Sports

Semin's fast start helps him lead Caps

By netting six goals in the first five games, he has become one of the premier left-wingers in the National Hockey League. No, we are not talking about Alexander Ovechkin, but rather his countryman Alexander Semin. This season, Semin has stepped up as the team's leading scorer and as one of the most explosive players on the bench.

Cut through

Cross country brief

The AU men's and women's cross country teams fared well in their final tune-up before the Patriot League Championships, with the men taking home the title and the women coming in second place. Senior Carlos Jamieson finished second overall in the race with a time of 25:36.

Swimming and diving brief

The men's and women's swimming and diving teams took home 13 first place finishes this weekend as they competed in a tri-meet against George Washington University and Catholic University. Leading the way on the men's side was junior Matt Pelletier, who took three first place titles in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke as well as in the 100-yard butterfly.

Men's soccer brief

The men's soccer team rose to No. 7 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's Mid-Atlantic Regional Poll this week, the first time that the squad has been ranked this season. The rise comes on the heels of a 1-0 tie with Lehigh on Saturday, which improved its record to 6-5-2 and 2-0-1 in the Patriot League.

Volleyball records ten wins in a row

It was another successful weekend for the AU women's volleyball team, as they defeated Patriot League rivals Bucknell University Friday and Colgate University Saturday, in straight sets on the road. AU ran their winning streak to 10 straight matches, including seven straight against Patriot League opponents.

Field hockey brief

The AU field hockey team took home two victories over the weekend, defeating Bucknell University 4-0 Saturday and Towson University 4-1 Sunday. The wins helped the Eagles improve to 8-6 overall and 3-0 in the Patriot League. Senior attacker Irene Schickhardt was instrumental in the victory over the Bison, tallying her ninth and 10th goals of the season to pace the Eagles to a 4-0 victory.

Makowski shines in freshman campaign

After the final whistle sounded on AU's 4-1 victory over Georgetown University Tuesday, goalkeeper Matt Makowski pumped his fist in celebration, punctuating what was an afternoon of brilliance. Makowski had just finished playing a fast and chippy game in which he made nine saves and saw one shot hit the crossbar.

Ovechkin, Crosby lead NHL into golden era

The two golden boys of the National Hockey League are poised to face off in Pittsburgh and it will be the Washington Capitals' toughest game yet. The two most marketable players in hockey by far are the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby and our own Alexander Ovechkin.

Eagles stun Hoyas

Senior midfielder Phil Purdy connected on a penalty kick in the 68th minute, giving the AU men's soccer team the momentum in a 4-1 comeback victory over Georgetown University on Reeves Field Tuesday. AU played its most complete game of the season, beating a Georgetown team that has bounced in and out of the top 25 national rankings this season.

Capitals bring back pride to D.C. hockey fans

On banner night at the Verizon Center Alexander Ovechkin and company showed why they are the Southeast Division Champions. The home opener started with the division champs' banner ceremony and ended with a victory the team could be proud of. The Capitals made a historic run to the post-season, winning 11 of their last 14 games to clinch the Southeast Division and their first playoff birth since 2003.

Eagles defeat Midshipmen, 3-2

The AU women's volleyball team ran its winning streak to seven this weekend, beating the U.S. Naval Academy Friday and the New Jersey Institute of Technology Saturday in two tightly contested matches. Friday's match against Navy was AU's 23rd straight win against their Patriot League rival, a streak that dates back to 1989.

Men's soccer defeats Navy 2-0

The AU men's soccer team defeated the U.S. Naval Academy 2-0 Saturday afternoon on the strength of a goal and assist by senior midfielder Phil Purdy. The victory improves the Eagles' record to 1-0-1 in the Patriot League and 4-5-2 overall. After controlling the offensive flow throughout the entire first half and midway through the second, the Eagles still found themselves in a scoreless tie with the Midshipmen.

Women's soccer's losing streak ends

The AU women's soccer team ended their seven-game scoreless drought in dramatic fashion over the weekend as they defeated Lehigh University 1-0 Friday afternoon before tallying three goals in a 3-0 victory over Lafayette College Sunday. The two wins improved the Eagles' record to 2-1-0 in the Patriot League and 5-9-1 overall.

Time to drop the puck: Excited for the NHL

This weekend marked a busy time in the sports world. Fans were glued to the television for week five of the National Football League season, Chicago baseball fans threw things at the television, and halfway around the globe, the puck dropped on the National Hockey League's season in Prague, Czech Republic.

The NHL's back: Does anybody care?

As the second weekend of October approaches, it is a time to reflect on what is most important in the sports world. No, it's not the extremely competitive Major League Baseball Division Series, nor the fifth week of the National Football League season. What I am talking about is the start of the National Hockey League season.

Women's soccer falls to Princeton, 4-0

AU women's soccer team's struggles continued on Tuesday afternoon, as the squad lost to the Princeton University Tigers 4-0 at Reeves Field. It is the Eagles' seventh straight loss via shutout, which drops them to 3-9-2 on the season. The Tigers came out of the gate with a red-hot offensive and never looked back.