CMU Sports Roundup
Women's Soccer
The #7 Carnegie Mellon women's soccer team defeated #10 Calvin on Saturday, Nov. 12. Junior Cecelia Dieterich put the Tartans on the scoreboard in the 13th minute with a header. Then, in the 53rd minute, senior Alex Adams scored a goal, assisted by senior Helena Spencer. The Tartans kept the Knights off the score sheet, taking a 2-0 victory to go 14-2-2 for the season and advancing to the sectional semifinal round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship.
The Tartans will next play at the sectional semifinal next weekend, exact date still to be determined.
Men’s Basketball
The Carnegie Mellon men’s basketball team opened their season this week with two home games. The first was against La Roche on Tuesday, Nov. 8 in Wiegand Gymnasium.
The Tartans took a 13-5 lead halfway through the first half, but the Redhawks made a quick comeback, making eight of their next 12 shots and tying it 23-23 with 2:32 left in the first half. La Roche held the lead at the end of the half, 28-27.
However, the Tartans pulled ahead during the second half and had a 51-40 lead with 10:38 left in the second half. The Redhawks once again staged a comeback, coming up right behind the Tartans, 54-52 with just over five minutes left in play. However, the Tartans would hold onto their lead and went on to win the game, 73-67.
The Tartans’ game on Saturday, Nov. 12 was similarly close. While the Tartans led 31-26 at the end of the first half, their opponent Washington & Jefferson also gave Carnegie Mellon a run for their money. Two minutes into the second half, the Presidents took over the lead 38-36. However, the Tartans quickly took back the lead and didn’t lose it for the rest of the game. The Presidents weren’t able to stage a final comeback and the Tartans took the victory, 81-73.
The team will be heading to Walsh University for an exhibition game on Tuesday, Nov. 16 in North Canton, Ohio.
Women’s Basketball
The Carnegie Mellon women’s basketball team opened their play this past week as well, with a game on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Their first game was against Allegheny College on the road. The Tartans started off strong, taking the first five points. By the end of the first quarter, the Tartans had the lead, 24-14. They proceeded to outscore the Gators in every quarter, giving Carnegie Mellon the victory in their season opener, 83-58.
On Friday, Nov. 11, the team took part in the Penn State Behrend Tournament, where they took on Salisbury University. The Tartans held a narrow lead at the end of the first quarter, 16-10. However, they would break away from their opponents in the next frame, scoring 22 points to the Seagulls’ 11. The Tartans continued their strong play, entering the fourth quarter with a sizable lead, 54-32. The Seagulls’ didn’t give in, though; they outscored the Tartans 21-14 in the last frame. However, this wasn’t enough, and the Tartans recorded their second victory, 68-53.
The Tartans kept up the momentum going into their game on the following day against Penn State Behernd. Despite trailing 15-14 going into the second quarter, the Tartans turned it around and took a 32-29 lead at the end of the second quarter. Carnegie Mellon continued to dominate into the next frame, outsourcing the Lions 22-14. Penn State turned the tables on Carnegie Mellon in the final quarter by almost making a comeback, but the Tartans were able to finish strong and earn their third win of the season, 68-64.
The women’s team will continue their road campaign this week when they take on Geneva on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Football
The Carnegie Mellon football team headed to Cleveland, Ohio this past Saturday, Nov. 12 to take on long-time rival Case Western Reserve University in the 36th Annual Academic Bowl.
Less than five minutes into the first quarter, junior Logan Young recovered a Spartan fumble on the Spartan one-yard line. After two rushes, first-year Joey McGinnis crossed the goal line, giving the Tartans a 7-0 lead after a successful point after.
Also less than five minutes into the second quarter, the Tartans put their second set of points on the board. Junior Ben Mills connected with senior Kris Hughes for a 25-yard touchdown and a 14-0 Tartan lead.
The Spartans recorded their only points of the day on their first possession of the second after a 53-yard drive that lasted 10 plays. With 10:13 left in the third quarter, the scoreboard read 14-7, Tartans. After an unsuccessful drive by the Tartans, Case Western got the ball back and attempted a 37-yard field goal. Young, however, was able to block the ball and give possession back to Carnegie Mellon.
Another Tartan scoring drive helped to secure the team’s victory. After a 92-yard drive, the Tartans missed the point after, but earned a 20-7 victory over the Tartans.
This victory marks the seventh time in program history that the Carnegie Mellon football team has gone undefeated. The Tartan winning streak now totals 17 straight games, the longest active among all collegiate football teams.
As the Tartans claimed the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title, they automatically secured a postseason bid. They will be taking on the North Coast Athletic Conference champions DePauw University at home on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Gesling Stadium with a noon kickoff.