Bradley University freshmen Molly Dahlquist and Chase Coffey both won the 3,000 meter steeplechase to highlight action for the Bradley track and field teams at the Lee Calhoun Memorial Invitational Saturday. Running the first steeplechase of her collegiate career, Dahlquist won the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase by nearly 40 seconds, finishing in a time of 11:01.98 and posted one of five top-five finishes on the day for the women’s squad. In the men’s 3,000 meter steeplechase, Coffey edged Knox College’s Kevin Box by four seconds with a time of 9:42.23 to win the race. Coffey’s time ranks as the fifth best 3,000 meter steeplechase in program history. Marquette took both the Men’s (160 points) and Women’s (202 points) team events at the meet. Click here for complete Invitational results.
-Bob
Mike Duco earned a hat trick and Eddie Lack made 30 saves as the Chicago Wolves beat the Peoria Rivermen 5-2 on Friday night at Carver Arena before 4,931 fans. Brett Sonne and Stefan Della Rovere scored Peoria’s two goals as they saw their three-game winning streak, and four-game point streak, come to an end. The Rivermen are now 17-16-2-1 and are currently in fourth place in the Midwest Division, just one point back of the Wolves. Duco scored at the 11:50 mark of the second period to build Chicago a 2-0 lead and start s string of three goals over the next 2:48. The Rivermen cut the lead in half 15 seconds later as Della Rovere ripped a turnaround shot over Eddie Lack’s glove for his third of the season. Byron Bitz scored for Chicago at 13:38 to restore the Wolves’ two-goal lead. The hat trick from Duco came on an empty-netter with 1:11 to play. Click here for the official stats.
-Bob
Bradley University (1-0) closed the game on an 11-2 run to give head coach Geno Ford a win in his Braves debut, 68-58, against UMKC (0-2) in the opening game of the Chicago Invitational Challenge Sunday evening at Carver Arena. Junior guard Dyricus Simms-Edwards scored a game-high 21 points, senior forward Taylor Brown added 20 in his return after missing the entire 2010-11 season for cardiac evaluation and sophomore center Jordan Prosser turned in his second career double-double by posting career-highs with 12 points and 17 rebounds. Bradley also got 12 points from junior reserve Jake Eastman. Bradley shot 44.9 percent (22-49) from the field and limited the Kangaroos to 36.7 percent (22-60) shooting. The Braves also had the advantage at the free throw line, sinking 22-of-33 attempts, compared to just 7-of-18 (.389) for UMKC. Bradley will return to action Wednesday by hosting Southeast Missouri State for “Throwback Night,” a 7 p.m. game at Renaissance Coliseum. The game against the Redhawks will be Bradley’s first regular-season game against a NCAA Division I opponent played on campus since 1982.
-Bob
8 Count Productions presented a night of boxing at Par-A-Dice Hotel & Casino in East Peoria, IL. The official line-up had five bouts including a co-main and main event. Antwan “Superman” Robertson from Minneapolis, MN scored the only knockout of the night against Hassan Wasswa. In the ladies bout Jaci Trivilino from Plattsburgh, NY earned a unanimous decision over Evette Collazo from Chicago, and Donates Bondoravas from Kaunas, Lithuania won over Adan Leal in the main event to improve his record to 14-3-1.
-Bob
Bradley University freshman Marshall Moyer won his first collegiate race, claiming the men’s 6K title at the 25th Bradley Open, while freshman Sarah McMahon finished fifth to pace the Bradley women’s cross country team in the three mile race Friday afternoon at Detweiller Park. Moyer was one of five Bradley men’s runners to place in the top eight, outkicking Michael Castel of Western Illinois for first place in a time of 20:00. Castel crossed the line four seconds behind Moyer and Illinois Central College’s Ryan Van Fossen was third overall at 20:07. Sophomore Nathan Davis placed fifth in the field of 75 runners with a time of 20:17 to lead a pack of four Bradley men’s runners. Junior Nick Skromme clocked a career-best 6K time of 20:18 to finish sixth and sophomore Thomas Harayda crossed the line three seconds back in seventh at 20:21. Junior Jon Richards rounded out the top-five BU finishers in eighth with a time of 20:25. On the women’s side, Maddie Aufmann of Illinois won the three mile race with a time of 17:13 and the Illini boasted the top four finishers. McMahon was Bradley’s top finisher, crossing the line 12 seconds behind Aufmann in fifth at 17:25. The Braves’ top four finishers were underclassmen, with sophomore Cassie Lohmeier leading a group of three Braves to take seventh overall at 17:32.
-Bob
