February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Providence’s Martin Fagan took second place in the College Men’s 5,000 Meter Championship at Penn. Fagan, a junior from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, finished in 14:03.64, well behind Kansas’ Benson Chesang, who broke the tape in 13:57.42. Iona senior Rob Connolly, from Dublin, placed 10th in the same race, clocking 14:12.96.
TENNIS
University of San Diego junior Emma Murphy was named West Coast Conference Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Murphy, who lives in Cork, plays first singles for the Toreros, who lost to Pepperdine in the WCC tournament finals.
San Diego began their WCC run with a 5-2 victory over Portland. Murphy handled Sanja Indic, 6-0, 6-0, and joined Lauren Perl for an 8-0 whitewash of Indic and Sammis. The Toreros squeezed past Loyola Marymount, 4-3, in the semis, as Murphy defeated Carla Arguelles, 6-1, 6-0, and with Perl, knocked off Kimi Kaloi and Tamara Tanner, 8-3.
Pepperdine swept all three doubles matches in the championship tilt, including Caroline Raba and Sylvia Kosakowski’s 8-3 victory over Murphy and Perl. Murphy was ahead in the second set of her singles match with Raba when Pepperdine clinched on another court.
Elsa O’Riain was victorious at second singles and second doubles to propel Harvard to a 6-1 win over Dartmouth. The Dublin sophomore defeated Lindsay Winingham, 6-3, 6-3, and joined Stephanie Schnitter for an 8-1 win over Winingham and Ann Scott.
Indiana freshman Dara McLoughlin, who is from Dublin, teamed with Michael McCarthy for a 8-6 victory at third doubles over the Northwestern tandem of Justin Hoeveler and Willy Lock. Northwestern, however, left with a 4-3 triumph in this Big Ten Conference Tournament quarterfinal match.
GOLF
Maria Dunne led Bethune-Cookman to victory in the Women’s Collegiate Championship at Sugar Creek Golf Course in Atlanta, Ga. The junior from Skerries, Co. Dublin was 12 strokes over par at 154 (75-79), which was one stroke better than teammate Becky Dowell.
Kent State won the Mid American Conference Women’s Championship on the strength of five top-10 finishes, led by Co. Carlow freshman Tara Delaney. Her 36-hole total of 152 (71-81) was eight strokes over par and good for a share of fourth place. Delaney was three strokes behind Ball State’s Katie Sundberg, the champion.
Rhode Island’s Kenneth Fahey tied for 10th place in the New England Division I Championship at Triggs Memorial Golf Course in Providence, R.I. The senior from Clifden, Co. Galway finished seven strokes over par at 151 (77-74), which left him eight behind the low score posted by Yale’s Steve Gray. Rhode Island, with four finishers in the top 12, won the team trophy.
Southeastern Louisiana’s Peter O’Keeffe earned sole possession of ninth place at the Southland Conference Championship at Kingwood Forest Golf Club in Kingwood, Tex. The Cork freshman shot five-over-par 221 (71-77-73), which was 13 off the winning number shot by Jordan Krantz of Texas-Arlington. Southeastern finished fifth among the 10 teams gathered, with Arlington the champion.
SOCCER
Immaculata University has appointed Galway native Seamus O’Connor as men’s soccer coach. The program will begin its first year in September 2005. Immaculata, formerly a women’s basketball powerhouse, is a Division III school located 20 miles west of Philadelphia, that will enroll its first class of male students this coming fall.
O’Connor, who played as a collegian for Athlone Institute of Technology, most recently coached the Reading Rage of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League, the fourth division on the professional soccer ladder. In his first and only season at the helm, he led the team to an 8-8-2 record.
He holds Football Association of Ireland Coaching and Goalkeeping Licenses, as well as several National Soccer Coaches Association of America credentials.
O’Connor can be contacted at 610-647-4400, extension 3735, and at soconnor@immaculata.edu.