Penn College Tennis Teams Set to Open
Published 09.03.2018
News
Athletics
Wildcat Weekly
Pennsylvania College of Technology tennis teams are set to begin their fall seasons while the college’s soccer, cross-country and women’s volleyball squads saw their first action over the weekend.
Men’s/Women’s Tennis
The Penn College men, with five all-conference returning players, are coming off a much-improved spring season and the women’s team is looking to build. The men open Saturday at Susquehanna University and the women on Sept. 10 at Misericordia University.
Leading the men’s team are juniors Luke Whitenight, of Berwick, and Blake Whitmire, of Shickshinny, who should open at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Last spring, they earned North Eastern Athletic Conference Third Team honors at the No. 1 doubles position.
Also returning are NEAC First Team honorees senior Ethan Rosler, of Bloomsburg; and Stephen Helminiak, of Williamsport; and Second Team honoree Will DeMarco, of Glen Mills. They will be joined by freshman Tucker Phillippe-Johansson, of Mattituck, New York; junior Nico Pascual, of Doylestown; and sophomore Joe Morrin, of Morrisville, for the Nos. 3 through 6 singles positions and spots on the three doubles teams.
The Penn College men finished 7-7 overall last year, including a loss in the NEAC/NAC West Division semifinals.
“This fall, in the nonconference season, we’re going to play and practice hard and focus on bringing home the team title in the spring. That’s the goal,” third-year coach John Machak said of his men.
Topping the women returning players from a 1-12 team is senior Emily Bell, of Jersey Shore, who was a Third Team NEAC choice in the spring.
Joining Bell as returning players are Cassie Shook, of Westport, and Amber Janelli, of Denver. Newcomers include freshmen Deidre Slattery, of Shippensburg; Marcie Harman, of Nescopeck; and Alexis Youse, of Pottstown.
“It’s nice because we have three coming back and three new people on the roster. It’s a young team that is going to be set for the future. … My outlook is that we have a pretty solid fall and that we really figure things out for the spring,” Machak said.
“We think we’ve taken a nice step with both programs in the last year and we just want to take another step forward,” added Machak, who was last year’s NEAC co-coach of the year.
Men’s Soccer
At Hood College on Friday in its season opener, Vance Gradwell, of Tulpehocken, scored at the 7:31 mark to put the Wildcats on top before the home team evened the tally at 25:34. Minutes later, with 19:26 left in the first half, the match was stopped, and then canceled and ruled no contest, due to lightning strikes in the area. Hood led in shots on goal, 6-1, but Penn College goal keeper Hunter Gosnell, of Westminster, Maryland, made five saves.
Right back in action on Saturday at Stevenson College in a match that counts, Steven scored five first-half goals en route to a 6-0 win. Stevenson led in shots, 15-8 (9-3 on goal), and in corner kicks, 7-2.
In the coaches’ NEAC preseason poll, the Wildcats were picked to finish seventh among 12 teams – last fall, they ended among the top four – and they will get a chance to test how accurate the poll is as they entertain No. 1 pick and defending champion Penn State Abington in their conference opener. In the poll behind Abington, which had 11 first-place votes and 121 points, are: SUNY Poly (96), Keuka College (89), Penn State Berks (88), Morrisville State College (84), Lancaster Bible College (78), Penn College (72), SUNY Cobleskill (55), Wells College (42), Gallaudet University (28), Cazenovia College (28) and College of St. Elizabeth (11).
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week: Host Penn State Abington (overall, NEAC through Sunday), 3 p.m. Saturday.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Lost, 3-0, Nov. 15 in NEAC semifinal.
Women’s Soccer
On the road Friday at King’s College in its season opener, Penn College pulled out a 2-1 double-overtime win when freshman Kaelan Cronan, of Leesport, scored her second goal of the match on a breakaway at the 1:01:13 mark. Her first goal, which tied the score in the second period, came at the 59:43 mark. Statistically, King’s dominated in shots, 23-7 (11-6 on goal), and corner kicks, 14-2. Wildcats goal keeper Taylor Gonzales, of Lititz, made 10 saves.
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week: Host Penn State Abington (overall, NEAC through Sunday), 1 p.m. Saturday.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Won, 5-0, Oct. 21.
In a preseason NEAC coaches’ poll, Penn College was picked fifth among 12 teams, despite finishing second in the conference a year ago. With 10 first-place votes and 118 points, five-time defending champion Penn State Berks was chosen to finish on top, followed by: Keuka College (102), SUNY Poly (91), Lancaster Bible College (89), Penn College (88), Morrisville State College (81), Penn State Abington (58), Cazenovia College (52), Wells College (47), Gallaudet University (32), SUNY Cobleskill (17) and College of St. Elizabeth (17).
Men’s/Women’s Cross-Country
The men’s team finished fourth among seven teams and the women’s squad was fifth in a six-team field as they opened their seasons Friday at the Misericordia University Invitational. Josh Velez, of Lewistown, paced the Penn College men with a sixth-place finish in 17:15.4 over a 5K course. Eighty men competed. For the women, Sidney Trunzo, of Williamsport, led the way with a 20th-place finish in 17:19.9 over a 4K course. Sixty-three women competed.
In NEAC preseason coaches’ polls, the Penn College men were picked to finish fourth among 12 teams and the women eighth in a 12-team field.
Topping the men’s poll with 10 first-place votes was SUNY Poly with 120 points, followed by: SUNY Cobleskill (105), Lancaster Bible College (99), Penn College (93), Penn State Berks (80), Penn State Abington (66), Morrisville State College (61), Wells College (52), Keuka College (42), Gallaudet University (35), Cazenovia College (23) and College of St. Elizabeth (16).
SUNY Cobleskill, with four first-place votes, six second-place votes and 112 points, led the women’s poll, followed by: Penn State Berks (five first-place votes and 101 points), SUNY Poly (91), Cazenovia College (87), Morrisville State College (77), Lancaster Bible College (69), Keuka College (62), Penn College (55), Penn State Abington (47), Wells College (43), Gallaudet University (34) and College of St. Elizabeth (14).
Women’s Volleyball
Traveling across the city on Saturday for their opener in the Lycoming College Classic, the Wildcats went 0-3 in losses to Lycoming (19-25, 20-25, 13-25), Clarks Summit University (18-25, 12-25, 7-25) and Wilkes University (12-25, 20-25, 19-25). Emaile Marnati, of Canton, was among the Penn College leaders with a total of 11 kills, 23 digs, three blocks and one ace.
Earlier in the week, Penn College was picked to finish last among 12 teams in a preseason NEAC coaches’ poll. Morrisville State College earned the top spot with eight first-place votes and 115 points followed by: Gallaudet University (three first-place votes and 108 points), Wells College (91), Lancaster Bible College (84), Penn State Berks (80), SUNY Poly (71), Keuka College (70), Penn State Abington (49), College of St. Elizabeth (42), Cazenovia College (31), SUNY Cobleskill (31) and Penn College (20).
Women’s Basketball Prospect Day
The Penn College women’s basketball program will host a prospect day from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at Bardo Gymnasium. The event is open to high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors and will include lunch, a campus tour and T-shirt. For more information, contact coach Lauren Healy by email or at 610-781-9460.
SCHEDULE
Men’s Soccer
Overall record: 0-1
Friday, Aug. 31 – at Hood College, 1-1, lightning, canceled
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Stevenson College, L, 6-0
Wednesday, Sept. 5 – at Keystone College, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC), 3 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 9 – at Pitt-Greensburg, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Gallaudet University (NEAC), 3 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
Overall record: 1-0
Friday, Aug. 31 – at King’s College, W, 2-1, 2 OT
Wednesday, Sept. 5 – host Keystone College, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC), 1 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 9 – host St. Joseph’s (Long Island), noon
Wednesday, Sept. 12 – Battle for the Lumber at Lycoming College, 4 p.m.
Men’s Cross-Country
Friday, Aug. 31 – at Misericordia University Invitational, finished fourth in a seven-team field
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Lancaster Bible Charger Invitational, 10 a.m.
Women’s Cross-Country
Friday, Aug. 31 – at Misericordia University Invitational, finished fifth in a six-team field
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Lancaster Bible Charger Invitational, 10 a.m.
Women’s Volleyball
Overall record: 0-3
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Lycoming College vs. Lycoming, L, 0-3 (19-25, 20-25, 13-25)
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Lycoming College vs. Clarks Summit University, L, 0-3 (18-25, 12-25, 7-25)
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Lycoming College vs. Wilkes University, L, 0-3 (12-25, 20-25, 19-25)
Tuesday, Sept. 4 – at Penn State Altoona, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 11 – at Penn State Berks (NEAC), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept, 15 – host Morrisville State College (NEAC), 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – host Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), 4 p.m.
Men’s Tennis
Saturday, Sept. 8 – at Susquehanna University, noon
Monday, Sept. 10 – at Misericordia University, 3 p.m.
Women’s Tennis
Monday, Sept. 10 – at Misericordia University, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Susquehanna University, TBA
Golf
Wednesday, Sept. 12 – at Keuka College Invitational, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 18 – at Elizabethtown, 1 p.m.
For more about NEAC, visit the conference website.
Men’s/Women’s Tennis
The Penn College men, with five all-conference returning players, are coming off a much-improved spring season and the women’s team is looking to build. The men open Saturday at Susquehanna University and the women on Sept. 10 at Misericordia University.
Leading the men’s team are juniors Luke Whitenight, of Berwick, and Blake Whitmire, of Shickshinny, who should open at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Last spring, they earned North Eastern Athletic Conference Third Team honors at the No. 1 doubles position.
Also returning are NEAC First Team honorees senior Ethan Rosler, of Bloomsburg; and Stephen Helminiak, of Williamsport; and Second Team honoree Will DeMarco, of Glen Mills. They will be joined by freshman Tucker Phillippe-Johansson, of Mattituck, New York; junior Nico Pascual, of Doylestown; and sophomore Joe Morrin, of Morrisville, for the Nos. 3 through 6 singles positions and spots on the three doubles teams.
The Penn College men finished 7-7 overall last year, including a loss in the NEAC/NAC West Division semifinals.
“This fall, in the nonconference season, we’re going to play and practice hard and focus on bringing home the team title in the spring. That’s the goal,” third-year coach John Machak said of his men.
Topping the women returning players from a 1-12 team is senior Emily Bell, of Jersey Shore, who was a Third Team NEAC choice in the spring.
Joining Bell as returning players are Cassie Shook, of Westport, and Amber Janelli, of Denver. Newcomers include freshmen Deidre Slattery, of Shippensburg; Marcie Harman, of Nescopeck; and Alexis Youse, of Pottstown.
“It’s nice because we have three coming back and three new people on the roster. It’s a young team that is going to be set for the future. … My outlook is that we have a pretty solid fall and that we really figure things out for the spring,” Machak said.
“We think we’ve taken a nice step with both programs in the last year and we just want to take another step forward,” added Machak, who was last year’s NEAC co-coach of the year.
Men’s Soccer
At Hood College on Friday in its season opener, Vance Gradwell, of Tulpehocken, scored at the 7:31 mark to put the Wildcats on top before the home team evened the tally at 25:34. Minutes later, with 19:26 left in the first half, the match was stopped, and then canceled and ruled no contest, due to lightning strikes in the area. Hood led in shots on goal, 6-1, but Penn College goal keeper Hunter Gosnell, of Westminster, Maryland, made five saves.
Right back in action on Saturday at Stevenson College in a match that counts, Steven scored five first-half goals en route to a 6-0 win. Stevenson led in shots, 15-8 (9-3 on goal), and in corner kicks, 7-2.
In the coaches’ NEAC preseason poll, the Wildcats were picked to finish seventh among 12 teams – last fall, they ended among the top four – and they will get a chance to test how accurate the poll is as they entertain No. 1 pick and defending champion Penn State Abington in their conference opener. In the poll behind Abington, which had 11 first-place votes and 121 points, are: SUNY Poly (96), Keuka College (89), Penn State Berks (88), Morrisville State College (84), Lancaster Bible College (78), Penn College (72), SUNY Cobleskill (55), Wells College (42), Gallaudet University (28), Cazenovia College (28) and College of St. Elizabeth (11).
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week: Host Penn State Abington (overall, NEAC through Sunday), 3 p.m. Saturday.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Lost, 3-0, Nov. 15 in NEAC semifinal.
Women’s Soccer
On the road Friday at King’s College in its season opener, Penn College pulled out a 2-1 double-overtime win when freshman Kaelan Cronan, of Leesport, scored her second goal of the match on a breakaway at the 1:01:13 mark. Her first goal, which tied the score in the second period, came at the 59:43 mark. Statistically, King’s dominated in shots, 23-7 (11-6 on goal), and corner kicks, 14-2. Wildcats goal keeper Taylor Gonzales, of Lititz, made 10 saves.
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week: Host Penn State Abington (overall, NEAC through Sunday), 1 p.m. Saturday.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Won, 5-0, Oct. 21.
In a preseason NEAC coaches’ poll, Penn College was picked fifth among 12 teams, despite finishing second in the conference a year ago. With 10 first-place votes and 118 points, five-time defending champion Penn State Berks was chosen to finish on top, followed by: Keuka College (102), SUNY Poly (91), Lancaster Bible College (89), Penn College (88), Morrisville State College (81), Penn State Abington (58), Cazenovia College (52), Wells College (47), Gallaudet University (32), SUNY Cobleskill (17) and College of St. Elizabeth (17).
Men’s/Women’s Cross-Country
The men’s team finished fourth among seven teams and the women’s squad was fifth in a six-team field as they opened their seasons Friday at the Misericordia University Invitational. Josh Velez, of Lewistown, paced the Penn College men with a sixth-place finish in 17:15.4 over a 5K course. Eighty men competed. For the women, Sidney Trunzo, of Williamsport, led the way with a 20th-place finish in 17:19.9 over a 4K course. Sixty-three women competed.
In NEAC preseason coaches’ polls, the Penn College men were picked to finish fourth among 12 teams and the women eighth in a 12-team field.
Topping the men’s poll with 10 first-place votes was SUNY Poly with 120 points, followed by: SUNY Cobleskill (105), Lancaster Bible College (99), Penn College (93), Penn State Berks (80), Penn State Abington (66), Morrisville State College (61), Wells College (52), Keuka College (42), Gallaudet University (35), Cazenovia College (23) and College of St. Elizabeth (16).
SUNY Cobleskill, with four first-place votes, six second-place votes and 112 points, led the women’s poll, followed by: Penn State Berks (five first-place votes and 101 points), SUNY Poly (91), Cazenovia College (87), Morrisville State College (77), Lancaster Bible College (69), Keuka College (62), Penn College (55), Penn State Abington (47), Wells College (43), Gallaudet University (34) and College of St. Elizabeth (14).
Women’s Volleyball
Traveling across the city on Saturday for their opener in the Lycoming College Classic, the Wildcats went 0-3 in losses to Lycoming (19-25, 20-25, 13-25), Clarks Summit University (18-25, 12-25, 7-25) and Wilkes University (12-25, 20-25, 19-25). Emaile Marnati, of Canton, was among the Penn College leaders with a total of 11 kills, 23 digs, three blocks and one ace.
Earlier in the week, Penn College was picked to finish last among 12 teams in a preseason NEAC coaches’ poll. Morrisville State College earned the top spot with eight first-place votes and 115 points followed by: Gallaudet University (three first-place votes and 108 points), Wells College (91), Lancaster Bible College (84), Penn State Berks (80), SUNY Poly (71), Keuka College (70), Penn State Abington (49), College of St. Elizabeth (42), Cazenovia College (31), SUNY Cobleskill (31) and Penn College (20).
Women’s Basketball Prospect Day
The Penn College women’s basketball program will host a prospect day from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at Bardo Gymnasium. The event is open to high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors and will include lunch, a campus tour and T-shirt. For more information, contact coach Lauren Healy by email or at 610-781-9460.
SCHEDULE
Men’s Soccer
Overall record: 0-1
Friday, Aug. 31 – at Hood College, 1-1, lightning, canceled
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Stevenson College, L, 6-0
Wednesday, Sept. 5 – at Keystone College, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC), 3 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 9 – at Pitt-Greensburg, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Gallaudet University (NEAC), 3 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
Overall record: 1-0
Friday, Aug. 31 – at King’s College, W, 2-1, 2 OT
Wednesday, Sept. 5 – host Keystone College, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC), 1 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 9 – host St. Joseph’s (Long Island), noon
Wednesday, Sept. 12 – Battle for the Lumber at Lycoming College, 4 p.m.
Men’s Cross-Country
Friday, Aug. 31 – at Misericordia University Invitational, finished fourth in a seven-team field
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Lancaster Bible Charger Invitational, 10 a.m.
Women’s Cross-Country
Friday, Aug. 31 – at Misericordia University Invitational, finished fifth in a six-team field
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Lancaster Bible Charger Invitational, 10 a.m.
Women’s Volleyball
Overall record: 0-3
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Lycoming College vs. Lycoming, L, 0-3 (19-25, 20-25, 13-25)
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Lycoming College vs. Clarks Summit University, L, 0-3 (18-25, 12-25, 7-25)
Saturday, Sept. 1 – at Lycoming College vs. Wilkes University, L, 0-3 (12-25, 20-25, 19-25)
Tuesday, Sept. 4 – at Penn State Altoona, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 11 – at Penn State Berks (NEAC), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept, 15 – host Morrisville State College (NEAC), 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – host Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), 4 p.m.
Men’s Tennis
Saturday, Sept. 8 – at Susquehanna University, noon
Monday, Sept. 10 – at Misericordia University, 3 p.m.
Women’s Tennis
Monday, Sept. 10 – at Misericordia University, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15 – at Susquehanna University, TBA
Golf
Wednesday, Sept. 12 – at Keuka College Invitational, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 18 – at Elizabethtown, 1 p.m.
For more about NEAC, visit the conference website.
For more information, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.
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