The Pioneer Trail: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015

2/22/2015 12:36:00 PM

Women's Swimming at Metropolitan Conference Championships
Through two days of competition, the LIU Post women's swimming team has a commanding lead over all of its opponents at the Metropolitan Conference Championships in Piscataway, N.J. With just a few more events left in the meet, the Pioneers are that much closer to leaving Rutgers with a third straight Metro crown. 

The green and gold have totaled 876 points through 27 events, which is nearly 300 points more than the total of second-place TCNJ (596.5). The Pioneers scored three victories on the second day of competition, and posted six more NCAA provisional qualifying times. Juniors Seren Jones (Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom), Joyce Kwok (Middle Village, N.Y.), and Meghan Brazier (West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) teamed with senior Carolin Rademacher (Isernhagen, Germany) to clock a winning time of 1:42.83 in the 200-yard medley relay. That time proved to be good enough for an NCAA provisional qualification. Rademacher went one-two with freshman Christina Garcia Mauri (Malaga, Spain) in the 400-yard individual medley, as both swimmers set NCAA qualification standards in the race. Rademacher posted a first-place time of 4:22.56, while Garcia Mauri sported a 4:30.81 in the medley.

Kwok led a parade of Pioneers in the 100-yard butterfly, clocking an NCAA qualifying time of 53.96 to win the event. Finishing second and sporting an NCAA qualifying times as well wasfreshman Laura Bendfeldt (Grosshansdorf, Germany) (57.24). Junior Marthe Soerensen (Stavanger, Norway) touched the pad in third, just four-tenths of a second behind her teammate.

Day three of competition will see the team compete as individuals in five events, including the 100-yard and 1650-yard freestyle races, and 200-yard swims in the backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly disciplines. The 400-yard freestyle relay will also be contested.

Men's Lacrosse vs. Roberts Wesleyan - 2:30 p.m.
A trip to Maryland yielded positive results for the LIU Post men's lacrosse team. Now sporting a No. 2 ranking in the latest Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Division II rankings, and retaining the third spot in the most recent USILA poll, the Pioneers will host their first of six home contests this season. The green and gold will open ECC play by facing Roberts Wesleyan at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium.

LIU Post (1-0) defeated tenth-ranked Queens (N.C.) by a 12-8 scoreline on Saturday (Feb. 14) in a game played in Severna Park, Md. The Pioneers scored nine goals in the middle two quarters to turn back the upset-minded Royals in the contest. Junior attackman Matt Bellando (Miami, Fla.) put together a star-studded debut in a green and gold uniform, scoring five goals and assisting on a tally by senior midfielder Connor Drost (Wading River, N.Y.). Junior middie Anthony Berardis (Mahopac, N.Y.) and senior attacker Chris Caiazza (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) scored two goals apiece while Drost had a team-high four assists. Junior goalie Adam Winne (Ridgefield, Conn.) made eight saves in the season-opening victory, as the Pioneers' defense held Queens (N.C.) to just 13 shots through three quarters of action. LIU Post, meanwhile, sported a total of 50 shots in the contest, and 29 shots on goal while senior FOGO Dan Jeannotte (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) won 14-of-21 faceoffs in the win.

Roberts Wesleyan (1-1) split its first two games of the season, losing its most recent contest to Wheeling Jesuit on Wednesday (Feb. 18) by a 14-4 scoreline. Junior attacker Dom Cianfranco (Oswego, N.Y.) and sophomore attackman Matt Benedict (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) both scored twice to provide the only offense for the Redhawks in the contest. Wheeling Jesuit outscored Roberts 11-1 in the middle two quarters to put the game away, as sophomore goalkeeper Keith Keehn (Penfield, N.Y.) made 13 saves in the cage on defense.

Through two games, Benedict leads the Redhawks with 11 points (4G, 7A) while Ciamfranco has a team-high eight goals. The next-leading scorer is junior middie London Booker (Gates, N.Y.), who scored four goals in the team's 17-9 win at Ohio Valley on Tuesday (Feb. 17). Junior midfielder Seth Miller (Spencerport, N.Y.) is the main face-off taker for Roberts Wesleyan, winning 50% (24-48) of his draws, and scooping up a team-high 11 ground balls. 

In three all-time meetings, Roberts Wesleyan has not gained a victory over LIU Post. Junior attacker Ryan Slane (North Babylon, N.Y.) scored a career-high seven goals and ten points in the most recent match-up, which the Pioneers won 15-2 in Rochester on March 15, 2014.