Penn College Captures Second Straight PSUAC Team Tennis Title

Vol. 8, No. 11 (Through Sunday, Oct. 25)

Wildcat Tales It was another championship week for Pennsylvania College of Technology and more may be in store.

On Sunday, the coed tennis team won its second straight Penn State University Athletic Conference title. That came one day after the women's volleyball team advanced to Saturday's PSUAC semifinals and three days before the men's soccer team steps into action Wednesday to begin defense of its PSUAC title. Last week, Penn College teams won 17 games, lost five and tied one.

Flashback Coed Tennis Going into the PSUAC championships Saturday and Sunday at University Park, second-year coach Aimee Plastow said the key to her team's success would be "playing our best tennis. If we do that, the results will take care of themselves. "¦ If you capture enough individual titles, it's a piece of cake for winning the conference."

She was right on the mark!

The Wildcats claimed a school-record five individual championships three in singles and two in doubles and had two second-place finishes to edge Penn State York for the team trophy, 74-70. Penn StateBrandywine was third with 43 points,Penn StateMont Alto fourth with 40, Penn State Hazleton fifth with 39, Penn State Wilkes-Barre sixth with 28 and Penn State Lehigh Valley last with three points. Penn College ends its year at 17-1, equaling last year's mark for most wins in a season.

"You couldn't have asked for a more exciting finish. This team showed unbelievable courage, sportsmanship and skill. It will be one for the record books and memories," Plastow said.

Due to rain Saturday, play was moved indoors and pro-set scoring was used in matches. With improved weather Sunday, action went outdoors with regular scoring and Shane Burridge (Ephrata) won his second consecutive No. 1 men's singles title, Jay Myers (Houlton, Maine) took the No. 4 men's singles crown, Danni Trout (Harrisburg) claimed the No. 2 women's singles championship, Burridge and Brad Fisher (Montoursville) captured the No. 1 men's doubles title and Trout-Rachel Emmons (Washington, N.J.) won the No. 1 women's championship. In addition, Fisher was second at No. 3 men's singles and Myers-Rob Kemrer (Milton) were second at men's No. 2 doubles.

"At the beginning, I asked the players to do their best, never give up, stay focused and positive. They did everything I asked and more. This is an outstanding group of Penn College students. I am very proud of them," Plastow added.

During the championships, four matches went into tiebreakers and Penn College won them all Burridge, 4-6, 6-2, 13-11, over Mikesh Desai (York); Myers, 4-6, 6-3, 10-7, over Steve Hillen (Brandywine); Burridge-Fisher, 6-4, 3-6, 11-9, over Desai-Dave Pottle (York); and Emmons-Trout, 4-6, 6-3, 10-7, over Becca Bomberger-Katie Zinn (York). Trout won her singles finale against Zinn, 6-1, 7-5.

Women's VolleyballAlyssa Covas (Pottsville), Tara Powell (Burgettstown) and Kate Todorich (Mountain Top) each had nine kills and Lyndsey Smith (Mechanicsburg) had 22 assists as the Wildcats beat Penn State DuBois three out of four games to advance to the PSUAC semifinals. At 2 p.m. on Saturday at Penn State's Rec Hall, fourth-seeded Penn College will face top-seeded Penn State Fayette. The winner will advance to Sunday's 1 p.m. championship match, also at Rec Hall.

Cross-Country Competing in a driving rain at the East Stroudsburg Invitational, the Penn College men finished fifth in a 15-team field, falling only to two NCAA Division I, one Division II and one Division III colleges. Individually, Mark Cordeiro (Canton) placed fifth among 118 runners with a time of 16:56. Abigail Schuler (Waynesboro) was 31st for the Penn College women in 22:10.

Men's Soccer In their final tune-up before the PSUAC playoffs, the Wildcats lost at Misericordia University, 6-0. It marked the first time in coach Enrique Castillo's four seasons as coach that his team lost three games in one season. The Wildcats are ranked eighth in the USCAA.

Women's SoccerOn Saturday, the Wildcats played Valley Forge Christian College to a scoreless tie. Penn College is ranked second in the most recent USCAA standings.

On the Horizon Seeded second, the men's soccer team (9-1-1 in the conference and 13-3-1 overall) will host third-seeded Penn State Beaver (8-2-1, 9-7-1) at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the semifinals and coach Enrique Castillo knows his team will have its hands full. During the regular season, Penn College split with Beaver, winning 3-2 in overtime at home and falling 2-1 on the road.

The entire month has been a struggle for the Wildcats, starting with a tie against Penn State York, which enters the playoffs as the top seed. Also included were a win over Penn State Mont Alto and a nonconference loss to Misericordia University. Thus far this year, they have allowed 24 goals, 14 of them in October. Last year, en route to the PSUAC crown, they allowed just four goals and only gave up nine for the entire season.

"We haven't been consistent in the back. We're trying to do a couple of things differently and sometimes it doesn't work," Castillo said.

Penn College enters the playoffs after back-to-back losses the first time since 2005 it has suffered consecutive defeats but it bounced back that year to capture a conference crown and Castillo is hopeful of the same this year as it seeks its fifth straight PSUAC title.

"I do believe we have the best team in the conference and I do really believe we can win again this year it's just going to be tougher because everybody else is better," Castillo said. "I've seen glimpses of how good we can be. "¦ It's time for us to step it up."

Key players are Steven Bullock (Manheim), Morris Sayon (Upper Darby), Jevin Martin (Northumberland), Ben Shade (Fleetwood), Isaac Hostetter (Lebanon), Coleby Frye (York), Pat Kehoe (Oley), Clayton Bretz (New Bloomfield), Brendan Muth (Macungie), Roberto Barraza (Stroudsburg), Nicholas Grasso (New Columbia), Seth Rearick (Watsontown) and Brad Yoder (Reading).

Wednesday's winners will play for the championship Saturday at a time and site to be announced.

Recent Results/Upcoming Games Cross-Country Men's overall record: 44-13 Final PSUAC record: 12-0 Women's overall record: 16-9-1 Final PSUAC record: 2-1Saturday, Oct. 24 at East Stroudsburg Invitational, men finished fifth among 15 teams. Mark Cordeiro finished fifth among 118 runners. Thursday-Friday, Nov. 5-6 at USCAA National Championships, TBA

Golf Final overall record: 20-7 Final PSUAC record: 17-6

Team Tennis Final Overall record: 17-1 Final PSUAC record: 17-1Thursday, Oct. 22 at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (2), W, 5-1; W, 5-3 Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 24-25 at PSUAC Championships, University Park, finished first among seven teams; claimed a school-record three singles and two doubles champions.

Men's Soccer Overall record: 13-3-1 PSUAC record: 9-1-1Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Misericordia University, L, 6-0 Wednesday, Oct. 28 host Penn State Beaver in PSUAC semifinals, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 PSUAC Championship, TBA

Women's Soccer Overall record: 7-3-1Saturday, Oct. 24 at Valley Forge Christian College, T, 0-0 Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 5-7 USCAA Tournament, TBA

Women's Volleyball Overall record: 15-9 PSUAC record: 13-3Saturday, Oct. 24 host Penn State DuBois in PSUAC Tournament, W, 25-22, 25-15, 23-25, 25-18. Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Penn State Fayette in PSUAC semifinals at Rec Hall, University Park, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 PSUAC Championship at Rec Hall, University Park, 1 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 5-7 USCAA Tournament, TBA