Manti win ten straight at GLO, Sectionals

"Domination" is the best word to describe the Preying Manti's performance for the last two weeks, first at Oberlin's Great Lakes Open tournament the weekend of April 10-11, and then last weekend at college sectionals. The team's next engagement will be regionals this weekend.

During both GLO and sectionals, the Manti pulled together and did what was needed to win it all, and the rest is history.

After a frustrating Spring Break, the team was ready to win. They shifted the tides and went 7-0 at GLO, moving on to win the finals. On Saturday, the Manti had a mere six points scored against them during the day's four games. They showed Michigan, Illinois, Chicago and the "mystery team" who was boss. "It was amazing! We scored 1000 percent of what was scored on us!" said junior math major Rebecca Lincoln. "Yeah, it was really what we really needed. We really wanted those wins, and doggonit, we really got them!" said junior Kate Renner, with grammatical help from the team's captain.

The second day consisted of three games, in two of which the Manti schooled their opponents once again. Northwestern and Wisconsin were left speechless. But the last game was a close one, with a final score of 12-11 against Illinois. Defensive machines junior Susie Walsh and senior Lisa Novins helped shut down the Illinois offense, and added quite a few sweet throws while they were at it. "Those two just kept on going and going, like that bunny on TV. I was thoroughly impressed," commented fifth-year double degree Todd Daloz of the men's ultimate team.

One of many highlights of the weekend was the head observer's comment that "The Preying Manti have the best zone offense of any men's or women's team here. All those break throws made the opposing cups run home crying!" Thanks to the patient misseling of dump swingers Novins, Walsh, junior captain Abby Sullivan, junior Liza Sapir and special guest star senior Katy Hansen - not to mention the popping skills of sophomores Felicia Kazer, Meg Ansara and the rest of the Keep crew - the zone O was able to continue the domination.

"The Manti were even more dominant than I had been led to believe. They basically whomped on everybody," said Rahula Strohl of the water polo team, whose members comprise some of the Manti's most dedicated fans.

After GLO, the Manti took home a big trophy, and they decided to continue their dominating ways at the following weekend's college sectionals. Their impressive performance drew much praise from within the larger ultimate community: "As for the women's sectionals, all I have to say is weather equals bad, Oberlin equals good," wrote the tournament director of the Manti's 3-0 record.

The intensity present at both tournaments is what the Manti need to bring the team to nationals this year, which will be held in Boulder, Colorado on May 28-30. "We want it more than the rest of those tool-io teams. And we'll have it. Colorado here we come!" said oh-so-psyched sophomore Laura Levin.

-Abby Sullivan is a member of the ultimate frisbee team