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(04/13/11 6:30pm)
Let me preface this by saying that I straight-up love making money with Macon Money (yes, I used that pun). It has allowed me to purchase a hammock and eat rather well. I know of dozens of individuals who have been able to eat some good food as of late.
However, most of these people are just Mercer students who interact with each other on a daily basis anyway.
The simple fact that this was idealized and based on the notion that the citizens of Macon would find new connections and everything notwithstanding, I am sure that a few Mercer students found new friends or acquaintances this way.
However, this grand plan to get Macon residents interacting and experiencing downtown and the College Hill Corridor has long been overshadowed by those of us here at Mercer.
Macon Money’s website describes itself as “[u]sing a new local currency with a fun twist, the game builds person to person connections throughout the community while supporting local businesses.”
Let’s face it — the $64,000 available has slowly been claimed more and more by poor college students who are looking to get good food as opposed to the same old stuff at the cafeteria. The opportunity cost for us Mercer students to simply go hang out on a Third Thursday for an hour in order to get ten, twenty, fifty or even a hundred dollars is very much in our benefit.
There might be some kind of effective limitation that allows us to get one bond per month, but we can cash in three a month? This logic is ridiculous. All we have to do is have friends, hang out and find a match.
Let me ask a general question to further this point: how many of you all (who have found a match with someone you didn’t know) have added your match on Facebook or Twitter, or exchanged numbers? I’d be willing to bet that you might acknowledge each other’s presence now when you see each other, but I would not be willing to bet that you guys are close friends now.
You can call me a pessimist, but in reality, how many of you have gone to use your Macon Money somewhere beyond Mercer Village? Even then, discounting the Rookery, are there any of you left who have used your Macon Money somewhere else?
I challenge each and every one of you who are left to use any Macon Money somewhere beyond Ingleside Village Pizza and Rodeo Beach. Yes, their pizza is fantastic. Yes, the hammocks are well worth it. Yes, the lack of having to drive there really makes this insanely cost-effective for us.
However, I really believe that you’ll thank me for it. Also, local businesses might as well. Maybe you’ll fall in love with Macon and want to do more in this city full of potential.
At any rate, Macon Money might then have succeeded with you. However, right now, Macon Money is just basically donating meals to Mercer students, which is neither the original purpose nor intent.
Comments on this opinion can be sent to garret.mcdowell@gmail.com
(04/13/11 3:09pm)
The Mercer Bears softball team entered April on a sour note, having lost five of six, but they have turned it around, going 4-4 this month already with games still ahead against ACC and Atlantic Sun foes. They currently have a three-game losing streak as of April 12.
Mercer Bears Softball: 21-17 overall, 4-6 Atlantic Sun
Mercer 1-1 FGCU
Mercer lost their second match in a row, but they split the series by winning the second game of the doubleheader. This was a great end to an up-and-down start of the season. A walkoff win in game two by Sara Stukes helped jumpstart the Bears for the season and the rest of conference play. Kari Chambers picked up the win.
Mercer 2-0 Stetson
At home in a series that they needed to win, the Bears won each game, but they were close. They won 3-2 and 3-0. Jenni Holtz’s tenth win on the season was her 65th career victory, making her the winningest pitcher in Mercer history and 10th in Atlantic Sun’s recordbooks. Game One saw a late rally by the Bears capitulated by Kassie Bailey’s walkoff home run. Game Two was just a masterful pitching display by the Bears’ leader Holtz.
Mercer 1-1 Auburn
Mercer traveled to Auburn, Ala., and upset SEC power Auburn 3-0 in the first game, splitting the series after a tough afternoon loss. Auburn was ranked No. 22 in the country at the time. Coach Mike Raynor and the Bears defeated a ranked opponent for the first time this season, and they are 4-3 against Auburn since 2007. This is the second time this season that the Bears knocked off a SEC opponent (Mississippi State, the other). The second game saw errors that were uncommon as the Bears spurred a rally by the Tiger bats.
Mercer 0-2 Florida State
Mercer’s brutal non-conference schedule took a turn for the worse as a close 5-4 loss punctuated the efforts of the Bears against non-conference foes this entire season. Jenni Holtz became the first pitcher in Mercer history to record 900 strikeouts. In addition, she is the third pitcher in Atlantic Sun history to reach that milestone. Mercer dropped a three-run lead against the Seminoles, as the senior pitcher was unable to keep the home team from scoring, including a three-run home run that tied the game. In the second game, Kari Chambers only allowed three runs, but a lack of finishing crippled the Bears. Seven base runners were left stranded for the Bears.
(04/13/11 2:55pm)
A few months ago, my editor and fellow columnist Andrew Lockwood wrote a great piece on his ideal things in sports that he would love to see/be a part of. Well, since Andrew and I don’t always agree on things, I thought you would love to hear about what this soccer junkie and sports aficionado would love to see. I would love to hear your input on this topic as well, because let’s face it, we’re probably not going to agree. Also, these are not in any particular order.
Garret’s Sports Bucket List
1. The 24 Hours of Le Mans: This is the world’s oldest endurance race. It is such a unique and fascinating event. While most car races have pit stops that are fast and furious, this race actually tests the reliability, efficiency, and durability of the vehicle. Also, it puts NASCAR to shame, the sport that so many Americans laugh at. I bet you didn’t know that the celebration we all see of shaking a bottle of champagne and spraying it on everyone was begun by a winner here. In essence, this is one of the most grueling events in sports as well as one of the most technical. If I can arrange it, I want to be in France around June 10 some year.
2. Tri Nations Cup: Rugby is such an intriguing sport. It would be spectacular to see the world’s greatest teams play on the biggest stage. Australia vs New Zealand? Talk about AWESOME.
3. El Clásico at the Nou Camp: The world’s greatest rivalry in the world’s greatest sport is Real Madrid Club de Fútbol vs. Futbol Club Barcelona. Barça is my favorite team. Madrid is the team I hate more than any other. Yes, more than I hate Florida State and Georgia as a Gator, more than I hate the Phillies and Mets as a Brave, and more than I hate Mexico and Ghana as an American who loves the USMNT. I want to be at the Nou Camp and sing the great “Cant del Barça” as we throughly stomp all over the rivals.
4. World Cup in a foreign country that actually likes soccer (not you Russia, Qatar): It would be amazing to see the world’s greatest sport in a nation that lives and breathes soccer. 2014 is the next opportunity, and then not again until 2026. Because there is no way in hell I want to see a game in the frozen wastelands of Russia or mid-100s heat of Qatar. However, Brazil versus Spain in Rio de Janeiro anybody?
5. Kentucky Derby: I know it would be ridiculously awesome to be at the Belmont Stakes and see a potential Triple Crown winner, but the atmosphere behind the giant party that is the Kentucky Derby is well worth it. I also would love to have a mint julep. That sounds delicious. Also, horse racing sounds fantastic to watch.
6. Cricket - India vs Pakistan: These two nations hate each other’s guts. Also, they’re both really good at cricket. This just seems like it would be a great atmosphere, because the two squads legitimately hate each other. It would be fantastic to see the two rivals play. Plus, for my first ever cricket match, it would be an experience.
7. Winter Olympics - USA vs Canada men’s hockey, medal round: One of the world’s most technical sports, a great friendly rivalry, and for the title of the world’s best team. It would be amazing.
8. Bullfight in Spain: You might call me sick and twisted for wanting to see a bullfight, but the intricacy and legend behind the entire thing amazes me. The pageantry and everything make me want to see this. Plus, the Spanish culture amazes me.
9. Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain: once again, this fantastic part of Spanish culture definitely excites me. I think the fervor and festival type nature of this is really neat. Also, I would love to run a stretch of it. Probably, I will never get a chance to. However, I definitely want to see this.
10. US vs Mexico in Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: When I’ll be financially able to see this, the US will actually be good enough to march into Azteca and win. This would be pretty epic honestly. Think of it as the Red Sox going into Yankee Stadium and winning Game 7 of the ALCS after being down 3-0.
11. Professional baseball in Japan: I really like the tradition behind America’s National Pastime. I would love to see it in the Japanese culture, since the sporting emotion is so different between the two nations. With more and more players making the leap across the Pacific, I would really enjoy seeing a packed Tokyo Stadium.
12. Quidditch World Cup: Yeah, go ahead, laugh. But tell me you wouldn’t want to see this if it was real. Golden Snitch, Quaffle, Bludgers, the whole nine yards.
13. UEFA Champions League Final: the best two teams in any given year playing something that is, frankly, cooler and less appreciated than the Super Bowl in the USA. It’s the lone opportunity to see the best of the best play, like Manchester United versus AS Roma or CSKA Moskva versus Bayern Munich. These matchups would be more than worth the six hundred euro price tag.
14. Camel Racing in Arabia: THIS WOULD BE AWESOME. I WANT TO SEE THIS. Really fast camels in a highly dangerous race sounds pretty sweet.
15. Final Round at the Masters: This was added on because of this past weekend. I would love to see the Masters in Augusta, but only in a year where the leaderboard again went completely crazy on the final day. To be at the 18th Green and see history, this would be an honor.
Also, finally seeing a game at The Swamp would be pretty cool, along with seeing a game at Old Trafford. In addition, it would even be pretty cool to see Fenway and the Green Monster.
(04/13/11 2:51pm)
(NOTE: AUTHOR GARRET MCDOWELL)
In what many will consider a down year for Mercer tennis by record alone, the Mercer Bears’ men’s tennis squad qualified for the 2011 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament on the final day of competition, defeating in-state rival Kennesaw State. Senior Day was definitely sweet for the Bears. On the women’s side, the season finally ended. A home win against Western Carolina was the last good note for the Bears, as they dropped three straight to end the season.
Men’s Tennis: 9-11,
5-5 Atlantic Sun.
ETSU 6, Mercer 1
It was not a good day for the Bears, as they dropped their third straight conference match, and their fifth on the year. Mercer put themselves into a desperate situation for a playoff berth. ETSU won their ninth match in conference play this year, and the Bucs were simply on fire. Three singles matches were won in the straight sets and the doubles point was only challenged in one match. Guilherme Frias was able to win a thriller in extra sets and David Barton’s winning streak was halted at six games with an extra sets loss. Fernando Armendaris was close, but he was unable to win either of his matches on the day.
Mercer 4, Jack. State 3
Mercer headed to Jacksonville, Ala. to right the ship and they succeed indeed. The close victory really does not do justice to how well the Bears performed across the board. Mercer won the doubles point handily, with none of the six matches going to tiebreakers. Three Bears won their singles matches in straight sets: Peter Tauchner, Evandro Rosindo, and Barton. The three Bears who were unable to grab victory all lost in the super-tiebreaker third set. This important nonconference victory was the first victory since March 19 and the first win over a non-Atlantic Sun opponent since Feb. 23, which was Jacksonville State in Macon. In addition, it was the first time that the Bears beat a team on the road this season that was not from the Atlantic Sun.
Mercer 4, Kenn. State 3
Senior Day saw Mercer win the first four points on the day, clinching not only a win for the home squad but at least one extra game in the conference tournament. The score line does not recognize that Mercer lead 4-0 midway through the day. Nevertheless, Fernando Armendaris had his most meaningful serve of his entire career. With the Bears No. 3 doubles squad having broke serve and gone up 8-7, they led 40-30, and with the Owls having gotten back to back points and about to force a deuce, the senior from Ecuador aced his opponents, giving the Bears something to build their day off. ‘Drama’ would be a good word to describe how the Bears have played this season, and they will carry it into the postseason. Barton, Tauchner and Pierre Tafelski won their singles matches in straight sets, giving Barton his 14th win on the year, with just four losses. He was also 8-1 in conference play this year. Rosindo, Armendaris, and Frias all lost in extra sets, but the match was sealed by the time any of them finished up play.
The men’s tennis team beat Stetson this season 5-2 on March 11, for their first win over the Hatters since 2005.They will face off again on Thursday, April 14 for the right to play No. 1 North Florida in the Semifinals of the conference tournament. With the way the Bears have played in the last week, there is a definite possibility that the Bears could find themselves in the A-Sun final. The tournament will be held in DeLand, Fla. this week.
Women’s Tennis: 4-15,
1-9 Atlantic Sun.
Mercer 5, W. Carolina 2
Mercer won the doubles point, and the Bears picked up four of six singles matchups to win for the second time in three games, which is the first time they’ve won two matches in one week since February. Jennifer Lada, Lucie Payrat and Amanda Bertani won their matches, with Sarah Hanna picking up a point in a match that the Catamounts of Western Carolina did not field a player for. Amalia Bugge and Aurelie de Montjou were both unable to win their singles play.
ETSU 6, Mercer 1
ETSU picked up their ninth win in Atlantic Sun play and the Bears were soundly beaten at home. Only Lucie Payrat had any legitimate success against the Bucs as she won in straight sets. The rest of the Bears lost in straight sets.
Jack. State 4, Mercer 3
Despite splitting Jacksonville State in singles play, the doubles play stopped the Bears from winning their first nonconference game since February. Hanna, Montjou, and Payrat kept them in it, but the rest of the Bears were unable to get a final decisive point.
Kenn. State 4, Mercer 3
The long season finally came to an end against the rival Owls, as the Bears lost Senior Day 4-3. The Owls improved to 18-5 on the year with seven conference wins. The result was closer than the score would indicate for most of the day as Mercer won the last two singles matches. Bugge, Payrat and Montjou could not get any support from the rest of their team. Lucie Payrat won her tenth straight singles match, finishing 14-5 overall, including an 8-2 record in Atlantic Sun play for the 2011 season.
(03/31/11 12:02am)
[caption id="attachment_2996" align="aligncenter" width="276" caption="(photo courtesy of midwestsportsfans.com) Garret didn't buy into the 'Jimmer-mania', feeling that BYU received much too high on a seed in the recent NCAA tournament."]
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Well another March Madness has just about wrapped up, and it has proven once again that millions of people are duped into picking teams that choke for their brackets. Like always, the one seeds get upset at some point, but strangely, not even one this year. Many claimed that this year’s bracket was diluted and watered down with mediocre teams that had no real chance of winning the whole thing.
I blame the selection committee for this. Instead of making sure that quality mid-major teams got in securely (like VCU), they brought in schools from BCS schools that were first round knockouts by schools that they should have easily beaten (in seeding views). Georgia and Vanderbilt received high seeds they don’t deserve because of the money they can bring in. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I firmly believe that there was bias towards letting them into the tournament.
Even if it means bringing in Colorado and Alabama, two markets that are not big on basketball, the selection of these two weak SEC teams, Georgia and Vanderbilt, was a joke and disgrace.
The fact that certain teams got very high seeds because of a superstar player is a joke. BYU never deserved a three seed. With the whole country buying into “Jimmer Fever,” it makes sense to give BYU an easy ride for more television coverage. This year’s tournament bracket was based on nothing more than money and revenue.
While there are no-brainers like Ohio State and Duke getting the top seeds (the best team in country and the defending national champions), other schools obviously did not deserve the lower seedings they received, like UConn (who has won nine games in a little over two weeks!) and their superstar Kemba Walker. They did not deserve the lower, like last year’s national runner-up Butler or VCU, the underdog who could. Only old school Kentucky showed that pedigree can last, earning the Final Four berth.
I guess, while I beat around the bush, that I’m saying that most seeding ties and spot finagling comes down to favoritism, media bias, and revenue streams. Florida did not deserve a number two seed when they received it (in most people’s eyes), but they proved they deserved it with a run to the Elite Eight.
Richmond showed it was better than expectations, as did a few other squads. I just start ranting when it comes to the tournament, because I feel a 68 team field is just too large. Way too many sub-par teams make it in, and part of that is due to the automatic berth.
Sorry Mercer fans, but the odds of a Mercer squad making a run in the tournament are low. Mercer might win an automatic berth, but this is really taking a spot from a team that may be more deserving of a spot than them. I would rather see my school take on a national power and pray for an upset, but it won’t draw in the viewers (which is what the selection committee wants).
In essence, I feel that the selection committee is flawed. Then again, the BCS computers are flawed too. There really is no winner in this scenario. There will be teams that get cut out that shouldn’t, and teams that get it that are better left at home. ETSU showed that they had a lot more fight in their games in the CIT (third tier tournament after March Madness and NIT) than Georgia or Louisville did in the NCAA tournament. I would love to see Butler or VCU win the whole thing this weekend, but I honestly feel that UConn and Kentucky are just too good.
On the other hand, Butler and VCU proved that the selection committee has a bias against mid-majors, even with the successes of Gonzaga, Xavier, Creighton, George Mason, and Butler in the past ten years. How about next year let’s use computers to determine the seedings?
(03/31/11 12:01am)
NOTE: GARRET MCDOWELL AUTHOR
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams have had mixed starts to their 2011 seasons, with Mercer’s men at 7-10 through March 28 and the women at 3-12 through March 28. Despite the tough starts to the season, the Bears have performed well at home, including a combined 14-0 sweep of Young Harris by the men and women combined. Nevertheless the Bears have had a tough spot as of late, with both squads winning just one in their last five matches each.
Men’s Tennis: 7-10,
4-4 A-Sun
Butler 4, Mercer 3
Barton received his eighth win on the year in singles play, but the Bears were unable to pick up the doubles point after splitting the singles points 3-3. Despite Mercer benefiting from a defaulted point and doubles matchup, a lineup that saw mostly backups and reserves playing was unable to do much. Basketball player Justin Cecil even had some playing time, but he was unable to secure a point in doubles play.
North Florida 5, Mercer 2
Armendaris got to eight wins and Barton got to nine, but the Bears were unable to beat the nationally ranked (#75) North Florida Ospreys on the road. Tafelski, Tauchner, Frias and Rosindo were all beaten in straight sets as the Bears lost their first match in conference play in five games.
Mercer 4, Jacksonville 3
Mercer rebounded from the trip to North Florida with a squeaker of a win over Jacksonville. Barton won his 10th singles match this season and the Bears saw Tauchner and Rosindo win their decisive doubles match 9-8. Tafelski won his ninth singles match on top of that, as his return to winning ways helped stop the losing streak.
USC Upstate 5, Mercer 2
Barton continued to dominate the competition, getting to 11 wins this year, but the Bears lost tiebreakers across the board that could have changed the outcome. The Bears dropped their third conference game on the year and they lost their second home match since beating FGCU 7-0 on March 12. Armendaris and Frias were able to win their doubles match, but were unable to change the outcome.
Campbell 5, Mercer 2
Barton got his sixth straight victory this season, but the rest of the Bears could not follow his performance, as all singles matches were lost otherwise. The Bears were able to challenge the Atlantic Sun’s upper echelon team in the doubles point at home, winning two of the three matches. All in all, the Bears seemed to be slumping. The Bears have ETSU and Kennesaw both at home, with a road trip to Jacksonville State in between. After this, the Bears will play in the Atlantic Sun tournament.
Women’s Tennis: 3-12,
1-7 A-Sun
Butler 5, Mercer 2
With a non-conference matchup interspersed between several conference games, the Bears looked to play a tough out-of-region game against the Butler Bulldogs. Despite support at the three and four spots with Aurelie de Montjou and Lucie Payrat, the Bears were unable to win, losing their seventh in a row. They were swept at the doubles point, leading to the big win for Butler.
North Florida 6, Mercer 1
Payrat was the only winner in the Bears’ loss on March 18 against North Florida. The Bears were swept at the doubles point again, and they lost every singles match in straight sets.
Jacksonville 6, Mercer 1
Payrat’s hot streak continued, but the Bears were once again looking to see that success across the board. It was their ninth straight loss and their sixth loss in conference play with Jacksonville winning their 11th match this year.
Mercer 5, USC Upstate 2
USC Upstate stayed winless as the Bears won for the first time since Feb. 20. Jennifer Lada, Amanda Bertani and Sarah Hanna’s straight sets victories followed Payrat’s fifth straight win. In doubles competition, Payrat was on the losing side, but the Bears still won the point as the other pairs came through. This was the first Atlantic Sun victory for the Bears this year.
Campbell 6, Mercer 1
Payrat was 4-5 in singles play before a now six-match winning streak that has her at 10-5, 6-2 in conference play. She has been hot while the rest of her teammates continue to struggle in a rebuilding year for the Bears. All singles losses were in straight sets. The doubles point was not in doubt for Campbell as the nine-win Camels continued to perform well before the A-Sun tournament. The Bears get Western Carolina on April 1, before ETSU the next day. A trip to Jacksonville State looms before the season finale at home versus Kennesaw.
(03/30/11 11:22pm)
After the cancellation of the doubleheader with Florida A&M, the Mercer Bears went on an Atlantic Sun road trip to take on conference rivals Campbell, Jacksonville, and North Florida to start A-Sun play. The start of the A-Sun slate has not gone quite as well as the Bears and their senior stars would have hoped. Recent setbacks have the team hovering around the .500 mark halfway into the 2011 season. Series losses against Campbell and Jacksonville in conjunction with a doubleheader split against the UNF Osprey have Mercer near the bottom of the A-Sun as April approaches.
Softball: 17-13 overall,
1-5 Atlantic Sun
Campbell 0-2
Despite outhitting the Camels in their conference opener, the Mercer Bears dropped both games in their doubleheader. This will be the last time the two teams are slated to play regularly in conference play, as Campbell heads for the Big South conference next season. They lost 3-2 and 6-3. Sara Stukes performed well, going 4-for-7. Kari Chambers and Jenni Holtz each picked up losses, and they went to 7-5 and 8-5 respectively on the year. Kassie Bailey performed well in relief.
Jacksonville 0-2
Despite having a week off before the doubleheader versus the Dolphins of Jacksonville, the Mercer Bears did not perform well at all, failing to muster any offense at the plate with no runs, even as Jenni Holtz had eight superb innings before finally getting scored on in the bottom of the ninth. The Bears were blown out 7-0 in the first game, and then lost 1-0 in the nightcap. Kristin Marko went 3-for-5 in the doubleheader, including the only hit in the first game. Jacksonville’s ace pitcher Sarah Sigrest won both games against the Bears, facing 37 batters.
North Florida 1-1
An eight run sixth inning in game one led to the Mercer Bears righting the ship, halting a losing streak that stretched back to March 10. They won 9-3, but they dropped the second game 3-2, despite holding a lead into the sixth inning. This was the first conference win on the year for the Bears, and Jenni Holtz recorded her ninth win of her senior season, facing 36 batters along the way. McKenzie Woody went 4-for-8, helping spark a lot of offense at the top of the order. Amanda Santa Maria went 3-for-6. The Bears were just unable to muster enough late in the second game.
The Bears next see action with doubleheaders versus Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson at home on April 2 and 3. After this, they travel to Auburn and Florida State. The Bears look to build momentum for the middle of their conference schedule.
(03/16/11 3:25pm)
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams have had mixed starts to their 2011 seasons, with Mercer’s men at 6-6 and Mercer’s women at 2-8 through March 15. Despite the tough starts to the season the Bears have performed well at home, including a combined 14-0 sweep of Young Harris by the men and women combined.
Men’s Tennis: 6-6 (3-1)
Lipscomb 4, Mercer 3
Peter Tauchner and Dave Barton were the only two able to pick up singles points against conference rival Lipscomb in Nashville. The Bison were too strong as individuals, but the Bears won the doubles point. Fernando Armendaris and Evandro Rosindo pushed their opponents to the tiebreaker in their nail-biting third sets, but it was not enough for the Bears as they dropped the first Atlantic Sun match of the season.
Mercer 4, Belmont 2
Tefelski and Frias are now each 6-3 on the year, and the Bears picked up a great conference road win in Nashville against Belmont. Belmont dropped their fifth straight match on the season and Mercer won their first match in over a week. There were no doubles matches played, but even then the singles dominance was enough for Mercer to achieve victory.
App. State 6, Mercer 1
Despite starting the day off well with a doubles victory, Mercer lost their sixth match of the season. Every player lost their singles matchup and only Rosindo and Frias were able to come close to winning their matchups, and they each lost their third set 6-0.
Mercer 5, Stetson 2
Getting back into Atlantic Sun play, the Bears recorded a second conference victory against the Stetson Hatters. Frias and Tefelski were tested, but each rose to 7-4 this season. Barton rose to 7-3. Mercer won the doubles point and they dominated at home against a Stetson team who had won 10 matches so far this season.
Mercer 7, FGCU 0
Mercer handed the FGCU Eagles their tenth loss of the season on March 12, and Tefelski and Frias each recorded their eighth wins on the year. Armendaris recorded his seventh win this season his doubles team recorded their ninth victory on the year, including their seventh in a row. Tauchner ended his losing streak, getting a sixth singles victory.
Mercer is next in action against Butler University at home on Wednesday, but then they re-enter conference play with a trip to North Florida and Jacksonville this weekend, March 18-19. The Bears return home with games against USC Upstate and Campbell the following weekend.
Women’s Tennis: 2-8 (0-4)
Chattanooga 7, Mercer 0
It was not a good day for the Bears as the women were shut out at home to Chattanooga. The Bears lost the doubles point and were unable to even force a third set in any singles match.
Lipscomb 4, Mercer 3
If Mercer had six players on the women’s tennis team, they could have defeated Lipscomb. Losing a singles point automatically and losing part of the doubles match to begin with made the attempt to knock off Lipscomb almost impossible, despite winning the other matches 3-2 and splitting the doubles point.
Belmont 4, Mercer 3
Belmont won the doubles point and Mercer was unable to get four out of six singles points to win the match as Belmont won their first conference game of the year. Lada won her fifth match of the year despite the Bears dropping their third straight.
UNC-Wil. 7, Mercer 0
The Bears were hard-pressed to find anything of substance to take back from their thrashing defeat at the hands of UNC Wilmington. Being swept proved that the Bears had a lot of growing to do if they were going to contend in conference play.
Stetson 7, Mercer 0
Same story, different day for the Mercer Bears women’s tennis team as they traveled home to meet Stetson. The Bears dropped their fifth in a row and have not scored a point since the close loss to Belmont.
FGCU 4, Mercer 3
A sixth defeat in a row and their third in a stretch of one-point losses, the Mercer Bears could find little solace in a 3-3 split of the singles play as their doubles play continues to haunt them. Lada won his sixth this year but the rest of the team is really dealing with a tough rest of the season.
(03/16/11 2:48pm)
By: Garret McDowell
Despite having a chance late in the Atlantic wwSun semifinal tournament game against eventual champion Belmont, the Bruins eliminated Mercer 80-72 to drop the Bears’ overall record to 15-18, 11-9 in conference play and 1-1 in the tournament.
Mercer 73, Lipscomb 63
In what might have been the loudest night for a Mercer game this season, the Bears took on Lipscomb in the four-five seed game in the 2011 Atlantic Sun Men’s Basketball Championship. The Bears were led by Brian Mills and Mark Hall as the two seniors continued to keep the team calm and motivated to maintain a double-digit lead throughout the raucous contest. Brian Mills scored 27, a game-high total, and contributed six boards and two blocks. This was the 26th time this season that Brian Mills scored in the double digits. Mark Hall added 12 and teammate Bud Thomas had an important 12 points.
Last year’s conference Player of the Year was Lipscomb’s Adnan Hodzic. His 18 points per game average was cut in half and the Bears’ pesky defense held him in check all night. Lipscomb’s other big player, Josh Slater, added 18 points. This was the second consecutive win over Lipscomb for Mercer in back-to-back contest. They led by 11 at the half and then led by as much as 14 during the game.
Head coach Bob Hoffman added afterwards, “Our guys played tough and they played tough for 40 minutes. I didn’t want to hear anything else other than we are going to fight harder.”
Belmont 80, Mercer 72
Despite being the home team and having a partisan crowd, Mercer was unable to upset the tournament favorite Belmont as the Bruins won in an incredibly hostile environment. Brian Mills performed well, recording his fifth double-double this season with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Bears were out in front early but that early lead against Belmont disappeared for the second day in a row, just as Kennesaw lost control the day prior in the first round.
Mercer clawed their way back into the game as Jake Gollon scored 19 points on the night, but Belmont beat Mercer on the boards 35 to 27, completely taking away the shooting advantage and enthusiastic crowd. They had four players hit double figures and all 11 Bruins who saw action on the court were able to score at least one field goal. Belmont went on to defeat North Florida in the championship by 41 points, receiving the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
(03/03/11 3:51am)
At the half, Lipscomb lead 35 to 33 off of scrappy and aggressivedefense.
The Lady Bisons set the tempo for most of the half. ETSU wouldn't go away, and the number one overall seed in the women's bracket led 41 to 40 before a three from the Bisons had ETSU forced
to play some tough defense to keep a major upset from happening.
With fifteen minutes left to play, Lipscomb stuck in it and refused to give up, with the lead going back and forth.
The Bisons' traveling fans were loud and continued to spur the team on to major success, despite ETSU living off of bad shots and turnovers.
With nine minutes gone, the Buccaneers were controlling the boards as well, and they took a 53-46 lead. This spurred their traveling pep band to begin to drown out everyone, as the 12-3 run put the Lady Bucs in charge.
The major problem developing was ETSU's propensity to foul, as they neared the double bonus. Lipscomb began to miss free throws late though, along with a slew of turnovers.
Despite the slowly growing lead for the Lady Bucs (eight points with eight minutes left), they were not able to effectively close the door. This was aggravated by a full court press from the Lady Bisons. A layup from Hannah Phillips kept them in it, but ETSU's up tempo defense was too much, and the Lady Bucs led by eleven points with 3:52 left, at which point they put Lipscomb into the double bonus.
With 90 seconds left, Lipscomb pulled within seven.
However, behind Gwen Robinson's career high 24 points and Lipscomb's poor defense, ETSU led by five with a minute left. A flurry of threes from Lipscomb made it interesting late, led by Hannah Phillips.
But the No. 1 ETSU Lady Bucs won 83-75 to advance to the next round. This was their eleventh straight victory against the Lady Bisons. Tara Davis added 23 points and four assists. Lipscomb's ten three point field goals was their sixth game like that this year, led by Jenna Bartsokas with eighteen points and five 3's. ETSU will play the winner of North Florida and Jacksonville.
(03/02/11 4:53am)
Both the Men’s and Women’s Tennis Teams have had mixed starts to their 2011 seasons, with Mercer’s men at 2-3 through February 19 and Mercer’s women at 2-2 through February 20. Despite the tough starts to the season, the Bears have performed well at home as of late, including a combined 14-0 sweep of Young Harris by both the men and women's teams.
Men’s Tennis: 2-3, 0-0 Atlantic Sun
Georgia State 5, Mercer 2.
Mercer lost the four, five, and six spots in singles play in straight sets to drop the match in Atlanta against in-state rival Georgia State. Fernando Armendaris pushed his opponent to an extra set, but he also dropped his singles match. Pierre Tefelski and Peter Tauchner each won their singles match in extra sets. Mercer also dropped the doubles point. Armendaris and Evandro Rosindo won the sole match for Mercer in the doubles two spot, but Guilherme Frias and Dave Barton pushed their opponent to the brink before losing 8-6. Mercer was down 5-0 before they picked up a point on the day, mainly because of the the strong finishes by Tauchner and Tefelski.
Mercer 7, Georgia Southwestern 0.
Straight set victories all around were the norm, as Mercer rebounded from their tough loss to a dominant win over Georgia Southwestern. Tefelski and Tauchner each went to 2-0 on the day in singles play, and Armendaris and Rosindo went to 2-0 in doubles play. This was the home opener for the Bears, and it saw Rosindo, Frias, and Barton all rebound from difficult matchups in Atlanta.
Coastal Carolina 5, Mercer 2.
Mercer battled Coastal Carolina at home, only to see similar results as the Georgia State matchup. Despite close matches in double play, only Frias and Barton were able to win their match, giving Coastal Carolina the doubles point. Frias and Barton were also the only two Bears to win their singles points, in the five and six position. All matches lost were in straight sets, but no Bear was held scoreless in any set.
Florida A&M 4, Mercer 3.
Pierre Tefelski and Guilherme Frias each went to 3-1 in singles play on the year, and Fernando Armendaris added another point for the Bears, but an extra set loss by Dave Barton (combined with straight sets losses by the two and four positions left the match to be decided by the doubles point. Unfortunately, despite strong efforts, the Bears were letdown, being swept in that category. Tefelski and Peter Tauchner were the closest, but it was not the Bears’ day against the Florida A&M Rattlers in Tallahassee.
Mercer 7, Young Harris 0.
Tefelski and Frias now each sit at 4-1 in singles play on the season, as Mercer brought the heat at home versus Young Harris. The shutout victory saw Elbert Beekman in his debut for Mercer tennis. Beekman won his singles matchup 6-0, 6-0. Mercer also swept the doubles point, not leaving anything to chance.
The Bears are starting to find rhythm this season, challenging tough opponents in non-conference play. With the emergence of Beekman as a reliable alternative, the Bears also have depth on their bench. They have non-conference matchups with Jacksonville State and Georgia Southern before starting Atlantic Sun play in Nashville against Lipscomb and Belmont.
Women’s Tennis: 2-2, 0-0 Atlantic Sun.
Georgia State 6, Mercer 1.
Mercer’s women opened their season against in-state rival Georgia State as well, and their 6-1 loss was punctuated with several straight sets losses in singles play. Lucie Payrat picked up the lone Mercer point on the day, after winning 11-9 in the third and final set. State proved to be much more experienced and better than the Bears, who look to play their way into the conference tournament again.
Florida A&M 6, Mercer 1.
Jennifer Lada won her singles matchup at the one position in straight sets, but it would prove to be the only good news on the day. Mercer had to default their sixth position, having just five players able to make the trip to Tallahassee. Amanda Bertoni pushed her opponent to an extra set, but it would not be a victory for the Bears. Jennifer Lada and Aurelie de Montjou won their doubles match 8-4, but having to default cost them a chance to win the doubles point
Mercer 7, Young Harris 0.
The Bears devastated Young Harris, in a game that saw former Bear Kelly Blount return to Mercer. Amalia Bugge and Lucie Payrat won their matches in straight sets, and the Bears saw Lada and Payrat each climb to 2-1 on the year. Lada and Montjou also went to 2-1 in doubles play this season. The complete shutout victory was a good turnaround from tough losses against Georgia State and Florida A&M.
Mercer 7, Savannah State 0.
The next day, Mercer continued their home dominance, keeping a 14-0 shutout going with the seven-to-nothing victory of Savannah State. Only Savannah State’s Diskristjansdottir was able to win a game in singles play, with every player losing in straight shutout sets. Lada and Payrat are now each 3-1 in singles play on the year. The same goes for doubles play, as the visitors could not manage to win a single game, losing all three doubles matches 8-0. Lada and Montjou improved their record to 3-1 on the season in doubles play.
The women have home matches against Jacksonville State and Chattanooga remaining before going on the road to Lipscomb and Belmont to start the season. They will have to overcome the lack of a bench in order to achieve a spot in the Atlantic Sun tournament.
(02/23/11 9:00pm)
Recently, I have been granted the opportunity to work on creating legislation for the state of Georgia to adopt its own bottle deposit program.
A so-called “Bottle Bill” sets up programs where, after purchase and consumption of the contents, consumers can drop bottles and aluminum drink cans off for a monetary return. This effort is helpful to the environment by reusing materials already extracted from the earth.
Naysayers will make the point that in some cases we use much more energy in recycling the products than just extracting new materials. While this is true for aluminum/bauxite, there is a significant advantage for all creatures on the earth to take up the least amount of space as possible for trash.
We can banter all day about the pros and cons of the bottle deposit program, but there is no sound argument against it. This would raise the cost of drinks by a few cents, but it would be cost effective. If you cared enough, you would trade the bottles back in and get the few cents back.
Beverage containers constitute between 40 to 60 percent of litter overall. Deposit laws significantly reduce this number, leading to a massive reduction in litter and trash. Not only is this an aesthetic benefit, but this is also good for general health and wellness. Conservative estimates are of a 69 to 84 percent reduction in the amount of litter from a bottle deposit program.
Nevertheless, curbside recycling is much more efficient and easier than bottle deposit programs, and in curbside recycling, there is no need for handling fees, deposit initiators or reclamation centers. Despite this, an estimated 50 percent of Americans do not have access to curbside recycling, and this only addresses the use of beverage containers at home—not in the workplace or other places away from home. Surprisingly, the EPA has said that tripling the number of curbside recycling programs has actually seen a decrease in the number of aluminum cans recycled.
On a side note, bottle deposit programs are often referred to as taxes on the consumer. Nonetheless, how can this be called a tax if they get the money back? In addition, the only people affected by this so-called “tax” are those who actually purchase the product. The rhetoric against bottle deposit programs is foolish, and big corporations sponsor it, such as Coca-Cola in Georgia. This will not lower sales much, if at all. Their costs would go up, but this would be negligible, and most corporations have recognized the need to work for a social good. Consumers are developing conscience, and they will pick something that is better for the place they live in.
While we might call this foolish and an idealist’s dream, look at businesses and organizations that have succeeded as of late. TOMS Shoes just makes shoes that are similar to other companies’ products, but people flock to TOMS Shoes due to ITS social good. This would have a similar affect for Coca-Cola. Furthermore, there would be a small increase in permanent jobs, beneficial in this tough recession.
This is just a small list of the benefits that the bottle deposit program brings. Honestly, the number of states that have instituted this is growing, and there are a number of states currently with proposals in their respective state legislatures, along with a couple that are expanding their preexisting programs to great avail.
Whether or not you believe there is climate change or a finite number of resources (which we are close to running out of), this is a cause that we can all get behind: taking better care of the planet just because it’s the right thing to do. Do we not have a duty to both ourselves and others? Kant would think so, and he would refer to bottle deposit programs as a categorical imperative that we all can get behind.
Comments on this opinion can be sent to garret.mcdowell@gmail.com
(02/23/11 9:00pm)
On Feb. 19, Tau Beta Pi sponsored the 2011 Mercer University Young Leaders Workshop so that individuals could get firsthand experience and training from an expert.
This is the first event of E-Week, a nationally recognized week devoted to engineering. Tau Beta Pi also had a dignitary invited to speak and run the workshop: Solange C. Dao, P.E., who graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1995 in addition to being heavily involved with the community organizations and groups dedicated to service.
Currently, Dao is the National Vice President of Tau Beta Pi, and she serves on numerous advocacy and advisory boards. Dao is a certified trainer of leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Also, she is president of her own consulting firm and has 16 years of experience doing this for site planning and utility design in Florida. She worked with individuals on giving them quick yet powerful ideas on how to be a better leader.
Mercer students of all majors were welcome to attend. They were entitled to a program that featured seminars on “Defining Leadership,” “Exploring Your Brain’s Capacity to Learn,” the “3 Keys to Motivating People,” the “Tips to Captivate Audiences and Beginner Public Speaking,” and “Exploring Influence.” They used traits and explored the benefits and drawbacks for particular traits in leadership.
Using social media in the form of YouTube, Mercer students are getting experience that is outside the box and beneficial to their development as potential leaders in the job market.
Junior Engineering student and Tau Beta Pi member Jared Wozny believes that since an honor society encourages academic and career success, this leadership event is a perfect example of an opportunity for students to test themselves and their problem solving abilities.
“If people want to major in changing the world, this is the sort of event that they should be a part of,” he said.
Many students echoed this sentiment, including freshman Josh Deremer and senior Andrew Hamilton.Seniors Matthew Ziglar and Andrew Wohlrabe worked together on the qualities of a leader assignment. They called it thought-provoking and cool, but different and not something they were fortunate enough to do as engineering students. Several students were quite nervous and challenged, but performed well as they analyzed the traits of leadership.
Nationally, very few chapters of Tau Beta Pi are fortunate enough to host such an event, and Mercer’s chapter will be recognized nationally for it.
When asked about why she felt it was worthwhile to be at this workshop, Dao said that while Mercer engineering students will get a terrific technical education, all the academia will not be the sole reason for success.
“The more programs and workshops that these students attend will give them leadership training and credentials to really help them achieve excellence and success later in life,” she continued.
(02/23/11 4:04pm)
After a long, hard-fought road, the Mercer Bears’ women’s basketball team recorded their first home victory on the season. The win over Kennesaw State in overtime was tough and will help the Bears as they transition into the offseason although Mercer has dropped their last four, making them 2-25 overall, 2-16 in Atlantic Sun play, as of Feb. 21.
Mercer 82, KSU 76, OT
The overtime thriller was thanks in part to a Mercer collapse in the second half. They led by seventeen at the break, but the Owls were not to be left behind, as Kennesaw State rallied back. The Bears outscored the Owls 13-7 in the extra five minutes, ensuring that Susie Gardner would see a home victory in her first season. Sharmesia Smith had a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. The Bears shot over fifty percent from the field in the first half. Briana Williams scored 23 to lead the Bears.
FGCU 76, Mercer 45.
Mercer was unable to follow their first victory in 2011 with an upset of the top team in the Atlantic Sun. The 31-point loss was mostly due to an eleven point deficit at halftime, and FGCU just applying the pressure in the second half, outscoring the Bears 40-20 in the closing period. FGCU’s Sarah Hansen and Kelsey Jacobson combined for 39 points, including a key 13 point run in the second half. Briana Williams had twelve points on the night for Mercer. The Bears did outrebound the Eagles 31-29, but they turned the ball over 23 times.
Stetson 71, Mercer 62.
The comeback fell nine points short on Feb. 14, as the Bears dropped their second game at home since knocking off Kennesaw State. Stetson led by 16 at the half. Briana Williams had an unbelievable game, scoring 31 points, but it would not be echoed by the rest of the squad. She had twelve points in the late run that almost change the result. Mercer got as close as two points back, but Stetson finally put the game away with a little under three minutes to play.
UNF 70, Mercer 49.
Going on the road, Mercer was unable to hang with North Florida, getting completely outplayed by the Ospreys. Briana Williams continued her amazing play, scoring 25 points, including 21 in the first half. Nevertheless, the rest of Mercer’s squad was not able to hang with her, or the Ospreys. After being tied at 28 going into the intermission, Mercer was outscored 42-21 by a truly superior squad. The Ospreys outrebounded Mercer 50-33, and turned the ball over eight less times. UNF’s Larkira Jones had 18 points and 16 boards for a double-double.
Jacksonville 64, Mercer 61.
In their final road game of the season, Mercer lost by three to the Dolphins of Jacksonville. Considering how top heavy the Atlantic Sun conference has been this season, Mercer was finally mathematically eliminated from the postseason tournament that will be held in Macon. Mercer’s bench outscored the bench of Jacksonville 27-16, with Ariel Barnes scoring 13 and Amber Chatmon scoring eight. Mercer led by seven at the break, but they could not sustain the momentum. The young team has a lot to look forward to for next season, as Brittnee Hazel had 17 points and Sharmesia Smith added 11 boards. They would get as close as one with seven seconds left, but it would not be a storybook ending in Jacksonville.
The Bears finish the season with games against Belmont and Lipscomb at home on Feb. 24 and 26.
(02/23/11 3:56pm)
(MercerCycling.blogspot.com) MU's Kevin Roberts had a fantastic opening weekend at the Swamp Classic alongside his four teammates.
After several months off, Mercer’s cycling team has returned to competition with the SECCC season officially beginning the first weekend of February. A middle of January time trial at the Middle Georgia Winter Time Trial yielded a fourth and fifth place finish, demonstrating consistency and improvement. Andrew Lockwood finished fourth on the board with a time of 9:25, just a second ahead of Kevin Roberts’ 9:26. Charles Weaving also performed well, giving the team depth.
On Feb. 9, Mercer’s five man group headed to the University of Florida’s Swamp Classic. Ironically, the weather turned nasty, with downpours of rain throughout most of the weekend. In the collegiate C category, Austin Sholly finished a disappointing 34th, but this can partially be attributed to the weather. In a particularly slick and dangerous turn, Sholly wiped out and with a bloodied self, battered bike and bruised ego, Sholly forged ahead to get some time back but not finish where he had aimed.
However, in the collegiate B category, the heart of Mercer’s squad performed well. “Le Train de Mercer” was lead by Andrew Lockwood, leading the race late but simply running out of steam in the sprint to the finish, grabbing fourth — barely missing the podium. It was a very aggressive peloton to lead, and it got the better of Lockwood. South Florida’s Zorth Pilioneta was the winner of that event. In 11th was Gabe Denes, grabbing second in the field’s sprint. Roberts finished in the top half, grabbing 19th.
In the women’s race, Elizabeth Lee could not overcome the weather and aggressive tactics, only finishing fifth. She would do well later on, grabbing several great results in the time trial and road race.
Things went a lot differently for the Bears in Saturday’s time trial, seeing two riders get on the podium and make it interesting. Because of the weather, the course was shortened and the time trial consisted only of two 1.1 mile laps. South Florida once again had the winning rider (Adam Skindel), but Lockwood and Roberts finished second and third respectively with times of 5:14 and 5:17. Denes finished seventh at 5:25, and in the Cs, Sholly also finished seventh. Lee grabbed fifth on the women’s side.
The six-turn, 45-minute criterium on Sunday saw Kevin Roberts grab third place. Denes and Lockwood performed well, grabbing 14th and 8th, but their tactics helped Roberts grab that spot on the podium. In the final race, several crashes in the field set the team back, but Mercer did see Denes grab a third-place finish.
After the impressive performance in Gainesville, the Mercer Bears cycling team was second in the Division II SECCC standings after one race. Elizabeth Lee, Austin Sholly and Kevin Roberts headed to Statesboro for the “Battle of the Boro.” Since parts of “Le Train de Mercer” were absent, it would prove to be tough for Kevin Roberts, yet he still performed incredibly well. In a testament to not only his individual riding abilities but also his interpersonal skills, Roberts now has five top-ten finishes early in this 2011 SECCC season. He looks to add to that tally on Feb. 26 and 27 at Tallahassee. Elizabeth Lee and Austin Sholly also did incredibly well. Sholly continues to grow, finishing in the middle of the pack over and over. Lee was able to grab a third-place finish in the 44-mile road race. The Bears are demonstrating early season dominance and they will continue to train through a brief hiatus this season.
(02/23/11 3:47pm)
[caption id="attachment_1418" align="aligncenter" width="315" caption="(MercerBears.com) Softball looks to return to the A-Sun tournament after a disappointing 2010 season, going .600 in their first ten games of the season."]
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As of Feb. 21, the Mercer Bears softball team sits at .600 on the season. Their 6-4 record includes sweeps of Radford, Oakland and Charleston Southern and a sweep by Georgia Southern. Their home opener against Alcorn State was cancelled.
The Mercer softball team headed to Statesboro for the two-day Spring Hill Suites Eagle Classic. The four games tested a Bears squad that was looking to start off on the right foot this season after a disappointing 2010 campaign. Radford was nationally ranked in the preseason polls before this tournament. In an ironic twist, Mercer swept Radford, Radford swept Georgia Southern, and the Eagles swept Mercer. All teams thereby went 2-2.
Mercer 6, Radford 4
A four-run fifth inning was enough, despite a late rally from Radford, for the Mercer Bears softball team to record their fourth opening day win in the past five seasons. The 6-to-4 victory was punctuated with Kari Chambers pitching a complete game victory in the opener, including locking down on the Radford offense. However, freshman McKenzie Woody got a single in her first ever at-bat, and would eventually round the bases at the top of the first after a steal put her into scoring position.
GSU 7, Mercer 5
The success would be short-lived as Mercer would not be able to catch the high-flying Eagles of Georgia Southern. On the back of senior Megen Smith, recently named the preseason player of the year for the Southern Conference, Georgia Southern forced Mercer’s ace Jenni Holtz out early. Holtz gave up three runs in 1.1 innings. JUCO transfer Kassie Bailey pitched well, but a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth stunned the Bears. Mercer would eventually fight back and pull within one, but a late run by the Eagles ended any hope for a rally.
Mercer 4, Radford 3
Jenni Holtz pitched six scoreless innings, and Mercer’s slow buildup gave them another victory over Radford at the Eagle Classic. Kristen Marko and Sara Stukes both had RBIs in the narrow victory. However, Holtz’s collapse in the seventh almost cost them the game. Senior Anna Johnson reached on an error, stole second base, and on the throw to pick her off, she advanced to home in the bottom of the seventh.
GSU 3, Mercer 2
Mercer once again fell behind early, and Kari Chambers performed well after a shaky start, but the Bears could not rally to get back in the game. They were held to just three hits in the game.
After going 2-2 in Statesboro, Mercer headed to Charleston Southern for their Buccaneer Invite. After a tough opening weekend, the Bears looked to perform well against some big-name schools.
Ohio 2, Mercer 0
Kari Chambers struck out thirteen batters and allowed just two runs in her complete game loss. The Bears had no answer for Ohio’s talented pitching staff.
Mercer 5, Char. So. 0.
Mercer won a game that took place over two days due to a darkness delay in impressive fashion. Jenni Holtz struck out eleven, and she became the first Bear to pass 800 strikeouts in their career. The complete game shutout saw a good rebound for the Bears’ bats after being shutout earlier in the tournament.
Virginia Tech 8, Mercer 0
After a pitching duel took place over the first four innings, the Virginia Tech Hokies scored eight in the fifth and sixth innings, putting Mercer to the run rule. Holtz looked tired after four, having pitched just prior to this game in the shutout of Charleston Southern. She was pulled out, and the Hokies’ bats exploded.
Mercer 5, Char. So. 1
In the consolation game, Mercer made sure they broke even for the tournament. Anna Johnson registered her seventh steal of the season, and McKenzie Woody got two more. Krista Kennedy’s opening home run helped inspire the Bears to a victory that was needed after the demoralizing defeat against Virginia Tech.
After another .500 performance, the Mercer Bears headed home for a doubleheader against Oakland. The Grizzlies faced Mercer and the Bears were victorious in both games.
Mercer 6, Oakland 1
Erin Galloway went 3 for 3 from the plate and the Mercer Bears won their first home game of the 2011 season. A slow buildup saw a run added in the each of the first three innings, and it was capitalized with a three-run outburst in the fifth. Two home runs helped put the game away.
Mercer 8, Oakland 0
The Bears completely shut down the Grizzlies in the second game of the doubleheader. A game shortened to six innings saw Mercer’s softball team showcase its depth.
(02/22/11 1:14am)
After one of the best and most favored sides in history was stunned at Emirates Stadium last week, the Champions League proved why games aren’t played on paper. Predicted to be a complete domination by Barcelona, Arsenal stunned the Spanish side 2-1 with an impressive late switch to bring on Andrei Arshavin. In a day that also saw Italian juggernaut Roma upset by the little known Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk 3-2, the Champions League has plenty of opportunities to see crazy results with lots of juggernauts left to play.
In the two-leg rounds, allowing a team to play both at home and away truly gives it the opportunity to show dominance and talent. Arsenal’s side looked out of form and was not in control for much of the game, but due to a key substitution, it proved the be the decisive factor. On March 8, a match at Camp Nou will either demonstrate the resiliency of Barcelona or the superiority of Arsenal. On that same day, Roma will look to bounce back and not make as many dumb mistakes (that’s directed at you, John Arne-Riise) when they head to Ukraine for the second leg with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Even before this, Tottenham Hotspur, a lesser-known English side and their star striker Peter Crouch upset heavy favorite Milan. Just a quarter of the Champions League's matches for this round have been played, and we’re looking at a rather different landscape. Real Madrid and other heavy favorites are looking to stay awake and avoid letdowns in their opening matches.
If you’re interested in watching any of these matches, head over to footyfire.com for live streams of games. Go to ESPN’s Soccernet online and find the schedule for your club of choice, and then sit back and watch the beautiful game. Even better is the option to hear it in a variety of languages by going through these links. Personally, I think you should tune in at 2:45 p.m. on March 8 to see “Barsenal, Part 2,” but that’s just me.
Meanwhile, Americans are getting chances to make history and continue to build the sport back home. Goalkeeper Tim Howard has long earned credit for playing well for English club Everton, and he continues to show that Americans can perform well at the highest levels. He was lights out for most of the game against Chelsea in the recent FA Cup game, making eight vital saves to help force a decisive penalty shootout. His save on Nicholas Anelka’s shot put Everton back in the game, and eventually Everton stunned the reigning champion. Howard has performed well for years and has a chance to lead Everton into further glory.
On the other hand, Clint Dempsey continues to perform well against Premier League defenses, despite missing a PK that would have helped Fulham upset Chelsea. He is 8th in the Barclays Premier League for goals scored with nine. Fulham experienced disappointment a few days ago with a tough FA Cup loss to Bolton, a team that sees American Stuart Holden as a staple in midfield. The Scottish-American is under the radar, but his high passing efficiency and creative playmaking is helping him achieve success.
For this upcoming weekend, look to Real Madrid to continue its recent run as it makes a move on Barcelona at the top of the Spanish Primera Division. Inter should be able to run down rival Milan, being just five points back, but the Italian Serie A is far from over for the competitors. In the Premier League, look for Chelsea to continue to struggle and for some space to appear between the mid-level teams and the relegation zone. Germany, France, the Netherlands and Portugal don’t matter much to me, and I don’t feel very qualified to write about who does what there, especially since my favorite players in those leagues have left for greener pastures. Finally, look for the CONCACAF (the region the U.S. plays in) games online, as you can see the future of American soccer go up against the youth teams from North and South America.
(02/22/11 1:06am)
After announcing a spring schedule that included Florida in Gainesville, UNC Charlotte and South Carolina in Columbia as well as Clemson, GCSU and Georgia State at Bear Field, Mercer’s women’s soccer team took to the pitch against Florida at the University of Florida’s lacrosse/soccer complex on Feb. 19.
The Atlantic Sun Champions would not encounter much success on the day against the team that eliminated them for the NCAA Tournament. The Florida Gators completely dominated Mercer, winning the rematch 6-0. A year ago, the Mercer Bears marched into Gainesville and upset the SEC powerhouse, but it was not the case this past weekend. The Bears saw four different Gators score on them: Maggie Rodgers, Taylor Travis, Lindsay Thompson and Tahnai Annis. Annis and Thompson each had a brace, scoring twice.
In other news, Mercer was able to sign six great recruits for next season. Midfielder Brianna Stampler will provide a great support role for attack, and she knows how to move the ball around well. She was on one of the better club teams in Florida and she has gained a significant amount of experience against quality opponents this way. Forward MacKenzie Stewart, a Colorado native, excelled in the 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. Also, she lead her high school team in goals with ten as a junior. Stewart is tough and showed immense fortitude against aggressive defenders.
Those familiar with Peru’s Juan Manuel Vargas will really enjoy the acquisition of Maryland’s Stephanie Gianguili, a midfielder who can also play forward with her great finishing ability. She leaves her high school as career leader in goals and assists, with 45 and 19 respectively. She also has international experience against teams in Sweden and Denmark. She will be a gem for Mercer’s team to have as she is very unselfish with the ball.
Lauren Gassie is someone who can play “total football.” She excels as a left back and as an attacking midfielder and is a tireless worker. The captain of her team, Gassie was teammates with a fellow Mercer signee, Rachel Buffalo. Buffalo, a terrific central defender, will benefit Mercer’s team as both individuals show great chemistry and technical ability. The two Floridians will fit well with the Bears’ style of play.
Finally, Georgia native Washida Blackman from Brookwood High School rounds out this year’s signing class. The forward can be a winger or striker, and her cool nature in front of goal will be a great addition to a team that needs goals once in a while. These six recruits will be attempting to fill in for a senior class that has seen two conference championships in their time at Mercer.
(02/09/11 3:50pm)
[caption id="attachment_587" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mercer scored in bunches against a porous Yellow Jacket defense during their only exhibition game this season."]
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In what ended up being their only exhibition match before their trip to Columbus, Ohio for a matchup with Ohio State University’s lacrosse team, the Mercer Bears’ newly-minted Division I lacrosse team completely devastated Georgia Tech’s club team 16-2 last weekend. In front of a crowd that was standing-room only and numbered 723, the only Division I lacrosse team in Georgia showed their supremacy with a big win. With this kind of result, the Bears are looking ready to challenge the nation’s best, starting on Feb. 12.
The Bears had five different players that had more than one goal. However, the most valuable player of the match was freshman John Avent. The attacker from Newnan picked up four points on the day with a goal and three assists. He also opened the scoring at the 8:11 mark of the first quarter, ensuring that Mercer never trailed on the day.
Attackers Colton Mattei and Alex Baird each had two goals along with a bevy of shots. A promising sign for the Bears was the explosive midfield play from freshmen Joey Ugast, Sam Grayson and Taylor Coughlin. Each added two goals to the sixteen goal rout of the in-state rivals.
With the team attacking well, there was no question that they could score the goals to compete against Ohio State and Duke this season. However, the defense needed to step up to defend attacks. They only allowed two goals, including shutting the Yellow Jackets down in the first and third quarters. The defense pitched a shutout until the three minute mark of the second quarter. Mercer answered with a 5-0 run in the third.
Regardless, the Bears forced 18 turnovers and they only allowed 23 shots on the day, failing in comparison to the high-octane offense that Avent led. The Bears combined for a total of 56 shots on the day. While this number seems to be great news, it is troubling that the Bears were only able to score every 3.5 shots. There is no guarantee that they will have another 56 opportunities against the nation’s top defenses.
While it is great news that the 7-0 start was from seven different players, there is no guarantee that all seven will see the same success in every game. It is good news that enough players on the field do have an eye for the goal.
Dillon Volk, the freshman goalkeeper from Port Charlotte, Fla., received the win as he accounted for eight saves. He will share time with the other goalies but his play against Georgia Tech might have earned him more playing time.
The game against Suwanee was canceled due to a multitude of players on the Suwanee team having the flu.
Mercer opens the season against Ohio State on the road, a Big Ten team that actually plays an exhibition with Duke beforehand and has a game two days prior against Detroit. Ohio State is a tough, experienced team that looks to perform well this season. Sophomore attacker Logan Schuss was an honorable mention All-American last year with 31 goals and 25 assists. The stout Mercer defense will be looked toward as they try to slow down the Buckeyes' fervent attack, as Jeff Tundo had a silent 20 goals and 15 assists behind the explosive play of Schuss.
On Wednesday, Feb. 16, the Bears play their first-ever home game as a Division I team, welcoming VMI. The Keydets will prep for that game with a trip to Navy on the Saturday before. While VMI did go a dismal 2-13 last year, they gained valuable experience behind their star junior attacker Colin Bosse (21 goals) and Kelly McMinn, a goalie who saves 50 percent of what is thrown at him.
A solid and young base will help Mercer in the years to come, both with playing and recruiting. This inaugural season features a schedule with only four homes games and nine games on the road.
(02/09/11 3:27pm)
[caption id="attachment_555" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="(photo courtesy of sport.com) Man. U's Wayne Rooney looks to take his team to the top of the Barclays Premier League Standings by the end of the season."]
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Last week, the January Transfer window closed to much fanfare and surprise. In the wake of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Rules, an agreement between all the clubs that vie for the Champions League every year, the exorbitant spending and ridiculous contracts will be curbed. The balance of power will shift from teams that are so far in debt that they’ve bought championships to the teams that are on the brink and just can’t pass the Manchester Uniteds of the leagues.
Regardless, the Barclays Premier League promises to have a great finale. Manchester United, the New York Yankees of English soccer, has just one loss with fourteen match days left. Even now, Wayne Rooney is finally breaking out of his slump, but this did not help them against Wolverhampton. Drawing comparisons to the most famous undefeated team, 2003-2004’s “Invincibles” from Arsenal, they have the starpower and ability to close a game out.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea all have viable chances to catch the world’s most famous team. The Gunners have gotten hot as of late, and Manchester City has been floating near the top all season. With the acquisition of Edin Dzeko in the middle of the transfer period, City now has Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli, and Dzeko up top for goals, but this fell short in their game against Birmingham. The recent performance against West Brom might signal a change of pace.
Chelsea declared themselves financially in line with the new policy, only to purchase Fernando Torres from Liverpool and David Luiz from Portugal’s Benfica for 75 Million Pounds. The acquisition will give them the chance to move from barely qualifying for the Europa League to winning the Premier League, but those hopes were dashed (potentially) with the loss against Liverpool. I think United will probably hold on, but they will have some trouble, as was evident this past weekend against Wolverhampton. At least my Liverpool’s recently acquired Luis Suarez scored in his debut.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Primera Division, or La Liga, is a two horse race. Actually, it’s a runaway win for Barcelona. The best team in the world (in my humble opinion) is not going to be stopped. The toughest game left is against Real Madrid, but since El Classico’s last outing was a 5-0 blowout for Lionel Messi and company, an out-of-form and lower class Real Madrid will need a lot more than just Adebayor being signed to fight back. This is on the heels of a 1-1 draw with last-place Almeria and a 1-0 loss to Osasuna, but then, a 4-1 win over Sociedad. Even now, Villareal gets closer and closer, as Striker Giuseppe Rossi stays in-form and continues to perform well. Barcelona will win the league with games in hand this season.
In other news, there are a few Americans who are making big moves. Michael Bradley, the midfielder most famous for his stunning goal against Slovenia in the big American “draw” due to that crappy Mali referee, has left the German Bundesliga and has headed to Aston Villa in a chance to showcase his talents in the Barclays Premier League. He is one of the futures of American soccer, just like Jozy Altidore. Villareal has loaned Jozy over the past few seasons, some with success. Now, he heads to Bursaspor in the Turkish Premier League with a chance to shine in a market that Americans have not traditionally done so. This young striker needs to develop if he wants to maintain a spot on the American national team, especially with rising stars like Teal Bunbury (who recently changed from Canada to the United States). Finally, Charlie Davies has finally recovered and is now headed to MLS’ DC United. That’s great news.