By Joelle Fisher
Sports Writer
While many students travel across the country searching for a week of relaxation after stressful midterms, student athletes on campus packed their bags and boarded their buses/planes in search of competition. Six teams traveled near and far to kick off their seasons over spring break.
The baseball team went 3-3 on its adventure down south in Florida. Six home runs were recorded in the first five games for the Scots.
“Florida is one of my favorite memories about playing baseball at Alma,” said Matt Minuado (‘18).
“The boys and I are able to work on our confidence in each other on the field while strengthening our friendships off the field,” said Minuado.
Minuado led the team with his three home runs. The boys will continue their season March 20th for a home game against Finlandia University.
The softball team spent its week in Florida working their way towards a 10-2 record for its annual spring break trip. The girls excelled offensively, having five Scots batting over .400.
“Most college students spend their spring breaks relaxing, but our team is up at the crack of dawn day in and day out,” said Erin Lee (‘18).
“The week gives us the opportunity to focus strictly on our athletics without having to place our academics in jeopardy,” said Lee.
The softball program will continue its season Thursday Mar. 15 against Ohio Northern University for a home game.
“I hope our team continues to surprise people and that we continue to learn/grow each and every day,” said Lee.
The men’s lacrosse team traveled through Virginia and North Carolina over its spring break to compete for a 1-2 record. The team picked up its first win of the season against Virginia Wesleyan University with a 22-14 victory.
“Our spring break trip gave us a lot of insight on our strengths and weaknesses as a team,” said Dan Buchy (‘18).
“We look forward to working hard for our program and making a name for ourselves in the MIAA and beyond,” said Buchy.
Chase Hunyadi (‘20) leads the team with 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points total, while sophomore transfer, Trevor Bailey (‘20) follows close behind with 9 goals.
The women’s lacrosse team played two games in Texas last week, defeating the University of Dallas and falling to Otterbein College (OH).
“Since we are in season while a large majority of our peers are on tropical vacations, it’s nice to get away from school and compete in new environments where we can focus solely on succeeding,” said Allie Ray (‘20).
Senior captain, Brianna Soriano (‘18), leads the MIAA in goals with 13, while fellow captain, Shelby Frazer (‘18), follows in suit with 10 goals that puts her at third place.
“We have a lot of new players this year so being able to work on our skills over spring break gave us a chance to get more comfortable with each other,” said Soriano.
“I am proud of the effort and hard work that our team has put in and will continue to put in for the rest of our season,” said Soriano.
The men’s tennis team went undefeated on its spring break trip to Ohio. The four wins extended its record to 6-3.
“It’s always a fun experience to travel with your teammates far away,” said Noah Ackerman (‘18).
“The team bonding experiences that happen over break allow for us all to connect on the court at a new level,” said Ackerman.
The team will face off against Illinois Institute of Technology at Calvin College on March 10th to further their record.
“After going undefeated on break, we know what we can accomplish and hopefully we can use this momentum to take us into contention for an MIAA championship,” said Ackerman.
The women’s tennis team won back-to-back matches to close out its five-match spring break road trip. The Scots are now 3-5 overall, while Amy Wood (‘18) leads the team with a perfect 5-0 record for the season thus far.
The team will compete next against Lake Superior State on Sunday.
