Edel Thornton.
College Roundup / By John Manley
Quinnipiac didn't get very far in NCAA women's basketball play, losing in the first round, 76-65, to South Dakota State in the Carrier Dome on the Syracuse University campus on Saturday. Starting guard Edel Thornton posted a game-high five assists and a co-high in steals with two. She also connected on two of four field goal attempts for four points. A 5-9 senior guard from Gurranabraher, Co. Cork, Thornton started 29 of 33 games this season for the Bobcats (26-7) and averaged 6.2 points per game. She was valued more for her playmaking and defensive abilities, leading the team in assists (91) and was second in steals (61). A product of the Irish national basketball program, Thornton is majoring in psychology at the Connecticut school.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Despite a losing record, Longwood secured a spot in the Roman College Invitational, which for the Lancers began last Wednesday at home against Southern Mississippi, which brought a 20-12 record up to Virginia. No matter. The Lancers’ play belied their record and they advanced with a 90-68 thrashing of the Eagles. Sean Flood, a 6-2 junior guard from Dublin, got in for eight minutes and launched three shots from long distance, all of which found their mark, for nine total points. He also got credit for two assists. Longwood then moved on to a Monday night quarterfinals encounter at DePaul, which resulted in a 97-89 loss for Longwood. Due to the Lancers' starting contingent shooting better than 50 percent from the floor, Flood saw only three minutes of action and didn't score. Longwood finished the season 16-18.
WOMEN'S GOLF
Auburn's Julie McCarthy, a sophomore from Swords, Co. Dublin, finished just two strokes off the low number in the Evans Derby Experience at Saugahatchee Country Club in Opelika, Alabama. She posted rounds of 72, 71 and 72 to finish play a stroke under par and two off medalist Karoline Stormo of Kent State. Louisville's Mairead Martin, a freshman from Kanturk, Co. Cork, tied for 60th in the field of 87 women. Her aggregate 231 consisted of rounds of 80, 75 and 76. Auburn finished seventh among teams, while Louisville trailed all in 14th.
Carson-Newman's Maeve Cummins, a freshman from Waringstown, Co. Down, gained ground with a final-round 72 in the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at Highlands in Sevierville, Tennessee. She previously shot 75 and 78, and clawed her way to a 12th-place finish, 12 strokes over par and 10 behind medalist Emily Uhland of Samford. The Eagles got fourth place in the 12-team field.
Kansas State's Niamh McSherry got a share of 10th place in the Mountain View Intercollegiate at The Preserve in Saddlebrooke, Arizona. A sophomore from Lurgan, Co. Armagh, McSherry knocked out rounds of 70, 71 and 72, which left her three strokes under par and seven off the number posted by Polly Mack of UNLV, the medal winner. Kansas State senior Chloe Weir of Belfast finished joint-28th at 218 (73-73-72). Kansas State finished seventh of 13 teams.
MEN'S GOLF
Nathan McCann of Colorado State-Pueblo tied for fourth place in the Bob Writz Invitational at Bear Creek in Lakewood, Colorado. A sophomore from Lurgan, Co. Armagh, McCann's rounds of 72 and 76 left him four strokes over par for the 36-hole event, which was best among the Thunderwolves, and five off the winning score posted by Colorado's Victor Bjorlow.
Oklahoma City freshman Jack Madden worked out a share of ninth place in the Battle at Primm in Primm Valley, Nevada. The pride of Dungannon, Co. Tyrone posted rounds of 68, 71 and 70 to finish the event a stroke under par and eight in back of Coastal Georgia's Eli Scott, the medal winner. Oklahoma City shared second place in the team scramble.
The Golden Nugget Country Club in Lake Charles, Louisiana wasn't posing much of a challenge for the field in the Lake Charles Invitational, so Jack Hearn's even-par 216 (72-71-73) was good for only a share of 42nd place. The McNeese State freshman from Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary finished 19 strokes off the low score shot by Texas Christian's David Ravetto, who had six strokes on the runners-up.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Anna Bowtell was slotted at various points last week for Rice, winners of two of three matches. In a 7-0 home victory over Johns Hopkins on Tuesday, the sophomore from Delgany, Co. Wicklow, dispatched Kimberly Zou, 6-0, 6-1, at third singles. The Owls then hit the road, where they fell, 5-2, to Princeton on Friday, followed by a 6-1 triumph over William & Mary at Princeton on Saturday. Bowtell lost, 7-6, 6-2, to Princeton's Clare McKee at fourth singles and then bounced back to take out W&M's Lauren Goodman by an identical, 7-6, 6-2 score at no. 5. Bowtell and Victoria Smirnova also won all three of their matches at third doubles by 6-2 scores.
Delaware's Caragh Courtney, a freshman from Castleknock, Dublin, was a three-time winner last week. On Wednesday in Philadelphia, the Blue Hens clipped St. Joe's, 5-2, with Courtney posting a 6-4, 6-0 win over Isis Gill-Reid at second singles. On Saturday, Delaware whitewashed Goldey-Beacom, 7-0, as Courtney put away Catarina Zheng, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-2), also at the second position. She moved up to first singles for Sunday's match against Wilmington, and took care of Begona Gomar, 6-4, 6-3. The Blue Hens won this match by a 7-0 score as well. Courtney and Emily Gotkiewicz also won all three of their matches at second doubles.
Vanderbilt edged Florida, 4-3, in Nashville on Sunday, with Dublin freshman Georgia Drummy defeating Victoria Emma, 6-0, 6-3, at third singles. Drummy entered the match ranked 62nd among Division 1 women, while Emma was 67th.
Jessica Leeman of Presbyterian College won both her matches at fifth singles last week. A freshman from Belfast, Leeman handled Charleston Southern's Liz Williams, 6-3, 6-3, to forge a 5-2 Blue Hose victory on Tuesday on the loser's courts. Presbyterian then hit the road for a 7-0 thrashing of Radford on Saturday, with Leeman prevailing, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), over Katey Freuhauf.
The McCullough sisters of Belfast put points on the board for Tusculum in wins over Carson-Newman, 6-1, on Wednesday and Newberry, 5-2, on Saturday, both at home. Annie McCullough was tasked with second singles play and she posted a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ali Harris. Twin sister Caitlin dispatched Hannah Price, 6-1, 7-5, at third singles. They also hung a 6-2 defeat on Harris and Ana Carla Resende at first doubles. Against Newberry, Annie McCullough moved up to first singles, where she defeated Elisa Aguirre, 6-0, 6-0, while Caitlin McCullough worked out a win over Lucy Spice, 6-3, 6-0, at the third spot. They also teamed for a 6-0 doubles win over Aguirre and Marta Gomar.
Utah State's Lucy Octave, playing second singles, split her matches last week. The junior from Donaghadee, Co. Down lost, 6-2, 7-6, to Creighton's Sarah Wilcox in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday, although the Aggies pulled out a 4-3 win. Octave bounced back on Saturday in Omaha, where Utah State whipped North Dakota, 7-0. Octave was a 7-6, 6-2 victor over Kaede Amano.
MEN'S TENNIS
Life at first singles was anything but easy for Wisconsin's Osgar O'Hoisin last week. The senior from Dublin went to three sets in both his forays, resulting in one win and one defeat. On Wednesday in Malibu, California, the Badgers were nipped, 4-3, by Pepperdine, with O'Hoisin falling, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, to Adrian Oeztbach. Sunday found the Badgers in Iowa City, where they again got trimmed, 4-3, by Iowa. O'Hoisin went the distance against Oliver Okonkwo, who he defeated, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
Dublin freshman Thomas Brennan split both his singles and doubles matches for Butler last week. In a 6-1 home win over IUPUI on Friday, Brennan handled Sean Bailey, 6-3, 6-0, at second singles, although he and Spencer Lang went down, 6-3, to Bailey and Ethan Mardanus-Budio at third doubles. Then, on Saturday, the Bulldogs traveled to Valparaiso, where they were edged, 4-3. Brennan fell, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, to Brandon Ancona, but teamed with Lang to help Butler win the doubles point by taking Gabriel Carvajal and David Langston, 6-4.
Montana posted road wins over Lewis-Clark State, 7-0, on Friday and Idaho, 5-2, on Saturday. Oisin Shaffrey held up his part of the bargain at fifth singles, getting past Larry Magalasin, 6-0, 7-6 (7-1), on Friday and Guilherme Scarpelli,, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, on Saturday.
Lenoir-Rhyne tripped up Catawba, 5-2, in Hickory, North Carolina on Wednesday, with Shane O'Dea solid at fifth singles. The Dublin senior breezed past Vid Rados, 6-1, 6-0.
Mercyhurst had little trouble at home in Erie, Pennsylvania last week, posting victories over West Chester, 7-0, on Saturday and Millersville, 6-1, on Sunday. Cormac McCooey took care of business at first singles with wins over West Chester's Chris Succi, 6-0, 6-2, and Millersville's C. Martinez-Lucas, 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6).
