SPORTS
- Inside the Huddle
- Men defeat Troy, women rank nationally Holli Welch
- Team effort earns win for Ospreys Holli Welch
- Kings of the green Megan Fee
Inside the Huddle
 Matt Coleman Features Editor |
 Ryan Clarke Freshman, Communications |
 Holli Welch Sports Editor |
 Maple the Goose Goose |
| Question 1: Are the right teams in the Final Four? Have you been surprised by any upsets? | |||
| This was definitely not the year for the underdog, as the lowest-seeded team is a No. 2. | A trained monkey could have had a good bracket this year. Final Four? More like "Final Bore." | Upsets? There has been no point in even watching the games so far. | Honk [disappointed]. |
| Question 2: Should ethnicity be a recruiting factor in American baseball? | |||
| Ethnicity isn't the factor; it's skill and work ethic. | Are you kidding me? Maybe we should have a rule requiring that all teams have one player from each of the NATO countries. | Talent alone should be the only deciding factor in the evaluation of baseball players. | Honk [toward MLB bylaws prohibiting geese from trying out for the team]. |
| Question 3: What has been the most controversial call by referees during March Madness? | |||
| More like a lack of call. Greg Oden should've gotten a flagrant at the end of the Xavier game. | Does anyone like to call the three-second violation anymore? Or traveling? | Why are they even paying them money to close their eyes and miss every call? | Honk [in the same pitch as the whistle that hasn't been used]. |
| Question 4: What is the reason for an unlikely 11-17 UNF baseball team record? | |||
| Bad cleats. | They've given up six or more runs in the ninth inning to lose a lead. | The overall youth of the team and the crazy schedule. | Honk [hungry sigh]. |
Men defeat Troy, women rank nationally
Sophomore leads team with tie for 27th after falling from top 10
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Senior Catalina Castillo fought at the No. 1 position and lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to Troy University. The match marked Castillo's final home game of her collegiate career. The women lost 5-2 to Troy, while the men won 7-0. |
The 2006-2007 season for the University of North Florida's tennis teams can be described in one word: success.
The men's team (10-6) won its sixth straight match March 20, shutting out Troy University 7-0. The Ospreys have won 10 of the past 12 matches and the victory over the Trojans was their third consecutive shutout.
"This was a solid win for the guys," head coach Igal Buberman said. "We are getting toward the end of a season that proved to be very challenging in many aspects. We are still playing strong, and our ability to compete has improved as we move along."
The women's team (13-4) lost 5-2 to Troy March 20. Despite the loss, senior Florencia Torres and sophomore Ina Durcakova made history for UNF in Division I.
The two have played in the No. 2 doubles spot for UNF this season, and recently ranked No. 55 in the FILA Collegiate Tennis Rankings. This was the first time UNF athletes have ranked nationally since the Ospreys moved to Division I.
"I am very proud of both of them," Buberman said. "They are two of the hardest-working girls on the team and definitely deserve it."
The honor came at an ideal time of the season, as Torres played her last match at
the UNF Tennis Complex, Buberman said.
"It is very gratifying to see that all their work paid off close to the end of the season," he said. "In order to be among the best in the country, you have
to show consistency in everything you do - both on and off the court."
Torres led the Ospreys against the Trojans, winning the singles point at the No. 2 spot 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 against Troy's nationally-ranked Rawia Elsisi. Sophomore Caroline de Melo also won 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 6 position against Nicole Shaw. Senior Catalina Castillo lost her final home match 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the No. 1 position.
"It was very gratifying to have both of our seniors play at the top level of the lineup and competing so well at such a
high level, Buberman said"
Leading the men, senior Leonardo Gomes and sophomore Javier Ferrin won the doubles point 8-4 at the No. 1 spot. Juniors Elad Gabay and Eduardo Pereira also won 8-2 in the No. 3 position.
The Ospreys next match is April 4 at Bethune-Cookman College.
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Team effort earns win for Ospreys
The University of North Florida softball team (21-14) defeated the University of Alabama at Birmingham 1-0 and 4-2 March 22, with top performances from across the field, head coach Sonya Wilmoth said.
"This was a team effort for us, especially in the second game," she said. "We got contributions from everyone in the lineup."
Leading the team at the mound, freshman Devyn Findley pitched her third shut out of the season against UAB during the first game and allowed only six hits in the second. The Osprey also struck out five Blazers at bat and allowed only one run.
At bat, senior Gwen Williams scored the game-winning run for the Ospreys in the opener and drove home the winning run in the second game. Freshman Kara Rutenbar went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the second game.
North Florida finished its trip against Birmingham-Southern College March 23. The Ospreys won the second game 5-0 after dropping the first game 2-0 to the Panthers.
Senior pitcher Katie Brosky allowed two hits in the 5-0 win, while senior Christina Evans led offensively with three hits against the Panthers.
The Ospreys return to Jacksonville to play Bethune-Cookman College March 28.
Contact Holli Welch at sports@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Kings of the green
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When top individual players come together as a team, good results are sure to follow.
Such is the case for the University of North Florida golf team that concluded its seventh tournament of the year at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate in Pinehurst, N.C. The Ospreys took ninth place and plan to continue to improve as a team, head coach Scott Schroeder said.
The Ospreys have already seen improvements from 2006, jumping into the top 50 teams in the nation, according to the latest Golfstat rankings. The team finished the 2006 season ranked 75th in the standings.
"Ranking in the top 50 is
a step in the right direction," Schroeder said. "Our goal is
to get in the top 25 year in
and out."
With only two tournaments left before the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship, the team will continue to practice hard and finish out a commendable season, Schroeder said.
Michael Giamaressi, Michael O'Neal, Jeff Dennis and J.C. Horne are four team members who have been working to keep up the team's driving force.
The Senior Showcase
Giamaressi has been playing golf for the UNF since the 2004-2005 season, after transferring from the University of Louisville as a sophomore.
Since then, the senior has played in every event for the Ospreys except one - an accomplishment for himself and the team, Schroeder said.
Giamaressi also led the team's stroke average with a 72.3 during his first year as
an Osprey.
As a junior, he finished fifth on the team with a 76.1 stroke average and recorded a pair of top-20 finishes and a top-10 finish at the Atlantic Sun Championship.
A veteran leader to the team, Giamaressi plans to finish out this season strong, and continue to pursue his future ambition to play professional golf, he said.
The Junior All-American
O'Neal is a native to Jacksonville, graduating from Bishop Kenny High School in 2004 and playing as an Osprey since.
As a sophomore, O'Neal earned a starting position
in every event and finished third on the team with a 74.7 stroke average.
This year, O'Neal has upheld his position on the team, leading the Ospreys in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate Tournament with an even-par 72 on the final day.
Not only a leader on the green, the junior also exceeds in the classroom, Schroeder said.
Both O'Neal and Giamaressi have grade point averages above 3.75. They work hard to stay on top
of classes while preparing mentally for the matches, O'Neal said.
The Sophomore Superstar
Dennis has led the team since his first match as an Osprey, counting his score toward the team in every collegiate match, Schroeder said.
As a freshman, Dennis recorded eight top-20 finishes and two top-10 finishes while earning a 73.5 stroke average.
"I earned my starting positions, we all do," Dennis said. "Only five team members travel on each tournament, and mini-tournaments amongst the team decide who travels."
The Osprey earned a position in UNF history as well.
He is the first UNF golfer
to win the State Amateur Championship. Dennis won the championship in 2006.
The Freshman Phenom
Horne rounds out the successful quartet.
In the General Jim Hackler Invitational, Horne shot a 1-under-par 71. Horne finished the event tied for 34th place after initially beginning the day in a tie for 55th.
At the Pinehurst Intercollegiate, he opened
the final day with 15 consecutive pars and finished tied
for 24th.
The Ospreys have future prospects to add to the team, including Major Forbees, who has signed for the 2007-2008 season.
"I am looking forward to his contribution to the team," Schroeder said. "He will definitely make the team more competitive because he has a great work ethic."
Until then, North Florida will continue to work to a top-25 finish. The Ospreys hit the green March 30 when they play in the Adminstaff Collegiate Tournament in Augusta, Ga.
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