Rivalry week

• It's rivalry week for Connecticut College and Coast Guard Academy.

First, the men's soccer teams meet for the 39th time in the annual Whale Cup game on Tuesday afternoon at Connecticut College, which leads the series, 25-11-2. Game time is 4 p.m.

Coast Guard is off to a 5-0-1 start. The Bears are coming off a 2-0 win over Babson Saturday, posting at least a two-goal margin of victory in the series for the first time since 1981. Junior Jake Sorenson, a Montville graduate, anchors a stingy defense that has allowed only one goal, ranking in the top five in Division III in goals against average and shutout percentage. Senior Alex Lane is the top scorer with three goals and one assist.

Conn College (3-1) has piled up 19 goals so far, with senior Pat Devlin scoring a team-best five goals and three assists. Sophomore Ben Manoogian has four goals and four assists while senior goalie Mark Cameron has a 1.00 goals against average.

On Wednesday, the women's soccer teams take center stage at Coast Guard in the 17th meeting in the series. Game time is 7 p.m.

Both teams have found their stride early this season. The Bears (3-1-2) already have gone overtime five times and suffered their only loss in regulation. Former Waterford standout Claire Hurley has provided a spark as a freshman, contributing three goals and two assists, while senior Katie Clark has three goals and sophomore goalie Rachel Boohar owns an impressive 1.02 goals against average.

The Camels (4-0) have won 15 of the last 16 meetings. They've already have topped last year's overall victory total. Senior Alex Baltazar (a career-best seven goals), who has scored in every game, is a lethal offensive weapon and junior Michelle Medina has five assists. Freshman goalie Sarah Williams has given up just three goals in four starts.

The volleyball teams square off at 7 p.m. Friday at Coast Guard. The Bears (5-4) have dominated the series, holding a 23-5 edge and winning last year 3-1. Freshman Angelou Dunton has a team-high 108 kills while juniors Madison Scott and Michelle McGill rank first in blocks (28) and digs (112), respectively. The Camels (5-1) have played well so far, sweeping four of their matches.

Camel highlights

• The New England Small College Athletic Conference honored three Conn College athletes with weekly honors. Ashley Curran was named the top women's cross country performer while Jenny Kellogg was named volleyball player of the week and Devlin was the men's soccer player of the week.

In her senior season, Curran is adding to her already impressive resume. She placed fourth out of 275 runners at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational. Kellogg, a junior outside hitter, averaged 3.5 kills and 3.8 digs per set while leading the Camels to two wins. Devlin had two goals and an assist in a 3-2 win over Trinity and added two goals and an assist in a 7-0 rout of Elms College.

Tracking the Bears

• The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference selected Coast Guard seniors Gretchen Krause and Zachary Velasquez as runners of the week in their respective sports. Krause was the first women's finisher from the NEWMAC at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational, taking 19th. In the men's race, Velasquez placed 18th, first among NEWMAC runners.

Mariners riding a wave

• The Mitchell College's women's soccer team broke into the win column last week and did it in dramatic fashion, receiving goals from junior Tiana Edwards and senior Sophie Spiller just 52 seconds apart in the final minutes to beat Daniel Webster in their New England Collegiate Conference opener. It was a positive step for the Mariners (1-4, 1-0), who had just scored one goal in the previous four games.

Around the region

• Senior kicker Bobby Puyol earned UConn's first American Athletic Conference football weekly honor this season, being named the special teams player of the week. He booted two field goals, including a game-winning 43-yard strike with one minute, 33 seconds left, in a 13-10 win over Virginia on Saturday.

• East Lyme High School graduate Kaihley Rafferty, a freshman forward, scored her first career goal for the Plymouth State field hockey team in a 5-2 win over Bridgewater State on Saturday. She also has two assists through five games.

• Junior Jason Smith, a Ledyard graduate, is the starting goalie for the Keene State men's soccer team. He's owns a sparkling 0.63 goals against average and has three shutouts in five games for the Owls (4-1).

• Pace University wide receiver Phyllip Thomas, a Ledyard graduate, has two receptions for 31 yards in two games. He attended Bridgton Academy in Maine.

• Three former Eastern Connecticut Conference cross country standouts are competing for Central Connecticut State University. Freshman Megan Brawner (Ledyard) and senior Brandy LeClair (Fitch) are running for the women's program and senior Derek French (NFA) is one of the top men's runners.

• Fitch graduate Aly Clarke, a sophomore midfielder, has found a new home at Eastern Connecticut. A transfer from Southern Connecticut, she is a former Day Player of the Year in girls' soccer and two-time all-state selection. Her father, Todd, played soccer at ECSU (1986-88).

• Senior midfielder Jaclyn Greenman of Waterford has started all five games for the Rhode Island College women's soccer team, contributing two goals and an assist. Freshman Alexandra Natale, a Ledyard graduate, has appeared in two games, chipping in one assist.

• The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau will honor recently retired Central Connecticut State University basketball coach Howie Dickenman, a Norwich native, on Oct. 6 at the The First Tee of Connecticut in Cromwell. Dickenman will receive the Thomas J. Shortell Award, which recognizes a Connecticut resident who has had a long, successful sports career. Prior to leading the Blue Devil program, the NFA graduate served as an assistant at UConn.

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