Widener heads to F&M for Centennial-MAC Bowl Series
Widener entered Saturday’s game with Del Val knowing that it wouldn’t be its final outing of the season, a fate it had secured by clinching at least a spot for the MAC’s bowl series.
Sunday, the Pride learned that its first bowl appearance in the three-year-old Centennial-MAC Bowl Series will bring it to Lancaster to take on Franklin & Marshall next Saturday.
Widener (7-3, 7-2 MAC) finished third in its league. With unbeaten Del Val clinching the league title and NCAA Division III playoff berth in a 47-13 win Saturday, the Pride were assured one of the two MAC spots in the cross-league bowl series. Widener plays the Diplomats (9-1, 8-1 Centennial), who finished second in the league behind NCAA-qualifying champion John Hopkins. Saturday’s kickoff time at Shadek Stadium will be determined Monday.
Widener and F&M have played 30 times in program history, but not since 1982. Widener holds a 16-13-1 edge in the all-time series.
MAC runner-up Albright hosts Centennial third seed Susquehanna Saturday. MAC teams have won all four games in the competition’s two-year run.
Women’s Volleyball
A week ago, with the Centennial Conference title on the line, Swarthmore dropped a three-set decision to Johns Hopkins.
Sunday, in its third game in as many days and its third meeting with the Blue Jays this season, Swarthmore exacted its revenge.
Mehra den Braven paired 15 kills with 21 digs to earn Most Outstanding Player honors of the regional hosted by Stevenson as the Garnet scored a 3-2 win to advance to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals.
Swarthmore (24-7) eked out the first set 31-29 before dropping two straight, 25-21 and 25-19. The Garnet rallied, 25-22 and 15-10, to vanquish Hopkins.
Joining den Braven on the All-Regional Team were Malia Scott, who dished 47 assists to go with 13 digs, and Sarah Girard, who came up with 31 digs. Sarah Wallace posted a doubledouble of 17 kills and 11 digs. Olivia Leventhal added 12 kills, and Giun Mesh came up with 16 digs for Swarthmore.
The Garnet will be seeded for the national quarterfinals, which start Thursday at Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with the final Saturday night.
Women’s Soccer
Amy Shmoys made six saves, but Swarthmore’s season ended in the second round of the Division III tournament with a 2-0 loss to No. 3 seed William Smith College. First-half goals by Megan Barwick and Evie Manning proved too much to overcome.
Men’s Soccer
A day after Cabrini earned the first NCAA tournament win in program history, the ride came to an end for the Cavs in a 2-0 loss to No. 23 Johns Hopkins in the second round of the Division III Tournament.
Cabrini had eliminated regional host Rowan, 1-0, Saturday night on Andre Justin’s overtime goal. But goals by Johns Hopkins’ Arden Chew and Achim Younker four minutes apart Saturday brought the season to an end for Cabrini (11-9-1).
The Cavs had just two shots on goal for the second straight game. Mike Gould made eight saves in net for Cabrini.