College Roundup Costigan earns Big East honors

By John Manley

The Big East Conference honored Providence sophomore back John Costigan as its soccer Defensive Player of the Week. Costigan anchored the Friars’ defense in victories over Notre Dame and Georgetown two weeks ago. More recently, the Dubliner was on patrol against Boston College, as the Friars defeated the Eagles, 2-0. Dublin natives coach both teams. Brian Ainscough patrols the sidelines for Providence (8-8 overall, 6-4 Big East), while Ed Kelly is the man who runs Boston College (5-9-2, 2-7-1 Big East).

Vermont’s John O’Connor scored early, but not often. The sophomore from Derry converted a free kick in the fourth minute, after which the Catamounts’ defense made the point stand up to defeat Northeastern, 1-0. Roy Patton’s Vermont team now sports a record of 8-7-1 and 2-4-1 in the America East.

Northeastern (6-10, 1-7 America East) then lost its subsequent match with Hartford, 4-1, but senior Ross Hainsworth moved into a tie for third among the school’s career assist leaders. Hainsworth, from Swords, Co. Dublin, set up the Huskies’ lone goal with the 13th assist of his career.

Paul Cleary scored the second goal of the match in New Hampshire College’s 4-0 shutout of Merrimack. The Waterford sophomore helps anchor the backfield for NHC and the Penmen also hung a zero on Albany, 4-0. NHC, ranked ninth in Div. II, is 14-2-1 overall and 6-2-0 in the New England Collegiate Conference.

Second-ranked Clemson handed Maryland a 2-0 defeat on the Terps’ home pitch last week. Earlier in the week, Clemson waltzed over Elon, 7-1. Trevor Adair’s Tigers are 17-1 overall and 4-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Women’s soccer

Mary Reid assumed the position as top all-time scorer at St. Joseph’s College of Indiana when she assisted on three goals in the Lady Pumas’ regular-season finale over the University of Indianapolis. Reid, a junior forward from Belfast, now has 133 career points from 51 goals and 31 assists. St. Joe’s (15-1-2 overall and 7-1-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference) is ranked 16th in Div. II.

Rosie Power set up the first goal of the match for New Hampshire College, but St. Anselm rendered it irrelevant with three unanswered goals as the Lady Penmen went down, 3-1. NHC recovered with a 5-0 romp over Albany. Power, a freshman from Waterford, scored the second goal of the match in the 46th minute, and assisted on another score. NHC is 6-10-1 overall and 3-3-1 in the New England Collegiate Conference.

Cross country

The Big East Conference’s two Irish coaches each left Boston’s Franklin Park with a championship trophy last Friday. Ray Treacy’s Providence men’s team was an easy winner by a 36-75 margin over Georgetown. Villanova’s women treated Marcus O’Sullivan to the first of what should be many league championships when they outpointed Georgetown, 40-53.

Providence’s Keith Kelly, a junior from Drogheda, was the top Irishman on the course, finishing second to teammate Ben Noad. Kelly, timed in 23 minutes, 44 seconds for 8,000 meters, pushed Noad to a course record 23:37.

Also wearing the Friars’ colors were Ciaran Lynch, a sophomore from Limerick who was 13th in 24:34, Paul Reilly, a freshman from Loughrea, Co. Galway, 14th in 24:35, and Dermot Galvin, a freshman from Kilrush, Co. Clare, 20th in 24:52. Wicklow sophomore Stephanie O’Reilly placed 25th for Providence in the women’s race, covering 5,000 meters in 18:10.

Arkansas’ John McDonnell brought another trophy back to Fayetteville when his Razorbacks won the Southeastern Conference championship at the Lambert Acres Golf Club in Maryville, Tenn. Arkansas easily outscored Tennessee, the runner-up, 19-63. The win was the school’s 25th consecutive conference championship in distance running and the eighth since leaving the dormant

Southwest Conference for the SEC. Coach McDonnell is a native of Crossmolina, Co. Mayo.

"Of all the things we’ve done at Arkansas, the cross country streak might be the most remarkable," McDonnell said. "With so many variables, like injuries and illness, it’s remarkable to win that many years in a row. Plus, we’ve done it in two different leagues."

Golf

California’s Dan Coyle tied for sixth place in the Missouri Bluffs Intercollegiate at the Missouri Bluffs Golf Club in St. Charles, Mo. Coyle, a senior from Dundalk, recovered from an opening-round 75, to post scores of 68 and 69 on the par-71 layout. His final score of 212 was six strokes behind medalist Ryan Vermeer of Kansas. California tied for third in the team scramble, four strokes behind Baylor, the champion.

Field hockey

Gemma Ormonde set up the game-winning goal in Syracuse’s 2-0 victory over Dartmouth. Ormonde is a senior from Bray, Co. Wicklow. The Orangewomen are 11-6 overall and 3-1 in the Big East.