Thanks to Hollywood, society at large and a disposition that lends itself toward the overly sentimental and sappy, I have an image indelibly etched in my mind. The heroic athlete — having overcome a silver bullet wound, blatant prejudice, ghosts in his cornfield, cancer, pesky groundhogs, the Great Depression or some other adversity of equal importance — standing triumphant and resolute, everyone watching in awe as he transcends the idea of what sport is, and what it can be. Music plays in the background, swelling to a thunderous crescendo, matched only in emotional intensity by the drama playing out on the field. For one moment, time halts its ceaseless march (because in the movies, well, it really does), and you glimpse in a flash an image of the unfettered human spirit, of a natural and pure beauty. I have had such a moment. Let me tell you my story.

p. It occurred on a warm Saturday morning, a mere week and a half ago, at the Kappa Alpha Theta Charity 5k. Cue the camera on our hero (me), splayed out on his bed. His hair is ruffled; his clothes lie in a crumpled pile beside the side of the bed. He groans in a manner that leaves no mystery as to the pounding inside of his head. Obviously, he is in for a rough morning. The clock reads 7:55 a.m. as the alarm begins to chime.

p. Calling up a resolve and strength that rivals the heroes of Greek lore, he reaches across and slams the snooze button. Ten minutes later, cradling his head in his arms so as to avoid the light from the window, he gets up and begins moving around. Will three hours of sleep be enough for him to perform adequately in the big race? Will his hangover be a detriment to his conditioning? Could this possibly be an adversity that must be overcome in order to find success, both in a physical sense and in a spiritual one? Cue next scene.

p. A large group of people, some in running clothes, some costumed, stand behind a thin chalk line waiting for the starter’s gun. And by starter’s gun I mean group of giggling girls that are set to yell ‘Go.’ Our hero, still bleary-eyed and looking like he was attached to a whiskey IV for much of the preceding night, waits among the masses. Suddenly, filled with a clueless temerity, one of the girls yells go. With all of the purpose of a pack of wild buffalo the runners amble away in confusion, stumbling awkwardly off the proverbial cliff before the girl has a chance to say “just kidding.”

p. But it’s too late now – the girl in charge of timing runs over in shock, frantically pushing her stop watch – the race has begun.
The hero pushes immediately to the front of the pack, maintaining his pace just off of first place. The course winds through the various turns of campus and the surrounding neighborhood, and it quickly becomes apparent that no one knows exactly where the race is supposed to be run. Chalk arrows and orange cones point in every which direction. Runners begin to fall off of the torrid front tempo – for some the effort has become too much, others are fated to follow spray painted arrows and cones that mark a campus waterline – and soon the field has narrowed down to two.

p. With but a short stretch to go, the race looks unbelievably close. Muscles ripple and sweat pours off of the athletes’ glistening bodies, as the agony of the race shows on their faces. The moment for greatness is fast approaching – the spectators can tell because time is beginning to slow down – but one thing is missing: the music. Except not. One of the sisters has remembered the music and she flips the switch for the sound system, hoping to aurally encase the moment like an insect trapped in amber. The athletes, arms pumping, teeth gnashing, mouths snarling, feel too that the instant is upon them, and then they hear it: “Dreams last for so long, even after your gone. You were meant for me, and I was meant for you . . .”

p. Jewel?’ the athletes think. ‘Jewel?’ the spectators say, in shock. ‘Jewel?’ our hero ponders, not believing that his moment is being so horribly treated. And in that instant of such uncertainty and confusion, the other competitor strides ahead, breaking the non-existent tape and throwing his arms up in the air.

p. And so, that’s the tale of my almost-moment. If you were at the 5k and saw the race, now you know why I got second and failed to secure a glorious victory. I was sabotaged by a blonde folk-singing bimbo. I was ruined by Jewel. But hey, don’t worry about me – it’s not that I really wanted to win anyway. I’m done with sports in general, to be honest. They’re not for me anymore, I’m above it – I’m through with those foolish games.

__For senior Megan Moulton-Levy and sophomore Katarina Zoricic, the number one-ranked doubles team in the country, their strength is in their many differences__

p. The nation’s number one-ranked doubles team steps onto the court for their Wednesday afternoon match against Old Dominion University. The two are a model in contrast. The first half of the team, senior Megan Moulton-Levy, is the veteran of the duo, the self-described “hot-wire” who, according to her coach, uses her quickness and athleticism to grind out her opponents. Her doubles partner, sophomore Katarina Zoricic, is by all accounts the quieter, more laid-back of the two, the one her coach says “takes it to her opponents” using her length and power.

p. They contrast physically as well. Moulton-Levy, who is black, stands just 5’0’’ tall, with well-defined muscles in both her arms and legs that accent her athletic frame. Zoricic, who is white, sports a lean, 5’9’’ tall frame, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.

p. Individually, each is exceptional. Moulton-Levy, ranked 8th in the country, has compiled a 25-6 singles record this year and an 88-27 record during her career at the College, and Zoricic, ranked 65th nationally, has gone 27-7 this year and 52-16 overall in her two years at the College.

p. And together?

p. Together, they’re damn near impossible to beat.

p. Moulton-Levy and Zoricic’s opponents this day are Charleen Haarhoff and Fernanda Luiz of ODU. In case Haarhoff and Luiz weren’t already aware of their opponents’ number one ranking, the public address announcer makes sure of it. A large crowd, consisting mostly of adults in Tribe tennis apparel, as well as several players from the men’s tennis team, sits courtside, excitement building for the match.

p. Moulton-Levy and Zoricic stumble slightly out of the gate, committing several unforced errors on their way to a 3-3 tie after the first six games. Even during this rough patch, however, their prowess is on full display. Zoricic rips powerful forehand and backhand returns, setting up Moulton-Levy to put on a show at the net, forcing her opponents into bad shots with her strong volleys and overhead smashes. Their communication is phenomenal, as they rarely get in each other’s way, even on shots splitting the middle of the court.

p. In the seventh game, they take over. Zoricic’s power and Moulton-Levy’s athleticism overwhelm their opponents, both crashing the net at the same time to create an impenetrable wall. Luiz grows visibly frustrated, talking to herself and picking at the strings of her racket. Moulton-Levy and Zoricic sweep the last five games, resulting in an 8-3 victory.

p. The girls, who would see their 24-match winning streak (a school record) snapped by Northwestern University’s Alexis Prousis and Georgia Rose two days later, possess a stat line that is impressive to say the least. They have compiled a 52-12 record over the past two seasons, including a 33-2 record this year, and, oh yeah, a national title for their first-place finish at the ITA National Indoor Championship this past November.

p. Neither their road to success nor their partnership began at the College. Moulton-Levy, who hails from Grosse Pointe, Mich., hit her first tennis balls against the wall of her house at the age of three, emulating her tennis playing sister, Natasha Moulton-Levy, ’95. Similarly, Zoricic picked up her first tennis racket at the age of four in her hometown of Toronto, Canada. The two have been doubles partners for about six years now, as they began playing together on the junior tennis circuit and at Chris Evert’s tennis academy in Florida. While their first impressions of each other left something to be desired (“I thought she was kind of strange,” Zoricic said with a laugh, drawing an amiably outraged response from Moulton-Levy), they describe themselves now as “best of friends,” a friendship that extends far beyond the tennis court or the College.

p. Each says she idolizes the other’s skill set and ability.

p. “We’ll break down in the middle of a doubles point and just start worshipping each other, ‘You’re my idol,’ ‘No, you’re my idol,’” Moulton-Levy said. “It’s an honor to watch [Zoricic] play.”

p. Their aforementioned coach, women’s tennis head coach Kevin Epley, has only the highest praise for his dynamic duo. He described Moulton-Levy as more of a “counter-puncher,” the type of player that pressures her opponents simply by tracking down shots and keeping the ball in play. He described Zoricic as more of a “power player” with a strong forehand and serve.

p. As a person, Epley said that Moulton-Levy is “the kind of girl that everyone sort of gravitates to.” He also said that Zoricic “tends to be a little quieter than Megan, but goes about her business,” adding that she “demands a lot of herself.”

p. Though it may not have begun as the closest of friendships, it has certainly become just that.

p. “She’s an honorary member of my family,” Moulton-Levy said about Zoricic. “That speaks for itself.”

p. “Megan has been the leader of our team for the last two years,” Zoricic said. “Just to watch the things that she can overcome and how strong she is as a person … I’m sure it not only inspires me but our entire team and keeps our team going.”

p. While they mostly maintain their opposite roles — Moulton-Levy being the passionate, emotional player, and Zoricic being more composed and laid-back — occasionally their roles reverse, as was the case at the ITA National Indoor Championships. Moulton-Levy (who called that week “one of the most stressful weeks of my life”), and Epley both said that there were off-the-court issues that all three were dealing with during the week of the tournament.
“I was not in the right place mentally, and she totally picked up the slack,” Moulton-Levy said. “She carried me for the vast majority of the tournament.”

p. Both Moulton-Levy and Zoricic acknowledge that a great deal of pressure comes with the territory of being ranked number one, but emphasize that they are both far more focused on the Tribe tennis team as a whole.

p. Moulton-Levy says that there is a certain “intimidation factor” when they walk out on the court, that opposing teams feel. But she is not about to take the title of number one too seriously.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” she said.

p. Moulton-Levy is currently petitioning the NCAA for another year of eligibility. Because she attended high school in Switzerland, there was some confusion over her date of graduation and difficulties with getting her credits transferred, so she was declared ineligible her first year at the College. Epley said that the petition process has been held up by the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball championships, but that a decision should be reached sometime this week.

p. If she does not get an extra year of eligibility, she is going to give the professional circuit a try.

p. “I don’t want to be left with any questions,” Moulton-Levy said.
In the event that Moulton-Levy does not return, Zoricic will be called upon to be “the leader of the team,” according to Moulton-Levy.

p. “I’ll just kind of follow [Moulton-Levy’s] footsteps,” Zoricic said. “Hopefully, I can do as well as she has.”

p. “You will,” Moulton-Levy interjected. “I have confidence.”
For now, though, there is one major objective on the duo’s radar screen.

p. “I can’t wait for the NCAA tournament,” Zoricic said.
Moulton-Levy, who may have to miss the College’s graduation because of the tournament, couldn’t agree more.

p. “Even though I have to miss my own graduation … it’s worth it,” Moulton-Levy said. “The tournament’s the big time.”

__Pitching struggles as Georgia State sweeps; Tribe now 20-16 overall__

Having won 11 of its last 13 contests and 14 of its last 16 at home in Plumeri Park, the Tribe baseball team entered this past weekend’s series against conference opponent Georgia State University on a five-game winning streak, ranking second in the CAA. Unfortunately, the Panthers came out swinging, and managed to sweep the series 17-11, 6-2, and 15-12. With the losses, the Tribe fell to 20-16 overall, 8-7 in the CAA.

p. In Friday’s game, both teams struggled to get into a pitching rhythm as four relievers were pulled from the bullpen.

p. “We are definitely getting concerned that we’re overusing some people … Our pitching was not what we wanted it to be this weekend,” Head Coach Frank Leoni said.

p. Junior starting pitcher Sean Grieve (2-3) recorded the loss. The College put up strong offensive numbers with 11 hits, as junior catcher Tim Park went 3-for-4, sophomore shortstop Lanny Stanfield and junior left fielder Greg Maliniak went 2-for-3, and sophomore outfielder Ben Guez went 2-for-4. Guez launched the offense in the second with a double to advance Maliniak. Both ended up scoring in the inning, along with junior center fielder Paul Juliano.

p. The Panthers racked up eight runs in the sixth to give them a total of 12, and although the College pushed in seven runs before the end of the game (including a Maliniak home run that also plated sophomore first baseman Mike Sheridan and sophomore pinch hitter Jeff Jones), Georgia State would score five more to reach the final tally of 17-11.

p. Due to the snowstorm Saturday, the scheduled game was postponed until Sunday to be played as a double-header. The first game, played as a seven-inning contest, featured freshman Kevin Landry (4-4) on the mound, who struck out six but allowed seven hits, ultimately recording the 2-6 loss. Tribe bats were quieter than usual with only five hits, two from Maliniak. Maliniak charged a double to left center in the second, advanced, and scored on a single from sophomore catcher Jeff Wera. Guez shot a homer to right center in the fourth to seal the College’s scoring.

p. “Some of our most talented players are our younger players and I hope they continue to step up,” Coach Leoni said.

p. Bats were livelier in the third game of the series as Sheridan, Guez, and senior third baseman Greg Sexton all had three hits, and sophomore right fielder Robbie Nickle went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs.

p. “Robbie Nickle and Ben Guez really stepped up and gave us the boost we needed to compete this weekend,” Maliniak said.

p. Sexton launched a homer in the first to start the Tribe scoring. Georgia State put across six runs in the third and two more in the fifth, but the Tribe tallied up seven more to reach an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the seventh. In the ninth, the Panthers refused to leave quietly and brought in seven runs. The College rallied in the bottom of the ninth and recorded four runs as Sexton, Maliniak, Sheridan and Guez all scored, but could not close the gap. Junior Pete Vernon (5-3) recorded the loss.

p. “All in all, we’re not going to win every conference game and it’s good to get a bad weekend out of the way so we can dominate the way we should to close out the season,” Maliniak said.

__Saturday’s snowstorm ends competition one day early__

The return of the Colonial Relays to the College also marked the return of winter this past weekend. After Friday’s unseasonably cool temperatures, a classic Southern snowstorm raced through Williamsburg Saturday and forced the cancelation of day two of the Colonial Relays. Nevertheless, Friday provided plenty of strong performances from the College’s track athletes, including two record-breaking performances, as the Tribe men and women both finished second in the shortened meet.

p. A week after just missing the school record, sophomore Abby Lemon’s propelled herself into first place all-time at the College in the hammer throw with a heave of 161 feet and 3 inches; her throw broke the previous record of 159’ 8” held by Cassidy Harris. Lemon’s feat also captured her first place in the competition and the Tribe’s sole field event title at the Colonial Relays.

p. Equally impressive for the men was sophomore David Groff’s 1,500-meter triumph; timing 3 minutes and 46.98 seconds for the win, Groff set the meet record and qualified for the NCAA Regional meet. Prior to Groff’s victory, senior Sean Anastasia-Murphy took first place in the 3,000-m steeplechase in a NCAA Regional qualifying time of 9:04.23 as he edged Georgetown’s Dan Gerber by a mere 15 hundredths of a second. Junior Rob Dennis followed Anastasia-Murphy to the finish line in 9:06.08 to capture fourth place and an NCAA Regional qualifier.

p. Junior Ian Fitzgerald extended the Tribe’s distance-event dominance when he won the 5,000-m in an IC4A-qualifying time of 14:16.48. Sophomore Ryan Jones qualified for IC4A’s after taking second place in the 800-m, and fellow sophomore Alex Heacock moved into fifth place in the school record-books in the javelin after his 196’ throw. All told, the men’s team saw 13 individuals earn bids to IC4A’s.

p. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, senior Meghan Bishop posted an ECAC-qualifying time of 16:55.09 seconds en route to winning the 5,000-m. Junior teammate Kait Hurley followed quickly behind to take second place in 16:56.53 and qualify for ECAC’s as well. In addition to Bishop and Hurley, sophomore Lynn Morelli and junior Emily Gousen earned bids to ECAC’s as well.

p. The women’s distance corps also featured a third-place finish from freshman Anna Brousell in the 3,000-m steeplechase as she climbed to fifth all-time at the College in the event. Two Tribe women ran to the ninth-fastest times in school history in the 800-m and the 1,500-m respectively. Junior Allie Lewis finished the 800-m in 2:12.48 and freshman Emily Anderson completed the 1,500-m in an ECAC-qualifying time of 4:31.26.

p. The men and women return to action this weekend at the Lou Onesty/Milton Abramson Invitational in Charlottesville and the James Madison Open.