MAY 16, 2011 | FSVIEW & FLORIDA FLAMBEAU
SPORTS
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CHARM from 14 seventh innings. Gomez started the game right for the Seminoles after she lifted a pitch deep over the left-field wall in the first inning to make it 2-0. Senas’ solo home run led off the fourth inning and helped provide FSU a small cushion at 7-5. Lapicki’s two-run shot in the sixth inning virtually sealed the game as it broadened FSU’s lead to 11-5. Once again in this year’s championship, the Seminoles responded to any sort of adversity in humbling fashion. In the 12-5 contest against Virginia, FSU built an early 2-0 lead, but let it slip away, allowing the Cavaliers to take a threerun lead at 5-2 due to a series of fielding miscues that led to unearned runs. FSU never seemed to flinch, and responded with a four-run third inning that was aided by some errors from the Cavaliers. In that frame, junior Shayla Jackson got things started when she hit a triple over the head of right fielder Cynthia Javaras, who was playing in on the slap-hitter. Lapicki followed with a key at-bat, hitting an RBI single up the middle to trim the deficit to 5-3. Later in the inning with two outs, Morgan Bullock reached base on an errant throw from third baseman Erica Cipolloni to bring
FSView File Photo
Senior Ashley Stager (above) had her biggest day of the ACC Tournament on Saturday when she went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. home Celeste Gomez. One of the game-changing plays occurred in the next at-bat, as Ahrberg hit a ball that took a tricky hop off shortstop Alex Skinkis’ glove to bring home two
more runs. Bullock was heads up on the play, catching UVA’s infielders off guard after a relay throw from the outfield was casually handled. The two runs gave FSU the lead at 6-5.
Lapicki led the Seminoles with a 3-for-4 performance and four RBIs, driving home runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings. Gomez and Senas added two hits apiece, while Ash-
ley Stager performed well again at the bottom of the order by going 2-for-3 with a lining RBI double to centerfield in the seventh. In Friday’s first-round matchup against fifth-
seeded Virginia Tech, FSU scored seven unanswered runs after the Hokies looked to swing momentum early in the game after tying the contest at 2-2 on a two-run home run.
necessary for him to succeed. Upon rising from his personal moment of reflection, James found Wade and Bosh and celebrated the victory in true South Florida fashion, with excess flair and style. The team was bashed by sportswriters and analysts alike for over-celebrating and not knowing their role as a team with much basketball left to be played. However, this is not
your average team. No other team in the history of sports garnered attention of this magnitude when James announced his decision to migrate to South Beach. No other player in the history of sports amassed the amount of boos as James did when he was away from his home court. This Miami Heat team is simply and utterly unique. James, ironically, has found closure in all of
this. The man is officially at ease with his “Decision” and is officially ready to revive his legacy. Taking the time to directly apologize for his diva-like actions last summer during the post-game press conference further cemented his sense of fortitude. He went on to dismiss notions demeaning his honorability for chasing titles with Dwyane Wade by stating that “this opportunity was once-in-a-lifetime.”
The grouping of the “Big Three” in South Beach will continue to be scrutinized and admonished, but will eventually prove to have been selfless and epically admirable. Their championship DNA is what inspired this Miami Heat super team to assemble, and was the ultimate test in proving their worth and dignity. The Heat is very aware of what lies ahead with an Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Chicago Bulls and ensuing NBA Finals, as the ultimate goal is to win an NBA championship. However, the Chicago Bulls did not give rise to this Heat team’s mentality, or guide its drive like the Celtics did. The Boston Celtics invented the Big Three. Miami just perfected it. It seems as though NBA fans are finally willing to succumb to their Heat hatred and accept its looming championship. It may bother many that Miami head coach Eric Spoelstra’s ring collection will soon match that of Boston’s Doc Rivers. It may bother people that Miami does not embody true team basketball. It may bother people that Chris Bosh receives an NBA maximum salary. Questions will continue to surface and negativity will continue to spread until this season is all said and done, but one thing is for certain though: LeBron James and the Miami Heat officially belong.
ARGUMENTS from 14 infamous “Decision” last summer was reaching its ultimate climax, until something happened: James learned how to close out games. In just one five-game series against the Celtics, James closed the following: an overtime thriller on the road in Boston’s TD Garden by erasing a 10-point 4th quarter deficit in an elimination game, the reign of Boston’s weaker and older Big Three, Glenn “Big Baby” Davis’ confidence, and lastly, everyone’s mouths. In just one series, James may have erased his reputation as one of the worst closers in the NBA. Critics better start praying for a lockout in the coming years because this Heat team is about to get even hotter. With Miami reaching the Eastern Conference Finals with its most glaring criticism nullified, critics are now nervous about the future of the league, as well as their lack of material. While critics are likely to remain focused on issues such as Chris Bosh’s toughness and the lack of scoring by Miami role players, their domination of the Celtics have proved that those are no longer eminent issues. After scoring the series’ last 10 points in dramatic fashion, King James took a knee to reflect on everything that led up to this watersshed moment. For the first time as a member of the Miami Heat, James reminded us all that he is
indeed human. It showed that, amidst all the baggage that came with leaving his hometown in shambles, and losing the loving embrace he once received from the world, he knew he made the right decision. This rare display of raw emotion signified that the weight had been lifted, and his dream is a reality. Embracing the role of the villain was not something he wanted—it was simply
Photo by Associated Press
When James made his decision last summer that he was going to ‘take his talents to South Beach,’ the skeptics and believers had differing points of view. What will their views be if Miami wins this year’s NBA Championship?
SPORT BRIEFS from 14 mediately at a Championship Subdivision school.
FSU
’Noles bounced by No. 21 MSU in first round of NCAA’s The No. 47 Florida State men’s tennis team ended their season after an elongated 4-0-shutout loss against No. 21 Mississippi State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. “I thought it was a very competitive match,” FSU head coach Dwayne Hultquist said. “Any match that goes four hours is competitive. Certainly we had opportunities to get several points. We had a very good chance to win the doubles point with
being up breaks at courts one and three. I felt it would have been important to win the doubles. It would have put us at a very good chance to win the match. We were up 4-1 on three doubles and really kind of rolling but they came back strong.” In doubles play, sophomore Jordan Kelly-Houston and freshman Blake Davis fell 8-3 to George Coupland and Artem Ilyushin on court two. On court three sophomores Andres Bucaro and Anderson Reed fell to James Chaudry and Zach White, 8-5. The match on court one was suspended when the point was clinched by the Bulldogs, but the Seminoles were leading 7-6. In singles play Reed lost his match 6-4, 6-0 to No. 86 Louis Cant on court five after suffering full
body cramps. Sophomore Connor Smith lost to No. 92 Malte Stropp on court three 6-3, 6-4. Bucaro was playing on court six against Zach White and won his first set. White came back to win the second set and force a third set. White won the set to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 and clinch the match for Mississippi State. While the score of the match was 4-0, it does not reflect the number of forced third sets and tiebreakers by the `Noles. “Jordan had double match point when the match stopped for him to win,” continued Hultquist. “Vahid was in position to win after winning the first set, a couple points away. With what was left on the court, it would have been 4-3 maybe. “It was a good effort
from a bunch of our guys and we came up a little bit short.” Senior Vahid Mirzadeh was facing No. 61 Ilyushin in the third set when the match was called. His score was 6-4, 6-7 (1), 1-1. Mirzadeh and Smith will compete in the NCAA Individual Tournament beginning May 25.
FSU
Dunn named Scholar Athlete of the Year Florida State’s Jennifer Dunn has been named the 2010 ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Women’s Cross Country, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced this past week.
Dunn proved to be a key component in the Seminole women’s national runner-up finish at this past season’s NCAA National Championship in Terre Haute, Ind. She finished 33rd overall and missed All-America honors by one-tenth of a second. She was also an NCAA All-South Region selection with a ninthplace finish at the South Regional. “Jennifer is an extremely hard worker,” FSU women’s cross country coach Karen Harvey said. “She always had her books out on trips and even on short drives to the trails. I am so happy to see the ACC reward Jennifer for her achievements in the classroom.” In addition to announcing the league’s top crosscountry scholar, the ACC
also released the names of the cross-country runners on this year’s All-ACC Academic Women’s Team. Joining Dunn on the women’s side are her teammates Hannah Brooks, Pasca Cheruiyot, Pilar McShine, Jessica Parry and Amanda Winslow. The seven Seminoles are the most of any women’s team in the ACC. On the men’s side of things, Mike Fout, David Forrester and Jakub Zivec were all named to the All-ACC Academic men’s team in a separate announcement. “I am very proud of the accomplishments that this team continues to receive,” FSU men’s coach Bob Braman said. “These are three special young men.” —Compiled by Al Buzzelli