Bragging Rights Deserved

Men’s Basketball Showtime

Purchase, NY - The Valiants looked to bounce back from a 2-0 start to their season. They played their first home game against Purchase and managed to get the win in dramatic fashion with a score of 70-65. The team put on a show for the crowd to enjoy. Junior Juan Camacho was the main attraction ending the game with quite the performance. He managed to get a career-high of 22 points against the team’s local rival.

The crowd was one of the largest crowds seen at the Kennedy Gym, and it was certainly one that fed the energy back to the team. On the court the Valiants managed to steal the show during the first half of the game. Manhattanville had dominated over the opposing team which resulted in the true difference of the game.

It was in the first half that Juan Camacho made a slam dunk that made the fans stand up. It was certainly one of the most memorable moments of the game that had been captured by many smart phones in the room. If there was any moment to showoff, it was this moment. A moment played against the neighbor rival at the first home game.

The Valiants kept fighting for the lead and found themselves in multiple tie-game situations. Purchase kept themselves in the game and had managed to take the lead during the game which the Valiants quickly gained back.

Junior Anthony Maestre also complemented Camacho’s performance with his very own. He managed to help the team with 18 points as well as having six memorable assists. Maestre’s performance came in clutch during the second half of the game and helped aid the team at one point towards a 14-point lead over Purchase.

Purchase had the most points in the second half (48) but that still wasn't enough to beat the Valiants. The Valiants continued to make free-throws that helped push their lead (16-21). The game was close enough that Purchase could have ran with it but the Valiants strength proved to be better in the end.

The men’s basketball team will look to continue their winning efforts as they play their annual AJ Buchanan Classic this Friday at 6:00PM in the Kennedy Gym.

Back At It Again

Women's Basketball Season-Opening Weekend

The Manhattanville women’s basketball team has officially begun their season. They played two away games over the weekend to get their season underway. The first game resulted in a loss against Gwynedd Mercy (67-61) on Saturday. However, their efforts on Sunday helped them win their first game against Haverford (64-60).

“The first game jitters were definitely there. Everything is up for grabs, it’s in the first game that you realize that you have to intensify everything you've been practicing in the off-season,” said Shayna Robinson. “Communication is very important, all the little things matter more.”

This year the Manhattanville women’s basketball team has a handful of freshman who are getting their first taste of the collegiate life. The transition from high school sports to college sports can be tough. It is certainly a factor that comes into play when the first game of the season comes up.

The 2014-2015 season will be Shayna Robinson’s last season playing with the Valiants before she graduates in May. “After all these years things don’t change when it comes to getting back on the court. I know we tend to get ahead of ourselves but we always learn from it,” said Robinson. “I think this weekend proved that to be true.”

While they may not have managed to win the first game, they quickly managed to turn things around during the second game. They made the right adjustments and set the tone for the rest of the season to come. They had seen their strengths and weaknesses from the previous games and they acted on them.

“Everyone contributes something. I feel like the goal of every game is to win and grow as a team. Growth is important as far as a long term goal. That might not always be seen on a win-loss column,” said Shayna Robinson.

As a senior there are many things that come to Robinson’s mind when it comes to reflecting on her collegiate athletic career. “As a senior for me, every day is my last of something. I can’t take anything for granted. You start counting down the days, but at the same time I don’t want to think about how things will end,” said Robinson.

Shayna Robinson and the rest of her team looks forward to playing at home next Tuesday against Purchase. “Playing at home is different. You will go above and beyond to defend your turf. That is exactly what we plan on doing. Defend our turf,” said Shayna Robinson.  

Bittersweet Ending

Captain Reflects on Final Season 

Senior Veronica Ferreiras entered her final season as a member of the Manhattanville women’s volleyball team this year. Serving her third year as the captain of the team, Ferreiras has proven to be a valuable player for the team. She has played for the Valiants for all of the four years that she has spent at Manhattanville.  

“I finished my collegiate athletic career 10^th in single season record history for assists, and 7^th in all-time record history for assists. These records have meant a lot to me, I’ve worked hard for them,” said Ferreiras.  

Volleyball has always played a large role in Ferreiras’ life. “I started playing volleyball when I was about eight years old and have never lost the love for the game since. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to play it all these years. I am going to be 22 soon, I can’t believe how quickly time flies,” said Ferreiras. 

Ferreiras’ senior year has been one of the most memorable years at Manhattanville and also the most bittersweet one. While her personal collegiate career proved to be striking the teams that she has played for have not been able to be as successful. This season however proved to be different. This was the first season in a long time where the Valiants were close enough to make the playoffs. Unfortunately, their efforts were unable to take them that far. 

“We ended the season with a 3-4 record in conference, which was record breaking as the first time in program history since we have entered the Freedom Conference that we have won more than one game in playoffs. It was definitely bittersweet in the perspective that although we did not get as far as we should have and wanted to, we still made remarkable moves for this school's program,” said Veronica Ferreiras.   

What made matters worse for Ferreiras was the fact that she was unable to help the team try to win their last conference game, the one that would give them a playoff berth. During her senior game, Ferreiras had unknowingly suffered a concussion. She hadn’t found out until two days after the game.

“After a day of practice and speaking to the athletic trainers, I was told that there was absolutely no possibility that I would be able to play in what could have been and was my last competitive school volleyball match ever,” said Ferreiras. “It literally was heartbreaking; to know that what I have worked for my whole life to be ripped out of my hands days before it would take place was one of the most emotionally painful experiences I have ever dealt with.”

 It was certainly not the outcome that she had dreamt about, but Veronica Ferreiras was happy to be able to witness the final game and be there to support her team. Now that her collegiate athletic career is over, Ferreiras has to shift her focus on her what the future holds for her. She will be graduating in May with a psychology major, along with a sociology, and art minor.

“My plans for the future after college still are not concrete. It's honestly really hard to think about the next step after college without being completely taken back or scared. My plan as of now is to go to graduate school into the clinical psychology field. My life goal is to have my own practice and incorporate aspects of music and art therapy into my own practice,” said Ferreiras, while taking a reflecting back at her college career and looking forward to what lays ahead.

Home Sweet Home

Meaningful Home Opener Win for the Valiants

 

The Manhattanville women’s ice hockey team played their home season-opener on Friday against Nichols College. Their highly anticipated return to Playland Ice Casino had been long awaited. The team hoped to win their first game of the season at home, improving on their 0-2 start and so they did. The Valiants ended up going home victorious with a 5-0 score.

Goalkeeper Kirsten Shaughnessy successfully blocked all 13 shots that the opposing team took. On the defense, forward Kyra Herbert helped contribute to the win by scoring two valuable goals giving the Valiants three out of the five points.

“It was the best feeling ever. I haven’t been very productive in my college career so it felt good to finally contribute,” said Herbert in regards to her performance. Herbert had made some adjustments during the offseason that helped her improve her game but she mostly credited the team’s communication skills to her success.

“I lifted and played a lot this summer and fall, but really any success I had in the game or will have in the future will come from working and communication well with my teammates,” said Herbert.

A lot of motivation also has been present due to the importance that the Playland Ice Casino has played in the history of the Manhattanville women’s ice hockey. There have been several winning records from past Manhattanville teams that had been established there. One of the most impressive facts is that the women’s ice hockey teams have managed to keep their losing record at home under 20 games combined in the past ten years.

“Playland is great. The record that past Manhattanville teams have there is a huge motivator to work hard and win games,” said Kyra Herbert. “Past teams have gotten close to winning the national title so that’s a tough goal but if the Manhattanville women’s hockey team makes it that far again anytime soon, it would most likely be this year. A lot of our best players graduate this year; so if we do it, this is the year.”

As the Valiants continue to work toward maintaining their home winning-record alive, their first win has been secured. The team will play their next home game against Salve Regina this upcoming Friday at 7:00 PM

Student Spotlight: Rebecca Breve

Staying Away From What You Love

  

Soon to be an early college graduate Rebecca Breve has had her fair share of complications as a soccer player. She played for the Manhattanville women’s soccer team during her freshman and sophomore year as their forward. This season she is not playing with the team but is part of the college’s soccer club.

Soccer is fundamental is Breve’s life. “Culture wise soccer is the main sport. Everything revolved around soccer, and my family is very much involved,” said Rebecca Breve, who has been playing soccer since she was in elementary school.

One of her greatest feats was playing for the Honduras national women’s soccer team back home. When given the opportunity, Breve gave it her all. The team even managed to be a Pre-World Cup qualifier. This was huge for Honduras.

Unfortunately, Rebecca Breve had suffered an injury last year that put her soccer playing career on the line. She had shin splints and possible stress factors on her legs. “My doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to play for six months. He said, ‘you need to stop if you want to keep playing in the future,’” said Breve.

The injury also affected her playing time at Manhattanville. She decided to take a break from playing soccer and opted not to join this year’s team. “It wasn’t worth beating my legs,” Breve said. “After all, I want to be able to use and have a future using my legs.”

It is hard to stay away from the sport you love. Now Breve plays on the Manhattanville soccer club from time to time. The soccer club plays three times a week. “I play maybe once a week, every other week,” said Breve. “I just can’t stay away.”

Breve’s focus now lies on graduating. She will have finished school in three years, and she plans on becoming a physical therapist. “Growing up I wanted to be a professional soccer player, I mean who doesn’t, but now I have to be more realistic,” said Breve. “After my injury I had to make a few changes and adjustments for my future.”

Untold Story

Mville Soccer Game Turns Sour

Last Sunday, the Manhattanville women’s soccer team played a freedom conference away-game against FDU (Fairleigh Dickinson University). The result ended in a 3-2 loss against the FDU Devils. They were able to stay in the game for the majority of its duration.

The Valiants had been tied with the Devils 2-2 heading into the second half. Christie Demarco scored the Valiants first goal and her eighth of the season during the 28^th minute. The second goal came from Tori Lettieri a minute after the Devils had taken a 2-1 lead, making it a tied game.

Their downfall came at the 69^th minute mark when the FDU Devils scored taking advantage of a 3-2 lead to shut down the Valiants. After the goal, the Valiants could not come back and remained fairly quite throughout the final minutes.

While the Manhattanville women’s soccer team had lost the game, they still managed to play under various pressures. For one the FDU’s hospitality was not there and the Valiants found themselves playing through a lot of scrutiny.  

 “It wasn’t the best experience I’ve had playing on the field. There was a group of FDU students yelling at us telling us that we had Ebola because we came from New York,” said one of the players who wish to remained unnamed.

The group of students that were bashing the team appeared to be heavily under the influence and singled out players by their name. They read the names that were on the program and yelled them out and verbally insulted each one of them.

“One of our players is Ethiopian and she was being accused of having Ebola, which was absolutely absurd. I don’t think that joking about the matter was appropriate at all. It shows the lack of common sense that some people have,” said Christie Freer.

The verbal insults continued for the majority of the game up until the 60^th minute when the refs decided to kick the group of FDU students out for their disruption. Surely this had an impact on the players on the field.

“I still can’t believe that they waited that long to kick them off,” said Freer.

Nevertheless, the team composed themselves throughout the game. It was a close game where unfortunately the Valiants did not have an advantage.

The women’s soccer team will look to play their final non-conference away-game against the Warriors of Eastern Connecticut State on Wednesday at 6:00PM.

Striving for Improvement

Brotherhood in Dammann 32

The Manhattanville men’s lacrosse team is undefeated during this year’s preseason games. Last season they did not have the same luck during the regular season and only managed to win one game (1-15 overall). Much of their success this time around has to do with the team’s chemistry.

(Taken from GoValiants.com)

After the 2014 season their head coach Kevin Warnock resigned. This left a void that had left the team feeling uneasy until they were able to find a new head coach. The job was given to Ryder Bohlander and the assistant coach job went to Owen Blye, who both played for Division I Maryland University.

The two share a great friendship on and off the field and a brotherhood that has translated well for the rest of the team. The team players also know a thing or two about what it means to have a strong brotherhood.

Sophomore William Pfeiffer’s decision to come to Manhattanville was based on the fact that it offered a family environment among the players.  “I fell in love with the people more than I did with the school,” said Pfeiffer. Even while he experienced a tough first season with the Valiants, the friendships that he built off the field helped him tremendously.

Sophomore William Pfeiffer

“I don’t know where I would be without those guys. How would I have been able to finish all of my work?” said Pfeiffer. “They’re the ones who motivate me. We do our homework at the same time in the same room, so at least it feels like we’re all struggling together. You’re able to share a type of oneness.”

Much of their activities take place in Dammann Hall in Suite 32 where the team find a place to unwind after dealing with academics. Essentially this place is their safe haven while they’re on campus.

Pfeiffer sees the friendship that the team’s coaches share as an inspiration. “Through them you’re able to see that after you’re done playing you still have connections – connections that you’re able to go beyond simply being teammates.”

The chemistry that this team shares allows them continue to strive for excellence. Aside from being undefeated during their preseason, their goal is to win conference and go to tournament. From the looks of it, the 2015 season will be one worth following.

Continual Support On and Off the Court

“Hard Work, Consistency, and Heart”

Head Coach Kate Vlahakis

The Manhattanville women’s basketball looks to start their season on a high note. Practice for the upcoming season began on October 15. The team was eager to get back on the court. The team will be working to improve on the 2013-2014 season they had (10-15 record).

The Valiants are led by Kate Vlahakis, who will be coaching them for a third year. Throughout her coaching career at Manhattanville, the teams that she has coached have been able to perform at a high level. Two of the completed seasons in which she coached the Valiants were able to maintain a record over .500.

Vlahakis came to Manhattanville to accomplish success.

“I am excited to get in the gym with the girls and define the culture of this program, which will be built on hard work, consistency and heart. Our goal is to be consistent contenders in the Freedom Conference and to hang a banner in Kennedy Gymnasium," said Kate Vlahakis after accepting the head coach position at Manhattanville in 2012.

Hard work, consistency, and heart have all been part of Vlahakis’ standards as a coach. She demands a lot from her players and has high expectations for each of the 16 players on her team. Early on during preseason Vlahakis made it mandatory for each player to attend workouts that focused on pickup techniques, lifting and conditioning. Failure to attend to these workouts could affect their future playing-time.

Her dedication to the team has been persistent on and off the court. Recently she took it to twitter to talk about her “girls” and their desire to work for something greater than their selves. She certainly demonstrates her high hopes for the team. To find out what else Kate Vlahakis has to say follow her @CoachVlahakis on Twitter.   

As for the women’s basketball team, they will try to get their season officially started on November 15 during their tip-off tournament against Gwynedd Mercy University in Gwynedd Valley, PA. 

Things Can Only Get Better... Right?

Season-Ending Injuries Plague a Team

The Manhattanville women's soccer team cannot catch a break. Having started the season ill equipped, this team has had their fair share of let downs. They currently have a 2-9-1 record this season. They continue to fight through it as a team but there are some factors that don’t help them.

Junior Christie Freer

For one, the team is playing with ONLY 11 presumably healthy players. In fact, a single team in order to play needs exactly 11 players. This means that the Valiants have no reserved players on the bench to relieve players during a game. By simply having no backups, this creates a lot of stress on the current players because they have no other option than to play the full 90-minutes. It is crucial for the players to take care of their bodies to increase their endurance and stamina to avoid injuries.

This season two of the team players suffered major season-ending injuries. The first of the two was Christie Freer, who injured her self during a game against Keane University. She had a scary fall and ended up with a radial-head fracture, which is one of the most common elbow injuries found in adults. As a junior, there is still the possibility that she will be able to get back on the field next year.

Junior Carolina Palaez

The second injury went to Carolina Palaez, who had been battling knee pains for a couple of weeks. While she played on the field she knew that something was off and decided to get herself checked out, and it turned out that she had a torn meniscus. A torn meniscus is tearing of the shock-absorbing cartilage of the knee. Palaez had to get surgery which also included her getting part of her bone shaved off. Luckily, it is not too serious of an injury and it should take up at least five-weeks to heal.

It is safe to say that the Valiants need all the help they can get to overcome their season’s woes. It won’t be an easy journey for them seeing the trials and tribulations that they have faced.

Tomorrow they will play an away game against DeSales University at 3:00pm. It will be remarkable to see if they are able to pull a win amidst all of the misfortunes. After all, winning tends to make things feel much better.  

Lifted Spirits

Beyond Athletics:

RED MADNESS Takes On a New Meaning

The Manhattanville athletic department has been in charge of coordinating the annual Red Madness festivities. Red Madness is the college’s version of a pep rally that is meant for the school to come together as one. The event is essentially used to showcases all of the sports teams and is held right before the basketball and hockey season begins. It is usually held inside the Kennedy Gym but this year that changed.

In past years, the turnout and attendance has not gone as expected. It has consisted of athletes and lots of them. Instead of the Manhattanville community coming as one, it was just the athletes of the school that primarily made up the attendance at Red Madness. As small of a school as Manhattanville is, there should be more people that take part in it aside from just athletes.

The need to bring awareness to Red Madness was evident. This created a need for change, and change is exactly what took place. This past Thursday, Manhattanville College held Red Madness and it singlehandedly changed the experience for many. Instead of taking place in the gym it moved its location to GoValiants.com Field.

Upon arrival, students and faculty were advised to bring in a perishable good that would be given to the Duchesne Center. It is also worth noting those freshmen were required to attend as part of their freshman seminar. That definitely helped to increase the attendance.

As large as the field is, the school managed to fill it up nicely. The music was loud and so was the crowd. It finally appeared to be a real “college” event; the kind that you usually see at big state colleges. Students even walked around with their face painted in Valiant colors. People genuinely appeared to be enjoying the event.

“I can honestly say this was my first college experience. I feel like I actually go to a college now,” said junior, Yanilis Checo  

The main portion of the night included the dance routines that each sports team created. They proved to have talents on and off the field. The music selection resonated well with the crowd and they sang along. It was the women’s softball team that took the prize at the end of the night for best dance.

The changes made for Red Madness turned out to be successful. Finally the opportunity to bring the school together was made possible. 

It's Time to PINK About It

Mville Teams Spread Breast Cancer Awareness

 

Sports are not just used for entertainment and pleasure; they are also used to bring groups together for a common goal. In some cases these common goals affect different communities and their wellbeing on a larger scale. At Manhattanville College, the women’s softball team took part in their fall double-header this past Sunday. These games were much more than just any regular softball game; these games were geared toward raise profits and awareness that would go towards Breast Cancer research. The women’s lacrosse team also helped the cause through their playing their fall ball tournament.

The players wore pink as a part of their uniforms to show their support in “saving 2^nd base” (breast cancer) on the field. It was fitting that even the skies were pink in honor of such a great cause. In between the double-headers the women’s lacrosse team also played their fall ball tournament in honor of breast cancer awareness. The day was packed with sporting events that helped bring the Manhattanville community together.

The first game of the double-header for the softball game was a little rocky and the Valiants fell short against St. Thomas Aquinas with a score of 6-3. It was their first game of the year and there were still some adjustments that had to be made.  

The women’s lacrosse team also wasn’t as lucky with their match and they lost their tournament. Yet they managed to help spread awareness and also got a game under their belt. They grazed the field with their camo game shirts with pride nonetheless.

Luckily for the women’s softball team they were able to get a fresh start in their second game of the day. They played against Concordia College and this time around they were able to get a win in the column. The team won by a whopping 3-0 score that helped them gain momentum for the team. Even with their initial loss they were able to leave the field with a win to make the day sweeter.

Aside from winning, the day ended on a positive note because of the impact that the team’s effort made on spreading awareness on Breast Cancer. GoValiants.com Field was filled with different assortments of pink items. Not to mention, the fall ball tournaments were able to successfully unite the teams for a common goal.

 

Dance Just Got Interesting

So You Think You Can Dance?

You may have seen them on the sidelines at hockey or basketball games, and even at the annual Quad Jam showing off their dance moves, but do you know who they are? The Manhattanville Dance Troupe (MDT) has been performing at countless school events throughout the years and they have been incredibly successful. While some may not think that dance is a considered a “real” sport, the MDT have certainly been able to make an argument that in fact it is a sport.

The Manhattanville Dance Troupe practice at least three times a week and they also perform at a couple school games and other functions. MDT is a student based dance group where most of the decisions are made by the students themselves. This year the MDT will have three captains in charge: Juliane Pettorossi, Elisabeth Ritter, and Rachel Johnson. Just like for any Mville sport team, in order to be a part of this team auditions must be held in order for an individual to make the final cut.

In order to make the final cut, you must be incredibly disciplined. You must be ready to dance for hours on end, and you must be ready to use your flexibility. The choreography that goes into each dance varies. The MDT performs various styles such as jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and tap so the dancer should also be ready to contribute to any of those styles. Above all if you want to be a part of the MDT you must be dedicated.

Manhattanville Dance Troupe at Downtown Disney (2014)

For the past three years the Manhattanville Dance Troupe has been able to take their talents down to Downtown Disney and perform there. This event usually takes place in the summer and they take great pride in being able to represent the Mville community. In order to make this happen they need a certain number of people according to the Disney guidelines in order to be able to go and with that they need to audition in order to perform there.

It is definitely not an easy task but the MDT has been able to continue their success. While being a member of the MDT is more often left to the pros at Manhattanville, the college also has a group called the Manhattanville Dance Ensemble. The Manhattanville Dance Ensemble is a less intense version of MDT that is open to just about anyone who is interested in dancing or learning how to dance.

There are many opportunities for the students to involve themselves through dance at various levels. The Manhattanville Dance Ensemble could also be seen as a stepping stone for those who are intrigued by the possibility of joining the Manhattanville Dance Troupe one day.

The Perfect Match

Mville Set Up: Kyra Herbert

Kyra Herbert

Finding the right chemistry for a team can take quite a while. However, once in a while the stars align and then a team’s chemistry forms without forcing it. This is the certainly the case for the Manhattanville women’s ice hockey team, and junior Kyra Herbert knows of this first hand. Her time at Manhattanville have shown her that teamwork and being able to get along with her teammates has helped her maintain a sisterhood on and off the ice, as a member of the women’s ice hockey team.

Herbert is starting her second year at Manhattanville; she transferred as a sophomore out of the University of Vermont. While she enjoyed her time at UV, she wanted more than what they had to offer. She wanted to get away from home in New Hampshire and wanted to be closer to the city; a place that would be able to open up new opportunities.

“I wanted to find a school that was D3 (Division 3) and close to the city,” said Herbert. “Manhattanville was one of the top five schools and I ended up choosing it.”

Kyra Herbert found her perfect match at Manhattanville for more than one reason. Aside from it being a D3 school that had one of her favorite sports, it also offered sports studies as a major. That was a perk that Herbert would be able to use towards her ultimate goal.

“I want to work in professional sports or work as an athletics director,” said Herbert. Manhattanville offers the best of both worlds in both the athletic and academic department. That’s not all of course. Herbert mentioned the fact that she loves how truly diverse the school is. Making the decision to transfer turned out to be the best decision.

As for the women’s ice hockey team, Herbert mentioned that the team helped her ease into her new transition. The team is extremely close to each other and many of the returning players have been playing together since their freshman year. Kyra Herbert found it easy to integrate herself into the team, especially with the help of fellow friend and teammate Melissa Hauptman.

Even though Herbert was starting her athletic career later than most of her teammates, they still welcomed her with open arms. Today, she continues to talk highly of her teammates and even went on describe the team as “best friends.” Herbert looks forward on being able to contribute to a successful season with the team this upcoming season.  

Beyond The Ice

The Truth about #10 – Melissa Hauptman

In the illustrious world of sports there are stories told about athletes who share a special connection to the number that they wear on their jersey. In lieu of Derek Jeter’s retirement, several students had shared their connection to wearing number two in his honor. That is until Melissa Hauptman had shared her story.

Hauptman is currently preparing to play her third year as a member of the Manhattanville women’s ice hockey team. She will be sporting number 10 again this season. This number has a special significance to Hauptman and the reason may surprise some.

“The coach of my youth ice hockey team was Ashley Trimble. She was a two-time all American and was a Manhattanville Alumni. When I came to Manhattanville I wanted to honor her by wearing her number. I’ve dedicated to her.” said Melissa Hauptman.

(Ashley Trimble, Manhattanville Alumni)

This was not the first time that Hauptman had been paid a tribute to someone by wearing their jersey number. In fact, one of the most influential numbers for her has been the number 34. Her older brother who had also played ice hockey used to wear number 34.

“My brother stopped playing hockey so that I would be able to play. I don’t think anyone really knows this, but he’s the reason why I wore number 34 for such a long time,” said Hauptman.

She had worn other numbers throughout her years as an athlete including numbers: 2, 12, and 40. However, the most important ones to her have certainly been 10 and 34. They each have a story to tell, and they are much more than just numbers. Hauptman is not only efficient when it comes to ice hockey; she has also played soccer, lacrosse, and softball throughout the years.

It should also be known that for Hauptman numbers go beyond just simply being plastered on the back of her jersey. After her career as a Manhattanville student athlete, she dreams about being able to work for professional sports in regards to stats and information. She wants to be able to look up statistics for teams, players, and/or broadcasters.

“I want to find them and give it to them,” said Hauptman excitedly as she shared her passion. “I have so much information and numbers in my head that I don’t know what to do with them. I remember it all when it comes to statistics, which is something that I don’t forget." 

Soccer Field Woes

Moral Victories Count Too

Purchase, NY – Manhattanville’s women’s soccer team entered the afternoon looking for a win to bounce back from their last game. After being completely blown out by Vassar College with a score of 6-0 they needed to redeem themselves. Unfortunately all they could get was a moral victory out of today's game. They fell short against SUNY Old Westbury Panthers by a single goal.

Their defeat began early on when Old Westbury’s Stephanie Maybie shot a goal at the 3:45 minute, while she was assisted by Kassandra Franco. Manhattanville tried to make the comeback but the Old Westbury defense blocked all the shots. Luckily, the Valiants were able to toughen up their own defense and on the field they appeared to have taken control.

It wasn’t until the 19 minute mark that Stephanie Maybie had scored yet another goal from the midfield, assisted by Jordan Schildt, taking the lead 2-0. That would be the end of their offense explosion for the remainder of the game, whereas the Valiants had just started to make some noise on the field. Even though they weren’t scoring many goals they took the shots.

It was in the second half that life was put back into the Valiant’s side. Manhattanville’s Christie DeMarco was able to break up the score and get the team up on the scoreboard with her third goal of the season. At that point the odds of winning seemed attainable but the Panthers defense ultimately made the difference in the end.

While a loss is still a loss, this one gave the team a much needed moral victory. The solidarity of the team maintains strong even with all of the obstacles they have faced. For one, the team is not fully equipped with the necessary number of players. Currently the roster has 15 players on it; ideally a team needs to have at least 25 players.

Not to mention, one of their star players Christie Freer has recently suffered a season-ending injury to make matters worse. This team is certainly considered the underdog and it will be interesting to see how they manage to pull through soccer field woes.

A Room Full of Silence...

Kennedy Gym Needs More Noise

For the majority of the 2012-2013 school year Manhattanville’s Kennedy Gymnasium had seen quite a few drastic changes, all to improve the facility. This facility is the pride of the athletics department and the home to many of the Mville teams. The arena is the stage for the women and men’s basketball teams as well as for the women’s volleyball team. Yet, when it is time to “perform” the turnout of spectators isn’t as large as it should be.

The Kennedy Gymnasium arena is spacious and its capacity holds up to at least 1,000 people. Sadly it doesn’t fill up its space often and when most of these games are played it feels vacant. Aside from the players and the coaching staff, there aren’t as many spectators there to support the teams. Why is that the case?

It may be due to the lack of marketing and advertising for it. Email blasts sent out to students might not be enough to get them involved in the college’s sports community. It is more for the athletes than for anyone else. Student athletes are the ones out there showcasing their talent; it would be an injustice to them to not be able to share it with a crowd of supporters.

There has been a push to increase the awareness of the athletics department through the growing use of social media. Manhattanville sports have their own website (GoValiants.com), Twitter, Facebook, and even Instagram. It will take some time for the school to develop a following large enough to bring in a substantial number of people.

Even though Manhattanville College does not have a football team to draw in large flocks of people, they have the resources to make it possible. If they can recruit players from all around the country and in some cases around the world, they can find a way to get existing members of the Manhattanville community to attend more games. After all, the various renovations that have been made to the Kennedy Gymnasium deserve to be seen. 

WANTED: Consistency

Mville's Women's Basketball

College athletes have a lot more to deal with than just making sure that they perform well playing on their team. Manhattanville College is a division-three school that demands a lot from their students academically. It is no surprise that academics should always come first and that it is a privilege to be able to play on a team as long as the athlete keeps their grades up. In an ideal world as long as the student plays by the rules then the facilitators would help them advance as athletes.

As the women’s basketball season approaches that ideal is a work in progress. There have been new rules established into the preseason. Preseason will consist of required workouts that focus on pickup techniques, lifting and conditioning. There will also be mandatory study-halls, which if not attended could impact the playing time and the athlete’s spot on the team.

This season’s team will consist of 16 players, many who are returning players and some who have been recruited. There are also three people who are planning on trying out for the season. There are more expectations that will come; expectations that senior Shayna Robinson is all too familiar with.

Robinson has been playing basketball since she was in the seventh grade and has played at Manhattanville since her freshman year. While she understands that the expectations need to be met in order to be on top, she wishes that there was more consistency. Being on a women’s team also brings challenges as well.

“I wish the school was more consistent and made people want to stay,” Robinson said. “We don’t have a large turnout.”

In comparison to the men’s team the women’s team doesn’t have the same praise.

Robinson was not shy to express her thoughts on the matter. “It would be nice if there was an effort to create an environment that makes the females feel more equal to the men. There is a need for more exhibition games to motivate the females. Like being able to play at Madison Square Garden like the men’s team has in the past.”

Surely, there is always room for growth. Consistency plays a large role and it would benefit the players. Some of these athletes would like to get put on the map. “Manhattanville should reach out and help their players beyond the court [and field],” Shayna Robinson reiterated. Following the women’s basketball season will undoubtedly be noteworthy.  

Valiant Family: Irish Twins on the Field

The Moricone Sisters  

In professional sports you hear about siblings playing a sport during the same season or even on the same team. It does not happen often but when it does it certainly can become interesting to watch. Manhattanville’s women field hockey team is lucky enough to have a sister duo playing for them this season. The Moricone sisters, Toni Moricone and Gina Moricone have been playing together for years and have shared the Manhattanville field for the last two years.

Toni Moricone will be playing her third season as a Valiant and Gina Moricone her second. What many people might not know is that the Moricone sisters are actually Irish twins; they were born 11 months apart with Toni Moricone being the oldest one. That certainly accounts for them being so similar and it has helped their relationship as sisters. Their sisterhood has been a secret weapon to the team and has helped influence the shape of the team as a whole.

“My sister and I have been close our whole lives, we obviously have had our downs with extreme arguments and fights here and there but I can definitely call her my best friend. On the field is where we put our sister skills to good use because we naturally flow together. I can read her really well so if were playing the same side of the field I know what kind of hit she’s going to give and where she’s positioned on the field,” shared Gina Moricone.

The dynamic duo may share many similarities but Toni Moricone was sure to note that they were still different from one another. “An interesting fact that no one knows about each other would be that even though we are so close, we are completely different. It is like night and day. She is quieter and more conservative whereas I come off as shy and quite but really I am more outgoing and talkative,” she elaborated.

One might ask how these sisters managed to end up playing the same sport. Toni Moricone had no hesitation in crediting one of her older cousins for her love of the game.  Her sister would then follow her footsteps and also find affection for field hockey.

“My older cousin (Jennifer Moricone) made me decide to play field hockey. I never heard of field hockey when I was little. It wasn't until I was going into seventh grade that my cousin told me that she used to play. She gave me her old stick and showed me how to play. I wanted to be like her since I was already playing softball just l like she had. Now I could play another sport [just] like her,” said Toni Moricone.

Needless to say, once these sisters were introduced to field hockey they’ve never stopped playing ever since. Both sisters have shared their own goals for the 2014 season, and one commonality was their desire to win. Toni Moricone wants to score more goals this season while Gina Moricone’s goal is slightly different.

“My goal for this season is just really to improve as a teammate, to be positive and a role model for all incoming freshman, as well as defiantly see my team come out on top in the conference and win as many games as possible,” explained Gina Moricone.

This duo is hopeful that this season will bring plenty of success to Manhattanville and they look forward to what lays ahead of them.