October 24, 2011

Gilkenson, Peters: Service Credit Union Student-Athlete Spotlight & Wildcat Weekly Roundup

SERVICE CREDIT UNION STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT & WILDCAT WEEKLY ROUNDUP

October 24, 2011

DURHAM, N.H. – Stephanie Gilkenson (Cranston, R.I.) of the women’s soccer team and Dontra Peters (Annapolis, Md.) of the football team are featured in this week's Service Credit Union Student-Athlete Spotlight. This information and more can be found in the Wildcat Weekly Roundup.

STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Stephanie Gilkenson, women’s soccer

Stephanie, a senior midfielder from Cranston, Rhode Island, led UNH to 1-0-1 week in America East play to propel the Wildcats into the league tournament as the fourth seed and garner the co-Player of the Week award from America East. She scored the team’s lone goal to tie the score, 1-1, in the 62^nd minute at UMBC, then against Maine her tally in the 21^st minute extended UNH’s lead to 2-0.

Stephanie has recorded a point three of the last four games, including an assist Oct. 13 at Vermont. She is tied for the team lead in both points (eight) and assists (two), and is tied for second in both goals (three) and shots (23) in starting all 18 games this season. Her three goals and eight points are both personal single-season highs. Her season highlights include a game-winning goal in the 1-0 win at Rhode Island.

Stephanie’s collegiate accolades include America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll (2009), America East Honor Roll (2010) and America East All-Rookie Team (2008). She recorded a personal single-season best of five assists in ’08.

Dontra Peters, football

Dontra, a junior from Annapolis, Maryland, rushed for a pair of touchdowns and amassed 208 all-purpose yards to garner the Bill Knight Trophy as the game’s most outstanding player as the 13^th-ranked UNH football team defeated 22^nd-ranked UMass, 27-21, Oct. 22 at Gillette Stadium.

The running back carried the ball 13 times for 92 yards and two touchdowns, had 98 yards on three kickoff returns and three catches for 18 yards. Dontra returned the game’s opening kickoff 44 yards that ignited a UNH scoring drive that was capped by his five-yard TD run. Late in the second quarter, Peters’ 1-yard TD run extended UNH’s lead to 18-6. For his efforts, Dontra was honored as CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this year; he was previously feted Sept. 26.

Dontra is #25 in the nation and second in the CAA in kick return yards per game (25.6), and he is also second in the CAA in all-purpose yards per game (155.0).

Dontra was named to the All-CAA Third Team in 2010, when he rushed for a team-high 707 yards on 142 attempts and also had a team-high seven rushing TDs. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry and 58.9 yards per game. His career highlights include a 19-carry, 197-yard, two TD effort against Central Connecticut State University in 2010; the 197 yards was the highest total by a CAA player that season.

WEEKLY ACCOLADES

Matt Evans, football – CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week

Whitney Frates, field hockey – America East Player of the Week

Stephanie Gilkenson, women’s soccer – America East co-Player of the Week

Dontra Peters, football – CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

Monday, Oct. 17

Field hockey: #10 UNH 4, at #15 Boston U. 3 (overtime) [completed from Oct. 14]

Tuesday, Oct. 18

Men’s soccer: at UNH 2, Holy Cross 1 (double overtime)

Thursday, Oct. 20

Women’s soccer: UNH 1, at UMBC 1 (tie: double overtime)

Friday, Oct. 21

Field hockey: at #10 UNH 3, Maine 0 (Senior Day)

Volleyball: at UNH 3, Hartford 2

Women’s ice hockey: UNH 2, at St. Lawrence 2 (tie: overtime)

Men’s hockey: at St. Cloud State 7, UNH 5

Saturday, Oct. 22

Football: # 13 UNH 27, #22 UMass 21 (at Gillette Stadium)

Men’s hockey: UNH 3, at St. Cloud State 3 (tie: overtime)

Men’s soccer: at UNH 1, Vermont 1 (tie: double overtime)

Women’s ice hockey: at Clarkson 2, UNH 1

Sunday, Oct. 23

Women’s soccer: at UNH 2, Maine 0 (Senior Day)

Women’s swimming & diving: non-scoring meet at New England LCM Challenge

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Men’s soccer at Boston U., 7 pm

Thursday, Oct. 27

Women’s soccer vs. Binghamton, 1 pm (America East first round tournament game)

Friday, Oct. 28 [Homecoming Weekend]

Men’s hockey vs. Union, 7 pm

Saturday, Oct. 29 [Homecoming Weekend]

Football vs. Rhode Island, 12 pm (Television: CSN-NE)

Basketball Tip-Off Event (after conclusion of football game, Lundholm Gym)

Men’s hockey vs. Northeastern, 7pm

Women’s cross country at America East Championships (at Albany)

Men’s cross country at America East Championships (at Albany)

Field hockey at Albany, 1 pm

Men’s soccer at Albany, 2 pm

Sunday, Oct. 30 [Homecoming Weekend]

Volleyball vs. Providence, 2 pm

Field hockey at Harvard, 3 pm

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

The UNH men’s cross country team did not race last week. The Wildcats return to action Oct. 29 for the America East Championship at UAlbany.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

The UNH women’s cross country team did not race last week. The ‘Cats compete at the America East Championship at UAlbany on Oct. 29.
Two former UNH women’s cross country runners – Megan (Hepp) Hovis ’05 and Erica Jesseman ’11 – recently qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials that will be held Jan. 14, 2012 in Houston, Texas. Hovis was a two-time all-regional cross country runner at UNH and also garnered all-region honors in the steeplechase during the outdoor track & field season. Jesseman won individual titles at the indoor ECAC Championships and New England Championships and is a school record holder in the outdoor 5K and 10K runs as well as the indoor 5K.

FIELD HOCKEY (14-3 overall, 4-0 America East)

The 10^th-ranked UNH field hockey team defeated 15^th-ranked Boston University, 4-3 in overtime, and 13^th-ranked Maine, 3-0, to extend its America East conference win streak to 11 games, gain at least a share of the league regular-season title and secure the top seed in the upcoming America East Championship tournament (Nov. 4 & 6).
UNH’s six-member senior class of Kendall Deck (Bridgewater, N.J.), Whitney Frates (Woodstock, Vt.), Kyle Lyons (White River Junction, Vt.), Katherine Nagengast (Westborough, Mass.), Hayley Rausch (Severna Park, Md.) and Jess Sweeney (Accord, N.Y.) were honored prior to the game vs. Maine on Oct. 21.
Frates became just the third Wildcat in the program’s 37-year history to record 50+ points in a season with the last of her five goals last week, which increased her season totals to 20 goals and 10 assists for 50 points.
Rausch climbed to #3 on UNH’s all-time points list with her goal at BU on Oct. 17 (actually scored Oct. 14, when the first half of the game was played). She currently has 122 points (46 goals, 30 assists).
UNH broke the single-season points record of 170 that was established in 2009. The 2011 Wildcats have recorded 172 points on 63 goals and 46 assists. This year’s team is also on the verge of breaking the single-season goals benchmark of 64 set in 1984.

FOOTBALL (5-2 overall, 3-1 CAA)

The UNH football team, ranked 13^th in last week’s national polls, prevailed 27-21 in the Colonial Clash against 22^nd-ranked University of Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium
Dontra Peters (Annapolis, Md.) rushed for a pair of touchdowns and amassed 208 all-purpose yards to garner the Bill Knight Trophy as the game’s most outstanding player. Peters carried the ball 13 times for 92 yards, had 98 yards on three kickoff returns and three catches for 18 yards.
Matt Evans (Hanover, Mass.), the 2010 Bill Knight Trophy recipient, recorded 13 tackles as well as two forced fumbles and a pass breakup.
Chris Beranger (Winthrop, Mass.) finished with a game-high 14 tackles and Alan Buzbee (Chester, N.J.) had 13 tackles.

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY (0-4-1 overall, 0-3-0 Hockey East)

The UNH men’s ice hockey team played a two-game series at St. Cloud State last weekend and returned home following a 7-5 loss and 3-3 tie. The Wildcats recorded a 47-24 shot advantage in the draw.
Head coach Dick Umile has 299 Hockey East victories. His next opportunity to record a 300^th league victory is Oct. 29 vs. Northeastern.
UNH, which played four of their first five games on the road, play the next four games (and five of the next six) at home.
Nick Sorkin (Rockville, Md.) scored three goals in the weekend series with two power-play goals and a shorthanded tally.
Grayson Downing (Abbottsford, British Columbia) recorded three assists in the two games at SCSU. Stevie Moses (Leominster, Mass.) and Eric Knodel (West Chester, Pa.) both recorded three points with a goal and two assists.
Jeff Wyer (Reading, Mass.) stopped 11 of 12 shots in an Oct. 21 relief stint, then made 21 saves in his first career start Oct. 22 (3-3 tie).

WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY (3-3-2 overall, 0-1-1 Hockey East)

The UNH women’s ice hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie at St. Lawrence (Oct. 21), then was edged 2-1 at Clarkson (Oct. 22).
Emma Clark (East Barre, Vt.) scored her first goal as a UNH Wildcat in her 67^th game donning the Blue and White – against her former team, St. Lawrence. Clark also tallied an assist at Clarkson.
Jenn Gilligan (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) made a career-high 28 saves in the 2-2 tie at SLU. In six games this season, the freshman goalie has a 1.80 GAA, .919 save percentage and one shutout. She ranks ninth in the nation in GAA and 13th in save percentage.

MEN’S SOCCER (6-7-2 overall, 1-2-2 America East)

The UNH men’s soccer team played to double overtime in two home games last week. The Wildcats defeated Holy Cross, 2-1, then played to a 1-1 tie against Vermont.
Josh Bronner (Belchertown, Mass.) scored a goal in both games last week and that included the game-winning goal vs. Holy Cross with just over two minutes remaining in the second extra session.
Travis Worra (Lancaster, Pa.) stopped 11 of 13 shots on goal last week for a 0.83 GAA and .846 save percentage. The freshman goalkeeper made a career-high nine saves in the 1-1 tie against UVM.
Brad Hilton (Merrimack, N.H.) tallied an assist in both games last week. He has an assist in four of the last six games and has a team-high six assists this season.

WOMEN’S SOCCER (5-11-2 overall, 3-4-1 America East)

The UNH women’s soccer team climbed into fourth place in the America East final regular-season standings with a 1-1 tie at UMBC (Oct. 20) followed by a 2-0 victory against Maine (Oct. 23).
The Wildcats play host to Binghamton University in an America East first-round game Oct. 27. It is the team’s conference-record 11^th consecutive appearance in the league tournament.
Stephanie Gilkenson (Cranston, R.I.) scored the game-tying goal in the 62^nd minute at UMBC, then against Maine her goal in the 21^st minute gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
Erica Correa (Cheshire, Conn.) made two saves vs. Maine to record her third shutout of the season.

SWIMMING & DIVING (1-0 overall, 0-0 America East)

The UNH swimming & diving team competed at the non-scoring New England LCM Challenge that was held Oct. 23 at Blodgett Pool (Harvard University).
Katie Mann (Prince George, British Columbia) recorded the lone Wildcat victory of the day with a first-place finish in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2 minutes, 44.11 seconds. She also swam to third place in both the 100 breaststroke (1:17.90) and 200 individual medley (2:27.43).
Second-place efforts were turned in by both Jessica Little (Barrie, Ontario) in the 200 breaststroke (2:46.24) and Sydney Tribou (Orlando, Fla.) in the 200 freestyle (2:11.29). Little also took fourth place in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.02).
Shelli Reed (Hollister, Calif.) recorded a pair of third-place performances. She was the third-fastest swimmer in both the 50 freestyle (28.37) and 100 free (1:01.27).

VOLLEYBALL (7-16 overall, 6-1 America East)

The UNH volleyball team won its only match of the week with a 3-2 victory against the University of Hartford on Oct. 21 to remain atop the league standings. UNH has won seven of its last nine matches.
Four Wildcats recorded double digits in kills vs. Hartford. Morgan Thatcher (Brockton, Mass.) led the way with 18 kills and a .250 hitting percentage. Lauren Laquerre (Concord, N.H.) followed with 17 kills and a .220 percentage. Amy Keding (Northbrook, Ill.) finished with 15 kills. Jessy Dick (Lethbridge, Alberta) recorded 11 kills, .588 hitting percentage and 10 blocks.
Four ‘Cats also finished with double digits in digs. Sam Henke (Millersville, Md.) had a match-high 17 and was followed by Jansan Falcusan (Plymouth, Mich.) with 14, Laquerre (13) and Keding (10).
Falcusan tallied 50+ assists for the third time this season with 53 against Hartford.