Sports

West Coast woes for Caps

Saying hello to the sunshine isn't always good. The Capitals started a three-game swing on the West Coast last night, and while California is beautiful and sunny, it is the last place Eastern Conference teams want to play. The time difference and the amount of travel can sometimes deflate even the hottest teams.

Kicked out

Eagles fall to Demon Deacons

The AU field hockey team ended its season Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C., as the No. 2 ranked Wake Forest University Demon Deacons ousted the No. 18 ranked AU Eagles 7-1 in the first round of the NCAA field hockey tournament. The Deacons, who won the NCAA field hockey championship three years in a row between 2002 and 2004 and lost in 2006 to the University of Maryland, College Park, overwhelmed the Eagles on both the offensive and defensive ends of the field.

Men's basketball loses season debut

The defending Patriot League champion AU men's basketball team lost its season opener on the road to the No. 14 ranked Oklahoma Sooners 83-54 Friday night. Senior forward Brian Gilmore led the team with 16 points while senior guard Garrison Carr added 11 of his own.

November has Caps scoring victories

The Capitals continue to roll, as Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom have begun to pick up their play. Jose Theodore Talks About His Win at Home Against New Jersey. ANDREW TOMLINSON/ THE EAGLE Tomas Fleischmann Talks About His Goal Against New Jersey.

Women's basketball seizes opener over NJIT, 70-63

Senior guard Talicia Jackson scored a team-high 11 points and recorded six rebounds as the AU women's basketball team won its season opener over the New Jersey Institute of Technology Friday, 70-63. The Eagles jumped out to the early 7-3 lead only two minutes into the first half on the strength of Jackson's five points during the opening stretch.

Men's soccer brief

The AU men's soccer team fell to the College of the Holy Cross in the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament 2-1 via penalty kicks, ending their shot at a league championship and spot in the NCAA tournament. Holy Cross took the early 1-0 lead with 19 minutes remaining in the first half, as Kyle Miller slipped one past freshman goalkeeper Matt Makowski to give Holy Cross the lead.

Volleyball brief

The AU women's volleyball team lost its first league match of the season on Saturday, falling to the U.S. Military Academy 3-1 at Bender Arena. The loss places the Eagles into a tie with the Black Knights for the regular season championship. Despite taking the first set 25-21, the Eagles could not prevent the Black Knights from taking three straight sets and victory in the match.

Eagles ready to defend PL title

As AU gears up for the 2008-2009 men's basketball season, they will enjoy a 65th preseason ranking from Rivals.com - an improvement from last year's preview, when ESPN ranked the Eagles 243rd. But Head Coach Jeff Jones and his team aren't paying any mind. "It means nothing.

Eagles fly towards NCAA tourney

Senior captain attacker Irene Schickhardt's two second-half goals and junior goalie Alyssa Poorman's eight saves powered the 18th ranked AU field hockey team past Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in Tuesday's NCAA play-in game 2-0 and made it back into the first round of the NCAA tournament after missing the cutoff in 2007.

Corkery brings firery tempo to women's team

After a rollercoaster 2007-08 season, the AU women's basketball team comes into this season with a fresh approach and a new head coach. Matt Corkery, who was Melissa McFerrin's assistant for four years, replaces her as the Eagles' head coach. McFerrin, who left to become the head coach for the University of Memphis, stunned members of the team with her decision last spring.

Martinez lifts men's soccer, 3-2, in 2 OT

Junior forward Luis Martinez scored the game-winning goal in the 103rd minute of play Saturday, as the Eagles defeated Bucknell University 3-2 in their regular-season finale. The match ends the Eagle's season at 5-1-1 in the Patriot League and 9-7-2 overall, good enough for the second-seed in the upcoming league tournament.

Johnson keeping Caps alive

The Capitals returned home to take two games in a row and also found a secret weapon. Jose Theodore has been less than stellar overall this season and Coach Bruce Boudreau has turned to a new workhorse - Brent Johnson. Johnson is 2-0-1 in his last three starts and has a save percentage of .

Volleyball sweeps league opponents over weekend

The Patriot League championship is just two weeks away and the AU women's volleyball team is red hot, winning nine straight sets over a three-day span. AU beat North Carolina Central University Thursday, beat Lehigh University Friday and beat Lafayette College Saturday, all by a score of 3-0.

It's Sweet Six for field hockey

Sophomore forward Christine Fingerhuth was named the Patriot League tournament most valuable player after she scored the game-tying goal in the Eagles' 5-2 victory over the Bucknell University Bison during the team's sixth-straight Patriot League field hockey championship Sunday.

Volleyball suffers loss against VCU Rams

The AU women's volleyball team snapped their 13-game winning streak Tuesday night, falling 3-1 on the road to non-conference opponent Virginia Commonwealth University. The loss drops the Eagles' record to 18-7 on the season. AU took the early lead in the match, as they recorded a first set win 25-21 to go up 1-0 in the match.

AU Crew team reflects on fall's success; looks ahead to spring

D.C. is quiet before the sun breaks over the Anacostia River. Senators, lobbyists, honking cars, and whistling sirens are all silent. The constant percussion of city life has come to a halt, save for the gentle lapping of waves against the oars of AU's club crew team.