With the school year winding down, most students have likely been consumed with homework, group projects and papers leading up to final exams. Academically, it's a stressful time for most, as we rush to cram a semester's worth of information into our heads in order to prepare for a few remaining tests, which will determine our final grades.
For student athletes, there is an additional element of anxiety as the spring seasons for most teams on campus come to a close. Athletically speaking, a different kind of finals are gearing up to take place, as regular-season matches end and league tournaments start.
So, in the spirit of finals, let's take a break from our books and turn our attention to the field to make a final evaluation of our spring sports teams.
The women's lacrosse team came into the 2006 season with high hopes and expectations in the Patriot League. The ladies fared well in league play, but struggled against nationally ranked teams, such as Old Dominion and Johns Hopkins, and non-conference schools both early and late in the season.
The Eagles were able to snap a recent five-game losing streak with a win against Longwood on Monday, giving them some momentum as they head into the first round of the PL tournament this weekend. The fourth-seeded Eagles will take on second-seeded Colgate on Saturday in Worcester, Mass. Look for this young team to climb the PL ranks next year, as it retains top-scoring underclassmen such as Gina Ibello, Chelsea Kapp and Jackie and Lauren Lane.
The AU track team had a great run this spring after coming off of a successful winter season. The Eagles performed well at all meets this spring, seeming to set school and league records at almost every contest. Three Eagles were even named PL Track Athlete of the Week, with Keira Carlstrom, Zaia Wharton and Brendan Fennell all taking the honors, gving AU a stronghold on the award for three consecutive weeks.
The track teams will head to the Penn Relays this weekend, where they will compete in the women's distance medley, along with the men's 5,000-meter, 4x800 and mile. The Eagles are expected to fare well in the competition, which will pit them against some of the best runners in the NCAA. Expect the team to be on top again next year, as it returns top runners like Fennell, who recently broke a three-decade old school record in the 5,000.
As we consider finals, it seems only appropriate to mention the men's and women's tennis teams, who both put out a commendable effort in their final seasons at AU. The women's team swept Manhattan April 18, ending its swan song on a high note. Though the men lost their final regular-season matches to Army, they will continue onto the PL tournament this weekend at Army.
Both teams deserve recognition for their performances in their final year. Despite the inevitable termination of their programs, players on both teams seemed determined to keep both their level of competition and their heads up. They put forth a great effort in playing their hearts out in a fitting farewell that will personify the spirit of AU tennis when it is remembered for years to come.
