Mikayla and Katelyn Call get up in the morning and commute to St. Joseph’s College from Portland.

One heads to nursing classes. The other to exercise science.

In the afternoon they meet on the soccer field, just like they did at Catherine McCauly back in high school.

The sisters are one of two sibling combos on the St. Joseph’s women’s soccer team, 5-1 after Wednesday’s 6-2 loss at Suffolk.

Caitlin and Kirin Schrum from Littleton, N.H., are the other pair.

Both make up a lineage of about a dozen sibling combos on the Monks since the program began in 1988 — an interesting roster quirk Coach Michael Bolanz views as a clear credit to the program.

“I think it says something for what the program stands for,” said Bolanz. “We’ve had about five sister combos since I’ve been here. One twin transferred in who wasn’t much of a player but wanted to be the team manager. I think it’s the experience and the program itself.”

Mikayla Call, a midfielder and forward, is one of just a handful of seniors on this year’s team. After reporting back home during her freshman year, Katelyn was eventually lured.

“I think my decision to come here probably influenced her more than she thought,” said Mikayla Call. “Looking back it’s the best decision for both of us. It’s fun being together for another few seasons.”

Katelyn came in as a goalkeeper but now starts on defense as an outside back.

The Monks knocked off their first five opponents: Thomas College, UMaine-Farmington, Emerson, Pine Manor and Lassell College.

The Monks face Emmanual on Saturday — a heavy hitter in the league and longtime rival.

“We had a start like this my sophomore year,” said Mikayla Call. “That’s really encouraging. Hopefully we can continue to do it for the rest of the season.”

The sisters attribute the success to good chemistry — that simple, yet elusive combination of factors.

“The team has really come together. We seemed really close even when we all first met in preseason,” said Katelyn Call. “Everyone on the team has the same goal. We all want to work hard and we all want to be successful.”

And, said Bolanz, he simply has a hungry group.

“They’re a focused group,” he said. “We pride ourselves on never getting too high and never getting too low. And we strive for excellence. That way whatever your record is, you’re never satisfied.”

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE

A Black Bears soccer player, field hockey player and cross country runner were honored with weekly America East Awards this week.

Kelsey Wilson was named women’s soccer player of the week after scoring two goals in a 2-1 win over Temple — her second straight game-winning goal.

Jocelyn Mitchell and Alexa Binnendijk were named player and rookie of the week, respectively, in field hockey. Mitchell scored three goals in a 7-0 win over Bryant last week, and an overtime goal against Yale for a 3-2 win.

Binnendijk scored in the Bryant game and assisted on two more goals.

Junior runner Corey Conner was the cross country runner of the week for winning the individual race at a Massachusetts quad meet. She clocked the 5 kilometer race in 16 minutes, 50.48 seconds.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE

Golfer Josh Hogan of Falmouth shot a team-best 79 for a No. 6 finish at the 2010 John Queenan Memorial Tournament hosted by St. Joseph’s College at Point Sebago Golf Club on Tuesday.

His score helped the Huskies to a fourth-place finish in the eight-team tournament with a team score of 328. …

Six former USM student-ahletes and one coach will be inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame as part of the 25th Anniversary Banquet and Ceremony on Oct. 2.

The inductees include: former baseball standout Richard “Dick” Jordan, class of 1952; former women’s basketball standout Bonnie Titcomb Lewis, class of 1971; All-New England and All-State men’s soccer player Rupert Lewis, class of 1982; former men’s basketball coach Bob Brown; and Maine Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and three-time Little East Conference first-team all-star Tracy Libby Lizotte, class of 1999; an All-American member of the 1997 national championship baseball team Michael McCullum, class of 1999; and two-sport standout and seven-time regional All-American Ren?Heath-Towne, class of 2004.

The ceremony will take place at the Kenneth Brooks Student Center on the Gorham Campus. The hall includes 163 former student-athletes, coaches and administrators.

BOWDOIN COLLEGE

The football team will make its 2010 debut Saturday at Williams in a noon kickoff. The two teams last met in 2007, when Bowdoin won, 28-14.

Junior R.J. Shea takes over at quarterback following the graduation of standout Oliver Kell, who holds multiple passing records at Bowdoin. Preseason All-American Pat Noone returns at receiver. He amassed 76 catches last year for a total of 997 yards. Sophomore Jon Gren is also another strong option at receiver. He had 46 catches last season.

Senior Paul Hinman of South Portland, will be making his first career start at wideout this weekend. …

The women’s rugby teamed changed the time for its home opener on Saturday to 2:30 p.m. Bowdoin (2-2) takes on Boston University.

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE

Field hockey goalie Meaghan Johnson, a former Cheverus athlete from Portland, has been selected as the North Atlantic Conference Player of the Week.

Johnson made 29 saves and recorded a .853 save percentage in a 1-2 week for St. Joseph’s. She made 13 saves in a 2-1 win over UNE on Sept. 14 and 11 saves in a 2-0 loss to Kean University on Sept. 19.

Through give games, Johnson has a 1.00 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage with 34 saves and five goals allowed.

She currently ranks as the Monks’ all-time leader in victories (29), goals-against average (1.30), and is tied for No. 1 in career shutouts (10). She ranks second in games (41) and minutes (2,861) and third in saves (206).

St. Joseph’s faces USM today in Gorham at 4 p.m.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND

Volleyball setter Maria Kuehl was named The Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Week after logging a season-high 31 assists in a 3-0 shutout of Regis. In a loss to Endicott College, Kuehl had 15 assists and 15 digs; in a win over St. Joseph’s she tallied 28 assists and 14 digs. …

Morgan Jensen repeated as TCCC Rookie of the Week after two scores and an assist in an 8-0 soccer win over Thomas College. She also scored a goal in a 5-0 win at Regis.

She leads UNE in scoring through six games with four goals and two assists. …

The men’s golf team won its first-ever Maine Intercollegiate Championship last weekend with a 638 overall score at Boothbay Country Club.

Husson College finished second with a 640, followed by UMaine-Farmington (650), Bates College (652), Southern Maine (655), St. Joseph’s (661), Bowdoin (664), UMaine-Presque Isle (705), and UMaine-Machias (no score) rounded out the field.

SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Men’s soccer is off to an undefeated start in conference play. The Seawolves are 4-2 overall, and 3-0 in the Yankee Small College Conference.

Goalie Matt Richio of South Portland was named goalie of the week by the conference after making 15 saves in a 2-0 shutout over New Hampshire Technical.

Alex Day of Portland scored the two goals.

Three men’s players have been honored with awards so far this season. Nick Link of South Portland was USCAA national player of the week, and Adam Burpee of South Portland and Day were YSCC players of the week. …

Men’s golf is 3-1 in YSCC play. Tommy Sterling of Gorham has two first-place finishes, and Dan Feeney of South Portland has finished first once. …

Baseball got its first win of the fall in extra innings on Tuesday over rival Central Maine Community College when Christian Giles of Dexter knocked in the winning run in the eighth. SMCC won, 5-4.

The Seawolves are currently 1-3 in YSCC and 1-6 overall. …

The softball team is 2-2 and has two doubleheaders at home this weekend, both starting at noon.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com

 

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