Three Up, Three Down: Penn men's lacrosse vs. St. Joseph's

 

Penn men’s lacrosse got off to a rough start in its season opener on Friday, falling in a defensive slugfest to defending champion and top-ranked Duke, 9-6 . As the Red and Blue return to Philadelphia and prepare for their first home game of the season, we take a look at the Quakers’ upcoming matchup with St. Joseph’s.

Three Up -

Zack Losco: The senior midfield picked up right where he left off last season, notching two goals and an assist in Penn’s season opener. Though the Quakers didn’t have much offensive success on Friday, Losco was instrumental in a tight first half of play. The senior’s first-quarter goal helped knot the score after Duke struck early, and Losco’s assist just before the half helped Penn draw within one of the Blue Devils. Moving forward, Losco, who led Penn in scoring last season, will be looking to extend his ten-game streak with at least one point, a stretch that dates back to last season.

Penn’s back line: The Quakers didn’t have too much trouble slowing down Duke’s high-powered attack down in Durham, and much of the same can be expected against the Hawks. Senior goalkeeper Brian Feeney notched 10 saves against the Blue Devils and managed to hold Duke in check for much of the game following the first quarter. After giving up four goals in the opening period, Feeney and company held Duke scoreless for the remainder of the half, and kept the Blue Devils from scoring double-digit goals.

Matt Blasco: Take a bow, Mr. Blasco. In his first career start, the St. Joe’s sophomore attack scored three goals to go along with a trio of assists in the Hawks’ 14-6 win over VMI on Saturday . Blasco’s six points were key in getting St. Joe’s its first win of the season, and the sophomore was named NEC Player of the Week in recognition of his efforts last weekend.

Three Down-

Penn’s offense: The Red and Blue struggled to generate any sort of attack against Duke last weekend. Despite keeping the game close for much of the first half, the Blue Devils were able to score three straight goals without any sort of response from the Quakers. Though freshman attack Kevin Brownscored his first career goal, it was Penn’s only score of the second period. After an early goal after halftime, the Red and Blue went more than a quarter without scoring, ultimately letting the game slip away.

History for St. Joe’s: Recent trends won’t be on the Hawks’ side on Tuesday. Penn and St. Joe’s have played each of the past four seasons and ten times overall since 1997, and the Hawks have never beaten the Quakers. In fact, though the past two meetings between the cross-town rivals have been close, Penn won each game before 2012 by no less than eight goals. Don’t expect the Quakers’ streak to end any time soon.

The Elements: Mother Nature won’t be too kind to either team out on Franklin Field on Tuesday. Temperatures will be below freezing once the game begins and the wind will be howling. The conditions don’t sound anywhere as nice as the 70-degree weather Penn got to enjoy when it was down in Durham last weekend.

 



Ivy Power Rankings: 2/25



Liveblog: Game 23: Penn basketball (6-16, 3-5 Ivy) vs. Dartmouth (9-14, 2-7)

Tonight may be the Quakers' best chance at snapping its three-game slide, as they take on a struggling Big Green squad. But Dartmouth handled the Quakers at home the last time they played here, 67-58. Will the results be different this time around? Join myself, Sports Editor Riley Steele and Associate Sports Editor Colin Henderson and find out:



Liveblog: Game 22: Penn basketball (6-15, 3-4 Ivy) vs. Harvard (20-4, 7-1)

On paper, it looks like a mismatch for the Quakers, who are going up against the 3x defending Ivy champs. But can the Red and Blue pull off a huge upset? Join myself, Senior Staff Writer Steven Jaffe and Senior Sports Editor Steven Tydings and find out:

 



Mano-a-Mano: Where will Penn women's basketball end up in the final standings?

 

With the Ivy season heating up for women’s hoops, the Quakers are currently in an interesting position, sitting a half-game behind first place Harvard and tied with second place Princeton. Where will the Red and Blue sit when the conference season is all said and done? Sports Editor Ian Wenik and Associate Sports Editor Jimmy Lengyel debate:

Sports Editor Ian Wenik: You know what? I’m going to do the crazy thing and say that Penn takes a share of the whole thing, albeit not in a manner you’d expect. My prediction for the Quakers this season is that they win out, save for the final game at Jadwin Gym against the Tigers.

And that’s why I think they’re going to get some help to win it all. I see Princeton falling to Harvard. What does that mean? It means an unexpected three-way playoff. And on a neutral floor, I would gamble on Alyssa Baron staying hot and finding a way to get the Quakers at least into the Women’s NIT.

Associate Sports Editor Jimmy Lengyel: Tsk tsk, Ian. Ye of little faith for the Quakers. I’m doing the crazier thing and calling that Penn wins out totally. In fact, I’m going to go as far to say that not only do the Quakers beat Princeton on the road, but they do it in dominating fashion.

Everyone thinks I’m a lunatic, but here’s the reality of it all: The Quakers are stacked and have all the momentum heading forward. Freshman center Sydney Stipanovich is a force inside blocking shots, Baron is heating up at the right time, and this team has the confidence of the world on their side thanks to the final act of an incredible program turnaround headed by maestro coach Mike McLaughlin.

IW: But at the same time, Princeton has a pretty solid maestro of its own right in coach Courtney Banghart. Every offseason, it seems as if her name is bandied about for some major program or another - and with good reason. She’s taken a program that had never made the NCAA tournament before her arrival and has guided it to four March appearances in the last four years.

Also, though I’m not completely discounting the possibility of a Penn victory on the road, keep in mind what happened when the Tigers came to the Palestra this year. Princeton won that game, 84-53, and looked dominant defensively. It’s almost inconceivable to imagine Stipanovich being held scoreless from the field, but that’s what the Tigers managed to accomplish that evening.

JL: Well, I hate to cop out and use an old adage, but “that was then, this is now.” Since that game, Stipanovich and Baron have both received Ivy League honors. The Quakers have really solidified and figured out a way to organically change their game plans around their opponents. Take their second-half adjustments against Columbia and Yale, for example.

I think the one thing that is working against Princeton is the Quakers’ hunger. They have a certain swagger on court, a determination that only teams that haven’t made it to the big dance can manage. Princeton is a winning program and expects to win, which is why I think McLaughlin and his staff will demolish the Tigers’ game plan and drop the hammer all over Jadwin Gym.



After the Buzzer: Yale/Brown edition

A sweep — and swept. Those were the opposite fates for Penn women's and men's basketball last weekend agains Yale and Brown. Senior Sports Editor Steven Tydings and Sports Editors Ian Wenik and Riley Steele discuss what went down:



2/18: Ivy Hoops Power Rankings



Liveblog: Penn basketball vs. Brown

Already down after a bad loss to Yale, can Penn basketball recover against the Bears? Follow along with myself and Associate Sports Editor Holden McGinnis:



This Week on 33rd Street Feb. 14: Penn women's hoops edition

Looking for a quick preview of Penn women's basketball's matchups with Yale and Brown? Here you go, as our editors predict the big Ivy games.



Former Penn offensive lineman Greg Van Roten signs with Seahawks

Just three days after he was released from the Green Bay Packers, former Penn offensive lineman and 2012 grad Greg Van Roten now plays for the Super Bowl Champions.

So Van Roten tweeted this morning, marking his second stop in the NFL. Van Roten made 10 regular-season and three playoff appearances in two seasons with Green Bay. Van Roten could compete for a starting position at either center or guard for Seattle.

The two-time first-team All-Ivy selection missed most of 2013 with a foot injury, but as ESPN reported earlier this week, his release was considered a surprise move and had nothing to do with the foot injury, which his agent Bill Baldini said felt fine during the season.

The Rockville Centre, N.Y. native was signed by Green Bay as an undrafted free agent just before the start of training camp in 2012 after participating in rookie minicamps with the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets.

Van Roten started all 30 games for Penn throughout his final three seasons, helping anchor the offensive line for the 2009 and 2010 Ivy League championship teams and leading the Quakers to the top rushing, scoring and total offense in the conference as a junior.

 



Liveblog: Game 20: Penn basketball (6-13, 3-2 Ivy) at Yale (11-9, 5-1)

The Quakers have won two in a row at home. Can they keep their winning streak going on the road against Yale and vault back into the thick of the Ivy race? Join myself and Associate Sports Editor Holden McGinnis and find out:



Penn basketball freshman guard Matt Howard out for the season

The injuries keep piling up for Penn basketball.

Freshman guard Matt Howard is out for the season with a broken foot suffered yesterday at practice, making him yet another injured role player for the Red and Blue.

Howard had an impressive weekend against Cornell and Columbia, breaking out by scoring 15 points combined between the two games and earning high praise from coach Jerome Allen.

“Matt was tremendous,” Allen said after Penn’s win over Columbia. “Last night, tonight, we ran plays for him. He had the right reads, defensively, on the glass.

“Without Matt, I’m not so sure we win today, or yesterday.”

Junior guards Camryn Crocker and Patrick Lucas-Perry are both out for the season with leg injuries while freshman guard Preston Troutt is also sidelined for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, sophomore guard Julian Harrell and junior forward Greg Louis have dealt with injuries recently, but their respective statuses are unknown moving forward.

The Howard injury leaves Penn's bench even more shorthanded, making the Quakers even more reliant on their starting five, specifically guards Miles Jackson-Cartwright and Tony Hicks.



After the Buzzer: Feb 10

Welcome to a new feature to the Buzz, After the Buzzer. ATB will be a discussion of Penn Athletics from the weekend before and in the first edition, Sports Editor Riley Steele and I discuss last week's Penn basketball performance and the issues facing the team heading into Yale and Brown.



Liveblog: Penn basketball vs. Columbia

Penn basketball took down Cornell on Friday night but can the Quakers extend their winning streak to two vs. Columbia? Or will the Lions sweep the Princeton-Penn roadtrip for the first time ever. Join me and Senior Staff Writers John Phillips and Mike Tony as we bring you the action.

 



Liveblog: Game 18: Penn (4-13, 1-2 Ivy) vs. Cornell (1-17, 0-4)

Can the Quakers get back on the road to respectability against the Big Red at the Palestra? Follow along with me and find out:



This Week on 33rd Street: Feb. 7

I discuss the upcoming Ivy weekend for Penn basketball with Sports Editors Ian Wenik and Riley Steele, as the Quakers try and take down Cornell and Columbia.



Mano-a-Mano: Who has shone most in the winter for Penn athletics?

Penn athletics has seen a number of individuals excel across a widrange of sports during the winter season, but who has stood out the most? Sports Editor Ian Wenik and Associate Sports Editor Jimmy Lengyel debate:

Sports Editor Ian Wenik: That’s a really tough question. There are plenty of worthy candidates, but I think that I’m going to go with swimmer Rochelle Dong, in a bit of an upset.

It’s hard to believe that she’s a freshman, considering how seamlessly she’s integrated herself into coach Mike Schnur’s 200 medley relay team in such a short period of time.

Add on her consistent strong performances in the 50 free, and you have yourself a swimmer that could potentially be the heir apparent to Shelby Fortin.

Associate Sports Editor Jimmy Lengyel: I agree, it’s hard to choose from some of the great achievements we’ve seen across the winter sports. In my book the choice is obviously  Alyssa Baron (which may be the popular vote).

Baron has been absolutely dominant all season, like she has been every season. She’s racked up 227 points, 101 rebounds, 26 steals and one Ivy League Player of the Week award.

Baron has been a rock for this team and will definitely be close to holding every significant statistical record at Penn before her tenure concludes this season. I think what’s been even more impressive is that she has done all of this while staying out of the spotlight, giving way to freshman Sydney Stipanovich.

IW: It’s funny, because trying to compare a swimmer to a basketball player is a bit like comparing apples and oranges ... or water and motor oil.

I think the distinction to be made here is that to me, Dong is most impressive because she’s emerged out of basically nowhere. Baron’s been great this year, sure, but did you really expect anything less out of Penn women’s basketball’s cornerstone?

You could even argue that Dong has been having a better season than Shelby Fortin, which is even more impressive considering Fortin’s track record. Dong is just getting started.

JL: I take nothing away from Rochelle Dong and her achievements this season, but a similar argument can be made about her performance. Her coach has praised her since day one, and I’m glad she’s living up to expectations.

I think what you have to consider in Baron’s performance is the fact that not only has she been an offensive juggernaut, but she’s made her team better. She’s been much better at spreading the ball around and allowing players like Kara Bonenberger and Stipanovich to flourish.

Again, she’s done all of this out of the spotlight. I only see her getting better as the Ivies go on whereas Dong could stumble due to her inexperience. Either way, both are incredible athletes.



Ivy Power Rankings: February 4



Penn women's soccer's Ana Chevtchenko called up to Russian national team

-by Associate Sports Editor Colin Henderson

It may be the offseason for Penn women’s soccer, but at least one member of the Red and Blue is still getting ready to lace up her spikes and hit the pitch.

According to Penn Athletics, freshman midfielder Ana Chevtchenko has been called up to the Russian national team in preparation for two friendly matches against the United States squad over the next week.

Both matches will be held on American soil. The first will take place at 3:30 p.m. this Saturday at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. The other gets underway at 7:30 p.m. the following Wednesday in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.

It’s Chevtchenko’s second call-up to the Russian national team of the academic year — her first came in September for a World Cup qualifier against Germany.

“I am extremely happy that Ana is getting to represent her country against the U.S. women’s national team this week,” Penn coach Darren Ambrose said in a statement.

“Representing your country is the highest honor you can get in sports and is one Ana has worked hard to achieve,” he said. “We are proud of her and excited to see her compete against the United States.”

In addition to leading her high school team to two Oregon state championships, Chevtchenko — who holds both American and Russian citizenship — competed on Russian junior national teams throughout her youth soccer career. Ambrose knew the deal from the beginning.

“We knew in recruiting that her international career was important to her,” he said. “I think the experience she gains from it will help her in the college game and her time at Penn.”

Chevtchenko was plagued by injury throughout her freshman season, playing in only six of Penn’s 17 games. Due to her limited action, she failed to notch either a goal or an assist all season.

However, she will have a chance to make up for lost time and represent both her country and her college in her matches this week.



Roundtable: What we learned from the first weekend of full Ivy play

The first weekend full of Ivy League doubleheaders is over for both men’s and women’s basketball. So what did we learn? Our editors examine the major takeaways from a hectic week in the Ancient Eight.

Senior Sports Editor Steven Tydings: The biggest thing to come out of this past Friday and Saturday was how easy the rest of Ivy play is going to be for Harvard men’s basketball. The Crimson defeated Princeton, basically eliminating the Tigers then and there from title contention, before torching Penn basketball on Saturday night.

The Penn game was particularly impressive, as a three-point barrage led by Laurent Rivard pushed Harvard way ahead before the Quakers could even catch their collective breath.

Sure, Harvard is and already was the favorite to take the Ivy title, but it looked as if teams like Princeton and Columbia (and to a lesser extent, Penn) would give a little bit of a challenge to the Crimson.

Yet those three teams went a combined 0-6.

So if Harvard can sweep Yale and Brown next week while playing at home, the Crimson will be up two games in the standings less than halfway through their Ivy slate.

In other words, sounds like it will be smooth sailing for the NCAA Tournament-bound Harvard squad.

Sports Editor Riley Steele: While Harvard may have demonstrated that there is no chance any team steals the throne from the two-time defending Ivy champions, this weekend was the complete antithesis for Penn men’s hoops.

To put the Quakers Ivy weekend doubleheader in perspective, it says a lot when a 30-point defeat somehow isn’t the lowlight for a team.

Many expected Penn to drop its game against the Crimson. What was more surprising, however, was the dud the Quakers laid against Dartmouth on Friday night.

Despite starting the game strong and taking a lead into halftime, Penn wound up losing to a team playing without Gabas Maldunas, the Big Green’s leading scorer and rebounder this season.

The weekend seemed to be an example of Penn’s season in a nutshell. The Quakers committed 18 turnovers against Dartmouth that cost them a winnable game against a lesser team and were outscored by 33 from beyond-the-arc against Harvard.

Like so many times before, the Red and Blue took two steps back after seemingly taking a step forward over the past few weeks.

For Jerome Allen and the rest of the team, wins over NJIT are no longer going to cut it. Penn came up short (again) against Ivy opponents, and now have next-to-no chance to win the Ancient Eight this season. It’s pretty clear that Penn has nothing left to play for except pride and to save Jerome Allen’s job.

But if this weekend’s games taught us anything, it’s that the Quakers may not be able to do either.

Associate Sports Editor Holden McGinnis: On the women’s side of the game, this first Ivy weekend solidified the fact that this is truly a three-horse race for the title. It took only two games to break wide open a race that many preseason predictors easily handed to Princeton. The weekend started with a significant upset as Harvard went into Princeton and took down the four-time defending champion, 78-68. This was the first home Ivy loss since the 2008-09 season for the Tigers, a team that had been nothing short of dominant over the past few seasons.

However, the Crimson headed down to the Palestra the following night, and found themselves outmatched by Penn, as the Quakers won, 67-38. The win was highlighted by yet another dominating performance from freshman center Sydney Stipanovich, who has to be considered the biggest reason Penn has jumped into contention this season.

Considering Penn’s loss to Princeton, this race is clearly wide open as each of these teams has been dominant for long stretches, yet lost in decisive fashion to one of the other contenders. The way they’ve been playing lately, the Quakers have to like their chances, as they’ve saved some of their best basketball for this Ivy portion of the season, and proved it against Dartmouth and Harvard.



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