Messier solid in goal for VCU

Sheridan Messier started her college career serving mainly as a backup goalkeeper in four years at the University of Albany, but she has been solid the last two seasons for the Virginia Commonwealth field hockey team.

The graduate student from Halfmoon and a Shenendehowa High graduate has played all 549:41 minutes in front of the net for the Rams, who are 7-2 with the only losses coming against No. 5 Louisville (2-1) and No. 13 St. Joseph’s (2-0). The team has won its last three, beating Columbia 2-0 on Sept. 17, Davidson 2-1 on Friday in an Atlantic 10 Conference game and Northeastern 2-1 on Sunday. She matched her season high with seven saves against Columbia, which was her third shutout of the season.

Messier has given up 11 goals with 40 saves. Her save percentage (1.40) ranks 14th in Division I and her goals against average (1.40) ranks 16th.

Last season, she posted a 9-8 record, giving up 25 goals with 62 saves and four shutouts, missing the final two games with an injury. With the Great Danes, she played a total of 17 games with three starts.

Joe Casale (Troy)

The Robert Morris football team evened its season record at 2-2 with a 46-0 victory over Lynchburg (Va.) in a home game on Saturday in Moon Township, Pa. Despite seeing limited action in the blowout, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker led the Colonials with seven tackles, including five unassisted. On the season, the Troy

High graduate has 15 tackles, including 10 solos. He had an interception in the team’s 31-21 triumph over St. Francis (Pa.) on Sept. 9.

Jazzy Burke (Lake George)

The 5-foot-7 junior defensive specialist is doing the job for the Bentley women’s volleyball team, the Falcons 9-3 and have won their last five matches, including a 3-0 triumph over Southern New Hampshire to open their Northeast-10 Conference schedule on Saturday in Waltham, Mass. The Lake George High graduate led the team with 15 digs and added three assists and two service aces. On the season, she leads the team with 168 digs along with 31 assists and 20 aces.

Jake Palmer (Albany)

The 5-foot-10, 215pound senior running back scored three touchdowns to help the Alfred State football team even its record at 2-2 with a 48-7 victory over Hilbert on Saturday in Alfred. The Voorheesville High graduate scored on runs of 25, 20 and 4 yards. In limited action because of the score, he carried the ball just nine times for 76 yards. He has rushed for 317 yards on 65 carries with five touchdowns thus far this season. Palmer rushed for 1,072 yards with 15 touchdowns last season.

Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake)

The 5-foot-9 graduate student, an outside hitter, was named Empire 8 Conference Co-player of the Week on Monday after posting big numbers for the 9-7 Utica women’s volleyball team in the final day of the Worthington Classic in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. The Academy of Holy Names graduate had 25 kills and 33 digs in a 3-2 victory over Arcadia and 21 kills and 33 assists in a 3-1 triumph over Cedar Crest. She leads the Pioneers with 184 digs and 166 kills and is second in service aces with 14.

Meara Bury (Ballston Lake)

The junior has started all eight games for the Ithaca field hockey team, the Bombers 5-3 after opening Liberty League play with a 4-0 shutout of Union on Saturday in Schenectady. The Shenendehowa High graduate had an assist in the game. She has scored three goals, including the first goal in a 6-0 victory over Suny-oswego on Sept. 8 and the second goal in a 2-0 triumph over St. John Fisher on Sept. 3. Bury started all 18 games last season as a sophomore and had a goal and an assist.

Kaiden Ring (East Greenbush)

The 5-foot-6 sophomore forward is the leading scorer on the Oneonta women’s soccer team, the Red Dragons 4-0-3 overall and 1-0-1 in SUNYAC action after a 0-0 league tie with Geneseo on Saturday in Oneonta. The Columbia High graduate has five goals and two assists for 12 points. She had three goals, including the game winner, in a 4-1 victory over Alfred on Sept. 5 and scored both goals in a 2-0 triumph over Potsdam on Sept. 16. Ring played in 15 games last season and scored her first collegiate goal.