MIT ballroom dance team dominates in tournament
On the weekend of March 7 – 9, several couples on the MIT Ballroom Dance Team (MITBDT) traveled to Columbia University to compete in the Big Apple Dance Competition (BADC), one of the largest such competitions on the East Coast. Of note, every MITBDT rookie, that is anyone who is a first year dancer on the team, made at least several semifinals. This year’s rookie class dominated in the newcomer finals. We also had a team couple place as a finalist in Champ, the highest skill level.
Men’s volleyball team stays undefeated en route to title
The MIT men’s volleyball team went 4-0 en route to its second straight championship title at the Johnson & Wales University Invitational held this past weekend. The No. 5 Engineers (20-4) defeated York College (N.Y.) (25-0, 25-22, 25-11), Vassar College (25-21, 25-27, 20-25, 25-19, 15-5), Wentworth Institute of Technology (25-20, 25-19, 25-23), and the host Wildcats (25-22, 25-20, 25-14) for the crown. Paul M. Syta ’14 was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player while Brendan S. Chang ’16 represented the Cardinal and Gray on the All-Tournament Team.
Engineers score eight straight goals in victory
The MIT women’s lacrosse team rattled off eight unanswered goals to start the game as it went on to defeat Eastern Connecticut State University, 17-6, in a non-conference women’s lacrosse tilt on Tuesday night. Hannah A. Levy ’17 led the way for the Engineers (4-0) with seven goals on seven shots while senior Erin Conn paced the Warriors (0-4) with four goals and six draw controls.
Women’s lacrosse retains perfect record
Six second-half goals by Isabella D. DiDio ’16 helped fuel MIT’s 14-12 come-from-behind victory over Roger Williams University in a non-conference women’s lacrosse game on Saturday, March 8. DiDio finished with a game-high seven goals and seven draw controls for the Engineers (3-0), who are enjoying their best start in program history. For the Hawks (0-3), Kristen Pingree led the way with three goals and an assist.
Men’s volleyball team comes out victorious
At the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Crossover Tournament hosted by Elmira College this past weekend, the No. 3 MIT men’s volleyball team swept Hilbert College and Penn State – Behrend but dropped a five-set battle to Medaille College. The 2-1 performance moved the Engineers’ ledger to 15-4 on the year and 8-2 in UVC action.
Roger Federer appears to be returning to form
2013 was a disappointing year for Roger Federer and his legion of fans. Throughout the year, Federer looked like a shadow of his former self — the serve wasn’t as accurate, the forehand not as precise or decisive, and he no longer played with his normal panache.
MIT takes down Lasell College lacrosse 18-12
The MIT women’s lacrosse team outscored host Lasell College, 8-3, during the final 23 minutes of regulation en route to an 18-12 victory on Tuesday afternoon. Kira M. Schott ‘16 amassed six goals, seven draw controls, and two groundballs as the Engineers improved to 2-0 on the season.
MIT kicks off lacrosse season with clear win
In the first meeting between both teams, the MIT women’s lacrosse team came out on top as it defeated Mount Ida College, 18-9, on Saturday, March 1. Isabella D. DiDio ’16 and Hannah A. Levy ’17 paced the Engineers (1-0) with six goals apiece while Rebecca Beaulieu led the Mustangs (0-1) with four goals.
Sotnikova’s performance justifies her win in Sochi
More than a week has passed since the Olympics have ended, but some complaints have yet to die down. Specifically, some remain adamant that Yuna Kim should have won the gold medal in the women’s figure skating competition rather than Adelina Sotnikova. The advocates of this position incorrectly weight measures such as the cleanliness or elegance of the skate and go so far as to accuse the judges of fixing the event so that a Russian would win first place. While the grace displayed by the performer may factor into the final score, there is a much more structured approach to awarding points. Judges don’t just watch a performance without taking any notes or arbitrarily award points based on how gracefully the skater performed.
MIT men’s volleyball team takes down No. 1 New Paltz
In a back-and-forth battle with nationally-ranked No. 1 SUNY New Paltz, the No. 6 MIT men’s volleyball team registered a 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 17-25, 16-14 victory on Tuesday night. Kenneth M. Siebert ’14 paced the Engineers (12-2, 6-1 UVC) with a match-high 18 kills on a .536 hitting performance to go along with six digs, three blocks, and an ace. The Hawks (13-2, 5-1 UVC) saw four players reach double-digits in kills with freshman Steven Woessner and sophomore Tim Ferriter leading the way with 13 apiece.
MIT repeats title win
On Saturday, February 22, the second and final day of the New England Division III Championships, the No. 4 MIT men’s track and field team won the title for the second year in a row, wrapping up the weekend in first out of 26 teams with 121 points. No. 7 Tufts University finished in second with 74 points and Williams College was third with 58.
Women’s basketball team gets win against WPI
Despite a late surge that saw WPI come within four points with 54 seconds left to play, MIT hit four free throws down the stretch to claim a 56-48 victory on Saturday, February 22. With the win, MIT claimed the seventh and final spot in the upcoming NEWMAC Championship tournament, marking its first playoff appearance since 2008. MIT will travel to its last postseason foe, No. 2 Wheaton College, on Wednesday, February 26 for a 7:00 p.m. start.
2014 Sochi Olympic Games come to an end
Sochi 2014 came to an end on Sunday, February 23. With security threats in Sochi and a tense Russian political climate, uncertainty surrounded this Olympics. Nevertheless, the Sochi Games delivered all the expected spectacles, from the “oddities” of the Winter Games, like Jamaica’s bobsled team, to a healthy dose of Olympic spirit and sportsmanship, like Swiss Dario Cologna’s 30 minute wait at the 15km cross-country finish line to greet the injured last-place finisher.
SPORTS SHORT
Benjamin Lin ‘17 and Giulio R. Gueltrini ‘16 were selected for the NFC Men’s All-Star Team this year, while Cordelia G. Avery ‘17 and Jessica Li ‘17 were tabbed as All-Stars for the women’s team. Lin and Avery were both placed on the Sabre First Team, while Gueltrini and Li received second team honors in Epee and Foil, respectively. Lin completed two NFC competitions with the best record in the league, compiling 27 wins against 3 losses, while Gueltrini finished with a mark of 17-6. On the women’s side, Avery has a 26-5 record this season, with a 17-1 performance in NFC competition, while Li earned a 29-5 record on the year. The selection is a first for all four fencers, and they hope to see their success continue as MIT attempts to reach the postseason at the New England Championship on February 22nd.