Pitt club sports look to improve this weekend

While the buzz around campus has been the emergence of a young Panther football team and the… While the buzz around campus has been the emergence of a young Panther football team and the success of the two NFL teams in the keystone state, there has been much more going on throughout the month of “Jock-tober.” As October came to an end this past weekend, many of the University’s club sports were in action.

Men’s Lacrosse

More than half of this year’s club lacrosse team consists of underclassmen. The young, upbeat Panthers are using their fall season to help the younger guys get accustomed to college lacrosse as they prepare for their regular season, which takes place in the spring semester.

“The team has had its ups and downs,” head coach Robbie Heaps said. “But we have definitely progressed and improved each time we’ve taken the field.”

According to coach Heaps, his team really shined this past weekend in what he thought was its best performance this season. The Panthers traveled to Athens, Ohio, last Saturday to play two games. Victorious in both games, Pitt defeated Cleveland 7-6 and then Miami of Ohio 6-3.

Sophomore goalkeeper Drew Bauer impressed coach Heaps with his play in both contests.

“Drew really rose to the occasion last weekend. He has really worked hard to improve his game,” Heaps said.

Bauer, a first-year player for Pitt, was thrust into the net as a result of the graduation loss of last year’s starter and a scheduling conflict with a more experienced junior goalie, which left the team without a net-minder to start the season.

Heaps has also been impressed with the leadership of his two captains, Warren Maxwell and Kyle Balliet. Both Maxwell and Balliet are attack men, and have led the team’s offensive unit, while Ron Reed leads the defense.

The Panthers will travel to Buffalo, N.Y., next weekend for a game against the Bulls of Buffalo University.

Division II Men’s Ice Hockey

The Pitt hockey team has been streaking all year. It opened the season with three straight wins before losing three in a row. The Panthers were unsuccessful in starting a new winning streak this past weekend in Ohio. Their record fell to 3-4-1 as they lost to Bowling Green and tied Ohio State.

Friday’s game matched Pitt up against one of the best teams it had seen this season — Bowling Green. The Falcons held on to a 2-1 lead heading into the third period and scored two more goals in the third, cruising to a 4-1 victory.

Coach Tom Rieck was pleased with his team’s effort against such a strong opponent. “We played well, but we just pressed a little too much in the third and they took advantage of it. The guys never quit, though,” Rieck said

Saturday’s game was a hard-fought battle between the Buckeyes of Ohio State and the Panthers. Despite Mike Dziura’s team-leading seventh goal and Mike King’s sixth of the season, 60 minutes of regulation decided nothing as the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie.

Pitt’s home opener is Friday against Toledo, with a road contest Saturday at West Virginia.

Division III Men’s Ice Hockey

Although the gridiron version of the heated rivalry between Pitt and Penn State no longer exists, it was evident again as the Panthers defended their home ice for the first time this season against PSU-Behrend on Friday and PSU-Delaware County on Saturday.

Coach Toki Barron felt both games could have left the Panthers victorious, but the Panthers couldn’t find their elusive second win, as they tied Behrend 4-4 and were shut out by Delaware County 2-0.

Despite a 1-3-2 record, the Panthers have improved steadily throughout the season and have finally started to mesh together as a team.

“We are a very young team, and it has taken a while for us to come together,” Barron said.

While they have been looking for a niche, the Panthers have been led offensively by their first line, which consists of Jon Colarusso, Zach Cain, and Ty Heller. The three have combined for 12 goals and 17 assists through 6 games.

This weekend, the team will look to get its second win when rival WVU skates into town on Saturday night.

Crew

The Pitt Crew team has been challenging itself all semester long. The long and arduous practices have come with little glory for the team this season.

The first regatta, The Head of the Elk in Elkhart, Ind., featured many of the nation’s top teams, including Notre Dame, Purdue and Michigan.

This weekend, the tables will turn for the Panthers, as they become the big fish in a small pond when they travel to Occoquan, Va., for the Head of the Occoquan on Saturday. That regatta features much smaller schools and seems to be an easier test for the Panthers.