WASHINGTON, D.C. — It's another busy weekend for Catholic Athletics as many of the teams have entered into conference play. Results this weekend will be as teams look to hit their strides at the ideal time and could go a long way when it comes to postseason seedings.
 

Men's and Women's Cross Country (LIVE STATS)

• Paul Short Run | Goodman Campus Cross Country Course, Bethlehem, Pa. | Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1:45 p.m. (men) & 2:30 p.m. (women)

After a long hiatus from competition, Steve Rahn's teams will travel north to Bethlehem, Pa., to take part in the historic Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh.

The men's team looks for a repeat of a very positive performance last year when it placed fourth out of 40 total teams and many athletes posted new personal bests. Joe Wolfe (51st) and Connor Gross (60th) return as point-scorers from last year's event and will look to fill the void of Catholic's top three finishers all graduating. Kendrick DuPree will also look to continue his strong fall thus far.

Catholic's women will enter the meet confident after a strong start to the fall season. Five of the seven Cardinals who ran in the top race last season are back, including Catholic top finisher Kate Inglis (27th). Apolline Gapers (84th) and Emily Moehringer (87th) also scored for the Cardinals last season, while Sadie Abood and Georgia Nussey are likely to be factors as well.

 

Field Hockey — Alumni Game (LIVE STATS | WATCH)

• v. Scranton | Cardinal Stadium | Saturday, Sept. 30 at Noon

Two teams with intentions of finishing atop the Landmark Conference standings meet Saturday at Cardinal Stadium. The Royals of Scranton travel to the District in a battle of teams that are undefeated early in conference play.

Rachel Palumbo's team sits at 5-3 on the season with marquee wins over TCNJ and Rowan, while Scranton sits at 7-2. Both squads are entering this contest on the back of disheartening midweek losses after Catholic fell in a lopsided affair to No. 6 Salisbury and the Royals dropped an overtime heartbreaker to Ithaca.

Early in the season, Catholic's offense was heavily reliant on Mary Rojack and Niki Micciche, but recently other players have stepped up on the offensive end as nine Cardinals have now scored or assisted this season. Scranton is led by top scorer Katie Redding who averages a goal per game. The Royals have a staggering seven players who have scored multiple goals this season.

 

Football — Landmark Conference Opener / First-Ever Landmark Contest (LIVE STATS | WATCH)

• @ No. 12 Susquehanna | Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at Doug Arthur Stadium, Selinsgrove, Pa. | Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m.

For the first time ever, Landmark Conference football will be played this weekend. After spending the past five seasons in the NEWMAC, Catholic will join five other Landmark Conference football schools in opening the 2023 Landmark season this Saturday. The Cardinals, who were picked third in the preseason coaches poll, will take on 12th-ranked Susquehanna, the unanimous favorite to take the inaugural Landmark Conference crown. Led by the nation's leader in completions per game, Madden Lowe, 2-2 Catholic will travel to Selinsgrove in hopes of starting 1-0 in Landmark Conference play. Mike Gutelius' squad has victories over McDaniel and SUNY Morrisville in non-conference play in 2023. 
 

Women's Golf 

• Dickinson College Invitational | Carlisle Barracks Country Club, Carlisle, Pa. | Sunday, Oct. 1: All Day 

Catholic women's golf will look to make it two wins in a row on the young season as it travels to the Dickinson College Invitational

It's been an inspired start to the campaign for Ed Dolan's women, full of individual and team accolades. To open the season, the Cardinals grabbed second place at the Shenandoah Invitational as sophomore Brooke Smith won the tournament. The team shot new program record low one-day and two-day scores in Berkley Springs that weekend.

The Cardinals followed that up with a team victory at the Cardinal Fall Classic and more records. All five of Catholic's starters shot in the 70s on day one of the tournament to again set a new program record low of 303, and closed out the tournament with all five Cardinals placing in the top 10 en route to a again-new program record low of 620. Lauren Lombardo and Lauren Wright finished in a three-way tie for first overall.

Men's Soccer (LIVE STATS | WATCH)

• @ Scranton | Weiss Field, Scranton, Pa. | Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m.

It's a big weekend for Travis Beauchamp's side as the Cardinals travel north to battle Landmark Conference rivals Scranton.
 
Catholic will be looking to avenge last November's 1-0 home defeat to the Royals. Despite putting together a perfect regular season in conference, the Cardinals fell by a single goal to Scranton in the conference tournament semifinal a season ago courtesy of an early second-half strike for Ciaran Corr.
 
The Cardinal squad will be looking to right the ship after a midweek loss to Marymount (Va.). Catholic sits at 4-5 on the season with three of its losses coming to ranked opponents. Nine different players have scored this season, with Gordie Bernlohr and Kwaku Marfo-Sarbeng often looking the most dangerous going forward.
 
Scranton on the other hand sits at 6-1-1 on the season with the lone loss coming in its Landmark Conference opener to Elizabethtown last weekend. The Royals will enter this weekend's contest on the back of a 1-0 home victory over Keystone in which Corr provided the only tally.


Women's Soccer (LIVE STATS | WATCH)

• @ Scranton | Weiss Field, Scranton, Pa. | Saturday, Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m.

The Catholic women's soccer team travels to rivals Scranton in a rematch of last year's Landmark Conference Semifinal affair.

The Cardinals took the nationally-ranked Royals to the distance behind an inspired defensive performance before eventually falling in double overtime. Goalkeeper Ava Rieger set a Landmark Conference Tournament record with 15 saves in an inspired effort. 

The Royals boast a 4-2-3 record with one of their losses coming early in the season to Johns Hopkins, the top-ranked team in the nation. Forward Niamh Healy is putting together a staggering campaign, having scored 10 goals in just nine games thus far. Emily Bannon and Mary Haggerty have each provided four assists, all of whom are players that Catholic is very familiar with. The Royals will enter this matchup on the back of a 2-2 draw with No. 17 Misericordia.

Catholic has already improved on last year's win total with a current record of 4-3-2. Jordan Siok and Peyton Coron lead the line for head coach Casey Sommers but both have missed time due to injury. Payton Hardy has been a revelation in a holding midfield role and Ava Gregorio consistently looks dangerous working off the wing. The Cardinals will have to break down a stout Royals backline and be solid in the back again if they hope to leave Scranton with a positive result.


Men's Tennis (DRAWS AND RESULTS)

• ITA Regionals | Battleground Athletic Complex Tennis Courts, Fredericksbrug, Va. | Friday, Sept. 29-Sunday, Oct. 1, various times

Four men's tennis players will travel south this weekend to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regionals hosted by Mary Washington.

Diego Romo and James Earwood will be placed into both singles and doubles draws while the pairing of Matt Rudolf and Henry Ogden will compete in the B2 doubles draw.

The team is off to a fast start in head coach Nate Farlow's second season at the helm, defeating both Lebanon Valley and Hood in the early season. Romo and Earwood both won tight singles matches at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively against Lebanon Valley while Rudolf and Ogden triumphed at No. 2 doubles, 8-5. The squad will be looking for more of the same this weekend.

Volleyball (LIVE STATS | WATCH (FRIDAY) | WATCH (SATURDAY))

• v. Drew | Franny Murray Court | Friday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.
• v. Scranton | Franny Murray Court | Saturday, Sept. 30 at Noon
• v. Marymount (Va.) | Franny Murray Court | Saturday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m.

Heather Stout and the Cardinals have a massive weekend ahead of them, but Catholic gets to spend it inside the friendly confines of the DuFour Center. Catholic will host Drew on Friday evening before welcoming Scranton and Marymount (Va.) for a tri-match on Saturday. With a victory over St. Mary's (Md.) on Tuesday night, Catholic improved to 11-4 on the season with six wins in its last eight contests. The Cardinals are hitting .233 for the season while getting strong contributions from all over. Entering Thursday, Catholic had three players ranked inside the top-35 nationally in statistical categories. Sydney Sheppard (26th - Total Assists), Gaby Hernandez-Ferraiuoli (31st - Total Digs) and Olivia Blondin (35th - Total Kills) have all put up strong numbers to lead Catholic to its strongest start in five seasons.