Top 10 of 2012-13: #6 End of an Era Brinker Earns Win Behind Big Days From Berry, Jallow Top Seed Panthers Hold Off Late Mustang Rally One Tough Bunch! Seniors End Season At UNOH DeVoe Ends Career Strong At USCAA Nationals Butler Caps Off XC Career At USCAA Nationals

Top 10 of 2012-13: #6 – End of an Era

Welcome to the No. 6 moment or storyline in our #MGTop10 of 2012-13. At the sixth spot, we look back at the memorable run our seniors had throughout the course of their careers. In 2012, Marygrove athletics said “see you soon” to a group of student-athletes that helped start our fall sports programs back in 2009 – and other seniors that were part of significant growth of our existing programs. This group proved many wrong throughout their time at Marygrove as they took their respective teams from start-up programs to upset wins, dominating performances, and even national championships. As we held senior day(s) last year, it was apparent that a wave of student-athletes like this may never come through Marygrove College at one time again due to the volume of sports added in one year (2009 – men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball).

Fittingly, the athletic department sent off the 2012 seniors in style as everyone came together to thank those that helped build the programs to where they are today. As a capstone for their support and the great student-athletes that arrived after them, the athletic department hosted The Mane Event to celebrate the many accomplishments of 2012-13 and beyond.

Below you will find articles from the final moments of the 2012 season from men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

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Want to get in on the conversation? Additional conversation and releases can be found on our social media pages throughout the duration of the series. On facebook and twitter, use #MGTop10 to help us interact daily.

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Brinker Earns Win Behind Big Days From Berry, Jallow Men’s Soccer –

DETROIT, Mich. — The regular season ended with a dramatic 3-2 win over Davenport University (8-8-1; 4-5-1) to lift the Mustangs record to 7-8-3 overall and 5-2-3 in the WHAC as they team awaits playoff seeding.

On Senior Day 2012, head coach Matt Johnson started all six of his seniors: Jordan Berry (Dearborn, Mich./Crestwood), Malcolm Brinker (Plainwell, Mich./Plainwell), Jordan Largent (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan), Stefan McMillan (Port of Spain, Trinidad/Saint Johns), Matt Parent (Livonia, Mich./Schoolcraft), and Hussein Seklawi (Beirut, Lebanon/Fordson).

Brinker got the nod in net and eventually earned the win in the 3-2 victory over the Panthers. With the game tied in the second half, the senior keeper turned in a fantastic save to help swing the momentum back toward the Mustangs.

Minutes later, [Jordan] Berry notched his league-leading 21st goal to put the Mustangs up for good in the 83rd minute. Gonzalo Caceres (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) set up Berry’s goal and earned the assist on the play.

In the first half, Abdoullie Jallow (Bansang, The Gambia/Rust) caught fire as he outscored the Panthers on his own after tallying two goals to lift his season total to nine. Seklawi was credited with an assist on the first Jallow goal, while Haider Alzayadi (Baghdad, Iraq/Wayne State University) earned the assist on Jallow’s second behind a nifty cross.

The Mustangs will now await official WHAC playoff pairings that are due out early next week.

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Top Seed Panthers Hold Off Late Mustang Rally Women’s Soccer –

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The inaugural season of Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) play officially ended Wednesday (Oct. 31) at the hands of the No. 1-seed Davenport Panthers. The 2-1 final tally in the quarterfinal matchup between the top seed and No. 8 Mustangs ended with a furious rally.

The first half of Wednesday’s WHAC playoff opener belonged to the home Panthers as the defense was put to the test early and often. Senior goalkeeper Deanna Lints (Hazel Park, Mich./Hazel Park) played a brilliant game in net for the Mustangs in her final collegiate outing. The senior turned away a total of eight Davenport shots (five in the first half).

Despite the strong effort, the top seeded Panthers found a way to go ahead 1-0 at the break.

In the second half, Davenport snuck another goal past Lints and the Mustang defense to go ahead, 2-0.

After the second goal, the Mustangs would turn up their attack and mount two shots on goal to challenge Davenport’s strong backline and all-conference goalkeeper.

In the 65th minute, sophomore standout Cheyenne York (Taylor, Mich./Truman) was able to beat the Panthers’ keeper and cut the No. 1 seed’s lead in half, 2-1. The goal was only the fourth of the season given up Panthers’ keeper against conference opponents.

Kamry Miller (New Boston, Mich./UM-Dearborn) would be credited with the other shot on goal for the Mustangs in the second half.

In the end, the York goal would be all the Mustangs could put up as two late attempts were unlucky for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs end the season at a 6-12-1 mark overall and finished the WHAC regular season with a record of 1-6-1. The team will look to build off Wednesday’s strong performance as the focus turns to next year when the Mustangs return a strong core of talent.

Playing in their final games as a Mustang: senior defender Arielle Baraboll (Allen Park, Mich./Schoolcraft College), senior defender/midfielder Karlee Derrick (Garden City, Mich./Garden City), senior keeper Deanna Lints (Hazel Park, Mich./Hazel Park), and senior sweeper Jessica Niemi (Swartz Creek, Mich./Swartz Creek).

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One Tough Bunch! Seniors End Season At UNOH Women’s Volleyball –

LIMA, Ohio — The collegiate careers of four Mustangs ended with a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) playoff loss to No. 5 seed Northwestern Ohio. Megan Gohl (Belleville, Mich./Belleville), Elizabeth Lerczak (Hale, Mich./Hale), Jaci Michetti (Woodhaven, Mich./Wayne State), and Shana Tooley (Belleville, Mich.) capped off brilliant careers after helping build a program that started with them in 2009.

One of the underclassmen that will take the torch from the seniors, Katharina Hall (Livonia, Mich./Henry Ford CC), had a solid night on the court for the Mustangs with eight kills. The junior transfer once again laid it all on the line and is one of the Mustangs key pieces moving into 2013. Other key returners, Alixandria Pappas (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) and Kiara Cobbs (Detroit, Mich./King), ended the night with three and two kills respectively.

UNOH 3, Marygrove 0 (12-25, 8-25, 12-25)

After helping start the program in 2009, the core group went on to have highly successful careers. Gohl will end her career as the leader in assists with over 3,400 as a four-year starter. Lerczak worked her way to well over 1,000 digs while nearly knocking home 500 career kills. Michetti will go down as the leader in kills with nearly 900 over the course of her career. Tooley will end her career as the leader in digs after playing three years as defensive specialist and a year at libero.

All four seniors accumulated over 1,000 career digs.

The seniors will leave a team that has gone through a great transition moving into the WHAC. The move places their program in one of the nation’s finest conferences the NAIA has to offer. Enduring a move to a new conference and several other challenges that a new program brings, the seniors of 2012 will always be remembered as a group that showcased incredible character and toughness throughout their respective careers.

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DeVoe Ends Career Strong At USCAA Nationals Women’s Cross Country –

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Shana DeVoe (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) capped off a stellar cross country career at Marygrove with another strong finish at the 2012 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship Meet.

DeVoe, a four-year student-athlete for the Mustangs, finished a run of three seasons of cross country in which she became the program’s record holder in virtually every category. Most recently, DeVoe shattered her own school record in the 5K after posting a time of 20:28 at the 2012 Michigan Intercollegiate Championships.

At the 2012 national meet, DeVoe was able to finish strong after crossing her final finish line at Marygrove with an unofficial time of 26:31*. The time was 22 seconds ahead of last year’s 13th place finish in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Friday’s (Nov. 9) race marked another race in which the talented senior shaved time off of a previous mark as she finished five seconds ahead of her previous 6K time in 2012.

*Official results were not available at the time of release

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Butler Caps Off XC Career At USCAA Nationals Men’s Cross Country –

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The cross country program sent off their first student-athlete, Anthony Butler (Lincoln Park, Mich./Roosevelt), in style at the 2012 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship Meet.

Butler, a senior distance runner, says goodbye to cross country as he moves into indoor track & field season. The talented runner helped build the cross country program when he became the first student-athlete to sign in 2009.

At nationals, Butler finished with an unofficial time of 30:36*. Butler’s time cut 22 seconds off of his 2011 pace of 30:58 that landed him in 29th place.

Amidst cool conditions and high altitude, Butler raced his way to a strong finish nationally for the second year in a row.

The senior distance runner ends his four-year cross country career holder of many records at Marygrove – including the recently regained 8K record of 27:44 achieved this season at the NAIA Great Lakes Invitational.

*Official results were not available at the time of release

DETROIT, Mich. — The regular season ended with a dramatic 3-2 win over Davenport University (8-8-1; 4-5-1) to lift the Mustangs record to 7-8-3 overall and 5-2-3 in the WHAC as they team awaits playoff seeding.

On Senior Day 2012, head coach Matt Johnson started all six of his seniors: Jordan Berry (Dearborn, Mich./Crestwood), Malcolm Brinker (Plainwell, Mich./Plainwell), Jordan Largent (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan), Stefan McMillan (Port of Spain, Trinidad/Saint Johns), Matt Parent (Livonia, Mich./Schoolcraft), and Hussein Seklawi (Beirut, Lebanon/Fordson).

Brinker got the nod in net and eventually earned the win in the 3-2 victory over the Panthers. With the game tied in the second half, the senior keeper turned in a fantastic save to help swing the momentum back toward the Mustangs.

Minutes later, [Jordan] Berry notched his league-leading 21st goal to put the Mustangs up for good in the 83rd minute. Gonzalo Caceres (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) set up Berry’s goal and earned the assist on the play.

In the first half, Abdoullie Jallow (Bansang, The Gambia/Rust) caught fire as he outscored the Panthers on his own after tallying two goals to lift his season total to nine. Seklawi was credited with an assist on the first Jallow goal, while Haider Alzayadi (Baghdad, Iraq/Wayne State University) earned the assist on Jallow’s second behind a nifty cross.

The Mustangs will now await official WHAC playoff pairings that are due out early next week.

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Top Seed Panthers Hold Off Late Mustang Rally Women’s Soccer –

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The inaugural season of Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) play officially ended Wednesday (Oct. 31) at the hands of the No. 1-seed Davenport Panthers. The 2-1 final tally in the quarterfinal matchup between the top seed and No. 8 Mustangs ended with a furious rally.

The first half of Wednesday’s WHAC playoff opener belonged to the home Panthers as the defense was put to the test early and often. Senior goalkeeper Deanna Lints (Hazel Park, Mich./Hazel Park) played a brilliant game in net for the Mustangs in her final collegiate outing. The senior turned away a total of eight Davenport shots (five in the first half).

Despite the strong effort, the top seeded Panthers found a way to go ahead 1-0 at the break.

In the second half, Davenport snuck another goal past Lints and the Mustang defense to go ahead, 2-0.

After the second goal, the Mustangs would turn up their attack and mount two shots on goal to challenge Davenport’s strong backline and all-conference goalkeeper.

In the 65th minute, sophomore standout Cheyenne York (Taylor, Mich./Truman) was able to beat the Panthers’ keeper and cut the No. 1 seed’s lead in half, 2-1. The goal was only the fourth of the season given up Panthers’ keeper against conference opponents.

Kamry Miller (New Boston, Mich./UM-Dearborn) would be credited with the other shot on goal for the Mustangs in the second half.

In the end, the York goal would be all the Mustangs could put up as two late attempts were unlucky for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs end the season at a 6-12-1 mark overall and finished the WHAC regular season with a record of 1-6-1. The team will look to build off Wednesday’s strong performance as the focus turns to next year when the Mustangs return a strong core of talent.

Playing in their final games as a Mustang: senior defender Arielle Baraboll (Allen Park, Mich./Schoolcraft College), senior defender/midfielder Karlee Derrick (Garden City, Mich./Garden City), senior keeper Deanna Lints (Hazel Park, Mich./Hazel Park), and senior sweeper Jessica Niemi (Swartz Creek, Mich./Swartz Creek).

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One Tough Bunch! Seniors End Season At UNOH Women’s Volleyball –

LIMA, Ohio — The collegiate careers of four Mustangs ended with a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) playoff loss to No. 5 seed Northwestern Ohio. Megan Gohl (Belleville, Mich./Belleville), Elizabeth Lerczak (Hale, Mich./Hale), Jaci Michetti (Woodhaven, Mich./Wayne State), and Shana Tooley (Belleville, Mich.) capped off brilliant careers after helping build a program that started with them in 2009.

One of the underclassmen that will take the torch from the seniors, Katharina Hall (Livonia, Mich./Henry Ford CC), had a solid night on the court for the Mustangs with eight kills. The junior transfer once again laid it all on the line and is one of the Mustangs key pieces moving into 2013. Other key returners, Alixandria Pappas (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) and Kiara Cobbs (Detroit, Mich./King), ended the night with three and two kills respectively.

UNOH 3, Marygrove 0 (12-25, 8-25, 12-25)

After helping start the program in 2009, the core group went on to have highly successful careers. Gohl will end her career as the leader in assists with over 3,400 as a four-year starter. Lerczak worked her way to well over 1,000 digs while nearly knocking home 500 career kills. Michetti will go down as the leader in kills with nearly 900 over the course of her career. Tooley will end her career as the leader in digs after playing three years as defensive specialist and a year at libero.

All four seniors accumulated over 1,000 career digs.

The seniors will leave a team that has gone through a great transition moving into the WHAC. The move places their program in one of the nation’s finest conferences the NAIA has to offer. Enduring a move to a new conference and several other challenges that a new program brings, the seniors of 2012 will always be remembered as a group that showcased incredible character and toughness throughout their respective careers.

——————————————————————————

DeVoe Ends Career Strong At USCAA Nationals Women’s Cross Country –

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Shana DeVoe (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) capped off a stellar cross country career at Marygrove with another strong finish at the 2012 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship Meet.

DeVoe, a four-year student-athlete for the Mustangs, finished a run of three seasons of cross country in which she became the program’s record holder in virtually every category. Most recently, DeVoe shattered her own school record in the 5K after posting a time of 20:28 at the 2012 Michigan Intercollegiate Championships.

At the 2012 national meet, DeVoe was able to finish strong after crossing her final finish line at Marygrove with an unofficial time of 26:31*. The time was 22 seconds ahead of last year’s 13th place finish in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Friday’s (Nov. 9) race marked another race in which the talented senior shaved time off of a previous mark as she finished five seconds ahead of her previous 6K time in 2012.

*Official results were not available at the time of release

——————————————————————————

Butler Caps Off XC Career At USCAA Nationals Men’s Cross Country –

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The cross country program sent off their first student-athlete, Anthony Butler (Lincoln Park, Mich./Roosevelt), in style at the 2012 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship Meet.

Butler, a senior distance runner, says goodbye to cross country as he moves into indoor track & field season. The talented runner helped build the cross country program when he became the first student-athlete to sign in 2009.

At nationals, Butler finished with an unofficial time of 30:36*. Butler’s time cut 22 seconds off of his 2011 pace of 30:58 that landed him in 29th place.

Amidst cool conditions and high altitude, Butler raced his way to a strong finish nationally for the second year in a row.

The senior distance runner ends his four-year cross country career holder of many records at Marygrove – including the recently regained 8K record of 27:44 achieved this season at the NAIA Great Lakes Invitational.

*Official results were not available at the time of release