Articles by: sports

 

• Mason Dominates the Lady Panthers: Defense Allows 27 Points as Mason Impresses in Exhibition Game

  Sports November 17, 2009 at 4:20 pm Comments are Disabled

  Jerry Holy, Broadside Correspondent Four days before their season opener this past Friday, the George Mason University women’s basketball team outplayed the Virginia Union Panthers en route to a 75-27 victory. The team received a great deal of contribution from each player. Freshman forward Amber Easter led the team with 14 points. Junior guard Brittany Poindexter added 13 points and four steals. Freshman forward Janaa Pickard also scored in double digits with 11 points and added eight rebounds and seven blocks. Freshman guard Rahneeka Saunders had five assists and nine points. From the start, both sides struggled to score. Rising junior guard Ashleigh Braxton helped Mason get on the board after the first two minutes of play. Her effort led Mason to an 11-2 run. Later in the first half, Mason went on the fast-break offense, exploding to a 25-11 run. Mason went into halftime with a 42-14 lead. During the first half, Mason shot 12-of-13 from the free throw line and forced 12 Panther turnovers. “The key plays in the game were the fast breaks we had,” said Poindexter. During the second half, Mason kept up their tempo as they jumped out to a 9-2 scoring run. “I think […]

   

• Putting Out the Flames: Mason Holds on Late to Win Their Season Opener

  Sports November 17, 2009 at 4:17 pm Comments are Disabled

  Fox Parker, Staff Writer The George Mason University men’s basketball team’s 76-72 season-opening win over the Liberty Flames could prove to be microcosm of the season to come. The Patriots were brilliant at times and erratic at times, building up a 19-point lead only to see it dwindle to three with 2:34 to play. The game, which appeared to be in hand midway through the second half, was slipping away from the Patriots until freshman forward Luke Hancock made a fumbling jump shot and, sophomore guard Andre Cornelius made game-sealing free throws. “We are a very interesting team, aren’t we?” said Head Coach Jim Larranaga. “We can play very well for a while, [but] there are always going to be periods whe . . . there’s a little bit of a letdown.” Last season’s leader in just about every statistical category (scoring, assists, 3-point percentage, free throw percentage, and minutes), junior point guard Cam Long could only watch from the bench as his young squad allowed a commanding lead turn into a contested advantage. Long left the game with 17 minutes remaining due to cramps in both legs. “We never really got a good flow offensively,” said Larranaga of the […]

   

• Lady Patriots Make an Opening Statement: Women’s Basketball Wins Opener for the First Time in Four Years

  Sports November 17, 2009 at 4:15 pm Comments are Disabled

  Kiala Haynes, Staff Writer The George Mason University women’s basketball team took the floor on Friday night and were able to get their message to everyone in the Patriot Center – “We are here to win.” The Patriots were able to defeat Norfolk State in the season’s opener, 66-49, and proved to their fans that they are a sight to watch. The lead changed six times during the first half, but freshman guard/forward Amber Easter scored two points on the line, making the lead 21-20. From there, Mason did not lose their lead. There was a slow finish to the first half of the game, and most of the team’s points were made on the line with Easter and junior guard Brittany Eley making both of their shots. Junior guard Brittany Poindexter and sophomore Rachel Robinson, who scored double-digits in the game, were also able to contribute four points at the end of the first half. Staring off the second half, the Patriot’s junior guard Ashleigh Braxton, whose scoring total ended up in double-digits as well, made two three-pointers in the first minute of the half. This aided the Patriots in finding their rhythm as they began their 8-0 run […]

   

• The Classical Libero: Boryc Digs the Green and Gold

  Sports November 17, 2009 at 4:13 pm Comments are Disabled

  Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor The Boryc File Favorite Food: Deep Dish Pizza from Lou Malnati’s Favorite Vacation Spot: Honduras Favorite Actress: Kate Hudson Favorite Movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Favorite Music: Rascal Flatts It is in the libero’s convention to serve as the defensive specialist on the volleyball court. Yet, there are instances when the libero is part of the offensive attack, recording an unusual kill. For sophomore libero Katrina Boryc, the spontaneity of her first collegiate kill came as a shock to her. Boryc is a key source to the women’s volleyball team’s success in the 2009 season. In 92 sets, she has 215 digs and 31 service aces. George Mason University is currently in the midst of competing in the postseason, which will be their first appearance since the 2007 season. Boryc, originally from Naperville, Ill., came to Mason after helping her high school volleyball team win a conference championship in her senior year. Whereas certain areas produce very talented athletes in certain sports, volleyball has been known for its dominance in the Chicago area. “Volleyball is big where I live,” said Boryc. “I started [playing] in fourth grade. I live a couple […]

   

• Fall Sports Recap: Teams Conclude 2009 Season

  Sports November 17, 2009 at 3:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  Cody Norman, Broadside Correspondent Men’s Cross Country The George Mason University men’s cross country team competed at the Cavalier Open in Panorama Farms in Earlysville, Va. on Nov. 6 in its final meet before the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship meet. Sophomore Daniel Callan ran his way to a seventh-place finish in the Open, posting a time of 25:24.63. Freshman Philip Blankenship (26:41.50), freshman Andrew Pitts (26:52.25) and sophomore Henry Loehr (26:56.65) all finished in the top 25 in the 8K run. On Sept. 22, sophomore Everett Hackett was named the CAA Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after posting a 25:10.50 on his way to a third-place finish at the Lou Onesty Invitational. Women’s Cross Country The women’s cross country team finished as the runner-up to the Delaware Blue Hens in the team scoring for the women’s 5K with a total of 65 points. Freshman Rochelle Sceats and sophomore Sandy Castro finished second and third, posting times of 18:26.53 and 18:59.04, respectively. Freshman Laura Sinclair rounded out the top five with a time of 19:08.65. At the CAA Championships, the Patriots put together 126 points to finish third place in the 6K race. Both Sceats and Sinclair earned All-CAA […]

   

• The Dear Sisters Letter

  Sports November 17, 2009 at 3:49 pm Comments are Disabled

  To my seniors, First, I have no words to describe how much you mean to me. After three years of having a routine together and seeing each other every day, it’s hard to think that the season will be over soon. It is hard to think that we played our last home game together this past Saturday. I still cannot imagine going on the court without you being there. My definition of George Mason University volleyball includes having Laura Turner, Rebecca Walter and Sam Simmonds as teammates. I do not know what is to come of Mason volleyball without you. You were the ones who guided me through all my years at Mason so far, on and off the court. Whether I needed a shoulder to cry or had a smile to share, you guys were always there for me. You were my role models, the people I would look up to when I questioned myself. Now, I have to grow up. I have always been the baby, the young one. Now, I have to become the older sister, the responsible one, and play the role you always played for me, which scares me to a certain extent. It scares […]

   

• The Playoff Picture

  Sports November 14, 2009 at 6:03 pm Comments are Disabled

  The women’s volleyball team can clinch the third seed with a win tonight against the James Madison Dukes. Mason’s CAA Tournament first round opponent has yet to be determined. Currently, the Delaware Blue Hens sit in second place. The Blue Hens, whom Mason surrendered all six sets to this season, won their past three matches. The current conference leader VCU Rams extended their winning streak to eight games after last night’s win against the Georgia State Panthers. With a new playoff format, Mason reached postseason the hard way, finishing in the top four whereas six teams qualified for last year’s tournament. This season, Mason will be the underdog as the only team in the upcoming tournament to not have appeared in last year’s tournament.

   

• Mason Overpowers the Trojans: Mason High-Octane Offense Scores in Triple Digits

  Sports November 12, 2009 at 4:02 pm Comments are Disabled

  Jerry Holy, Broadside Correspondent In an exciting atmosphere at the Patriot Center, the men’s basketball team put on a show as they downed the Virginia State Trojans 100-82 in the exhibition game last Thursday. Mason controlled the game from the very beginning with a 3-point jumper from junior guard Cam Long. Sophomore guard Andre Cornelius led the team with 22 points and sophomore forward Ryan Pearson added 12 points with a 3-point jumper at the end of the first half. Senior forward Louis Birdsong and Long had 10 points apiece. Sophomore forward Mike Morrison had nine points and two blocks. The bench players also contributed to the team’s impressive victory. Rising freshman forward Kevin Foster added seven points, one block and a steal. Junior guard Isaiah Tate showed he could step up as a leader on the floor, scoring six points in the game. Among the freshmen, forward Luke Hancock had a strong debut on both sides of the floor. Hancock led the team with four steals and eight assists. Hancock also added seven points from the bench as did freshman guard Sherrod Wright. “[Hancock] played good for his first game as a Patriot,” said sophomore guard Jimmy Nolan on […]

   

• NFL Midseason Report: The Highs and Lows of 2009

  Sports November 12, 2009 at 3:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  Yasin Jama, Staff Writer The 2009 NFL season has been a tremendous start for some teams and a disastrous start for others. Unlike last season, there are more bad teams than recent years. There are five 1-win teams in the league and still one winless team. There are also three teams with only two wins so far. Here are the surprises and disappointments for the 2009 season: Surprises New Orleans Saints: The Saints are one of two undefeated teams in the NFL at the season midpoint. They are averaging nearly 40 points a game. Quarterback Drew Brees has so far been the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, throwing touchdowns to five different receivers and anchoring an offense that is number one in the league. Add to that an improved defense led by new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Saints could possibly be the team to beat in the NFC. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts have a new head coach and offensive coordinator. However, that has not changed the chemistry of the team. Led by future-Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, the Colts are off to a 6-0 start for the third time in five years. The Colts are fourth in the league […]

   

• In My Own Words: CAA Celebrates 25th Anniversary

  Sports November 12, 2009 at 3:38 pm Comments are Disabled

  Fernanda Bartels, Staff Writer This year is the Colonial Athletic Association’s 25th anniversary. Inspired by the CAA’s milestone and my upcoming 21st birthday, I decided to look into some numbers and interesting facts of international volleyball at George Mason University. I am celebrating 21 years of life; Pat Kendrick, our head coach, is celebrating her 25th season at Mason. Kendrick is the longest-tenured coach in the conference. She also ranks 44th among active head coaches with 405 career victories. Along with Kendrick, the Mason women’s volleyball program is symbol of tradition in the CAA. The name Mason Volleyball carries history and success. The Patriots have won seven CAA championships with only the William & Mary Tribe holding more titles. The Patriots played in 11 championship games. It is interesting to see that Mason hosted the championship four times, but never won a championship title on their home court. The odds are against us winning a championship match on our home court. Of course, hosting the championship would be amazing, but nothing would be better than winning the tournament. As part of the anniversary celebration, the CAA selected a 25th anniversary team. Mason had six of its volleyball athletes honored by […]