Sports Highlights 01.20.2014

After a weak performance earlier in the week, the Martlets bounced back to play much better squash against Pomfret. The Black and Gold won both of the matches that went to five games and split the two matches that were decided in four games. Will Swanson ’14 won in three hard-fought games at No. 1. Andrew Bell ’14 at No. 5 and Ben Shaver ’16 at No. 7 won in straight games. At No. , Sam Worcester ’16 split the first two games before steadying himself to close out the match. Addison Cilmi ’16 and John Dowling ’14, at Nos. 4 and 2 respectively, won epic battles in five and four games each.
 

Westminster won against a tough Renbrook squad and was also victorious over Salisbury. Collin Lech ’16 at No. 6, Jeremy Mason ’16 at No. 3, Dylan Murphy ’17 at No. 7 and Minh Nguyen ’16 at No. 5, all won in four games against the Hawks. At No. 1 Declan Horrigan ’16 persevered to win in five. The match against the Crimson Knights was another close one. At No. 4, No. 5 and No. 7, Mac Larned ’16, Nick Rohn ’15 and Lech swept their opponents in straight games. Horrigan won in four at No. 1, and Jack Sargent ’17 needed five games for the final victory of the day.
 

The girls played a doubleheader at Pomfret, coming away with twin 7-0 victories. Opening against the host team, the Martlets used their advantage in experience to achieve straight game victories across the board. Against the Bears of Berkshire, it was slightly rougher sailing, but the outcome was again never in doubt.
 

The Second Girls Squash team defeated Pomfret by a 7-0 score. Mary French ’15, Julia Cooper ’15 and Olivia Bey ’15 got the girls started when all three won their matches in three straight games. Sophie Skinner ’15, Mimi Connelly ’15, Kate Breed ’15 and Katie Deveaux ’16 completed the scoring with all four also winning in three straight games. For the second straight weekend, the Martlets defeated Deerfield. French, Cooper and Deveaux won in four games to give the girls a 3-0 advantage with Connolly and Bey winning at the No. 3 and No. 7 positions respectively to secure the win. Cooper played the match of the day winning three straight games after losing the first game. She defeated an opponent whom she lost to in four games the weekend before.
 

Renbrook made the short trip to Westminster for a Monday afternoon match-up. The Martlets played efficient squash against their younger opponents and won 7-0. Katherine Ogden ’16, Claire Egan ’14, Meggie Gresham ’14, Georgia Morley ’15, Lexie Miller ’15, Emily Kandarian ’15 and Annie Hicks ’17 all contributed to the victory.
 

The Martlets earned a win over Millbrook and ended up in a scoreless tie with Hotchkiss this week. Tori DeAngelis ’14 earned a goal and an assist in the win against Millbrook. Catherine Crawley ’16, Shannon Cherpak ’14 and Katie Savage ’15 added to the 4-0 tally.
 

The Second Girls' Hockey team traveled to Taft for a big 10-5 win over the Rhinos. Many Martlets contributed to the offensive effort. Katie Hovey ’14, Katie Simeon ’16, StinaLadd ’15, Cynnie White ’17, Mackenzie Griffith ’17, Nina Wilmerding ’15, Susanna Baker ’15 and Anne Bitterli ’16 all tallied goals. As usual, Emily Mell ’14 played well between the pipes and had many saves for the afternoon.
 

The Martlets had a 3-0 week with wins over KO, Canterbury and Loomis. In a close one against the Saints, it was not until late in the second when Westminster got on the board when Frankie Sullivan ’15 and Eric Rost ’14 scored two blistering shots. Jack Fitzgerald ’15 added an empty net goal to close the scoring at 3-1. Zac Hamilton ’14 finished the game with 22 saves. Against Loomis, the Martlets were more in control of the play from start to finish. TJDaigler ’14 scored early, and then in the second period, the home team really tipped the ice as it went on a roll and scored four consecutive goals (Mario Benicky ’14, Anthony De Placido ’15, Brian Smyth ’16 and Rost). Hamilton finished with 24 saves.
 

It took awhile but eventually the Martlets took command of the game against Loomis and won 5-3. BrysonTomcik ’15 and Brett Roenick ’16 scored in the first to go up 2-1. The Pelicans took the lead, however, until Captain Pierce Cote ’14 scored the tying goal and go-ahead goal. Tomick tallied the final goal. Netminder Ben Bauchiero ’14 made 23 saves for the victory.
 

Westminster improved to 4-3 for the season with a 4-1 win over the Taft Rhinos. Westminster struck first when Jack Bitterli ’16 fired home a shot and Brian Kelleher ’15 later scored the game winner. Westminster closed out the game with goals from Ken Mazzaro ’17 and an empty net goal by Hughie Plumb ’17. Kyle Keir ’15, Owen Johnson ’17 and Bitterli all recorded assists for the day.
 

In its win over KO, Westminster got back to .500 behind 15 points, 10 rebounds from Mike McNally ’14, and MarquetNewsome ’14 added 18 points and 10 assists. Seven different Martlets scored in a physical contest where 38 called fouls resulted in 63 total free throws combined for both teams. Carl Doucette ’16 went three for four at the line down the stretch and grabbed two key rebounds to help ensure the win.
 

It was two wins for the Martlets this week over Loomis and KO. Against the Pelicans, Westminster was down by six with less than two minutes left when Ricardo Vazquez ’16 hit two three-point field goals to bring Westminster back to life and send the game into overtime, where Westminster played outstanding defense to hold off Loomis. A great defensive effort came from KJ Maturine ’16 and Ken Barnes ’16. Marius Kluonis ’15 and David Gollenberg ’16 had clutch points in overtime to seal the win, an exciting end to a slow start. Despite a nine-point victory, Friday’s game against KO was a little too close for comfort. After building a significant lead after the half, KO battled back to within three points with two minutes, but the Martlets held on for the win.
 

Westminster notched its first win of the season against a scrappy Wibraham & Monson squad. Unique Shakoor’s ’15 inspired play against 32 minutes of full-court pressure was crucial to the win. She was well assisted at point guard by NadrinaEbrahimi ’15 and Emily Burstein ’17. Yvonne Pruitt ’14 controlled the rebounds at both ends of the court in the second half. MaeveDeFronzo ’16 and Susie Carter ’16 had many quality minutes of play as well.
 

The Westminster Girls picked up two exciting wins in the second annual Hibbard Invitational, a double-dual meet with Wilbraham & Monson and Ethel Walker. The Martlets kicked things off with a commanding win in the 200 Medley Relay from NorniaXu ’17, Alex Kavle ’15, Leta Giordano ’17 and captain Emily Kunsman ’15. Kavle and Claire Hotaling ’16 then teamed up for a two-three finish in the 200 Free respectively. The speed corps of Kunsman, Erin Haydon ’16 and Aubrey Moulton ’15 placed three-four-five in the 50 Free. Cali Stevens ’17, CC Lynch ’15 and Michelle Sclafani ’16 swept the diving event uncontested; Giordano dominated the 100 Fly. Elizabeth Brewer ’17 won the 500 in come-from-behind fashion. Then the Martlets slammed the door as Brewer and Xu went one-two in the 100 Backstroke, followed by a one-two finish by Giordano and Kavle in the 100 Breaststroke.
 

The Westminster Boys picked up one win and one loss in the second annual Hibbard Invitational, where they played host to Wilbraham & Monson and Eaglebrook. The boys charged ahead in the opening race, the 200 Medley Relay, where Jordan Gabbidon ’17 and co-captains Toby Casper ’14, Henry Chou ’15 and Travis Percy ’14 placed first. In the 50 Free, Percy came alive with his fastest unshaved time ever, stretching out his long arm to beat a speedy Titan by .02 seconds. James Hsieh ’14 and Jack Norman ’16 placed second and third in the diving respectively. Chou won the 100 Fly. Gabbidon dominated the 500 Free from wire to wire for the win, and the team of Chou, Tom Dudzik ’15, Percy and Casper snatched the 200 Freestyle Relay with a speedy time. Gabbidon returned to win the 100 Backstroke on short rest, and Casper took second in the 100 Breaststroke.