plumb and Jacobs. Westminster moves to 3-3 for the season with the win.
 

Westminster improved to 4-4 with an exciting come-from-behind win against the talented visitors from Canterbury. Down as many as nine points in the second half, the Martlets dug in on D and forced some turnovers to gain valuable possessions at crunch time. Chris Jones ’16 (11 points, 6 assists) hit a layup out of a Westminster timeout that gave the home team the lead, 61-60, and MarquetNewsome ’14 (20 and 9) iced it with two free throws after a big defensive rebound with 13 seconds left. Dalton Prendergast ’15 had 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Mike McNally ’14 went 16 and 10.
 

Westminster won its first game against a competitive Canterbury squad. Offensively, Will Leathers ’17 and KJ Maturine ’16 had standout performances, netting 16 and 12 points respectively. Andrew Lee ’17 played great defense for the entire game. He had four blocks, four rebounds and a steal. A solid all-around performance from Chris Swanson ’17 kept Westminster ahead for most of the first half and the entire second half.
 

The Martlets won their home opener against Canterbury. They used intense, relentless, full-team defensive pressure to build a 24-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game and never looked back. Rachel Monroe ’14, Emma Merlin ’16 and OumouKanoute ’17 again led the charge offensively. Olivia Tawney ’15 and Sophia Tawney ’17 had their best all-around games of the year.
 

The girls started off the new year with spirit and speed, beating Kent on the road, 90-86. Westminster went ahead early with a win in the 200 Medley Relay by NorniaXu ’17, captain Emily Kunsman ’15, Leta Giordano ’17 and Alex Kavle ’15, followed by a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 Free by Kavle, Elizabeth Brewer ’17 and Claire Hotaling ’16 respectively. Kunsman placed second in the 200 IM, and Giordano followed up with a second in the 50 Free. CC Lynch ’15 clinched the top spot in the diving event, and Giordano and Xu provided a 1-2 punch in the 100 Butterfly. Brewer had an outstanding swim in the 100 Backstroke, lowering her best time by three seconds for a victory. In the 100 Breaststroke, Hotaling charged to a best time and the win.