Last week, the fall sports season ended for the Pennsylvania College of Technology soccer teams. This week, seasons should conclude for its women's volleyball and cross country squads while the wrestling team steps into action for the first time.
Wrestling
Third-year coach Schuyler Frey believes his team has a good nucleus returning from a squad that won last season's PSUAC championship, finished third in the USCAA and placed 17th in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association championships.
Returning are Austin Clark at 165 pounds; Paul Crutchlow at 174; Logan Gresock at 184; Tyler Myers at 157; Jasper Ocker III at 197 and Kyle Sunseri at 141.
"Tyler and Logan pulled the guys together in pre-season, before I was able to start working with them, doing workouts and getting them in shape. Even though we're into the season, they're still leading," Frey said.
Last season, Myers and now-graduated Derek Leiby became the college's first-ever wrestling All-Americans for their top 10 finishes at NCWA nationals. Gresock was a PSUAC champ.
"If we can stay healthy, it's going to be a good season. With our returning guys, certainly, they've set the tone, but the new guys coming in are buying into it and everyone is working hard. ... I'm really excited for the season to get started," Frey said.
Penn College opens at 6 p.m. Friday hosting The Apprentice School, of Newport News, Va., and Frey knows his team has its work cut out.
"They're consistently one of the better teams in the country in the NCWA. ... It's going to be a tough match. Coming out of the blocks, we're going to need to be getting after it. It's going to be a hard one," Frey said. "I've tried to make our schedule tougher. We're trying to wrestle the best teams that we can. If we have a good dual-meet season, that's good, but it's the nationals that we're looking to compete for."
Cross country
Coach Mike Paulhamus has realistic expectations as he takes his PSUAC-championship men's cross country team to Lake Placid, N.Y., where it will compete Friday at noon in the USCAA national championships.
"Lake Placid has a very difficult course. It is run on the 1980 Olympic biathlon course and there is a major hill that the guys will have to run twice," Paulhamus said. "They say there are going to be 26 men's teams this year and I'm hoping to be in the top half of that. We don't have the team to compete against some of the bigger schools that are going, but if we can be in the top 10 it would be a successful trip.
"It's just going to be a reward for an excellent season. We'll see where we stand among the other USCAA competitors."
Women's volleyball
In its USCAA national championship pool play opener on Friday in Canton, N.Y., Penn College fell to Daemen College, 2-0 (25-13, 25-10). Later Friday, Penn College fell to the University of Cincinnati-Clermont, 2-0 (25-16, 25-18).
On Saturday at the USCAA event, the Wildcats fell to Carlow University, 2-0 (25-18, 25-11), and SUNY Canton, 2-0 (25-12, 25-12).
"We made some mental mistakes and didn't correct them," said coach Bambi Hawkins. "There were some sparks that looked to change the momentum, but the team just couldn't put it together."
During the tournament it was announced that senior Tara Powell was awarded all-USCAA Honorable Mention recognition.
Penn College now awaits word on when it will square off against PSU Fayette for the Penn State University Athletic Conference championship. Their match originally had been scheduled for last Monday but was postponed due to Superstorm Sandy.
Men's soccer
In its first-round match Thursday at the USCAA championships in Asheville, N.C., seventh-seeded Penn College was blanked by No. 2 seed West Virginia Institute of Technology, 10-0, being held to no shots on goal.
Facing No. 3 seed Concordia (Ala.) College in the consolation round on Friday, the Wildcats lost, 3-1. Blayne Allen scored the team's lone goal as it concluded a 15-4-1 season.
In seven seasons under coach Enrique Castillo, Penn College is 102-24-6.
Earlier in the week it was announced that junior Chris Brennan had been named the PSUAC Player of the Year and three Wildcats - Brennan, senior Ben Shade and junior Phil Bair had been named to the All-Conference First Team. Brennan led the team with 15 goals. Also, Brennan and Shade were named to the USCAA Second Team and Bair was named an USCAA Honorable Mention.
Women's soccer
In their opening match at the USCAA national tournament, also in Asheville, N.C., the third-seeded Wildcats lost to No. 6 seed Daemen College, 2-0, despite 17 saves by freshman goalie Reda Vermilya, a Warrior Run graduate.
"The pace of the game was something we struggled with since it was on turf, something that we're not used to playing on consistently," said coach Markus Rybak.
On Friday against No. 7 seeded University of Maine-Machias, Penn College fell, 3-2, to end its season at 8-6-2. Scoring goals for the Wildcats were Madilyn Walters and Kaileen Delaney.
In three seasons, Rybak's teams have gone 17-20-4.
It was announced during the national tournament that sophomore Valeria Passalacqua and Vermilya were named to the USCAA Second Team. As goalie, Vermilya had an .885 save percentage, ranking second among all keepers in the USCAA.
SCHEDULE, RESULTS
and RECORDS
Cross country
Friday, Nov. 9 - USCAA Championships at Lake Placid, N.Y., noon
Women's volleyball
Overall record: 23-11
PSUAC record: 17-1
Monday, Oct. 29 - vs. PSU Fayette in PSUAC championship at Rec Hall, ppd.
Friday, Nov. 2 - vs. Daemen College, L, 0-2 (13-25, 10-25) and vs. UC Clearmont, L, 0-2 (16-25, 18-25) in USCAA National Championships at Canton, N.Y.
Saturday, Nov. 3 - vs. Carlow University, L, 0-2 (18-25, 11-25), and SUNY Canton, L, 0-2 (12-25, 12-25) in USCAA National Championships at Canton, N.Y.
PSUAC championship vs. PSU Fayette, TBA
Men's soccer
Final overall record: 15-4-1
Thursday, Nov. 1 - vs. West Virginia University Institute of Technology at USCAA national championships at Asheville, N.C., L, 10-0
Friday, Nov. 2 - vs. Concordia, Ala., College at USCAA national championships at Asheville, N.C., L, 3-1
Women's soccer
Final overall record: 8-6-2
Thursday, Nov. 1 - vs. Daemen College in USCAA national championships at Asheville, N.C., L, 2-0
Friday, Nov. 2 - vs. University of Maine-Machias in USCAA national championships at Asheville, N.C., L, 3-2
Wrestling
Friday, Nov. 9 - host The Apprentice School of Newport News, Va., 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10 - at Electric City Duals, Scranton University, 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 14 - at UMBC, 7 p.m.
Men's basketball
Monday, Nov. 12 - host Pitt-Titusville, 8 p.m.
Women's basketball
Monday, Nov. 12 - host Pitt-Titusville, 6 p.m.
