‘Yote Notes –
Nov. 11, 2002
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Mike Safford Jr.
– Sports Info. Director
msafford@albertson.edu
GENERAL
ATHLETICS NEWS:
AN
“EVENING WITH THE COYOTES”: Come join Mark Adams, ESPN college
basketball analyst and motivational speaker, at "An Evening with the
Coyotes", a fundraising event on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at The Grove Hotel in
Boise. The evening is part of the Athletic Department's efforts to alleviate
the 2002-2003 budget shortfall. Tickets are a tax-deductible gift of $100, and
"will be the best $100 you've ever spent," says Athletic Director
Marty Holly. For more information on
the dinner, contact Dave Hahn, director of athletic marketing at (208)
459-5835.
SEASON TICKETS ON
SALE: Men’s and
women’s basketball season-tickets are now on sale. Plenty of great seats are
available for the biggest show in town, for as low as $40 dollars for student
and seniors and $60 for adults - with at least 22 great games on the docket.
Contact Dave Hahn at (208) 459-5835 for more information.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (3-2): Solid
2-1 effort in Salt Lake send Coyotes closer to home opener this Friday
LAST WEEK: at Homestead Suites Invitational, Salt Lake City,
Utah – defeated Montana-Western, 88-76; lost to Lewis-Clark State, 69-62;
defeated Westminster, 68-62.
COMING UP: at Idaho State, Tuesday, 7 p.m.; vs. Montana Tech,
Friday, 8 p.m.; vs. Montana-Western, Saturday, 8 p.m.
SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND IN SALT LAKE: Facing a trio of the top teams in the NAIA
Division I Frontier Conference last week, the Albertson men’s basketball team
proved that it will be a force to be reckoned with this season, taking 2-of-3
games from their brothers to the east.
The key was foul shooting, as the Coyotes made 44-of-54 free throws
(.814 percent) in their two wins, compared with 13-of-21 (.618 percent) in the
loss.
PERKES BRINGS HARD HAT AND LUNCH PAIL: One of three players who could have earned
tournament MVP honors was the ‘Yotes Tom
Perkes (Spokane, Wash. / Big Bend CC). The junior transfer had a banner weekend,
including back-to-back 25 point games during the final two nights of the
weekend. During the three games, Perkes
went 22-for-36 from the field (.611 percent), averaging 22 points and seven
rebounds. He also got to the foul line
an average of eight times a night, making 19-of-23 free throws.
A DIFFERENT GAME, DIFFERENT HERO: Tom Perkes wasn’t the only player lighting things
up for the ‘Yotes. In the opener
against Montana-Western, it was Andy
Harper (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Columbia
Basin CC) providing the fireworks.
Harper scored 29 points, including five three-pointers in the 88-76
win. Friday, Eric Hare (San Miguel de
Allende, Mexico / West Valley College), mired in a season-opening slump,
scored 11 points in the loss to Lewis-Clark State. Saturday, it was sophomore point-guard Joe Green (Pocatello, Idaho /
BYU-Idaho), scoring a season-high 16 points in the win over Westminster.
NEW TEETH?: A
trip to the dentist was needed for swingman Zach Rasmussen (Boise, Idaho
/ Bishop Kelly HS) following the 68-62 win over Westminster. Late in the second half, Rasmussen took an
elbow to the jaw, fracturing a small bone on his upper lip. Some painful dental work and six braces
later, and Rasmussen will be ready this week.
The sophomore scored a career-high 12 points in the win over
Montana-Western.
GAME RECAPS: A
13-0 second half run was just what the doctor ordered on Thursday night, as the
Coyotes stopped Montana-Western, 88-76.
Albertson hit its final 18 free throws on the night, as four players
finished in double figures. The free
throws would not fall the next night, as No. 15 ranked Lewis-Clark State
stopped the ‘Yotes, 69-62. Albertson
trailed 61-60 with just three minutes left, but back-to-back three-pointers by
Warrior guard Chris Allen sealed the Coyotes fate. On Saturday, an early 11-point deficit was just a bump in the
road for Albertson in a 68-62 win over Westminster. A 15-0 first half run gave the ‘Yotes a halftime lead, while Justin McCarthy (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) and Tom Perkes hit clutch one-and-one
free throw opportunities in the final minute to seal the victory.
A BIG THANK YOU: The Coyotes would like to thank Dee and Janet
Reynolds, parents of freshman Jake
Reynolds (Sandy, Utah / Waterford HS),
for their hospitality in Salt Lake City last weekend. On behalf of the travel party to the Great Basin, the ‘Yotes say
“Thank You!”
HOME OPENER IN THE DISTANCE, BUT FIRST: Friday night issues the first home men’s
basketball game of the season, but before the ‘Yotes can hear the home crowd,
they must trek to a daunting task at Idaho
State. The Bengals (10-17 in
2001-02), an NCAA Division I opponent from the Big Sky Conference, look to have
their best squad in the five years Doug Oliver has been at the helm. Freshman Derek Quinet and transfer Marquis
Poole are very athletic players, who may develop to be among the best in the
conference, along with All-Big Sky guard Jeremy Brown. The Albertson game is an exhibition for the
Bengals (although it counts in the win-loss column for the ‘Yotes), a tune up
for games later this season against Marquette, Fresno State, Brigham Young, and
Tennessee Tech – all perennial 20-win teams.
Not only has Albertson failed to win a game against an NCAA Division I
institution, they have dropped all eleven previous meetings with ISU.
BRING ON THE FALL CLASSIC: Albertson will welcome fellow Cascade Conference
rival Oregon Tech to town for the 2002 Albertson Fall Classic. Both the ‘Yotes and OIT will meet Frontier
Conference stalwarts Montana Tech and
Montana-Western during the weekend
set. The Orediggers (6-2) have won two
straight, victories over Great Falls and Minot State. Guards Shane Sutton (13.0 ppg) and Jeremy Shannon (14.0 ppg) led
Mike Bauer’s squad, a three-point happy team (average nearly 35 three-point
attempts per game) from Butte. The
Coyotes hold a 13-7 all-time advantage over Tech, with the last meeting
occurring in 1999. The following night,
Albertson and Western meet in a rematch of last Thursday’s tussle. The Bulldogs (2-2) went 1-2 in Salt Lake,
losing to Albertson and Christian Heritage (110-106), before upending Point
Loma Nazarene (83-78). The star was
guard Josh Keller (23.0 ppg), who took an average of 11 three-point attempts
per game. Albertson has won two
straight in the series, which dates back to 1955, and holds a 26-17 all-time
advantage.
RADIO AND INTERNET BROADCAST INFORMATION: All 31 regular-season games will be broadcast live
on 1490-AM KCID, the “Home of the Coyotes.”
For the second consecutive year, sports information director, Mike
Safford Jr., will call the play-by-play.
Tune in this week for ‘Yote action at Idaho State (Tuesday at 6:55
p.m.), vs. Montana Tech (Friday at 8 p.m.), and vs. Montana-Western (Saturday
at 8 p.m.) on KCID-AM, or log onto the Albertson athletic website to hear the
internet feed (www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/default.asp).
MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding
the Albertson men’s basketball program, head to the official site of Coyote
basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (1-1):
Lady ‘Yotes continue road trip at Boise State and
Salt Lake, split in Montana
LAST
WEEK: at Carroll Classic, Helena, Mont. – defeated Montana
Tech, 82-70; lost to Carroll, 70-68.
COMING
UP: at Boise State, Tuesday, 7 p.m.; at
Westminster Invitational, Salt Lake City, Utah – Thursday vs. Westminster, 6
p.m.; Friday vs. Westmont, 4 p.m.; Saturday vs. Fresno Pacific, 4 p.m.
LADY ‘YOTES
OPEN WITH ROAD SPLIT: A long trek to
Helena, Mont. opened up the 2002-03 season for the Albertson women’s
basketball, and the Lady ‘Yotes did not disappoint, splitting their two games
in hostile territory. Only nine women
made the trip due to budget limitations, but all nine made contributions in the
eighty minutes of action.
HENRICHS
TEARS LIGAMENT: The worst fears were
realized last week, as senior forward Megan Henrichs (Preston, Idaho
/ Preston HS) tore ligaments in her
knee during a collision in the Coyote scrimmage Nov. 2 against Treasure Valley
CC. According to trainer Linda Gibbens,
the All-Conference performer can either have surgery (which would end her
season), or begin extensive rehab – with a possibility of a late season return.
WELCOME
TO THE HARDWOOD: Making the transition
from the volleyball court to the basketball court seemed easy for senior Kristen Bailey (Fountain Green, Utah / Snow CC). The post
played the first 28 games with the Coyote volleyball team, but skipped the
final two regular-season tilts to accompany the round-ballers to Montana. Bailey recorded back-to-back double-doubles
in Big Sky country, including a school-record seven blocked shots in the loss
to Carroll on Saturday night.
KNOCKED
DOWN, BUT RIGHT BACK UP: Last week was a
tough one for guard Heidi
Goicoechea (Burley, Idaho / Burley
HS), recovering from a concussion sustained in
the scrimmage on Nov. 2. Once the
cobwebs were shaken out of her head, the junior got right to business,
averaging 15 points a game over the weekend.
More impressively, Goicoechea hit 6-of-14 from behind the three-point
stripe.
REMEMBER
THE NAME – KARREN: Montana Tech will be
seeing the No. 33 of transfer Lindsey
Karren (Brigham City, Utah /
Salt Lake CC) after her impressive
debut with the Lady ‘Yotes. The junior
scored eight points, but pulled down a tournament-high 14 rebounds in the
Albertson victory. For the weekend,
Karren averaged 8.5 points (on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor) and 10.5
rebounds.
TRUE
FROSH SHINES: Playing in front of a
raucous crowd in your first college basketball game – that is what freshman Dani Cotterell (Nampa, Idaho / Nampa HS) faced this weekend in Montana. However, the guard responded like a
veteran, averaging over ten points a
game during the weekend set. Cotterell
hit 5-of-11 shots from outside the three-point arc, giving the Coyotes another
potent outside threat.
RECAP OF MONTANA TRIP: In the opener against
Montana Tech, Albertson rallied from a three-point halftime deficit to dominate
the Orediggers in the second half, winning 82-70. The Lady ‘Yotes hit 21-of-24 free throws on the night, and held a
39-34 advantage on the boards. Kristen
Bailey led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds, with both Heidi Goicoechea
and Dani Cotterell each added 14 points.
The following night, free throws were not kind to the Coyotes in the
70-68 loss to host Carroll. Despite
hitting 23-of-46 shots from the floor, Albertson made just 10-of-19 free throws
in the second half with the game in the balance. Bailey had a monster game – 18 points, ten rebounds, seven
blocked shots, and five assists.
A MEETING WITH THE BRONCOS: For the first time in
school history, Albertson will play its NCAA Division I neighbors, Boise State, on Tuesday night at
the BSU Pavilion. The match-up, which
is an exhibition for new head coach Jen Warden and the Broncos (10-20 in
2001-02), counts in the Coyotes win-loss column, and is the sixth NCAA Division
I opponent in school history. BSU
returns second leading scorer Mandy Welch (11.1 ppg), but are a very smallish
NCAA squad, with no player taller than 6-2.
OFF TO SALT LAKE: Just as the men’s
basketball team did last week, the women’s basketball team will head to Salt
Lake City and three games as part of the Westminster Invitational. Up first for Albertson is host Westminster, who split a pair of
games at the Evergreen Tournament last weekend. The Griffins (1-1) lost a close battle with Cascade College, but
set school records in a 103-45 win over Evergreen. Albertson must check post Rebekah Steenblik (25.1 ppg), who at
5-11 is the tallest player on the Westminster team. Albertson owns a 2-0 all-time advantage over Daron Park’s
club. Friday, the Coyotes meet Westmont of California, in a
rematch of an early season game from 2001.
The Warriors (1-0) opened the new season with a 78-64 win over LaSierra
University. Meghan O’Donogue came off the
bench for Gregg Afman’s team, scoring a team-high 19 points. The Lady ‘Yotes end the trip with a tough
match-up with Fresno Pacific, one of the premier Golden State Athletic
Conference teams. The Sunbirds (1-0)
opened the season with an 86-66 win over Holy Names, before dropping an
exhibition match-up with Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo on Saturday night. Jane Gillespie scored a team-high 27 points
in the win over Holy Names. FPU
qualified for the NAIA Division I national tournament last season, losing a
first-round game to Freed-Hartman (Tenn.).
The Sunbirds won the only match-up between the two teams, a 53-49
decision during the 2000-01 season.
RADIO AND INTERNET BROADCAST INFORMATION: A total of 23 women’s basketball games will be
broadcast via the Albertson athletic department. Join Mike Safford Jr. later this season when all nine Lady ‘Yote
conference road games are broadcast live on 1490 KCID-AM. In addition, Jordan Komoto and Jake McClean
will broadcast all 14 home games live on the Internet. Internet links and broadcast times will be
released later in the season.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information
regarding the Albertson women’s basketball program, head to the official site
of Lady ‘Yote basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.
CASCADE CONFERENCE HOTLINE: For up-to-date scores from the Cascade Conference,
call the Cascade Conference Hotline at (208) 459-5135. Each night, scores and updated standings are
posted on the Conference Standings page within the Albertson women’s basketball
website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wbasketball/stats/standings.htm.
VOLLEYBALL (17-13): Basañez CCC Setter-of-the-Week, Price reaches 2,000 kills,
‘Yotes head to CCC Tournament
LAST
WEEK: Defeated Northwest Nazarene, 3-2; won at
Cascade, 3-1; won at Warner Pacific, 3-0.
COMING
UP: at Cascade Conference Tournament, Portland,
Ore – vs. Northwest, Friday, 11 a.m.; (with win) vs. Southern Oregon, Friday, 4
p.m.; Championship Round, Saturday, 4 or 7 p.m.
OFF TO CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT: Riding the coat tails of the longest winning
streak since the 1999 season, the Albertson volleyball team is off to the
Cascade Conference tournament, searching for a berth to regionals. It is the fifth consecutive season that the
Lady ‘Yotes have reached the CCC tourney, and with a pair of victories, will be
making their third consecutive trip to the regional tournament.
WIN STREAK AT SIX: With a trio of wins last week, the Coyotes
extended their season-best win streak to six in a row. This equals the run Albertson had during
their 2000 drive to the national tournament.
The streak is the longest since a seven-game winning streak during the
1999 campaign.
REGIONAL RANKING: The Coyote win streak has seen the team move from
completely out of the weekly poll following Blocktoberfest 2002 to No. 5 in the
region. Concordia, Southern Oregon,
Montana-Western, and Carroll hold the top four spots. The bottom five include Rocky Mountain, Montana Tech, Western
Baptist, Lewis-Clark State, and Oregon Tech.
BASANEZ NAMED SETTER-OF-THE-WEEK: For the second time this season, Coyote setter Amanda Basañez (Elko, Nev. / College of Southern Idaho) was named Cascade
Conference Setter-of-the-Week. The
junior averaged over 12 assists and nearly three digs per game as the Lady
‘Yotes went 3-0.
PRICE BREAKS 2,000 MARK: Add another notch in the belt of outside hitter Kristyn Price (Bellevue, Idaho / Wood River HS).
The senior all-star became the first Coyote volleyball player to eclipse
the 2,000 kill mark in a career with a spike in the third game of Tuesday’s win
over Northwest Nazarene. With a 58
kills last week, Price now has 2,044 kills, to go along with 208 aces, in her
four-year Albertson career. Next in her
sights is the career digs mark held by Brecia Gamett (1998-01). Price needs eight bumps against Northwest on
Friday to set the mark.
MORE ON THE PRICE FRONT: Kristyn Price also catapulted in the NAIA record
books last week. With three more
double-digit kill games, the senior moved into sixth-place on the NAIA career
double-digit kill list with 108. Next
in her sights in Neslihan Yilmaz of Dickinson State (N.D.) with 110. Price now sits in second-place all-time in
matches with 20 or more kills with 35, trailing just Yilmaz, who recorded 43 in
1997, 1998, and 2000. On the team
front, the 525 kills and the .348 attack percentage rank Price second on the
Albertson single-season list, while her 5.20 kills per game this season is set
to shatter the record her coach Liz
Mendiola, set in 1994.
TIPTON TO 1,000:
Price wasn’t the only one with milestones.
Fellow senior Katy Tipton (Ontario, Ore. / Ontario HS) became the
fourth Coyote in his to record 1,000 career kills. Tipton is also just five blocks away from moving into
second-place on the all-time list.
ACES EQUAL RECORD: Not only have the Coyotes set a new school
record this season for aces in a game, the same can be said for the
single-season record. Through 30
matches, Albertson has recorded 284 service aces, well more than the 254 aces
the 1996 had. Furthermore, the ace
average of 2.61 is nearly two-tenths of an ace ahead of the pace (2.44) set in
1994.
WARD MAKES MOST OF OPPORTUNITY: Although her eligibility is a sophomore, Lindsey Ward (Murtaugh, Idaho / Murtaugh HS) will graduate this spring with a
degree in history. With her collegiate
career drawing to a close, Ward is making the most of her insertion into the
regular rotation, recording 33 kills last week, with an impressive .429 hitting
percentage.
COYOTES TOP NNU: Albertson ended a modest three-match losing streak
to Northwest Nazarene, stopping the visiting Crusaders last Tuesday in five
games. Kristyn Price led the attack with
22 kills, but the match will be remembered for the Lady ‘Yotes blowing a 29-21
Game 4 lead, only to see the hosts win the clincher, 15-6. Jessie
Lassen (Buhl, Idaho / Filer HS) recorded
13 kills and five blocks, with Katy Tipton converting ten kills and a
season-high nine blocks, just two off the school record.
THE FIRST TRIP TO PORTLAND SUCCESSFUL: Albertson took care of business in its weekend
matches against Cascade and Warner Pacific.
In the “Thunderdome,” Price had 22 kills in the Coyote four-game win
over the T-Birds. Setter Amanda Basanez recorded 62 assists to go along with
nine digs. The following night,
Albertson dominated Warner Pacific, as Katy Tipton swung at a .615 clip (nine
kills in 13 attacks).
BACK TO PORTLAND: Albertson faces a must win match on Friday, as the
No. 3 seed Coyotes meet No. 6 seed Northwest in the Cascade Conference
tournament. Northwest ended a
three-game losing streak by stopping Oregon Tech in five games last Saturday. The two teams split their matches this season,
both winning in three games on their own home court. A Coyote win advances them into a semifinal match-up with
Southern Oregon, whom stopped Albertson in four games in both meetings this
season. Other tournament teams include
No. 1 seed Concordia, No. 4 seed Western Baptist, and No. 5 seed Oregon Tech.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY
‘YOTES: For game stories, statistics,
and information regarding the Albertson volleyball program, head to the
official site of Lady ‘Yote volleyball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.
MEN’S SOCCER (14-6): Coyotes season ends with loss to Simon Fraser at NAIA
Region I Tournament
LAST
WEEK: NAIA Region I Tournament – Lost to Simon
Fraser, 5-0.
SIMON FRASER ENDS ‘YOTE
SEASON: With injuries decimating the
squad, the Albertson men’s soccer team gave it their best shot on Friday
afternoon, falling to eventual champion Simon Fraser, 5-0, at the NAIA Region I
Tournament in Portland. The Clan, who
lost to Albertson in the 2000 regional final, scored three goals in the first
20 minutes of action to take control of the game. The ‘Yotes had their chances, as senior Coe Michaelson (East
Wenatchee, Wash. / Northwest Nazarene) and freshman Scott Ward (Rexburg,
Idaho / Madison HS) each had shots bang off the crossbar in the second
half.
BACK-TO-BACK SHUTOUTS: The consecutive 5-0 shutout defeats for Albertson
are the first time since 1998 that the Coyotes have been shutout in
back-to-back games. Northwest Nazarene
(1-0) and Western Baptist (5-0) turned the tables the final week of September
in 1998.
CAN SOMEONE SWAT THE INJURY
BUG?: The 2002 season could be
summed up in one word – injuries.
Typical bumps and bruises gave way to a multitude of pulled muscles and
torn ligaments. Knee injuries to Brad
Brooks (Meridian, Idaho / Meridian HS) and Ryan Abo (Boise,
Idaho / Timberline HS) ended their season’s early, along with a season-long
groin injury to sweeper Shane Carmody (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS). Add a gash to the head of freshman John
Mitchell (Boise, Idaho / Boise State) and an ankle injury to Skiff
Larsen (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS) from this weekend, along with Jason
Southward (Hailey, Idaho / Wood River HS) missing the game due to a
red card, and six of the 11 starters from the season opener were on the
sidelines.
MICHAELSON EARNS HIGH ACADEMIC
HONOR: Senior Coe Michaelson has been
a star not only on the soccer pitch, but in the classroom during his three
years at Albertson. Michaelson was
named last week as a unanimous selection for the CoSIDA/Verizon District VIII
All-Academic Team. The only unanimous
choice, Michaelson will now vie for a spot on the Academic All-America team,
joining other scholar-athletes from NCAA Division II, Division III, and NAIA
institutions. Last season, he earned
Second-Team All-America honors in the CoSIDA/Verizon contest.
SEASON RECAP: High hopes were in place for the Coyotes this
season, returning nearly an entire starting line-up from the 2001 regional
runner-up team. An eight-game winning
streak early vaulted the team to the No. 15 spot in the NAIA national poll, but
injuries began to take their toll.
Following a weekend sweep of Warner Pacific and Western Baptist, the
‘Yotes lost the services of All-Conference center-mid Ryan Abo to a
season-ending knee injury. The 10-2
Coyotes went 4-4 from that point on, giving up 21 goals during that
stretch. Nonetheless, five players
earned All-Conference honors, and the team racked up their fourth consecutive
season with at least 12 wins.
STEELE’S FINAL STAND: Friday’s loss marked the end of the Jake Steele
(Salt Lake City, Utah / Viewmont HS) era as goalkeeper for the
Coyotes. The backstop for the past four
years, Steele did not miss one minute during his career. Overall, he played in 7,982 minutes in a
Coyote jersey, giving up 107 goals for a career GAA of 1.21 – and ranks as the
Albertson leader in games played, minutes played, shutouts, and goals against
average in a career. The two-time NAIA
All-American also ranks tied for eighth in NAIA history with 28 shutouts.
MICHAELSON’S FINAL MARKS: The other All-American on the Coyotes, Coe
Michaelson, ended his collegiate career last Friday. Michaelson recorded 12 goals and 11 assists in 2002, bringing his
career numbers to 42 goals and 39 assists for 121 points. Michaelson owns the Albertson school record
for assists in a season (14) and career, ranks No. 3 on the all-time points
scored list, and No. 4 on the all-time goals scored list.
CALPIN’S RECORD THROUGH 17
YEARS: Through the end of the 2002
season, head coach John Calpin has amassed an overall record of
174-100-11 during his 17 years as Albertson head coach. It was brought to the attention of the
athletic department that a forfeit victory for the Coyotes during the 1999
season against Simon Fraser was not a part of Calpin’s tally. The veteran coach ranks third on the NAIA
all-time victory list among active coaches, and 18th all-time in overall
wins. His winning percentage of .630
puts Calpin tied for No. 29 in the history of the NAIA.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE
COYOTES: For game stories, statistics,
and information regarding the Albertson men’s soccer program, head to the
official site of Coyote soccer: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (10-11): Albertson ends record-setting season with loss to Concordia
in conference semifinals
LAST WEEK: Lost to Concordia, 9-1.
PLAYOFF LOSS ENDS LADY ‘YOTES
REMARKABLE RUN: Conference
Player-of-the-Year Missy Clark scored three first half goals, as Concordia
University ended the Albertson women’s soccer season with a 9-1 victory in the
Cascade Conference semifinals. The No.
4 ranked team in the land ran out to a 4-0 halftime lead and hid. The Coyotes, however, did avert the shutout,
as senior Chelsea Stevens (Bend, Ore. / BYU-Idaho) knocked home a
pass from Alyssa Latham (Walla Walla, Wash. / Walla Walla CC).
ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS: A pair of Coyotes were named to the All-Cascade
Conference team, both as first-team selections. Leading the list was junior midfielder Alyssa Latham, who
finished the regular-season tied for the CCC lead in assists. Joining Latham is senior Becky Robertson (Othello,
Wash. / Columbia Basin CC), who scored 11 goals and assisted on ten more
this year. The forward earns first-team
honors for the second consecutive year.
RECAPING THE SEASON: A lot was not expected from the Lady ‘Yotes in
2002, considering it was the first year for head coach Aisha Reed. After a 1-2 performance at the Ortman
Invitational in Nampa, Albertson began the Cascade Conference season 1-2,
before hitting full stride. The Coyotes
ran off a school-record tying five game win streak – including a win over
playoff-bound Southern Oregon, along with their first victory over Northwest
Nazarene in ten tries. A rocky end to
the season (five consecutive losses) did not damper the overwhelming respect
that the 21 players earned within the conference and in the Treasure Valley.
RECORDS SHATTERED: The five-game win streak was just the tip of the
iceberg for the 2002 Lady ‘Yotes. The
squad established a new school record for wins in a season with ten, while recording
more goals (39), assists (42), and points (120) than any other Coyote team in
history. Albertson also recorded more
games with three-or-more goals (8) than ever before – double the amount
recorded combining the previous three seasons.
Alyssa Latham set a new school record with 21 assists, while four
players tallied ten or more points.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: With ten wins this season, Aisha Reed moves to
within four victories of the all-time record in Albertson women’s soccer
history. John Calpin holds the record,
going 14-15 as coach during the 1989 and 1990 seasons. Coming into the season, the Coyote program
had won just 50 games in 13 years – which makes 2002 so remarkable.
LATHAM ENDS RECORD SETTING
SEASON: The move from the junior
college ranks to the NAIA did not stop Alyssa Latham in her rookie
campaign. The junior sparkplug led
Albertson in scoring with 12 goals and 21 assists for 45 points, just two off
the single-season scoring record. The
21 assists were a Lady ‘Yote record, tying her with Nicole Tobin of Siena
Heights (Mich.) for third-place on the NAIA single-season list.
ROBERTSON, STEVENS END
CAREERS: For seniors Becky Robertson
and Chelsea Stevens, the 2002 season could not have been better for the
duo. Robertson finished second on the
team with 32 points, with Stevens finishing third with 17 points. For their careers, both rank among the top
players in school history. Robertson
ends her collegiate career with 27 goals and 11 assists, good for 65 points –
second on the all-time list in both points and goals scored. For the former Chelsea Hill, she ends her
three-year career with 11 goals and eight assists for 30 points, good enough
for No. 6 on the all-time for points.
HEADED TO REGIONALS: Concordia defeated Western Baptist, 3-1, in the
CCC Title game, as both the Cavaliers and Warriors earned berths to the
regional tournament. Concordia, the
top-seed, will play No. 4 seed Rocky Mountain, while No. 2 seed Simon Fraser
battles Western.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For game stories,
statistics, and information regarding the Albertson women’s soccer program,
head to the official site of Lady ‘Yote soccer: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.
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