Category Archives: volleyball

Monday Morning Mule – November 3, 2014

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Monday Morning MuleThe Muhlenberg athletic logo is a kicking Mule, and on Saturday the kicking Mule on the football team had an extraordinary day.

Senior Connor Winter broke the school records for career field goals (28) and points by a kicker (207) in a 34-20 win at Dickinson. Despite  winds that threatened to make adventures out of normally routine kicks, Winter was perfect on all six of his tries (four extra points and two field goals).

Winter, who did not kick as a freshman (he lettered as a punter), has improved every season and is having an outstanding senior year. He is 38-for-39 on extra points and 12-of-14 on field goals, including a career-long 49-yarder, to lead the high-scoring Mules with 74 points.

Only three Division III kickers have made more field goals this season, and Winter is tied for third in the nation in points scored by a kicker.

Here’s a closer look at Winter’s record 28 field goals:

by distance

  • 0-19 yards: 1 in 1 attempt
  • 20-29 yards: 10 in 13 attempts
  • 30-39 yards: 11 in 16 attempts
  • 40-49 yards: 6 in 11 attempts

by site

  • home: 12 in 17 attempts
  • away: 16 in 24 attempts

by quarter

  • first: 3 in 4 attempts
  • second: 13 in 17 attempts
  • third: 4 in 9 attempts
  • fourth: 8 in 11 attempts

by year

  • 2012: 7 in 11 games
  • 2013: 9 in 11 games
  • 2014: 12 in 8 games

And here is a breakdown of Winter’s record 207 points:

winter_recordsby opponent

  • McDaniel – 32
  • Dickinson – 28
  • Johns Hopkins – 24
  • Gettysburg – 21
  • Juniata – 20
  • The Apprentice School – 16
  • Moravian – 15
  • Susquehanna – 14
  • Franklin & Marshall – 12
  • Ursinus – 11
  • Wilkes – 10
  • Delaware Valley – 3
  • Salisbury – 1

Winter is 123-for-127 on extra points for his career and needs just two more made PATs to break that school record. He has been kept scoreless only once in the last three years, in a 17-0 loss at Susquehanna in 2012, and is tied for 19th (fourth among kickers) on the Centennial Conference all-time scoring list.

Playoff Pressure: If it seems like the Mule soccer and field hockey teams have played a lot of overtime games this year, they have.

Women’s soccer is 3-1-2 in overtime this year, men’s soccer is 1-1-2 and field hockey is 3-0. Last week there were four games at Varsity Field, and three of them went into overtime.

Add in volleyball, which has played six five-set matches, and there have been plenty of dramatic, heart-stopping moments for Muhlenberg fans since the end of August.

Now that playoff season is upon us, where the games are tensely contested and against quality opponents, be forewarned that there could be more of the same.

Men’s soccer, which has won four consecutive games by one goal for the first time ever, lost its last Centennial Conference playoff game, 2-0 to Dickinson in 2011. Of the 14 other CC playoff games the Mules have played, half went to overtime, with four ending in a “Golden Goal” and three going to penalty kicks, and three were decided in regulation by one goal.

Women’s soccer is playing in the CC first-round game for the sixth time. Of the first five, three were 1-0 games, one finished 2-1, and the other, played last year at McDaniel, was a scoreless tie. Muhlenberg won the shootout to advance to the semifinals.

Field hockey and volleyball have less of a history of close postseason contests. Field hockey has never gone to overtime in its five all-time CC playoff games. Volleyball has played five CC playoff matches, with one ending in a sweep and the other four going four sets.

Regardless of how close the playoff contests turn out to be, the best part is that Muhlenberg will be involved. Since the CC went to postseason tournaments for all sports in 2001, this is the first time the Mule have qualified all four of their fall teams.

Weekend Preview – November 1, 2014

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weekend previewThe first day of the 11th month brings the start of fall championship season, the last day of the regular season for four playoff-bound teams and the beginning of the winter season.

Women’s Soccer vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 1:00)

Playoff positioning is on the line for both teams in this game. The Mules (11-4-2, 6-3) have already clinched a playoff berth and can secure a first-round bye with a win or a Dickinson loss at Franklin & Marshall. A tie and a Dickinson win makes the Mules the fourth seed and gives them a home playoff game on Wednesday, while a loss could drop them to the fifth seed.

Ursinus (8-6-2, 5-2-2) gets in the playoffs with a win. The Bears can also claim a berth with a tie and help.

Muhlenberg, ranked ninth in the region by the NCAA, has won five of its last six, while Ursinus has rebounded from a 5-0 loss at Swarthmore to win its last three.

women's soccer seniorsThe Mules, who will honor seniors Colleen Touhey, Krissy Fioretti, Leah Messler, Anna Martens and Audrey Zamichow, lead the all-time series, 14-7, but Ursinus has won three of the last four meetings.

Live stats | Live video

Men’s Soccer vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 6:00)

Muhlenberg has already nailed down a spot in the CC semifinals and a rematch with Dickinson next Saturday. The 11th-ranked Mules (11-1-2, 6-1-1) will try to stay sharp against an Ursinus (6-7-3, 3-4-1) squad that needs a win and some help to earn its first-ever CC playoff berth.

The Bears are a tough team to figure out. They are in contention for a spot despite being second from the bottom in goals allowed in CC play (17). They led first-place Franklin & Marshall 1-0 at the half before falling 2-1 but they also lost 4-1 to a Gettysburg team that has only one other CC win.

The Mules are undefeated (9-0-1) at Varsity Field this season and will try to send off seniors Travis Wantchekon, Lance Dotzman, Oliver Katz, Joe Adams, Danny Pinto, Joey Roberts, Colin Maehler and Bryan Attanasio with another home win.

men's soccer seniorsMuhlenberg holds a commanding 48-10-5 series lead, including a 20-0-1 mark since the start of CC play in 1993. The tie came in 2006, and Ursinus’ last series win was in 1984. Oddly, the teams have not played in Allentown since 2009. They were scheduled to in 2011 but the game was moved to the Bears’ turf field after the “Snow-tober” storm.

Live stats | Live video

Cross Country at Centennial Conference Championships (Saturday, 11:00)

The Muhlenberg teams travel to Haverford to compete in the 22nd CC meet. The CC is typically highly competitive in cross country, and this year should be no different. The top three men’s teams in the regional rankings are all from the CC, and on the women’s side, four of the top five teams in the region are CC squads.

Both Mule teams finished fifth at the CC meet last year.

Meet site

Field Hockey at Ursinus (Saturday, 12:00)

Both teams are locked into their CC playoff spots: Ursinus, ranked sixth in Division III, is the top seed and host for the tournament, while Muhlenberg is the third seed and will face Franklin & Marshall in a semifinal game.

Both teams are ranked in the South Region – Ursinus second and Muhlenberg fourth – and can use this game to strengthen their chances for one of the few available at-large bids should they fail to win the championship.

The Bears (13-3, 9-0) are third in Division III in scoring, averaging 5.13 goals per game, while the Mules (12-3, 7-2) are 11th nationally in goals-against average (0.98).

Muhlenberg defeated Ursinus for the first time since 1980 last year, overcoming a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win.

Live stats | Live video

Football at Dickinson (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg (6-1, 5-1) goes for its fourth win in a row in a game that features the top two running backs in the CC. Dickinson junior Cedric Madden averages 108.3 yards per game, while Mule freshman Max Cepeda is at 98.3 and has rushed for 100 yards or more in five of his six starts.

Defensively, the Red Devils (3-4, 3-3) give up over 400 yards per game. The Mule defense, on the other hand, is 12th in Division III against the run. This game caps a three-week stretch in which the Mules have faced a quarterback who ranks in the top 10 in the CC in carries. They held the first two to a combined 4 yards on 29 carries, forcing both teams to pass.

Muhlenberg did not force any turnovers in last week’s 42-13 win against Juniata and will try to grab some loose balls against Dickinson, which is a CC-worst minus-8 in turnover margin.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 42-25-2, and has won the last four meetings, the last two by a combined scored of 103-24.

Live stats/video

Volleyball at Stevenson (Saturday, 12:00); vs. Lynchburg (Saturday, 2:00)

While its playoff fate will be determined by the Swarthmore-Haverford and Gettysburg-Johns Hopkins matches, Muhlenberg (24-5) travels to Maryland for a pair of non-CC contests.

Stevenson (25-5) is ranked fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Lynchburg is 16-11.

Live stats/video (both matches)

Wrestling at King’s Monarch Invitational (Saturday, 9:00)

Muhlenberg opens up its season at a 16-team tournament.

Results page

Weekend Preview – October 24-25, 2014

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weekend previewPlayoff berths are ready to be clinched for Muhlenberg teams on the second-to-last weekend of the regular season for most sports.

Field Hockey vs. Gettysburg (Friday, 7:00)

Muhlenberg will celebrate its nine seniors – Samantha Swire, Kayleigh Thies, Christine Germaske, Lauren Jordan, Sierra Lenker, Ray Gallagher, Meghan Gill, Allie Califano and Heather Porrini (left to right below) – before taking on Gettysburg in its final Centennial Conference home game of the season.

fhseniors14The seniors have led the transformation of a program that was 2-14 the year before they arrived to one that is receiving votes in the national poll, is regionally ranked by the NCAA and is on the verge of clinching a CC playoff berth.

The Mules (10-3, 6-2) are tied in the loss column with McDaniel for third place in the CC and can earn a spot in the playoff field with a win and the right combination of results on Saturday. With first-place Ursinus looming in the regular-season finale next Saturday, this game is an important one for Muhlenberg to win.

Gettysburg (4-9, 2-5) has struggled this season, its only CC wins coming against Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr, who are both winless.

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 17-7, and had won five meetings in a row before Muhlenberg’s dramatic 3-2 victory – on a goal by Califano with 23.3 seconds remaining – last year.

Live stats | Live video

Football vs. Juniata (Saturday, 1:00)

Two of the top quarterbacks in the CC will be on display as Muhlenberg plays at home for the second week in a row.

The Mules’ Nick Palladino leads the CC in touchdown passes (11) and leads all NCAA quarterbacks in pass attempts without an interception (195). Juniata’s Ward Udinski is on pace to become the first player in CC history to lead his team in rushing and passing all four years.

Muhlenberg (5-1, 4-1) has done a good job on Udinski the last three years, holding him to 32 rushes for 68 yards and 59-115 passing for 569 yards with six interceptions and only one TD.

Juniata (3-3, 2-3) had a breakout season last year, going 7-4 and earning an ECAC bowl bid, but started slowly this season. The Eagles announced their presence last week, however, rolling past previously undefeated Ursinus, 38-10. The Mules are coming off their own big win, 47-6 against a hot Gettysburg team.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 9-0, and has won all seven meetings by at least two touchdowns since Juniata joined the CC in 2007.

Live stats | Live video

Service Electric will broadcast the game live on Channel 50, and the replay will be on Channel 2 on Sunday at 4:00.

Women’s Soccer at Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)

Coming off a road win against a regionally ranked opponent, Muhlenberg will get a crack at another one.

Gettysburg (10-3-1, 6-0-1) is ranked fifth in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the NCAA and has allowed only one goal in CC action this season. The Bullets come in with a six-game winning streak, although four of the six wins were by a single goal.

The Mules (10-3-2, 6-2) have won four in a row and are alone in third place in the CC. They can clinch their third straight playoff berth with a win or a tie. Muhlenberg has been stingy as well, allowing only one goal during its current streak.

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 16-7-2, and has won the last four meetings, all by shutout.

Live stats/video

Volleyball at Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00); vs. Messiah (Saturday, 3:00)

Muhlenberg (22-4, 6-2) and Gettysburg (18-8, 5-2) are two of the three teams (along with Johns Hopkins) tied in the loss column for third place in the CC, making this a very important match.

The Mules, ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region, have dropped their last two CC matches but can clinch a playoff berth with a won. The Bullets, who have made the CC tournament every year there’s been one, have won three in a row, including a five-set thriller at McDaniel on Wednesday.

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 26-3, but Muhlenberg won last year’s meeting in four sets. The Mules have never defeated the Bullets at Gettysburg.

The second match pits Muhlenberg against Messiah (21-6), which is ranked ninth in the region and had won 10 in a row before getting swept by Lebanon Valley on Wednesday.

Live stats/video (both matches)

Men’s Soccer at Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 5:00)

Two regionally ranked opponents will square off when Muhlenberg travels to Baltimore to play at its least favorite CC site.

The Mules (9-1-2, 4-1-1) are ranked fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Region and 13th nationally by D3soccer.com. A win would give them double digits in victories for the eighth straight year and, more importantly, clinch a playoff berth.

Johns Hopkins (8-4-2, 2-3-1), ranked sixth in the region, is winless in its last three CC games, but the two losses were one-goal setbacks to nationally ranked CC co-leaders Franklin & Marshall and Dickinson.

Since the start of CC play in 1993, Muhlenberg has not defeated Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field, although most of the games have been close. The Mules’ last three trips have resulted in two scoreless draws and a 1-0 loss. The Blue Jays lead the all-time series, 16-11-3, and won last year’s meeting, 3-1.

Live stats/video

 

Monday Morning Mule – October 20, 2014

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Monday Morning MuleIt was not exactly the type of game you’d expect from Muhlenberg men’s soccer.

For years, the Mules have been characterized by a stingy defense. Until Saturday’s epic 4-3 win against Haverford, they had allowed more than two goals in a Centennial Conference regular-season game only twice since 2005, both times in 3-1 losses. They had never played a CC game in which both teams scored at least three goals.

In fact, they hadn’t played any games with three goals on each side since 2004. To find the last 10 such games in team history, you’d have to go back 36 years:

  • 2004 won vs. DeSales, 4-3
  • 2000 won vs. Delaware Valley, 5-3
  • 1995 tied Elizabethtown, 3-3
  • 1992 won vs. Colorado College, 4-3 in overtime
  • 1989 won vs. Scranton, 4-3
  • 1987 tied Johns Hopkins, 3-3
  • 1987 won vs. Allentown, 5-3
  • 1981 tied FDU-Madison, 4-4
  • 1980 tied Gettysburg, 4-4
  • 1978 lost vs. Franklin & Marshall, 4-3

What made Saturday’s game even more memorable was that the Mules allowed three consecutive goals and trailed 3-1 before pulling off an improbable comeback, scoring three goals in the final 17:06.

“I’ve never experienced a game like that in my collegiate career, let alone in my entire soccer career,” commented senior back Oliver Katz.

As it turns out, neither has any Muhlenberg men’s soccer player in a long time. Although the Mules were undefeated in the last nine games on the above list, they did not face a two-goal deficit in any of them. They did come back from three one-goal deficits in the 2004 DeSales game, scoring the tying and winning goals in the last 7:06.

The available records prior to the mid-1980s do not list times of goals, only how many goals were scored in each half. The most recent possibility for the Mules to lose a lead, then overcome a two-goal deficit to win was a 1976 game against Moravian in which they trailed 2-1 at the half and won 5-4 in regulation.

Oliver Katz“Once down 3-1, the chances of coming back to tie the score at 3-3, let alone win the game, did not seem realistic,” admitted Katz (right). “However, as play progressed, there was a feeling in the air that something would happen. We picked up the intensity, started playing as a team instead of trying to come back as individuals, and started to create chances. We knew one goal would come if we remained focused, and it was only a matter of time, which is what happened.”

Muhlenberg erased 2-0 second-half deficits to win 3-2 against Ursinus in 2001 and Johns Hopkins in 1999, the latter game coming when Hopkins was ranked third in Division III. As recently as 2010, they climbed out of a 2-0 hole to tie New Jersey, 2-2.

But what happened Saturday is special indeed. Then again, the 9-1-2 Mules, who had not played with a deficit all season before the Haverford game, have some special qualities.

“Through my first three years at Muhlenberg, we would not have come back,” noted Katz. “Our heads would’ve gone down and our response to losing a 1-0 lead would not have been positive.

“This team is resilient. We are a young team that has the ability to string goals together, so being down by two goals with 25 minutes left against a very good team is not as daunting a task as it might have been. Our chemistry this year is unbelievable, on and off the field. This resiliency, chemistry and talent level allowed us to come back.”

Volleyball: While men’s soccer played a high-scoring game on Saturday, volleyball was at the other end of the spectrum, winning its third set against Marymount by a score of 25-5.

Since 2008, when sets went from 30 to 25 points, it was only the fourth time the Mules held a team to five points or fewer in a set:

  • 2014 vs. Marymount, 25-5 (third set)
  • 2013 vs. Rust, 25-5 (third set)
  • 2012 vs. NYU-Poly, 25-3 (second set)
  • 2008 vs. Medaille, 25-5 (fourth set)

What makes Saturday’s accomplishment significant was that it came against a strong Marymount team that had a record of 22-5. By comparison, Rust was winless at the time of last year’s match, NYU-Poly finished 13-25 in 2012, and Medaille was 8-20 in 2008.

Football: Sophomore Nick Palladino extended his streak of passes without an interception this season to 195 in Saturday’s 47-6 win against Gettysburg.

No NCAA quarterback has thrown more passes this year without getting picked. In second place is top Heisman Trophy contender Marcus Mariotta of Oregon, with 188.

Muhlenberg is one of only 10 teams in all four NCAA Divisions (six in Division III, one in Division II, two in FCS and one in FBS) that has not thrown an interception this year.

Palladino wears number 14, and the reverse – 41 – came into play yet again when the Mules played Gettysburg, this time as the margin of victory. From 2000 to 2002, in a remarkable coincidence, the Mules blanked the Bullets by the same score (41-0) in three straight meetings. In 2003, Muhlenberg won 26-15 (41 total points). The margin might have been 41 again in 2006, but Muhlenberg returned a fumble for a touchdown as time expired and the extra point was not attempted, leaving the final score 54-14.

Weekend Preview – October 18, 2014

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weekend previewAll seven Muhlenberg fall sports teams are in action tomorrow, with two returning home after long breaks and another going on the road to face a top-10 team.

Football vs. Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg (4-1, 3-1) returns from its bye week for its first home in three weeks. Its opponent? A red-hot Gettysburg team that has averaged 36.3 points and 501.3 yards in winning its last three games.

The Bullets (3-2, 3-1) have also been strong on defense; they rank 18th in Division III in rushing defense and have held their last three opponents under 100 yards.

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 43-34-1, but Muhlenberg has won three of the last four meetings overall and the last eight at Scotty Wood Stadium. The last two series meetings in Allentown were memorable, with the Mules winning 33-27 in overtime in 2010 and 35-31 on a fake field goal in 2012.

Muhlenberg is 7-1 following its bye since 2006 and is one win away from 500 all-time.

Live stats | Live video

Women’s Soccer vs. Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 1:30)

Coming off a win against two-time defending Centennial Conference finalist Haverford, the Mules (8-3-2, 4-2) look to improve their playoff chances with another home win.

Franklin & Marshall (1-11, 0-6) has lost 10 in a row, but its record is a bit deceiving due to a very strong schedule. The Diplomats have had a bit of trouble finding the back of the net, scoring only four goals all season. Muhlenberg has seven shutouts in 13 games this season and has blanked its last two opponents.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 17-4-1, but is only 4-3-1 in the last eight years. The Mules won last year’s game, 1-0.

Live stats | Live video

Men’s Soccer vs. Haverford (Saturday, 7:00)

Two regionally ranked teams eying playoff berths should make for a competitive game.

Haverford (8-4, 3-2), ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region, was the top seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs last year. The Fords have played the sixth-toughest schedule in Division III.

Muhlenberg (8-1-2, 3-1-1), ranked fourth in the region and 17th nationally by D3soccer.com, will be playing at home for the first time in 18 days. The Mules rank 15th in Division III in goals-against average (0.52) and are one of 17 teams in Division III with fewer than two losses.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 22-14-4, including a 17-2-2 margin since the start of CC play. One of the two losses (1-0 in 2012) and one of the two ties (scoreless last year) have come in the last two seasons, however. The Mules have not lost at home to the Fords since 1969.

Live stats | Live video

Field Hockey at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 12:00)

Muhlenberg puts its five-game winning streak on the line against a Franklin & Marshall team that is ranked sixth in Division III.The winner of this game moves into sole possession of second place in the CC.

The Diplomats (12-1, 5-1) have won four in a row since a 5-2 setback to Ursinus, their lone loss of the season. F&M ranks ninth in Division III in goals per game (4.67) and will present a big test for a Muhlenberg defense that ranks 17th with a 0.98 goals-against average.

The Mules (9-2, 5-1) need one more win to reach double digits for the first time since 2007.

F&M has won the last five meetings to extend its all-time series lead to 15-6-1. The Mules have played the Diplomats close the last three years, losing 3-1 in both 2011 and 2012 and 2-1 last year when F&M came in ranked No. 1 in Division III.

Live stats/video

Volleyball vs. Marymount (Saturday, 3:00); at York (Saturday, 5:00)

Muhlenberg (20-3) steps out of CC play for a trimatch at York. Marymount is 22-5 and York is 9-16.

Live video

Cross Country at Gettysburg Invitational (Saturday, 11:00)

The Mules’ final tuneup for the CC Championships will be at one of the largest collegiate meets in the region, with 39 teams scheduled to compete.

Preview

World Court

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The Muhlenberg volleyball team has a short-term goal that’s not too surprising: win the Centennial Conference championship. The Mules enter tonight’s home match with Haverford in a virtual three-way tie for first place with the season’s finish line rapidly approaching.

One of the team’s seniors, Nikki Dickson, has a more unusual and ambitious long-term goal: She wants to visit at least 5% of each continent in her lifetime.

Nikki Dickson, Julia ElkinShe’s off to a good start. In Dickson and Julia Elkin, the Muhlenberg volleyball team has a pair of well-traveled senior co-captains for whom the country and the world has been their classroom.

“Every place is different,” said Dickson. “You gain such a well-rounded perspective when you see other cultures.”

“For as long as I can remember, I loved going to new places and experiencing different things,” said Elkin. “Although I am frequently busy, I get restless with my everyday routine, and traveling to new places seems to be a good antidote.”

Dickson was born in Arkansas and moved to Texas at a very young age. She stayed there through 11th grade, when her family moved to western Pennsylvania. She spent her senior year at South Fayette High School, long enough to be recruited to play at Muhlenberg. The summer before she began classes, her family was on the move again, this time to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Elkin was born in Vienna, Austria, when her father, then a professor at Purdue University, was on sabbatical. At the end of the school year, her family moved back to West Lafayette, Indiana, only to return to Vienna a few years later for another sabbatical. In 1999, when Elkin was 6, her father took a job at Penn State University, so the family moved to State College.

Pisa

Pisa

This past spring, Dickson and Elkin studied abroad together in Florence, Italy. While spending the semester there, they traveled all over Italy, taking in the Amalfi Coast, Pisa, Naples, Milan, Cinque Terre, Rome and Pompeii, among other places. They also traveled outside the country, to Munich, Amsterdam and Vienna – Elkin’s “home away from home,” where she reunited with family friends.

“The experience was truly life changing!” said Elkin. “And, although I genuinely missed my parents, teammates and friends, being at home this summer was a little bittersweet. Almost every day abroad was unfamiliar and exciting. There was always something new to try and experience.”

Both players had obstacles to overcome before they could study abroad, not the least of which was being on the volleyball team.

“I knew I wanted to study abroad when I got to college,” said Dickson. “I wanted to study in Maastricht, but you can’t as a fall athlete.” (The semester in Maastricht, the Netherlands, is offered only in the fall and is popular with spring athletes, most notably men’s lacrosse players.)

“So I had to compromise a little, but I wasn’t going to give up studying abroad. It was a lot of work, but it makes you set your priorities and work harder.”

Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast

“I knew even in middle school that I wanted to travel abroad during college,” noted Elkin. “However, once I decided to play collegiate volleyball, I wasn’t sure if a semester abroad was possible. I thought I would have to sacrifice one option for another, but thank goodness that was not necessary.

“We have a great Office of Global Education at Muhlenberg. With their help and the incredible support from my parents, I was able to achieve a long-term life goal.”

And although being abroad this past spring meant being away from their teammates during offseason workouts, it hasn’t shown on the court, where Dickson and Elkin are two of the reasons why the Mules are 20-2 and in the midst of a school-record 13-match winning streak.

So where did Dickson get her 5% idea from? That came from meeting someone while abroad who had an app called “been,” which tracks countries visited and places them on a map.

“I realized that even with all of the places I’ve traveled, I haven’t seen much of the world at all,” she said. “That made me want to travel much more.”

Dickson and Elkin are two of many Muhlenberg students who have been inspired to further travels by their study abroad experience. More than half of last year’s graduates studied abroad, according to the Muhlenberg Global Education website, which begins with the following statement: “In a world that is becoming increasingly interdependent, study abroad represents a significant means by which students may better prepare themselves to face challenges of the future.”

“It’s really cool how Muhlenberg encourages their students, and especially athletes, to study abroad,” said Dickson. “It’s such a benefit to you as a member of society.”

Monday Morning Mule – October 13, 2014

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Monday Morning MuleIn the spirit of Columbus Day, Monday Morning Mule “explores” the playoff scenarios of the Muhlenberg fall teams with three weeks to go in the regular season.

All four Mule teams in sports that have playoff qualification are very much in the thick of things, and three of them have important home contests this week.

Five teams qualify for the playoffs in each sport.

Field Hockey: Muhlenberg (9-2, 5-1) is tied for second place with four remaining league games.

The Mules trail Ursinus (11-1, 7-0), which is ranked in the top 10 in Division III, and are tied with another top-10 team, Franklin & Marshall. They have yet to play either team and are scheduled to face both on the road, F&M this Saturday and Ursinus in the regular-season finale on November 1.

Muhlenberg’s other CC games are at home against Swarthmore (1-12, 0-6) and Gettysburg (3-8, 1-4). Of the four teams with two or three CC losses, the Mules have defeated three.

Women’s Soccer: Muhlenberg (7-3-2, 3-2) is in fifth place at the halfway point of its CC season. The Mules have a crucial week ahead, with home games against 2013 CC finalist Haverford (5-4-2, 1-3) on Tuesday and Franklin & Marshall (1-10, 0-5) on Saturday.

Centennial Conference championship t-shirtsNext week, the Mules have a pair of tough road games against regionally ranked opponents Swarthmore (7-4, 2-3) and Gettysburg (7-3-1, 3-0-1). They finish up at home against Ursinus (5-5-2, 3-1-2).

Of the five teams Muhlenberg has already played, the two it lost to (Johns Hopkins and Dickinson) are a combined 21-3-1, both nationally ranked. Two of its CC wins are against Bryn Mawr and Washington, who are a combined 1-8 in the league.

The Mules’ most noteworthy result is a 1-0 overtime win against McDaniel (7-2-3, 1-1-2); the remaining games, mostly against fellow playoff hopefuls, will determine if they earn their third straight playoff berth.

Men’s Soccer: With four league games remaining, Muhlenberg (8-1-2, 3-1-1) is in sole possession of third place. Two teams are tied for first at 5-0: Franklin & Marshall, to whom the Mules lost in double overtime, and Dickinson, a home opponent on October 29.

Three of the Mules’ remaining CC games are at home; in addition to Dickinson they host Haverford (8-4, 3-2) this Saturday and Ursinus (4-6-2, 1-3-1) in the last game of the regular season on November 1.

The lone road game is at Johns Hopkins (7-3-2, 2-2-1), a place that has not been kind to Muhlenberg, next Saturday.

A win this Saturday against a Haverford team that has been in the CC playoffs each of the last three years would be a huge step for the Mules in what is likely to be a wide-open scramble for playoff berths.

Volleyball: The race for the top seed is shaping up as a three-way competition between Muhlenberg (20-2, 6-0), Swarthmore (15-4, 6-0) and Haverford (15-7, 5-0). All still have to play each other, beginning this Thursday when Haverford visits Memorial Hall.

Swarthmore hosts the other two teams, the Mules next Wednesday and Haverford in the regular-season finale on November 1.

Muhlenberg’s other remaining CC matches are at Gettysburg (15-8, 2-2) and home vs. Ursinus (13-9, 1-5). One CC win should be enough to get the Mules back into the playoffs: Since the CC started a postseason tournament in 1997, only one 7-3 team has failed to qualify, and that was only because it was a four-team playoff field.

Weekend Preview – October 11-12, 2014

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weekend previewWhile football takes its annual midseason bye and cross country has the weekend off, the rest of the Muhlenberg fall sports teams travel to the Eastern Shore of Maryland looking to boost their playoff chances as the Centennial Conference season heads toward the second half.

Volleyball at Washington College (Saturday, 12:30); vs. Lancaster Bible (Saturday, 2:30)

Both teams came out of the gates in history-making fashion this year. Washington (14-5, 0-3) won nine of its first 10 matches for the first time in 36 years but has stumbled in Centennial Conference play, getting swept by Johns Hopkins, Gettysburg and Swarthmore in its first three league matches.

Muhlenberg, on the other hand, has remained hot and enters the tri-match having won 11 in a row to tie a school record. The Mules (18-2, 5-0) are off to their best CC start ever and are tied for first place with Swarthmore (which hosts McDaniel in a huge match on Saturday) and Haverford (idle Saturday).

A sweep of Washington and Lancaster Bible (13-8) would tie this year’s volleyball squad for the second-fastest to 20 wins in a season in Muhlenberg athletic history.

Muhlenberg has a 19-2 series lead against Washington, its lone losses coming in 1994 and 2010.

Live stats (Washington match) | Live video (Washington match) | Live stats (Lancaster Bible match)

Field Hockey at Washington College (Saturday, 1:00)

The marquee matchup of the Mules’ four on the shore is this game between two of the early leaders in the CC.

Washington (10-1, 3-1) has its best record after 11 games ever, losing only in double overtime to Johns Hopkins. Since then, the Shorewomen have won five in a row, outscoring their last three CC opponents by an 18-2 margin.

Muhlenberg (8-2, 4-1) comes in with a four-game winning streak that includes two victories against 2013 CC semifinalists Haverford and 20th-ranked Dickinson. The Mules are 8-2 after 10 games for the first time since 2003.

Both Muhlenberg and Washington have received votes in the Division III poll this season.

Washington leads the all-time series, 12-10, and had taken three meetings in a row before the Mules’ 4-0 win last year. Muhlenberg has won three of the last four meetings in Chestertown.

Live stats

Men’s Soccer at Washington College (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg, ranked 20th by D3soccer.com, has experienced a little bit of everything in its four scheduled road games to date: a tie, a loss in double overtime, a game postponed due to weather and a game postponed due to field conditions. The Mules (7-1-2, 2-1-1) will look to add a win to that list.

Washington (4-6-1, 0-3-1) is winless in its last six games and has allowed a CC-high 19 goals this season. The Shoremen have long been a tough opponent no matter their record and this year is no exception; they lost by one goal to nationally ranked Salisbury and Dickinson.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 24-1-2, with Washington’s lone win coming in Allentown in 2008. Of the 10 meetings in Chestertown since the start of CC play in 1993, six were decided by one goal and one ended in a tie.

Live stats

Women’s Soccer at Washington College (Saturday, 4:00)

Muhlenberg (6-3-2, 2-2) opened the season with a school-record seven-game unbeaten streak but is winless in its last four. A win would put the Mules in the thick of the playoff race and back on track heading into Tuesday’s home game against 2013 CC runner-up Haverford.

Washington (3-6-1, 0-3) is still looking for its first goal in CC play this year and has won only once in 16 CC games dating back to the 2012 season.

Muhlenberg has won all 16 all-time meetings with Washington by a combined score of 51-3. The Shorewomen’s last goal against the Mules came in 2003.

Live stats

Men’s Tennis vs. Oneonta State (Saturday, 12:00)

The lone home event of the weekend is the last fall match of the year for men’s tennis.

Golf (Saturday-Monday)

Both teams wrap up their fall seasons this weekend. The women play at Eagle Rock Golf Club in Hazleton on Saturday, and both teams compete in the Ursinus Invitational Sunday and Monday.

Monday Morning Mule – October 6, 2014

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Dig for a CureOn Saturday, the Muhlenberg volleyball team was digging for a cure. In the picture, they are posing with the Dickinson players prior to the first of five Centennial Conference matches this month dedicated to raising funds for Tanner’s Touch, a foundation that supports pediatric cancer research and families battling the dreaded disease.

This week, the Mules will be digging for some history.

Sweeps of Moravian and Dickinson last week extended Muhlenberg’s winning streak to 10 – one short of the school record – and ran its overall record to 17-2. That made the Mules only the 10th team in College athletic history to win 17 of its first 19 contests:

  • 1944 men’s basketball 17-2
  • 1945 men’s basketball 18-1
  • 1946 men’s basketball 17-2
  • 1989 softball 17-2
  • 1989 men’s soccer 17-2
  • 1994 men’s soccer 17-1-1
  • 2001 women’s soccer 17-2
  • 2002 women’s basketball 17-2
  • 2006 women’s basketball 17-2
  • 2014 volleyball 17-2

(Special mention to the 1941 men’s tennis team, which finished its season with a record of 16-2.)

The previous nine teams were, not surprisingly, some of the most successful in the history of those programs. The three basketball teams in the 1940s all played in the NIT, which at the time was the biggest postseason college basketball tournament. The 1989 softball and men’s soccer teams both won MAC championships, while men’s soccer in 1994, women’s soccer in 2001 and women’s basketball in 2006 all captured Centennial Conference crowns and advanced in the NCAA Tournament.

As a side note, the 1989 men’s soccer team finished with a record of 18-2, which doesn’t seem possible for a team that was 17-2 and headed to the postseason. But that year the MAC championship was played after the start of the NCAA Tournament. The Mules were 17-1 before losing to Montclair State in an NCAA first-round game, then ended their season with a 1-0 defeat of Elizabethtown in the MAC title game. Elizabethtown, by the way, went on to win the national championship.

volleyball!Back to this year’s volleyball team – The Mules have three matches this week, on the road against Bryn Mawr, Washington and Lancaster Bible. If they win them all, they’ll break the school record for longest winning streak and also reach the 20-win plateau in only 22 matches. That would break the program record for fastest to 20 wins (both the 1992 and 1993 squads were 20-4) and tie for the second-fastest to win in College athletic history – second only to the 1945 men’s basketball team, which had 21 wins before suffering its second loss.

Football: Sophomore quarterback Nick Palladino was 20-of-31 for 183 yards and one touchdown in Saturday’s 24-20 win at Susquehanna. Nothing earth-shattering about those numbers, but what he didn’t do was just as significant as what he did.

Nick PalladinoFor the fifth straight game, Palladino did not throw an interception. He has attempted 161 passes this season without getting picked off.

No quarterback in Division III has thrown more passes in 2014 without an interception.

In fact, out of more than 650 NCAA football-playing schools in FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III, only one quarterback has more attempts than Palladino without throwing a pick – Cody Kessler of USC.

In the last 50 years, no Muhlenberg QB has started the first five games of the season without getting intercepted. Palladino’s streak of passes without an interception is 163, dating back to last year’s ECAC South Atlantic bowl game.

Thanks to the similarly spotless record of backup quarterback Anthony Schwab, Muhlenberg is one of 20 teams in the NCAA’s four divisions that has not been picked off this year, and again, only USC has thrown more passes. Here is the complete list, with division and total attempts:

  • Southern California (FBS) – 182
  • Muhlenberg (III) – 176
  • Oregon (FBS) – 149
  • Guilford (III) – 144
  • Widener (III) – 142
  • Pittsburg State (II) – 153
  • Washington (FBS) – 129
  • Michigan Tech (II) – 127
  • Wis.-Whitewater (III) – 120
  • Shepherd (II) – 112
  • Morgan State (FCS) – 111
  • Whittier (III) – 108
  • Montclair State (III) – 102
  • St. John Fisher (III) – 98
  • North Alabama (II) – 88
  • Air Force (FBS) – 82
  • Citadel (FCS) – 67
  • Wesleyan – Conn. (III) – 59
  • Gallaudet (III) – 28
  • Luther (III) – 11

Palladino’s streak, and the Mules’, will last at least one more week, as the team takes its bye this week before returning to action next Saturday at home vs. Gettysburg.

 

Weekend Preview – October 3-5, 2014

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weekend previewMost Muhlenberg students are going home for Fall Break this weekend, to be replaced on campus by a bunch of Devils, some of them nationally ranked. Plus, a soccer showdown between ranked teams.

Men’s Soccer at Franklin & Marshall (Friday, 4:00)

Two of the remaining 14 undefeated teams in Division III meet in a matchup that could shape the race for the top seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs. Franklin & Marshall (9-0-1, 3-0), which reached the NCAA quarterfinals last year, is ranked third by D3soccer.com and eighth by the NSCAA. Muhlenberg (7-0-2, 2-0-1) is 21st in both polls.

In the CC standings, F&M is tied with Dickinson for first place, with Muhlenberg two points back.

The two teams are tied for the fewest goals allowed in the CC. The Diplomats have outscored their opponents 23-5, the Mules 22-5.

Muhlenberg’s last game against a top-10 team was a 2-1 loss to No. 9 Swarthmore in the 2010 CC championship game. Its last win against a top-10 team was a 1-0 defeat of No. 10 Dickinson in 2009. The Mules haven’t played a team ranked in the top five since 2001 and haven’t beaten one since 1999 (3-2 vs. third-ranked Johns Hopkins).

Franklin & Marshall leads the all-time series, 30-28-5, but the Mules lead in CC play, 12-7-2. Last year, Muhlenberg won 1-0 in a game the Diplomats came into ranked 14th in Division III, undefeated and unscored-upon.

Live stats | Live video

Field Hockey vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 11:30)

So far, Muhlenberg (6-2, 2-1) has played three CC games this season, and the result of all three was the opposite of what it was last year. The Mules hope that trend continues against Dickinson, a team they lost to in 2013.

The Red Devils (9-1, 3-0) are ranked 20th in Division III and have won nine in a row since a season-opening loss to Juniata. They have allowed a CC-low seven goals in their 10 games.

Muhlenberg holds an 18-13-1 series lead and has won two of the last three meetings. The Mules have taken six of the last seven meetings in Allentown, including a 4-3 thriller in 2011.

Live stats | Live video

Volleyball vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 2:00)

Muhlenberg (16-2, 3-0) will be playing for its 10th straight win, its first 4-0 CC start since 1993 (the first year of the league) … and a little bit more. This is the annual “Dig for a Cure” Tanner's Touchmatch, and the Mules and Red Devils will be raising money for Tanner’s Touch, a foundation that raises money for pediatric cancer research at Johns Hopkins Hospital and also for families of children with cancer to offset the cost of medical treatment.

Both teams will collect donations and pledges from friends, families and team supporters for each dig they record in the match. To contribute, please contact Alexa Keckler at akeckler@muhlenberg.edu.

Dickinson comes in at 4-8 overall, 0-2 in the CC. Muhlenberg holds a 19-14 lead in a series in which five of the last 11 meetings, inlcuding the last two, have gone to five sets. Last year in Carlisle, the Mules pulled out a 15-12 win in the fifth set.

Live stats | Live video

Women’s Soccer vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 2:00)

Muhlenberg (6-2-2, 2-1) will look to snap its three-game winless streak against a Dickinson squad that is ranked 22nd in Division III by D3soccer.com. The lone loss for the Red Devils (8-1, 2-0) came to top-ranked Messiah.

Muhlenberg holds a 15-7-2 lead in a series that has seen the last four games end with a score of 1-0. The Mules won the last two, both in Carlisle and both on late goals: Two years ago, the lone score came with nine minutes left, and last year with just 15 seconds remaining. The result proved to be the difference in Muhlenberg making the playoffs as the fifth seed and Dickinson staying home.

Live stats | Live video

Football at Susquehanna (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg (3-1, 2-1) looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season against a Susquehanna (0-4, 0-3) squad hungry for its first win. The Crusaders’ last three losses were by a total of 18 points.

The Mules will try to avoid a repeat of 2012, when they were shut out at Susquehanna a week after losing at home to Johns Hopkins. They will try to take advantage of a Crusader defense that is allowing 267.0 rushing yards per game – 233rd out of 242 Division III teams. Susquehanna does rank among the Division III leaders in fumbles recovered, however.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 12-10. Last year, the Mules allowed 144 total yards and no offensive touchdowns in a 38-18 win.

Live stats | Live video

Cross Country at Paul Short Run (Saturday)

The Mules return to action after a week off at one of the largest cross country meets in the nation, with more than 5,500 runners from over 400 teams competing at the all-day event.

Meet page

Men’s Golf at Mason-Dixon Classic (Saturday-Sunday)

Muhlenberg travels to McDaniel for a two-day tournament.