Husson Eagles boast 3 top-seeded NAC teams

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It has been a memorable fall at Husson University.

The men’s and women’s soccer teams and the women’s volleyball teams all earned the top seed for their respective North Atlantic Conference Tournaments by going undefeated in league play.

“We’re really excited about it. It’s nice for all of us to be home and to share the experience with each other,” said Husson senior women’s soccer striker Katie Nickerson.

“It’s great to have both soccer teams and volleyball hosting. It should be a lot of fun,” added junior soccer striker Shelby (Pickering) Bradford.

The women’s soccer team has dominated the league to the tune of 41 goals scored and only two allowed in its seven league games. The Eagles are 13-4 overall and are ranked 14th in the weekly New England NCAA Division III rankings.

The explosive Eagles are averaging 4.71 goals per game which ranks fourth in the country. Bradford’s 3.12 points per game is 12th best in the nation.

“We have six or seven of the best players in the conference and we all work together so well,” said Bradford, who has 20 goals and 13 assists. “And we have a lot of depth. Anybody can step in on any day [and get the job done].”

Nickerson said that depth “enables us to continually play at a fast pace and that’s where a lot of our scoring opportunities come from. We’re always pressuring the opponent.”

Coach Keith Bosley said one of the vital components in the team’s success has been the fact “all the players have learned to do whatever job is necessary.”

That includes taking players who were prolific goal scorers in high school and turning them into top-notch defenders. The best example is Katelyn Cloutier, who scored 100 goals in high school and has made a smooth transition to defense. She has also contributed 4 & 1.

“This is the deepest team we’ve ever had,” said the 11th-year coach.

Bradford is one of five players with at least seven goals.

Megan LaJoie has 13 goals and 6 assists; Samantha Homer has 13 & 3; Megan Clement has 9 & 5 and Nickerson has contributed 7 & 3.

Amy Sanz (4 & 1) and Kylan Smith (0 & 2) have shone in the midfield and the back line of Caitlyn Butterfield flanked by Jana Clukey and LaJoie has been imposing in front of goalie Tatyana Wolterbeek (eight shutouts, 1.28 goals-against average, .789 save percentage).

The men’s soccer team has parlayed a stingy defense and balanced scoring en route to its 7-0 league mark. Husson has scored 14 goals and allowed just four. The Eagles are 9-6 overall.

The fullback corps of Billy Shannon, Josh Bartlett and twins Josh Labonte and Jacob Labonte along with midfielder Justin Gauvin have been tenacious and steady on defense in front of goalkeepers Miguel Dominguez and Brad Ala.

The Eagles do not have anyone among the conference’s top four scorers but they have compensated by receiving timely goals from Tyler Metivier (6 & 3), Jeff Truchon (5 & 0) and Nathan Carter (4 & 0). Truchon has four game-winning goals and Carter has three.

The volleyball team earned its first top seed thanks to contributions from several players.

Marion Kish leads the conference in assists per game (6.88) and total service aces (76); Allison Chepke is fourth in total kills (164) and seventh in digs per game (2.82); Kaitlyn McKay and Eric Kane are fifth and seventh in kills with 152 and 139, respectively and Kary-Anne Cyr’s 3.15 digs per game rank her fifth in the NAC.

Husson went 6-0 in conference play and 12-8 overall.

The Eagles could be strong for years to come because coach Pat DeBeck’s team doesn’t have a senior and only three juniors. The fourth-year coach has 10 freshmen and sophomores on his roster.

DeBeck is assisted by his mother, Jean.

Bowdoin field hockey is No. 1

Bowdoin College in Brunswick is the top-ranked Division III field hockey in the land this week as it prepares for Friday’s regular-season finale against No. 4 Tufts.

The winner will be the top seed in the New England Small College Athletic Conference tournament, which begins next week.

The Polar Bears (12-1, 7-1 NESCAC) are the defending NCAA national champions. Bowdoin has allowed only five goals in eight league games.

Tufts (12-0, 8-0 NESCAC) was one of only three teams to score against Bowdoin during the 2007 season.

Dubis hired as UMFK ski coach

Jeff Dubis of Fort Kent has been hired as the head coach and administrator for the University of Maine-Fort Kent’s Alpine and Nordic skiing programs.

Dubis, a forestry instructor at the school, has been involved in Nordic skiing for more than 25 years. He has taught at UMFK since 1999.

Dubis has been on the board of directors of the 10th Mountain Ski Club since its inception and is that group’s president. He also has spent the last four winters coaching in the Jalbert Youth Biathlon Program.

His expertise also extends to officiating national and international biathlon competitions. He holds an International Referee License with the International Biathlon Union.

Dubis also competes in many area ski races.

Maine swimmers spark Wheaton

Two swimmers with eastern Maine ties turned in solid performances for Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., during season-opening meets last weekend.

Freshman Cole Larson-Whittaker of Penobscot, a graduate of George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill, won both the 500- and 1,000-meter freestyle events for the Lyons.

Junior Iris Meehan of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island High School swam a leg on Wheaton’s victorious 200-meter medley relay unit and also won the 200 backstroke.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

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