Women’s Soccer Tops Mount Holyoke, 4-2Men’s Water Polo Takes Second at Division III Eastern ChampionshipBrown’s Big Day Carries MIT Past Salve Regina, 34-19
Women’s Soccer Tops Mount Holyoke, 4-2
Assisting on the Engineers’ first two goals, Alisha D. Lussiez ’12 capped the scoring with a beautiful individual effort as MIT defeated Mount Holyoke College, 4-2.
Playing in front of its largest crowd of the season, MIT grabbed an early advantage in the pivotal conference match with a goal in the 12th minute. Lussiez set-up the finish with a pass to sophomore Edith R. Reshef ’11, who converted her second goal of the season for the 1-0 lead.
The Engineers extended their lead in the 30th minute as Lussiez delivered a great through ball that was picked up by sophomore Claire M. DeRosa ’11, who turned her first goal of the campaign into a 2-0 lead for MIT.
Junior Perry Markell sliced the deficit in half by getting Mount Holyoke on the board in the 62nd minute. Scoring from just outside the box, the unassisted marker rejuvenated the Lyons’ attack and set the stage for a wild finish.
MIT secured some much-needed breathing room as Kathryn A. Pesce ’10 scored her first marker of the year in the 73rd minute. Pesce’s blast from 35 yards out sailed over the head of Lyons’ netminder Elaine Harvey as the Engineers moved ahead, 3-1.
Mount Holyoke rookie Emily Lomax scored her first career goal in the 85th minute to cut the deficit to one goal. MIT freshman Lussiez sealed the Senior Day victory by dribbling through two defenders en route to her team-leading seventh goal of the season with 39 seconds left in regulation.
—James Kramer, DAPER Staff
Men’s Water Polo Takes Second at Division III Eastern Championship
After winning their first two games at the Division III Eastern championships, the MIT men’s water polo team fell to host Johns Hopkins University, 20-15, in the tournament final. The Engineers have now finished second to the Blue Jays at the championship four times in the past five years.
As the tournament’s number-two seed, MIT opened up play against Washington & Jefferson on Saturday afternoon. The Engineers opened up a 7-3 halftime advantage, before defeating the Presidents 17-6. John V. Preis ’11 led the MIT attack with six goals and Michael R. Smith-Bronstein ’09 added four. Columbus P. Leonard ’12 had nine saves while surrendering just four goals.
The Engineers returned to the pool later that night to take on Penn State Behrend, outlasting the Lions in a high-scoring affair, 21-15, to earn a berth in Sunday’s championship game. Mark E. Artz’s ’10 four goals led a balanced scoring attack for MIT. The win ensured that MIT and Johns Hopkins would meet for the tournament championship for the 13th time.
Sunday’s final was a high-scoring, physical tilt that saw the teams combine for 29 ejections. MIT jumped out to an early 3-1 lead, but Hopkins rallied for a 9-6 halftime advantage. Despite drawing a pair of penalty throws, the Engineers could not close the gap, dropping a 20-15 decision to take second place in the tournament.
Smith-Bronstein and Preis were named First Team All-Tournament and Devin M. Lewis ’10 made the Second Team.
—Greg McKeever, DAPER Staff
Brown’s Big Day Carries MIT Past Salve Regina, 34-19
DeRon M. Brown ’10, who entered Saturday’s tilt as the nation’s leading rusher, rushed for 248 yards and four touchdowns to lead MIT to a 34-19 win over Salve Regina University in New England Football Conference Boyd Division action at Toppa Field.
The Engineers defense—led by junior Steven M. Nunez’s ’09 13 tackles (10 solo)—held Salve Regina to 6-of-17 on third-downs and 4-of-9 on fourth downs. MIT also sacked Seahawk junior QB Jeff St. Onge three times, including two by freshman Jared M. Darby ’12.
The Seahawks struck first, taking a 6-0 lead on a 12-yard scoring pass from St. Onge to classmate Ben Hall. The Engineers tied the game at six just 39 seconds into the second half when Brown capped a 19-play, 60-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. After a quick three-and-out by the Seahawks, Brown scampered 68 yards for a touchdown to put MIT in front 13-6 with 11:26 remaining in the half.
Salve Regina tied the game at 13 with 5:26 left in the half, but MIT closed the half with a 10-play, 58-yard drive that Robert C. Utz ’09 polished off with a five-yard touchdown run that gave MIT a 20-13 halftime lead.
In the second half, Brown’s third rushing touchdown of the afternoon put the Engineers in front 27-13 in the third quarter. Less than two minutes later, St. Onge hooked up with junior Matt Shubert on a seven-yard touchdown pass that closed the gap to 27-19. The PAT following the score was blocked. On the ensuing drive, Brown capped a three-play, 46-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run, bringing his season total to 21 and putting a close to the scoring.
—James Kramer, DAPER Staff