Sports Features

Sports

On the surface, AU teams are divided

By Kevin Hilgers | September 29

In 1965, baseball's Houston Astros got a quick horticultural lesson: Grass grows best outside. After their first season in the Astrodome, their natural-grass field withered away. So they replaced it with the growing technology of synthetic turf, and thus began turf wars, which have divided athletes, fans and sports medicine experts.

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Sports

Working OT can't solve women's soccer's problems

By Jordan Beane | September 29

If AU's women's soccer team had one weakness Monday, it was set-play defense. Against Towson, that problem came to agonizing light. Towson scored two goals, one off a corner kick and one off a free kick, to beat AU in overtime, 2-1, at Reeves Field. Towson scored the game-winner off an Alison Reinhart free kick that got through the box and AU's 'keeper in the 106th minute.

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Sports

Field hockey, volleyball dominant during weekend: Front-line power propells weekend sweep

By Kevin Hilgers | September 26

In the past, the situation was fairly routine for the AU volleyball team. An Eagle setter would pop a pass along the net to the outside hitter, who would elevate and ready for the kill. But a split second later the attack would be repelled by the veritable wall of arms and hands on the other side of the net, rejecting the ball to the floor.

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Sports

Field hockey, volleyball dominant during weekend: Raised intensity sparks easy Eagle victory

By Katie Munroe | September 26

Off to its best start in program history, the AU field hockey team extended its unbeaten streak to eight games after a dominating 6-1 win over Longwood Sunday at Jacobs Field. The No. 4 Eagles (8-0), behind the three-goal effort of sophomore attacker Maggie Hall, wasted no time getting on the board as Hall took advantage of a breakaway in the eighth minute.

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Sports

turf column

By Jesse Epstein | September 26

September 2005 will not be remembered as the brightest moment in American University's history. But, I'm getting sick and tired of hearing people complain about money misspent for things that don't affect the school. So, ion honor of my frustration, I'm going to complain about the thousands of dollars AU did spend for a "good reason.

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Sports

Despite late slide, Nats' have a base to build on

By Missy Rosenberg | September 26

The bubble of the Washington Nationals' dream inaugural season finally burst Sunday. The team's 6-5 loss to the New York Mets mathematically eliminated the Nats from the playoff race. (By most accounts, their prospects had been slim for the last week or so.

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Sports

Men's soccer's victory is worth the wait

By Ian Quillen | September 26

After 90 tenuous minutes of regulation and 10 more of overtime could not break a 1-1 tie, the AU and Lafayette men's soccer teams huddled in front of their benches. Depleted players scurried for water bottles, anxious coaches dictated strategy for the second overtime, and in AU's huddle, Sal Caccavale dictated some of his own.

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Sports

AU women's teams drop D.C. rivals: Volleyball tops Hoyas in five

By Dan Jacobson | September 22

Coming back from a 2-1 deficit, the AU women's volleyball team ended a three-game losing streak by defeating Georgetown, 3-2 (27-30, 30-28, 28-30, 30-25, 15-13), on the road Tuesday night. AU (6-7) came in having lost six of seven, while Georgetown entered with a two-match winning streak.

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Sports

AL MVP: Who's it going to be?

By Jordan Beane | September 22

With only a few weeks left in the season, the MVP race in the American League is once again wide open. After all, it was last year when Vladimir Guerrero put the Angels on his back and pulled them into the playoffs, winning the MVP award along the way. So it seems about that time to take stock of the race, and the three main contenders.

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Sports

Coerced retirement insulting to love of the game

September 22

As a 23-year-old who's young at heart, one of the few ways to make growing up tolerable is to embrace the scenes of my youth. Maybe not the cloudy haze that once possessed my car on Saturday nights, but rathersuch times as when I scored 30 points in a middle school basketball game.

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Sports

This week in Eagle

September 22

Friday, Sept. 23 Volleyball: 7 p.m. vs. Bucknell Saturday, Sept. 24 Men's Soccer: 1 p.m. vs. Lafayette Volleyball: 2 p.m. vs. Colgate Sunday, Sept. 25 Field Hockey: 1 p.m. vs. Longwood

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Sports

AU women's teams drop D.C. rivals: Two put-back goals give women's soccer vital win over GW

By Jordan Beane | September 22

The AU women's soccer team hasn't had much luck so far this season, falling victim to a number of sloppy losses and dormant offensive performances. Yet, the Eagles haven't given up on the season, perhaps hoping the rest of the fall should offer some second chances.

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Sports

Sports briefs

By David Bergman & Kevin Hilgers | September 19

Men's soccer's drops both matches to Ivy Leaguers at Yale Classic In the prelude to its Patriot League opener, the AU men's soccer team suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Yale on Sunday, 3-2 in overtime. Competing at the Yale Classic in New Haven, Conn.

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Sports

Redoing a dome and city

By Dan Jacobson | September 19

When people think of the Superdome in 25 years, they won't be thinking of the memorable sports moments that have occurred there, but the shocking and horrific images of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Superdome has been home to Super Bowls, Final Fours and heavyweight championship matches.

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Sports

Volleyball turns south on West Coast trip

By Kevin Hilgers | September 19

The AU women's volleyball team got the NCAA tournament rehearsal it wanted. It just couldn't get the win. The Eagles dropped three in a row - including two sweeps to top 25 teams - at the San Diego Invitational last weekend. AU (5-7) didn't win a game at the hands of No.

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Sports

This week in Eagle

September 19

Tuesday, Sept. 20 Women's Soccer: 3 p.m. vs. George Washington Volleyball: 7 p.m. at Georgetown Friday, Sept 23 Volleyball: 7 p.m. vs. Bucknell Saturday, Sept 24 Men's Soccer: 1 p.m. v. Lafayette Volleyball: 2 p.m. vs. Colgate

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Sports

Field hockey fends off pesky Tigers

September 19

Thankfully coaches don't get paid for pretty wins alone, otherwse AU field hockey coach Steve Jennings would need a temporary loan. After an arduous win Sunday against Towson, 2-1, nobody sees the problem more than him. The Eagles (7-0) found another victory for the standings, but uncovered a new issue: effort.

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