College Seeks Cross Country Titles; Women's Volleyball Team Begins Playoffs

Pennsylvania College of Technology's cross country teams are seeking Penn State University Athletic Conference championships Saturday while the women's volleyball team steps into the first round of the PSUAC West Division playoffs.

The Wildcats will be represented by nine men and four women in the cross country championships at Penn State Scranton on Saturday morning. That afternoon at 2:30, the women's volleyball team will square off against Penn State DuBois at Penn State Fayette.

Cross Country

Leading the men's squad will be Tom Lambert (Bangor), who finished first in all of the team's regular-season PSUAC meets. Others are John Zaginaylo (Columbia-Montour), Chad Hunsberger (Pottsgrove), Ryan O'Connor (Southwest Central, N.Y.), Dan LaSota (Western Wayne), Mike Womelsdorf (Allentown), Ben Myers (Hempfield), Patrick Wisinski (Erie) and Devon Lucabaugh (Dallastown).

"Tom has won all the meets and we (the men's team) have won all of the preliminary races going into this meet. Other teams (and runners) are getting closer to us and it should be interesting. I'm expecting good things, but it's just a little too close to call than in previous years," said coach Mike Paulhamus, whose team was 17-23 overall during the regular season.

Penn College women running will be Lindsey Edwards (Williamsport), Angela Valentine (Tamaqua), Tracey Seylar (Chambersburg) and Shannon Gibble (Coudersport).

"DuBois has been the big (women's) team to beat, but I told the girls that, with a little luck, we still have a chance of winning this," said Paulhamus, whose women were 2-2 in the regular season. "We just need a break here or there and I think we can pull this one out, as well."

There will be six or seven teams with about 50 runners competing in the 5-mile men's race and five teams with about 35 runners participating in the 3.1-mile women's race.

"We're ready to go. Now, we're just waiting. We're still working, but there's not much else we can do," Paulhamus added.

Volleyball

Last season, the Lady Wildcats went into the postseason with only two losses and as the tournament's top seed. That isn't the case this year, but coach Bambi Hawkins is hopeful that tougher competition during the regular season will pay off at the end.

"Our team has come a long way this season, and I think they are ready. They are hitting strong, blocking, playing tough defense, and really enjoy playing together,"she said.

In their regular-season finale, the Lady Wildcats lost in five games to Fayette, winning the first two handily before losing the last three to drop to 6-7 overall and 6-3 in the conference.

"We lost in the most frustrating style, but the ladies finally played a couple games at the level that I am expecting them to play more of as the season finishes," Hawkins said.

"Penn College has an incredibly talented team, but the ladies are just now getting to where they believe it themselves. It's going to be awesome to see them compete over the next couple of weekends," she added.

Also scheduled to play in the West Division playoffs are host Fayette and Penn State New Kensington. The winners of the two semifinal matches then will meet for the division crown.

Penn College will be without senior setter Amber Geckle (Indian Valley) for the division playoffs, but Hawkins anticipates that Melani Grady (Youngsville) will be up for the challenge of setting all around.