May 3, 2010

Four Falcons Collect League Weekly Honors

Muolo and Merchant earn MASCAC awards; Kelley and Swan notch NEWLA honors

MATT MUOLO

FITCHBURG, Mass. (May 3, 2010) – Fitchburg State athletes were very active this past week as four players collected respective league weekly honors as announced by their conference offices this afternoon.

Sophomore Madeline Merchant (Gardner, Mass./Monty Tech) and junior Matt Muolo (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) were named the MASCAC’s Track and Field Athletes of the Week respectively, while senior Emily Swan (Franklin, Mass./Franklin) and freshman Jamie Kelley (Pepperell, Mass./North Middlesex) notched a pair of NEWLA Weekly honors.

Merchant and Muolo led the Fitchburg State men’s and women’s track team this past weekend as it competed at the Division III New England Championships hosted by Tufts University. Merchant earned DIII All-New England honors with a fourth place performance in the 100m (12.53), while also turning a ninth place effort in the 200m (25.87). On the men’s side, Muolo garnered the Falcons top finish of the day, capturing the Division III New England title in the discus with a throw of 47.50m. He also added a seventh place effort in the shot-put with a throw of 14.44m, while finishing 11th overall in the javelin (53.18m).

EMILY SWAN

On the lacrosse field, Swan was named the NEWLA Player of the Week after leading Fitchburg State to a perfect 2-0 week in record breaking fashion. The senior captain recorded a 14 point week, posting seven goals and seven assists on the offensive end. She broke the NCAA Division III record with the fastest goal scored (:06) in a four goal, three assist effort vs. Becker while notching three scores and four helpers in a 12-9 win over Framingham State.

Jamie Kelley collected her second NEWLA Rookie of the Week honor after totaling seven points on four goals and three assists. She also added a team-best ten groundballs while posting four draw controls and four caused turnovers. Kelley was consistent throughout the week, leading Fitchburg State to a 12-9 victory over Framingham State with two goals, two assists and six groundballs, while notching a two-goal, one assist effort in a 19-5 win over Becker.

The Fitchburg State women’s lacrosse team (10-6, 4-3 NEWLA) will be back in action on Wednesday as it travels to Bridgewater State College for the semifinal round of the NEWLA Playoffs at 4:30 p.m. Members of the Fitchburg State men’s and women’s track team will be in action again this weekend as they compete at the ECAC Championships hosted by Springfield College.