RIC athletics weekly recap: gymnastics competes at two meets this week, Haley Oliver continues breaking records

Tim Yean

Sports Editor

Graphic by Anchor Newspaper

Sunday, Feb. 8

Women’s gymnastics @ Springfield College Tri-Meet – second place out of three, team score 189.775

Third-year Payton Greene led the way for the Anchorwomen with a first-place finish all-around thanks to a sixth-place mark on vault, seventh-place finishes on bars and beam and a 15th-place finish on floor for a combined point total of 38.150. Brown University finished as the top team with a team score of 194.550 while Springfield College placed third with a team score of 186.900.

Wednesday, Feb. 11

Women’s basketball vs Eastern Connecticut State University – W, 64-56

The Anchorwomen managed to pull away once again to secure their eighth consecutive win. During halftime, RIC Athletics honored their MVPs (Most Valuable Professors). Second-year guard Shalyn Smith recorded a team-high 20 points (6-for-14, 2-for-3 3PT), while first-year forward Eva Monahan contributed 14 points (5-for-8) and 11 rebounds. The win keeps RIC competitive in the race for first in the Little East, trailing only Southern Maine by a win. See an outlook for the next and final week of the LEC regular season for the Anchorwomen here. 

Men’s basketball vs Eastern Connecticut State University – L, 80-56

RIC dropped their fourth consecutive Little East contest to bring them to 7-7 in conference. Fourth-year guard Tyriek Weeks and third-year guard/forward Xavier Mendez posted 10 points each, with Mendez hauling in nine boards as well. The Anchormen remain in the middle of the pack in the conference, but losses next week to Western Connecticut (home, Feb. 18) and Keene State College (away, Feb. 21) could either pit RIC against a tough first-round opponent in the LEC Tournament or, depending on how the rest of the league plays, keep them out of the playoff picture by season’s end. See an outlook for the next and final week of the LEC regular season for the Anchormen here. 

Friday, Feb. 13

Men’s track & field @ David Hemery Valentine Invitational (Boston, MA) – individual meet, no team scoring

Second-year Joshua Dabanka set a new personal best with a fifth-place finish in the triple jump (13.34m) and also had a 10th-place finish in the long jump (6.16m). Fourth-year Brandon Mota achieved a season-best effort with a sixth-place performance in the weight throw (17.15m). Three other Anchormen set new season bests in the meet. D-I and D-II athletes were mainly present once again.

Wrestling Tri-Meet vs Trinity College, Bridgewater State University – L (Trinity), 27-17, L (Bridgewater St.), 25-18

The Anchormen celebrated 11 seniors prior to their first matchup against Trinity. Fourth-year Aidan Faria dominated both of his contests at 174 lbs, winning by tech falls to sweep the evening. Second-year Andrew Papps won both of his matchups with a pair of decisions at 184 lbs. First-year Jaden Tesher had a 48-second pin at his 285 lbs match against Bridgewater State’s wrestler.

Saturday, Feb. 14

Women’s track & field @ David Hemery Valentine Invitational (Boston, MA) – individual meet, no team scoring

Fourth-year Haley Oliver continued her record-shattering season with another program record broken in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:50.23. The 4x400 relay (second-years Quiana Pezza and Bendu Kamara and first-years Aaliyah Barbour-Chamble and Naibel Noriega) had a season-best time of 4:03.85 for a 27th-place finish. First-year Zoe Matos set a new personal best in the high jump (1.55m), good for a 16th-place tie. D-I and D-II athletes were mainly present once again.

Women’s gymnastics vs Springfield College – 1st place, team score 190.475 (season-high)

Following the meet, senior gymnasts Liz Shrewsbury and Abigail Bunch were recognized for Senior Day. Bunch also received the Bob Nannig Optimist Award, given to a gymnast at each home meet who best represented Nannig's (coach for the gymnastics team from 2003-18) spirit of optimism and passion. Bunch had a first-place finish on bars with a score of 9.500, which tied her career-high. Shrewsbury set a new personal best score on floor with a score of 9.825, which spotted her a first-place finish. Vault saw a three-way tie between Anchorwomen gymnasts Mila Beckom, Molly Pompeii and Payton Greene with a score of 9.650. Second-years Dominique Harris and Aaliyah Krause tied for first on beam. Krause won all-around with a total score of 38.225, followed by Payton Greene with a score of 37.925.