The Vermont Senior Games Association will stage its inaugural Women’s 3-on-3 Basketball Championships on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at the Rutland Recreation Community Center.
Female masters athletes ages 40 and up were invited to compete in the team tournament. There will also be an individual Basketball Shooting Skills competition that consists of players attempting 25 free throws, and 15 three-point shots from five stations around the arc.
Vermont Senior Games medals will be awarded to the top three teams in each five-year age bracket, and the top three individuals, also by five-year age groups, in each aspect of the Shooting Skills competition.
The Vermont Senior Games (formerly the Green Mountain Senior Games) has hosted men’s basketball tournaments since 1991. This is the first time ever for a senior women’s tournament in Vermont. VSGA’s games coordinator, George Moltz, is in charge of the event.
The athletes that are set to compete are Middlebury’s Laura Emilo, Pittsford’s Erica Raiche, Lebanon, Connecticut’s Anne-Marie Paradis, Bristol’s Abigail Everitt, Rutland’s Liz Yaddow, Wallingford’s Rory Scully, Dracut, Massachusetts’ Becky Landers, Saratoga Springs, New York’s Erica Knolhoff, North Clarendon’s Tiffany Corey Esslinger, West Rutland’s Christina Raiche Cacciatore, Middlebury’s Jennifer Heath, East Lyme, Connecticut’s Amy Jacobitz, Newtown, Connecticut’s Jennifer Nicoletti, East Lyme’s Ann Grubb, Woodbury, Connecticut’s Kelly Fengler, Nyack, New York’s Cynthia Klebon, Woodbury’s Christie Koukopoulos, Ludlow, Massachusetts’ Lynda Collins, East Hampton, Connecticut’s Deb McKinney, Ledyard, Connecticut’s Phillistine Walker, Weathersfield, Connecticut’s Doriene Wester, Waterford, Connecticut’s Jo Ann Deloge, Old Saybrook, Connecticut’s Chris Kelly, Vernon, Connecticut’s Linda Blozie, Columbia, Connecticut’s Linda Plankey, Coventry, Connecticut’s Nancy Popelski-Smith, Charlton, Massachusetts’ Debra DiGangi and Somers, Connecticut’s Pat Haines.
ALPINE SKIING
Nationals
BEND. Ore. — The USCSA Alpine National Championships continued on Thursday with slalom races.
In the women’s race, Vermont State University Castleton’s Emilie Stene was fourth with a two-run time of 1:34.25 and teammate Andrea Rodriguez was sixth in 1:35.73. Castleton had the third best time as a team.
The women of Castleton claimed four of the top 30 spots in the individual overall standings for the week. Stene posted 46.87 race points to take third, earning her third First Team USCSA All-American Honor of the week, and the sixth of her career. Rodriguez followed behind in fifth with 51.60 race points, also earning First Team All-American Honors, claiming her third honor of the week. Pomi clinched 22nd with 147.46 race points, and Hollister rounded out the Spartans with 187.42 race points, to take 30th out of 142 racers.
As a team the Spartans finished second overall, taking second in giant slalom and third in slalom. Rocky Mountain College claimed first overall, taking first in both events, with Babson College taking third and Clarkson University taking fourth out of 27 teams.
In the men’s race, Castleton’s Sondre Anderson was 10th in 1:25.88, while Aksel Stroem-Hansen was 12th in 1:26.92 and Valero Echegoyen was 15th in 1:27.73.
Andersen and Stroem-Hansen sit in the top half of the overall individual leaders, with 143 racers in total. Andersen finished 10th overall with 50.20 race points, earning him his third USCSA All-American honor of the week. Stroem-Hansen finished 12th overall with 62.53 race points, also earning his third USCSA All-American honor of the week, making it his seventh in his impressive three year career as a Spartan.
The Spartans finished sixth as a team in the combined standings, ninth in giant slalom, and fourth in slalom. Rocky Mountain College occupies the top spot, taking first in both events, with Babson College second in the combined standings, taking second in both events and Northern Michigan University taking third in both events and the combined standings.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Norwich 15, Castleton 4
NORTHFIELD — The Vermont State University women’s lacrosse team fell to Norwich University under the lights at Sabine Field Thursday evening, 15-4.
The Spartans found themselves in an early deficit as Norwich came out firing, scoring eight goals in the opening quarter. Castleton got on the board in the final seconds when Brianna Paul netted an unassisted goal to make it 8-1 heading into the second.
Renny Cota added to the Spartans’ tally midway through the second quarter, but the Cadets continued to apply pressure, extending their lead 10-2 by halftime. The third quarter saw Norwich add two more goals while holding Castleton scoreless, pushing the deficit to 12-2 entering the final frame.
The Spartans battled in the fourth, with Paul converting on a player-up opportunity and Cota adding her second of the game trail only by nine. However, Norwich closed out the contest with two more goals to secure the 15-4 victory.
The Spartans (1-5) will return to action on Monday, when they travel to Potsdam, N.Y. to take on SUNY Potsdam for a 4 p.m. matchup.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Castleton splits
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The VTSU Castleton softball team earned a 7-0 win against Gwynedd Mercy, but fell to Mississippi University of Women by the same score.
In the first game, Castleton jumped out to a 5-0 lead through three innings and cruised to the win.
Taylor Russell drove in two runs for the Spartans, while Alex Brouillette tossed a three-hit shutout in the circle.
In the second game, MUW scored all seven runs across the fourth and fifth innings. Russell, Madison Gould and Jordan Hill had a hit apiece for Castleton.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Lyndon 6, Middlebury 4
MIDDLEBURY — The Vermont State University Lyndon baseball team used a five-run fifth inning to jump in front of Middlebury College, then held off a late Panther rally to come away with a 6-4 non-conference victory on Thursday afternoon.
With the win, the Hornets improved to 2-5 on the season, while Middlebury, the defending New England Small College Athletic Conference champions, fell to 4-4. The win was also Lyndon’s first in any sport over a NESCAC opponent since at least 2008, when the Hornet athletic program rejoined the NCAA.
Neither team was able to generate much offense through the first three innings, as Lyndon starter Nathan Bigelow) kept the Panthers off the scoreboard and didn’t allow a hit, while three Middlebury hurlers tossed a scoreless inning apiece. After the Hornets went down in order in the top of the fourth inning, Middlebury broke the tie in the bottom of the frame when Kyle McCausland launched a ball over the left field wall to put the Panthers in front, 1-0.
Lyndon finally got their offense going in the top of the fifth inning against Zander Gilmartin, the fifth Panther pitcher of the day. Dale Ostermann drew a walk leading off, then EJ Camden followed with a base hit to center field. Carter Paquette then tripled down the right field line, driving in Ostermann and Camden and giving Lyndon the lead. Sean Dunton then drove in Paquettte on a fielder’s choice when Paquette beat a throw home. After Evan Duncan reached on an error, Kearson Grisham beat out a bunt to load the bases. Matt Gonyeau drew a walk to drive in Dunton and chase Gilmartin. Oscar McCandless came in for Middlebury and got Poultney’s Ryan Alt to ground into a double play, but Duncan scored in the process, giving Lyndon a 5-1 lead.
Bigelow was cruising on the mound for Lyndon, with McCausland’s home run the only Middlebury hit through six innings.
Bigelow picked up the win to go to 2-0.