James Salazar
Staff Writer
Season finales, series sweeps, and playoff hopes were all on deck for Dons Athletics in their latest outings. Here is your recap of this week in Dons’ sports.
Women’s beach volleyball traveled to Stockton April 23 and faced the University of the Pacific Tigers, losing by a score of 1-4. The afternoon started with Anna Dalla Vecchia and Catie Cronister (the Dons’ top pair) putting USF on the board with a straight-set win (21-17, 22-20). However, fortunes quickly changed as the Tigers swept the next four games. The Dons look to bounce back April 27 with a match against the San Jose State University Spartans.
Men’s baseball took the season series against the University of Portland Pilots at Benedetti Diamond. Action began April 23 when the Dons crushed the Pilots by a score of 5-0. Landen Bourassa threw a complete game and struck out 16 players, tying a 75-year-old USF single-game record. The remaining two games in the series were switched to an April 24 doubleheader due to heavy rains being forecast in the area. The Dons replicated their success in the first of their two games with a 6-4 come-from-behind win against the Pilots. Trailing 2-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Jacob Munoz hit a two-run single which put the Dons up for good. The Pilots avoided the series sweep when they took the second game of the doubleheader, beating the Dons by a score of 4-5. Looking ahead, the Diamond Dons travel to Stockton April 30 and face the Pacific Tigers in a three-game series.
Men’s golf ended the regular season with their fourth tournament win of the spring season April 24 as they were the victors of the Ping Cougar Classic. The Dons finished the event with a program-record 41-under par, shooting 823 (274-282-267) through three rounds. All five USF players shot under par, and four players finished in the top ten. Tim Widing finished the event tied for first and won his third career individual championship. The Dons will return to the green April 29 to compete in the West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships.
Women’s golf teed off in the WCC Championship April 22, finishing in fourth place through three rounds with a score of 905 (309-294-302). The Dons were only one stroke shy of third place and eight strokes within first place, and three Dons finished in the tournament’s top ten. Hannah Zeman shot a three-over 75 and tied fourth place. Joan Soewondo shot a two-over 74 to finish in eighth place, and Annika Borrelli shot a round of 78 to finish in ninth place.
Women’s tennis crushed the Santa Clara University Broncos in their regular season finale April 24, winning by a score of 6-1 in the friendly confines of Golden Gate Park. Chiho Mushika and Maria Martinez Vaquero clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win and put the Dons on the board with a 1-0 lead. In singles action, USF won the first three matches in straight sets. Caragh Courtney put her game on ice when she cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win. All three of the remaining trio of matches went to three sets with USF emerging victorious in two of the three contests.
Men’s tennis concluded their season April 24 against the Santa Clara University Broncos, losing by a score of 2-5. The Broncos clinched the doubles point with a win over Nitzan Ricklis and Johan Garpered (3-6). However, Mitch Johnson tied the game at 1-1 with a straight-set win (6-3, 6-2). The Broncos took the next three matches and secured the match point. Both teams split the remaining two contests with one win a piece.
Track and field competed April 24 in the Fresno State Invitational at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Sarah Marske broke the USF school record as she finished third in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal best of 14.62 seconds. She also finished 15th in the 200-meter hurdles with a time of 25.45 seconds. The Dons also had a strong display in the women’s 1,500 meter race, taking the top three spots. Anna Tait placed first with a time of four minutes and 28.18 seconds. Zoe Wassell finished in second place with a time of four minutes and 34.22 seconds, and Amy Quinones followed suit with a time of four minutes and 34.52 seconds. The team will return to Veterans Memorial Stadium April 30 to compete in the West Coast Conference Relays.
