RIC athletics weekly recap (Jan. 25 - Jan. 31)

Tim Yean

Sports Editor

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (Jan. 26, 27 and 29) saw no events held for the Anchormen/women.

Graphic by Anchor staff

Sunday, Jan. 25

Both the gymnastics team’s meet against Ithaca College at the Murray Center and the New England Wrestling Association Dual Championship at the Wildcat Center at Johnson & Wales University were canceled due to Jan. 25’s snowstorm. 

Wednesday, Jan. 28

Women’s basketball @ University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – W, 76-50

Second-year guard Shalyn Smith’s 23 points guided the Anchorwomen to their fifth consecutive Little East victory. Third-year guard Maggie McKitchen and second-year guard Jaina Yekelchik added 15 and 11 points, respectively. The blowout win completed the sweep over the Corsairs,

Men’s basketball @ University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – W, 89-82

RIC pulled away in the second half to secure their third straight win. Third-year guard/forward Xavier Mendez logged a game-leading 22 points alongside seven rebounds and five assists and hit three three-pointers. Fourth-year guard Tyriek Weeks was an efficient 8-for-9 from the field and contributed 19 points. Third-year guard C.J. Wilson had 11 points and six assists.

Friday, Jan. 30

Women’s track and field @ Boston University – Individual meet (no scoring)

Composed of mainly Division I competition, four Anchorwomen earned new personal bests in the meet. Fourth-year Haley Oliver placed 34th in the 5,000-meter open with a program-record time of 17:14.40. First-year Naibel Noriega set a new personal record in the 400-meter open (20th, 58.77). First-year Aaliyah Barbour-Chamble achieved personal bests in the 400-meter open (53rd, 1:00.69), and the 200-meter open (65th, 26.44). Finally, second-year Quiana Pezza set a personal best in the 200-meter open (46th, 28.10).

Saturday, Jan. 31

Women’s swimming vs University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – L, 65-57

It was senior day for the Anchorwomen, with a pre-meet ceremony held for Mabel Huynh, Kate Clayman, Olivia Landry and Morgan McCann. McCann finished first in the 100-yard breaststroke. The 400-yard freestyle relay team (first-year Katelyn Rogers, second-year Taryn Reed, McCann and first-year Victoria Badger) netted a first-place finish in the final event of the meet and of the regular season.

Men’s track @ Boston University – Individual meet (no scoring)

The meet mainly had competition from Division I. Third-year Enrique Edjang had a tenth-place finish in the weight throw (16.84m). Other finishers in the weight throw were fourth-year Brandon Mota (12th, 16.50m), first-year Christian Briggs (18th, 15.04m) and fourth-year Shamus Culhane (24th, 14.39m). The 4x400m relay team (second-year Jack McEntee and first-years Maycol Reynoso, Tyler Boudreau and Marcos Ruiz) spotted a 24th-place finish with a time of 3:26.80.

Wrestling @ Pete Wilson Invitational (Wheaton, IL) Day Two – 42.5 pts, 14th place as a team (two-day recap)

The meet was highly competitive and featured seven nationally-ranked teams, three programs being in the top ten in the country for Division III. Fifth-year Aidan Faria went 5-2 in his bouts to secure a fourth-place finish at 174 lbs. His two losses came at the hands of Milwaukee School of Engineering second-year Toren Vandenbush, who is ranked 13th in the country at his weight class  First-year Jaden Tesher went 4-3 in his contests, with three coming from pins as he notched an eighth place finish at the 285-lb. mark. 

Women’s basketball @ Vermont State University Castleton – W, 74-63

RIC held the lead for the majority of the game in one of their most efficient performances of the season. The Anchorwomen connected on 50.8% of their shots from the field, and held Castleton’s bench scoreless throughout the entire game. Third-year guard Meaghan Schuermann led the Anchorwomen with 21 points (7-for-16, 3-for-4 from three) and six rebounds. Third-year guard Abby Wager added 17 points (8-for-14) and contributed six rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Second-year guard Jaina Yekelchik totaled 11 points (5-for-7) and a team-leading seven rebounds. They stand second in the conference with a 9-2 record and have a bout against an undefeated Southern Maine squad Feb. 4 at 5:30 p.m.

Men’s basketball @ Vermont State University Castleton – L, 61-57

First-year guard Noe Bom had a driving layup with seven seconds to go to give the Anchormen a late one-point lead, but Castleton connected on a three with three seconds to go to get the lead right back. Free throws from the hosts secured their first Little East victory over RIC. Bom led the way for the Anchormen with 13 points to go with four rebounds. Third-year guard/forward Xavier Mendez registered 10 points, a team-leading seven boards and two steals. The Anchormen loss places them at the middle of the pack in the LEC with a 7-4 record, with Keene State and Southern Maine matching record-wise. A telling conference matchup with the Southern Maine Huskies comes Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.