Sports Briefs

Author: David Infante

Several squash stars play at Penn

Three Middlebury squash players spent the weekend at the University of Pennsylvania competing in the College Squash Association (CSA) Individual Championships. Hannah Baker '07 was the biggest story, as she reached the quarterfinals of the women's Holleran division. She breezed by her first-round opponent, but faced a tougher opponent in Mount Holyoke's tough-to-spell Menusha Hettiarachchi., Baker was down 0-2 before coming back to win 4-9, 6-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-5.

Although Sally Hatfield '09 lost in the first round, she rebounded and advanced all the way to the semifinals of the consolation draw. There, Hatfield twice recovered from losing the first game, winning both of these comeback matches 3-1.

For the men's club team, J.P. Sardi '09 made it to the second round of the Molloy Division. He defeated the six-seed, Denison's Bilah Khan, 7-9, 9-7, 9-7, 4-9, 9-4 before falling to Jeffrey Sawin of the Naval Academy in three sets.


Kurtz-Phelan named Player of Year

The women's ice hockey team peppered the All-NESCAC team selections, with five skaters gaining recognition for the season. Abby Kurtz-Phelan '07 earned the top honor of NESCAC Player of the Year along with first-team All-NESCAC recognition, for her excellence throughout the year.

Though Kurtz-Phelan missed the beginning of the season playing for the women's soccer team in the NCAA tournament, the forward managed to rack up 15 goals and 21 assists in only 20 games for a team-high 36 points. Kurtz-Phelan is the third consecutive Middlebury skater to earn the award, and the fifth overall.

On defense, senior Shannon Tarrant was selected to a first-team All-NESCAC slot as well, contributing nine goals and 18 assists on the season. Annmarie Cellino '09, Shannon Sylvester '07 and Lani Wright '10 were appointed to the second-team All-NESCAC.

In the NESCAC tournament semi-final round, Kurtz-Phelan connected twice off of Sylvester assists in the first and second periods, before Sylvester picked up a goal of her own in the third. Tarrant contributed an assist for the Panthers' lone goal in their loss to Amherst in the NESCAC Championship game.


Gilchrist and Maldonado honored

Mickey Gilchrist '08 and Tom Maldonado '08 were selected for the men's ice hockey All-NESCAC second-team for the 2006-2007 season. The selections, which were revealed last week, are emblematic of the sacrifice and stellar play the two Panther skaters have exhibited all season.

As the team's captain and one of the go-to forwards, Gilchrist has scored a team-leading 16 goals for the Panthers while managing to simultaneously record 15 assists through 27 games. His efforts in the offensive zone have propelled him to the top slot on the roster with 31 points.

Maldonado is the only player on the team with more assists than the captain, and has marked 23 dishes along with two goals for 25 points on the season from the defensive end.

The two juniors entered strong performances in the NESCAC semi-final and final round, with Maldonado notching a goal against Colby on Saturday. Gilchrist notched a goal for Middlebury in their 4-2 win over Bowdoin in the NESCAC Championship game.