Manchester United and Chelsea both favorites
Tuesday’s issue covered the first half of the Last 16 matchups. This time, we will focus on the remaining four matchups. These matchups will have their first games on either February 25 or 26 and the second leg matches on either March 18 or 19.
Champions League soccer returns in February
After a long winter break, Champions League soccer is set to return on February 18. The group stage has concluded and 16 teams have been eliminated, leaving the last 16 teams in the race for Europe’s top trophy. The remaining teams include the usual suspects like Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as a couple of upsets such as Galatasaray, who beat Juventus in a dramatic match in the last round of the group stages to see them through to the next round, and Olympiacos. With that said, let’s take a look at the first four of the Last 16 matchups.
2013 US Sports in Review
The 2013 Super Bowl between the Ravens and the 49ers began with Baltimore taking early control of the game. Momentum changed completely, however, when an electrical failure caused the stadium to lose power, and allowed the 49ers to mount a furious comeback. San Francisco fell just short on the final drive of the game as Colin Kaepernick attempted a pass to Michael Crabtree in the endzone that fell incomplete. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was the MVP.
SPORTS IN REVIEW
2013 was a year full of athletic achievement for the Boston region as a whole, with the upstart Red Sox winning the World Series and the Bruins winning the NHL Eastern Conference championship.
2013 MIT Sports in Review
After making it to the NEWMAC finals and barely falling to Wheaton College, the MIT Men’s Soccer Team earned a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second year in a row. Although the Engineers fell to Western New England University in the first round, they ended their spectacular season with a 13-5-2 record.
MIT swim team receives awards Team wins in weekend meets
Michael J. Liao ’14 was named the NEWMAC Swimmer of the Week and was part of the 200-yard medley relay, along with Bradley A. Mattix ’16 and Sean R. Corcoran ’16, and Austin D. Fathman ’15, that received Relay of the Week accolades on Monday. This is the fourth time this season, dating back to Nov. 25, that the Engineers have earned both Swimmer and Relay of the Week during the same week.
Rifle team comes out on top in their weekend matches
Returning to action for the first time in 2014, the MIT rifle team came up with a number of career highs during the annual Beanpot competition this weekend, enough to carry the Engineers to the team title. MIT posted the top scores in both the small bore and air rifle disciplines on Saturday, putting up scores of 2,164 and 2,245 to edge out second-place Coast Guard. On Sunday MIT had the top air rifle score as well with a 2,246. Coast Guard posted the top smallbore score on the final day, a 2,167. Teams from Canisius, Penn State, Wentworth Institute of Technology and Penn State ROTC also took part in the competition.
Broncos and Seahawks
It seems like a matchup that’s been coming for months now. The Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks have been the best teams in the NFL for the vast majority of the season, and they will meet on Feb. 2 in the Super Bowl. Denver beat the New England Patriots handily in the AFC Championship game, with Peyton Manning throwing for 400 yards and absolutely torching the Pats’ secondary while utilizing all of his weapons in his receiving corps. Their defense was also stout, holding the potent New England offense to only 16 points, after they’ve scored over 40 their past two games.
Swimming and diving defeats the Coast Guard
Racing for the first time in over a month, the MIT women’s swimming and diving team defeated New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) rival U.S. Coast Guard Academy at home on Saturday afternoon by a score of 195-83. Throughout the day, the Engineers were able to swim events not normally raced at dual meets and claimed first place in 13 of the 16 events.
Track & field wins first
After having last raced over a month ago, the MIT men’s indoor track and field team continued its 2013-14 at the Bates Invitational on Saturday afternoon, finishing first with 194 points. Host Bates College was second with 100 and Colby College came in third with 67 points.
SPORTS SHORT
The MIT curling club team swept their way to victory in their second tournament of the season, hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the Schenectady, NY curling club on Dec. 7 and 8. The team, consisting of skip Phillip Nadeau G, vice Andrea Dubin G, and second Greg Dooley G, defeated Colgate University in the finals with a decisive 9-0 win, and gained 10 points towards qualifying for the National Championships in Blaine, MN in March 2014. MIT is currently undefeated this season, with an 8-0 overall win-loss record. The MIT curling club practices weekly at the Broomstones Curling Club and is always looking for new members.
Women’s basketball falls
Host Wellesley College capitalized on a 15-of-21 performance at the free throw line along with 26 points off turnovers as it defeated MIT, 54-42, in a NEWMAC women’s basketball game on Saturday. Sabrina M. Drammis ’16 led the Engineers (5-5, 2-3 NEWMAC) with a game-high 16 points as Mari R. Kordell ’15 tallied 11 points and five assists.
Engineers defeat Lyons by 15 points
Despite a second-half run that brought Mount Holyoke College within 10 points with just six minutes left to play, the MIT women’s basketball team held on for a 47-32 NEWMAC victory on Saturday afternoon. Playing all 40 minutes, Mari R. Kordell ’15 compiled 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four steals for the Engineers (4-3, 3-2 NEWMAC). Amber Legare led the Lyons (2-4, 1-4 NEWMAC) with a game-high 16 points to go along with seven rebounds and two steals.