Army West Point Athletics
This Week In Army Athletics
September 26, 2012 | General
Sept. 26, 2012
Dear Friends,
It was a "Star"-studded weekend here at West Point with two of our teams opening the annual Army-Navy series with victories. The golf team defeated the Mids by the largest margin in the history of the series, while the volleyball squad earned its 11th straight "Star" Game victory on Saturday in Annapolis.
Not only are we off to a great start versus the Mids, but the two victories this weekend improved the program record to 4-0 this fall against our academy rivals. The men's soccer team and volleyball team also earned wins over Air Force earlier this fall.
Golfer Matt Philie and volleyball player D.J. Phee were recognized as Co-Army Athletic Association Athletes of the Week for their roles in their team's victories. Matt won both his four-ball and singles matches. He finished his career 4-0 against Navy in four-ball matches. D.J. averaged more than five digs per set and helped hold both weekend opponents to hitting percentages less than .200.
The Navy match wasn't the only big win for Alma Kovaci's squad. On Friday, they went to American and defeated the defending Patriot League champion, 3-2. The team won three straight sets after falling behind, 2-0. Ariana Mankus was named the Patriot League Player of the Week after averaging better than 3.5 kills and 4.4 digs per set. It was the fourth time this season an Army player won the conference's weekly award. Ariana was also honored with the ECAC Player of the Week award.
In addition to the wins over Navy, several other teams posted solid outings last week. The sprint football team opened its conference season with a 63-28 win over CSFL rival Post at the Allegiance Bowl in Saratoga Springs. Quarterback Javier Sustaita was named the game's MVP after throwing for 318 yards and four touchdowns, and running for 27 yards and three scores.
Women's tennis player Carolyn Pitman won the third singles championship at the West Point Invitational on Sunday, defeating players from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Stony Brook and one of her own teammates to capture the title. The women's soccer team also marked the win column with a 3-2 win over Columbia on Sunday.
Running back Raymond Maples captured an individual honor, earning Football Bowl Subdivision Independent Offensive Player of the Week. Raymond ran for 140 yards on just 15 carries and caught a touchdown pass. He has now run for more than 100 yards in each of his first three games.
Ray and the rest of the squad will open a three-game homestand on Saturday when Stony Brook visits Michie Stadium. The game will cap our Army Sports Hall of Fame Weekend celebration. The seven members of the Class of 2012 will be available for autographs on Black Knights Alley and will be recognized at halfime. Tickets are available at the Army Athletics Box Office near Gate 3 at Michie Stadium, over the phone at 1-877-TIX-ARMY or online at www.goARMYsports.com.
The men's soccer team gets its chance to add to the win total against the Mids on Sunday when the annual rivalry game is played at Philadelphia's PPL Park, home of the MLS' Philadelphia Union. Tickets are available through PPL Park. General admission seats are $18, while reserved seats are $28. All ticket prices include parking.
Thank you again for all of your support of Army Athletics. To find out more about the Army A Club and how you can enhance the cadet-athlete experience, click the following link: http://www.goarmysports.com/boosters/army-a-club.html, call (845)938-2322, or email armyaclub@usma.edu.
We also encourage everyone to take a look at the updated Compliance Guide for Boosters, Alumni and Fans of Army Athletics.
Information on all the fall teams is below.
We appreciate all of your contributions to our success. Be well.
Go Army!
Boo
For all current information regarding Army Athletics and its 25 varsity programs, please visit www.goARMYsports.com.
Cross Country
• Army `s next competition is Sept. 28 when it travels to the Paul Short Invite. Hosted by conference foe Lehigh, the annual race traditionally features over 40 teams, including a handful from the Patriot League.
Football (0-3)
• The Black Knights ran for 429 yards and posted more than 500 yards of offense in its 49-37 loss at Wake Forest. It was the second straight week the Black Knights posted more than 400 rushing yards.
• Cow RB Raymond Maples ran for 140 yards on just 15 carries and caught a touchdown pass. It was his third straight 100-yard game to start the season, a program first since Akili King in 1993.
• Maples was named the Football Bowl Subdivision Independent Offensive Player of the Week. Maples now has eight career 100-yard games, tied for sixth place on Army's career list (Doug Black).
• The Philadelphia, Pa., native ranks sixth in the nation in rushing with 135.3 yards per game.
• Firstie QB Trent Steelman's first quarter rushing touchdown moved him into sole possession of third place on Army's career touchdowns responsible for ledger. Steelman ran for three touchdowns and threw for another, and has been responsible for 47 scores, including 33 rushing touchdowns and 14 passing scores.
• Steelman's three touchdowns put him in a fourth-place tie on Army's career rushing touchdown ledger. He is tied with Carlton Jones (2002-05) with 33 career scores via the rush.
• Larry Dixon reached the 100-yard mark for the second straight game. It is the third straight game Army has had at least two players run for at least 100 yards. The last time the Black Knights had three games with multiple 100-yard rushers was 1990. It is the first time Army has had at least two players with 100 yards in three straight games since 1948.
• Plebes Chris Carnegie, Brandon Fusilier-Jeffires and Alex Meier made their first career starts at boundary corner, free safety and rover linebacker, respectively. The Black Knights have had six defenders make their first career starts this season.
• Fusilier-Jeffires made a career-high 15 tackles. It was his first career double-digit game and the most by an Army player this season.
• Army opens a three-game homestand on Saturday versus Stony Brook. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. Saturday's game is part of the Army Sports Hall of Fame Weekend. The seven-member Class of 2012, including former football great Rollie Stichweh and legendary coach Jim Young, will be honored at halfime.
Golf
• Army dominated Navy, 8.5-2.5, to win the "Star" by the widest margin in a rivalry that dates back to 1939.
• Marcus Plunkett, Harrison Florence, Matt Philie, Eric Peng and John Lee all won two matches for the Black Knights who halted a two-year losing streak in the Ryder Cup-formatted match play event at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.
• Army jumped out to a 3-1 lead after four, four-ball matches and did not lose a match during the singles competition.
• Army will return to action Oct. 10 at the three-day Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate in Jonesborough, Tenn.
Sprint Football (2-0, 1-0 CSFL)
• Army sprint football started conference play on a high note Saturday, knocking off Post in its College Sprint Football League opener in Saratoga Springs at the Allegiance Bowl. The Black Knight offense surged in the second half to clinch the 63-28 victory
• Senior co-captain Javier Sustaita was tabbed the game's Most Valuable Player after passing for 318 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, while running for 27 yards and three scores.
• The Black Knight offense, which took a 21-14 lead into halftime after totaling just 89 yards, came out flying in the second half, scoring on three of their first four possessions. Army tacked on 182 yards in the third and 116 in the fourth to end the game with 472 yards on 87 plays.
• The Eagles had a hard time finding a rhythm on offense as the Army defense continually got after the quarterback, sacking him three times. Thomas White was credited with 1.5 sacks, while Noah Currie and Rob Reckner registered eight tackles apiece and also had hands in quarterback takedowns. Currie also forced two fumbles to lead the Army stop unit.
• Army improved to 3-2 at the Allegiance Bowl, while moving to 2-0 all-time against CSFL foe Post. The Black Knights' 63 points are the most in a game since the 2005 Allegiance Bowl victory over Princeton, when Army registered a 77-0 win.
• The Black Knights will stay on the road for the third consecutive game when they travel to Mansfield Saturday, Sept. 29. Kickoff in Mansfield, Pa., is set for 1 p.m.
Men's Soccer (2-6, 0-1 Patriot League)
• Army opened its Patriot League schedule Saturday evening, dropping a 1-0 decision at Holy Cross.
• The Black Knights outshot the Crusaders 14-8, and held a 9-0 edge in corner kicks.
• Firstie midfielder Michael Kim registered a game-high five shots to lead Army offensively.
• Yearling goalkeeper Winston Boldt made four saves in the Black Knights' cage.
• Army will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 30, when the Black Knights travel to PPL Park in Chester, Pa., to face arch-rival Navy in the annual "Star" match.
Women's Soccer (5-6, 0-0 Patriot League)
• Cow forwards Joey Molacek and Kim An tallied goals within a span of 1:17 in the second half for a 3-1 lead and plebe goalkeeper Jessica McAllister stopped a penalty kick as the Black Knights held on to defeat Columbia, 3-2, in a non-league women's soccer match at Clinton Field last Sunday afternoon.
• The victory put the skids to the Black Knights' two-game losing streak as Army pulled ahead 13-7-0 in the all-time series.
• Plebe Candace Stewart opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a 12-yard shot into the right side of the net for her first collegiate goal. Molacek picked up the assist in the game, her second of the season.
• Molacek broke a 1-1 tie with her fourth goal of the season when she tallied off an assist from freshman Katie Holder (her third of the season).
• Just over a minute later Columbia was called on a handball infraction in the penalty area, and An converted her first penalty kick of the season. The goal was An's fourth of the season and 23rd of his career, while the game winner is her team-leading third of the season. She has posted 11 career game-winning goals.
• Army starts Patriot League competition at Holy Cross on Saturday. The Black Knights are the defending Patriot League Tournament champions and were picked second in the preseason poll.
Men's Tennis
• Army men's tennis completed its second weekend of the fall tournament season on Sunday, tallying a 16-25 record in singles play and a 10-9 mark in doubles at a pair of tournaments. The Black Knights were split between the USTA Collegiate Invitational in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., and the SJU Invite in Philadelphia, Pa.
• The USTA event featured some of the top teams in the region, including a number of teams on Army's upcoming dual meet schedule. The Black Knights went 7-13 in singles matches led by yearling Peter Sienko and plebe Harrison McCormick who each totaled a 2-1 record. Both defeated players for St. Peter's and St. Francis (N.Y.) in the consolation rounds after being bounced by Ivy League foes in the Round of 16.
• In doubles play, the Black Knights went 5-4, anchored by a 2-1 showing by plebe Austin McCasin and yearling Alex Van Velzer. The pair advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2 Doubles flight before falling to Lampa/Mihai of St. John's, 8-3.
• In Philadelphia, Army went 5-8 in the main draw of singles and 4-4 in consolation matches. The Black Knights were led by yearling Roman Cacha who advanced to semifinals of the Flight 2 bracket.
• In doubles play, the Black Knights collected a 5-4 mark in the main draws before losing their lone consolation contest. The veteran duo of firstie captain Alex Holland and cow Henry Jang-Milsten advanced to the semifinals of the Flight 1 bracket to lead the Army charge.
• Army will face some of the same competition in two weeks when the squad splits between the Dartmouth Shootout and the Yale Shootout, Oct. 5-7.
Women's Tennis
• Army hosted seven other teams for the West Point Invitational last weekend at Malek Courts. Several Black Knights put together a strong showing against the field, but topping the group was rookie Carolyn Pitman as she won the third singles title.
• In Sunday morning's final match, Carolyn Pitman collected a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 win and was the only Black Knight to come out on top of a main draw. The West Chester, Ohio, native downed players from Connecticut, Stony Brook and her own teammate Gabriella Spindler throughout the weekend to reach Sunday's final.
• Cow Margaret Iliev teamed with Gabriella Spindler to win the Flight B doubles consolation bracket, defeating teammates Pitman and Alyssa Hanson in the final.
• Army welcomed players from Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, Fordham, Lehigh, Quinnipiac, Massachusetts and Stony Brook for the eight-team tournament.
• Next on the docket for the Black Knights will be a pair of tournaments the weekend of Oct. 6-7. Those qualifying will participate in the National Tennis Center Invitational in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. The rest of the team will travel to Newport News, Va., to take part in the Hampton Roads Invitational hosted by Old Dominion.
Volleyball (10-5, 2-0 Patriot League)
• Army started the Patriot League with a perfect 2-0 weekend with key road wins over defending champion American (3-2) and rival Navy (3-1) last Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Black Knights join Colgate atop the conference with a 2-0 mark.
• Army's 3-2 victory at American came in thrilling fashion, as the Black Knights rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win the match. The victory marked just the second time Army has won at Bender Arena, sixth time the Black Knights have defeated American during Patriot League play and the first triumph over the Eagles since the 2009 Patriot League Championship match.
• The Black Knights went on to defeat Navy in the annual "Star" match on Saturday night in Annapolis, Md. It marked the program's 11th-straight "Star" victory over the Mids. Army now holds a 40-10 lead in the all-time series.
• Firstie outside hitter Ariana Mankus grabbed Molten Patriot League Player of the Week honors on Monday. Four out of the first five Player of the Week awards this season have come from Army. Mankus averaged 3.56 kills and 4.44 digs per set while hitting .250 to help the Black Knights to their 2-0 start to Patriot League play. She led all players with 20 kills, including three with no errors in the decisive fifth set, which Army won 15-7. Mankus also passed Sunny Barse '95 to take over second place on Army's all-time kills list with 1,368.
• Cow libero D.J. Phee was tabbed AAA Co-Athlete of the Week on Monday as well. The Allen, Texas, native anchored a staunch Army defense all weekend. Phee all players in digs in both matches, averaged a gaudy 5.11 digs per set over two matches and helped hold both opponents well below a .200 hitting percentage.
• The Black Knights look to extend their current four-match win streak with a pair of Patriot League tests this weekend at Gillis Field House. Army hosts Bucknell on Friday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m. and Colgate on Saturday, Sept. 29, also at 7 p.m. Both matches will be webcast live on Knight Vision.
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