‘Yote Notes – Sept. 13, 2006

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

ATHLETIC NEWS: Coyote Open set for September 22, Men’s Basketball picked fourth by CCC coaches

COYOTE OPEN SET FOR SEPTEMBER 22: Year in and year out, the Coyote Open is one of the biggest golf tournaments in the Treasure Valley. Through the generous support of Treasure Valley businesses, organizations and individuals, this golf tournament is the most successful fund-raising event of the year for the Coyote Athletic Association. It has also become one of the largest tournaments in the area with over 180 golfers.  The 22nd Annual Coyote Open will take place on Friday, September 22, at Falcon Crest Golf Club in Kuna.  Player entry fee is $100.00 per player.  Please note that all entries received after Sept. 15 will be charged a late fee of $125.00.  All entry fees must be ‘paid in full’ prior to the day of the tournament. Online Registration for the Open is available via the Internet at https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/coyoteopen.asp, or to request a player or team entry form, to become a Coyote Open sponsor, or need further information, you may contact Dave Hahn, Director of Development for Athletics, by email at dhahn@collegeofidaho.edu or by phone at (208) 459-5835.

MEN’S BASKETBALL PICKED FOURTH BY CCC COACHES: The 2006-07 ACI men's basketball team was picked fourth out of ten teams in the annual Cascade Conference preseason coaches poll, announced this Tuesday. The Yotes received 45 total points, behind Oregon Tech, Northwest, and Eastern Oregon.  ACI returns four starters from last season's 12-17 team which advanced to the CCC Tournament semifinals. Rounding out the Top-5 was Warner Pacific, followed by Southern Oregon, defending champ Warner Pacific, Evergreen State, Corban, and Cascade.  Last year - Warner Pacific, OIT, and Southern each qualified for the NAIA Division II national tournament. The NAIA Division II Preseason National Poll will be released on October 25.  ACI opens up the new season on Thursday, November 2, at the Idaho Center against Northwest Nazarene.

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CROSS COUNTRY: Yotes fare well at Hampton Inn Classic, off to Idaho State

COMING UP: dual at Idaho State, Saturday, 10 a.m.

LAST WEEK: at Hampton Inn Fall Harrier Classic, Nampa (Men 2nd-place, Women 5th-place)

MEN HAVE OUTSTANDING OPENING MEET: The Albertson College of Idaho men's cross country team picked up where it left off following the 2005 season, running to a second-place finish at the Hampton Inn Fall Harrier Classic in Nampa.  The Coyotes, who placed second to Boise State, outdistanced third-place Lewis-Clark State by four points - a team ranked No. 17 in the preseason NAIA poll.  ACI also topped rivals Northwest Nazarene and Eastern Oregon for the second-straight season.

HOPPER HAS TOP FINISH: Junior Tyler Hopper (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) started the cross country season right where his outdoor track season finished - in top-shape, placing seventh out of 68 runners in the meet, completing the six-kilometer course in 19:08.05.  ACI had all five scorers in the Top-22, including true freshmen Geoff Williams (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) and Mike Tobiason (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS).

FRESHMEN LEAD THE WOMEN: With a tough opening weekend for the top-returning ACI women's harriers, three true-freshmen were among the Top-35 overall - and took three of the top four spots.  Molli Lee-Painter (Moscow, Idaho / Moscow HS) had the best finish - in 15th-place (16:04.11), with Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan, Utah / Juan Diego Catholic HS) finishing 29th and Chantel Varland (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) 35th.  The top returner for the Yotes was Lauren Plymire (Beaverton, Ore. / Eastern Oregon U.) in 29th.

TIME TO DUAL WITH THE BENGALS: For the second-straight season, the ACI cross country team will head to Pocatello for a dual-meet with Idaho State.  Last year, the Bengals dominated the Yotes in both the men's and women's race.  ISU has already competed in a pair of races - short course races in Pocatello and at Brigham Young.  This Saturday will have the women running 4,000-meters, with the men running 6,000-meters.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the 2006 ACI cross country team, including player profiles and top times, head to the official ACI cross country website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/xc.htm.

VOLLEYBALL (7-1, 4-0 CCC): Lady Yotes sweep key road trip, take five-game win streak into three-game homestand

COMING UP: vs. Warner Pacific, Friday, 7 p.m.; vs. Cascade, Saturday, 7 p.m.

LAST WEEK: at Southern Oregon (W 3-1), at Oregon Tech (W 3-0)

NATIONAL RANKING: The Albertson College of Idaho volleyball team was ranked No. 13 in the first NAIA volleyball poll of the regular-season, released September 6 by the national office in Olathe, Kan. The Yotes moved up three spots from their position of No. 16 in the preseason poll. Four others – National American (S.D.), Westminster (Utah), Southern Oregon, and Lindenwood (Mo.) were among the ACI opponents this season in the Top-25 and others receiving votes.  Six others - No. 3 Columbia (Mo.), Savannah A&D (Ga.), Cedarville (Ohio), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Cornerstone (Mich.), and Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) are among ranked teams the Coyotes may face in their two preseason tournaments. The next coaches’ poll will be released later this afternoon.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: The Coyotes have been ranked in the Top-25 on five occasions in program history – the preseason and first poll of the 2001 season, the final poll during the 2005 season, the 2006 preseason poll, and last week’s ranking.

YOTES MAINTAIN PERCH ATOP REGIONAL RANKINGS: With a pair of crucial road wins to remain perfect in Cascade Conference play, the Yotes remain on top of the NAIA Region I weekly top-ten poll. The Coyotes are followed by Westminster, Southern Oregon, Rocky Mountain, and Carroll. Rounding out the top-ten are Great Falls, Oregon Tech, Northwest, Concordia, and Montana Tech. The regional poll is released each Monday, with the NAIA poll released each Wednesday afternoon.

CHERRINGTON EARNS MORE HONORS: For the second consecutive week and for the tenth time in her career, Erin Cherrington (Granby, Colo. / Middle Park HS) was named Cascade Conference and NAIA Region I Setter of the Week, as announced by Information Director, Sam Ghrist. The senior, who currently leads the CCC and ranks fifth in the NAIA in assists per game (12.0), had an outstanding weekend in helping the No. 13 ranked Coyotes sweep road matches at Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech.  She had 48 assists and ten digs in the Yotes four-game win at Southern, followed by 43 assists, seven digs, and three aces in the sweep of OIT - moving her 650 assists away from breaking the all-time school record.

IT DOESN’T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN: The ACI sports information office has records of volleyball dating back to the 1980 season – with the Coyotes meeting Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech a multitude of times along the way. However, last weekend was a very special time for the Purple and Gold, as the Yotes completed a sweep of their longest Southern adventure for just the second time in program history. Wins at Southern Oregon’s McNeal Pavilion have been few and far between (a 2-17 record all-time prior to Friday), while playing at OIT’s 5,000-plus elevation is a daunting task for anyone. However, ACI won 6-of-7 games to equal the feat of the 2003 squad.

WINNING IN RAIDER COUNTRY: Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / Chicago State U.) and Anne Parker (Pocatello, Idaho / Century HS) led the way with 11 kills each as the Yotes knocked off three-time defending CCC champion Southern Oregon 25-30, 30-21, 30-21, 30-27 Friday night. After dropping their first game in league play, ACI warmed up in Game 2. Leading 10-9, the Coyotes used a nine-point push to take control of the match - as ACI would not trail during Game 3, and led from 15-15 on in the clincher. Katie Hogue (Sparks, Nev. / Reed HS) had ten kills and five blocks and Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) had ten kills and two blocks to lead the Yotes at the net; Erin Cherrington had 48 assists and ten digs, with libero Catherine Everist (Portland, Ore. / Chicago State U.) leading all players with 17 digs.

SLEEPWALKING THROUGH GAME 1: It took the Lady Yotes some time to get their feet under at Southern – as the squad was still battling the effects of a 500-mile bus ride – arriving in Ashland at 1:30 a.m. the day of the match.

MORE FROM ASHLAND: The win for ACI was their third-straight against the Raiders - the first time the Coyotes have put together an extended win streak against SOU.  It also marked their second-straight win on Southern's home floor - as the Yotes defeated the Raiders to claim last year's CCC Postseason Tournament title.

YOTES KNOCK TECH FROM RANKS OF UNBEATENS: With a 30-23, 30-22, 30-12 victory on Saturday night at Oregon Tech, the ACI volleyball team took over the top spot in the Cascade Conference, a half-game ahead of Northwest University. A balanced offensive attack led the way for ACI, as Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore. / La Grande HS), Katie Hogue, and Anne Parker each had ten kills - part of a .362 hitting night for the Yotes.  Erin Cherrington added 43 assists, with Catherine Everist leading the way with 13 digs. OIT, which had a six-game win streak halted, was led by Krista Wooley and Maggie Roberts, who each had ten kills, but OIT lost the ace battle and saw the Yotes record ten team blocks.

CONFERENCE NUMBERS: A total of seven different Coyotes rank among the top-ten statistical leaders in the first Cascade Conference report. Leading the group is Erin Cherrington, who tops the loop in assists per game (12.00), and Kristin Henning, who leads the CCC in blocks per game (1.57). Henning also ranks second in hitting percentage (.325), while Anne Parker ranks third (.302), and Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) ranks sixth (.287) in the category. Katie Hogue, ranks third in the league in blocks per game (1.31), fourth in hitting percentage (.299), and seventh in kills per game (3.12). Rounding out the list is Catherine Everist, who is third in digs per game (6.22), and Kathryn Ely, who ranks eighth in kills per game (3.05). As a team, ACI leads the league in four categories – blocks per game (3.00, hitting percentage (.216), assists per game (13.48), and kills per game (14.48).

NATIONAL NUMBERS: This season, the NAIA is providing weekly national statistics, through their association with DakStats3000. As a team, ACI currently ranks No. 6 in the NAIA in both assists and kills per game, along with No. 11 in blocks per game. Individually, Erin Cherrington is fifth in assists per game, Catherine Everist is No. 10 in digs per game, and Kristin Henning is No. 12 in blocks per game.

RECORD BOOK: As the season progresses, it is inevitable that the ACI record books will be rewritten. Currently, three players are already among the all-time top-ten. Katie Hogue ranks No. 4 all-time with 292 blocks and No. 8 with 701 kills. Erin Cherrington is third all-time with 3,904 assists and No. 4 with 151 aces – while her 875 digs puts her ten bumps away from cracking the top-ten. Also on the list is Tiffany Sower, who is eighth all-time with 104 aces. Just outside the list is Anne Parker, who has 200 career blocks – nine away from tenth-place.

MENDIOLA NEARING A MILESTONE: In her sixth-season as head coach, Liz Mendiola has racked up a 108-52 all-time record. She is closing in on a major coaching record – needing six victories to become the all-time winningest volleyball coach in ACI history. Derek Soderblom holds the current mark of 113 wins during his seven years as coach.

STREAKS ON THE LINE THIS WEEKEND: Three different streaks are on the line for the Coyotes, as ACI opens up a three-game homestand, starting with Cascade Conference foes Warner Pacific and Cascade. Friday night, the Yotes put their five-game win streak up against the Knights (3-4, 1-2 CCC), who have won three-straight (wins against NW Christian, Cascade, Walla Walla). WP is led by All-Star candidates Michelle Allen (4.13 k/g, 4.09 d/g), who ranks third in the conference in kills, and Ann-Erica Whitemarsh (1.48 b/g), who is second in blocks. The Knights are looking to end a 17-match losing streak to the Yotes – and hope taking both Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech to five games has given them the experience. ACI holds a 20-2 all-time series edge. Saturday, it’s David vs. Goliath, as the winless Thunderbirds (0-9, 0-3) head to Caldwell. Cascade has struggled this season under new head coach Kendra Maas – having won just 2-of-29 games played, and failing to reach 20 points in 20 of those games. The bright spot for the T-Birds has been Alicia Charles (1.84 k/g, 2.36 d/g), who ranks No. 5 in the CCC in aces per game (0.48). The Coyotes have won 18-straight vs. Cascade and holds a 24-5 all-time series edge.

MORE INFORMATION: Updated information and statistics on the 2006 volleyball team can be found on ACI volleyball official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm. Up-to-date Cascade Conference standings can be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball/stats/standings.htm.

MEN’S SOCCER (1-3-1): Coyotes lose tough match with Whitman, end non-conference slate at MSU-Billings

COMING UP: at Montana State-Billings, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

LAST WEEK: vs. Whitman (L 1-0); exhibition vs. Alumni (T 1-1)

SEASON SOCCER TICKETS: For the first time ever, a season ticket for Albertson College of Idaho men’s and women’s soccer will be available. For $20 per person, a fan can attend all seven men’s home games, along with all seven women’s home games – at a savings of $50. A family (husband and wife, along with all children) can receive a season pass for just $50. Admission prices for home soccer games are $5 for adults and $2 for students 17-and-under. A total of one family pass and 17 season passes are still available for purchase – for more information, contact Mike Safford at 459-5681.

REGIONAL RANKINGS: The second installment of the NAIA Region I weekly top-five poll saw parity in the Northwest soccer scene. Concordia remained in the top spot, followed by Evergreen State and Westminster – all in the same spot as last week. Simon Fraser took control of the No. 4 spot, with Corban sitting at No. 5. In the latest NAIA poll, Concordia is ranked No. 18, with Evergreen in the Others Receiving Votes category. Fresno Pacific, who defeated ACI earlier this year, is now ranked No. 20.

TOUGH LUCK VS. WHITMAN: Despite a 17-8 edge in shots for ACI, an own goal in the 6th minute allowed visiting Whitman College to escape with a 1-0 men's soccer victory in Saturday morning’s home opener at Symms Field. The Missionaries had pushed the ball deep in the ACI end, but as the Yotes tried to clear the ball, it deflected off a foot and into the Yotes net. Cameron Johnson (Boise, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) nearly tied the score on a pair of occasions - once having a left-footed shot in the 20th minute with an open net from the left flank go wide, then seeing a blast inside the box clank off the right post in the 48th minute.

EVEN TOUGHER DAY FOR REED: Saturday was a difficult day for senior Sam Reed (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) in the 1-0 loss to Whitman. It was his foot that the own goal deflected off of into the net, then was involved in a gruesome incident near the end of the first half. As Reed and Whitman’s Andy Huntington went up for a 50-50 ball, the two cracked heads – with Huntington having to leave the game with a concussion. Reed got the worse end of the stick, as the collision opened up a wound on his forehead that needed 43 stitches to close.

INJURY REPORT: Due to the aforementioned injury, Sam Reed not be in the line-up – a prognosis says Reed may be ready in 4-to-6 weeks. The Yotes did get the services of senior All-Conference sweeper Scott Fuller (Boise, Idaho / Cal State-Fullerton) for the first time this season, who nearly the entire Whitman game. ACI did not have the services of Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) and Antonio Bautista (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS) against Whitman. Lopez is battling a hand injury from the preseason, while Bautista is nursing a strained groin. Both should be able to play this weekend.

A DRAW WITH THE ALUMS: Sunday saw the Yotes meet their past, as ACI took on a group of 21 alumni – coached by former Coyote skipper, John Calpin. The game ended just as it should – a 1-1 draw. The Varsity got their lone goal off the foot of true freshman, Colt Gilliland (Pleasant View, Utah / St. Joseph HS), with 2002 graduate Coe Michaelson knocking home the goal for the alums.

THANK YOU ALUMNI: Head coach Brian Smith would like to that the alums who came out on Sunday – Jared Larsen, Josh Sears, Andy Reed, Chris Brazil, Ben Reed, Dan Bruce, Jake Steele, Eric Terada, Thom Baker, Shane Carmody, John Mitchell, Ryan Huber, Roger Aguilar, Coe Michaelson, Shaun Shannon, Dustin Crim, Ben Moore, Ryan Abo, Jake Carson, Ben Fletcher, Nate Burns, and coach John Calpin. “This was an outstanding Alumni team,” said Smith. “They definitely helped us improve, as we work to get ready for Conference.”

CASCADE CONFERENCE NUMBERS: In the first complete Cascade Conference statistical report of the season, Mitch White (Boise, Idaho / Gonzaga U.) is among the league leaders in six different categories – second in goals scored (3), is third in total shots (19), is fourth in points (7), is sixth in shots per game (3.8), is seventh in goals per game (0.6), and is eighth in points per game (1.4). One other Yote, keeper Rob Erichson (Boise, Idaho / Walla Walla CC), is in the Top-10, as Erchison leads the league in saves (29) and is second in saves per game (5.8).

OFF TO THE ROCKIES: The Coyotes end their preseason school in a place they have never ventured before – Billings, Mont., with a match-up with Montana State-Billings. The Yellowjackets (1-3-2) are an NCAA Division II member of the Heartland Conference – but will be joining the Great Northwest Athletic Conference during the 2007-08 season. MSU-B has to get it done on defense, as the ‘Jackets have scored just three goals in six games – two of them by Sam Charles, a native of England. Keeper Sander Tollefson is solid, recording a 1.50 GAA and a .765 save percentage. It marks the second all-time meeting between the teams, and first since 1997, when the Yotes defeated MSU-B at the Northwest Nazarene Invitational.

FINAL 12 MATCHES COUNT: With the non-conference slate all but over, ACI will turn its head to the Cascade Conference season – with 12 matches to determine two automatic berths to the NAIA Region I Tournament. The Yotes will open up league play at home, hosting Evergreen State and Northwest next weekend – the first of two doubleheader weekends of soccer this season.

MORE INFORMATION: Updated information and statistics on the 2006 men’s soccer team can be found on Albertson men’s soccer official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm. Up-to-date Cascade Conference standings can be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/msoccer/stats/standings.htm.

WOMEN’S SOCCER (1-5): Lady Yotes open CCC play at Northwest and Evergreen State

COMING UP: at Northwest, Friday, 6 p.m. (PDT) (at Starfire Complex); at Evergreen State, Saturday, 1 p.m. (PDT)

LAST WEEK: vs. Central Washington (L 2-0), at Western Oregon (L 3-2 OT), at Lewis & Clark (L 4-0)

SEASON SOCCER TICKETS: For the first time ever, a season ticket for Albertson College of Idaho men’s and women’s soccer will be available. For $20 per person, a fan can attend all seven men’s home games, along with all seven women’s home games – at a savings of $50. A family (husband and wife, along with all children) can receive a season pass for just $50. Admission prices for home soccer games are $5 for adults and $2 for students 17-and-under. One family pass and 17 season passes are still available - for more information, contact Mike Safford at 459-5681.

NAIA REGION I WEEKLY POLL: With a 1-5 overall record, the Lady Yotes were not among the NAIA Region I Top-5 poll. Leading the way was Concordia, followed by Carroll, dropped a 2-1 decision to Concordia on Saturday. Simon Fraser is followed by Rocky Mountain, while no fifth team was listed. The NAIA releases the regional poll every Monday, with the national poll released on Wednesday afternoon.

NON-CONFERENCE STRUGGLES CONTINUE: A difficult 2006 non-conference schedule continued last week for the ACI women’s soccer team, as the Lady Yotes went 0-3 against NCAA competition. After a season-opening 3-1 win at Whitman, the Coyotes have dropped a trio of games to NCAA Division II teams, a loss to an NCAA Division III opponent, and a loss to an NAIA foe.

INJURY BUG: Three weeks into the regular-season and the injuries have begun to mount up for the Coyotes. Just a week into training, the squad lost the services of defender Brittany Hulin (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) for the season due to a knee injury. This past weekend, ACI saw three more players get dinged up – keeper Amy Rhoades (Eagle, Idaho / Dixie State Coll.), midfielder Martine Troy (Ogden, Utah / Judge Memorial HS), and defender Kat Becker (Salt Lake City, Utah / Judge Memorial HS). Rhoades suffered a broken nose during the second half against Lewis & Clark – but will play this weekend at Northwest and Evergreen State. More touchy injuries are to Troy and Becker, who each sustained minor knee injuries – Becker at Western Oregon, and Troy at L&C. Their playing status will be determined as the week moves on. If Becker or Troy cannot play – expect to see Ali Jakubowski (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), Kate Leadbetter (Grand Junction, Colo. / West River Academy), or Jessica Brotherton (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) receive more playing time.

WORDS FROM THE COACH: “We have collectively been improving every game as a team,” said head coach Niki Taylor. “The difficult thing to do is to learn how to win when you haven’t had the success. We have had a difficult preseason and played against some tough competition – especially three NCAA Division II teams. I believe that this experience will help us this weekend in opening Cascade Conference play. The girls know that we still have a great chance to make the playoffs – we just have to go out and play our game for 90 minutes.”

YOTES LOSE HOME OPENER TO CENTRAL: Goalkeeper Amber Easterbrook made a pair of crucial saves and Hilary Davidson and Lisa Overbo tallied goals, as visiting Central Washington defeated ACI in the Coyotes women's soccer home opener at Symms Field last Wednesday. Davidson got the NCAA Division II Wildcats on the board in the 29th minute, taking a Michelle Phillips long through-ball and beating ACI keeper Amy Rhoades to the top shelf.  Central tallied their other goal in the 81st minute off a Andrea Archer corner, with Overbo heading it home after a scrum in the box. The Lady Yotes had a pair of nice scoring chances - one in each half.  Leah Roach (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS) ripped a diving header to the near-post in the 17th minute, but Easterbrook made a clutch diving save.  The second was in the 72nd minute, as Courtney Mitchell (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS) made a nice run through the box, but Easterbrook again got enough of the low-driving shot to thwart the game-tying chance.

SOCCER GODS NOT WITH YOTES AT WESTERN: Jane Svendson scored six minutes into overtime as Western Oregon survived a spirited ACI women's soccer team, knocking off the Yotes, 3-2, Saturday afternoon in Monmouth. ACI got on the board with a pair of first half goals - as Allie Dufault (Irvine, Calif. / University HS) registered her second multi-goal game of her career.  The sophomore connected on a 20-yard shot in the 19th minute, the followed it up with a long cross into the net in the 34th minute. However, the Yotes could not keep the lead, as Erica Hibbard scored goals in the 47th and 57th minute of the second half to knot things up.  The Yotes had a pair of opportunities late in regulation and three early shots in overtime, but it was Svendson chipping home the winner in a scrum in the box to give Western the win.

ASTROTURF NOT KIND TO COYOTES: Playing for the first time on an artificial turf surface in years, the Coyotes dropped a 4-0 decision to Lewis & Clark College in Portland on Sunday morning. Meeting the Pioneers for the first time since 1990, the NCAA Division III bunch notched their first-ever win over the Yotes, as Brittany Larson scored a pair of goals for L&C. Lisa Housman got the Pios on the board in the 35th minute, beating ACI keeper Amy Rhoades in a 1-on-1 situation.  Larson made it 2-0 six minutes into the second half, ripping a long shot off a Katie Burnett assist.  Sarah Kieffer followed suit in the 72nd minute, with Larson capping the scoring seven minutes later.

CLEAN SLATE AS LEAGUE PLAY OPENS: The Lady Yotes have a new burst of energy – as they begin Cascade Conference play this weekend tied with all ten other teams atop the loop standings. ACI opens up play against CCC women’s soccer newcomer, Northwest, as the Eagles (2-2-1) are in their first season of competition. Led by Brittany Marshall (3 goals, 2 assists) and Shauna Marshall (3 goals, 1 assist), Northwest has defeated Doane (Neb.) and Cascade, dropping games to Central Washington and Northwest Christian, while playing Pacific to a draw. The Eagles and Yotes will meet for the first time ever – also the first time ACI will play on a Field-Turf surface – as the match-up will be at the Starfire Complex, home of the USL’s Seattle Sounders. Saturday, the Lady Yotes rekindle their rivalry with Evergreen State, a team one-year removed from a school-record 10-2-5 campaign. The Geoducks (1-6) lost the kitchen sink from last year – All-American Alisha White, along with head coach Erik Gibson-Snyder, but new skipper Paulo Mottolla returns All-CCC keeper Carly Stewart (3.29 GAA in 2006) and Lisa Leadon (3 goals) to the line-up. The second half has been unkind to the Greeners, as opponents have outscored Evergreen, 15-3. ACI and the Clams played to a 1-1 draw in Olympia last season, with Evergreen taking a 1-0 decision in Caldwell and leads the all-time series, 14-6-1.

NEW PLAYOFF SCENARIO: With the Cascade Conference eliminating divisions and double round-robin play, a new playoff format will also debut this season. The top-six teams during the nine-game conference schedule will qualify for the CCC Tournament – with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds earning quarterfinal byes. The regular-season champion, along with the CCC Tournament champion will receive automatic bids to the NAIA Region I Tournament.

MORE INFORMATION: Updated information and statistics on the 2006 women’s soccer team can be found on Albertson women’s soccer official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm. Up-to-date Cascade Conference standings can be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wsoccer/stats/standings.htm.

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