February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By John Manley
Clemson kept its championship aspirations alive with a 1-0 victory over William & Mary in the second round of the NCAA men’s soccer playoffs. Scott Bower scored the game’s only goal with 33 seconds remaining in the first half. Clemson, coached by Belfast native Trevor Adair, is now 22-1.
The NCAA carousel stopped long enough for both Barry Gorman and Seamus McFadden to be thrown from their ponies. Gorman’s Penn State team lost to St. John’s, 1-0. Penn State managed only three shots on goal to 13 for St. John’s, which scored its goal from five yards out in the 32nd minute. The Nittany Lions finished the 1998 campaign 14-6-2 for Gorman, who hails from Belfast.
McFadden’s University of San Diego Toreros took Stanford to two overtimes before the Cardinal prevailed, 3-1. Stanford took the lead in the 112th minute of the second extra period, then added insurance eight minutes later. San Diego finished the season 12-9 for McFadden, a Donegal native.
Ohio Wesleyan won the NCAA Div. III title with a 2-1 overtime triumph over Greensboro College. The Battling Bishops lineup included David Pedreschi, a junior from Dublin, who was a potent member of the offense throughout the season, although he didn’t score in either the final or semifinal contest. The latter contest saw Ohio Wesleyan advance by outscoring Williams, 1-0. Greensboro hung a similar score on Rowan to reach the final round.
Mercyhurst takes another step toward the Div. II crown when it faces South Carolina-Spartanburg at that rival’s pitch in the semifinal round on Thursday at 5 p.m. The match will be preceded by a showdown between Seattle Pacific and Southern Connecticut State. The two winners meet on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Spartanburg. Mercyhurst coach John Melody comes from Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
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New Hampshire College’s Paul Cleary was named to the All-New England Collegiate Conference first team for the second consecutive year. Cleary is a junior defender from Waterford.
Women’s Soccer
University of New Haven’s Dave Clarke was named NECC Coach of the Year. The Chargers finished second in the NECC with a 12-5-1 overall mark, and 6-2 in the Conference. Clarke, a product of Donaghmede, Dublin, has an 18-14-3 record in two years at the helm.
The NECC also named Rosie Power its Rookie of the Year. Power, a New Hampshire College freshman from Waterford, started all 18 games, producing three goals and four assists. Her 10 points were third highest on the team. Power, a midfielder, was also named to the All-NECC first team.
Basketball
Rider’s Ken Lacey scored 17 points and reeled in 9 rebounds, but it was in a losing cause as Delaware prevailed over the Broncs, 78-68. Lacey, a 6-foot-9 junior from Stroudsburg, Pa., provides the Irish national team with help down low during the summer months.
Swimming
North Carolina State’s Gina Galligan swam to a pair of victories and a third-place finish in a tri-meet against American and Maryland-Baltimore County. Galligan, a senior from Dublin, worked out a narrow victory in the 100-meter breaststroke. She touched the wall in 1 minute, 8.39 seconds, just ahead of UMBC’s Meghan Donovan, who got there in 1:08.43. Galligan also contributed to a Wolfpack win in the 200 meters medley relay. She also placed third in the 100 meters backstroke. She finished in 1:02.54 in a race won by American’s Maite Trueba in 58.60.