Sports

Fresh start doesn't help the Nationals

The chirping birds, the popping leaves and the warming air mean only one thing: spring has returned and the Major League Baseball season has begun. For most fans across the country, this is a time of hope and optimism, to cheer on their teams as they begin a push towards the ultimate prize of a World Series championship.

Crusaders steal Senior day

The AU women's lacrosse team lost against the College of the Holy Cross 16-12 Saturday, spoiling Senior Day. A day that should have been filled with celebration ended with a heartbreaking defeat. The team came out firing as Leslie Fischer, one of the team's four seniors, scored 12 seconds into the game.

Caps down but not out

Only 12.7 percent of teams have come back from going down 2-0 in a Stanley Cup playoff series. Even with history against them, the Washington Capitals shouldn't count themselves out. One can only describe Saturday's 1-0 loss to the New York Rangers as a heartbreaker.

Caps hunt for Stanley Cup

The Washington Capitals' foe in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is a familiar one; they will be facing the New York Rangers in a best-of-seven series. When this column appears Thursday, the first game will already be in the books. There is no telling what could happen in this series, as the Caps are still a relatively young team when it comes to the postseason.

Eagles fall short to Richmond

The AU women's lacrosse team fell to the University of Richmond Spiders 16-12 on a slippery Jacobs Field Wednesday. The Eagles could not hold back the Spiders' offense, despite three goals from seniors Leslie Fischer and Kira Sonberg and freshman Bernadette Maher.

MLB is off to a wild start

Sound the alarm! Fire the manager! The new stadium is cursed! Major League Baseball's first week has been a crazy one. The Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres all have better records than the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays.

Mets, Red Sox favorites in '09

American League East: Win-Loss 1. Y- Boston Red Sox: 95-67 2. X- New York Yankees: 94-66 3. Tampa Bay Rays: 83-79 4. Toronto Blue Jays: 74-88 5. Baltimore Orioles: 70-92 (Y-Division Champion, X-Wild Card Winner) * The pitching for the Boston Red Sox will edge out the New York Yankees but will definitely come down to the end of the season.

Third times a charm for Mets

The baseball season is underway and there's no better time to take a look at the National League. First up, the NL East: Few people picked the Phillies to win the 2008 World Series, but looking at their roster, it should not have been much of a surprise. The Phillies boasted a great core of talent with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins.

Eagles fall to Retrievers

Five AU women's lacrosse players had multiple goal efforts, but it was not enough to prevent the team from suffering its third-consecutive defeat, falling to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers 11-10 Wednesday afternoon. The loss drops AU's overall record to 2-11 and 1-4 in the Patriot League.

Eagles fall at home to Hokies, 19-11

Freshman Lauren Schoenberger scored a career high four goals, while senior midfielder Leslie Fischer and freshman midfielder Bernadette Maher each recorded a hat-trick but it was not enough to prevent the Eagles from falling to Virginia Tech 19-11 Saturday afternoon.

Capitals struggle down stretch

Despite clinching the Southeast Division, the Washington Capitals' struggles continue. With only three games to go until the playoffs, the team needs to get back in the habit of winning. The month of March is one the Capitals will most likely want to forget.

Women's lacrosse falls to Midshipmen

A three-goal, second-half rally could not save the AU women's lacrosse team as they fell 8-6 to the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen Wednesday afternoon. The loss dropped the Eagles' record to 1-4 in Patriot League play and 2-9 overall on the season. The game started well for the Eagles, as junior midfielder Amanda Makoid scored less than five minutes into the match to give AU a quick 1-0 lead.

An open letter from Jeff Jones

Minor league is major help

The Washington Capitals' minor league affiliate, the Hershey Bears, have managed to stay atop the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference despite a constantly changing roster. One of the biggest problems AHL teams face is that they never know when their most important players maybe called up to the NHL.

AU lacrosse triumphs over rival Lafayette

Junior midfielder Amanda Makoid's hat-trick, along with multi-goal efforts by four other Eagles, helped the AU women's lacrosse team capture a 12-11 victory over Lafayette College Saturday afternoon. The win was the first in Patriot League play for the Eagles, who improve to 1-3 in league play and 2-8 overall on the season.

Do small schools have a chance against elite?

This year's NCAA tournament has seen more near upsets this year than ever before, which may be a sign that the difference between a No. 1 seed and a No. 16 seed has become smaller, but in reality it is just a smokescreen. On the first two days of the tournament, we saw Villanova University having to come back against a weak AU team and the University of Pittsburgh barely escape East Tennessee State University.

Escape D.C.'s spring bustle on scenic paths

As winter's harsh winds morph into spring's sweet smelling breeze, there is no better time or place to enjoy a run, walk or bike ride than spring in D.C. Unfortunately, this is also the time when tourists flock the streets to hail D.C.'s beloved cherry blossoms.