McDERMOTT AND FLINN ARE TOP FINISHERS IN

GIANT SLALOM AT MIDDLBURY CARNIVAL

Feb. 24: The St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams competed in the Giant Slalom on Saturday, concluding the 2007 EISA Championships hosted by Middlebury. St. Lawrence was led on the slopes by senior Erin McDermott and first year student Graham Flinn.

 

McDermott was the top finisher for the Scarlet and Brown, closing in 27th place with a time of 2:10.76. The Bonney Lake, WA native combined her points with those of sophomore Marina Chiasson (30th, 2:12.35) and junior Kristen Ehringer (31st, 2:12.37) to land the women’s alpine team in eighth place overall with 64.0 points.

 

Sophomore Danielle LaCavalla raced in a time of 2:13.64 to finish in 34th position while rookie Jennifer Kish was in 47th behind a time of 2:20.90. Senior Sarah Lauridsen (DNF) also competed for the Saints in the Giant Slalom.

 

Veronique Archambault-Leger of New Hampshire won the Women’s Giant Slalom with a time of 2:05.67, less than a second ahead of Dartmouth’s Michelanne Shields. However, it was the Vermont Catamounts that were victorious on the team side, scoring 110.0 points to edge Dartmouth by a single point.

 

Meanwhile, a trio of underclassmen scored for the St. Lawrence men’s alpine ski team on Saturday, as Flinn joined efforts with rookie Sean Mallia and sophomore Doug Brown to land the Saints in ninth place overall. Flinn raced in a time of 2:04.42 for 29th place, while Mallia earned 35th (2:06.12) and Brown closed in 40th (2:07.34).

 

Also competing for the Saints in the Giant Slalom were first year student Michael Wallman (42nd, 2:07.93), senior Eric Morgan (DNF), and rookie James Andersen (DNF).

 

Andrew Wagner of Middlebury College won the Men’s Giant Slalom with a time of 2:00.34, .21 seconds ahead of Eric Mann of Williams College. Wagner’s win helped the Panthers win the team event with 115.0 points, again a single point ahead of Dartmouth.

 

The 2007 EISA Championship was also won by Dartmouth in impressive fashion with 928.0 points, 70.0 points ahead of Vermont. St. Lawrence finished in 8th place in the Middlebury Carnival to close out the regular Nordic season.

 

 

 

BROWN AND McDERMOTT PACE SAINTS IN SLALOM

AT EISA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Feb. 23: Sophomore Doug Brown and senior Erin McDermott were the top finishers for the St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams on Friday in the Slalom as the Saints kicked off the 2007 EISA Championships at the Middlebury Carnival.

 

Brown’s time of 1:36.17 landed the Richmond, VT native a 16th place overall finish and 28.0 points towards the carnival. Brown’s second-run time of 49.91 was the third-fastest time in the heat.

 

Completing the scoring for the men’s team on Friday were first year students Michael Wallman and James Andersen. Wallman finished in 23rd place, his second-best showing of the season, with a time of 1:36.73 while Andersen’s time of 1:55.55 put him in 44th position.

 

Just missing scoring for St. Lawrence was first year Graham Flinn, who finished in 49th place with a time of 2:04.76. Senior Eric Morgan did not finish his first run, while rookie Sean Mallia, who had the team’s fastest first-heat time, was unfortunately unable to complete his second run.

 

Vermont’s Greg Hardy won the Slalom behind a time of 1:32.55, .63 seconds ahead of runner-up David Chodounsky from Dartmouth. The Catamounts also were able to best the Big Green in the team competition, 116.0 points to 112.0 points. The Saints finished in 7th place with 58.0.

 

On the women’s side, McDermott led the team for the seventh time this season with a 25th place finish. The Bonney Lake, WA raced in heats of 58.35 and 56.76 for a time of 1:55.11 and 24.0 points.

 

Fellow senior Sarah Lauridsen had a team-best second-run time of 56.55 to climb into 28th place (1:56.83). Completing the scoring for the women’s team was sophomore Marina Chiasson, who earned 19.0 points for her 30th place finish (1:57.37). The Saints finished with 64.0 points, good enough for sixth position overall.

 

Junior Kristen Ehringer (37th, 2:01.13), sophomore Danielle LaCavalla (42nd, 2:04.16), and first year student Jennifer Kish (51st, 2:17.66) also competed for the Scarlet and Brown in the Slalom at the EISA Championships.

 

The women’s slalom winner was Dartmouth’s Lindsay Mann with a time of 1:46.88 who beat Vermont’s Kara Crow by 1.11 seconds. The team event was won by Middlebury with 112.0 points, a single point ahead of the Big Green (111.0 points).

 

Both the men’s and women’s alpine ski teams will be in action again tomorrow, Saturday, February 24th in the Giant Slalom completing the 2007 EISA Championships at Middlebury.

 

 

MALLIA AND McDERMOTT EARN TOP-20 FINISHES

TO CONCLUDE WILLIAMS CARNIVAL

Feb. 17: First year student Sean Mallia and senior Erin McDermott recorded top-20 finishes in the Slalom on Saturday afternoon as the St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams competed in the final event of the Williams Carnival held at Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA.

 

Mallia was the Saints top finisher with a 17th place showing with a time of 1:43.24. The Weston, VT native has had a top-20 finish in every carnival this season. His finish on Saturday in the slalom earned 26.0 points for his team and 14.0 points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Senior Eric Morgan was next on the men’s side, racing in a time of 1:53.80 for 32nd place overall. The final scorer for the Scarlet and Brown in the slalom was rookie David Slungaard, who was the only skier to score both days for the men’s team. The Hudson, WI native picked up 14.0 points for St. Lawrence with a 35th place showing, bringing their team total to 56.0 points, earning 9th place overall.

 

Sophomore Doug Brown and first year student Zachary Barkan finished just out of the scoring for the Saints, finishing in 36th and 37th place, respectively. Brown raced in a time of 2:01.86, while Barkan followed with a time of 2:06.87. Also skiing for St. Lawrence was first year student James Andersen, who posted a solid first run time of 50.80. However, the Putnam Valley, NY native failed to finish his second run.

 

The men’s slalom was won by David Chodounsky of Dartmouth College with an impressive time of 1:36.11. His 42.0 points helped the Big Green to the victory in the event, a mere 7.5 points ahead of Middlebury.

 

On the women’s side, McDermott’s 20th place finish was her fourth top-20 finish of her senior season. The Bonney Lake, WA native earned 26.0 points for the Saints and was awarded 11.0 points towards the NCAA Individual Championships.

 

Fellow classmate Sarah Lauridsen was the second finisher for St. Lawrence, two spots behind McDermott in 22nd position. The duo’s 50.0 points were added to sophomore Danielle LaCavalla’s 21.0 points to bring the team’s total to 71.0 points, good for 8th place. Lauridsen skied in a time of 1:52.84, while LaCavalla’s time of 1:56.05 put her in 26th place.

 

Also on the slopes for the Scarlet and Brown on Saturday were sophomore Marina Chiasson (30th, 1:58.17), junior Kristen Ehringer (32nd, 1:59.11), and first year student Megan Howard (38th, 2:09.43).

 

The University of New Hampshire ’s Venonique Archambault-Leger picked up her second consecutive win with a time of 1:42.66 in the slalom, earning her the weekend sweep. She finished almost a full second ahead of Vermont ’s Kara Crow, who raced in a time of 1:43.60.

 

The 2007 Williams Carnival was won by Dartmouth College with a total of 898.0 points, while Vermont was second with 843.0 points. St. Lawrence earned 8th place overall with 556.0 points.

 

The men’s and women’s alpine ski teams will compete in the final carnival of the season hosted by Middlebury College next weekend. The event, which is also the EISA Championships, is the final chance for student-athletes to accumulate points towards the NCAA Championships. The alpine portion of the Middlebury Carnival will begin on Friday, February 23rd at the Middlebury Snowbowl in Hancock, VT.

 

 

 

McDERMOTT AND BROWN LEAD SAINTS IN THE

GIANT SLALOM TO OPEN WILLIAMS CARNIVAL

Feb. 16: The St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams began competition at the 2007 Williams Carnival on Friday at Jiminy Peak in Prospect, VT. Senior Erin McDermott’s 33rd place finish led the women’s team, while sophomore Doug Brown’s 38th place showing was best on the men’s side.

 

McDermott’s time of 2:03.63 netted the Bonney Lake, WA native 17.0 points towards the carnival. However, her teammates were not far behind, as sophomore Danielle LaCavalla and first year student Megan Howard finished in 34th and 35th place, respectively, to complete the team’s scoring. LaCavalla’s second run time of 59.61 landed her combined time of 2:04.20, while Howard was .2 seconds behind with a time of 2:04.40.

 

The Saints women’s team combined for a total of 66.0 points, closing in seventh place in the Giant Slalom. Also competing for St. Lawrence on Friday were sophomore Marina Chiasson (40th, 2:09.74), senior Sarah Lauridsen (42nd, 2:10.77), and junior Kristen Ehringer (52nd, 2:39.40).

 

The Women’s Giant Slalom was won by New Hampshire’s Veronique Archambault-Leger with a time of 1:55.58, while Middlebury’s Dorothy Muirhead took second with a time of 1:56.89.

 

Brown was the top finisher on the men’s team with a time of 1:58.63, earning 19.0 points for the Saints. First year student Zachary Barkan joined Brown in scoring with 17.0 points behind a 42nd place finish (2:00.99), while fellow classmate David Slungaard completed the scoring, adding 13.0 points behind a 50th place finish (2:07.37). The trio combined for 49.0 points to put the Saints in ninth place.

 

Senior Eric Morgan landed in 55th place (3:33.71) after an unfortunate second run, while first year students Sean Mallia (DNF 2nd Run) and James Andersen (DNS 2nd Run) also competed for the Saints on Friday.

 

Dartmouth College’s Evan Weiss won the Men’s Giant Slalom behind a time of 1:50.66, while Middlebury’s Andrew Wagner finished .12 seconds back in the runner up position (1:50.78).

 

The St. Lawrence University alpine ski teams will be in action again tomorrow, Saturday, February 17th in the Slalom to conclude the Williams Carnival.

 

 

 

LAURIDSEN AND MORGAN PACE SAINTS

IN DARMOUTH CARNIVAL FINALE

Feb. 10: Seniors Sarah Lauridsen and Erin McDermott and junior Kristen Ehringer joined senior Eric Morgan in leading the Saints women’s and men’s alpine ski teams in the slalom at the Dartmouth Carnival on Saturday. The trio of upperclassmen led the women’s team to an eighth place showing, while the men’s squad finished in seventh place for the second consecutive day.

 

Lauridsen was the top finisher for the Scarlet and Brown on Saturday as the New London, NH native earned 24th place with a time of 1:54.07. McDermott was next for the women’s team, netting 14.0 points with her 28th place finish (1:56.18), while Ehringer completed the Saints’ scoring in 30th position behind a time of 1:58.86.

 

First year student Jennifer Kish finished in 32nd place and two spots out of the scoring with a time of 2:00.23, while fellow rookie Megan Howard took 41st place with a time of 1:01.66. Sophomore Marina Chiasson also competed for St. Lawrence, but failed to complete her second run.

 

The women’s slalom was won by Kara Crow from UVM with a time of 1:45.48, less than .4 seconds ahead of Dartmouth’s Lindsay Mann (1:45.82).

 

Meanwhile, Morgan’s 26th place finish on Saturday trumped his season’s best performance from Friday by one position. The Haverhill, MA native earned 19.0 points with a time of 1:46.71.

 

Also scoring for the men’s alpine team on Saturday were first year students Graham Flinn with 16.0 points (30th place, 1:47.74) and Sean Mallia with 10.0 points (37th place, 1:58.88).

 

Sophomore Doug Brown (39th place, 2:05.56) and rookies James Andersen (DNF 2nd run) and Michael Wallman (DNS 2nd Run) also competed for the Saints in the slalom.

 

The men’s slalom was taken with a time of 1:35.54 from Greg Hardy of UVM, only .06 seconds ahead of Dartmouth’s David Chodounsky (1:35.60).

 

The 2007 Dartmouth Carnival was won by the hosting Big Green with 756.0 points, while the Catamounts from Vermont were in second place with 729.0 points. St. Lawrence finished in fifth place overall with 488.0 points.

 

The men’s and women’s alpine ski teams will be in action again next weekend at Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA for the 2007 Williams Carnival.

 

 

FOUR SAINTS LAND TOP-20 FINISHES

IN SLALOM AT DARTMOUTH CANIVAL

Feb. 9: First year student Sean Mallia and senior Erin McDermott were the top finishers for the St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams on Friday, as the Saints competed in the slalom at the Dartmouth Carnival in Lyme, NH. Mallia posted his collegiate-best finish with a 14th place effort, while McDermott’s 16th place finish was her top finish of the season.

 

Mallia’s time of 1:42.58 earned the Weston, VT native his fourth top-20 finish of his rookie campaign. He earned 25.0 points for the Saints, while capturing 18.0 individual points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Senior Eric Morgan was the second finisher for the Saints men’s team in the slalom with a time of 1:47.23, landing him in 27th place, his top finish of the year. Rounding out the scoring on the men’s side was rookie Graham Flinn, who raced in a time of 1:54.39 and finished in 38th place overall. Mallia, Morgan, and Flinn combined for a total of 53.0 points, which was good enough for seventh place overall.

 

Also competing for the Scarlet and Brown on Friday were sophomore Doug Brown (48th, 2:02.49) and first year students James Andersen (DNF) and Michael Wallman (DNF 2nd Run).

 

"Sean is skiing at a very high level and tomorrow could be a great day for him," said Saints head coach Jeff Pier.  "Doug Brown had a very strong first run and was skiing very fast on his second, but hooked a tip on a gate and had to hike, taking him out of a likely top-15 finish.  The men are confident going into tomorrows race, which should be an exciting event."

 

The men’s slalom was won by David Chodounsky of Dartmouth College with a time of 1:39.26, a mere .6 seconds ahead of UVM’s Zachary Brown (1:39.86).

 

On the women’s side, McDermott collected her third top-20 finish of the season behind a time of 1:44.17. Her time gave the Saints 23.0 points towards the carnival, and landed the Bonney Lake, WA native 15.0 points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Though McDermott was the top finisher for the Saints women’s alpine ski team on Friday, she was not the lone finisher in the top-20. Senior Sarah Lauridsen posted her best finish of the season in 18th place (1:44.65), while sophomore Marina Chiasson earned the best finish of her collegiate career with a 20th place showing. The trio grossed 63.0 points, placing the team in 6th position overall.

 

First year student Jennifer Kish finished in 24th place in her first collegiate race for the Scarlet and Brown with a time of 1:49.09. Also competing for the Saints on Friday were junior Kristen Ehringer (39th, 2:02.13) and first year student Megan Howard (40th, 2:02.54).

 

"We are very pleased with the performance of the womans team," added Coach Pier.  "The conditions were excellent, which allowed Erin, Sarah and Marina the chance to ski into the top-30 first run.  They skied well in the second run moving up from the 40's to finish in the top 20.  They'll look to ski even faster tomorrow."

 

Middlebury College ’s Mattie Ford took the women’s slalom with a time of 1:39.60, while her teammate Alexis Vest-Burton finished in second thanks to a time of 1:40.08.

 

After the opening day of competition at the Dartmouth Carnival, St. Lawrence is in fifth place overall, a mere point ahead of Colby College . The Saints alpine ski teams will again race in the slalom tomorrow, Saturday, February 10th to finish the carnival.

 

 

 

UNDERCLASSMEN CONTINUE TO SUCCEED

IN GIANT SLALOM AT UVM CARNIVAL

Feb. 3: Sophomore Danielle LaCavalla and first year students Sean Mallia and Michael Wallman each had top-20 finishes in the Giant Slalom on Saturday as the St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams completed competition at the UVM Carnival at Mt. Mansfield in Stowe, VT.

 

LaCavalla bested her 18th place finish on Friday with a 16th place showing in the Giant Slalom on Saturday, boasting a time of 2:01.01. Her finish earned the Saints 19.0 points towards the event and 15.0 points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Joining LaCavalla in scoring for the Saints were senior Erin McDermott and junior Kristen Ehringer. McDermott, who did not finish her second run on Friday, came back strong on Saturday with a time of 2:06.68 for 24th place. She finished .54 seconds ahead of Ehringer in 25th place with a time of 2:07.22. The trio combined for 46.0 points, landing in 7th place overall.

 

Finishing just behind Ehringer were first year student Megan Howard and senior Sarah Lauridsen. Howard’s time of 2:09.07 earned the Shelburne, VT native 26th place, while Lauridsen followed closely in 27th place with a time of 2:09.41. Sophomore Marina Chiasson, who posted her best finish of the season on Friday in 32nd place, was disqualified on Saturday.

 

For the second day in a row, the St. Lawrence University men’s alpine ski team received all of their points from their rookies. Sean Mallia, Michael Wallman, and David Slungaard combined for 48.0 points and finished in 7th place as well. Mallia (18th, 1:56.14) and Wallman (1:58.95) finished back-to-back and earned 18.0 and 17.0 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Slungaard bounced back nicely after a DNF on Friday with a 23rd place showing on Saturday (2:00.82).

 

First year student Graham Flinn was the next Saint finisher in 33rd place with a time of 2:11.10. Senior Eric Morgan (DNF 2nd run) and sophomore Doug Brown (DQ 2nd run) also competed for the Scarlet and Brown in the Giant Slalom on the final day of the UVM Carnival.

 

Both the men’s and women’s alpine ski teams will head to Lyme, NH next weekend for the Dartmouth Carnival. The fourth carnival of the season will be held on Friday and Saturday, February 9th and 10th.

 

 

LaCAVALLA FINISHES IN 18th IN GIANT SLALOM

AS SAINTS OPEN 2007 UVM CARNIVAL

Feb. 2: The St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams began competition on Friday at the UVM Carnival at Mt. Mansfield in Stowe, VT. The Saints women’s team was led in the Giant Slalom by sophomore Danielle LaCavalla, who finished in 18th place with a time of 1:14.70, her best finish of the 2007 season.

 

LaCavalla’s time earned her 17.0 team points and 13 individual points towards the NCAA Championships. Junior Kristen Ehringer was the next scorer for the Saints with a 31st place finish thanks to a time of 1:20.04. She was followed by sophomore Marina Chiasson, whose 32nd place finish behind a time of 1:20.67 is a career best and earned 10.0 points for the Scarlet and Brown. The trio’s total of 38.0 points put them in 8th place overall.

 

Senior Sarah Lauridsen finished just out of the scoring for the Saints on Friday with a time of 1:22.73 (34th place). Also competing for St. Lawrence in the Giant Slalom were rookie Megan Howard (36th, 1:23.12) and senior Erin McDermott (DNF 2nd run).

 

On the men’s side, five Saint skiers all finished within twelve spots of each other as the team earned 7th place overall. A trio of first year students led the way for the Scarlet and Brown on Friday, as Graham Flinn, Sean Mallia, and Michael Wallman were the team’s scorers. Flinn was the top finisher for the squad with a time of 2:25.68 in 25th place, while Mallia was next in 29th (2:26.86) followed by Wallman (31st, 2:27.52).

 

Sophomore Doug Brown continued the underclassmen trend with a 33rd place showing with a time of 2:30.45. Senior Eric Morgan (37th, 2:35.15) and rookie David Slungaard (DNF) also competed for St. Lawrence in the Giant Slalom.

 

The Saints will be in action again tomorrow, Saturday, February 3rd for Day Two of the 2007 UVM Carnival.

 

 

McDERMOTT AND MALLIA RECORD TOP-20 FINISHES

IN SLALOM AT UNH CARNIVAL

Jan. 27: Senior Erin McDermott and first year student Sean Mallia each recorded top-20 finishes in the slalom, as the St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams finished competition at the 2007 UNH Carnival.

 

McDermott was the top Saint finisher in the slalom, earning 17th place overall with a time of 1:56.88. The Bonney Lake, WA native earned 22.0 points for the Saints and 14 individual points towards the NCAA Championship with her sixth career top-20 finish.

 

First year student Megan Howard and sophomore Danielle LaCavalla joined McDermott in scoring for the

St. Lawrence women’s alpine team on Saturday. Howard, who is off to a very solid start in her rookie season, finished in 29th place with a time of 2:03.01, while LaCavalla was five spots back in 34th position with a time of 2:07.76. The team’s total of 50.0 points put them in 8th place overall.

 

Junior Kristen Ehringer (40th, 2:20.01) and senior Sarah Lauridsen (45th, 2:30.02) also competed for the women’s team in the slalom.

 

On the men’s side, Mallia, who earned a 16th place finish last weekend in the slalom at the St. Michael’s Carnival, continued to impress in the event with a 20th place showing on Saturday. His time of 1:40.71 led the Saints, and the Weston, VT native earned 21.0 points for his efforts.

 

Also scoring for the men’s team on Saturday were Mallia’s fellow rookies James Andersen and Graham Flinn. Andersen collected his first collegiate points with a 27th place showing (1:45.08), while Flinn was less than a second behind in 28th place (1:45.91). The three first year students combined for 52.0 points, placing the Scarlet and Brown in 6th place overall.

 

Sophomore Doug Brown was the next finisher for the Saints with a time of 1:50.15, finishing in 33rd place. Also competing in the slalom were first year student Zachary Barkan (DNF 2nd run) and senior Eric Morgan (DQ).

 

The Saints will be in action again next weekend, February 2nd and 3rd, at the 2007 UVM Carnival at Stowe, VT.

 

 

FLINN AND EHRINGER LEAD SAINTS IN

GIANT SLALOM AT UNH CARNIVAL

Jan. 26: First year student Graham Flinn continued his outstanding start to his rookie season with a 17th place finish in the men’s Giant Slalom at the UNH Carnival at Attitash on Friday. His time of 1:11.34 earned the Saints men’s team 22.0 points and was the Jericho, VT native’s third consecutive top-25 finish to open the 2007 season.

 

Flinn, who earned 14 points towards the NCAA Championships with his time, combined his point total with those of sophomore Doug Brown and senior Eric Morgan. Brown skied in a time of 1:13.38, earning 14.0 points, while Morgan collected 11.0 points in 34th place with a time of 1:15.27. The trio’s total of 47.0 points earned the Scarlet and Brown 8th place overall.

 

The Saints took an unfortunate break when first year student Sean Mallia was unable to finish his second run. His time of 1:10.81 in the first run would have placed the rookie in the top-25. Mallia’s fellow classmates James Andersen and Zachary Barkan were also unable to complete the Giant Slalom, with Andersen falling in the first run and Barkan in the second.

 

On the women’s side, St. Lawrence received points from junior Kristen Ehringer, first year student Megan Howard, and sophomore Danielle LaCavalla. Ehringer led the team in 28 th position with a time of 1:14.16, though Howard (30th, 1:14.69) and LaCavalla (31st, 1:14.71) were not far behind. The threesome placed the team in 7th place with a total of 51.0 points.

 

Seniors Erin McDermott and Sarah Lauridsen finished outside of the Saints top three, as McDermott finished with a time of 1:15.61, good enough for 35th place, while Lauridsen was in 40th with a time of 1:17.22. Also competing for St. Lawrence in the Giant Slalom was sophomore Marina Chiasson, though the Burlington, VT native was unable to finish her second run after a solid first run of 1:14.55.

 

Both the men’s and women’s alpine ski team will be in action again tomorrow, Saturday, January 27th on Day 2 of the UNH Carnival when they compete in the slalom.

 

 

 

UNDERCLASSMEN PACE SAINTS IN

SLALOM AT ST. MICHAEL'S CARNIVAL

Jan. 20: First year students Sean Mallia and Graham Flinn each finished in the top-21 overall in the slalom on Saturday afternoon, leading the St. Lawrence University men’s alpine ski team to a sixth place overall finish. Meanwhile, senior Erin McDermott was the top finisher for the Saints women’s squad, earning 22nd place overall.

 

Mallia and Flinn combined for a total of 42.0 points in the slalom, with Mallia earning 16th place in his first collegiate slalom race. The Weston, VT native had runs of 44.62 and 46.21 (1:30.83) to net him 15 points towards the NCAA Championships. His fellow classmate Flinn earned 21st place overall with a time of 1:33.13, his second consecutive top-25 finish.

 

The Saints scoring was rounded out by sophomore Doug Brown, who finished with runs of 45.19 and 48.00 (1:33.19) and in 22nd position. His 18.0 points brought the team’s total to 60.0, good enough for sixth place in the event.

 

Other competitors on the men’s side included senior Eric Morgan (29th, 1:35.32) and first year students David Slungaard (31st, 1:37.19) and Michael Wallman (DNF).

 

McDermott’s 22nd place finish came one day after earning 17th in the Giant Slalom at the St. Michael’s Carnival. Her 19.0 points led the Saints, while junior Kristen Ehringer added 15.0 points to her total with a 27th place showing (1:46.76). Senior Sarah Lauridsen (28th, 1:46.90) completed the Scarlet and Brown’s scoring and placing them in eighth overall.

 

Sophomore Danielle LaCavalla was the next Saint finisher in the slalom with a time of 1:49.96 in 32nd place. Rookie Megan Howard closed in the 33rd spot (1:49.97), while sophomore Marina Chiasson closed out the team’s lineup in 40 th place (1:59.88).

 

Dartmouth College won the St. Michael’s Carnival with a total score of 697.0 points, only nine points ahead of UVM. The Saints finished in seventh place overall, which combines both the Nordic and alpine team scores.

 

The Saints will be in action again next weekend, January 19th and 20th, at the UNH Carnival at Attitash in Bartlett, NH.

 

 

FIVE SAINTS FINISH IN TOP-25 IN GIANT SLALOM

AT ST. MICHAEL'S CARNIVAL

Jan. 19: The St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s alpine ski teams opened the 2007 carnival season on Friday at the St. Michael’s Carnival at Smuggler’s Notch, VT. The women’s team had four skiers finish in the top-25 in the Giant Slalom, placing them in 7th place overall while first year student Graham Flinn finished in the top-25 in his first collegiate race to lead the men’s team.

 

Senior Erin McDermott posted the third best finish of her career in 17th position overall thanks to runs of 59.59 and 59.78. Her overall time of 1:59.37 earned the team 21.0 points towards the carnival and earned McDermott 14 points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Sophomore Danielle LaCavalla tied her best career finish in 19th place (2:01.18), while junior Kristen Ehringer placed 24th overall with a time of 2:02.77, the second-best finish of her collegiate career, to round out the team’s scoring. First year student Megan Howard, coming off a fantastic season with the Saints women’s soccer team, finished in 25th place overall in her first collegiate race with a time of 2:02.87, earning her six NCAA points.

 

Also competing for the Saints in the Giant Slalom on Friday were senior Sarah Lauridsen (40th place, 2:18.38) and sophomore Marina Chiasson (DNF).

 

On the men’s side, Flinn was the lone Saint to finish in the top-25 on Friday thanks to runs of 56.76 and 57.38 (1:54.14). His finish earned the team 15.0 points, while the Jericho, VT native collected six points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Fellow first year students David Slungaard and Michael Wallman completed the scoring for the Saints men’s team in the Giant Slalom. Slungaard finished with a time of 1:56.67, good enough for 34th place, while Wallman was one spot behind in 35th thanks to a time of 1:56.94.

 

Rounding out the lineup for the Scarlet and Brown on Friday were sophomore Doug Brown (36th, 1:57.71), senior Eric Morgan (42nd, 2:00.27), and first year student Sean Mallia (DNF 2nd Run).

 

Both the men’s and women’s alpine teams will look to improve their standings tomorrow as the first Slalom event of 2007 takes place at the St. Michael’s Carnival.

 

 

BROWN, McDERMOTT, AND LAURIDSEN

READY TO ANCHOR SAINTS IN 2007

Dec. 20: The North Country seems headed for perhaps the “greenest” holiday season in recent memory as snow has been almost non-existent along the east coast. Though the lack of snow and cold temperatures has set the St. Lawrence University alpine ski teams behind schedule, it hasn’t gotten their spirits down about their upcoming season.

 

“We have had to work a little bit harder this season to find quality snow and training for our athletes, but we have been successful,” said Saints head coach Jeff Pier. “We have made great progress and achieved tremendous results already.”

 

Pier and the Saints men’s and women’s alpine teams headed west to Colorado during the Thanksgiving break to get some training in, and have also recently visited Mt. Tremblant in Quebec and Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, NY in search of snow.

 

“ Colorado was fantastic as we had the chance to train daily next to World Cup athletes from France, Germany, Slovenia, and Austria,” added Coach Pier. “It was great for our team to see Pranger, Schoenfelder, and Mario Matt go through their paces in preparation for the World Cup races at Beaver Creek.”

 

Upon the team’s return from Colorado, Whiteface Mountain provided just enough snow to get in the training they needed for the early season FIS races in Quebec. At the Val Saint-Come Super Series FIS Slalom events on December 18 th and 19 th, the Saints skied extremely well, as three women and four men finished in the top-15 in the first race of the season.

 

“It was a great start for us,” said Pier, who is entering his seventh year as head coach of the alpine ski squads. “Doug Brown won the second run on Sunday, moving up from the 23rd start position to finish 4th overall and land on the podium.”

 

On the men’s side, Brown will be one of the skiers to watch this season, as he hopes for a breakout sophomore campaign. He was 7th and 4th in the FIS SL races in Quebec, and his victory on his second run the final day was his first time winning an FIS run. With his results, the Richmond, VT native will greatly improve his starting positions at the EISA Carnivals this season for Slalom and put him in contention for an NCAA Championship bid this year.

 

Senior Eric Morgan will look to be a strong leader for the Saints as he is the only returning senior on the men’s side. He has shown great promise in both the slalom and Giant Slalom, and Coach Pier hopes to have him help motivate and provide direction to the younger skiers.

 

Two teammates Pier hopes to have Morgan mentor are first year students Sean Mallia and Graham Flinn. Mallia is the Saints top-ranked athlete on the FIS list.  He was 4th on Saturday at Val Saint-Come and is threat to make the NCAA Championships in his rookie season as he is first on the circuit. Meanwhile, Flinn was selected to represent the East at the opening speed North American Championships races at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.  The Jericho, VT native gained valuable experience while racing at the highest levels in North America. He finished in the top-15 both days at Val Saint-Come, showing consistency that is rare in a first year student athlete. 

 

The Saints incoming first year group also includes Zach Barkan, Michael Wallman, James Anderson, and Michael Nadolski. Anderson and Nadolski return to action this year after suffering season ending injuries last year, and if they are at full strength, could become strong contributors for the men’s team on a consistent basis.

 

Seniors Erin McDermott and Sarah Lauridsen will look to lead the charge for the Saints women’s alpine ski team, as each had top-15 finishes at the Val Saint-Come FIS Slalom races this month. McDermott made an immediate impact for the Saints upon returning from abroad last season, posting a solid, top-15 finish in the Giant Slalom at last year’s EISA Championships at Middlebury. Lauridsen was also a consistent point-scorer for the Scarlet and Brown last year, accumulating several top-20 Carnival finishes.

 

Junior Kristen Ehringer joins sophomore Marina Chiasson and Danielle LaCavalla as other top returnees on the women’s side. Ehringer has worked extremely hard and has continued to show remarkable improvement. She scored her career best in the FIS Slalom races at Val Saint-Come and has therefore improved her seeding to make her a dynamic threat to score for the Saints.

 

Chiasson, a Burlington, VT native, is looking to use the experience gained on the Carnival circuit last year to be a major contributor to this year’s squad. She has looked very good in training thus far, and Coach Pier hopes that her winning the Giant Slalom time trials in Keystone, Colorada in November will lift her confidence and performance to a new level. Meanwhile, LaCavalla has shown great dedication to her improvement, and is currently the team’s top ranked Giant Slalom skier.

 

Coach Pier will also look to have first year students Megan Howard and Jennifer Kish competing at several carnivals throughout the season in hopes of getting them valuable experience at the collegiate level.

 

The Saints will have some time at home to relax with family and friends for the holiday season before heading to Europe to utilize the lengthy break to return to Austria, Slovenia, Germany and perhaps Italy and the Czech Republic for some outstanding training and racing opportunities. The teams made a similar trip in 2003 and look forward to a pair of very competitive FIS University events at Innerkrems and St. Lambrecht, Austria.

 

“In 2003, our St. Lawrence athletes had a great trip and European experience,” said Coach Pier. “They made lasting friendships that went far beyond our normal borders and American culture. This year should prove to be just as rewarding to our new team members.”