Women’s soccer nabs second league title

Freshman Sara Schroeder scored the game-winning goal in double-overtime as the No. 17 women’s soccer team (13-2-3 overall, 5-1-1 University Athletic Association) knocked off the University of Chicago, 2-1, and captured the UAA crown and an automatic berth in the 2003 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Tournament. The league title was the second overall title for the Bears, and the first since 1995. The NCAA tournament was scheduled to start Nov. 12, with the Bears hosting Lakeland College. Game results were not available at presstime. The second round is scheduled to start today.

Other updates

The volleyball team has done it again. For the 15th straight year, the Bears were crowned UAA champions, and they have a guaranteed place in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

After taking a tight five-game match against Emory University in the semifinals, the Bears faced New York University in the finals. WUSTL jumped out of the gates against NYU and took the first game 30-16. The Bears fell behind early in the second but rallied for a 30-25 win and a 2-0 lead. The Violets gained some momentum in the third stanza, extending their lead to 15-10 at one point. However, Washington U. went on a 12-7 run to tie the score at 22-22 and took over thereafter.

Junior Colleen Winter posted team-highs of 12 kills and 15 digs in the match. For their efforts, seven Bears were named to the All-UAA Team. Nicole Hodgman picked up honorable-mention honors as a defensive specialist. Amy Brand, sophomore Kara Liefer, Cindy McPeak and Heidi Pfeiffer each garnered second-team accolades, while senior Katie Quinn and Colleen Winter were each named to the first team.

The 2003 NCAA Central Regional, hosted by the Bears, started Nov. 13 at the Field House. The Bears had a bye into the second round and play at 7 p.m. today.

The football team wrapped up its third-straight outright UAA title and fourth in the past five years with a two-point win at Carnegie Mellon. The Bears (6-4, 4-0 UAA) extended their school-record streak of winning seasons to 11 and finished the season with four-straight wins for the second straight year.

Senior Mike Decker scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to give the Bears the 37-29 lead with 5:54 left. Carnegie Mellon cut the Bears lead to 37-35 with one second remaining in the game on a 1-yard touchdown run by junior Brad Stanley, but the Bears defense stopped CMU on the two-point conversion for the win.

Sophomore Brad Duesing caught 10 balls for 118 yards, as he became the third player in Division III history to have back-to-back 1,000 receiving yard seasons in his first two years. In addition, Duesing broke the school record for receptions in a season with 74. Adam Meranda finished the game 21 of 34 for 322 yards and three touchdowns, while junior Kevin McCarthy led the Bears on the ground with 89 yards on 15 carries.

The men’s soccer team fell behind at the University of Chi-cago 1-0, but rallied for a last-minute 2-1 win in its season finale Nov. 8 in Chicago. Sophomore David Borton scored the game-winner with only 10 seconds left in the game, while classmate Rob Weeks picked up the assist. Junior goalkeeper Colin Robinson picked up the win and made seven saves. Robinson, who recently earned Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-District accolades, finished the season with a 7-3-4 record.

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed in the Truman State Bulldog Invitational Nov. 7-8 in Kirksville, Mo. Sophomores Eric Triebe and Michael Slavik each garnered wins for the Bears’ men. Triebe won the 50-yard freestyle in 22.18, while Slavik took the 100 free title in 48.53. Triebe also finished second in the 100 breast, clocking a 1:01.62. Sophomore Tracey Hendrickson led the women with her second-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle, clocking a 17:52.69.