04.03.17
Senior Spring: women’s soccer co-captain Holly Patterson ’17 p. 8 Freshmen bring talents to spring season p. 6 Just a Bit Outside with Sam Stockton ’19 p. 7 One-on-one with men’s lacrosse goalkeeper George Christopher ’20 p. 7 The Weekend Roundup p. 2-3
Changing the pace of play A look at how a new NCAA rule and a first-year coach have impacted the women’s lacrosse team’s game p. 4-5 By Evan Morgan and Chris Shim
TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
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The weekend Roundup
Compiled by NATHAN ALBRINCK, JONATHAN KATZMAN, EVAN MORGAN, DANIELLE OKONTA & CHRIS SHIM
TRACK & FIELD Dartmouth’s men’s and women’s track and field teams traveled to New Haven, Connecticut, to compete in Yale University’s Mark Young Invitational this past weekend. Both teams saw many strong performances. On the women’s side, Julia Valenti ’20 won the pole vault, clearing 3.80 meters/12-05.50 feet in the fewest attempts, and Bridget Douglas ’18 won the javelin with a 38.57-meter/126-06-foot throw. Mary Sieredzinski ’17 placed fifth in the javelin with a 32.75m throw. Also placing well in the field events were Maria Garman ’19, with third in the long jump off a 5.39-meter/17-08.25-foot leap, and Amelia Ali ’19, who placed fourth in the hammer throw (47.94 meters/157-03 feet), fifth in the shot put (12.24 meters/40-02.00 feet) and sixth in the discus throw (36 meters/118-01 feet). In the men’s field events, Max Cosculluela ’17 placed second in the pole vault, clearing 5 meters/16-04.75 feet. Hendric Tronsson ’20 won the long jump
with a 6.91-meter leap. Benjamin Ose ’19 placed fourth in the pole vault, clearing 4.55m. In the shot put, Ethan Ruh ’20 placed second with a 15.63-meter/51-03.50-foot throw, while Tim Brennan ’17 placed sixth with a 14.94-meter/4900.25-foot throw. Brennan also placed second in the hammer throw with a 55.80-meter/18301-foot throw. In the javelin, Parker Whims ’19 and Ose placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with 49.02-meter/160-10-foot and 48.69-meter/159-09-foot throws. On the track, Miranda Lawson ’17 placed third in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.32 seconds and fourth in the 200-meter dash in 26.72s. Sieredzinski finished right behind Lawson in the 100-m hurdles in 17.33s. Lauren Archer ’20 placed third in the 1500-meter run, completing the distance in 4:50.15, and Marissa Evans ’18 was fourth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:11.77. Jack Kerin ’20 won the 800 -meter run in 2:02.34, and Ben Colello ’18 placed third in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.87 seconds.
EQUESTRIAN The equestrian team hosted and competed in the Regional Championship yesterday at Morton Farm.
Results were not available by press time. The Dartmouth will recap the team’s performance in the Midweek Roundup.
Ray Lu ’18 Editor-in-Chief
Philip Rasansky ’18 Publisher
Kourtney Kawano ’18 Executive Editor
04.03.17 Vol. CLXXIV No. 51
Evan Morgan ’19 Chris Shim ’18 Sports Editors
Nathan Albrinck ’20
Associate Sports Editor Eliza McDonough ’18 Hollye Swinehart ’18 Tiffany Zhai ’18 Photography Editors Jaclyn Eagle ’19 Templating Editor
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
LACROSSE The men’s lacrosse team dropped a 14-5 decision to Cornell University on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. Attacker Wiley Osborne ’17 paced Dartmouth’s scoring with a hat-trick, his second of the season, as the Big Green fell to 1-7 and 0-2 in conference play. The Big Red marched out to a 7-0 lead before Osborne netted his first just 1:46 before halftime. A two-goal third quarter brought Dartmouth within six before Cornell added five more in the final quarter to thwart the Big Green’s comeback. Cornell dominated the pace of play throughout the game, outshooting Dartmouth 52-30 and forcing goaltender George Christopher ’20 to make 16 saves, one fewer than his career high. Timmy Burke ’17 led Dartmouth’s defensive effort with seven ground balls, while Ben Martin ’20 and Jack Korzelius ’18 also tallied goals for the Big Green. The men returns to action this Saturday for a 1 p.m. faceoff at Yale University. The women’s lacrosse team fell to visiting Harvard University 17-12 in an Ivy League matchup on Sunday
at Scully-Fahey Field. With the loss, Dartmouth falls to 5-4 overall, 0-3 in Ivy League play, with the bulk of this season’s conference matchups remaining. Despite jumping out to an early 2-1 lead, the Big Green was unable to sustain the early momentum and trailed 9-2 at the half. The two sides traded goals to begin the second half, during which Dartmouth outscored the visitors 10-8, but the Crimson had a response each time the Big Green appeared ready to claw back. Katie Bourque ’20 led Dartmouth’s scoring efforts with four tallies on the afternoon, while the team’s leading scorer Courtney Weisse ’17 added three. Taryn Deck ’17, Campbell Brewer ’19, Kathryn Giroux ’19 and Kierra Sweeney ’19 also found the back of the net in the losing effort. Kiera Vrindten ’20 got the start in net for Dartmouth and made five saves before being lifted for Charlotte Wahle ’19, who made four stops in relief. Dartmouth was outshot 33-26 and came up with 15 ground balls to Harvard’s 21. Dartmouth continues conference play this Saturday at No. 9 University of Pennsylvania.
GOLF Dartmouth men’s golf traveled to Farmville, Virginia over the weekend to compete in the Manor Invitational. On Saturday, the Big Green finished the first round with a 6-over-par 294, tied for third-best in the 16-team field. Sean Fahey ’17 led the team with a 2-under (70), the lowest individual Dartmouth score in the tournament. In its second round of the day, the Big Green picked up its play, finishing with a 1-over 289 and moving into second place. John Lazor ’19 carded a 1-under-par (71), improving on his first-round score by four strokes. On Sunday, Dartmouth held onto second place, scoring a 3-over-par 291. Lazor, Ian Kelsey ’18 and Jeff Lang ’17 finished even on day two with pars. The University of Rhode Island began the day in third place but surpassed Dartmouth and host Longwood University to win the tournament. Individually, Fahey and Lazor finished tied for 10th. The team returns to action this weekend at the Irish Creek Invitational in North Carolina.
Over the weekend, the women’s golf team competed in the Harvard Invitational in Osprey, Florida. In the first round on day one, the team got off to a slow start, scoring a tournament-low 321 and falling into eighth place. Isabelle Kane ’18 carded a team-best 7-over-par (79), while Catharine Roddy ’19 finished right behind her with an 8-over-par (80). In the second round of the day, the Big Green improved its play, scoring a 316. Roddy and Kristen Soh ’20 both bested their round one scores by five strokes, finishing with a 3-over-par 75 and 4-over-par 76, respectively. On day two, the Big Green further picked up its play, earning a 303 to pass Brown University and finish seventh in the tournament. Soh and Roddy carried their momentum into Sunday, each scoring 2-overpar. Individually, Roddy ended the tournament tied for 13th, the highest finish on the team. The women will compete at the Hartford Invitational in Connecticut this weekend.
SOFTBALL The softball team played Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania in two doubleheaders this past weekend. On Saturday, the Big Green fell in two close games to Columbia, losing 4-3 and 6-5. In the first game, Breanna Ethridge ’18 pitched a complete game, giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out four. Maddie Damore ’17 contributed a two-run home run, her second dinger of the season, but it was not enough to get the win. In the second game, the two teams were tied up at five in the sixth, and after a scoreless seventh, the game headed to extra innings. Morgan Ebow ’20 pitched five innings, giving up five runs on 11 hits. Ethridge came in to provide 2.1 innings of relief, but Columbia’s Sommer Gryzbek hit a walk-off solo home run to complete the sweep. On Sunday, Dartmouth split a doubleheader against Penn. Dartmouth took the first game, 8-5, with four
RBIs coming from Karen Chaw ’17. In addition to Chaw, Alyssa Jorgensen ’17 and Damore contributed two hits apiece. Ethridge again pitched a complete game, ceding five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and was rewarded with the win. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Big Green lost a nailbiter in extra innings, 8-7. The first inning saw Dartmouth take an early four-run lead. By the end of the third inning, Penn evened the score at four. In the fourth, Dartmouth added two more runs to Penn’s one and looked poised to take the win when Penn’s Jurie Joyner hit a solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Dartmouth was able to score in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by Lourlin Lara ’18, but it was not enough as Penn tied the game and Penn’s Sarah Cwiertnia capped off the game with a walk-off RBI single in the ninth.
CORRECTIONS Correction Appended (April 3, 2017): The article “Track and field teams finish indoor seasons at Ivy League Heptagonal Championships” previously stated Cha’Mia Rothwell ’20’s time in the 60-meter hurdles set an all-time Ivy League record, when her time of 8.30 seconds was a meet record.
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
ROWING Dartmouth’s heavyweight rowing team opened its spring season on Saturday, sweeping its races against both Columbia University and the College of the Holy Cross. First up was Columbia. Three eights boats and two fours were scheduled to race, but the fours’ races were cancelled due to inclement weather. The Big Green’s first varsity eights boat handily beat Columbia’s, completing the 2-kilometers in 6:51.5 to the Lion’s 6:58.3. Dartmouth’s second and third varsity boats both won their races, covering the 2-km distance in 6:47.4 and 7:11.5, respectively. Later in the morning, Dartmouth’s first varsity defeated Holy Cross, 6:58.1 to 7:30.8, while the second and third varsity both defeated the Crusaders’ second varsity, 7:15.8
and 7:38.3 to Holy Cross’ 8:16.9. The women’s rowing team traveled to Cooper River, New Jersey, to kick off its spring season at the Doc Hosea Invitational against some of the best teams in the northeast, including the University of Pennsylvania, Syracuse University, the University of Minnesota and the United States Naval Academy. In the varsity eight grand final, Dartmouth placed fourth in 6:42.95. Syracuse won the overall race in 6:30.4. Dartmouth’s second varsity placed fifth in 7:00.12 in the second varsity eight grand final. In the fours, Dartmouth won the varsity petite final in 8:02.9, with second place University of Massachusetts, Amherst nearly 20 seconds behind in 8:21.18.
BASEBALL The baseball team opened conference play this past weekend. The team’s schedule originally included doubleheaders at the University of Pennsylvania and at Columbia University, but heavy rainfall in the Philadelphia area postponed the doubleheader against Penn to Monday. A Wednesday game at Quinnipiac University was also canceled due to rain and unfit field conditions and will not be rescheduled. The Big Green swept Columbia on Sunday, 6-2 and 9-2, holding the Lions to four total runs across both games of the doubleheader. On its way to a 6-2 victory in the first game, Dartmouth dominated the early innings, racking up seven hits and five runs in the first four frames. Trevor Johnson ’20, Matt Feinstein ’19 and Michael Ketchmark ’17 each finished with a pair of hits, with Feinstein contributing three RBIs.
Michael Danielak ’17 pitched a complete game, picking up his fifth win of the season and giving up two runs on eight hits while striking out eight. In the second half of the doubleheader, Columbia took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but the Big Green responded with four hits and three runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead and never looked back. Kyle Holbrook ’18 hit a two-run home run and ended the day with two runs and three RBIs. Johnson also contributed a two-run single. The Big Green received a strong start from Cole O’Connor ’19, who improved to 2-1 on the season, allowing two runs over five innings. Michael Parsons ’20 closed out the final four innings, giving up no runs on four hits.
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TENNIS Harvard University got the best of the men’s and women’s tennis teams after both matches were pushed from Saturday to Sunday. The men’s team played an energetic Crimson side at the Boss Tennis Center, where Harvard took the 4-1 victory. George Wall ’17 won in singles, 6-0, 6-2, but he was the only Big Green player to win a match on Sunday. The No. 44 women’s tennis team traveled to Cambridge, where it lost its Ivy League opener. The tight 4-3 affair was Dartmouth’s third loss of
the season. The women took the doubles point behind winning efforts from Taylor Ng ’17 and Kristina Mathis ’18 (6-2) as well as Racquel Lyn ’20 and Julia Schroeder ’18 (6-3). But the Crimson defeated Chuyang Guan ’20 at No. 6 and Schroeder at No. 4 in singles. Wins from Mathis and Lyn and a loss from Jacqueline Crawford ’17 set up a decisive third set between Ng and Harvard’s Erica Oosterhout, who was able to put Ng and the Big Green away.
SAILING Dartmouth sailors braved blustery weather to compete at three New England regattas this weekend. At the Dellenbaugh Women’s Trophy, hosted by Brown University, the race report described Saturday as a “cold, very wet, windy and miserable day for sailing.” A building north and northeast wind caused many capsizes on the day, but nevertheless, the sailors managed six total races. No. 13 Dartmouth struggled in the adverse conditions, finishing the day 13th overall. Sunday’s weather was more suited to sailing, but while the temperatures warmed up, the Big Green did not. The A team notched a third and second place finish in its first two races on Sunday, but the B team did no better than eighth as Dartmouth sank to 15th overall. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lynne Marchiando
Trophy, meanwhile, the first day of racing was merely “a brutally cold day with snow, rain, icing” and a northeast breeze. The Big Green’s 11th-ranked coed team roared to an undefeated start on Saturday, besting seven teams in round-robin competition. The 7-0 day included wins over Sailing World’s No. 3 Boston College, No. 7 College of Charleston and No. 9 Bowdoin College. Dartmouth continued to sail away from the field on Sunday. The Big Green fell only to Boston College and Hobart and William Smith Colleges en route to a 12-2 overall victory over the field of 16. Sunday’s Camel Team Race, hosted by Connecticut College, avoided the bad conditions of Saturday. Dartmouth went 1-4 in both rounds of the regatta and 2-8 overall, besting teams from the host school and Yale University.
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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
Changing the
A look at how the introduction of a shot clock and a first-year coach’s ph
By Evan Morgan
TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
In her first year as the head coach of the women’s lacrosse team, Danielle Spencer has implemented a new team philosophy.
There have been a lot more pounding hearts the ball and slow it down and stall.” in the Scully-Fahey bleachers during the 2017 The strategy was legal, effective, shrewd — women’s lacrosse season. Fans have witnessed and incredibly boring for fans. a dramatic and dynamic style of play that “No one would enjoy late in the game commands excitement, even when the Big Green watching it because no one was shooting doesn’t win. anymore,” Spencer said. “So we as coaches had There’s a simple reason: opposing nets are to step outside of our own programs and say, under heavy fire. Dartmouth has taken an ‘Listen, for the benefit of the sport, we need this extraordinary 34.44 shots per game this season. game to be exciting, more like basketball, more To put that number in perspective, the Big Green opportunities for teams to make comebacks late averaged just 21.6 attempts last in the game.’” season and has never topped T h e N C A A’s 25 per game in a season since “...we as coaches had stated goal of the statistics became available to step outside of our rule change was to beginning in 2008. It’s not just “[limit] the abuse of own programs and Dartmouth that’s gotten faster. clock management and Dartmouth’s opponents are also say, ‘Listen, for the increase the pace of averaging 32.1 shots per game, benefit of the sport, play.” up from 24.9 shots taken last And it is working. we need this game to season. Nationwide shotsThe easy explanation for be exciting...” per-game numbers are this phenomenon would be not available, but Ivy the impact of the newlyLeague statistics show implemented 90-second shot -DANIELLE SPENCER, the effects of the rule clock, which is the result of a WOMEN’S LACROSSE change. Last season, long-awaited rule change made the league averaged in 2015 by the NCAA Playing HEAD COACH 22.95 shots per game. Rules Oversight Panel. Now, In 2017, that number once a team gains possession, it is up to 29.88. has 90 seconds to shoot, similar Spencer has to how basketball teams have an been thrilled with the allotted time to shoot the ball changes. during each possession. “I can’t imagine The rules of women’s any coach wishing it lacrosse make it difficult to gain possession from went back to the way it was before,” Spencer an opponent, Big Green head coach Danielle said. “It allows girls to take more shots and score Spencer noted. The physical moves that would more goals, and it’s fun. It’s fun to coach, and force a turnover in men’s lacrosse instead earn it’s fun to play with.” a penalty in the women’s game. As a result, Players agreed. coaches saw an opportunity they could use to “I think it’s better that people can’t stall for five their advantage: when you have a lead, take the minutes, and most of the time we’re not going to ball on offense, and don’t give it back. be having the ball down [in] the defensive end “It was a tactic that was within the rules that for five minutes,” goalkeeper Charlotte Wahle every single team would use late in the season ’19 said. “It keeps everyone fresh and makes the when they were up in a big conference game,” game faster.” Spencer said. “They would put their thumb on This summer, Spencer played with a shot clock
This season, the women’s lacrosse team has taken 34.44 shot
in the United Women’s Lacrosse League, where having that awareness of where we are with the she got a taste of the different style of play. The shot clock and making sure that we’re getting a rule change has made her place more emphasis shot off. When the shot clock’s running down, on transitions. When the team gets the ball upfield we know it’s go time, and it gives people a bit of quickly after a change of possession, players a push.” have more time to make things happen on offense. “The way I approached it thus far was focusing a lot on our ability to catch and throw really well and limit turnovers that are going to keep the ball down at our defensive end, and make our players be able to move the ball up the field faster and with more c o n f i d e n c e, ” Spencer said. Attacker Courtney Weisse ’17 has focused on a similar approach for the Big Green. “ W h e n [the ball is] going into our defensive zone, the mentality for attackers is The women’s lacrosse team’s pace of play has increased from 2016 to 2017 now that the to slow the ball It has also given goalkeepers a bit of a reprieve. down as much as possible, to take as much time “I try not to be that distracted by looking at off of the opponent’s shot clock so that they don’t have as much time when they do get into it, but it does help that I know that I just need their attacking zone,” Weisse said. “For us, it’s to really focus for a short amount of time, and just a matter of working the defense down and then I’ll know I’ll get that amount of rest,” Wahle
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
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e pace of play
hilosophy have impacted the women’s lacrosse team’s game this season.
n and Chris Shim
TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
ts per game compared to 21.6 attempts last year on average.
said. Despite the shot clock’s impact on the game, 90 seconds is still plenty of time. “It gives you enough time to get a quality shot off and a quality possession,” Weisse said.
TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
With the new shot clock, the women’s lacrosse team averages 16.12 draw controls per game but boasts a shot percentage of only .377.
“I think lacrosse is best played when girls can showcase their athleticism on the full field,” she said. That’s a big part of the reason why Dartmouth now leads the Ivy League in shots per game. Ivy League teams have averaged 6.93 more shots per game this season. But Dartmouth is taking a full 12.8 shots per game more than it did last season. Perhaps 50 percent of the increase can be explained by the shot clock. “I think it’s more fun for the athletes themselves and * for the fans to watch a faster * Opponent shot pace of play, and data unavailable when you do it prior to 2010. well, it’s really tough to defend,” Spencer said. “It’s unpredictable, it’s less scripted and you’re always making an opponent’s defense work. Every time you have the ball, they EVAN MORGAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF have to defend e team averages more shots per game than their opponents and among Ivy League teams. you, as opposed “I haven’t noticed it come into account as much to just when you run your play.” as I thought it would.” For Spencer, the key to effective fast play is For Spencer, it’s clear that speed isn’t just to maximize possessions. One way to do this is to a response to the shot clock. It’s one of the generate more possessions. Defensive turnovers fundamentals of her coaching philosophy. are one way to accomplish this, because each
turnover cuts short an opponent’s possession team, but fewer of those shots find the back of and gives Dartmouth its own opportunity. The the net than any other team. Dartmouth’s shot Big Green rank sixth in the Ivy League in forced percentage of .377 trails the league. So even turnovers. though it shoots so often, the Big Green is just Draw controls are another area where a team average in terms of goals per game, with 13.00 can gain a possession advantage. And with the on the season. help of Spencer, the Big Green has bested its Spencer acknowledges that a fast pace isn’t opponents on the draw all season. Dartmouth always optimal. averages 16.12 draw controls every game, top “We’ve been talking a lot on our team about in the Ivy League by a wide margin. having the killer instinct and going out there with “That’s really big, instead of a 50-50 ball, confidence, but I think you have to be reflective giving ourselves an 80 percent through that,” she said. chance to get the ball and get “For us, it’s just a “If your shots aren’t falling another possession,” Spencer matter of working right away, and you’re said. getting scored on, then Kathryn Giroux ’19 , the defense down maybe we need to slow it who is tied for sixth in the and having that down a bit and work on nation in draw controls per our possessions — give game, has been a big part awareness of where our defense a rest.” of Dartmouth’s dominance we are with the shot T h a t ’s w h a t at the center of the field. At clock and making Dartmouth looked to do Siena College last Wednesday, during its Ivy home opener the Big Green got 21 draw sure that we’re last weekend against No. controls to the Saints’ two. getting a shot off.” 5 Princeton University. Giroux had a programThe Tigers scored the first record 12. eight goals in what wound But fast play is not without -COURTNEY WEISSE ’17 up as a lopsided 18-8 its weaknesses. Making affair. Against Harvard more opportunities on the University yesterday, the opponent’s side of the field women took 26 shots to also means giving the ball the Crimson’s 33 in a 17away more. Dartmouth is 12 loss. last in the Ivy League with 18.22 turnovers per Still, Spencer lets the direction of the game game. Spencer has been working with the team dictate her strategy. on more efficient stick work, but the turnover “You come out of the gates, and you attack total remains a concern. the other team and you see how it goes,” she “Sometimes [fast play] looks really good said. “If we’re creating opportunities and we’re because it generates shots, and if you shoot finishing those opportunities, then let’s keep well you can have a lot of goals,” Spencer said. it rolling. If we’re not, then let’s try to score a “Sometimes it looks really ugly, because if we’re different way. Let’s slow it down. Let’s set up a not shooting well and we’re generating a lot of set play that we’ve prepared for that team score shots, that’s giving the ball back to our opponent that way.” a lot more.” The women can be assured that they’re Generating more shots is often different playing crowd-pleasing lacrosse. Part of that is from generating good shots. Dartmouth takes the NCAA’s rule change. The rest is the team’s more shots per game than any other Ivy League fast philosophy.
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MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
Spring freshman athletes make across-the-board contributions By MARK CUI and CODY FUJII The Dartmouth Staff
Charlie Broom ’20 Hailing from Hertfordshire, England, Charlie Broom ’20 grew up surrounded by indoor tennis centers. With his parents’ encouragement, he first began playing tennis at the young age of two. By the age of 10, Broom had quit soccer and was fully committed to improving his tennis game. As he accumulated more accolades, including competing at Junior Wimbledon and reaching the semifinals of the U18 National Championship in the United Kingdom, Broom looked to continue playing tennis at an American college. “I was always set on going to an American university from a sports perspective [because] the quality of sports is significantly better than in the U.K.,” Broom said. “I talked to the men’s coach and got along really well with him. I saw that Dartmouth had strong academics and was a really good fit.” Broom noted that it took a while for him to transition into college life and that the time commitment required of tennis sometimes clashed with academics. Support from his teammates has helped him to manage his time. “Balancing is tough, but it’s something you have to go through and will make you a tougher person,” Broom said. “We are a very close-knit team, and we hang out when we have time. The upperclassmen have been very supportive and have always been there whenever I need help.” On the Dartmouth tennis team, Broom has already strung together impressive performances. Last week, he won both his doubles and singles matches against No. 46 University of South Alabama. When approaching big matches and points, Broom tries to focus more on the present rather than the results. “It’s all about just focusing on the point I’m about to play and not [concentrating] on the result,” Broom said. “That’s when I play my best tennis.” Broom hopes that the team can continue to perform well as it begins to face other Ivy League teams. In terms of his individual goals, he wants to further improve his play as the season progresses. “I’ve been able to improve over my time here,” Broom said. “The wins will come as I continue to play better.” Racquel Lyn ’20 Racquel Lyn ’20 began playing tennis at the age of seven, initially following the lead of her brothers,
though quickly surpassing them in ability. She built a formidable resume of tennis accomplishments in her hometown Houston, Texas, including leading her high school to four straight Texas Association of Private and Parochial School state championships and winning four consecutive state singles titles without dropping a set. After high school, she found Dartmouth to be an ideal college choice. “The size, academics and team were just a perfect fit for me,” Lyn said. “I was really excited to be part of a team that really [supports] each other [and focuses] on playing our best each day. I had also met a couple of [alumni] on the tennis teams, including one from Houston, who were really influential in my decision to come to Dartmouth.” The upperclassmen have played an important role in guiding her as she transitions into college life. “All the upperclassmen have been really great,” Lyn said. “They have helped me pick classes, manage my time here, balance tennis and academics at the same time and [use] those traveling times allotted to get a headstart on work.” One of her most memorable moments this season was reaching the semifinals in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Regionals with co-captain Taylor Ng ’17. She also enjoyed the recent stretch of matches in California from March 18 to 24. Not only did the team win three out of the four matches, but the week also proved to be quality bonding time that brought the team closer. Sitting at 12-3, the team looks poised to make a deep Ivy League tournament run. Throughout the season, head coach Bob Dallis has maintained a unique approach that emphasizes the present rather than the future results. “[Dallis] says that there are no expectations,” Lyn said. “Our goal is to be the best that we can be and play the hardest that we can. If that leads to an Ivy League Championship, then that’s great.” Lyn herself has also played very well at Dartmouth, securing several important wins. She emphasizes a “playing green” approach to her matches. “My mindset is ‘playing green,’ or playing with confidence and to the strength of my abilities,” Lyn said. “I know that I can play great, and that it is all up to me.” For the rest of the season, Lyn hopes to maintain her positive mentality and strong work ethic. “One of my goals is to be positive and support my teammates to the best that I can,” Lyn said. “Another goal is to play hard each match and every point. One point
could define the whole match.”
Cha’Mia Rothwell ’20 Cha’Mia Rothwell ’20 first began running at the age of six by pure chance. “I was outside and wanted to go to a friend’s house across the street,” Rothwell said. “I took off running, and my mother and grandmother noticed that I was kind of fast. They put me in track, and for the first couple of years, I was just going through the motions. Once I started to realize I had some potential, I started to take it more seriously. But basically, I kind of just got thrown into it.” Although Rothwell also won several high school accolades for competitive basketball, she decided to stick with track. As a Durham, North Carolina native, Rothwell noted that the decision ultimately came down to Dartmouth and Duke University. She chose Dartmouth for its tightknit team and due to the prospects of competing under an excellent coach. “The main thing that set Dartmouth apart was [Dartmouth women’s track and field head coach Sandy Ford-Centonze],” Rothwell said. “She’s an excellent coach, and the team just felt like home. It was unlike any other school I had taken visits to. Everyone has genuine relationships with each other on the team, and everyone looked out for each other.” Although Rothwell noted that the fast pace of the academics have been challenging thus far, she has seamlessly transitioned into Dartmouth both socially and athletically. She has already broken several long-standing Dartmouth track and field records. Her favorite individual moment so far is her perfor mance in the 60-meter hurdle race at the Indoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championship at the Armory Track in New York, where she won the event and broke the Heps meet record. “It was just so amazing to be in that moment, and to do what I did and share that with my teammates, coaches and family,” Rothwell said. “I felt a little pressure coming in, but I was really happy with my time.” Another key to her recordbreaking success on the track has been her calm mindset approaching major competitions. “I really just want to go in as relaxed as I can with the mindset of just knowing that I don’t have to do anything new or spectacular, and that all the training will speak for itself,” Rothwell said. “I always want to beat my personal best.” For the outdoor season, she hopes to continue to build upon
HOLLYE SWINEHART/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Charlie Broom ’20 won all his matches against No. 46 University of South Alabama.
her outstanding performances during the indoor season, and stay healthy. “I want to break some more records in the outdoor season and continue to build upon what I’ve already done,” Rothwell said. I n a d d i t i o n , s h e re m a i n s optimistic that the team will continue to improve as the season progresses. “As a team, we are looking forward to outdoor Heps, especially since I don’t think we lived up to expectations in indoor Heps in terms of scoring,” Rothwell said. “I know that we are capable of scoring highly in the outdoor Heps.” Sophie Lenihan ’20 Sophie Lenihan ’20 is a rising star on the Dartmouth equestrian team from Hingham, M a s s a c h u s e t t s. I n a d d i t i o n to equestrian, Lenihan also participated in soccer and track and field during her time at Milton Academy, though she affir ms that equestrian was her primary focus. Because Milton Academy did not have an equestrian team, she independently participated in horse shows around the country. Lenihan chose equestrian as her principal sport because of the community and her love for animals.
“Equestrian is really unique in that there is a lot of interaction between the player and [his or her] horse,” Lenihan said. “Even though in college equestrian the horse pairings are randomized, I still enjoy that interaction. Also, the equestrian community is very close because it is a unique sport.” In fact, the equestrian team was the main draw in Lenihan’s decision to attend Dartmouth. “I chose Dartmouth because of the equestrian team,” Lenihan said. “It was a club sport at all the other schools I was looking at, and it is varsity at Dartmouth.” The transition to being a varsity athlete at Dartmouth has been a positive experience for Lenihan. “My practice schedule has helped me stay on top of my academic work,” Lenihan said. “The really great community of the team has also eased the adjustment period at Dartmouth.” Lenihan hopes that she can help build upon the success of the equestrian team last season. “Last season we won [the Ivy Championship], and I hope we can achieve that again this season,” Lenihan said. Besides equestrian, Lenihan’s hobbies include photography and traveling. She is also a certified elephant trainer and would like to pursue a career in education.
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
ONE ON ONE
with George Christopher ’20
By SAMANTHA HUSSEY The Dartmouth Staff
The men’s lacrosse team has won just one game this season thus far, but its freshman goalkeeper George Christopher ’20 has been a relative bright spot. A touted prospect who played at Washington, D.C.’s Gonzaga College High School, Christopher was recruited by former Big Green coach Andy Towers but now plays under head coach Brendan Callahan, a fellow Gonzaga alumnus. After beating out Griffin Miller ’19 for the starting job, the Bethesda, Maryland native has started all eight games and has Dartmouth ranking third in the league in save percentage. Despite sitting in last place in the conference, with a 1-7 overall record and a 0-2 Ivy League record, Christopher and the team are looking to improve with five games remaining. How has the transition been from high school to Division I lacrosse? GC: There is definitely some growing that needs to be done. It’s
Just a Bit Outside with Sam Stockton ’19 The Shortstop Revolution — Redefining the Heart of the Infield If you need a couple reasons to be excited for the future of baseball (and, trust me, there are plenty of them), consider the shortstop position. For most of the game’s history, the prototypical shortstop was agile and undersized. Professional teams wanted a slick-fielding captain of the infield and understood that this desired level of fielding would come at the cost of hitting. If a shortstop was an offensive threat, he or she was more than likely a singles hitter who stole bases and bunted well — almost certainly not as a power hitter. A shortstop could be great solely on the basis of defense. If you
not easy. It’s a whole other level. It’s all the best players in high school, and they are all on one team. There’s definitely a transition, but the coaches have been great and so have the older guys — they help you get there as fast as possible. School is definitely hard, and it’s not easy to miss classes. Balancing school with a sport is challenging, but we are able to do it with the help and resources that we have here. It’s awesome though. You automatically have a family, and that family is one of the best. I can’t describe what it’s like to be on this team, I love all the guys and all of the coaches — it’s amazing. How have the team and coaches helped ease your transition? GC: The older goalies on the team will give me tips and tricks on how to play certain shots, certain things that I didn’t see at the high school level. Coach Callahan, specifically, has been really helpful — going in and watching extra film with him. Just approaching the position a little bit differently than in high school is what is required at this level.
feel with Callahan, considering that you both graduated from the same high school? GC: I think it’s nice to have a coach that identifies with the D.C. area. There aren’t too many kids on the team from D.C.; there are a couple in the freshman class, so it was really nice. It was nice to have a coach who went to the same high school because you could just talk about things. It’s a good way to get to know each other better, especially in the beginning when I first met him, but it’s not anything too special. There is a bond that you have with your high school alumni. It’s a nice starting point, but our relationship has gone a lot further than that at this point. How has Dartmouth stripped down its men’s lacrosse program this season? GC: That was a very difficult decision, but it is what the coaches felt was best moving the program forward. As a player, I realized that the decision wasn’t easy for the coaches, but it was one that they thought was necessary. We had a couple of running tests. We run “beep” tests and the “how far can you run in eight minutes” test, where the goal is usually around a mile and a half, then we have some stick work tests. If you look at the roster’s numbers, we lost around nine kids.
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game? GC: I’m not really motivated by that. Our team isn’t motivated out of fear. It’s more motivated out of love for the game and getting better. We all motivate each other every day because we want to be good for each other. We also want to be good people and leaders at the school, so we really work to improve all aspects for the program. How would you describe the character of the team? GC: We believe better people make better lacrosse players. It really goes hand in hand. Character is a mark that we have on all of us. When people think of the lacrosse team, they are going to base it off of the one interaction they had with one lacrosse kid. We all try to bring our best. I love all of my teammates, and we all love each other, and we try to show who we are to the school, meaning stepping outward and being our best selves all the time. That way, we will just be better overall.
What kind of connection do you
Have the cuts to the roster motivated you to improve your
What is it like playing under a different coach than the one who recruited you? GC: Very luckily for me, they came from similar backgrounds so that’s been pretty helpful. I’ve enjoyed it, and it’s worked out for me. I’ve really liked this team and the coaching staff, and I’m really happy with the situation. A lot of the values that we share in the program were very similar to the
don’t believe me, take a look at Ozzie Smith’s career numbers. I feel confident in saying that his well-deserved Hall of Fame status is not a reflection of his lifetime .262 batting average or 28 home runs over the course of a career that spanned 18 seasons. Of course, there have been exceptions — Ernie Banks and Cal Ripken Jr. just to name two — but the vision of the light-hitting, smooth-fielding shortstop emerged as part of baseball’s conventional wisdom. Much of that conventional wisdom has unraveled in recent decades. Oldschool statistics like ERA and batting average have been deemphasized after a deeper analysis into the game revealed their logical flaws. However, the logic of the defensive-minded shortstop still makes sense. Most hitters are righthanded and tend to pull the ball. Good pitchers typically try to get hitters to hit the ball on the ground. Therefore, the shortstop’s location makes him an obvious candidate for a heavy defensive workload. Often, a shortstop will field more balls than any other player on a team. In other words, relying on a defensive-minded shortstop still makes baseball sense. So if the shortstop position has changed in recent years, it wasn’t driven by a change in baseball thinking. Instead, it was an increase in what is possible for one player. 2017’s major leaguer is far more athletic than 1987’s, and for the first
time in baseball’s history, a shortstop can now be athletic and nimble enough to handle the defensive demands of the position while being strong enough to be an impact bat at the heart of a manager’s lineup card. The aforementioned Smith played at 5 feet 11 inches and 150 pounds. Carlos Correa, a leader among today’s young class of exceptional shortstops, is 6 feet 4 inches and 215 pounds. For much of baseball history, Correa would have been disqualified from playing shortstop based solely on his size. As an analog, consider the receiver position in the National Football League. For much of the league’s history, conventional wisdom dictated that to be quick enough to be a successful receiver, you could only be so large. In today’s NFL, this is no longer true. The league is dominated by players like Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Mike Evans, all of whom likely would have been placed at defensive end by their high school coaches if they had grown up, say, 15 years earlier than they did. But the athleticism necessary to be a great receiver now comes in bigger packages. The same is true of shortstops. Today, the best shortstops in the game are just as excellent at defense as they’ve always been. They are extremely young, and bucking the conventional wisdom, they are also impact players at the plate. Among
the top shortstops in the game today, in no particular order, are 23-year-olds Francisco Lindor and Addison Russell and 22-year-olds Corey Seager and Correa. Despite being as tall as Smith and 40 pounds heavier, Lindor is the smallest of the foursome, just as tall as Smith but 40 pounds heavier. He is also the best of the bunch defensively, boasting outstanding range and a strong arm. Russell, hitting in the heart of the lineup for one of the best teams in recent history, played outstanding defense, belted 21 home runs and added 95 RBIs. Seager ran away with the National League Rookie of the Year in 2016, finished third in the NL MVP race, and while he would never be confused for Lindor or even Russell defensively, was an aboveaverage shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Correa launched 20 home runs himself, and his imposing size has been no impediment to his defense thus far. The scary part is that all four are still getting better. Each will develop with more time playing against the game’s top competition. Both Lindor and Russell will reap the rewards of their lengthy exposure to postseason baseball. Beyondtheirpotentialtobeperennial All-Stars, these four represent a new era in professional baseball. A shortstop, once an offensive afterthought, must now be a key contributor to the batting
ones in my high school program. Obviously there are tweaks, and it’s a whole other level, but the core values for the most part were very similar. How would you describe the team’s performance thus far? GC: I’ve been very happy with our mentality. We never back down to teams. We are always fighting, and we have had some close games. We are getting ourselves into positions to win games, and while we haven’t won as many as we have wanted, it’s not because of a lack of character or a lack of drive or a lack of fight, which are really hard things to have in a program. It’s just small details, which we are focusing on. Right now, we are working on being a little crisper on our stick work and playing with a little more poise. What can we expect out of the Big Green heading into the homestretch? GC: You can expect us to always show up and give our best. We are never going to back down from anyone regardless of who we are playing that day. If it’s an Ivy League opponent or some out-of-conference game, we are always going to show up with the same mentality because that was what the coaches have drilled into us. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
order to be considered great. The age of theoffensiveshortstop has not come out of nowhere. Shortstops like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciapara dominated the late 1990s and early 2000s offensively and defensively. But these three did not start the same kind of sustained revolution because the position had nothing approaching today’s depth of talent. Behind Lindor, Russell, Correa and Seager are the Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts, the Atlanta Braves’ Dansby Swanson and the New York Yankees’ Gleyber Torres, still in the organization’s farm system. All three fit the same mold, and given the depth currently at the position, it is safe to assume that the expectations for shortstops will never be the same as they were 30 years ago. An excellent shortstop is now a heart-of-the-lineup slugger and Gold Glove-caliber defender, a profound shift in the trajectory of professional baseball. Most of the names synonymous with baseball excellence come from the outfield. Hanks Aaron. Willie Mays. Ted Williams. Ty Cobb. Even a more recent star like Barry Bonds. While there are plenty of great, young outfielders around the major leagues, outfielders no longer have an exclusive hold on baseball’s elite class. It’s time for the rangy, power-hitting outfielder to move over. Baseball has a new premier position.
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
SPORTS
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TODAY’S LINEUP
MEN’S BASEBALL AT PENN 12 p.m.
Senior Spring: soccer co-captain Holly Patterson ’17 comes home Furthermore, then-Dartmouth head coach Theresa Romagnolo The Dartmouth Staff had not seen Patterson play in The city of Hamilton, New person, making for a unique Zealand is nestled in the Waikato situation in an era where potential region of the country’s upper college athletes visit on-campus North Island. It is also the showcases and take numerous hometown of women’s soccer visits. Patterson’s video highlights midfielder, co-captain and leading and international experience, scorer Holly Patterson ’17 . As which included a stint as a reserve Holly and I sat down to chat about player for the New Zealand squad her journey to Hanover and her at the 2012 Summer Olympics Dartmouth experience, she had to in London, were simply enough have known that the question was to convince Romagnolo that the coming: how did she possibly get future Dartmouth co-captain was a coveted athlete. from Hamilton to Hanover? And so the New Zealander Perhaps the connection was not as random as one might assume. arrived in Hanover half a world After all, Patterson was introduced away from home. Little did she to Dartmouth by a mutual friend. know that it would not take long “I always wanted to come to for Dartmouth to become a term America to pursue the student- synonymous with home itself. athlete experience because there Being a fall-term athlete was a is not much opportunity to do so significant help to adjusting. “It was actually nice playing in New Zealand,” said Patterson, with a slight laugh. “One of my a fall sport,” Patterson said. brother’s good friends, Duncan “Because practice started in Hall [’13], rowed at Dartmouth, so the summer, I was able to get I reached out to him because I had to know my teammates before read such good things about the starting school, which helped the College and thought it would be an transition a lot. In terms of the incredible opportunity. Everything culture, everything back home is pretty similar to here so it was not just started from there.” Despite having some familiarity a significant adjustment.” Patterson hit the ground running with Dartmouth, Patterson’s journey to Hanover was unique in in Hanover, starting nine out of the its own right. While most student- team’s 16 games at midfield and athletes jump straight from high contributing a goal and an assist school to the college ranks, in her initial campaign . More s i g n i f i c a n t l y, Patterson chose she was to pursue her presented goal of playing “[The time off] really with the Larry fo r t h e N e w opened my eyes to Award, Z e a l a n d the opportunities that Garrity g i ve n t o t h e national team after graduating Dartmouth gives you... t e a m ’s m o s t outstanding from high school It is great to have the first-year in November 2011. Having chance to meet people player. Having emerged as a l r e a d y who are not just smart a starter in contributed just her fir st to both New but have so many college season, Z e a l a n d ’ s other talents and as well as being U-17 and passions.” named to New U-20 squads , Zealand’s 2014 Patterson U - 2 0 Wo r l d decided to put - HOLLY PATTERSON ’17 Cup squad, school on hold for which and took a years h e t r av e l e d and-a-half to to Brazil during finals period , chase her ultimate dream. It was during her “gap year” Patterson seemed destined for a that Patterson committed to successful sophomore campaign. Dartmouth, despite not having An ACL tear suffered during taken an official visit prior (though summer training, however, would she did visit Hanover for the put both her Dartmouth and first time after committing). international careers on hold for
By JONATHAN KATZMAN
[INSERT NAME]/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
ELIZA MCDONOUGH/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
Holly Patterson ’17 (left), who hails from New Zealand, has starred as a midfielder for the Big Green since her freshman year.
an entire season. “It was tough not being able to play during my second year after being part of an awesome team my first year,” Patterson said. “It was a big road bump in my career, but it was also great to see the team dynamics from a different point of view. It was almost more fun because I did not have the stress of actually having to perform on the field, but I got to be a part of the team.” This seemingly inauspicious time is also what Patterson credits for allowing her to grasp what makes Dartmouth so special. In addition to having more time to focus on her studies, she also found herself more immersed in the Dartmouth community. “[The time off] really opened my eyes to the opportunities that Dartmouth gives you,” Patterson recalled. “Any athlete is one injury away from not being able to compete in the future, so I realized I needed to focus on my studies because no athlete can play forever. There are also awesome people here who are so talented. It is great to have the chance to meet people
who are not just smart but have so many other talents and passions.” Citing a lack of confidence on the pitch, Patterson endured a self-professed “difficult” junior season, though she did start all 13 of the team’s games she played. Eager to bounce back for her final campaign, she worked harder than ever to ensure it was not a disappointment. “My junior season was quite difficult, but I worked really hard on my fitness prior to my senior season,” Patterson said. “I wanted to hit the ground running. I told myself that I was here to play, got my confidence back and it was nice to see the goals go in.” Patterson’s hard work paid off. She led the team in both goals and total points to accompany her 16 starts. The most special moment of her senior fall, however? Her speech on Dartmouth Night during homecoming weekend in front of thousands of students and alumni. Her theme? Finding her “home away from home.” “It was a huge honor,” said Patterson, reflecting on the nerves and excitement of that evening.
“It was cool for me because I come from a different background and came to Dartmouth under different circumstances than most people, and to be able to tell people about that was incredible.” Patterson still has another year to add to her story. As a candidate for the Thayer School of Engineering’s bachelor’s of engineering deg ree, she will remain in Hanover for the next academic year completing her coursework. While she will hang up her boots for the time being, Patterson still envisions lacing them back up again either with her national team or in the professional ranks. Even if Patterson returns to her Hamilton, she acknowledges that she will still be far from home. “Coming to Dartmouth is the best decision I have ever made,” Patterson said. “I love everything about this place, the small community, the snow, sophomore summer. I know it is easy to say that Dartmouth is my ‘home away from home’ because I come from so far away, but it seriously is.”