Kilkenny earns MVP award as Jaspers capture crown

The Lady Jaspers’ Siobhan Kilkenny,
a senior guard from Castlebar, Co. Mayo, was named Most Valuable Player in
the tournament.
Kilkenny scored 22 points in Manhattan’s 71-57 victory over Canisius in the
semifinal round. She connected on nine of 21 shots from the floor, including
two of five three-point attempts. She also canned two of four free throws.
She also had nine rebounds and five steals. In the title game, Kilkenny
posted 19 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, including 1-for-2 from
downtown, plus 4-for-5 from the foul line. She also grabbed nine caroms and
recorded four steals.
Earlier in the week, Kilkenny was named to the All-MAAC second team.
Manhattan, 20-9, will learn of its first-round opponent on Sunday.
Canisius advanced with a 76-58 defeat of Iona, which concluded the season at
1-27. Galway junior Michelle Fahy, a bright spot all season for the Gaels,
had 11 points, hitting 4-for-13 from the field, including her lone
three-point try, and 2-for-2 from the stripe. She also had four rebounds.
Fahy led Iona in both scoring (averaging 13.7 points per game) and
rebounding (7.9 boards per game).
Sacred Heart blew a 10-point lead to Long Island University in a Northeast
Conference quarterfinal game and was eliminated after a 51-48 loss. Kate
Maher, a junior forward from Waterford, posted game highs in rebounds, 11,
and assists, six. She chipped in six points, shooting 3-for-10 from the
field. Maher finished the season averaging 5.6 points per game and 5.3
rebounds per game. Sacred Heart ends the season 18-10.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
One week after routing Virginia Military in a regular season contest,
Davidson lost to VMI, 66-60, in a quarterfinal round game of the Southern
Conference tournament. The Wildcats’ forward Conor Grace was held to six
points and six rebounds. He shot 2-for-6 from the floor and converted both
free throws. Grace, a sophomore from Dublin, finished the campaign averaging
9.7 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game, which led the team. Davidson
finished the season 17-10.
Another early exit befell George Mason, which lost to Delaware, 61-49, in
the quarterfinal round of the Colonial Athletic Assn. tournament. Senior
forward Jon Larranaga scored 10 points for Mason (16-12), making two of
eight field goal attempts and six of nine free throws. Larranaga, a resident
of Oakton, Va. who has played for the Irish national team, was named to the
All-CAA Defensive Team earlier in the week.
Although St. Lawrence (17-10) ended the season with a loss, junior forward
Ronan McGarrity went out in fine fashion. The Ballina, Co. Mayo, man scored
17 points in an 85-72 loss to Nazareth in a semifinal game of the ECAC
Upstate Tournament. He shot 7-for-10 from the floor, including 2-for-5 from
the fringe, and 1-for-1 from the foul line. He also had four rebounds. St.
Lawrence advanced with a victory over SUNY-Potsdam, 85-80. McGarrity had
eight points in this game, connecting on three of five attempts from the
floor, including two of three from long range.

TRACK & FIELD
Providence College’s women’s distance medley relay team won their event at
the ECAC Indoor Championships in a time that qualified for this weekend’s
NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Roisin McGettigan, a senior from
Co. Wicklow, pounded the boards with three sophomores, Roisin Quinn from
Waterford, Deirdre Byrne from Avoca, Co. Wicklow, and Mary Cullen from Co.
Sligo. Their winning time of 11:13.92 was more than five seconds better than
the NCAA standard. Senior teammate Emer O’Shea from Limerick placed second
in the 1,000 meters. She posted a time of 2:51.10.

TENNIS
Fourth-ranked California defeated its two Pac-12 rivals from Arizona in
women’s action last week. Catherine Lynch, a junior from Dublin, earned a
point at third singles in the Golden Bears’ 6-1 victory over no. 26 Arizona.
She defeated Dianne Hollands, 6-3, 7-5. Lynch and Nicole Havlicek teamed at
third doubles, but lost to Kelly Perry and Kristy Randono, 8-5.
The next day, California defeated no. 7 Arizona State, 5-2. Lynch needed
three sets to defeat Mhairi Brown, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, at third singles. Lynch
and Havlicek were winners at third doubles, scoring over Dora Krstulovic and
Joslynn Burkett, 6-5, default.

GOLF
Kent State’s Martina Gillen tied for fifth place in the Lady Puerto Rico
Classic at the Palmas Del Mar Country Club. Gillen, a junior from Dublin,
shot 219 (74-73-72) for 54 holes, which left her four strokes behind the
medalist, Duke’s Kristina Engstrom. Kent State took fifth place in the team
standings, which was topped by Duke.
South Alabama’s Gareth Maybin tied for eighth place in the LSU Spring
Invitational at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La. Maybin, a sophomore
from Ballydome, Co. Antrim, shot 216 (70-71-75) for 54 holes to finish five
shots behind the champion, John Humphries of the host school. Rhode Island’s
Kenneth Fahey and James Clarke tied for 24th and 53rd positions,
respectively. Fahey, a freshman from Clifden, Co. Galway, shot 221
(74-73-74), while Clarke, a junior from Belfast, came in with 227
(74-76-77). LSU won the team championship, with South Alabama tied for
fourth place, nine strokes behind LSU, and Rhode Island tied for 12th place.
Southeast Louisiana’s Mark O’Sullivan tied for 18th place in the Beau Chene
Classic at Oak Hills Country Club in Mandeville, La. The Galway senior
carded 216 (72-70-74) for 54 holes. Teammate Mervyn Owens, a sophomore from
Mallow, Co. Cork, shared 38th place with his 222 (69-76-77). Low man was
Tulane’s Chris Wheeler at 204. Southern Mississippi earned the team trophy,
with Southeast Louisiana settling for third place, three strokes back.