Weekly sports update: Results from January 15th to January 21st
by Geoff Hassard - WPI Sports Information Director
Wrestling (5-1)
The wrestling team has begun 1999 the way it ended 1998 as they won a pair of meets over Southern Maine and American International College.
Against Southern Maine WPI began with a couple of forfeit wins for Lance Baden (Framingham, Mass.) and Daryl Retzke (Wheaton, Il.). Willie Welsh (Jamesport, N.Y.) won at heavyweight 12-0 for a quick 16-0 lead for the Engineers. WPI would win the meet 33-14 with other wins coming from Aaron Becker (Coventry, R.I.), Bill Osmer (Concord, N.H.), Matt McCarthy (Malden, Mass.) and DC Lashmit (Marlboro, Mass.).
Last Wednesday WPI traveled to Springfield to take on the Yellow Jackets and came out with a hard fought 21-19 win. Mike Duff (Cantebury, Conn.) picked up a forfeit win at 125 lbs. while Becker, McCarthy and Justin Lutz (Walpole, Mass.) won decisions. Joe Tucker (Barre, Vt.) pinned his opponent to earn 6 important points.
Women's Basketball (7-6)
The women's basketball team split two games last week with a win against Pine Manor and a loss in their NEWMAC opener to Smith College.
Against Pine Manor WPI had control from the start as they raced out to 42-20 halftime lead. In the second half the Engineers didn't let up and cruised to a 79-38 victory. Freshman Jody Kenniston (Old Town, Maine) led the way with a career high 22 points. She also grabbed 6 rebounds and had 4 steals. Lynn Michalenka (Lincoln, R.I.) had 14 points and Beth Gilbert (Killingly, Conn.) added 10 points. Rachel Zimet (Trumansburg, N.Y.) was awesome on the boards with 13 rebounds.
Last Tuesday WPI opened their conference schedule with a game at Smith. The Engineers trailed at halftime 37-25 on 25 percent shooting. In the second half they made a run at the Pioneers, but fell short 72-63. Kenniston was the top scorer with 20 points followed by Michalenka with 14 points. Zimet registered double figures in rebounds again with 10 boards.
Men's Basketball (2-8)
The men's basketball team is still looking for their first win of the new year as they dropped two games last week to Salve Regina and Wheaton on the road.
Against Salve Regina the Engineers trailed 39-28 at halftime. The Seahawks lit it up in the second half for the 90-74 win. The hosts shot 55 percent from the floor for the game while outscoring WPI 22-5 from the free throw line. Matt Bielik (Webster, Mass.) was the only player to register double figures with 22 points to lead WPI.
Last Tuesday WPI played Wheaton College for the first time as conference opponents. The Lyons hit 11 three-point baskets in the game which proved to be the difference in a 86-67 win. WPI was led by Gregg Burnett (Phillipston, Mass.) with 15 points. Bielik had 12 points and 11 rebounds while Tim Briggs (Rutland, Mass.) came off the bench to score 10 points.
Women's Swimming (0-6)
The women's swim team was back in action from the holiday break at UMass-Dartmouth. The hosts took this one 156-81. Freshman Kate Johnson (Hamden, Conn.) was a double winner for WPI taking first place in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke. Both relay teams were victorious as well. Stephanie Janeczko (Wood Ridge, N.J.), Jenn Brandl (Lynn, Mass.), Nancy Bedrossian (Seekonk, Mass.) and Jill Hubbard Ballston Lake, N.Y.) won the 200-yard medley relay to begin the meet. Lynn Hull (Greenbelt, Md.), Liz Hart (Delmar, N.Y.), Becky Thibeault (Ashland, N.H.) and Jen Wright (Keene, N.H.) ended the meet with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Men's Swimming (2-3)
The men's swim team put together a solid effort and pulled out a 116.5 to 115.5 win over UMass-Dartmouth to begin the new year. Sophomore Andy Kern (Ellensburg, Wash) led the way as a double winner for WPI. He won both the 100 and 200-yard freestyle events. Senior co-captain Bill Sullivan (Attleboro, Mass.) won the 100-yard butterfly. Jon Prusak (Easthampton, Mass.) won the 100-yard backstroke and Jason Walonoski (Winsted, Conn.) won the 100-yard breastroke. Sullivan was also part of the winning 200-yard medley relay team the was victorious with Scott Lombard (Berwick, Pa.), Jeff Alcorn (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) and Kevin Keenaghan (Rumford, R.I.).
Men's Indoor Track
WPI continues to have athletes competing this winter in indoor track. On the 16th they were at Williams to compete in a quad meet with Middlebury and Bowdoin. Top finishers for WPI included: Dave Bowler won the pole vault; Jeff Coleman was second in the 55-meter hurdles, third in the long jump and fourth in the 55-meter dash; Kendell Clark was third in the high jump; Kevin Gallerie was fourth in the high jump; Matt Linnemann was fourth in the 600-meter run and Brian Burwick was fourth in the triple jump.
