Category Archives: volleyball

Weekend Preview – November 2, 2013

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Two Muhlenberg teams will be competing for the Centennial Conference championships, two others have already qualified to do so, and two more will try to play their way in. Plus, football’s Homecoming and the start of winter sports.

Cross Country at McDaniel for Centennial Conference Championships (Saturday, 11:00 and 12:00)

The Mules will face strong competition at the conference meet, including several nationally ranked teams in both the men’s and women’s races. Last year, the women finished fourth and the men fifth.

Complete preview: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/athletics/fall13/1031.html

Meet site: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/sports/wxc/2013-14/cc-champs/index

Volleyball vs. Swarthmore (Saturday, 12:00); vs. Moravian (Saturday, 4:00)

Muhlenberg (18-10, 7-2) hosts two important matches – for different reasons – on the final day of the regular season. The Mules have clinched a CC playoff berth and can land a bye to the semifinals (where they would face McDaniel) if they can beat Swarthmore (15-11, 3-6). A loss could drop Muhlenberg to the 4-5 match, which it would host on Wednesday.

In the second match, the Mules will be playing for school pride (and possibly its first 20-win season since 2001) against a 10-20 Greyhound squad that had lost nine in a row heading into a Friday night match. Moravian took a 3-2 lead in the Matte Award race with a women’s soccer win on Wednesday, and the volleyball team has a chance to even the standings up.

Muhlenberg trails the all-time series against both Swarthmore (17-16) and Moravian (40-9) and has lost five straight to both.

Live stats (both Muhlenberg matches): http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/vblive/topview.htm

Football vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 1:00)

Although it’s Family Weekend at Muhlenberg, it’s homecoming weekend for the football team, which has not played a home game in almost a month. The Mules (5-2, 4-2) have won each of their last three games by at least 20 points and will look to continue their roll.

Dickinson (3-4, 3-3) has the third-best rushing attack in the CC and attempted only seven passes in last week’s 38-31 win against McDaniel. But the Devils’ starting quarterback, who ranks second among CC QBs in rushing yards, was injured last week. Muhlenberg is second in the CC against the run, allowing only 114.4 yards per game.

The Mules lead the all-time series, 41-25-2, and have taken 12 of the last 14 meetings, including a 61-21 win last year and a 12-0 shutout in the snow two years ago.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm

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

Despite losing four in a row, Muhlenberg (6-10-1, 4-5) can clinch a CC playoff berth for the second straight year by defeating Bryn Mawr in its regular-season finale. If the Mules win, they will travel to either McDaniel or Dickinson for a first-round game on Wednesday.

The Owls (2-14, 0-9) are winless in their last 17 CC contests and have scored only four goals all season, but they recently snapped a 13-game losing streak with an overtime win against Moravian, a team Muhlenberg just lost to.

Muhlenberg has won 19 straight meetings against Bryn Mawr to take a 20-2 series lead. The Owls have been shut out in their last eight trips to Allentown, dating back to 1996.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

Field Hockey vs. Haverford (Saturday, 6:00)

Muhlenberg (8-8, 6-3) is in the CC playoffs for the first time since 2007 and, unless nationally ranked Ursinus unexpectedly loses to last-place Swarthmore, will face Haverford in a first-round game on Wednesday. The winner of this contest will get to host the rematch.

The Fords (9-7, 5-4) have clinched their fifth straight playoff berth; they reached the CC championship game in 2010 and last year. A Mule defense that is second in the CC in fewest goals allowed in league games (11) faces a Haverford offense has scored 14 goals in its last three games.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 15-11, but Haverford has won four of the last five meetings.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Men’s Soccer at McDaniel (Saturday, 3:30)

Muhlenberg (8-7-1, 3-4-1) needs a win and lots of help to make the CC playoffs. But in such a competitive league, almost every game is close and anything is possible.

First and foremost, the Mules must defeat last-place McDaniel (7-6-3, 1-5-2). The Green Terror started off the season with five straight wins, earned a regional ranking and was 6-1-3 a month ago but has lost five of its last six.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 32-7-1, and has never lost to McDaniel: The Mules’ last series loss came in 2001 when the school was still known as Western Maryland. In 11 meetings since, Muhlenberg is 10-0-1 with a 18-1 scoring margin.

Live stats: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/livestats/landing

Wrestling at Monarch Invitational (Saturday, 9:00)

Muhlenberg opens its 2013-14 season with its annual trip to King’s for a 12-team tournament.

Results (to be updated throughout the day): http://eztourns.com/2013listings.php

Weekend Preview – October 26, 2013

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weekend previewOne Muhlenberg team has already qualified for the Centennial Conference playoffs, and three others will try to improve their chances on the second-to-last week of the regular season in all sports except football – which travels halfway across the state for an intriguing matchup.

Field Hockey vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 1:00)

Pink will be all around in the only home event of the weekend as the Mules raise money for the National Foundation for Cancer Research. The game will be played with a pink ball, and Play4theCure bracelets and t-shirts will be sold.

Play 4 Pink

Although Muhlenberg (7-7, 5-3) is in hot pursuit of a CC playoff berth, this isn’t the key game it might seem to be. Win or lose, the Mules (barring an unexpected result elsewhere) will still have to defeat Haverford in next Saturday’s regular-season finale to nail down the playoff spot. A win would put Muhlenberg in better position to host a first-round game, and it would also give the Mules a strong confidence boost.

Easier said than done. Ursinus (11-3, 7-1) is ranked 15th in Division III and is coming off a 4-3 win against ninth-ranked TCNJ. The Bears’ only two Division III losses are by one goal to the teams ranked sixth and seventh, and they are second in the country in scoring, averaging five goals per game.

Muhlenberg beat Ursinus in the first meeting between the two schools in 1980 but is still looking for its second series win. Although the Bears have won all 11 meetings since joining the CC in 2003, the last two games (both 2-1) were close.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Football at Juniata (Saturday, 12:00)

This is a very different Juniata squad from the one the Mules have defeated handily every year since the teams became CC foes in 2007. The Eagles, who won a total of 10 games the last nine years, are 4-2 and poised for their first non-losing season since 2002.

Muhlenberg (4-2, 3-2) comes in with a hot defense, having allowed only one offensive touchdown in the last two games, and will face a hot quarterback in Ward Udinski, who accounts for 75 percent of the Juniata offense. The three-time CC player of the week was responsible for all four touchdowns in a 28-7 win against previously undefeated Ursinus last week, and stopping him will be of paramount importance for the Mules.

In its last two games, Muhlenberg has used a long punt return by Cody Geyer to grab the momentum, and the Eagles are vulnerable in that area – they’re allowing a CC-worst 17.5 yards per punt return. The Mule offense, meanwhile, has scored at least 30 points in eight of its last 11 regular-season games. Juniata is second in the CC in sacks but gives up 28.0 points per game.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/juniata.portal

Men’s Soccer at Ursinus (Saturday, 12:00)

Muhlenberg (7-7-1, 2-4-1) is in dire need of a win to keep its CC playoff hopes alive. Ursinus (7-7-1, 3-3-1) has been one of the surprises teams in the CC this year, posting wins against nationally ranked Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall and tying nationally ranked Swarthmore earlier in the season. The Bears have tailed off a little, however, dropping three of their last four CC games.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 47-10-5, and is 19-0-1 against Ursinus since the start of CC play in 1993. The Bears haven’t defeated the Mules since 1984.

Live stats/video:http://livestats.prestosports.com/ursinus/

Women’s Soccer at Ursinus (Saturday, 3:00)

The Mules (6-8-1, 4-4) are tied for fourth place in the CC and can clinch a home playoff game for the second straight year by winning their final two games – this one, and a home contest against Bryn Mawr (1-13, 0-8) next Saturday. A loss or a tie in Collegeville could lead to Muhlenberg missing the playoffs entirely.

Ursinus (6-8-1, 2-5-1) is out of the playoff picture and hasn’t won at home since August 30. But the Bears have three one-goal losses and a tie against playoff contenders, and they also lost by just one goal to regionally ranked Scranton.

Last year, Muhlenberg posted a 1-0 win at Ursinus in the final game of the regular season to clinch a home playoff game. The Mules lead the series, 14-6, but the Bears have won six of the last 11 meetings, and the last four were all decided by one goal.

Live stats/video: http://livestats.prestosports.com/ursinus/

Volleyball at E-town October Classic: vs. Elizabethtown (Saturday, 2:00); vs. Penn State Altoona or Stevens (Saturday, 4:00)

A playoff berth already in the bag, the Mules (17-8) take a break from CC play to compete in a four-team tournament. Host Elizabethtown is 15-12, while Penn State Altoona is 14-10 and Stevens is 22-5 and ranked second in the New York Region by the NCAA.

Live stats (Elizabethtown match only): http://www.sidearmstats.com/etown/wvball/

Weekend Preview – October 18-19, 2013

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weekend previewFootball and cross country return to action after a week off, and the other fall teams gear up for a playoff push two weeks before the end of the regular season.

Field Hockey at Gettysburg (Friday, 3:30)

The Mules have it all in front of them as they seek to earn a postseason berth. Muhlenberg (5-7, 4-3) and Gettysburg (8-4, 3-3) are tied in the loss column (along with 3-3 Haverford) for fourth place in the Centennial Conference, two games behind third-place Ursinus. The last three CC opponents for the Mules? Gettysburg, Haverford and Ursinus.

Gettysburg is second in the CC in scoring, averaging 3.8 goals per game, and has scored at least four in every game of its current five-game winning streak. Muhlenberg has allowed only 12 goals in its last 10 games, with three shutouts in the last four.

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 17-6, and has won the last five meetings since Muhlenberg’s 2-1 overtime victory in the last game of the 2007 regular season. Three of those five games were decided by one goal.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/gettysburg.portal#

Volleyball vs. Gettysburg (Saturday, 12:00); vs. St. Lawrence (Saturday, 4:00)

Muhlenberg (15-7, 5-1) and Gettysburg (12-10, 5-1) are tied for second place in the CC. If Johns Hopkins beats Haverford Friday night, that will become a three-way tie. The Mules have won nine of their last 11 matches, while the Bullets bring in a three-match winning streak.

Gettysburg holds a 26-2 series lead. The Mules’ lone wins came in their two playoff seasons. In 2001, they defeated the Bullets in the regular season but lost to them in the CC championship match, and in 2009, they pulled out a five-set win in the regular-season finale.

The second match has less riding on it but is interesting for the fact that Muhlenberg will take on St. Lawrence (located in Canton, N.Y., near the Candadian border) exactly one week after facing Millsaps (located in Jackson, Miss.). To drive from one school to the other would take about 22 hours.

Live stats (both matches): http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/vblive/topview.htm

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

Even though the Mules (6-7-1, 4-3) lost to Swarthmore on Wednesday night, they should be in good position for a playoff berth if they can win two of their last three games. The first one won’t be easy: Gettysburg (10-1-3, 5-1-1) has outscored its opponents by a 31-5 margin this year and received two votes in this week’s D3soccer.com poll.

Gettysburg holds a 15-7-2 series lead and has won the last three meetings, all by shutout. Muhlenberg’s last series win was a 2-1 home victory in 2009.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

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

Far and away the top two programs in the 21-year history of the CC, Muhlenberg (7-5-1, 2-2-1) and Johns Hopkins (5-6-2, 2-2-1) are two of the five teams in a logjam in the middle of the CC standings. The Mules, playing their final home game of the season, are coming off a stretch in which they went 3-1-1 while playing four teams that were regionally ranked at the time of the game.

These two teams are no strangers to each other. The Blue Jays lead 15-10-4 in a series that includes eight postseason meetings. All but one of the Mules’ 10 wins have come in Allentown, including a 2-0 shutout last year.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

Football at Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)

All 10 CC teams return to action after the league-wide bye, and Muhlenberg will try to repeat its second-half effort of last year, when it averaged 40.0 points a game in winning its last five regular-season contests.

On the surface, it looks like the Mules (3-2, 2-2) have a good chance to put up a lot of points against a Gettysburg (3-2, 2-2) defense that is allowing 35.0 points and 504.2 yards per game. But Muhlenberg, which is averaging 37.8 points per game, has had notorious trouble offensively at the Battlefield, scoring only 30 points in its last four visits.

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 43-33-1, but Muhlenberg has won 10 of the last 13 meetings.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/gettysburg.portal#

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

This will be the first race in two weeks for the men’s team and the first in nearly a month for the women. For both teams, it will be the final tuneup for the November 2 CC Championship meet.

Men’s Golf at RU-Camden Scarlet Raptors Fall Invitational (Friday, 12:30)

Muhlenberg closes out its fall season with a trip to South Jersey. Last month, Rutgers-Camden won the Muhlenberg Invitational.

Play of the Week – October 7-13, 2013

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The latest play of the week is not one play but a series of plays.

Holly HynsonThe Muhlenberg volleyball team had lost to Haverford every year since 2001 and was in danger of losing the first set in last Wednesday’s match. The Fords led 24-20 before serving into the net on their first set point.

What came next was an incredible comeback by the Mules. The video begins with back-to-back kills by Holly Hynson (right) and a Haverford attack error that tied the match at 24.

A Muhlenberg error gave the Fords their fourth set point, but the Mules netted the last three points to close out the set. A kill by Katherine Boll was followed by another one from Hynson, and Boll combined with Erin Murphy on a block to cap the comeback.

To see the final six points of Muhlenberg’s set-ending 7-1 run, click here: volleyball comeback vs. Haverford

The Mules went on to win the match in five sets, snapping their long drought against Haverford and moving to 5-1 in the Centennial Conference.

Athletes of the Week – October 7-13, 2013

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Although it was Fall Break at Muhlenberg, there was no break from noteworthy performances by Mule athletes.

Katherine BollFemale Athlete of the Week – Katherine Boll, Volleyball

Boll hit .365 and averaged 2.20 kills and 0.80 blocks per set in a 3-2 week for the Mules. She had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 blocks in a five-set defeat of Haverford – Muhlenberg’s first win against the Fords since 2001. The 10 blocks made her the first Mule to reach double figures since 1997. Boll also hit .571 with 18 kills in 28 attempts in a five-set win vs. Millsaps.

Danny PintoMale Athlete of the Week – Danny Pinto, Soccer

In his first two starts of the season, Pinto allowed only one goal (on a penalty kick) while making nine saves in a win and a tie against a pair of regionally ranked teams. Pinto stopped one shot in a 2-1 win against TCNJ before recording a career-high eight saves in a scoreless tie at Haverford.

Athletes of the Week - Oct. 14, 2013

 

Weekend Preview – October 11-13, 2013

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weekend previewA weekend of Fall Break events kicks off with a team ranked No. 1 in Division III coming to Muhlenberg for the second time in four weeks. Another Mule team also plays a defending Centennial Conference champion, while a third takes a little trip.

Field Hockey vs. Franklin & Marshall (Friday, 7:00)

Franklin & Marshall (10-1, 5-0) scaled to the top of the Division III poll when Montclair State, which had been ranked No. 1 since the start of the season, suffered a 3-2 loss to Rowan. The Diplomats are the first Centennial Conference field hockey team to be ranked No. 1 since Ursinus in 2007, but their stay will be a short win, as they lost 5-1 to 12th-ranked Messiah on Wednesday.

The defending CC champion, F&M has won 28 straight CC regular-season games.

Muhlenberg (4-6, 3-2) is coming off to back-to-back shutout wins against Bryn Mawr and Washington and scored 10 goals in the two games after netting only six in its previous five. The Mules are undefeated (3-0) at home this year.

F&M has won the last four meetings to extend its series lead to 14-6-1. Each of the last two years, the Mules hung tough with a Diplomat squad that was ranked in the top five in Division III, falling 3-1 both times.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Men’s Soccer at Haverford (Saturday, 3:30)

Always known for its extreme competitiveness, the Centennial Conference may be heading to new levels this year: Through the first four games of the league season, no team has won more than half of its contests, and the first eight teams in the standings are separated by a mere two points.

Muhlenberg (7-5, 2-2) and Haverford (8-3, 2-2) are two of the teams in the thick of things. The Fords won their first Centennial Conference championship last year and are currently ranked seventh in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Mules are coming off a win against regionally ranked TCNJ.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 22-14-3, and had won the last 10 meetings before the Fords took last year’s game, 1-0.

Live stats: http://www.haverford.edu/athletics_stats/soccerm/statslive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/haverford.portal#

Women’s Soccer at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 3:30)

One goal might be enough to win this one – Muhlenberg (5-6-1, 3-2) and Franklin & Marshall (4-3-3, 2-1-2) have scored only 10 and nine goals, respectively, this season, and last year they played to a scoreless draw.

As in men’s soccer, the Centennial Conference is very competitive in women’s soccer. F&M is coming off a loss to McDaniel, who Muhlenberg beat, while the Mules just lost to Haverford, who the Diplomats tied.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 16-4-2, but has won only one of its last four games in Lancaster.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/fandm.portal#

Volleyball at Rhodes Fall Break Classic: vs. Birmingham-Southern (Saturday, 4:00); vs. Rust (Saturday, 8:00); vs. Millsaps (Sunday, 4:00); vs. Rhodes (Sunday, 6:00)

The Mules weren’t singing the blues after defeating Haverford for the first time since 2001 on Wednesday; in fact, they probably wouldn’t have even needed a plane to fly to Memphis. Their four-day stay includes trips to the Brooks Museum of Art and Rock N’ Soul Museum in addition to four matches.

Muhlenberg (12-5) brings a six-match winning streak to Tennessee. Three of its opponents – Birmingham-Southern (14-4), Millsaps (11-9) and Rhodes (4-14) compete in the Southern Athletic Association. Rust competes as an independent.

Live stats (all matches): http://www.sidearmstats.com/rhodes/wvball

Live video (all matches): www.collegetvticket.com

 

 

Play of the Week – September 30-October 6, 2013

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Cody GeyerThe temperatures on Saturday made it feel more like July than the first week of October, and the hottest play of the week was a sizzling punt return by junior Cody Geyer of the football team.

With the Mules trailing 5-0 six minutes into the second quarter and desperately needing a spark, Geyer provided it, racing 82 yards from the Muhlenberg 10 to the Susquehanna 8 to set up the game’s first touchdown two plays later. The Mules closed out the half on a 17-0 run and went on to win, 38-18.

Geyer set a school record in the game by averaging 35.0 yards on four punt returns, and he was named Centennial Conference special teams player of the week.

For a video of Geyer’s punt return, and other highlights of the football game from Service Electric TV2’s live broadcast, click here: http://youtu.be/YwIPRRnNKjo

Here’s another “MuhlBox exclusive” view of the punt return from TV2’s broadcast:

Cody Geyer punt return

The football win was one of several successful results for the Mules over the weekend. Field hockey, volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer all defeated Washington College and men’s cross country won a 42-team race, making for a near-perfect weekend, even if the weather was less than ideal for this time of year.

To see some more top plays from men’s soccer, volleyball and field hockey, click here: http://youtu.be/Inn6ynz10tk

Athletes of the Week – September 30-October 6, 2013

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There were many great performances in a strong week for Mule teams. Top honors go to …

Joanne JosephsonFemale Athlete of the Week – Joanne Josephson, Volleyball

Josephson made the most of her hits in a 3-0 week for the Mules, hitting .406 with only three errors in 32 attempts. In the two Centennial Conference matches against Bryn Mawr and Washington, she hit .524, recording six kills in only nine attempts in the former. Josephson also had 8 blocks and 4 service aces in the three matches.

Jeremey ThomasMale Athlete of the Week – Jeremey Thomas, Football

Thomas filled up the stat sheet in the Mules’ 38-18 home win against Susquehanna on Saturday. He had five tackles for loss among his seven stops for a Muhlenberg defensive unit that allowed only 144 yards, nine first downs and three points. One of his tackles for loss was a sack that forced a fumble on a third-down play, and he also intercepted a pass.

Athletes of the Week - Oct. 7, 2013

Weekend Preview – October 4-6, 2013

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weekendpreview_smallThe first weekend of October includes a Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday in addition to a full slate of home events.

Field Hockey vs. Washington College (Friday, 7:00)

Muhlenberg’s Homecoming was two weeks ago, but this is the field hockey team’s homecoming. The Mules (3-6, 2-2) haven’t been at home in three weeks, playing five consecutive road games.

Their return to Scotty Wood Stadium is for a key game. Washington (3-5, 2-1) has been to the Centennial Conference playoffs each of the last three years. The Shorewomen have won the last three games against Muhlenberg to take a 12-9 series lead.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenbeg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Volleyball vs. Washington College (Saturday, 4:00); vs. Hood (Saturday, 4:00)

Dig for a CureMuhlenberg will be hosting a tri-match while Digging for a Cure: All of the Centennial Conference volleyball teams are joining forces again this year to raise money for Tanner’s Touch, a non-profit organization that raises money for pediatric cancer research. Teams are collecting pledges for each dig recorded in a preselected match.

The Mules’ designated match is against Washington, and it’s an important one between two teams looking to reach the upper echelon of the CC. The upstart Shorewomen (12-5, 2-1) have already swept two 2012 CC playoff teams (Gettysburg and Swarthmore). With a win, Muhlenberg (9-5, 3-1) will improve to 4-1 at the midpoint of the CC season for the first time since 2001.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series against Washington, 18-2. Hood, the Mules’ second opponent, brings a record of 4-10.

Live stats (Washington match only): http://washcoll.prestosports.com/sports/wvball/live_stats

Football vs. Susquehanna (Saturday, 1:00)

Last year, Muhlenberg lost at Susquehanna, 17-0, for its first shutout loss in a Centennial Conference game since 1996. The Mules hope to avoid a repeat and head into the bye week on a winning note.

Even though the Crusaders are winless, they were leading in the fourth quarter of one of their losses and tied in another. They have already used three starting quarterbacks this season and rolled up 544 yards of total offense at Gettysburg last week.

Muhlenberg (2-2, 1-2), which has scored at least 58 points in each of its two home games, will try to take advantage of a Susquehanna defense that is allowing more than 480 yards per game. The Mules lead the all-time series, 11-10.

Live TV: Service Electric TV2

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

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

Muhlenberg is playing at home for only the third time this season, and the first in two weeks. The Mules (4-5-1, 2-1) have never lost to the Shorewomen (3-4-2, 0-2), outscoring them by a 50-3 margin in 15 meetings.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

Men’s Soccer vs. Washington College (Saturday, 4:00)

It’s been a very balanced season in the Centennial Conference; only a third of the way through, no team has an unblemished record and every team has at least one point. Of the 15 league games to date, only one was decided by more than one goal.

So even though the Mules (5-5, 1-2), coming off back-to-back games against teams ranked in the top 20 in Division III, have a 23-1-2 series lead against Washington (5-4-1, 0-2-1), expect a close game. The Shorewomen lost only 1-0 to nationally ranked Franklin & Marshall and tied regionally ranked McDaniel.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Cross Country at Paul Short Run (Saturday)

One of the largest cross country meets in the country, the 40th Paul Short Run will include more than 6,000 runners from over 450 teams in 14 races. It will be largest field the Mules have run in this year, and it will be on the same course as their other big meet, next month’s NCAA Mideast Regional.

Men’s Tennis at Oneonta State (Saturday, 12:00); Men’s Golf at Mason-Dixon Classic (Saturday-Sunday)

Men’s tennis wraps up its fall season with a trip to New York, while men’s golf heads south for a two-day tournament hosted by McDaniel.

Weekend Preview – September 28-29, 2013

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weekendpreview_smallMuhlenberg faces nationally ranked opponents in football and men’s soccer on the last weekend in September.

Men’s Soccer vs. Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 7:00)

This is not what the doctor ordered for the Mules (4-4, 0-1), who have lost three in a row and scored only one goal in their last 280 minutes. Franklin & Marshall (7-0-1, 1-0) is ranked in the top 15 in both Division III polls and is one of only two teams in NCAA men’s soccer that is unscored upon this season. (The other is Division II Lander.)

The Diplomats lead the all-time series, 30-27-5, but the Mules have the upper hand since the start of Centennial Conference play, 13-7-2, including two postseason wins. F&M’s last win in Allentown came in 2005.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Field Hockey at Dickinson (Saturday, 11:00)

The Mules (2-5, 1-1) are playing the fourth of five consecutive road games and will try to reverse the outcome of the first three, all of which they lost 2-1. Dickinson (5-2, 2-0) has already matched its Centennial Conference win total from a year ago, including a 1-0 defeat of 2012 CC finalist Haverford. Muhlenberg won last year’s game, 4-0, to extend its series lead to 18-12-1.

Football at Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 2:00)

These two teams have dominated the Centennial Conference since 2000, with Johns Hopkins going 70-24 (.745) and winning or sharing eight titles and Muhlenberg compiling a record of 66-28 (.702) with seven titles. No other CC team has a higher winning percentage than .553 during that span.

Hopkins (3-0, 2-0), ranked 13th by the AFCA and 16th by D3football.com, has won 23 of its last 24 CC games and is averaging 537.7 yards per game while allowing just 236.3. The only negative stat for the Blue Jays is their minus-4 turnover margin. The Mules are a CC-best plus-7.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 23-21-1, but Johns Hopkins has won the last two meetings.

Live stats: http://www.hopkinssports.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mfootbl.html?event=1258893

Live video: http://www.hopkinssports.com/allaccess/?media=398643

Volleyball at Dickinson (Saturday, 2:00)

The Mules (7-5, 1-1), coming off Wednesday’s sweep of Scranton, will try to avenge a disappointing five-set loss to the Red Devils last year. Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 18-14, but has not won in Carlisle since 2001. Dickinson (5-8, 0-2) was swept by Haverford and Swarthmore in its first two Centennial Conference matches of the season.

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

One of Muhlenberg’s biggest victories last year en route to the playoffs was a 1-0 win in Carlisle. Dickinson had defeated the Mules five straight times, once in the 2009 CC semifinals. This year, Muhlenberg (3-4-1, 1-1) will try to snap a two-game losing skid against a Red Devil (4-3-2, 0-0-2) squad that has been shut out in its last three games.

Men’s Tennis at ITA Southeast Regional (Saturday-Sunday)

Muhlenberg travels to Mary Washington for a weekend tournament.

Tournament site: http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=143809