Cross country men and women make big improvements
The 2013 cross country season was a big step for the program in the third season under the direction of Coach Jason Lewkowicz. Both the men and the women improved throughout the fall, with both taking high finishes at the ODAC Championship and improving their regional finish over last season. Hannah Chappell-Dick (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) also qualified for nationals, becoming the first female to run on the big stage since 2002.
Field hockey gets back to the playoffs in 2013
The EMU field hockey team worked their way back to the ODAC Tournament in 2013 after a one-year absence and landed three women on the All-ODAC teams.
The Royals finished fifth in the crowded Old Dominion Athletic Conference standings, but lost 2-1 in overtime at Bridgewater in their ODAC Quarterfinal game. All of Eastern Mennonite’s wins came in conference play, as the women finished 4-4 in the ODAC and 4-15 overall with a tough non-conference schedule. It was also a year of feast-or-famine, as the Royals averaged 4.0 goals per game in their wins, but scored a total of six goals in their 15 losses.
A season of near misses for men’s soccer
The men’s soccer season was bookended with wins in 2013. The middle of the campaign, however, displayed the parity of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as the Royals suffered five one-goal losses, including two in overtime, and were denied a return trip to the ODAC Tournament.
“It was a season of near misses,” said Coach Roger Mast after his 23rd season at his alma mater, “from losing by a goal to the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the conference to finishing one spot out of making the conference tournament. There is so much parity amongst our conference opponents and a fine line between success and failure, and wins and losses. It’s a good life lesson learned.”
EMU’s soccer women are back
The EMU soccer women made a bold statement in 2013 – we’re back! With just one senior on the team, the Royals ended a two-year postseason drought by returning to the ODAC Tournament and posted a winning record for the first time since 2008.
Eastern Mennonite’s women started the season 6-1, outscoring their opponents 22-5. Despite close losses to some of the ODAC’s top teams, injuries started to wear on the limited depth of the roster by the end of the season.
Year of rebirth for women’s volleyball
Despite replacing three of their top four hitters from the previous season, EMU’s volleyball women had a season full of new life in 2013. The Royals tied their best winning percentage since 2003 and broke a long ODAC losing skid.
In Coach Jeff Tyson’s second year at the helm, Eastern Mennonite had a pair of three-match winning streaks and was 9-9 on Oct. 4. But injuries to two of the team’s top three hitters, as well as the starting setter, torpedoed their final record, which settled at 9-18.