CMU Sports Roundup
Men’s Cross Country
On Saturday, Oct. 8, the men’s cross country team hosted the Carnegie Mellon University Invitational in Schenley Park. A total of 12 teams participated, including a team of Carnegie Mellon alumni. The Tartans placed second and the alumni team placed fourth.
Senior Zachary Nowak was the first Tartan to finish, placing third with a time of 25:51.1. First-year Thomas Damiani was the next Tartan to finish with a time of 26:24.8, earning him 14th. Sophomore Seth Williams was two spots behind Damiani with a time of 26:36.3. Carnegie Mellon alumnus Josh Kalapos won the race with a time of 25:49.9.
The Tartans will be racing next Saturday with an 11:15 a.m. start at the Oberlin Interregional Rumble.
Women’s Cross Country
The women’s cross country team also hosted the Carnegie Mellon University Invitational this past Saturday in Schenley Park. The Tartans placed seventh out of 12 teams.
Junior Megan Baker took 19th with a time of 19:52.8, leading the Tartans. Sophomores Lauren May and Norah Czajka finished the race together, placing 31st and 32nd, respectively, with times of 20:23.7 and 20:24.0.
The team will next be heading to the Oberlin Interregional Rumble next Saturday with a 10:30 a.m. start.
Football
The #18-ranked football team has kept up their undefeated streak this season with a 27-20 victory over Waynesburg on Oct. 8.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Tartans were the first team to get on the board with a one-yard run from first-year Joey McGinnis IV after an 84-yard drive. A fumble recovery by junior Jacob Nash gave the Tartans another opportunity to score in the second quarter; a 10-yard run from first-year Willem Bouma but a failed point-after attempt gave the Tartans a 13-0 lead. However, the Yellow Jackets only needed two plays after to get on the board with a 52 yard catch-and-run, which they followed with a field goal, making it 13-10.
Five-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter, Waynesburg scored another field goal to make it a tie-game, 13-13. A touchdown from junior Ben Mills to sophomore Ben Condemi in Carnegie Mellon’s next possession gave the Tartans the lead back, 20-13. This didn’t last long; Waynesburg responded with a touchdown of their own, making it a tie game once again.
However, with just over a minute left on the clock, a touchdown pass to sophomore Dominic Voiland gave the Tartans the lead back, 27-20. A last-minute interception by junior Adrian Williams during Waynesburg’s final possession guaranteed the Tartan’s win.
The Carnegie Mellon football team is currently on a 13-game winning streak — the longest active in Division III football, which also matches the school-record streak. The Tartans will look to keep their undefeated record when they travel to Washington & Jefferson on Saturday, Oct. 15 for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
Men’s Soccer
The #14-ranked men’s soccer team traveled to Brandeis on Saturday, Oct. 8 to take on the Judges. Despite a mostly scoreless game, the Tartans were able to take home a victory thanks to a goal in the 80th minute from senior Dante Mancini following a free kick from senior Josh Baugh. This victory moved the Tartans to a record of 9-1-1 on the season and 1-1-0 in conference play. This win snapped a 0-5-2 record against the Judges since 2013.
The soccer team will be traveling to the University of Chicago next Friday, Oct. 14 for a 2:00 p.m. CDT kickoff.
Women’s Soccer
The #13 women’s soccer team took on Brandeis this weekend on Saturday, Oct. 8 for their second conference game of the season. The Tartans scored the only goal of the game in the 29th minute when sophomore Catherine MacHichol sunk the ball in the net thanks to an assist from Vivian Wang. The Tartans record is now 7-1-2 for the season, with a 1-0-1 in conference play.
The women’s soccer team will be heading to the University of Chicago on Friday, Oct. 14 for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff.
Women’s Volleyball
This past Friday, Oct. 7, the women’s volleyball team played Muskingum on their home court. The game went to a fifth set, with the Tartans winning the first two (25-21, 25-22), and the Fighting Muskies rallying back in the next two (21-25, 23-25). In the fifth set, the Tartans took the victory, 15-11. The women’s volleyball team is now 12-3 for the season.
Highlights include first-year Bella Woodard racking up a total of 14 kills; three other Tartans also recorded double-digit kills — juniors Jane Dean and Laura Reichard, as well as sophomore Avani Seshiah. The Tartans collected a total of seven service aces against the Fighting Muskies, including five from junior Mindee Lai.
The team’s next match will be on Sunday, Oct. 16 when they return to University Athletic Association play against Case Western Reserve and University of Chicago. They will be traveling to the University of Rochester for a 12:00 p.m. start.