The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 39

NORTH JERSEY SPORTS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2001 S-20 THE RECORD P. IIIMNHMm WWi'J? TJ Vr' NCAA DIVISION III PLAYOFFS MSU unable to come back Bows out of NCAA playoffs Clifton loss is painful E. Brunswick gets only goal By J.P. PELZMAN STAFF WRITER MONTCLAIR Eric Magrini summed it up best, although he wasn't trying to. "We knew what we had to do," the Montclair State wide receiver said.

"We just couldn't accomplish it" Magrini was talking about the Red Hawks' offensive game plan against Ithaca. He might as well have been speaking about their season. A year that began with a singular goal for Montclair State a national championship fell short. Ithaca went ahead to stay on its first possession in a 35-23 victory over the Red Hawks in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs Saturday. The Bombers (10-1) will visit Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (8-0) for a second-round game Saturday.

The Red Hawks (9-2), who were making their third consecutive appearance in the NCAAs, were ousted in the first round for the second straight season. "This hurts even more than last year," senior linebacker Ron Broking said, "because this is my last game." Montclair's season ended because it couldn't contain Ithaca's offense in the first half and couldn't muster enough of a rally in the second half. The Bombers took the opening kickoff and drove 68 yards in 14 plays to Dave Maddi's 3-yard touchdown run with 7:19 left in the first quarter. The march was aided by four penalties by Montclair, which jumped offsides three times. Two of those offsides infractions gave Ithaca first downs, including one that occurred on a fourth-and-two at the Red Hawks' 35.

"We were a little too excited," said Broking. Ithaca was pumped up, too, especially after the Bombers forced Montclair to punt after three plays. Ithaca went 52 yards in six plays to score on Brian Young's 14-yard pass to Mad-di with 3:51 left in the first quarter, giving the Bombers a 14-0 lead. Montclair closed to within 14-3 on Brent Grablachoffs 38-yard field goal, but Ithaca's Kyle Tedeschi scored on a 1-yard run to increase the lead to 21-3 with 10:31 left in the first half. The drive was engineered by backup quarterback Greg Sheeler, who replaced Young.

Young, who also left the game after a hard hit in the first period, didn't return. Ithaca coach Mike Welch said he had a concussion. "She Sheeler stepped in and we didn't miss a beat," Welch said. As opposed to Montclair's Ed Collins, who couldn't find his rhythm. The senior went 26-for-57 for 399 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, but was sacked five times.

Two of those sacks came when he tripped over his own teammates, symbolizing the Red Hawks' frustration. "We weren't in sync as a team," Collins said. On both sides of the ball. Late in the second quarter, linebacker Omar Lucas had a potential interception jarred from his grasp when he collided with teammate Greg Hope. Ithaca scored two plays later on 2-yard pass to Cory Corrado for a 35-17 lead.

Collins added that the Red Hawks' 53-21 loss to Rowan last week had some lingering effects. "We didn't practice so well this week. Monday and Tuesday were horrible. It was like throwing away two whole days. But I don't think it had anything to do with the outcome today." "He Collins was getting a lot of pressure," said Magrini, a Wayne Hills graduate who had seven receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown, and set school single-season records for receptions (71) and yards "They Ithaca knew what was coming." By DAN ROSEN STAFF WRITER EWING The final whistle had just sounded and Andrea Kovalcik hit the ground.

Her head was buried, tears flowing. Clifton's junior goalkeeper had just played a fearless game in the Group 4 final Saturday at The College of New Jersey. And yet it wasn't enough. Kovalcik dove, leaped, and slid her way to nine saves in proving she is indeed one of the state's best in the net But like so many other teams this season, the Mustangs succumbed to the Heather O'Reilly factor. O'Reilly, a junior striker and under-19 national-team player, scored the lone goal, her 38th of the season, in the 18th minute and it held up as East Brunswick (20-2) captured its eighth Group 4 tide and first since 1996 with a 1-0 victory.

"She's a special player, she finds a lot of things on the field that most players don't," Clifton coach Stan Lembryk said of O'Reilly. "You play her, and she finds the one or two players that run off her. She's a great player, there's no doubt about that." On the only goal, Clifton (19-2-1) failed to clear the ball and Kaitlin Parke played it back in, where O'Reilly was positioned. The All-State striker pounced on it and chipped it past the Mustangs' defense and Kovalcik, who was out of the net. "Coming in for the first time here, you have your jitters and we were sitting back, trying not to make a mistake," Lembryk said.

"When that happens, you give up a goal. Other than that, I thought we played great. Unfortunately that first 20 minutes hurt us." Lembryk had the Mustangs pushing up in the second half, trying at all Clifton soccer players consoling each other after losing Group 4 title game to East Verduin stars for Hawthorne Brings Bears a State crown Rowan revs up offense, cruises into 2nd round GLASSBORO Nick Fradc's field goal broke a 17-17 tie and Rowan (9-1) went on to 40-17 win over Brockport State in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs on Saturday. The Profs will host Western Connecticut State (8-1) in a second-round game next Saturday. Rowan's Tony Racioppi scored on a 1-yard run, and then Antwine Simmons ran for his second touchdown, a 5-yarder, to give the Profs a 34-17 lead.

Simmons' touchdown was set up by an interception by former William Paterson standout Bobby Fisher, who had 13 tackles. Linebacker Earle Whilby of Englewood had 10 tackles and two sacks for Rowan. Brockport finished at 9-2. Wm. Paterson avenges defeat BETH BALBIERZSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Brunswick on Saturday.

Mustangs captured their first Passaic County title, won their first State tournament game ever, and their first sectional crown. However, in this season of firsts, the inexperience finally caught up to them. And unfortunately it happened on the final day of the season, in the biggest of venues, with no tomorrow to make up for it. "East Brunswick didn't walk away with this one. They had to fight for it," Kovalcik said.

"My team fought just as hard. It wasn't enough, but next year it will be. We'll be back." L' TARIQ ZEHAW1STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER a spike by Union Catholic in State final. winning heels for parts of the second game, particularly after Melissa Raggi's service ace opened up a 9-6 lead. The Cougars continued to chip away and appeared in command with a 12-8 edge.

Secaucus' Lindsey Flora (14 assists, nine service points) recorded four straight service points to draw her team even at 12. Each team served six times from there on before a service point by Heather Aciz (9 kills) ended the match. Senior Katy Cannan pitched in with 13 assists. "You'd think after all the success we've had that we wouldn't feel the pressure," Nolan said. "Evcrytimc we've taken the floor for the past seven years we've played like we've had something to si ing into halftone.

Kovalcik made her final big play in the 69th minute on O'Reilly, who had a breakaway. But the junior keeper raced out to the 18 and swiped the ball away from the striker's feet. "They got over their nerves five minutes before we did," Kovalcik said. "It's a big game, but it's another game. You get nervous, it plays mind games with you, but we worked really hard at coming back.

Nobody gave up. We kept fighting." Clifton, a team full of youth, was nearly invincible this season. The 7 Hawthorne's Whitney Verduin blocking tires of Early on it appeared Secaucus would coast to the title, but after Cresskill overcame some early jitters, points for both teams were hard to come by. The Patriots opened up an 8-3 lead, which they later extended to 11-5 before the Cougars demonstrated why they were ranked the best Group 1 team entering the tournament. "Once we settled in we played to our maximum potential," said coach John Von Glahn, a William Paterson graduate "We felt all year we had the team and the talent to finish up here today.

Unfortunately, we only had our strongest game for bits and pieces' Cresskill ha Secaucus on its costs to generate scoring chances.Senior Vanessa Flores turned to her left in the 55th minute and had a shot on net. But the ball trickled to the goal and East Brunswick keeper Alissa Kacar had the easy save, one of only five on the day. Throughout the match, though, Kovalcik came up with huge saves that kept her team within striking distance. She made a diving stop on Kari Devine's shot in the 32nd minute, and five minutes later while playing out of the crease, she dove to stop O'Reilly's shot, keeping the deficit at one head first game to close to within 10-8, the turning point might have occurred between games. "Coach gathered us around and said that no matter what happened she'd always love us and that we'd always be champions to her," said Verduin after registering 22 kills "That's all it really took to get us to play our game.

Union Catholic seemed to be trying to force the kill from then on and we played our game, which is about playing smart and waiting for our chances." Hawthorne began to capitalize on those chances in bunches in the second game, when three consecutive service points from Heather Cornett gave the Bears an 8-7 edge and when six straight from Amy Flaker put them ahead, 14-8. Hawthorne quickly assumed control of the third game, jumping out to a 6-2 lead behind three service points from Tara Tomasini. Union Catholic crept back to within two at 8-6, but Whitney and Flaker (11 service points and seven kills) proved to be too much of a 1-2 punch. "Those two have deserved every bit of attention they got this year," Marino said. "But I constantly tell people they are far better kids than they are athletes." "Really, that goes for the whole group.

There's no jealousy over the fact that those two are looked upon as our stars. I'm not sure I've ever had this much of a true team." senior Justine Muzones, who contributed 10 kills and six service points. "For this team to pull together and get through the biggest game a lot of us will ever play is simply indescribable." Nolan found it equally challenging to find the words to describe the euphoria she appeared to be feeling for the first time. It never gets old," said the 27th-ycar coach after Secaucus' 16th State crown was sealed. "It's one thing to defend a title after you've had it for a year.

Defending for the seventh time is another entirely. Over 1,000 players participate in the Slate tournament every year and only 48 make it to the final four It takes a whole lot of people If) keep this program on top By MATT SULLIVAN SPECIAL TO THE RECORD With each ball Hawthorne's All-World senior Whitney Verduin put away in the early goings of Saturday night's Group 2 State Volleyball Championship at William Paterson University, the entire gymnasium waited for the 5-foot-1 1 outside hitter to assume control of the match. Top-seeded Union Catholic jumped out to a 9-3 lead, looking every bit like the 22-2 Union County champions. Then Hawthorne and Verduin found their game and exhibited the kind of play that has rendered the two-time Passaic County champions a miraculous 30-0 this season. "Once their big girl got on a roll, we just folded," said Union Catholic coach Nancy Saggio.

"First we couldn't get a serve in and once we did it was a totally non-aggressive serve. We never neutralized them." Hawthorne, which returned a core of seniors that helped them capture three of the past four Passaic County titles, had been preparing for this match all season. At noon Friday, their preparation intensified. They gathered for lunch and popped in a video of something coach Andrea Marino thought they might find inspirational, the film "Hoosiers." Although the Bears rallied in the COLLEGE ROUNDUP Horner of Hasbrouck Heights added 10 points and nine rebounds for Stevens Tech in the first round of the Utica College Classic. Stevens will face host Utica for the title today at 3 p.m.

MONTCLAIR STATE 77, NEW PALTZ 53: Jasmine Batts had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Kathy Barberi had 16 points, and Stephanie Ellerbe had 14 points and 13 rebounds for Montclair State (1-0) in the first round of the Pepsi Tip-Off tournament in Boston. Montclair will face host Emmanuel College in the final today at 3 p.m. ELMIRA 53, WILLIAM PATERSON 50: Kathleen McPhail and Katie Morris each scored 12 points for William Paterson (0-2) in the consolation game of the Brandeis Tip-Off Classic. Tricia Wing led Elmira (1-1) with 19 points. SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 62, FELICIAN 59: Tysell Bozeman had 29 points and 1 1 rebounds for Felician in the first round of the Ramada Inn Shootout in Manchester, N.H.

The Golden Falcons squandered a 45-35 second-half lead as Southern Connecticut used a 23-4 run to open a 58-49 lead. Felician used a 7-0 run to get within 58-56, but got no closer. Bozeman also had five assists and Audrey Lundy had 15 rebounds for Felician. Meg Markovitz led Southern Connecticut with 15 points. RAMAPO 80, MEDCAR EVERS 17: Tara Larkin scored 13 points and Car-la Colucci of Emerson added 1 1 as Ramapo won in the first round of the Roadrunner Tip-Off tournament on Fridav night.

MEN'S SOCCER RICHARD STOCKTON ST. LAWRENCE 0: Northern Highlands graduate Brett Steinberg made three saves for his 1 1th shutout of the season as Stockton (24-1) advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division HI tournament Brandon Constantine of Teaneck made a three-point play with 37 seconds left to break a 67-67 tie as William Paterson beat Catholic University, 71-68, in a rematch of last year's NCAA Division III men's basketball final, won by Catholic. Constantine scored 21 points, Rashaan Barner added 14, and Don Bosco Prep graduate Dag Christensen had 11 for the Pioneers, who squandered a 23-point halftime lead before pulling out the victory. Craig Avallone led Catholic with 17 points. His two free throws tied the score at 65 with 1:51 left FEUCIAN 79, PHILADELPHIA 73: Bilal Rodgers scored 23 points and Marcin Ziobrun added 21 as Felician won the consolation of the Wolf Bus Lines Tournament in Shippensburg, Pa.

ADRIAN 77, RUTGERS-NEWARK 67: Asmar Fortney scored 22 points for Rutgers-Newark in the final of the Scarlet Raider Tip-Off Classic. Tournament MVP Dan Walter led Adrian with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and sue assists. NJCU 79, HUNTER 74: Samar Battle scored 20 points and Irv Jenkins added 16 as New Jersey City won the consolation of the Dr. Kleppinger Tip-Off Classic in Alvemia, Pa. George Thomas scored all of his 15 points in the second half for the Gothic Knights.

RUTGERS-NEWARK 96, NEW YORK TECH 55: Asmar Fortney scored 32 points and Chris Hernandez of Wee-hawken added 16 as Rutgers-Newark routed New York Tech in the first round of the Scarlet Raider Tip-Off tournament on Friday night Jafar Martin added 10 points and seven assists for the winners. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STEVENS TECH 74, SUNY imCAROME 41 AraceKy Cruz had 17 points and six assists, Lisa Cho of Palisades Park scored 13 points, and Erin Secaucus never By MATT SULLIVAN SPECIAL TO THE RECORD WAYNE Seven straight of anything might begin to get old. The exception being if you're Maria Nolan and the anything in question is Group 1 State volleyball championships. Secaucus (24-0) rolled to its 40th consecutive win and 23rd sweep of the season, 15-9, 15-12 over top-seeded Cresskill (22-3), Saturday night at William Paterson University. And there was nothing lucky about the way the Patriots arrived at the number seven.

"There were a lot of skeptics this year, but we stayed focused and channeled that into positive encrjrv to help us achieve this goal." said.