Calvin wins epic opener

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Nov 16, 2012
Calvin athletics file photo

So much for easing into the season. Top-ranked Calvin started the 2012-2013 campaign by beating No. 3 St. Thomas at Millikin's opening tournament 77-72.

Calvin and St. Thomas will also meet tomorrow, in women's volleyball, for the DIvision III national championship.

Calvin's second game won't be much easier. The Knights will play No. 7 UW-Stevens Point next since the Pointers got past Millikin 65-50. Sam Barber led the way for the Pointers with 25 points.

Elsewhere No. 6 Mount Union defeated No. 5 Illinois Wesleyan 73-68 in a rematch of last year's Sweet 16 matchup. The Purple Raiders and Titans battled through a first half with 12 lead changes and remained close until Mount Union pulled away with an 18-6 run. Illinois Wesleyan ended Mount Union's season last year on a last second shot on the Purple Raiders' home court.

No. 20 Carthage topped No. 24 UW-River Falls 57-50 on a tough shooting night for both teams. The Lady Reds shot 38 percent (21-for-56) and got 21 points from Preseason All-American Cailee Corcoran.

Other Top 25 teams put their dominant defenses on display. No. 13 Messiah held Methodist below 40 in a 66-39 win. No. 4 DePauw nearly doubled up UW-Stout 88-48. No. 22 Emory nearly tripled Spelman's output in a 94-37 victory. It could be the Jaguars' last season opener since Spelman announced it would eliminate its intercollegiate athletics program after this season.

No. 14 Thomas More held off Defiance 55-51 and will meet Maryville (Tenn.) tomorrow. The Scots defeated Centre 72-63 in another impressive opening tournament with three teams that made last year's NCAA tournament.

Men's recap

Kevin Janowski scored 19 points as Ursinus battled Middlebury to the end.
Ursinus athletics photo

Three Top 10 teams overcame stiff challenges to win their season openers.

No. 4 Middlebury used a balanced attack to hold off Ursinus 78-73 at Lebanon Valley's opening tournament. The Panthers put five players in double figures while the Bears got 37 points from Jon Ward and Kevin Janowski.

No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan nipped Coe 53-52 when Mike Mayberger was fouled on a three-point attempt with seven seconds left. He made all three shots to lift the Titans to victory.

Cabrini needed overtime to beat the Apprentice School 89-77. The Cavaliers, who were national runners-up last season, played their first game without graduated All-American guard Cory Lemons. Freshman Arron Goodman notched 21 points and 11 rebounds in his college debut. Cabrini faces No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan tomorrow. The Marlins took care of St. Vincent 88-63.

Catholic opened the innaugural Hoopsville Invitational Classic by blitzing No. 16 Transylvania 67-41. The Cardinals shot 53 percent from the field (26-for-49) and held the Pioneers scoreless for a 14-minute stretch. Shawn Holmes scored 23 for Catholic.

Lakeland and Lake Forest went to triple-overtime before the Muskies finally edged the Foresters 113-112. Dickinson surprised preseason Liberty League favorite Hobart 71-68. Delaware Valley knocked off Skidmore 71-63 in overtime as Daulton Derr scored the game's final eight points. Clark topped Bowdoin 55-54 thanks to Brian Vayda scoring the game's final ten points, including a game winning three-pointer in the closing seconds.