Penn College golfers ready for fall season
The Pennsylvania College of Technology golf team steps into action this week, and last week was busy for most other fall sports teams except the tennis teams whose scheduled openers on Saturday were postponed a day because of rain.
Golf
Matt Haile enters his seventh season as coach with two returnees but based on what he has seen so far it could be two freshmen who will be the keys to the team’s fortunes. The Wildcats open their season Wednesday at Keuka College.
“Our team is young and has been showing a lot of talent at practice. I look for some good scores to come in our upcoming matches and I really think at least two of our guys have the opportunity to be in contention for medalist honors at each of our matches this fall,” Haile said, speaking about freshmen Ned Baumbach, of Elizabethtown, and Caleb Ginder, of Lebanon.
“I look for them to be leaders on our team and set the pace for the rest of our lineup,” the coach continued. “They both are great players, fun to watch. They’re both tall … and they can hit it. I’ve never had someone who can hit the ball as far as they do and keep it under control.”
Both, Haile said, consistently have been shooting in the 70s and low 80s.
“(Returnee) Tyler Marks, a sophomore from Forked River, New Jersey, is another player who has really improved in the off season. He is swinging the club with much more confidence and I’m excited to see him play in competition. (Freshmen) Evan Johnson, of Towanda, and Ryen Persun, of Williamsport, have also been playing well and I look for them to be jockeying for position in the starting lineup,” the coach said.
The team’s other returnee is sophomore Jordan Hillegas, of Lancaster.
“Areas that need improvement are the same year after year — course management and short game. We always lose shots by taking big numbers on holes due to poor course management and we lose more shots around the greens. If our guys can do a better job at getting the ball back in play when they get in trouble and minimizing three-putts we will do great,” Haile said.
“(The) key to our success this season is for our guys to stay within themselves and not get down after a couple bad holes. It’s always a challenge to play a course for the first time and adapt to the greens and layout of the course. With our young squad, a lot of them will be facing this challenge for each of our matches. It will be important that they stay focused and not get frustrated when they aren’t playing their best,” Haile said, adding that balancing their academic work loads always is a challenge for freshmen.
In a preseason poll of the North Eastern Athletic Conference’s nine golf coaches, Penn College was picked to finish sixth, where they finished last spring, behind Rutgers-Camden, SUNY Cobleskill, Penn State Abington, Morrisville State College and Keuka College, and ahead of Penn State Berks, Wilson College and Bryn Athyn College.
“My outlook for the season is to be competitive in each match. I want to see all of my players take the hard work they’ve been putting in at practice to the competition. If they believe in themselves and their game, we will have a great fall season to lead us into our spring season. We are looking to rebound from our performance at the NEAC championships this year and I think it’s important that we make some strides in our fall season and continue to work hard,” Haile said.
The fall season consists of six outings, with three of them being two-day events including the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships in mid-October. Last fall the Wildcats ended eighth in the USCAA event.
“I believe we have a good shot at placing in the top five (in the USCAA) with what I’ve seen at practice thus far,” Haile said.
Men’s soccer
Last Sunday at Alfred University, Penn College fell, 4-0, as Alfred dominated with 16 shots on goal to one for the Wildcats.
Wednesday at King’s College, King’s won, 3-0, taking 34 shots (13 on goal) to just one (none on goal) for Penn College. King’s also had 19 corner kicks and the Wildcats none.
Stepping into NEAC play for the first time this season on Friday at Morrisville State College, the Wildcats lost 5-0 as their offense couldn’t get untracked for the third match in a row. Morrisville outshot Penn College 34-4 (17-2 in shots on goal) and had 15 corner kicks to four for the Wildcats, which dropped to 2-4 overall.
Women’s soccer
At home last Sunday with Gwynedd Mercy, the Wildcats dropped a 3-1 decision. The visitors led 3-0 before Penn College got its lone goal at the 80:41 mark when Debbie Saenz, of Lancaster, found the back of the net on an assist from Christina Weber, of Howell, New Jersey.
In its NEAC opener on Friday at Morrisville State, Robyn Beddow, of Lancaster, scored on a penalty kick at the 69:58 mark for the lone goal of the match as Penn College went to 1-2-1 on the season. The Wildcats dominated offensively as they outshot Millersville 23-4 (13-2 on goal) and had a 12-1 edge in corner kicks.
Women’s volleyball
Hosting Elmira College on Wednesday, the Wildcats fell, 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-14). Stephanie Coldsmith, of Gettysburg, was a leader in all categories for Penn College with 10 digs, three blocks and kills, two aces and one assist.
At the Lycoming College Classic on Friday, Penn College fell to Pitt-Bradford, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-20), and Allegheny College, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-11). Against Pitt-Bradford, Coldsmith had four kills and eight assists while Julia Kocher, of Centre Hall, had 12 digs and Flecia Webber, of West Perry, had 11 digs. Against Allegheny, Coldsmith had seven assists and Kaitlyn Young, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, 13 digs.
Completing play in the Lycoming College Classic on Saturday, the Wildcats fell to York College, 3-0 (25-9, 25-12, 25-13), and Elizabethtown, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-8), to drop to 1-10 overall. Against York, Webber and Young each had 20 digs. Against Elizabethtown, Webber had 14 digs and Coldsmith, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, had 11 assists and 10 digs.
Cross-country
Chris Traugher, of Bath, ended 64th in 32:05 to lead the Penn College men to a 14th place finish in an 18-team field. Jessica Weigand, of Montoursville, led the Penn College women with a 91st place finish in 33:31 as the Lady Wildcats ended 15th in an 18-team field.
PENN COLLEGE SCHEDULES
Men’s, women’s cross-country
Saturday, Sept. 12 – at Misericordia University, men finished 14th in an 18-team field, women finished 15th in an 18-team field
Saturday, Sept. 19 – at Penn State Abington
Saturday, Sept. 26 – at Lock Haven University
Men’s soccer
Overall record: 2-4
NEAC record: 0-1
Sunday, Sept. 6 – at Alfred University, L, 4-0
Wednesday, Sept. 9 – at King’s College, L, 3-0
Friday, Sept. 11 – at Morrisville State College (NEAC), L, 5-0
Sunday, Sept. 13 – host Westminster College, noon
Friday, Sept. 18 – host Gallaudet University (NEAC), 2:15 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 20 – host Wilson College (NEAC), 11 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26 – host SUNY Poly (NEAC), noon
Women’s soccer
Overall record: 1-2-1
NEAC record:1-0
Sunday, Sept. 6 – host Gwynedd Mercy University, L, 3-1
Friday, Sept. 11 – at Morrisville State College (NEAC), W, 1-0
Sunday, Sept. 13 – host Westminster College, 2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18 – host Gallaudet University (NEAC), 4:15 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 20 – host Wilson College (NEAC), 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 – at Penn State Harrisburg
Saturday, Sept. 26 – host SUNY Poly (NEAC), 2 p.m.
Women’s volleyball
Overall record: 1-10
Wednesday, Sept. 9 – host Elmira College, L, 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-14)
Friday, Sept. 11 – at Lycoming College Classic vs. Pitt-Bradford, L, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-20)
Friday, Sept. 11 – at Lycoming College Classic vs. Allegheny College, L, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-11)
Saturday, Sept. 12 – at Lycoming College Classic vs. York College, L, 3-0 (25-9, 25-12, 25-13)
Saturday, Sept. 12 – at Lycoming College Classic vs. Elizabethtown College, L, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-8)
Friday, Sept. 18 – vs. Keuka College at Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19 – vs. Cazenovia College at Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), 10 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19 – vs. Wells College at Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), noon
Saturday, Sept. 26 – vs. Morrisville State (NEAC), 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26 – vs. SUNY Poly (NEAC), 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27 – vs. SUNY Cobleskill (NEAC), 11 a.m.
Men’s tennis
Saturday, Sept. 12 – host Wilkes University, ppd.
Sunday, Sept. 13 – host Wilkes University, 2 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 17 – host Lebanon Valley College, 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 24 – at Misericordia University, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27 – host King’s College, 10 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3 – host Susquehanna University, noon
Wednesday, Oct. 7 – host Lycoming College, 4 p.m.
(end of fall season)
Women’s tennis
Saturday, Sept. 12 – host Wilkes University, ppd.
Sunday, Sept. 13 – host Wilkes University, 2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18 – at Lebanon Valley College, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 – host Summit University, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27 – host King’s College, 10 a.m.
Monday, Sept. 28 – host Misericordia University, 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2 – at Lycoming College, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3 – host Susquehanna University, noon
(end of fall season)
Golf
Wednesday, Sept. 16 – at Keuka College, 11 a.m.
Sunday-Monday, Sept. 20-21 – at Penn State Harrisburg
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 25-26 – at SUNY Cobleskill
Tuesday, Sept. 29 – at Susquehanna University
Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 12-13 – USCAA National Championships at State College
