Hope Saunders.
By John Manley
Wichita State's Hope Saunders won the women's division of the Emporia State Cross Country Invitational in Emporia, Kansas on Friday. A junior from Dublin, Saunders broke the tape in 19:45.76 for 5,000 meters, nearly half a minute before her nearest pursuer arrived at the finish line.
"Considering the conditions, Hope ran a very strong race," said John Wise, Wichita's Assistant Director of Track and Field. "She took the lead and built on it throughout. She appears to be rounding into form."
Saunders prepped at Mount Temple Comprehensive School and then spent a year at the University of Florida before transferring to Wichita.
Tadgh McGinty, a St. Leo University junior from Swinford, Co. Mayo, got seventh place in the FLRunners.com Invitational in Lakeland, Florida. He ran the 8,000-meter course in 28.01.30. Teammate Shane Bracken, a junior from Foxford, Co. Mayo, was along for 21st place in 28.38.10. Tommy Cardenas of St. Thomas University ran a winning 27.29.90. The Lions won the team title.
The women ran 5,000 meters in Lakeland, with St. Leo's Aoife Mahony placing 29th. The sophomore from Listowel, Co. Kerry covered the distance in 22:17.50. Margaret Glenn won the race in 18:44.00.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Sarah Haddock came out of the backfield to carry the scoring load for Cumberland University of Tennessee in the Phoenix' 2-1 victory at home over Thomas More on Monday. Haddock, a junior out of Newtownards, Co. Down, converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute for the first goal of the match. Then, with just over 10 minutes left in the match and the score tied, Haddock intercepted the ball at the top of the box and beat the opposition keeper for the winning goal. She has now scored four goals this season for Cumberland (8-2-1).
Sarah Haddock. PHOTO BY STEVE WAMPLER
Sarah Connolly scored East Tennessee State's lone goal in Friday's 2-1 overtime loss at home to Western Carolina. The junior forward from Ballygowan, Co. Down booted the ball in from 30 yards out early in the second half. Connolly and the Bucs then atoned for the defeat with a 5-0 road drubbing of South Carolina State on Monday. Connolly scored three goals in this match, her second collegiate hat trick. She now has six goals on the season as the Bucs ticked up to 4-5-2.
MEN'S SOCCER
Martin Walsh scored the final goal of the match in Cumberland University's 4-2 loss to Martin Methodist in Lebanon, Tennessee last Tuesday. The County Mayo sophomore beat the Martin keeper from the right side of the goal with just under five minutes left in regulation. Walsh then picked up an assist on Monday as the Phoenix edged Thomas More, 3-2, at home. Cumberland, coached by Dubliner Adam Grant are 6-3-0.
Ruairi Croskery, a senior from Castlewellan, Co. Down, set up the first goal of the match in Limestone's 3-0 victory over North Greenville in Gaffney, South Carolina last Wednesday. The Saints are 2-5-0.
FIELD HOCKEY
Clodagh Ferry took a pass off a penalty corner and knocked the ball in to give Vermont a 1-0 victory over Longwood in Farmville, Virginia on Friday. That’s the third game-winning goal of Ferry’s collegiate career. She’s a sophomore from Dublin. Teammate Claudia Cotter, a Dublin junior, then earned an assist in Vermont’s 3-1 loss to William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia on Sunday. The goal was the first of the game, but the Catamounts (4-5) couldn’t make the lead stand.
Providence defeated Temple, 1-0, at home on Friday on a goal that began with sophomore Niamh Gowing passing the ball to teammate Izzy Mendez, who deflected the ball into the net. That was the first collegiate assist of the Dubliner's career. The Friars are 5-4.
