SPORTS BRIEFS

Author: RYAN REESE, SPORTS EDITOR

Winstead '06 leads lax attack

There is no doubt that the Middlebury women's lacrosse team is finding its stride and hitting it hard down the home stretch of the spring campaign. Undoubtedly, there have been many key contributors. This week, Schuyler Winstead '06 led the Panther attack and garnered NESCAC Player of the Week honors for her incredible offensive output in a 2-0 week for Middlebury. The junior from Chevy Chase, Md. kicked off her week with four goals and two assists against Skidmore. These four goals paced the Panther attack in a truly amazing and rare 17-0 shutout victory. In the following contest, an intense NESCAC clash against rival Amherst, Winstead notched a double hat trick of three goals and three assists. Winstead will lead the Middlebury juggernaut toward the postseason in two NESCAC contests this week. They will travel down to Massachusetts to face off against a tough Williams squad before returning for a homestand against the Bantams of Trinity.



Women's tennis plays host

The Middlebury women's tennis team has earned the honor of hosting the 2005 NESCAC tennis championship. Their outstanding play throughout the season has given them this privilege and they will surely take advantage of playing on their home courts. The competition will be stiff with top-ranked Amherst in town along with Tufts, Williams and Bowdoin who are fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Nineteen of the top 30 female singles will be present and 12 of the top 20 doubles will bring their rackets up to Middlebury in search of a NESCAC title. Claire Smyser '07 and Jackie Ross '07 will look to place well on the doubles side of things and Middlebury's singles have been peaking as of late on their way toward the postseason. The tourney is scheduled to take place April 29 through May 1. Play will begin at noon on Friday and will continue at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.



Mellen '07 faces off for Midd

While improving to 10-1 on the season, the Middlebury men's lacrosse team has excelled against conference rivals and is once again tilting toward a long postseason run. There is no doubt that this team has come together to achieve a collective goal and are well on their way to seeing it through. This team mentality has encouraged many a Panther to raise his game and step up to the plate. Peter Mellen '07 dominated the midfield this past week in two NESCAC wins and has been recognized as the NESCAC's Player of the Week. In two away contests against Trinity and Colby, the "middie" chalked up some impressive numbers while tallying a goal in the Colby contest. The sophomore from Cherry Hill, N. J. won an incredible 25 of 33 face-offs. This recent domination in winning the loose ball has moved his season percentage up to a lofty 67 percent. Middlebury still faces tough competition in Williams and Bates before the NESCAC tournament gets underway.



Bocce ball goes long distance

Bocce ball projects a certain image. This mental picture might include a group of senior citizens standing around with cigars shooting the breeze about Walter's new hip or a group of college students released into the outdoors during an Italian class. The age-old Italian sport is a finesse game that requires a perfectly crafted touch and a true feel for the game's delicate intricacies. There is a great deal of strategy involved as well and one cannot possibly be successful without a strong mental game. The game can be fun for quite some time; however, a group of first-years found that the game was missing the element of power and henceforth came the new sport of Long Distance Bocce. The palino (smaller target ball), is launched as far as possible and then each player must huck his or her bocce ball towards the now distant pallino. The optimal throwing style is still debatable with some competitors using a shot put approach, others employing a discus-like technique and still others relying on the trusty baseball/softball pitch. The game is highly competitive, yet accessible to all skill levels. A thorough warmup is recommended in order to prevent shoulder dislocation or injuries as such.