Oct. 1 Brock report: Mateo, Commerford earn weekly awards
Women’s rugby wing Loramhel Mateo and men’s rugby flyhalf Steven Commerford were named Brock University’s athletes of the week for the week ending Sept. 30.
Mateo, a senior winger from Niagara Falls who is studying therapeutic recreation, was named player of the match versus the No. 5-ranked Guelph Gryphons on Saturday. Mateo has been a leader on defence for the Badgers this season. Against Guelph, she gave her team an advantage by delivering a good, quick ball on attack, including some sharp probing running.
Commerford sparked the offence to open the floodgates during a 26-7 comeback victory over the RMC Paladins in Kingston on Saturday. Commerford scored a try and kicked three converts for a total of 11 points, and helped Brock keep pace with Guelph for first in the OUA West Division with a 3-1 record. He has contributed a total of three tries, 10 converts and a penalty kick this season.
Men’s Lacrosse
The men’s lacrosse team remain undefeated following an 11-4 win over the Guelph Gryphons during its home opener in front of more than 300 fans at Brock Alumni Field Friday.
The Badgers improved to 3-0 and are tied for first place with Western and Guelph in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association’s West Division standings.
Kurtis Woodland and Sam Leclair each collected a hat trick and dished out an assist.
“It was a great team effort. Pretty good showing on both sides of the ball,” head coach Tim Luey said. “The defence only gave up eight shots against, which is pretty good against a team like Guelph.”
Brock led Guelph 6-2 at halftime.
Connor Brown and William McNabb each netted two goals and an assist, while Nate Braniff tallied a goal and an assist.
Grayson Houghton, Cree Blakely and Tyrus Rehanek each added an assist.
On Sept. 22, the Badgers edged the Gryphons 12-11.
“I think the difference between tonight and last weekend is we’ve gotten better and we were very focused,” Luey said. “It was a solid 60-minute performance. I think the boys were pumped up by the crowd.”
Up next, the Badgers (3-0) travel to Waterloo to play the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.
Men’s Rugby
An injury to a teammate sparked the men’s rugby team to a 26-7 comeback win over the RMC Paladins in Kingston on Saturday.
The Paladins led 7-5 at halftime, but when first-year centre Daniel Challice suffered a game-ending injury during a tackle, the Badgers took it to heart.
Commerford, who attended high school at Adam Scott Collegiate with Challice, sparked the offence with a try and finished the game with three converts for a total of 11 points.
“Steven really took responsibility for the team responding,” head coach Phil Sullivan said. “The game was pretty even up until that point. He scored the try and converted it to put us in the lead after the injury, and that opened the floodgates.”
Brock scored 21 unanswered points en route to their third victory of the season to keep pace with the Guelph Gryphons for first place in the OUA’s West Division.
Cillian O’Brien, Liam Boeyenga and Carter Bondy each scored a try for Brock.
Up next, the Badgers (3-1) will host the Waterloo Warriors (2-1), who are chasing Brock in the standings, on Friday, Oct. 4 at 5 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
Jared Agyemang and Sebastian Agudo each netted two goals as the men’s soccer team walked over the Algoma Thunderbirds 7-0 in Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday.
Agyemang continues to lead the OUA in scoring with 10 goals in nine games.
Liam Farrell scored a goal and contributed two assists.
Brock outshot Algoma 14-3.
Michael Fernandez opened the scoring before Agyemang potted a pair of goals as Farrell picked up an assist on each of them.
The Badgers led 3-0 at halftime and lit up the scoreboard for four goals in the second half as Agudo found the back of the net twice and Farrell and Emmanuel Kumar each notched a goal.
Up next, the Badgers (4-2-3) will host the No. 4-ranked York Lions (5-0-2) on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3:15 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
Playing outside of her natural position as a defender, Cassidy Collicutt made an impact while lacing up as a forward on Saturday.
Collicutt scored the game-winning goal as the women’s soccer team blanked the Algoma Thunderbirds 1-0 in Sault Ste. Marie.
Goalkeeper Marilena Spagnolo earned the shutout as Brock outshot Algoma 26-5.
Early in the second half, Collicutt received a pass from Samantha Bayer and she slotted it in the far post along the ground. It was Collicutt’s first career goal while playing in her second full season as a Badger.
The midfield was controlled by Cassandra Stirpe, who led the team with a total of eight shots, as she generated offence and helped diffuse anything the Thunderbirds were brewing.
“Cassandra dominates the midfield and has a very strong work ethic,” interim head coach Lucio Ianiero said. “She never stopped today. When our midfield is playing well then the team does well.”
Melanie Schouten scored a goal and added an assist to power the women’s soccer team to a 2-0 win over the Thunderbirds Sunday.
The Badgers have won three consecutive games and sit in third place in the OUA West division.
Schouten led the offence with five shots and Sydney Sica also found the back of the net to give Brock a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.
She pounced on a rebound created by Bayer as the ball went off the keeper and post. Sica scored after flying past the defence as Schouten threaded her a pass through the Thunderbirds.
Stirpe tallied two shots while Arnelle Douglas, Ivana Kanisek, Mia Di Pasquale, Adriana Kanisek, Emily Cirone and Adrianna Belfer-Marin each registered a shot.
Brock outshot Algoma 8-6.
Spagnolo made five saves through 66 minutes while Emma Hendrie also added a save.
Up next, the Badgers (4-2-3) return home to host the York Lions (2-1-4) on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.
Women’s Rugby
The Badgers completed their first season in the OUA’s upper echelon of women’s rugby.
“It was awesome. The mood around our team is positive and it was good,” head coach Mark Smerdon said. “We’re happy and excited that we’re moving in the right direction.”
The team maintained a positive mood despite losing 53-5 to the No. 5-ranked team in Canada, the Guelph Gryphons, at Brock Alumni Field on Saturday.
Brock will host the undefeated York Lions of the Russell Division in a quarter-final playoff match.
The Badgers completed their regular season with a 1-3 record while competing in their first season of the OUA’s Shiels Division.
“Our athletes are challenging themselves and each other to attain the goals we set for them,” Smerdon said. “They’re realistic goals, because we’re up at Tier 1 now playing two of the top teams in the nation. That’s why the positivity is the way it is, and that’s why they’re happy with their results.”
Tegan Teeple scored Brock’s lone try of the match.
Eight different Gryphons found the end zone as wing Talia Hoffman led the attack with a pair of tries.
“We’re transferring what we’re training into the game,” Smerdon said. “We’re seeing that, and even in losses the women are staying focused all the way through. We know what we are building and we are putting ourselves where we need to be. We’re going in the right direction.”
Up next, the Badgers (1-3) will host the York Lions (4-0) of the Russell Division in a quarter-final playoff match. Date and time to be announced.
Women’s Softball
Holly Hanchiruk collected five runs batted in as the softball team trumped the Waterloo Warriors in a doubleheader on the road Sunday.
Hanchiruk, a first-year shortstop, registered two hits as the Badgers won 12-1 and 12-4.
Brock completed the regular season with a 15-1 record and look forward to making a run in the Ontario Intercollegiate Women’s Fastpitch Association playoffs, which take place at McMaster in Hamilton from Oct. 4-6.
“We need to keep coming to the diamond preparing for every game the same way,” head coach Mark Hall said. “The team appreciates the continued support from Brock, the community and all the families.”
Michaela D’Cruz contributed a total of six RBI in two matches against the Warriors. Nicole Milanetti and Madi Clinton each chipped in two RBI.
On Friday, catcher Paige Sharp recorded four RBI on two hits as the Brock Badgers defeated the Guelph Gryphons 10-1 and 12-4.
Emilly MacDonald and Chanelle Church each tallied three RBI, while Laine Padovan and Haley Taylor each drove in a pair of runs.
The OIWFA playoff dates and times will be announced later this week.
Men’s Baseball
Brock split a doubleheader series with Genesee Community College Saturday.
Brock opened up scoring in the first inning. Ashton Feijo tripled on a 3-0 count, scoring one run en route to a 5-1 victory in Game 1.
Feijo went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Badgers in hits.
Brock tallied four runs in the third inning. Feijo, Nate Laird, and Connor Humphrey all drove in runs in the frame.
Ryan Bench pitched the Badgers to victory. He went seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out four and walked none.
In the second game, Genesee bounced back and beat the Badgers 10-5.
Brock notched three runs in the third inning. Ryan Shannon had an RBI double in the inning to lead the run scoring.
On Sunday, Brock lost 5-0 to Canisius.
Up next, the Badgers (7-7) return home to host the Ontario Royals 18U on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. and the Fieldhouse Pirates 18U on Saturday, Oct. 5 at George Taylor Field.
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