Saints Claim Second Victory to Close 2010 EISA Championships

by: 

Nancie Battaglia

Ben Knowles '10 finished in fourth place in the 20K Free on Sunday.

Feb. 28: Though the St. Lawrence University men's Nordic ski team had to wait over three decades to win an EISA carnival event, the senior trio of Ben Knowles, Eric Wolcott and Zach Wetherell had to wait just 24 hours.  The men's team's top-three skiers combined for 110.0 points to cruise to victory in the 20K Freestyle to close the 2010 EISA Championships in style.

The same three men's skiers combined to win the classic race on Saturday in Middlebury, VT.  On Sunday, however, it was Knowles that paced the group in fourth place overall in 1:00:16.8.  The Cumberland, ME native collected 41.0 points for his finish.

Wolcott wasn't far behind his classmate, as he clocked in at 1:00:26.0 in fifth place to earn 39.0 points.  Wetherell then capped the scoring for the Scarlet and Brown and clinched the victory with a 10^th place finish to earn 30.0 points.

"I think this weekend's performances have been building all season," said St. Lawrence head coach Ethan Townsend, the 2010 EISA Coach of the Year.  "Ben (Knowles), Eric (Wolcott) and Zach (Wetherell) have been solid contributors to the program since their first day on campus, and they've been excellent representatives for the University as well."

Sophomore Adam Terko picked up a career-best 43^rd place finish in the men's 20K Free, while juniors Kyle Marvinney (47^th) and Steven Vargo (DNF) rounded out the squad's line-up.

Senior Johannah Ludington was St. Lawrence's top finisher in the women's 15K Free, racing in 55:03.7 to land in 21^st position.  The Morrisville, VT native earned 22.0 points for the Saints, helping the women's squad finish in ninth overall.

First-year student Kelsey Nichols and sophomore Leah Hart rounded out St. Lawrence's scoring by logging 30^th and 39^th place finishes, respectively.  Junior Elizabeth Hayden (52^nd) also represented the Saints in the women's event.

Dartmouth College totaled 141.0 points to easily win the women's 15K Free by 50.0 points, while the Big Green's men's team finished second to St. Lawrence with 99.0 points.  Dartmouth's Ida Sargent won the women's race in 50:21.9 while UVM's Franz Bernstein won the men's event in 59:43.6.

Sunday's race is the final event on the 2010 EISA carnival schedule.  The 2010 NCAA Skiing Championships will be held from March 10-13 in Steamboat Springs, CO, with bids to the event to be announced this Monday, March 1st.