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Double the Pleasure
July 18, 2008
With the fall season not quite at an end, Keuka College is already reaping the benefits of a successful fall campaign. The Storm’s women’s soccer and tennis teams both won North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) regular season crowns and will look to carry its regular season success into the playoffs.
The Storm soccer team, currently at 10-3 overall, routed its NEAC opponents en route to an 8-0 conference mark with just one game remaining. As a whole the Storm have outscored its opponents 56-14, but in its eight conference games, the Storm have scored 45 more goals (50-5) while not allowing a team to score more then once in a game. This is the first regular season championship for Keuka since 2003.
Leading the Storm’s offensive onslaught all season has been senior forward Nicole Bondellio (Watkins Glen, N.Y./Corning West). The three-time, soon to be four, All-NEAC first team performer has enjoyed her best season with Keuka. Bondellio has netted 15 goals, passed out 8 assists, and amassed 38 points (all team highs) through the Storm’s 13 games. Breaking every record in the books, literally, Bondellio will end her career as the Storm’s all-time leader in goals, assists, and points.
Bondellio’s two senior classmates, defensive specialist Kerry Callahan (Farmingville, N.Y./Bishop McGann-Mercy) and goalie Kristi Chamberlain (Oriskany Falls, N.Y./Madison), have also played key roles in the Storm’s success. Callahan, a three-time All-NEAC selection, has continually stopped opponent’s offenses while Chamberlain has recorded 59 saves and posted an .808 save percentage.
Keuka’s rookies have also enjoyed sensational seasons, as the Storm’s No. 2, 3, and 4 scorers are all freshmen. Forward Alyssa Hermenet (Williamson, N.Y./Williamson) has scored 11 goals and dished off 3 assists for a total of 25 points. Herement also has a team-leading four game-winning goals. Midfielder Molly McGuigan (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) and forward Courtney McLaughlin (Warsaw, N.Y./Letchworth) have done their part scoring for the Storm. McGuigan has eight goals and two assists (18 points) while McLaughlin has scored five goals and handed out four assists (14 points) while coming off the bench.
The Storm will host the NEAC Championships Nov. 2-3 as the No. 1 seed.
Not to be overshadowed, the Storm’s women’s tennis team won its first-ever NEAC regular season crown in just its fourth season as a NCAA Division III sport. Keuka stands at 5-5 overall but dominated its conference rivals to the tune of 5-1.
Leading the way for the young Storm squad has been its rookies, headed by Megan McGowan (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia). McGowan, playing in No. 1 singles and doubles, posted a 5-1 mark in singles and a perfect 6-0 doubles record in conference play. Overall, McGowan sits at 5-5 in singles play and 6-4 in doubles.
Keuka’s No. 2 singles player, Beth Kushner (Angola, N.Y./Elden), has enjoyed a 3-4 mark overall while going undefeated (3-0) in the NEAC. Kushner has also enjoyed success in No. 2 doubles, going 2-1 in conference play. Sophomore Alison Liberty (South Berwick, ME/Marshwood), still a rookie to the Storm tennis team, has gone 4-2 in No. 3 singles conference action. McGowan’s partner in No. 1 doubles, Liberty has played a huge role in the duo’s perfect 6-0 mark.
Keuka is seeded No. 1 for this weekend’s (Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27) NEAC Championships. As for individual seedings, McGowan is the No. 2 singles player in the first flight while Kushner is the No. 1 seed in flight No. 2. Liberty is the No. 4 seed in the third flight, while McGowan and Liberty are the top seed in the No. 1 doubles flight.
