Raptor of the Week: Joelle Diener

College Track & Field:
Raptor of the Week: Joelle Diener

Monday, September 26, 2005

By Mike Ballard
RutgersCamden Sports Correspondent

RAPTOR OF THE WEEK
Joelle Diener (Rickenbach, Switzerland/Kantonsschule Olten)

Senior cross country star Joelle Diener posted the best 5K time of her career with a 21:10.68 to finish ninth out of 132 runners at Rutgers-Camden’s season-opening Philadelphia Metro Small College Championships Sept. 24 in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. Diener’s previous best 5K time was 21:27.3 at the NJAIAW meet Oct. 2, 2004.

MEN'S SOCCER (7-2/2-1 NJAC)
Wed., Sept. 21 Rutgers-Camden 3, Rowan University 1
Sat., Sept. 24 New Jersey City University 5, Rutgers-Camden 0

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Wed. Sept. 28 at Rutgers University-Newark 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 1 at The College of New Jersey 1 p.m.
Mon., Oct. 3 at Delaware Valley College 4 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 5 at Wesley College 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 8 Cabrini College 4 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 12 at William Paterson University 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 15 at Kean University 7 p.m.

The Scarlet Raptors climbed to 24th in the nation and survived a rugged New Jersey Athletic Conference test with a 3-0 win over Rowan University before falling to another tough NJAC foe, New Jersey City University last week.

In the win over Rowan, Rutgers-Camden scored three first-half goals on its way to a 3-1 victory over Rowan Sept. 21 in Camden. The victory came one day after the Raptors climbed to No. 24 in the NCAA Div. III Top 25 poll.

The victory was only the second win ever for Rutgers-Camden against Rowan. The Profs hold a 34-2-2 advantage in the series, with Rutgers-Camden’s only other win a 1-0 victory in Glassboro on Oct. 27, 1998. The teams tied, 1-1, in Glassboro last season.

The Raptors took the lead for good at 4:37 when senior back Devin Burgin (Pennsauken, NJ/Bishop Eustace) sprung sophomore forward Onur Yilmaz (Giresun, Turkey/Delran) on a breakaway. Yilmaz entered the box on the left side and fired a shot into the right corner for his team-leading sixth goal of the season. It was the third assist for Burgin.

The Raptors’ sophomore midfielder Rodney Guishard (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) made it a 2-0 game at 35:45, collecting a loose ball off of a blocked shot by senior back Tom Blumenstein (Audubon, NJ/Paul VI) and scoring his third goal of the season.

Freshman forward Andrew Dorsey (Mt. Laurel, NJ/The King’s Christian School) notched his second Raptor goal with a diving header off a cross to the left post by Guishard at 43:10.

Rowan notched its lone goal at 67:13 when junior forward Robert McMullen scored off a header from Mike Lodge. It was his third goal of the season.

Rutgers-Camden outshot Rowan, 16-12, and held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks. Scarlet Raptor goalies David Cunningham (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) and Brent Grunow (Estell Manor, NJ/Buena Regional) split duties in goal. Cunningham, who made two saves while holding the Profs scoreless in the first half, improved his record to 4-0. Grunow made one second-half save.

For the Profs, Anthony Clemente allowed three goals and made two saves in the opening half, while Brian Lloyd played a scoreless second half without a save.

The Raptors’ three-game winning streak came to a sudden halt against New Jersey City University Sept. 24 in Camden. Freshman midfielder Jonathan Bilbao and senior forward Chris Rosenthal each scored two goals and Rosenthal added one assist to power NJCU over Rutgers-Camden, 5-0, in another NJAC game.

The victory was the second for the Gothic Knights over a Top-25 team this month, including a win over No. 6 Stevens Tech, 1-0, Sept. 10.

Rosenthal’s second goal of the game, the final NJCU tally of the night, gave him 86 career points, tying him with Adrian Ruiz (2001-2004) for first place on the career point-scoring list at NJCU.

In a wide-open first half in which both teams had chances to break the scoring ice, it was Bilbao who scored the decisive goal. Moments after he substituted into the game, he took a feed from junior midfielder Chris Palumbo and drilled a shot off the right post and into the net for his first goal of the season. The goal came at 36:05, and the Gothic Knights added another quick score before halftime.

Freshman forward Juan Espinoza took a cross from Rosenthal on the right wing and went in on a breakaway to score at 39:43. It was his team-leading seventh goal of the year.

The Gothic Knights opened up their lead in the second half when Rosenthal and Bilbao scored unassisted goals off steals in the Raptors’ back at 59:1 and 64:41.

Rosenthal capped his big night at 88:55, scoring off a long pass from sophomore back Scott Modzelewski.

The Gothic Knights held a 17-13 advantage in shots, while the Scarlet Raptors held a 10-8 edge in corner kicks.

NJCU sophomore goalie Bruce Neves made six saves to post his fourth shutout of the season and raise his record to 7-1. Rutgers-Camden split goalies, with Cunningham making three saves and allowing three goals in 62:06, while Grunow made one save and allowed two goals in the final 27:54.

WOMEN'S SOCCER (5-4/1-2 NJAC)
Wed., Sept. 21 Rowan University 3, Rutgers-Camden 0
Sat., Sept. 24 Rutgers-Camden 3, New Jersey City University 0

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Wed., Sept. 28 Rutgers University-Newark 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 1 The College of New Jersey 1 p.m.
Mon., Oct. 3 at Centenary College 4 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 5 Manhattanville College 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 8 St. Joseph’s College-Patchogue 1:30 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 12 William Paterson University 6 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 15 Kean University 1 p.m.

After dropping a pair of shutouts to open their New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule, the Rutgers-Camden women’s soccer team got back on the winning track Sept. 24 in Jersey City.

Junior forward Aubree McDermott (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) collected the game-winning goal and added two assists as the Lady Raptors defeated New Jersey City University, 3-0.

McDermott scored her fourth goal of the season at 36:41 after a through ball by freshman midfielder Allyson Jones (Audubon, NJ/Audubon) sprung her on a breakaway. It was McDermott’s team-leading second game-winning goal of the season. Her first came on a tally in the first overtime to beat Cabrini, 1-0, Sept. 14.

The Raptors added another goal only 58 seconds before halftime on a breakaway by senior back Katlyn Pagaduan (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling), assisted by McDermott. It was Pagaduan’s first goal of the season.

In the second half, senior back Erin Boiler (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) collected her fourth goal at 56:18, chipping a shot from the right wing over sophomore keeper Alexis Chisari, who was charging out of the net. McDermott also assisted on that goal.

Chisari made eight saves as Rutgers-Camden outshot NJCU, 24-10. Lady Raptor sophomore goalie Therese Comella (Delran, NJ/Delran) made five saves to record her fourth shutout of the season.

Earlier in the week in another NJAC road game, Rowan University, listed among the “Also Receiving Votes” section in the Division III national Top 25 poll, raised its record to 9-0 with a 3-0 victory over Rutgers-Camden Sept. 21 in Glassboro.

All three of Rowan’s goals came in the second half. Sophomore forward Aimee Yerkes had the first two.

Yerkes knocked in a cross into the box by freshman back Amanda Silvesti at 58:20. Her second goal of the game, and eighth of the season, came on an unassisted tally at 72:53.

At 88:05, junior midfielder Jamie Weist scored the game’s final goal. The tally, her second of the year, was assisted by junior midfielder Shannon Phillips.

Rowan took 15 shots, while Rutgers-Camden had five. Profs junior goalie Gabby Ditchey made three saves for her fourth solo shutout. For the Scarlet Raptors, Comella stopped six shots.

GOLF
Monday, Sept. 19 FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE FALL GOLF INVITE
(at Bent Creek Golf Course, Lancaster, PA)

1. Moravian College, 305; 2. Keystone College, 308; 3. Wesley College, 309; 4. (tie) Messiah College and Muhlenberg College, 311; 6. Franklin & Marshall College White, 315; 7. Marymount University, 319; 8. York (PA) College, 321; 9. Alvernia, 326; 10. (tie) Gettysburg, and Lebanon Valley College, 330; 12. Elizabethtown College and Rutgers-Camden, 337; 14. Villa Julie College, 338; 15, Ursinus College, 342; 16. Franklin & Marshall College Blue, 343; 17. Lebanon Valley College 2, 373; 18. Philadelphia Biblical University, 385. Incomplete: Haverford College.

Medalist: Dustin McCormick (Moravian), 70.
Rutgers-Camden medalist: Brian Mason, 83.
Rutgers-Camden scores: Mason, 83; John Goff, 84; Michael Nauss and Matt Tomasic, 85; Joe Zulli, 87.

Thursday, Sept. 22 MORAVIAN COLLEGE FALL INVITATIONAL
(at Southmoore Golf Course, Bath, PA)

1. Moravian College 304; 2. Keystone College 307; 3. Susquehanna University 308; 4. Ursinus College 311; 5. University of Scranton 313; 6. Rutgers University-Camden 315; 7. Albright College 316; 8. Messiah College 321; 9. Haverford College 321; 10. Alvernia College 322; 11. Muhlenberg College 322; 12. FDU-Florham 322; 13. Dickinson College 323; 14. King’s College 327; 15. Delaware Valley College 330; 16. DeSales University 331; 17. Lebanon Valley College 338; 18. Centenary (NJ) College 359; 19. Penn State-Berks NTS.

Medalist: Sean Jackson, Susquehanna, 72.
Rutgers-Camden medalist: Matt Tomasic, 74.
Rutgers-Camden scores: Tomasic 74, Brian Mason 78, John Goff, 81, Michael Nauss 82, Eric Welsh 89.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Mon., Sept. 26 at Lebanon Valley College Fall Invitational 12:30 p.m.
(Lebanon Country Club, Lebanon, PA)

Thur., Oct. 6 at Elizabethtown College Blue Jay Invitational 12 p.m.
(Hershey Country Club, PA)

Mon., Oct. 10 at Muhlenberg College Invitational 11 a.m.
(Lehigh Country Club, Allentown, PA)

Fri., Oct. 24 Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors Fall Invitational 12:30 p.m.
(at Town & Country Golf Links, Woodstown)

Junior Matt Tomasic (Berlin, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) shot a round of 74, tying for fourth place overall out of 96 golfers, to power the Rutgers-Camden golf team to a sixth-place finish out of 19 teams at the Moravian Fall Invitational Sept. 22.

The match was held at the Par 71 Southmoore Golf Course in Bath, PA.

Rutgers-Camden posted a team score of 315 to finish 11 strokes behind host and champion Moravian College. The individual medalist was Sean Jackson of Susquehanna University, who shot a 72.

Tomasic, a transfer to Rutgers-Camden from Moravian College, recorded the Scarlet Raptors’ lowest score of the season on his way to leading the team. The Raptors’ sixth-place finish also hiked their fall record over .500 to 26-23-1 as they bid for their fourth consecutive winning semester.

Senior Brian Mason (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) finished second on the Raptors with a 78, followed by senior John Goff (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI), who carded an 81. Freshman Michael Nauss (Hilltop, NJ/Paul VI) shot a round of 82 and freshman Eric Welsh (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) made his Raptor debut with an 89.

Earlier in the week, Mason shot a round of 83 to lead the Rutgers University-Camden golf team at the Franklin & Marshall College Fall Golf Invite Sept. 19 at Bent Creek Golf Course in Lancaster, PA.

The Raptors tied for 12th out of 19 teams with a 337 team score. Moravian College won the event with a 305 score, led by individual medalist Dustin McCormick, who shot a 70.

Mason led a balanced Scarlet Raptor team effort which also saw Goff shoot an 84. Nauss and Tomasic each shot an 85, while senior Joe Zulli (Bellmawr, NJ/Paul VI) carded an 87.

CROSS COUNTRY
Sept. 24 at Philadelphia Metro Small College Championships
(at Belmont Plateau, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA)

MEN (8K): 1. Felician College, 58; 2. Franklin & Marshall College, 63; 3. Richard Stockton College, 77; 4. NJ Institute of Technology, 131; 5. Keystone College, 146; Goldey Beacom College, 167; 7. Philadelphia University, 195; 8. Penn State Berks-Lehigh, 253; 9. Marywood University, 254; 10. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 256; 11. Holy Family University, 268; 12. Bloomfield College, 317; 13. Wesley College, 352; 14. Williamson Trade School, 378; 15. Eastern University, 396; 16. Penn State Harrisburg, 447. Rutgers-Camden, Incomplete.

Leading runner: Umar Saeed (NJ Institute of Technology), 27:06.12.
Leading Rutgers-Camden runner: Travis Stewart, 30:57.63.

WOMEN (5K): 1. Franklin & Marshall College, 34; 2. Marywood University, 74; 3. Felician College, 125; 4. Georgian Court University, 132; 5. (tie) University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and Richard Stockton College, 138; 7. Philadelphia University, 161; 8. Penn State Berks-Lehigh, 253; 9. Keystone College, 263; 10. Holy Family University, 286; 11. Gloucester County College, 287; 12. Wesley College, 314; 13. Goldey Beacom College, 324; 14. Bloomfield College, 363. Rutgers-Camden, Incomplete.

Leading runner: Joy Aifuwa (University of the Sciences in Philadelphia), 19:34.62.
Leading Rutgers-Camden runner: Joelle Diener, 21:10.68

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Sat., Sept. 24 at Philadelphia Metro Small College Tournament W: 12:15 p.m.
(at Cedar Creek Park, Allentown, PA) M: 1 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 1 at NJAIAW Championships (Women) 10:30 a.m.
at William Paterson University Invitational (Men) 11:30 a.m.
(at Garrett Mountain, West Paterson, NJ)

Sat., Oct. 8 at Goldey Beacom College Cross Country Fall Classic W: 10:30 a.m.
(at Carousel Park, Wilmington, DE) M: 11:30 a.m.

Rutgers-Camden senior Joelle Diener Rickenbach, Switzerland/Kantonsschule, Olten) posted the best 5K time of her career, running a 21:10.68, at the Philadelphia Metro Small College Championships Sept. 24 at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia.

Diener, whose best previous 5K time was 21:27.3 at the NJAIAW meet Oct. 2, 2004, finished ninth overall out of 132 female runners. The event was won by Joy Aifuwa of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, who posted a 19:34.62 clocking.

Rutgers-Camden ran only two females and three males in the meet as it failed to field a complete team in its season opener. The women’s meet saw 14 complete teams, with Franklin & Marshall College winning the event with 34 points.

On the men’s side, Felician College was the winning team with 58 points out of 16 complete teams. The top individual runner, out of 147 competitors, was Umar Saeed of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, who ran the men’s 8K race in 27:06.12.

The only other female runner for the Raptors was junior Rachel McCormick (Blue Anchor, NJ/Winslow Township), who completed the race with a 25:38.01 clocking to finish 89th.

On the men’s side, freshman Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) made his collegiate debut by finishing 44th (30:57.63). He was followed by senior Chris McGowan (Barrington, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), who finished 60th at 32:00.03 and sophomore Steve Sooy (Millville, NJ/Millville), who finished 139th in a time of 41:25.16.

VOLLEYBALL (0-7/0-3 NJAC)
Tues., Sept. 20 William Paterson University 30-30-30, Rutgers-Camden 12-14-17
Thur., Sept. 22 Ramapo College 30-30-30, Rutgers-Camden 11-22-12
Sat., Sept. 24 at WIAC Invitational at SUNY-Farmingdale
SUNY-Farmingdale 30-30-30, Rutgers-Camden 22-19-25
Centenary College 30-30-30, Rutgers-Camden 23-26-27

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Tues., Sept. 27 at Rosemont College 7 p.m.
Thurs., Sept. 29 at Arcadia University 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 1 Alvernia College 11 a.m.
Tues., Oct. 4 New Jersey City University 7 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 6 at Keystone College 7 p.m.
Tues., Oct. 11 Kean University 7 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 13 Richard Stockton College 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 15 at Gothic Knights Volleyball Invitational 9 a.m.

The Lady Raptors had a tough week as they were swept in a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference matches and then lost three straight games in a pair of weekend non-conference matches.

Senior setter Holly Tedesco collected 13 assists and five digs, senior middle hitter Viviane Abreu notched three kills, five assists, three service aces and seven digs and senior outside hitter Lauren Shears had 11 kills and three digs to power William Paterson University to a 3-0 sweep over Rutgers-Camden in a NJAC match Sept. 20 in Camden.

Paterson won by scores of 30-12, 30-14 and 30-17.

For Rutgers-Camden, sophomore outside hitter Julie Grochowski (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) had six kills, 13 digs, one service ace and one block, while junior outside hitter Karla Maisto (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) collected three kills, six service aces and 11 digs.

Freshman setter Nikki Cosico (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) notched 13 assists, three kills, one ace and two blocks, while sophomore outside hitter Bianca Skvirsky (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) notched six digs and one kill.

Also for the Raptors, freshman outside hitter Ebony Mosley (Camden, NJ/Camden Academy Charter) had two kills and three digs, while junior defensive specialist Rosevic Santos (Jersey City, NJ/Abraham Lincoln, NY) collected one kill and four digs.

The Raptors also dropped a conference match Sept. 22 in Mahwah as senior middle hitter Samantha Wejnert collected 12 kills, eight service aces and one solo block to power Ramapo College over Rutgers-Camden in three games, 30-11, 30-22 and 30-12.

Sophomore setter Ashley Cornett added 26 assists for the Roadrunners.

For Rutgers-Camden, Maisto had five kills, four service aces, one block and seven digs. Grochowski notched three kills, one block and 17 digs, while Cosico had one kill, seven assists and four digs. Skvirsky added one assist and five digs for Rutgers-Camden.

The results didn’t get any better for the Raptors at the First Annual WIAC Invitational at SUNY-Farmingdale Sept. 24. The Raptors were swept by SUNY-Farmingdale (30-22, 30-19 and 30-25) and lost three straight to Centenary College (30-23, 30-26 and 30-27).

In the loss to Farmingdale, Grochowski collected 11 kills, 14 digs and one service ace, while Maisto had five kills, five service aces, one block and eight digs.

Cosico added 17 assists, five kills and five aces, and sophomore outside hitter Yara Khalil (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) also had one kill and one ace.

Against Centenary, Grochowski notched 16 kills, two aces, 19 digs and four blocks, Maisto had one kill, five aces, five digs and one block, and Cosico collected seven kills, 19 assists, six aces and four digs. Khalil collected three digs.

Skvirsky added two kills, one assist, two aces, five digs and one block for Rutgers-Camden, while sophomore defensive specialist Lilliana Quintana (Camden, NJ/Camden Academy Charter) had one ace and one dig, Mosley had three digs and Santos notched two digs.