MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill abruptly and tearfully retired Wednesday, saying his epilepsy had become too draining for him to continue his effort to turn the program into a Big Ten power.
Kill told his staff and players of his heart-wrenching decision in early-morning meetings. Then he sat behind the podium used for postgame press conferences and spoke, his Kansas drawl quivering often, for nearly a half-hour about how hard it will be for him to stop coaching.
“I ain’t done anything else. That’s the scary part,” Kill said, pausing several times to keep from breaking down.
Kill said he had two seizures this week and went to practice Tuesday anyway, hoping he could still make this work. But the toll on his body, his mind and his family had become too big.
FIELD HOCKEY
BOWDOIN 4, TUFTS 3: Rachel Kennedy scored the go-ahead goal with 3:04 remaining, and the Polar Bears (15-0, 10-0 NESCAC) rallied from a 3-2 deficit against the Jumbos (10-5, 7-3) in their regular-season finale at Medford, Massachusetts.
With just over eight minutes left Emily McColgan tied it for the Polar Bears, who will be the top seed in the NESCAC tournament and host eighth-seeded Bates at 1 p.m. Saturday.
BATES 1, COLBY 0: Adah Lindquist scored unassisted late in the second half to propel the Bobcats (7-8, 3-7 NESCAC) past the Mules (7-8, 2-8) at Waterville.
Bates’ Cristina Vega and Colby’s Sarah Evans each stopped seven shots.
UNE 2, GORDON 1: Desirae LeBlanc scored 42 seconds into overtime to lift the Nor’easters (13-6, 10-1 Commonwealth Coast Conference) to a win over the Fighting Scots (5-14, 3-9) at Wenham, Massachusetts.
UNE opened the scoring 3:22 into the second half when Vonde Saunders scored from Hannah Buckley. Gordon tied the game with 8:43 left.
ST. JOSEPH’S 4, PLYMOUTH STATE 2: Michalia Parent scored in each half, and the Monks (12-6) used two second-half goals to get by Plymouth State (11-4) at Standish.
Kelsey Dumond and Amanda Celata each added a goal and an assist. Celata snapped a 2-all tie in the 64th minute.
MEN’S SOCCER
BOWDOIN 0, TUFTS 0: Stevie Van Siclen made five saves for the Polar Bears (7-3-4, NESCAC 3-3-4) as they played to a tie against the Jumbos (9-3-3, 5-2-3) in a regular-season finale at Somerville, Massachusetts.
BATES 0, COLBY 0: Sam Polito made four saves for the Bobcats (7-6-2, 2-6-2 NESCAC) and John Pappas had four for the Mules (3-8-4, 1-6-3) in a tie at Waterville that eliminated Bates from contention for the conference tournament.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
ROGER WILLIAMS 3, UNE 0: The Hawks (16-0-3, 8-0-1 CCC) got three goals – including two by Mariah Kaiser – in a 10-minute span late in the first half, and beat the Nor’easters (11-6, 6-3) at Biddeford.
UNE will be the third seed in the conference tournament and will host sixth-seeded Gordon at Saturday.
HUSSON 3, USM 1: Leah Hibbad scored two goals for the Eagles (8-9-1), who cruised past the Huskies (4-12) at Gorham.
Ariana Davidson scored in the 83rd minute for the Huskies.
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