First year Meara Algama has earned the Lyon of the Week award for the week of April 9-15 after an impressive performance at the Eastern Connecticut State Invitational on Friday. The rookie took home first place in the javelin with a toss of 30.37 meters. One week earlier, she secured top honors at Wesleyan's Swanson Invitational (29.46). Algama grabbed second place at the Coast Guard Invitational on March 31 (30.24).
Senior Miriam Larson-Koester has earned the Lyon of the Week award for the week of March 26 - April 1 after leading the outdoor track and field team to a seventh place finish at the Coast Guard Invitational over the weekend. In addition to recording a first place toss of 36.53 in the discus, Larson-Koester also grabbed third place in the shot put (10.71 meters) and seventh place in the hammer throw (33.97). She accounted for 18 of Mount Holyoke's 49 points. The senior also set the tone for the Lyons in their season opener at Westfield State two weeks ago. After grabbing fourth place in the shot put (10.76 meters), she closed out her day with a second place performance in the discus (37.93 meters). In the process, she qualified for the New England Division III Championships in both events and the ECAC Division III Championships in the discus.
Junior Molly Macdonald has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of March 19-25 after leading the lacrosse team to a 15-13 triumph over Carthage in Colorado Springs on Wednesday. In two games, the attacker piled up eight goals on just 11 shots. Macdonald's five goals against Carthage were a career high. Three days later, the junior scored three more times in a 15-8 setback to Wellesley College. It was the NEWMAC opener for both squads. After serving as a role player for her first two years in a Mount Holyoke uniform, Macdonald has burst onto the scene this year. Just six games into the season, the attacker has found the back of the net 18 times, recording hat tricks on four occasions. In 28 career games played, Macdonald has amassed 31 goals, two assists, 10 ground balls and nine draw controls.
Senior Margaret Swanson has earned the Lyon of the Week Award after leading the riding team to its eighth High Point Championship of the season on Saturday at Sycamore Stables. In the process, the Lyons secured their fourth straight Zone 1, Region 3 Championship. They finished 57 points in front of the UMass in the final regional standings. With her performance at the event, Swanson secured High Point Rider honors for Region 3. By doing so, she guaranteed herself a spot in the National Championships. As a team, the Lyons racked up 42 points on the day to secure the title. Swanson was named High Point Rider for the second week in a row after taking home top honors in her sections of the open flat and open fences divisions. It was her third title this year and sixth of her career.
Sophomore Randima Ranaweera has earned the Lyon of the Week Award after her spectacular showing at the CSA National Championships over the weekend. Playing at the top of the lineup, she posted shutouts in all three of her matches, dropping just 55 points in the process. Mount Holyoke entered the weekend seeded sixth amongst Kurtz Cup (B Division) competitors. After falling 8-1 to third-seeded Brown on Friday, the Lyons bounced back with a thrilling 6-3 triumph over seventh-seeded Hamilton on Saturday. In doing so, they tied the program record for wins in a season with 17 and punched their ticket to Sunday's Consolation Championship. They ended their year with a 6-3 setback to Columbia. Ranaweera will represent the Lyons at the CSA Individual Championships this weekend.
First year Amber Legare has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of February 6-12 after leading the basketball team to a 59-57 triumph over Coast Guard on Saturday. The forward was nearly unstoppable in the contest, pouring in a career-best 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor. She netted all five of her free throws and also piled up a career-high four blocked shots. Her most impressive play came in the waning seconds, when she swatted Coast Guard's potential tying shot out of bounds as time expired. Three days earlier, Legare recorded eight points and eight rebounds in a 53-36 setback at WPI. Over the course of the week, the rookie averaged 14.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.8% (11-23) from the floor and 77.8% (7-9) from the free throw line.
Senior Jacinta Edebeli has earned the Lyon of the Week award for the week of January 23-29 after leading the indoor track and field team to a fifth place finish at the University of Southern Maine Invitational over the weekend. Edebeli was at her best in the shot put, where she grabbed first place with her toss of 11.77 meters. In the process, she qualified for the ECAC Division III Championships and contributed 10 points to Mount Holyoke's team total. The senior also placed 10th in the long jump with a distance of 4.70 meters. Edebeli had previously qualified for the New England Division III Championships in both the shot put and 60-meter dash with her performances at the Smith College Winter Classic in early December. Last spring, she broke the school record in the heptathlon with a score of 3,534 at the Bowdoin College Aloha Relays.
Senior Lydia Bowers has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of January 16-22 after leading the swimming and diving team to a third place showing at the Seven Sisters Championship over the weekend. She figured in on four first place finishes to set the tone. After teaming up with first year Rachel Boynton, sophomore Lauren Williams and first year Maya Lazarovich to win the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:44.05), Bowers joined forces with Williams, Lazarovich and sophomore Joselyn Auxer to post the top time in the 200-yard medley relay (1:57.05). The captain went on to claim individual victories in the 50-yard (25.23) and 200-yard (2:00.73) freestyle races. She also chipped in with a second place showings in the 100-yard freestyle (55.14) and the 400-yard medley relay (3:46.00).
Junior Angelica Pascual has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of January 9-15 after leading the basketball team to a 63-51 triumph over Coast Guard on Saturday. The guard was nearly unstoppable in the contest, pouring in a season-best 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor. She netted a pair of three-pointers and also pulled down four rebounds. Pascual scored 17 more points in her team's heartbreaking 63-59 overtime loss to WPI on Wednesday. She went 6-of-11 from the floor, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc. The guard also chipped in with three rebounds and four assists. In 63 career games played, she has posted 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per outing. Her 37 points against Agnes Scott College in the opening game of the 2010 Seven Sisters Classic were a program record.
Sophomore Shaheen Madraswala has been named Lyon of the Week for the week of November 28 - December 4 after leading the squash team to a 3-1 record at the Wesleyan Round Robin over the weekend. Madraswala posted a perfect 4-0 record, dropping just three games in the process. She spent the majority of her time in the number three position. The sophomore was at her best on Saturday, when she picked up a 3-1 victory over Brown’s Mina Shakarshy. After splitting the first two games, she took the next two to seal things. Mount Holyoke came up just short in the match, falling 6-3. The Lyons then rebounded with convincing victories over William Smith, Smith and Colgate. Madraswala came up with 3-0 victories in all three contests. She has gone 6-2 thus far this season and owns a career record of 25-7.
Sophomore Lauren Williams has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of November 14-20 after leading the swimming and diving team to a pair of dual meet victories over the weekend. Williams was at her best on Friday, when she helped the Lyons defeat Trinity for the first time since the 2000-01 season. After joining forces with Lydia Bowers, Sin Seanne Ng and Lindsey Kanno to post a winning time in the 200-yard medley relay (1:57.03), she touched the wall first in the 50-yard freestyle (25.83) and the 100-yard backstroke (1:03.78). The sophomore was at it again in her team's triumph over Western Connecticut State on Saturday. In addition to grabbing first place in the 200-yard backstroke (2:21.42), she secured first place in the 200-yard medley relay (1:59.04) along with Ng, Bowers and Maya Lazarovich.
Senior Mary Cooke has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of October 24-30 after leading the soccer team to a 3-0 triumph over MCLA on Wednesday. The midfielder figured in on two of Mount Holyoke's three goals, scoring one and setting up another. She got the Lyons on the board just 3:20 into the contest, when she stole a pass in the box and beat goalkeeper Jen Wehner from point blank range. Junior forward Kiana Lussier tacked on two more goals in the second half to put things away for the Lyons. Her second came off of a short cross from the left side by Cooke in the 80th minute. Cooke was Mount Holyoke's most productive player throughout the season, recording 13 points on four goals and five assists in just 10 matches played.
First year Mollyanne Fitzpatrick has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of October 17-23 after leading the volleyball team to wins over Smith and Gordon. Over the course of the week, the setter averaged 5.33 assists and 2.47 digs per set. Fitzpatrick got her week going with 20 assists and 10 digs in Mount Holyoke's thrilling 3-2 triumph over longtime rival Smith on Tuesday. The setter continued her strong play over the weekend, when the Lyons hosted the 20th annual Volleyball Hall of Fame Women's Invitational. She was named to the All-Tournament Team after racking up 60 assists and 27 digs in three matches. Fitzpatrick was at her best in her team's 3-1 triumph over Gordon on Friday night. In addition to dishing out 24 assists, she also came up with 11 digs to complete her second of three double-doubles during the week.
First year golf team member Madi Mendiola has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of October 10-16 after her second place performance at Wellesley College's Ann S. Batchelder Invitational over the weekend. The rookie carded a two-day score of 154 at the tournament, which was took place at Nehoiden Golf Course (par 72 - 5,860 yards). She finished just four strokes off the pace set by Williams College's Georgiana Salant. Mendiola was at her best on Saturday, when she fired a 76. She then closed out the weekend with a 78 on Sunday. Over the course of her brief career at Mount Holyoke, Mendiola has quickly made her presence felt. She was the Lyons' top finisher in all four of their tournaments this fall and will enter the spring with an average score of 79.5.
Senior Jess Fajardo has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of October 3-9 after leading the field hockey team to convincing wins over Nichols and Babson. The forward scored three goals and accounted for nine of her team's 63 shots. Fajardo was at her best on Saturday, when she knocked in a pair of goals in Mount Holyoke's 5-0 triumph over Babson. After scoring what proved to be the winner at the 11:08 mark, she tacked on one more goal in the waning minutes. The senior also recorded a goal in the Lyons' 4-0 victory at Nichols on Tuesday. Fajardo has been one of Mount Holyoke's most dangerous offensive weapons this season. In 10 matches, she has exploded for 11 goals and one assist.
Sophomore Martina Kneifel has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of September 26 - October 2 after leading the volleyball team to wins over Mills and Bay Path on Saturday. Kneifel amassed 2.80 kills and 2.00 digs per set in Mount Holyoke's three matches. This is the second time this season that she has been honored by the department. The outside hitter was at her best in the Lyons' 3-1 triumph over Mills. In addition to posting nine kills and eight digs, she also dished out four assists, served up three aces and contributed to a pair of blocks. Later in the day, Kneifel tallied 12 kills, four digs and two aces in her team's 3-0 victory over Bay Path. The sophomore finished with seven kills and eight digs in a 3-0 loss at on Tuesday.
Senior cross country team member Felicia Cordeiro has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of September 19-25 after her outstanding performance at the Wesleyan Invitational on Saturday. Competing for just the second time in her career, Cordeiro crossed the line in 19:59.60 to secure sixth place overall. In the process, she became the fourth Lyon in the past five seasons to post a top 10 finish. The senior has made an immediate impact on the cross country program since joining earlier this season. She made her collegiate debut at the Maine Invitational, grabbing 37th place with a time of 24:00.42.
Sophomore Martina Kneifel has earned the Lyon of the Week Award for the week of September 12-18 after leading the volleyball team to wins over MCLA and Wheaton. Kneifel racked up 3.80 kills and 3.90 digs per set while also chipping in with seven service aces in Mount Holyoke's three matches. The outside hitter was at her best on Saturday, when she exploded for 17 kills, 22 digs and four aces in a 3-1 triumph over NEWMAC foe Wheaton. It was her second double-double of the year and eighth of her career. Two days earlier, Kneifel delivered 13 kills in a 3-1 win over MCLA. She also posted eight kills and 12 digs against MIT on Tuesday.
Junior Kiana Lussier was selected to receive the Lyon of the Week Award for September 5-11 after boosting the soccer team to a 2-1 triumph in its season opener against Colby-Sawyer on Saturday. With the match knotted up at 1-1 late in the second half, Lussier took a pass from the midfield, dribbled around a defender into the box and slipped a shot past Colby-Sawyer goalkeeper Ektra Sampson. Her first collegiate tally came at the 61:35 mark and proved to be the winner. Lussier finished the day with nine shots. With the win, Mount Holyoke remained perfect in four all-time meetings with the Chargers. The Lyons had fallen in each of their last five season openers dating back to 2005, when they started the year 4-0.
Algama Claims Lyon of the Week Honors
April 17, 2012First year Meara Algama has earned the Lyon of the Week award for the week of April 9-15 after an impressive performance at the Eastern Connecticut State Invitational on Friday. The rookie took home first place in the javelin with a toss of 30.37 meters. One week earlier, she secured top honors at Wesleyan's Swanson Invitational (29.46). Algama grabbed second place at the Coast Guard Invitational on March 31 (30.24).
