UMass-Lowell takes field hockey title
In 2003 and 2004, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell had dreams of an NCAA Division 2 field hockey championship pulled from its grasp. First, it was Bloomsburg, which did in the River Hawks, 2-1, in the title game. Last year, Northeast-10 Conference rival Bentley was the nemesis, 4-1, in the semifinals. This year, UMass-Lowell had a chance to erase all the frustration of the past two years, and it did, exacting a measure of revenge on Bloomsburg, 2-1, in double overtime in Shippensburg, Pa., to clinch its first NCAA field hockey championship. Joanne DaLuze of Harwich scored the game-winner to end the marathon 92-minute game. DaLuze stole the ball about 30 yards from the goal, dribbled past two defenders, and beat Bloomsburg keeper Tracy Hudak low to the right side. Sara Hohenberger of Windham, N.H., had given UMass-Lowell a 1-0 lead with her 24th goal of the season just eight minutes into the game, but Bloomsburg knotted it with a penalty corner off the stick of Maribeth Brozena in the 64th minute. ''This is unbelievable," said UMass (20-3) coach Shannon Hiebichuk. ''At the beginning of the season, I think we as coaches underestimated what kind of team we had and I think other teams underestimated us as well."
Lincoln-Sudbury, A-B trade wins
Top-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury pulled the rug out from under Acton-Boxborough's field hockey team, 1-0, in the MIAA Division 1 North final. Lincoln-Sudbury had a chance to make it a clean sweep over A-B in the Division 1 North boys soccer tournament, but A-B said enough is enough. Instead, goals by Tim Fernberg on a penalty kick, and Jay Hayward and Steven Rose, both on nifty feeds from Alex Zenerovitz, erased an early 1-0 Lincoln-Sudbury lead and propelled the Colonials to a 3-1 Division 1 North title win, which helped ease the sting of defeat suffered by their field hockey counterparts 48 hours earlier. This was the third meeting between the two Dual County league powerhouses, one ending in a scoreless tie and A-B winning the second, 2-1. In the field hockey final, A-B (19-1-1), which hadn't lost since an opening-game 4-1 defeat to this same Lincoln-Sudbury team, had its 20-game unbeaten streak snapped. Anne Niemi scored the game's only goal for L-S with 24:07 remaining.
North Reading, Andover triumph
Andover and North Reading won Division 1 and Division 3 volleyball North Sectional titles, but North Andover couldn't complete the trifecta when it fell to Melrose in the Division 2 final. Andover's win came at the expense of highly touted and top-seeded Lawrence, 3-0, and finally delivered the Golden Warriors (19-4) to the promised land. Three times in the previous four years, Andover had lost in the sectional final. This time, though, there was no denying Andover, which was dominating in 25-14, 25-16, and 25-11 wins. Junior libero Allison Navarro was immense through each game and wound up a perfect 20-for-20 with five aces. Samantha Kerivan led the attack with 10 kills, while Andrea Kurku added eight and Heather Arvidson and Sara Kelleher five apiece. Lawrence, which finished the season 21-2, was led in defeat by Jadith Lorenze and Kyrie Schaufenbil. . . . Top-seeded North Reading (19-2), behind the superb efforts of Sarah Potter (10 kills, two blocks), Torie Carroll (eight kills), and Kayla Tothaker (six kills), blanked Notre Dame of Tyngsborough. . . . No. 3 North Andover, which had swept both Greater Lawrence and Pope John in the tournament, was swept itself, 3-0, by top-seeded and undefeated Melrose (20-0).
Odds 'n' ends
The dynasty called the Andover swimming and diving team lives on and its seventh straight Division 1 North Sectional title very well could have been the easiest of them all. Last weekend at MIT's Zeisiger Pool, Andover rang up an astonishing 369.5 points and that easily outdistanced runner-up Acton Boxborough (163 points) and third-place Reading (154). That bodes well for the Golden Warriors to snag their seventh straight state championship today at Harvard. Andover won nine of 12 events, including the 200 medley and free relays and 400 free relay. Individual Andover winners were Caitlin Doherty (100 free and 200 individual medley), Tiffany Petzold (tie, 100 free), Candice Peak (100 backstroke), Kristi Korsberg (200 free), and Ellen Cody (500 free). Other area winners included Amy O'Brien (50 free) of Lexington, Alicia Negrotti (tie, 100 free) of Central Catholic, Laura Moriarty (100 breaststroke) of Methuen, and Rachel Martinez (1 meter diving) of Chelmsford. . . . North Andover freshman Kirsten Kasper was the cream of the crop in the Eastern Massachusetts Girls Cross-Country Championships at Franklin Park. Kasper ran the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 34 seconds, to win the Division 2 crown and that was faster than any other girl, including those in Divisions 1, 3, and 4. Kasper's time ranks among the top 40 finishes in history at Franklin Park, according to www.boston-track.com. Burlington senior Jesse Faller won the Division 3 boys race in 16:32. . . . Arlington was a first-round loser in the field hockey tournament, but that can't take away from the fine regular season it enjoyed. Arlington (7-1-4 GBL, 8-4-6 overall) shared the Greater Boston League title with Waltham, (8-2-2 and 8-4-4), both with 18 points, and that's the first time it has shared or won a league title since 1992. Junior Erin Campbell was the team's leading offensive force with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) and senior goalkeeper and tricaptain Victoria Thompson was a stalwart on defense and posted a 0.6 goals against average. The other tricaptains were Sarah McHugh and Caitlin Colins. Arlington lost to Bishop Fenwick, 2-0, in the tournament. . . . A tip of the fedora to Andover girls soccer coach Dick Loschi, who reached career win No. 300 in a 4-0 win over Cambridge in the Division 1 North Sectional quarterfinals. Loschi has been head coach the past 20 years and with the program since its inception in 1980. During that span, his teams have won 15 Merrimack Valley Conference championships, one state title, and qualified for a total of 19 postseason tournaments.
Lock Monster bites
Roster shuffling continues for Lowell with the recall of right wing Cody McCormick to the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League. The Monsters also announced the signing of right wing John Morlang to a pro tryout agreement. McCormick was the third Lowell player to be called up to the NHL in the space of three days. Before him, defenseman Danny Richmond and right wing Craig Adams got the call from the Carolina Hurricanes. . . . Four games on tap this week: today, 4 p.m., at Tsongas Arena against Manchester; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., at Springfield; Friday, 7:30 p.m., at Tsongas against Springfield; and Saturday, 7 p.m., at Portland.
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