Here is a weekly wrap-up of University of Scranton athletic events. To see the full link to the Royal Review, visit http://matrix.scranton.edu/athletics/gnjan172011.shtml.

Men’s Basketball (12-2 Overall/5-0 Landmark Conference)
The Royals took over sole possession of first place in the Landmark Conference and extended their winning streak to 10 games by defeating Juniata College, 72-61, and Susquehanna University, 81-64, during the period.

On Friday, January 14, senior guard Zach Ashworth (Doylestown/Central Bucks West) scored 16 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and senior guard Luke Hawk (Methacton/Audubon) finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds—the second ‘double-double’ of his career—as the Royals broke away from a four-point halftime lead to defeat Juniata.  The Royals out-rebounded the Eagles, 40-21, and connected on 15 of 18 free throw attempts, including 13 of 14 after intermission.

In Saturday’s win over Susquehanna, the Royals connected on 7 of 11 3-point field goal attempts (63.6 percent) in the second half to break the game open after leading by just two points at intermission.  Ashworth scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the second half and sophomore guard Travis Farrell (Middletown, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, his third ‘double-double’ of the season and the fourth of his career. Scranton, which shot nearly 59 percent from the field in the second half to finish 49 percent for the game, also received 14 points from junior forward Matt Swaback (Kingston/Wyoming Seminary) and 12 points from Hawk.

Scranton’s winning streak is now tied for its longest under 10th-year head coach Carl Danzig.  The Royals also won 10 straight under Danzig in 2003. In Saturday’s game, Ashworth became the 15th player in Royals’ history to score at least 1,500 points. He now has 1,516 points in his career.

Women’s Basketball (10-5 Overall/4-1 Landmark Conference)
The Lady Royals had a two-game winning streak snapped with an 81-68 loss to Juniata College on Friday, January 14, at the Long Center. Scranton regrouped the following day by holding off Susquehanna University, 68-57.

Against Juniata, the Lady Royals jumped out to an 11-0 lead en route to a 38-29 advantage by halftime. The Eagles came storming back in the second half, connecting on nearly 71 percent (17 of 24) of their field goal attempts to post their first win over Scranton since February 25, 1992.  Senior guard Megan Kopecki (Millington, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional) led the Lady Royals with 19 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals and first-year guard Alison Sweeney (Wall, N.J./Saint Rose) finished with 11 points.

In Saturday’s victory over Susquehanna, senior guard Colleen McLane (Scranton/Scranton Preparatory) hit back-to-back 3-pointers during a game-breaking 8-0 run late in the second half.  Kopecki put together another all-round effort, finishing with 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, while Sweeney contributed 12 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Men’s Swimming (4-4)
Behind two wins apiece by sophomores Stephen Nicolosi (Clarks Green/Abington Heights), Andrew Urban (Ambler/Lansdale Catholic) and Nathan Wynosky (Schnecksville/Parkland), the Royals downed Catholic University, 128.5-75.5, on Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Byron Center.

Nicolosi won the 100 butterfly (:54.20) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.51), Urban captured the 50 (:22.38) and 100 (:49.05) free, and Wynosky won the 500 (5:08.27) and 1000 (10:31.98) free.  Scranton also received a first-place finish in the 200 free (1:49.64) by junior Marc Dezii (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) and runner-up finishes from junior Paul Vignati (West Simsbury, Conn./Northwest Catholic) in the 50 free (:22.53), sophomore Christian Tierney (Sussex, N.J./Pope John Paul XXIII) in the 100 back (:58.51) and Dezii in the 100 free (:50.04).

The Royals also won both relay events. Scranton opened the meet with a 1-2 finish in the 200 medley, as Tierney, freshman John Hughes (Lancaster/Lancaster Catholic), Nicolosi and Vignati covered the distance in 1:42.03. The Royals also picked up four more points in the event as Wynosky, junior David Hovey (Forty Fort/Wyoming Valley West), freshman Adrian Silva (Valley Stream, N.Y./Holy Trinity Diocesan) and junior Thomasz Chec (Vineland, N.J./St. Augustine Preparatory) finished second in 1:44.82.

Scranton closed out the meet with a first-place finish in the 200 free, as Urban, junior Joseph Clifford (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East), Dezii and Vignati posted a time of 1:29.22, which was less than a second off the school record.

Women’s Swimming (7-2)
The women’s swim team held off a late rally to defeat Catholic University, 116-89, on Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Byron Center.

The Cardinals cut the Royals’ lead down to five late in the meet before Scranton won the final two events to pull out the victory. 

Senior Amie Leonard (Sparta, N.J./Pope John Paul XXIII) gave the Royals some breathing room with a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.88) in the last individual event of the day.  Scranton then sealed it in the final event, as first-year swimmers Sara Franciscovich (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson), Kelsy McAnelly (West Chester/Villa Maria Academy) and Jessica Merino (N. Hyde Park, N.Y./Holy Trinity Diocesan) and senior Brittany Reyes (Westfield, N.J./Westfield)  won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.49.

The Royals also placed first in the 200 medley relay, as the quartet of junior Christine Gorge (Harleysville/Lansdale Catholic), Leonard, Reyes and junior Carolyn Gillespie (New Market, Md./Linganore) posted a time of 1:54.39.  Gillespie won two events—the 50 (:25.19) and 100 (:55.01) free—and Reyes captured the 100 fly (1:02.59) as Scranton extended its winning streak to six.

Wrestling (3-3)
The Royals returned to action for the first time since November 20 by competing in the Washington & Lee Invitational in Lexington, Virginia, on Saturday, Jan. 15.

Two Royal wrestlers reached the finals in their respective weight classes, and Scranton had one third and two fourth-place finishes to rack up 33.5 points and place sixth overall.

Sophomore Michael Murcia (Matawan, N.J./St. John Vianney) and freshman Chris Silakoski (Trenton, N.J./Notre Dame) reached the finals of the 125 and 184 weight classes, respectively, but came up short.  Murcia dropped a 6-3 decision to Ty Ford of The Apprentice School and suffered a 6-2 decision to Stefan Firmstone of Washington & Jefferson.

Junior Matthew Terry (East Northport, N.Y./St. Anthony’s) finished third at 174.  He posted a 12-7 decision over Daniel Igel of Washington & Lee in the quarterfinals before being pinned in the first period by second-seeded Steven Ours of The Apprentice School in the semis.  Terry came back to pin teammate Joseph Weitemeyer (Damsite, N.Y./Smithtown West) in the consolation semifinals before posting an 8-7 decision over fourth-seed Jakub Pawlowski of New York University in the finals.

Scranton’s fourth-place finishers were senior Tom Manning (North Kingstown, R.I./Bishop Hendricken) at 149 and sophomore Frank Siclari (Emerson, N.J./St. Joseph’s Regional) at 157.  Manning decisioned Brian Ross of Washington & Lee, 3-1, in the semifinals before suffering a 7-1 decision to Brandon Seeberger of Southern Virginia in the consolation final.  Siclari downed John Cardello of West Virginia Tech, 3-1, in the consolation final, but suffered a 17-5 major decisioion to fourth-seed Dan Gorman of New York University in the finals.

Here is the upcoming schedule for The University of Scranton's athletic teams:

This Week in Royal Athletics

Friday, Jan. 21
Men’s Basketball- at Catholic (5:30 p.m.)
Women’s Basketball- at Catholic (7:30 p.m.)
Wrestling- at Apprentice Tournament (TBA)

Saturday, Jan. 22
Men’s Basketball - at Goucher (5:30 p.m.)
Women’s Basketball - at Goucher (7:30 p.m.)
Men’s & Women’s Swimming - at Misericordia (1 p.m.)
Wrestling - at Apprentice Tournament (TBA)