Ski team takes 2nd place in MCSA Championship
Special to the Observer
Led by strong performances by Leigh Hellrung and Molly Munstrer, the Notre Dame ski team took second at the MCSA Regional Championships. St. Olaf's took home the championship.
Hellrung posted one of the best Irish performances in school history this weekend, at the MCSA Regional Championships. St. Olaf's varsity squad, ranked fifth nationally, was one of a half dozen varsity teams ranked nationally in the top 20 participating, including Minnesota, Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin LaCrosse and Northern Michigan.
With nearly 100 top varsity and club racers competing, including those from nationally ranked varsity programs, Hellrung captured silver in the slalom on Saturday.
On Sunday, Hellrung then blitzed the course and won the gold in the Giant Slalom, as she was crowned individual regional champion. The performance garnered Hellrung a trip to the Nationals at Bogus Basin, Idaho in March.
Molly Munsterer, the Irish's other reigning Divisional champion, was in seventh place after the first run and on pace to challenge teammate Hellrung in the slalom. But Munsterer had a disappointing second run. Munsterer did finish a very respectable ninth in the Giant Slalom, with Allana Lungren 23rd.
Jennifer Caswell, and Ellen Block also posted four qualifying runs for the Irish, and both finished among the top half of the field.
Women's Water Polo
A dominating performance by Lisa Thomas in goal anchored the women's water polo team, as they swept all comers this weekend in the Irish Invitational.
The Irish opened with a thriller, as Liz Parolin found the back of the net with seconds remaining in regulation to knot the score with Purdue at 7-7.
Another goal by Parolin in overtime forced the contest into sudden death, where Smith came up big with several outstanding saves and freshman Allison Gienko scored on a lob shot to clinch a 9-8 victory.
The Irish then tamed the Wildcats of Northwestern, 6-3, behind the balanced scoring of Sarah Todnem, Lauren Kuzniar, Margot Klosterman and Parolin.
The third game was another hard fought game with a third Big 10 opponent, Illinois. Bridgette Alge had an exceptional game for the Irish in hole defense, while Lauren Kuzniar exploded for five goals out of the hole as the Irish pulled away to an 8-5 victory.
In the finale, the Irish posted Angie Gaul in goal, and featured Klosterman, Katie Kleber and Deana Brewer in attack as they overwhelmed Grand Valley State, 12-1. The Irish will travel to Purdue next weekend.
Pistol
Tes Salb, Notre Dame's returning All American in pistol shooting opened her quest for the national championship with a huge win at Ohio State this weekend. Salb, a member of the varsity fencing team, finished second among all women in last year's Olympic tryouts.
This weekend Salb placed first in women's air pistol, scoring 370 of a possible 400 points.
She then went on to tie for third with a member of the Ohio State men's team in open air pistol, scoring 551 of 600. These results are expected to earn Salb a return trip to the Nationals when qualifiers are announced.
Gymnastics
Nine of the Midwest's elite teams met this weekend at the Purdue Golden Grips. An Irish team depleted by both injury and JPW managed a fourth place finish behind the efforts of Mickey McGarry and Jason Miller.
McGarry's 9.4 placed him second in the vault and an 8.8 put him fourth in the floor. Miller, still recovering from shoulder surgery, scored a 9.2 on the vault to claim sixth in the event.
Emily Smith had an outstanding meet for the Irish, as her first in the floor, second on the uneven bars and third on the balance beam, tied her for first in the all-around.
Erin Henry helped the shorthanded squad to a 115.7 result, with a fourth on the bars and a sixth in the Vault.
The Irish will compete next weekend at Indiana.
Equestrian
St. Mary's of the Woods College was the bone-chilling venue for this weekend's show, where the Notre Dame/Saint Mary's equestrians finished a strong third in a deep field.
First place ribbons were awarded to Diana Mastej in open fences and Jennifer Pojunas in Intermediate Flat, which qualified her for the Regionals.
Pojunas also placed second in intermediate fences, while newcomers Laura Anderson and Kathryn Deely both took seconds on consecutive days in Novice Fences.
In flat competition, Kelly Gentine took second in intermediates, while Mastej finished second in open.
The team is currently ranked third in the region, and will compete once more at Purdue on March 25.
Ultimate
The University of Cincinatti's Arctic Vogue, the traditional season kick off for both the men and women of the Ultimate club, was played once again in conditions that seemed arctic.
The women dropped their opening two games to Illinois, 15-7, and Ohio U., 10-8, before rebounding with a 13-6 win over Ohio State.
On Sunday, the Irish started strong, beating Michigan 5-4 behind the strong cup defense of Julie Schutte and an attack spearheaded by Mia Stephen. As all teams with members on JPW, the squad was down to eight players, including rookie Julia Dickenson, who made some key catches. Fellow rookie Naomi Cordell and Schute both played hurt in the semifinal, a 13-6 loss to Indiana.
The men salvaged a string of comeback wins as they opened the season with victories over Miami OH (13-10), Vanderbilt (13-5) and Ball State (13-10). Against the Cardinals, the Irish were down 7-2 at halftime before roaring back for eight straight scores.
The club then lost to a club team, Team Comet, 14-12, before falling to Ohio State in the playoffs, 13-3. Seven rookies debuted for the Irish.
Up next for the team, the club will travel to the warmer climes of Louisiana for the Mardi Gras Invitational.
Sailing
The Notre Dame sailing club earned the right to represent the district this year at the Charleston Spring Intersectional at the College of Charleston.
Each of the 18 districts nationally sends its best representative, and the field glittered with many of the best varsity teams in the country, including Saint Mary's, Stanford, Coast Guard and defending national champion Charleston.
R. J. Wolney and Katie Roney placed 11th in the A Division, while Jack Gaither and Amy O'Connor placed 14th in the B Division. The sailors raced 420's in this event, which signals the start of the spring season.
Men's Volleyball
A promising season slammed into a roadblock this weekend, as the Irish managed to win only one of four matches at the Midwest 10 Conference playoffs at Northern Illinois.
Seven Irish missed the contest due to JPW, forcing the squad to play shorthanded all weekend. The club opened with straight game losses to Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Ball State, before extending Wisconsin-Milwaukee to three games behind the strong play of Scott Hapemen.
Sophomores Andrew Mascarenhas and Brian Price displayed the skills that garnered them All-Conference nominations in the three game victory over Wisconsin-Whitewater. Jon Linzer, Aidas Kuolas, Chris Nickele, Jim Lowder, Corey Berghoefer and Pete Strottman all played solidly.
The Irish will return to the courts this Thursday, when they host Western Michigan at 7:30 p.m.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, February 20, 2001
