ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (March 18, 2010) - The Centenary women’s lacrosse team has won their third consecutive game to start their season, beating North Carolina Wesleyan by a score of 24-5. The Lady Cyclones are now 3-0 while NC Wesleyan fell to 1-6.

Centenary again set the tone early, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first three minutes of the contest. Wesleyan’s Sarah Matulich then scored the next two goals to bring her team within two at 4-2 but that would be as close as they as Centenary rolled off the next 11 goals to effectively end the game.

Senior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) set a new career-high scoring seven goals and also added three assists to finish with 10 points. Sophomore Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) scored four goals and had one assist. Senior Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) and sophomore Dawn Williams (Bedminster, N.J./Bernardsville) each scored three goals. Goalie Leslie Ann Pritchard (Port Byron, N.Y./Port Byron) made three saves.

Next up for the Lady Cyclones will be their first home contest and conference game of the season as they will take on Rosemont College on Wednesday, 3/24 at 3:00pm.


Boxscore

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (March 15, 2010) – Three Centenary student-athletes received Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Weekly Awards, the league announced Monday. Softball junior Kristin Durborow (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) was named Pitcher of the Week while women’s lacrosse senior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) and men’s lacrosse freshman Conor Nolan (Hillsborough, N.J./Immaculata) were each named to the Honor Roll.

Mars matched her career-high with six goals in Centenary's season opening 16-5 win over Lancaster Bible. The senior midfielder also tallied one assist and two groundballs.

The Lady Cyclones return to action on Wednesday, March 17, as part of their Spring Break, when they will take on NC Wesleyan in Rocky Mount, N.C.

March 15 CSAC Weekly Awards

LANCASTER, Pa. (March 11, 2010) The women’s lacrosse team started out its season in a big way, beating Lancaster Bible 16-5. Centenary set the tone early, scoring 10 first half goals and continued its strong play into the second half. The Lady Cyclones are now 1-0, while the loss for Lancaster Bible was its fourth now making them 0-4.

Senior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) set the tone early and throughout, scoring a hat-trick in the game’s opening minutes and finished the day with a game-high six goals as well as adding one assist and two groundballs. Sophomore Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) scored four goals and assisted on another, while senior Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) scored three goals, assisted on four and picked up eight groundballs. Freshmen Brianna Gluck (Manchester, N.J./Manchester), Allie Swartz (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and Nicole Judd (St. Louis, Mo./Lafayette Senior) all picked up their first collegiate points. Lancaster Bible was led by Becka Hixson who scored two goals.

Next up for Centenary will be played during its spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. Centenary will first play Medaille College on Sunday, March 14 at 11:00 am.


Boxscore

This season, the Centenary women’s lacrosse team is looking to build upon a successful 2009 campaign in which they finished 7-5. The theme of the 2009 season was close games, as Centenary had seven of its contests decided by three goals or less.

“We won a couple of close games that could have gone either way last season,” said coach John McCloskey. “We were able to beat Shenandoah and Misericordia in games decided by a goal, but lost to conference opponents Notre Dame and Neumann University in one goal games. We’d rather have the conference games and need to change that this season.”

To do so, the Lady Cyclones will need to replace the scoring of Michele Garone. Garone was an All-Conference midfielder and the team’s leading scorer with 47 goals last season. Returning, however, are seniors Megan Mars and Kiti Ovaskainen and sophomore Danielle Bay, a trio that combined for 143 points last season. Bay last season was an Honorable Mention All-Conference performer and the team’s second leading scorer with 43 goals. She will be aided by Mars who in 2009 was the team’s second leading scorer with 40 goals and is poised to have a big senior season. Also being relied upon in the attacking unit is sophomore Kellie Dugan and newcomers Allie Swartz, Nicole Judd and Brianna Gluck.

“Dugan really came into her own last season and should have a big sophomore year for us,” said McCloskey “Swartz, Judd and Gluck as freshmen will all have a large role on our team and each contribute in unique ways. Right now the group is working most importantly on cohesion.”

When talking about the middle of the field, the discussion starts with Ovaskainen. As an honorable mention All-Conference selection last season, Ovaskainen led the team in assists with 12 and scored 29 goals herself, but it is her all-around game that is so vital to the Lady Cyclones success.

“Kiti was all-region as a sophomore, said McCloskey. “Besides her scoring and assisting, she clears the ball well and runs the field for us.”

Along with Ovaskainen in the midfield is sophomore Dawn Williams. Williams started all 12 games in 2009 and has improved her all-around game.

What began as a somewhat inexperienced defense in 2009 has now turned into a solid, battle tested group for 2010. Last season, senior Leslie Ann Pritchard began her first season as a goalie but she did not disappoint. Pritchard started all 12 games and stopped 88 shots on the way to seven wins.

“Leslie has developed into a very good goalie. Good shot stopping ability combined with her good outlets has really made my job easy,” said McCloskey. Pushing Pritchard in goal will be freshman Brittany Young.

In front of the goalies is a defensive unit which returns four starters. The group is led by juniors Eva Imperatore and Lauren LaMotta and sophomore Chelsea Gummerson. Joining that group is freshman Alysia Pinkerton.

“With the exception of Pinkerton, this is a group of upper classmen that I trust. The key to their success is their speed,” said McCloskey.

Centenary boasts four seniors this season, but it is their captains, Pritchard, Ovaskainen and Williams, who are expected to provide most of the leadership.

“These captains are natural leaders and always get the job done, on and off the field,” said McCloskey.

This group will be expected to lead a freshman class which according to coach McCloskey adds “good size, stick work, athleticism and quickness” to an already solid returning team.

In 2010 the Lady Cyclones’ goals are clear – a Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) playoff berth. Having narrowly missed the post-season in 2009, coach McCloskey knows what needs to be done to get there this year.

“Our concentration as always will be on conference games, he said. “We are striving for a playoff berth.”

Centenary will open up play this season at home on Sunday, March 7 against Wells College at 11:00 am. It begins its conference schedule on Wednesday, March 24 again at home against Rosemont College at 4:00 pm.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (February 23, 2010) – The Centenary women’s lacrosse team was picked to finish fifth in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) preseason poll, the league announced Tuesday. Defending champion Cabrini was chosen as the favorite.

The Lady Cyclones earned 44 points, behind Cabrini (80), Gwynedd-Mercy (70), Neumann (61) and Marywood (54). Cabrini received eight of the nine first-place votes, while GMC tallied one. Centenary barely missed the 2009 CSAC Tournament with a 3-4 conference record while finishing 7-5 overall.

The women’s lacrosse team begins its 2010 campaign on Sunday, March 7, with a home contest against Wells at 11:00 a.m.

2010 CSAC Preseason Poll 

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (February 8, 2010) – Centenary senior Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) was named New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NJAIAW) Woman of the Year, the organization announced on Sunday.

The NJAIAW Woman of the Year Award honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. Ovaskainen is a four-year member of both the women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams and currently holds a GPA of 3.5 while majoring in Communication.

Ovaskainen will be serving as team captain of the women’s lacrosse team for the third consecutive year in 2010. For her career, she ranks among the top five all-time in school history in many statistical categories: groundballs (first, 219), draw controls (first, 139), assists (second, 34), caused turnovers (second, 47), shots (third, 276), goals (fourth, 95) and points (fourth, 129).

In 2008 Ovaskainen was the Division III national leader in groundballs, with 86. She is a three-time All-Conference award winner, including Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) First Team Midfielder honors in 2008, when she was also named Second Team Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Second Team All-Region Boardwalk Division Midfielder.

As a member of the women’s soccer team, Ovaskainen finished her four-year career this past fall with 38 points on 11 goals and 16 assists. She started 64 of her 81 career games and tallied 89 shots. She is among the school’s all-time leaders in goals, assists, points, games played and starts. She saw action in all 20 games in 2009 and finished with two goals and three assists.

Ovaskainen was named Centenary College Female Rookie of the Year in May of 2007 and is a three-time Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) All-Academic Team honoree. In 2009 she earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-East-Region Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention accolades and she has made the Dean’s List the last four semesters.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (May 4, 2009) – Four Centenary student-athletes received Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) weekly honors, the league announced Monday. In women’s lacrosse, freshman Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) earned Player of the Week honors.

Softball swept its sports’ weekly awards, as junior Megan Dunne (Frenchtown, N.J./Delaware Valley Regional) was named Player of the Week and sophomore Kristin Durborow (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) was named Pitcher of the Week and in baseball, junior Michael Fasano (Hawthorne, N.J./St. Joseph’s Regional) took home Honor Roll accolades.

In the women’s lacrosse team’s 14-12 home victory over Ramapo, Bay finished with a team-high five points on four goals and one assist. She also recorded four groundballs, two draw controls and one caused turnover.

May 4 CSAC Weekly Awards

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (April 28, 2009) – Senior Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead), junior Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) and freshman Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) each earned Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) postseason honors, the league announced Tuesday. Garone was named First Team All-Conference Midfield while Bay and Ovaskainen each received Honorable Mention accolades. Freshman Dawn Williams (Bedminster, N.J./Bernardsville) was a recipient of CSAC Sportsmanship Award honors.

Garone led the team in goals (47), draw controls (52) and caused turnovers (10). She tied for the team lead with 52 points and was second on the team with 41 groundballs. In the latest NCAA statistical rankings, she is 34th in scoring, 29th in draw controls and 48th in groundballs. In the conference statistics, the senior is fifth in scoring, fourth in points, tied for third with three game-winning goals, third in groundballs and third in shots. She was named conference Player of the Week on March 16 after scoring 12 goals in a 2-0 week for the Lady Cyclones.

Ovaskainen was one of Centenary’s most consistent players, with 29 goals, 12 assists, 10 caused turnovers, 65 groundballs and 48 draw controls. She led the team in assists and groundballs and was second in draw controls. In the latest national rankings she stands in fourth-place in groundballs. In the CSAC statistics, she is first in groundballs, seventh in assists, seventh in shots and tied for fourth in man-down goals per game.

Bay started all 12 games and finished the year tied for the team lead with 52 points, the fifth-best single-season total in school history. She was second on the team in goals (43) and third on the team in assists (nine) and ranked 57th nationally and sixth in the CSAC in goals per game. In conference statistical rankings, she tied for fifth in points per game and assists and tied for eighth in shots per game She was third on the team with 38 groundballs, 24 draw controls and 12 caused turnovers and finished five-for-12 in free position shots. She was named CSAC Player of the Week on May 4 after finishing with a team-high five points on four goals and one assist, as well as four groundballs, two draw controls and one caused turnover, in the team’s 14-12 home victory over Ramapo.

Williams started all 12 games, accumulating 16 groundballs, 12 draw controls and eight caused turnovers. Centenary finished 7-5, 3-4 in CSAC action, just missing the conference tournament.

2009 CSAC Women's Lacrosse Regular Season Awards

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (April 27, 2009) On a hot, sunny afternoon the women’s lacrosse team outlasted Ramapo College to finish their season on a winning note, earning a 14-12 victory. The win improved the Lady Cyclones record to 7-5, while dropping Ramapo to 4-10.

Centenary found itself in an early two goal hole before it got on the board when senior, Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) netted her first goal of the game. The Lady Cyclones took their first lead of the game after Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) and Kellie Dugan (Branchburg, N.J./Immaculata) notched goals as Centenary took a 3-1 lead. Centenary held a four goal lead at the half and got the first goal of the second half where they were seemingly in control of the game, however, Ramapo was able to fight back and score the next five goals of the game tying the score at nine.

The Lady Cyclones got some breathing room when Garone scored followed by a goal from Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuroen Lukio) to give them a two goal lead, 11-9. Ramapo made things interesting when they scored to bring themselves within one goal with seven minutes to play, but the Centenary answered back strong with three straight goals to put the game in doubt. In the final two minutes, Centenary was able to move the ball around and dodge the Ramapo defense to run out the clock and preserve the game, 14-12.

Centenary was led by Garone who finished with four goals, and Bay who finished with four goals and one assist. Junior, Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) had a solid day of three goals and two assists, while Ovaskainen finished with an even two goals and two assists. For the Roadrunners, Jenna Pfarr scored five goals and assisted on one, while Sam Thompson and Brittany Gazzanigo scored three goals each.

Boxscore

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (April 18, 2009) – The Centenary women’s lacrosse team (6-5) fell to Farmingdale State (8-3), 24-9, Saturday in Farmingdale, N.Y. Senior Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) led the team with four goals and one assist in the loss. She now has 130 goals and 151 points for her career, both tops in school history.

Freshman Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) tallied two goals for the Lady Cyclones, while fellow classmate Chloe O’Rourke (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) as well as juniors Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) and Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) each scored one apiece. Ovaskainen also recorded an assist. Junior goalkeeper Leslie Ann Pritchard (Port Byron, N.Y./Port Byron) stopped 10 shots in the loss. Farmingdale State was led by Theresa Rokee, who scored seven goals and dished out three assists.

Because of Marywood's 16-11 win over the College of Notre Dame on Saturday, the Pacers earned the fourth spot in the CSAC playoffs. Centenary returns to action on Monday, April 27, with a home contest against Ramapo. Garone and fellow senior Megan Anderson (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn) will be honored prior to the game.

Boxscore

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (April 15, 2009) – Senior Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) scored two goals to become the all-time leading scorer in school history as Centenary held off Marywood, 16-13, to stay alive in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) playoff hunt. The Lady Cyclones closed out their CSAC schedule with a 3-4 mark, while improving to 6-4 overall. The Pacers fell to 5-7, 3-3 in the conference.

“With the three heartbreaking CSAC losses, against Neumann, College of Notre Dame and Gwynedd-Mercy, this win was really gratifying for our kids,” said head coach John McCloskey. “They hung in there and we played a little better defensively today, so that was nice to see.”

Freshman Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) (five goals, one assist) and junior Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) (three goals, three assists) led the Lady Cyclones with six points apiece. Junior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) tallied three goals and two assists, freshman Chloe O’Rourke (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) scored twice and fellow classmate Kellie Dugan (Branchburg, N.J./Immaculata) added a goal of her own. Junior goalkeeper Leslie Ann Pritchard (Port Byron, N.Y./Port Byron) stopped eight shots to pick up the victory. Taylor McKeown led the Pacers with three goals.

After giving up two goals early, Centenary rebounded with four consecutive scores, including two by Bay, to take a 4-2 lead. Marywood fought back and eventually tied the game at seven with 2:49 remaining in the first period, but Mars scored with 2:07 to go to give the home team an 8-7 halftime lead.

The Lady Cyclones scored five more goals to open the second half, building up a 13-7 advantage. Bay scored three times and Ovaskainen twice in that stretch. Centenary then held off the Pacers and won, 16-13.

Garone now has 146 points on 126 career goals. She holds the all-time school records in both categories. With at least two games remaining in the season, the senior has a career-high 43 points on a career-high 39 goals.

“It feels great to hold the record for points, but I could not do it without my teammates,” said Garone. “It has been a great season. We have worked really hard. We went from zero to 60 and we will just have to see if we make the playoffs or not.”

“Michelle has done everything we have asked of her,” said McCloskey. “In the beginning, we were tough on her because she had some things she needed to shore up, and now she is playing as well as anyone who has ever played here, which is huge.”

Centenary returns to action on Saturday, April 18, when it travels to face Farmingdale State at 1:00 p.m.

Boxscore

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (April 9, 2009) – The Centenary women’s lacrosse team dropped a tough Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) contest to Gwynedd-Mercy, falling 14-11, Thursday in Hackettstown, N.J. Senior Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) tied the school record for points with three goals, giving her 144 for her career. The Lady Cyclones fell to 5-4, 2-4 in the conference, while GMC improved to 9-4, 4-1.

Freshman Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) led Centenary with four goals, while junior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) tallied three scores. Junior Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) recorded a goal and an assist, as well as seven groundballs. Gwynedd-Mercy goalkeeper Trisha Timony was impressive in the win, recording 21 saves and seven groundballs.

GMC started the game with two quick goals before Ovaskainen, Mars and Bay found the back of the net to give the home team a 3-2 lead. After Gwynedd-Mercy tied the game at three, Centenary scored four of the next five goals, including two by Bay, to take a 7-4 lead into halftime. The Lady Cyclones held the CSAC’s top scorer, Colleen Dellostretto, without a single goal in the opening stanza.

In the second half, however, Dellostretto scored two goals sandwiched around a Garone tally to bring the Griffins within two, at 8-6. After another GMC goal, Garone scored again to put the lead back at two, but then the Griffins took over from there. Trailing 9-7, Gwynedd-Mercy recorded five consecutive goals to take a 12-7 lead. The Griffins then held on to win, 14-11.

Centenary returns to action on Wednesday, April 15, with its last CSAC game of the season. The Lady Cyclones will host Marywood, beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Boxscore

RADNOR, Pa. (April 4, 2009) – Senior Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) moved closer to becoming Centenary’s all-time leading points scorer, but it wasn’t enough as the Lady Cyclones (5-3, 2-3 CSAC) fell at Cabrini (6-3, 5-0 CSAC), 23-10, Saturday in Radnor, Pa. Garone scored two goals to give her 141 points, three shy of Nicole Becker (144) for the top mark.

Junior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) led the Lady Cyclones with three goals while fellow classmate Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) tallied two scores and one assist. Junior Kristen Wirasnik (Pittstown, N.J./North Hunterdon) (one goal), and freshmen Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) (one goal, two assists) and Chloe O’Rourke (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) (one goal, one assist) also contributed for Centenary.

Garone recorded the first goal of the game to give the Lady Cyclones the early advantage, but Cabrini took control after that with five consecutive scores. Ovaskainen and Mars tallied two of the game’s next three goals, but the Cavaliers found the back of the net four straight times for a 10-3 lead. Bay assisted twice as Centenary scored three consecutive times to get within four, but six more goals for the home team gave them a 16-6 edge at the half.

Cabrini tallied three more goals to start the second half for a commanding 19-6 lead and then held on for the 23-10 victory. Erin Nollen led the way with five goals and six assists to pace the home squad.

Centenary returns to action on Monday, April 6, with a home game against Ramapo, slated to start at 4:00 p.m.

Boxscore 

IMMACULATA, Pa. (March 31, 2009) – The Centenary women’s lacrosse team (5-2, 2-2 CSAC) bounced back from a tough loss on Saturday with a 16-11 win over Immaculata (0-8, 0-4 CSAC), Tuesday in Immaculata, Pa. Senior Michelle Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) continued her assault on the record books with a game-high six goals. She is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 119 goals and is now five shy of the all-time points record held by Nicole Becker (144).

Junior Megan Mars (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) finished with three goals while fellow classmate Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) recorded two goals, one assist, six groundballs and six draw controls. Freshmen Danielle Bay (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) and Chloe O’Rourke (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) scored two goals apiece, and fellow classmate Kellie Dugan (Branchburg, N.J./Immaculata) added a score of her own. Junior goalkeeper Leslie Ann Pritchard (Port Byron, N.Y./Port Byron) tallied seven saves in the victory.

The three freshman put Centenary up 3-0 as Dugan, O’Rourke and Bay all found the back of the net. After Claire Giambi put Immaculata on the board, Mars scored once and Garone twice to put the Lady Cyclones up 6-1. Centenary maintained its lead and went into the halftime up 9-5.

In the second half, Immaculata scored four in a row to tie the game at nine. But Mars put Centenary up for good with an unassisted goal with 13:42 remaining. The Lady Cyclones ended up scoring six in a row to take a 15-9 lead, and won 16-11.

Boxscore