Valenti is key on D for Navy
Marie Valenti continues to be a key performer on defense for the Navy women’s lacrosse team, the Midshipmen 5-2 after a 19-16 loss to No. 6-ranked Florida on March 13 in Gainesville, Fla. The team’s only other loss came at the hands of No. 2 Boston College, 20-14 on Feb. 27 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Valenti, from Bechtelsville (Boyertown Area), has started all seven games and has 13 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers and a draw control.
“We are just really proud of the defense,” coach Cindy Timchal said. “You can’t expect to have a shutout and Marie is a big part of our defensive leadership. When we play zone, she is a critical part of that and in man-to-man, she always has a big matchup.”
As a freshman, Valenti played midfield but last year she was needed on the defensive end.
“That really shored up the defense last season and this season,” Timchal said.
Valenti has played in 49 games with 42 starts in her two-plus years with the Midshipmen. She has 96 ground balls, 62 caused turnovers and 41 draw controls. She hasn’t scored this season, but has nine goals and six assists for 15 points in her career. She was also named to the Patriot League All-Academic squad last year.
“Marie is an exceptional athlete and she has been instrumental in our consistency and our leadership on the defensive end,” Timchal said. “Her athleticism and toughness and her ability to carry the ball through traffic has really helped the team. And, she feels comfortable on the offensive end because of her days playing in the midfield.” JACK COLT (OWEN J. ROBERTS) » The sophomore attack has three goals and six assists for nine points for the Muhlenberg men’s lacrosse team, the Mules 5-0 after a 19-8 victory over Gordon March 11 in Allentown. Colt had a goal and three assists in that game. He opened the season by picking up three assists in a 15-3 triumph over Immaculata Feb. 17, also in Allentown. Colt had a goal in an 8-6 victory over Susquehanna Feb. 21 in Selinsgrove and a goal in a 9-8 victory over Scranton Feb. 24 in Allentown. MELISSA IRICK (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) » The season has just started but the junior right-hander has a 2-1 record for the 4-2 Eastern softball team. She has a 2.61 earned run average and in 18.1 innings has given up 16 hits and eight runs, seven earned, with eight walks and five strikeouts. Senior right-hander Meagan Quinn (Upper Perkiomen) has a 1-0 record and a 1.24 earned run average after pitching a five-inning complete game victory over Johnson State Feb. 28 in Clermont, Fla. Juniors Jessica Hamden (Spring-Ford) and Taylor Crown (Phoenixville) are also on the squad. JOHN MCKENDRY (POPE JOHN PAUL II) » The 6-foot, 160-pound sophomore has four goals and an assist in three games for the Neumann men’s lacrosse team, the Knights standing 1-4 after an 18-12 loss to Wilkes on March 10 in Aston. McKendry, who didn’t play last season as a freshman, picked up his first collegiate points when he had three goals and two ground balls in that game. He had a goal and an assist in a 13-6 victory over Alvernia Feb. 19, also in Aston. NICK SIMEONE (METHACTON) » The sophomore was named MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week on March 12 after he led the Arcadia men’s tennis team to a 6-3 non-league victory over Marietta March 11 in Hilton Head, S.C. He won his No. 1 singles match 7-5, 6-0 and teamed with Jaime Zeng Zhu of Philadelphia to post an 8-1 victory at No. 1 doubles. Simeone is 2-2 in singles and 3-1 in doubles for the Knights who are 3-2 after a 7-2 loss to Division II Shepherd on March 12, also in Hilton Head. BRENDAN BURKE (SPRINGFORD) » The sophomore is playing third base for the D’Youville’s 1-2 baseball team. He’s hitting .273 (3for-11) with three runs batted in. He had a two-run single in a season-opening 16-4 loss to Pitt-Bradford Feb. 28 in Houghton, N.Y. The Spartans split a doubleheader with Juniata on March 10 in Huntingdon, losing the first game 4-2 and winning the nightcap 7-3. Burke had two hits and an RBI in the opening loss. ALYSSA PORRECA (BOYERTOWN) » The senior defender has started all six games and has 13 ground balls and stands second in caused turnovers with 10 for the Albright women’s lacrosse team, the Lions 3-3 after a 17-5 loss to Utica on March 13 in Sparks, Md. She had five ground balls and five caused turnovers in an 8-7 victory over Ursinus on Feb. 24 in Reading. Porreca has collected 42 ground balls and has caused 20 turnovers in 43 career games. GABRIELLE ERMISH (POTTSGROVE) » The sophomore right-hander has a 1-3 record in five games and four starts pitching for the Bryant softball team, the Bulldogs 4-10 on the season after going 0-5 in the Oregon Duck Invitational March 9-11 in Eugene. Ermish has worked 18.2 innings and given up 27 hits and 21 runs, 15 earned, with three walks and six strikeouts. She’s also hitting .318 (7for-22). Sophomore Melaina Michaud (Phoenixville) has seen limited playing time in eight games and is hitless in four trips to the plate. SAMANTHA GARRITANO (OWEN J. ROBERTS) » The junior outfielder hit .424 (14for-33) to help the Ursinus softball team post a 7-3 record in Florida March 4-10, earning her Centennial Conference Player of the Week honors in the process. Batting third for the Bears, she had four doubles, a home run, nine runs scored and nine runs batted in. She had three hits in three games including a single, double and home run in a 12-1 victory over Mount Union on March 8 in Clermont. The team’s centerfielder, Garritano handled 20 chances without an error. SABRINA BUTLER (POTTSTOWN) » The sophomore midfielder has started all five games for the Delaware Valley women’s lacrosse team which is 3-2 after a 13-6 loss to Virginia Wesleyan on March 14 in Virginia Beach. Butler had four goals and an assist in a season-opening 16-15 overtime victory over Keystone on Feb. 24 in Doylestown. She had two goals in an 1815 victory over Alvernia on March 10 in Doylestown. Butler has eight goals and an assist and has also collected five ground balls with three draw controls and two caused turnovers. JASON BRAM (THE HILL SCHOOL) » The freshman has three goals and an assist for the 3-1 Rensselaer Poly men’s lacrosse team. Bram, from Reading, scored his first collegiate goal in an 18-11 loss to Keene State on Feb. 24 in Keene, N.H. He had two goals in a 26-5 triumph over U Mass-Boston on March 13 in Bradenton, Fla. He also has three ground balls. Sophomore Aidan Denecke (Methacton) has seen action in all four games on defense and also has three ground balls.