Jentzen Sparks Lady Chargers

The 'College Sports Notebook' is published each Friday. Please send items of interest—including local athletes competing at out-of-town colleges—to marcmaturo@aol.com.

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Sophomore forward KC Jentzen of Pearl River came off the bench to lead four Lady Chargers in double figures as the Dominican College women’s basketball team rallied to defeat host Bloomfield College, 69-65, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.

Dominican trailed 43-32 at halftime, but used a 16-4 run to take the lead, and improve its record to 3-4.

Jentzen, who was an all-state selection at Nanuet High, finished with 15 points, and added six rebounds.

Bianca Harris of Teaneck, NJ, added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Chargers, while Lindsey Lopez of Elmwood Park, NJ, and Shannon Lavelle of Floral Park each contributed 11 points, and combined for nine assists.

The Lady Chargers lifted their record to 4-0 in the CACC, and 4-4 overall, with a 66-52 victory over Goldey-Beacom College Saturday.

Dominican returns to action 6 p.m. Dec. 30 against Southern State University in New Haven, CT.

The Dominican men fell to Goldey-Beacom, 76-74, Saturday and return to action on Dec. 30 at the University of District of Columbia at 2 p.m.

The Chargers are 5-2 all told following the loss to Bloomfield, a game in which guard Leon Porter of Laurel, MD, poured in 15 points, and freshman forward DaVonne Dunlap of Kingston scored 14 points and hauled in 10 rebounds.

Center Cory Quimby of Otisville added 12 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

West Nyack's Kivlehan Shines for Rutgers

There’s some likelihood that Pat Kivlehan of West Nyack, a seasoned collegiate football player, might just prefer to be playing baseball at Yankee Stadium with the fabled New York Yankees.

The Rutgers University senior—who was a power-hitting shortstop as a schoolboy at St. Joseph’s in Montvale, NJ—is a veteran defensive back and a key special-teams member for the Scarlet Knights football team.

Kivlehan, who has said he hopes to join the college baseball team in the spring, played at Yankee Stadium with Rutgers in November when Army was outplayed, 27-12, and he will make another visit to the grand palace on Dec. 30.

On that date and for the sixth time in seven years, Rutgers will appear in a bowl game, meeting Iowa State from the Big 12 Conference in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. (ESPN will televise the game with Chris Fowler, Jesse Palmer and Tom Rinaldi calling the action.).

“It is a terrific situation when you can play your bowl game in the greatest city in the world,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano was quoted as saying. “Getting an opportunity to play in a bowl game hosted by the New York Yankees is a great reward for our players.”

Rutgers (8-4, 4-3 BIG EAST), which has won four consecutive bowls, is making its seventh bowl appearance in school history. The Scarlet Knights are 4-2 all-time in bowl games. RU made just one bowl appearance in 135 years of football until Schiano guided the Scarlet Knights to six bowl appearances during his tenure.

“The chance to play a bowl game at Yankee Stadium is going to be special for our players, coaches and fans,” said director of intercollegiate athletics Tim Pernetti in a college interview. “The New York Yankees are one of the elite organizations in all of sports … I can’t wait to see a sea of Scarlet in the stands.”

The New Era Pinstripe Bowl match-up between Rutgers and Iowa State is the first between the two schools. The Scarlet Knights are 1-3 all-time vs. Big 12 opponents. The last time RU played a school from the Big 12, the Scarlet Knights rolled past Kansas State 37-10 in the 2006 Texas Bowl, the school’s first bowl victory. All-time, Rutgers is 2-7-1 in games played at Yankee Stadium.

Tickets for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl are available online, by phone (1-866-455-GORU) and in-person at the Rutgers ticket office (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.). Ticket prices range from $30-$210.

The Cyclones (6-6 overall, 3-6 Big 12) won three of their last five games under coach Paul Rhoads, including a stirring overtime triumph over second-rated Oklahoma State. Iowa State defeated two nationally ranked schools and broke its 29-year-old home attendance average by 1,742 fans per game.

“Our team has improved all season and is playing its best football,” Rhoads was quoted on the college website. “Every year we start with a goal of winning a bowl game, and we’ll have that opportunity … against an outstanding Rutgers team.”

Iowa State has never played in the Pinstripe Bowl nor has it faced Rutgers. UConn is a common opponent this fall. The Cyclones won at UConn 24-20 in the third week, and the Scarlet Knights lost a 40-22 decision to the Huskies in their regular-season finale.

Spartans back on track

St. Thomas Aquinas College junior Mike Abelard of Spring Valley, a five-time state champion at Ramapo High, ran a college-best of 21.84 to win the 200 at the Yale Season Opener in New Haven, CT.

On the women’s side, sophomore Keeley Bateman of Pearl River placed a solid fourth in the mile with a clocking of 5:28.39.

Abelard’s 21:84 currently hits the pre-qualifying standard to qualify for the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships. He also finished third in the 60 with a time of 7.02 in the finals.

Sophomore George Erazo of North Babylon won the 400 with a time of 49.34 to open up his season, while classmate Frankie Colon of Suffern took second in the triple jump with a leap of 40 feet, 8¼ inches. The 4x400m team of Abelard, Erazo, Colon, and freshman Alex Andre of Garnerville ran 3:23.48 in their 2011 debut.

Bateman later competed in the 4x400 with freshmen Catherine Sandkuhl of North Babylon, Ashley Stokkeland of Warwick, and Clarkstown South alumna Katie Gerlich of New City, who took fourth overall in a school-record time of 4:16.39.

Kaitlyn Mancini of Long Island took 11th in the 60, and Gina Funaro of Queens excelled in the triple jump with a school record of 31-11¼.

On the following day at the CTC Relay Carnival, junior Rich Ricca of Pearl River placed second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.23.

The Lady Spartans’ day was highlighted by a second-place finish in the distance medley relay, and a third-place showing in the sprint medley.

Ricca also helped the Spartans to secure a first-place finish in the 4x200 relay in 1:31.15 with teammates Abelard, Erazo and Colon.  Abelard, Erazo, Colon and Andre also won the sprint medley relay in 3:38.26. 

The men finished in seventh-place overall out of 14 teams that scored in the meet.

The Lady Spartans also had a strong outing with Bateman, Chelsea Klinger of Owego, Sandkuhl and Stokkeland finishing second in the DMR relay in a time of 13:22.73. 

Bateman, Stokkeland, Sandkuhl and Mancin meshed for third place in the sprint medley relay in 4:27.65 as the Spartan women finished ninth overall place out of 14 teams that scored. 

The Lady Spartans return to action on Saturday at the Harvard Invitational in Cambridge, MA.

Shepard in the swim

Sophomore Andrew Shepard of West Nyack completed three events as the College of Mount Saint Vincent swim team placed 15th at the ECAC Warm-Up meet in East Meadow.

Shepard finished 32nd in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:10.62; was 40th in the 200-yard backstroke in 2:10.21; and placed 42nd in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:06.40.

Michael Marte of Yonkers continued his strong rookie campaign for the Dolphins after competing in four events. He posted a 41st place finish in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 53.87 seconds, was 22nd in the 100-yard back in 1:02.26, 30th in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:58.60, and 24th in the 100-yard butterfly in 58.80 seconds.

Shepard, a graduate of Clarkstown South, competes on Saturday at The College at Old Westbury, and then faces a long break before the Dolphins visit Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m.

Griffin, Delva help Dolphins prevail

Senior forward Brittany Griffin of Suffern and Amy Delva of Nanuet helped the College of Mount Saint Vincent women’s basketball team turn back host Staten Island, 75-70.

Griffin, a former standout at Albertus Magnus, was one of three Dolphins to reach double figures with 10 points, to go along with seven rebounds.

Delva, a sophomore guard/forward, chipped in with seven points, six rebounds and a team-high five steals, while Kara McNish of Hawthorne, NJ, recorded her 12th double-double of her career as the Dolphins lifted their record to 2-3.  

The Dolphins, who stayed close throughout, did not take the lead until the final nine minutes after Delva and Tanisha Montague of Brooklyn converted buckets to start an 8-0 run that Delva capped with a lay-in.

The Dolphins will look to even their record on Tuesday when they host cross-town rival Lehman. Tip-off with the Lightning at the Sharp Center is scheduled at 7 p.m.

STAC split ECC openers on hardwood

East Coast Conference (ECC) player of the week Briana Sloper of Williston Park scored 13 points, and Briana Cook of Paterson, NJ, supplied 12 as the St. Thomas Aquinas College women’s basketball team erased a 13-point halftime deficit to top visiting Queens College, 45-40.

In the men’s ECC opener, Mike Woods of Baldwin led all scorers with 22 points but STAC bowed to Queens, 68-57, for a fifth straight setback.

In the women’s game, STAC used an 18-2 roll in the late going to claim the victory, their third straight and fifth in the last six games.

The Lady Spartans entertain the University of District of Columbia for the first-time ever on Saturday at 1 p.m. to open a doubleheader that includes a men’s game.

The visiting Knights, trailing 43-36 in the men’s game, went on a tear with 16 minutes remaining and lifted their record to 3-3 overall, 2-1 in the ECC.

Justin Brown of Uniondale added 11 points for the Spartans, who dropped to 2-5.

Next up at Aquinas Hall on Saturday is the Spartans’ first-ever ECC basketball contest against University of District of Columbia, scheduled at 3 p.m. The game will cap a twinbill with the women’s team, which is set to play at 1 p.m.

STAC continues its three-game home stand a week later when LeMoyne comes to Sparkill. The women meet their LeMoyne College counterparts at 1 p.m., followed by the men taking on county rival Dominican College.

Mortarboard musings

• Albertus Magnus alumna Alyssa Aurellano, and Pearl River graduate Jesse Haddican are members of the College of Mount Saint Vincent women’s swimming team. The Dolphins, coming off a 13th place finish at the ECAC Warm-Up meet at the Nassau Aquatic Center in East Meadow, visit The College at Old Westbury on Saturday at 1 p.m., and then do not return to competition until the new year. Aurellano and Haddican, both sophomores, are listed as freestyle specialists.

• Sophomore Uditinder Thakur of Valley Cottage, who was an all-state wrestler at Nyack High, is competing at 133 pounds at American University in Washington, D.C. Thakur went 5-8 last season for the Eagles, who visit George Mason in Fairfax, VA, on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

• The once-beaten George Mason University women’s basketball team—including freshman forward Rachel McNair of Valley Cottage and Nyack High—will have its hand full on Sunday when it hosts undefeated Maryland University (9-0) at 2 p.m. The Patriots have six victories against their lone setback.

• The Wentworth University men’s hockey team, and sophomore defenseman Andrew Moscardelli of Pearl River, enjoy a holiday break before returning to action at home on Jan. 3 against Bowdoin at 7 p.m. The Leopards improved to 6-3-1 with a 9-5 victory over Nichols in an ECAC Northeast game in Harrisville, RI.

• Junior goalie Tom Natoli of Suffern has a .871 save percentage, and no record, in limited action on the men’s hockey team at Becker College in Leicester, MA. The Hawks, 3-7, are back in action Dec. 30 against visiting Wesleyan at 1 p.m., and on Dec. 31 at Saint Michael’s in Colchester, VT, at 4 p.m.

• Junior rearguard Josephine Pucci of Pearl River, already a world champion with the U.S. team, leads Harvard University into action tonight as the Crimson women’s hockey team (6-4) hosts New Hampshire (6-10-3) at 7 p.m. Harvard then breaks for holidays until Jan. 3 when it travels to Storrs, CT, for a 7 p.m. contest against the University of Connecticut.

• Senior guard Jermain Wallace of Spring Valley is a team captain, and averaging three points a game for the SUNY New Paltz basketball team. Wallace & Co. welcome Oneonta State to the Hawk Center on Saturday at 4 p.m. New Paltz takes a 3-4 record into the game, while Oneonta State has just one win in seven tries.

• Former Pearl River basketball standout Luke Houston continues to make an impact at Southern Connecticut State University in a starting role. Houston, a freshman, is averaging 6.7 points per contest, and his 13 assists are tied for the fourth-most amongst the Owls, who host cross-town rival University of New Haven (5-2) on Saturday at 3:30 pm.

• Jen McSharar of Garnerville posted a double-double, but the Manhattanville women’s basketball team fell on the road to the NYU Violets, 71-57. Standout Taylor Wilson of Pearl River, the Valiants’ leading scorer at 15 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-10 shooting from the floor. McSharar picked up the slack with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Manhattanville (3-5, 0-2 Freedom Conference) will be back in action as part of the Cruzin’ Classic in Fort Lauderdale, FL, on Dec. 17 when the Valiants take on Messiah of Grantham, PA, at noon.

• Junior Alaina Walker of Pomona ended up a point shy of her first career double-double, heping St. Bonaventure (7-1) waylay visiting Indiana, 65-45, at the Reilly Center. Senior forward Megan Van Tatenhove of Sheboygan Falls, WS, had a game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bonnies. Walker, a guard out of Albertus Magnus, scored nine points and hauled in 10 rebounds as coach Jim Crowley marked his 200th career victory. St. Bonaventure hosts the University at Buffalo (3-6) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the opening game of a doubleheader with the men. Freshman guard Kasheema Besley of Spring Valley is breaking into the lineup at Buffalo, appearing in four games to date.

• The Northeastern University hockey team, which has won three straight road contests for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign, and five straight overall, looks to maintain its focus against an upstart UMass Lowell (9-4-1) that is ranked No. 18 in the country on Saturday night at Matthews Arena. Junior forward Justin Daniels of Suffern is fifth on the Huskies in scoring with 10 points on six goals and four assists. The visiting River Hawks have won four in a row.

Editor's Note: The College Sports Notebook did not run on Pearl River Patch   this past Friday due to a technical error.