MORAGA, Calif. -- Where were you when...
We begin our countdown of 2014's top games, plays and events in Saint Mary's Athletics with five moments that captivated Gaels fans and created memories that will last well beyond just one calendar year. Some happened right here in Moraga, others as far away as Texas but they all had an element of Saint Mary's running through them.
Here are moments 6 through 10 in our countdown. The top five will be revealed once a day for the next five days, so check SMCGaels.com to see if your favorite made the list.
10. Patrick Mills Helps The San Antonio Spurs Win The NBA Title
Already a beloved figure in the River City for his team-first attitude, former SMC guard Patrick Mills made a equally impressive contribution on the court as the Spurs rolled to the NBA title in five games over the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. The Canberra, Australia native averaged 10.2 points per game in the five-game series but was especially impressive in the later games, scoring 14 points in Game 4 and 17 in the decisive Game 5.
His performance in the NBA FInals was made even more impressive after the season when Mills revealed he'd been playing through a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The author of some of the most memorable moments in Saint Mary's basketball history averaged over 10 points a game off the bench for the Spurs in 2013-14, enjoying a breakout season that established him as one of the NBA's top true point guards.
9. Softball Rules The East Bay
For all the strides made by the Saint Mary's softball team over the years, one important mountain remained unclimbed entering the 2014 season. Having never beaten East Bay rival Cal, the Gaels had two chances to flip that script with a potential matchup against the Golden Bears at the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego as well as a visit to Cottrell Field later in the season.
Head coach Jessica Hanaseth-Rodgers and her crew didn't wait long to make a little history. Behind a complete game in the circle by Sarah Lira, Saint Mary's beat Cal 4-1 in tournament play to score its first win over its local rivals. A few weeks later, the Bears had their chance for revenge but two home runs by Gaels catcher Andrea Hazel led the way as Saint Mary's rolled to an 8-2 win and finished the season sweep. Hazel and Lira played a big role in both games, with Hazel driving in five of SMC's 12 runs and Lira throwing all 14 innings to earn both wins.
8. The Comeback Kids Leave Their Mark At War Memorial
There were already plenty of moments to choose from when it came to a successful 2014 for the Saint Mary's women's basketball team, but the Gaels waited until Dec. 29 to author one of the most epic comebacks in Saint Mary's Athletics history. Head coach Paul Thomas' squad fell behind 20-1 to begin their West Coast Conference game at San Francisco and the Dons' lead climbed as high as 24 as Saint Mary's seemed ticketed for their first conference defeat of the new season.
That wasn't good enough for the Gaels. Down 19 with 16 minutes to play, Saint Mary's began to chip away at the lead, whittling the deficit down to 12 with just under eight minutes to go. A 3-pointer by freshman Carly Turner and an old-fashioned 3-point play by Shannon Mauldin cut that margin in half and sparked a massive 17-3 run over the final seven minutes. Tied with just a few seconds left, Lauren Nicholson's entry pass found Hayley Hendricksen in position to get to the basket, and the senior from Spokane, Wash. converted to give Saint Mary's its first lead of the game with just three seconds to play. That lead proved decisive, as the Gaels held on for a 68-66 victory.
7. Men's Soccer Stuns No. 4 Washington
In some respects, just fielding a team was a victory for Saint Mary's men's soccer coach Adam Cooper when his Gaels traveled north to face No. 4-ranked Washington on Sept. 7. Having seen his squad ravaged by injuries both in preseason training and the first two games of the season, Cooper took a young and untested bunch to Husky Soccer Field to face one of the nation's best teams in a non-conference match.
But, with injury came opportunity and the Gaels rose to the occasion to score one of the program's biggest wins. Trailing 1-0 midway through the second half, Jake Stenberg converted a cross from Michael Semenza to score the equalizer in the 69th minute and eventually force overtime. In the 94th minute, Semenza got involved again as his cross landed just past the Washington defense and found the foot of freshman Antonio Lokossou, who slotted it past the Huskies goalkeeper and into the net for the game-winner. Goalkeeper Andre Rawls, who would go on to win WCC Goalkeeper of the Year, stopped nine shots as Saint Mary's earned its first ever win over a top-5 team.
6. Neff Shines Under The Lights
Saint Mary's pitcher Cameron Neff authored several of the Gaels' biggest moments on the diamond in 2014 but none was bigger than his complete game, four-hitter at No. 9 Cal State Fullerton on March 15. The right-hander was dominant from the start, commanding his fastball and mixing in a changeup and slider to keep the perennial College World Series contenders off balance in an eventual 6-0 Saint Mary's win.
Making the feat even more impressive was the stage on which Neff performed. Playing at night in front of a crowd of 2,343 and members of the national college baseball media, the Salinas, Calif. native wasn't fazed, striking out three and walking just two in an effort that was later named Male Individual Performance of the Year by the SMC Athletic Department. That display of poise was also a sign of things to come for the freshman, and he went on to toss five complete games in 2014 to lead all WCC pitchers in the category.
