Mustafa named to All-Commonwealth Coast Conference Second Team

Oct. 17, 2012

SPRINGFIELD – Linda Mustafa of the Western New England University (WNE) women's tennis team has been named to the All-Commonwealth Coast Conference Second Team as well as earning the 2012 CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, it was announced by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye on Tuesday. Voting for the All-CCC team and major individual awards was conducted among the conference's nine head women's tennis coaches.

A senior co-captain from Chicopee, Mustafa compiled a 4-4 conference record at No. 1 singles this fall. She also played the top spot in doubles with Valerie Conway and Kelsey Grode.

Mustafa carries a 3.83 cumulative grade-point average in the rigorous College of Pharmacy program. Her academic awards are numerous: Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society inductee in May 2010, President's List and Dean's List recipient every semester since December 2009, member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society Leadership Team from May 2010 to May 2011, and she received the School of Arts and Sciences Dean's Academic Achievement Award in August 2010.

"Linda has worked extremely hard both on the court and in the classroom, and as a leader of the team," WNE coach Jennifer Kolins said. "I am so proud of her for receiving the top honor of scholar-athlete of the year. Her stellar GPA and outstanding play this season came from intense focus, high expectation of herself and the work ethic and motivation to exceed those expectations."

Mustafa previously garnered all-conference honors as a freshman when she was an honorable mention pick for both doubles and singles in 2009. She's also been on the All-CCC Academic Team and tabbed a Division III Scholar-Athlete by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Mustafa capped the fall season as a double winner in the Golden Bears' 9-0 win over the University of St. Joseph on Oct. 13, winning first singles 6-2, 6-1 and first doubles 8-3.

Bonavita tabbed as NECC Player of the Week

ATTLEBORO – Senior goalkeeper Alexandra Bonavita of Agawam, was named the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Player of the Week following a 1-2 week that saw the Blazers' net-minder notch 27 saves during the three-game span including 17 in a hard-fought, 1-0 loss to Framingham State University en route to being named NECC Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Gonet named MASCAC Player of the Week

BUZZARDS BAY – Gaby Gonet a junior forward for the Worcester State University women's soccer team from Agawam, netted a pair of goals for the Lancers in a 2-2 double overtime draw at Salem State to earn her Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors on Oct. 14.

Westfield's Lauren Salem, a junior forward for Massachusetts Maritime Acadamy also earned a spot on the MASCAC honor roll after she netted the game-winning goal and an assist for the Buccaneers in a 3-0 victory at Pine Manor.

Fitzsimmons continues strong play on defense

SPRINGFIELD – American International College's Allie Fitzsimmons of West Springfield scored a goal 3:52 into the second half and Alyssa Werbicki of Chicopee scoring with a shot from 20 yards out as the 16th-ranked American International College women's soccer team earned a 6-0 Northeast-10 victory over visiting UMass Lowell on Oct. 13.

Two days earlier, Fitzsimmons was named the Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring the Yellow Jackets' defense as it held two of the top scoring teams in the NE-10 to just one goal. She held Saint Rose's Sydney Bond to a season-low one shot in the victory over the Golden Knights, who are the fourth-highest scoring team in all of Division II.

Bovat scores game-winner

WESTFIELD – Freshman Ashley Bovat of Westfield scored the game-winning goal in the ninth minute as the WSU women's soccer team remained undefeated by rolling to a 4-0 victory over MCLA on Oct. 13.

Hall's goal leads WSU over Worcester State

WORCESTER – Westfield State University senior Liz Hall of Southwick recorded the game winner just 2:35 into overtime to help the Owls outlast Worcester State, 2-1, in Little East Conference field hockey action on Oct. 13.

Shea impresses at WNE Invitational

SPRINGFIELD – West Springfield's Tim Shea finished 12th as the WSU men's cross country team placed second at he Western New England University Invitational on Oct. 13 with a time of 27:12.56.

Elms College's Adam Kuzdzal of Chicopee recorded a lifetime personal best time of 33:33.62 over an 8K course.

On the women's side, junior Kerry Ashe of Springfield also recorded a personal best at 24:07.78 for the 5K course while fellow Springfield natives Emma Bernard and Meghan Sullivan added significant time drops of 23:43.38 and 26:07.88, respectively.

Marino pots pair of goals in win

CHICOPEE – Elms College sophomore midfielder Carmen Marino of Granby scored a pair of second half goals to help pace the Blazers to a 3-0 victory over Bay Path College on Oct. 13.

Springfield's Gina DiGiovanni also scored on an assist by Victoria Cebula of Granby.

Pickett has career day for Elms

CHICOPEE – Elms College sophomore middle hitter JC Pickett of Chicopee smashed a collegiate career-high and match-best 23 kills to help pace the Blazers to a 3-1 (25-18, 25-27, 25-23, 25-22) victory over Newbury College on Oct. 13.

Morin wins in Bay Path loss

LONGMEADOW – In the No. 2 singles action sophomore Stephanie Morin of Springfield won 6-4, 6-0, but the Bay Path College tennis team fell in its regular season finale 6-3.

Westfield High volleyball captures eight win

WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School girls volleyball team won 3 - 1 (25-15, 25-17, 22-25, 25-18) over East Longmeadow High School on Oct. 12.

Westfield was led by Abby Hart, who recorded eight kills, five blocks, and two aces, while Alexa Morin tallied four kills and three blocks. Tracy Midwood helped out with 16 assists and two aces.

HCC falls to Mass Bay

HOLYOKE – Agawam natives Paulo Carvalho and Shaun Mello scored goals for the Holyoke Community College men's soccer team, but Mass Bay Community College was able to sneak by the Cougars 5-4 on Oct. 10.

Pat Cronin of Holyoke also scored, while Chicopee's Kory Kibler registered an assist.

Elms dominates Wheelock

BOSTON – Emily Brown of Agawam score two goals as the Elms College women's soccer team netted seven during a 21-minute span in the second period to post a 7-0 victory over Wheelock College.

Elms' junior defender Ally Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) capped the scoring with a long shot from 25 yards out at the 71:28 mark

AIC golf competes in Connecticut Cup

ELLINGTON, Conn. – Junior Tommy LeBlanc of Springfield finished 83rd with a 31-over par 247 (81-89-77) as the American International College men's golf team placed 15th overall and was fourth among the non-NCAA Division I programs competing at the 2012 Connecticut Cup, hosted by the University of Connecticut. Elms competes at James Earley Invitational

WESTFIELD – The Elms College cross country team competed at the James Earley Invitational hosted by Westfield State University at Stanley Park on Oct. 6.

Freshman Emma Bernard of Springfield registered a time of 30:43.14, junior Kerry Ashe of Springfield, sophomore Meghan Sullivan of Springfield notched a time of 33:09.25, sophomore Emily Taylor of Ludlow added a time of 34:36.92, and junior Stephanie Konstantinidis (Holyoke, Mass.) registered a mark of 40:46.20 to highlight Elms' runners.

Locals lift Elms College to victory

CHICOPEE – Elms College senior goalkeeper Alexandra Bonavita of Agawam made 13 saves and the Blazers had four players, including South Hadley's Kayla Narey and Agawam's Kristina Kopyscinski, score a goal to highlight a 4-1 win over Wheelock College in an Oct. 6 NECC field hockey game.

Dunne paces WNE's passing game in loss

MILTON – Holyoke's Adam Dunne was quarterback John Krafick's favorite target, recording five catches for 57 yards, but the Western New England Univeristy (WNE) football team lost to Curry College, 35-32, on a last-second touchdown by the hosts.

Springfield's Nick Fox-Edele made two field goals from 30 and 41 yards out for the Golden Bears.

WNE tennis wins season finale

QUINCY – WNE women's tennis' No. 1 singles player Linda Mustafa of West Springfield dropped the first set to Sharon Lemire, 6-1, but came back in the next two by identical scores of 6-3, 6-3 as the Golden Bears closed out the regular season on Oct. 5 by defeating host Eastern Nazarene, 6-1, in a darkness-shortened Commonwealth Coast Conference match.

Chicopee natives strong at New England Championships

WESTFIELD – Chicopee's Erica Fisher crossed in at 180th overall for the Springfield College with a time of 19:58.59 as the Pride took 30th out of 37 competing teams at the New England Championships on Sunday. The Pride finished the 5,000 meter course with 895 total points.

Junior Jenna Miller of Chicopee finished 240th overall with a time of 22:42.79 as the American International College women's cross country team placed 25th overall and fourth among NCAA Division II teams with 598 points at the 2012 New England Championships at Stanley Park.

Bay Path falls in NECC opener

NASHUA, N.H. – Freshman Elizabeth Deane of Agawam assisted a go-ahead goal on a penalty corner, but the Bay Path College field hockey team was unable to hold the lead and fell 2-1 to host Daniel Webster in both squads' NECC opener on Oct. 6.

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