Blue Devils hockey season ends with loss to Buffalo State
BUFFALO — Fredonia’s return to the SUNYAC men’s hockey tournament ended with a 2-1 loss Wednesday at Buffalo State.
Bengal freshman defenseman Colin O’Connor ripped a slapshot for the game-winner early in the third period and senior goaltender Mike DeLaVergne made 18 saves to send the Blue Devils to their season-ending loss.
Senior center Mac McAvoy scored the lone Fredonia goal and sophomore goaltender Eric Bogart stopped 27 shots.
The loss ended the season for Fredonia, the No. 5 tournament seed, at 13-11-2. The Blue Devils were making their first postseason appearance since the 2013-14 season.
Buffalo State, seeded No. 4, improved to 18-7-1 and advanced to a semifinal date Saturday at No. 1 seed Oswego. The Lakers are ranked No. 2 in both national D3 polls, the Bengals No. 13 in one and No. 14 in the other.
After a scoreless first period, the Bengals drew first blood as Robert Smits scored off a faceoff at the 9:28 mark of the second period. Smits one-timed a snap shot after Anthony Passero won the draw and slid into the slot.
McAvoy singled-handedly evened the score at the 13:50 mark when he drew a neutral zone faceoff to himself, skated into the offensive end and rattled a left-handed shot off the inside of the right post for his sixth goal of the season.
Both teams were down a man on coincidental penalties when the Bengals broke the tie. O’Connor received a pass from down low and ripped a shot from the point for his second goal of the year and his first game-winner.
In addition to McAvoy, three Blue Devils were appearing in their final collegiate game: winger and team captain Hunter Long and winger Marcus Ortiz. The other seniors, winger Frankie Hart and goaltender Chris Paulin did not dress.
Indoor Track & Field
Feldman, Couperus ‘1’s’ on eve of SUNYAC meet
Two Fredonia women are the top seeds in their respective events heading into the 2017 SUNYAC Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend.
Brittany Feldman and Sarah Couperus, both juniors, earned the No. 1 seeds based off season-best performances at indoor meets earlier this season. Feldman was clocked in 57.60 seconds in the 400 meters at Cornell last Saturday while Couperus high jumped 1.62 meters on Feb. 4 at Mount Union.
Feldman must go through women’s 400 preliminaries — which will be held at 5:45 p.m., Friday — to advance to the Saturday final set for 1:20 p.m. Couperus’ women’s high jump final is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday. She is also entered in the women’s triple jump, scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday.
Fredonia has five other women with seeds of sixth or better while there are 11 Blue Devil men with Top 8 seeds or below.
On the women’s side, pole vaulters Mikayla Capestrani and Kristen Sawyer are tied at No. 2; Anneliese Bienko is No. 4 and Rachel Williams No. 6 in the shot put; and Hannah Kurbs is No. 6 in the 3,000. In addition, Fredonia’s distance medley relay checks in at No. 4.
The Fredonia men have four No. 3 seeds in their respective events: Nick Serafin and Rocky Caparro, both in the high jump; Caparro also in the triple jump; and Kyle Brown in the 30-pound weight throw. Four-seeds are Justyn Haines in the pole vault and Joseph Gabrielli in the weight throw. At No. 6 in the heptathlon is Mitchel Paciga. The rest are No. 8 seeds: Gabrielli in the shot put, Damone Brown in the weight throw and Bobby Cooper in the mile. Fredonia’s men’s distance medley relay is a three-seed.
The championship meet will be held for two days — starting at 3 p.m. Friday — at the Brockport Special Events & Recreation Center.
The Saturday session is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.