‘Yote Notes – Aug. 27, 2003

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@albertson.edu

GENERAL ATHLETICS NEWS:

COYOTE OPEN COMING UP: The annual Coyote Open Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday September 26, at River Bend Golf Course in Wilder.  For more information, or to secure a group in this year's event, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835.

WHO ARE THE CALDWELL COYOTES?: A number of Albertson baseball players are embarking on a journey to the Grand Forks International baseball tournament in Canada this weekend.  This invite-only wood-bat tournament has some of the best teams from across the nation, along with Canada, and the Far East.  For a schedule of the games, along with internet broadcasts of the "Caldwell Coyotes", head to the GFI website at http://www.grandforksbaseball.com. 

SAFFORD FINISHES UP DOUBLE-DUTY WITH THE BOISE HAWKS: Sports Information Director Mike Safford Jr. will finish up his first season with the Boise Hawks Baseball Club, the Short-Season minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.  Safford served as the Hawks media relations director and will finish a schedule of 76 radio broadcasts in 80 days next Thursday.

THINK AHEAD FOR LAS VEGAS?: This year, the Albertson men's basketball team will be playing two games in Las Vegas on November 7 and 8.  Airfare and hotel packages will be available, along with information regarding the possible basketball reunion in Las Vegas, by calling Dave Hahn in the athletic marketing office at 459-5835.

VOLLEYBALL:

LAST WEEK: at College of Southern Idaho Tournament (5-3 record in eight matches)

COMING UP: at UM-Western Triangular, Saturday, Dillon, Mont. – vs. Montana-Western, 11 a.m.; vs. Carroll, 1:30 p.m.

COYOTES PICKED TO FINISH FOURTH: For the first time ever, the Cascade Conference released a preseason volleyball coaches’ poll, with Albertson placing fourth among the ten teams in the league. Leading the way was No. 9 ranked Southern Oregon with seven first-place votes, followed by No. 17 ranked Concordia with two first-place votes, and Western Baptist with one. Following the ‘Yotes were Oregon Tech, Northwest, Warner Pacific, Eastern Oregon, Evergreen, and Cascade.

GOOD EXPERIENCE IN TWIN FALLS: The Albertson spikers got some good experience this past weekend at the College of Southern Idaho preseason tournament in Twin Falls. Although none of the eight best-of-three matches counted in the season standings (all opponents were two-year schools), head coach Liz Mendiola was pleased with the competition and the play of the Lady ‘Yotes. The squad went 5-3 during the weekend, with three of the matches against teams ranked in the NJCAA Top-20 at the conclusion of last season. Albertson dropped straight set matches to No. 6 Southern Idaho and No. 9 Salt Lake CC, but swept a match with No. 16 Western Wyoming CC. The Coyotes dropped a tough three-set match with North Idaho, but defeated Yavapai, Colorado Northwestern, Casper, and Northwest of Wyoming.

‘YOTES RUN WITH TWO SETTERS: The matches were a good opportunity for the newcomers on the squad to see their first action in the purple and gold. At the forefront of the activity was freshman setter Erin Cherrington (Granby, Colo / Middle Park HS), who worked well in a 6-2 rotation with returing All-Conference setter Amanda Basañez (Elko, Nev. / College of Southern Idaho). Cherrington logged 93 assists in the eight matches, allowing Basañez to swing away for 35 kills. The senior, however, did lead the team with 100 assists.

BLOCK PARTY: Mendiola was very pleased with her blockers up front, as both Kristen Bailey (Fountain Green, Utah / Snow CC) and Fran Hartman (Lakeview, Ore. / Lakeview HS) were sold. Bailey, a senior, led the team with 65 kills during the weekend, along with contributing 16 blocks. The sophomore Hartman led the ‘Yotes with 21 blocks, while adding 39 kills.

SPREADING AROUND THE ATTACK: Unlike in the past, Albertson has no primary swinger on the team. In the eight matches combined, no less than six different players recorded 20-or-more kills, five of whom had 33-or-more spikes. Of the group, three of them were newcomers – Ashley Thornton (Glendora, Calif. / Cal Baptist) with 53, Tiffany Sower (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) with 33, and Kasey Hooter (Nampa, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) with 21.

DEFENSIVE MINDED: Coyote libero Amber Igoe (Blackfoot, Idaho / Firth HS) led the team with 53 digs during the tournament, with three other players recording 30-or-more digs. Albertson also used Kahli Mann (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) and Cherrington as liberos during the weekend.

THIS WEEKEND: The Coyotes are off to Dillon, Mont. for a triangular against both Montana-Western and Carroll, the top two teams in the Frontier Conference. Albertson will meet UM-Western at 11 a.m., followed by a match with Carroll, with UMW meeting Carroll in evening. Western (23-11 in 2002) defeated the Coyotes in both match-ups last year, while Albertson did not meet Carroll (3-1 in 2003). Both teams advanced to the regional semifinals in 2002.

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. Each night, scores and updated standings are posted on the Conference Standings page within the Albertson volleyball website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball/stats/standings.htm.

WOMEN’S SOCCER:

COMING UP: at Arthur D. Ortman Invitational, Nampa, Idaho – vs. Northwest Nazarene, Friday, 4 p.m.; vs. Eastern Oregon, Saturday, 1 p.m.

CAN THEY REPEAT THE SUCCESS: The 2002 Albertson women’s soccer season was a breakthrough year for the Lady ‘Yotes, as the team set a plethora of school records - including the first ten win season in the program’s history. With multiple starters returning, along with a bevy of newcomers set to bolster the defense, second-year head coach Aisha Reed (10-11) should reap the benefits.

LAST YEAR: Not only did the Coyotes advance to the Cascade Conference postseason tournament for the first time, they did it with a school-record number of goals and assists. Albertson tied a school mark with a five-game win streak, including their first win over NCAA Division II rival, Northwest Nazarene, in nearly five seasons.

CHANGES IN THE LEAGUE: The nine teams in the conference decided prior to the conclusion of the 2002 season to use this season as a trial for a two-division format. Albertson will be apart of the “Northeast Division” (official name has not been announced), along with national tournament qualifier Concordia, Eastern Oregon, and Evergreen. The “Southwest Division” will be comprised of NCCAA national tournament qualifier Western Baptist, Oregon Tech, Southern Oregon, Cascade, and Warner Pacific. The main reason for the shift from a double round-robin format to the divisional schedule (in which teams play a double round-robin schedule within the division and a single game against all schools in the other division) was for schools to be able to have 4-or-5 more non-conference games to increase longo ratings (the main criteria for the regional tournament).

PRESEASON POLL: In the first-ever Cascade Conference women’s soccer preseason poll, the Coyotes were picked fifth out of nine teams. Leading the voting was No. 4 ranked Concordia, followed by NCCAA runner-up Western Baptist. Also ahead of Albertson were Evergreen, Southern Oregon, and Warner Pacific, with Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and Cascade rounding out the poll, conducted by ballots from each of the nine head coaches in the league.

WHO WILL BE THE SCORING PUNCH?: Last season, the Coyotes were dominated by a three-headed scoring monster that counted for over 75-percent of the total points. However, two of those players – two-time All-CCC forward Becky Robertson and four-year starter Chelsea Stevens have graduated. However, Reed can look to the senior leadership of All- CCC winger Alyssa Latham (Walla Walla, Wash. / Walla Walla CC), who scored 12 goals and assisted on 21 others last year. Not only were the 21 assists a school record, but they were the fourth-highest total in NAIA history. Surrounding Latham is the big question mark on the squad – as Adria Carley (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS), a two-year starter, Lynnette Jacome (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS), and softball all-star Tiffany Mathews (Las Vegas, Nev. / Eldorado HS) hope to step in.

DALSOGLIO TO THE MIDFIELD: Former All-Star sweeper Kristi Dalsoglio (Boise, Idaho / Meridian HS) returns for another season, however she will be in an unfamiliar role. Dalsoglio, the anchor of the Coyote defense during the 2001 and 2002 season, will be playing a new position in 2003, moving from the backline to a midfielder role. Joining her at midfield will be sisters Katie Rupert (Boise, Idaho / North Idaho CC) and Allison Rupert (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS), along with returners Andrea Ebert (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS), a fourth-year player, and Brittany Cross (Washougal, Wash. / Washougal HS).

THE DEFENSE: Two returning starters, along with three others look to bolster the Coyotes defense. Both Dana Landon (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Idaho Falls HS) and Kelly Asbjornsen (Washougal, Wash. / Washougal HS) saw the majority of the time at the fullback positions last season. They will be joined by senior Joan Blankenship (Hillsboro, Ore. / Glencoe HS), along with Boise State transfer Shaila Goodman (La Crescenta, Calif. / Boise State), and local product Ali Jakubowski (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS).

EXPERIENCE IN THE NET: With a year under her belt, the ‘Yotes look for bigger things from sophomore Danielle Dorsch (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS), who started all 21 games last season. Dorsch recorded two shutouts last season, despite a 3.29 GAA. Also returning is her back-up, junior Jessica Bernard (Jupiter, Fla. / Clearwater Valley HS).

STARTING THE SEASON ACROSS TOWN: Albertson will make their 2003 debut across town at the Arthur D. Ortman Invitational, hosted by Northwest Nazarene. The Lady ‘Yotes open against the host Crusaders (3-15 in 2002), who are trying to break a 12-game losing streak – which includes a loss to Albertson. New head coach Jaime Lindvall inherits a team that was picked last on every coaches’ ballot in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason poll. However, don’t underestimate NNU – with All-Conference forward Randi Hufford and former All-American keeper Shauna Voss, the Crusaders will be gunning for revenge. NNU holds a 10-6 advantage in the all-time series. Also on the docket is Cascade Conference foe, Eastern Oregon. The Mountaineers (3-17 in 2002) set a school record for wins last season, despite losing three times to the ‘Yotes. Eastern does not have a senior on their roster, but return midfielders Sarah Flescher and Chelsea Topping, along with defender Tonilynn Reardon. Albertson is 7-0-1 all-time against the Mounties.

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/wmensoccer.htm. Each night, scores and updated standings are posted on the Conference Standings page within the Albertson women’s soccer website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wsoccer/stats/standings.htm.

- ALBERTSON -