Yote Notes – Oct. 16, 2007

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETIC NEWS: Basketball Season Tickets, Las Vegas Reception, Golf

 

BASKETBALL SEASON TICKET MAILER GOING OUT: A mailing went out regarding the upcoming 2007-08 College of Idaho men’s and women’s basketball season.  Included in the mailer are forms to order/renew season tickets, order tickets for the C of I-NNU game on Nov. 13, order tickets for the Wendy’s Classic on Dec. 7-8, and information to join the Coyote Athletic Association and the Little Yotes Club.  If you are currently not on the mailing list and would like to receive this information, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835 or dhahn@collegeofidaho.edu.

 

LAS VEGAS RECEPTION: The C of I alumni office will be hosting a reception at the Las Vegas Orleans Hotel on Friday, Nov. 2, following the Yotes season opening game against Concordia-Irvine.  For more information or to RSVP for the event, contact Mary Bitner at 459-5300.

 

GOLF TEAM STRUGGLES IN WASHINGTON: The C of I men’s golf team struggled in the second Cascade Conference qualifier of the season at Tri-Mountain Golf Club in Vancouver, Wash.  The Yotes finished fourth out of four teams, 190 shots out of the top spot and 96 shots out of third-place.  Leading the way for the Yotes was Ben Coate in 14th-place and Cris Tietsort in 18th.  The women’s team did not have the required four golfers to qualify for team scoring, but Allie Straubhar finished the 54-hole tournament in 11th-place.  It is the final tourney of the Fall for The C of I.

 

CROSS COUNTRY: Yotes host CCC Championships, presented by Bandanna Running this Saturday at Eagle Island

 

LAST WEEK: Idle

 

COMING UP: Host the Cascade Conference Championships, presented by Bandanna Running – Eagle Island State Park, Saturday (Women’s Race at 10:30 a.m., Men’s Race at 11:15 a.m.)

 

CONFERENCE TITLES UP FOR GRABS IN EAGLE: For the first time in the four-year rebirth of The College of Idaho cross country teams, the Yotes will have the opportunity to compete for a Cascade Conference title in the Gem State.  The C of I plays host to the CCC Championships, presented by Bandanna Running, on Saturday morning at Eagle Island State Park.  The Coyote men have placed in the Top-3 at the event each of the last two years – earning a second-place finish in 2005, and a third-place finish last year.  The Lady Yotes have placed fourth each of the last two years.  2007 marks the first year that the CCC meet is held separately from the NAIA Region I Championships (which will be held in two weeks in Olympia, Wash.).

 

TEAMS TO BEAT: Last season, the men’s race was dominated by Concordia, while Corban pulled an upset in winning the women’s title.  In 2007, both races seemed to be wide open – with the Coyotes in the mix in both.  The men’s race has a deep field, with Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon, and the Yotes all ranked in the NAIA Top-20.  Eastern has been the class of the CCC so far this year, as Troy Blackburn and Zach Heath have been at the top-end of every race, while Southern has come on strong as of late, thanks to the pace set by Kevin Jeffers.  Also look for Northwest to try and mix things up – they were the top CCC finisher at the Pete Steilberg Open last weekend with Tyler Hart leading the way, with Corban improving each week – having won the Warner Pacific / Cascade Open behind the running of Ben Snell.  On the women’s side, The C of I seems to be the team to beat – but will have to contend with solid teams from both Eastern Oregon and Corban.  Eastern, whom the Lady Yotes have defeated twice this season, is led by Marcella Bosch, while Corban is strong up front with the duo of Danielle Jordan and Carli Moller.  Former NAIA National Champions, Northwest, will also be a factor, as Beth Knudtson will be in the lead pack.

 

WHAT THE YOTES NEED TO DO TO WIN: In the men’s race, the Coyotes will need a team effort to try and get past both Eastern and Southern.  Tyler Hopper (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) will need to race well in the lead pack, as the senior looks for his fourth-straight Top-20 finish at the CCC Championships and hoping to improve on last season’s seventh-place finish.  The key will be in the middle positions for the Yotes, as Jesse Chlebeck (Eagan, Minn. / Eagan HS) hopes to return to the form that led him to an 11th-place finish in the race in 2005, with Geoff Williams (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) and Sam Hardy (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) trying to stay as close to the main pack as possible.  Freshman Paul Sartin (Meridian, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) is the darkhorse – hoping to improve on the course he dominated in high school.  The key in the women’s race is a complete race by the Top-7 runners.  Freshman Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS) has the potential to bring home the Lady Yotes first individual championship – but it is the runners behind her that will do the scoring for The C of I.  Lauren Plymire (Beaverton, Ore. / Eastern Oregon U.) must shake off a tough race at Idaho State two weeks ago, while Molli Lee-Painter (Moscow, Idaho / Moscow HS) must race better at Eagle Island than she did in September at the Bob Firman Invite.  Where The C of I could take home the title will be the grouping of Chantel Varland (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS), Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan, Utah / Juan Diego HS), Kristine Smith (New Meadows, Idaho / Meadows Valley HS), and Jayne Saunders (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS) – trying to eat up positions in the Top-30.

 

BANDANNA RUNNING NAMED TITLE SPONSOR: The Cascade Conference recognizes and thanks Bandanna Running and Walking as the presented sponsor of the 2007 CCC Cross Country Championships.  Located in Boise, Bandanna has been honored as one of the Top-50 specialty running stores in the United States.  The selection was based on a year-long review which included customer feedback, as well as mystery shoppers to evaluate customer service, product selection, community involvement, and store appearance.

 

LOGISTICS ON RACE DAY: Eagle Island State Park will open at sunrise for spectators – as all vehicles will be charged a $4.00 fee by the Idaho State Parks system.  There is also an admission fee for all spectators - $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors 65-and-older and for students 17-and-under.  There are outstanding vantage points throughout the race course, while the awards ceremony will follow the men’s race at the covered picnic area near the finish line.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I cross country program, head to the official homepage of the Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/xc.htm.

 

WOMEN’S SOCCER (8-5-3, 5-2-2 CCC): Lady Yotes clinch first-ever home playoff game, host Eastern Oregon on Wednesday

 

LAST WEEK: at No. 4 Concordia (L 5-0), at Cascade (W 2-1)

 

COMING UP: vs. Eastern Oregon, Wednesday, 3 p.m. (end regular-season); Cascade Conference Quarterfinal (if C of I is No. 3 or No. 4 seed) vs. TBA, Saturday, 3 p.m.

 

SYMMS FIELD TO SEE FIRST EVER PLAYOFF GAME: With their win last Saturday at Cascade, The College of Idaho women’s soccer team not only clinched their second-straight postseason berth, but secured their first-ever home playoff game in the 19-year history of the program.  The Lady Yotes are guaranteed no worst than a fourth-place finish in the standings, but could vault into the No. 2 spot with a win Wednesday against Eastern Oregon and a Corban loss to Warner Pacific.

 

ACI IN THE PLAYOFFS: It will be the fifth trip to the postseason for the Lady Yotes, but The C of I is still looking for their first-ever playoff win.  The Yotes lost District II semifinal matches to Willamette (L 3-0) in 1991 and Pacific (L 2-0) in 1993, and losing CCC Tournament matches to Concordia (L 9-1) in 2002 and Evergreen State (L 2-1) in 2006.

 

PLAYOFF PUSH BEGINS: With one game remaining in the CCC regular-season, the only thing given is the fact that Concordia will claim the league title for the eighth-straight year, and that both Corban and The C of I have clinched home playoff games.  However, seeding, along with the three other playoff spots are up in the air.  A win over Warner Pacific by Corban will clinch the No. 2 spot, or a loss and losses by the Yotes or Oregon Tech.  A Corban loss and a C of I win or tie vs. Eastern Oregon would give the Yotes the No. 2 seed, while losses by Corban and The C of I and an OIT win over Southern Oregon would give Tech the No. 2 spot.  An OIT loss and a Warner Pacific win over Corban would move WP into the No. 4 spot, while an OIT and WP loss, along with an Evergreen State win would move ESC into the No. 4 spot.  Both Cascade and Southern Oregon are also alive for postseason spots.

 

ABOUT THE CCC PLAYOFF SYSTEM: The top-six teams in the final standings will move on to the CCC Tournament, with quarterfinal games beginning Oct. 20.  The No. 3 and No. 4 seeded teams will host quarterfinal games against the No. 5 and No. 6 teams (No. 6 at No. 3, No. 5 at No. 4), while the No. 1 and No. 2 teams will receive a bye.  The No. 1 seed will then host the lowest remaining seed on Oct. 24, with the No. 2 seed hosting the next highest remaining seed.  The championship game is set for Oct. 27.  The regular-season champ and the tourney champ earn the CCC’s two berths to the NAIA Region I Tournament (if they are the same team, the tourney runner-up receives the second bid).

 

C OF I GUARANTEED A WINNING RECORD: Over the 19 year history of the Lady Yote women’s soccer program, finishes above the .500 mark have been few and far between – so the success of the 2007 squad is phenomenal.  With an 8-5-3 record, The C of I has guaranteed themselves a winning record for the first time in 12 years, and just the third time in program history.  The first Coyote squad recorded an 8-3 record, while the 1995 team had a 3-1-4 mark.  Both the 1992 and 1993 teams finished at the .500 mark.  Also, the eight wins by the Yotes equal the second-most wins by a C of I team – with the 2002 club that finished 10-11 earning more.

 

MATCH WITH EASTERN HOLDS THE CARDS: The chance for an opening round playoff bye is up for grabs Wednesday, as Eastern Oregon heads to Caldwell for the annual I-84 Cup game.  The Mountaineers (4-9, 3-6) have been a disappointment this season, after having their best season ever last year – placing second in the CCC standings.  This year’s EOU bunch have been offensively strapped, having scored just 13 goals and are 1-6 on the road.  They are led by striker Lauren Souza (3 goals, 2 assists) and keeper Kristina Kennedy (1.49 GAA).  It is the 20th meeting between the teams, with The C of I holding a 12-6-1 edge, but have lost three matches to the Mounties in a row.

 

SENIORS PLAY FINAL REGULAR-SEASON HOME GAME: Wednesday game will also serve as Senior Day, as six C of I seniors will play their final regular-season match at Symms Field.  Two of the seniors, Ryann Lagomarsino (Fair Oaks, Calif. / Sierra CC) and Nikki Anderson (Citrus Heights, Calif. / Sierra CC) were with the club for two seasons, while the other four – Laura Fink (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS), Leah Roach (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS), Jennifer Phillips (Ontario, Ore. / Ontario HS), and Katie Ball (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) are four-year members of the Yotes.

 

FIRST TEN MINUTES ENOUGH FOR CONCORDIA: No. 4 ranked Concordia University flexed their muscles this afternoon, remaining perfect in CCC play with a 5-0 shutout of The C of I in Portland on Friday.  The Cavaliers got on the board less than three minutes into the match as Justine Pronovost rocketed a low shot into the left corner of the net.  Three minutes later, Shea Miller found the net and CU was on their way.  A pair of Jessica Ramback goals, her 16th and 17th of the season capped the first half scoring, with Miller adding her second goal of the match in the second half to end the frenzy.  The managed just one shot on the afternoon.

 

YOTES WIN KEY GAME AT CASCADE: Jamie Reichel (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) scored the game-winner goal with just ten minutes remaining in regulation, as The C of I rallied for a  2-1 victory over Cascade College in Portland on Saturday The Thunderbirds scored their first opening half goal of the season in the tenth minute, as Alisha Butler converted a Desirae Pino cross in the box.  However, Leah Roach took a Katie Ball feed and beat Cascade keeper Valerie Perez in the 57th minute to draw even.  Mandy Greif (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) set up the game-winner with a nice ball down the right side, finding Allie Dufault (Irvine, Calif. / University HS).  Dufault placed the ball to the top of the 18, where Reichel slotted the ball into the net - giving The C of I the win.

 

TIES GALORE: With three draws this season, the Lady Yotes equaled the 1990 team for the second-most ties in a season.  Only the 1995 season, in which The C of I played even on four occasions, saw the Coyotes record more draws.  That season was also the last time the Yotes had a winning overall record, as The C of I went 3-1-4.

 

SHUTOUT RECORD TIED FOR SECOND-STRAIGHT YEAR: With the shutout of Simon Fraser, The C of I has now recorded six shutouts this season, tying the mark set by the 1993 and 2006 teams. 

 

ROACH MOVES UP ON ALL-TIME LIST: With her goal against Cascade, Leah Roach moved into a tie for third on the all-time goals scored list.  The senior has now scored 17 goals in her C of I career, drawing even with Kathleen Marron on the list.  Kristine Jones (Halter) has the school record with 30 goals from 1990-93, while Becky Robertson is in the No. 2 spot, scoring 27 goals during the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

 

HUGHES NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: C of I keeper Sadie Hughes was named CCC and NAIA Region I Defensive Player of the Week for games Oct. 1-7.  The sophomore was instrumental as the Yotes went 1-0-1. She recorded three saves in a 2-1 CCC victory over Northwest Christian, then followed it up by posting nine saves in The C of I's 0-0 draw against No. 19 Simon Fraser.  With the shutout, Hughes helped the Lady Yotes tie the school record with their sixth shutout of the season. It is the second-time that she has won the honor in her career.

 

COYOTES REMAIN AT NO. 4 IN REGIONAL POLL:  For the second-straight week, the Lady Yotes remained at No. 4 in the NAIA Region I Top-5 rankings.  Concordia continues to lead the way, followed by Carroll, Simon Fraser, The C of I, and Oregon Tech.  The regional ranking is released each Monday, with the national poll released each Wednesday.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Niki Taylor is in her second season has head coach of The C of I women's program and has an overall record of 14-15-5. In her first season with the Coyotes, she helped to their fourth-ever postseason berth, losing the Evergreen State, 2-1, in the Cascade Conference playoffs.  A graduate of Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., Taylor was an honorable mention all-conference player for the Bulldogs in 1999 and 2000, helping the squad to an NCAA Division II regional championships.  She went on to assist coach Mike Cannon during the 2001 season, helping TSU to the regional finals, then moved West, where she was an assistant for Steve Lucas at Boise State for three seasons.  She has also been involved with the Les Bois United Soccer Club for the past four years, while serving as a head coach in the Idaho Olympic Development Program.  Taylor has received her USSF "B" Coaching License.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I women’s soccer program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.

 

 

VOLLEYBALL (14-6, 12-0 CCC): Yotes put 12-game streak on the line against LC-State, Oregon Tech, and Southern Oregon

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (W 3-0), vs. Warner Pacific (W 3-0)

 

COMING UP: vs. Lewis-Clark State, Wednesday, 7 p.m.; at Oregon Tech, Friday, 7 p.m. (PDT); at No. 24 Southern Oregon, Saturday, 7 p.m. (PDT)

 

THE STREAKS ROLL ON: The College of Idaho extended a pair of long streaks as the defeated Cascade and Warner Pacific at home.  The Lady Yotes ran their Cascade Conference win streak to 30 matches in a row and their win streak against teams not receiving votes in the NAIA poll to 56 in a row.  The C of I has not lost a CCC match since the 2005 season, and has not lost a match to a non-receiving votes team since August of 2005.  The Lady Yotes have also won 31 games in a row in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, dating back to the 2005 season.

 

GAME WINS IN CCC PLAY: Over the last two seasons, the Lady Yotes have dominated their CCC rivals – going beyond three games only twice.  The C of I has won their last 27 games played in a row since losing Game 1 at Warner Pacific on Sept. 14.  During their current win streak, the Coyotes have won 90 of the 93 individual CCC games played.

 

BACK AT HOME: The Lady Yotes have enjoyed much success in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center over the last 12 years, compiling a 124-36 record in the building – winning 78-percent of their matches.  Over the last three seasons, The C of I has a staggering 43-2 record at home, including the current 31-match home win streak.  Under Liz Mendiola, the Lady Yotes have a 72-12 at home.

 

HOGUE FIRST TO 500 BLOCKS: With 11 total blocks during the weekend, Katie Hogue (Sparks, Nev. / Reed HS) became the first C of I player to record 500 blocks in her career.  The sophomore now has 502 blocks in her career – and is the first to record 1,200 kills and 500 blocks in a career.  According to the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Hogue is the first NAIA player this season to reach the mark this season.

 

EVERIST NAMED TOP LIBERO FOR THE SECOND-STRAIGHT WEEK: For the second-straight week and for the seventh time in her career, Catherine Everist (Portland, Ore. / Chicago State U.) was named CCC and NAIA Region I Libero of the Week.  The senior had 18 digs in the win over Cascade and 22 digs in the victory over Warner Pacific.  She currently ranks 41st in the NAIA in digs per game (5.71).

 

YOTES STOP CASCADE: Paced by five players with eight or more kills, the Yotes team won their 11th-match in a row with a 30-15, 30-15, 30-21 victory over Cascade College Friday in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  The C of I middle blockers dominated play, as Kristin Henning (Biose, Idaho / Boise HS) had ten kills and four blocks, while Katie Hogue added ten kills and five blocks.  Tiffany Sower (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) had a season-high eight kills and 15 digs, while Jessie Link (Tonopah, Nev. / Nicholls State U.) and Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) each recorded eight kills.  Catherine Everist had a match-high 18 digs, while the Yotes three setters - Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS), and Ashley Galeai (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) each had 16 assists.  Cascade, which dropped their 21st-straight match to The C of I, were plagued by 23 attack errors. 

 

THE WP FALLS IN CALDWELL: The Lady Yotes extended their CCC win streak to 30 with a convincing 30-20, 30-20, 30-21 victory over Warner Pacific Saturday in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  Sarah Buhler led the way with 11 kills, while Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS) had ten kills and seven digs.  Kristin Henning had nine kills and eight blocks, with Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore. / La Grande HS) adding eight kills and 11 digs.  Catherine Everist led all players with 22 digs in the win.  The Knights, who remain the lone CCC team to earn a game win against The C of I, got an inspired performance from Kara VanZanten, who led all players with 12 kills and 15 digs.  Setter Kayli Anderson had 31 assists and libero Samantha Kolakowski had 12 digs in the loss.

 

NAIA POLL: The Yotes jumped two spots in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll, released last Wednesday, moving to No. 8 – equaling the highest regular-season national ranking in program history.  The C of I, who has won 12 matches in a row, has now been ranked in the Top-25 in each of the last 19 rankings.  Eight teams the Yotes faced this season are in the Top-25 - No. 1 Fresno Pacific, No. 4 Biola, No. 7 National American, No. 10 Point Loma Nazarene, No. 11 Westminster, No. 15 Vanguard, No. 21 Southern Oregon and No. 24 Savannah A&D.  The NAIA poll is released each Wednesday afternoon by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.

 

PREVIOUS NATIONAL POLLS: The Coyotes have been ranked in the Top-25 on 24 occasions in program history – the second (No. 24) and third (No. 19) polls of the 1997 season, the preseason (No. 15) and first poll (No. 19) of the 2001 season, the final poll during the 2005 season (No. 24), the preseason poll and all 11 rankings during the 2006 season, the 2007 preseason poll., and the six regular-season polls this season.  The C of I has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the poll, that coming during the 2007 preseason poll.

 

REGIONAL POLL: The seventh NAIA Region I Top-10 ranking was released on Monday, with the Yotes remaining in a tie for first-place in the rankings.  For the fourth-straight week, The C of I is in a tie for the top spot with Westminster. Southern Oregon remained in third, followed by Lewis-Clark State and Montana Tech.  The next five include Oregon Tech, Rocky Mountain, Great Falls, Eastern Oregon, and Concordia.  The regional poll will be released each Monday afternoon during the regular-season.

 

RECORD BOOK: Five Coyotes continued their climb up the career record book.  Katie Hogue ranks first all-time in blocks (502), fourth in kills (1,219), sixth in aces (162) and games played (406).  Anne Parker (Pocatello, Idaho / Century HS) is fifth all-time in blocks (346) and is ninth in kills (815), with Kathryn Ely now sixth on the all-time kills list (1,028).  Tiffany Sower is now fourth in all-time in aces (169) is seventh in digs (1,086), while Catherine Everist is third in digs (1,201).

 

CONFERENCE / NATIONAL STATISTICS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in aces per game (2.42) and blocks per game (2.88), are second in hitting percentage (.231), kills per game (14.40), and in assists per game (13.15), while they are fourth in digs per game (18.08) – while leading the loop in attack percentage, kills, blocks, and aces in league-only counters.  Individually, Katie Hogue ranks in the Top-10 in three categories – third in blocks (1.28), fourth in hitting percentage (.312), and eighth in aces (0.42).  Other Yotes in the Top-10 are Catherine Everist, who is No. 3 in digs (5.71) and No. 8 in aces (0.42), Sarah Buhler is No. 5 in blocks (1.06), Ashley Galeai is No. 3 in aces (0.48) and No. 5 in assists (7.65), and Anne Parker is No. 9 in blocks (0.96).    In league-only games, Hogue leads the league in blocks and Everist leads the league in aces.  This season, the NAIA is compiling a weekly national statistical report, thanks to DakStats.  To read the national report, head to http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WVB&sea=NAIWVB_2007&team=1900.

 

ALL IDAHO NAIA BATTLE: Wednesday night, the Lady Yotes will play their final non-conference match of the season, meeting Idaho rival Lewis-Clark State.  The Warriors (13-4) are having their best season since 2004, receiving votes in the latest NAIA poll and earning a No. 4 ranking in the current Region I poll.  L-C is led by blocker Brittney Kubik (2.44 k/g, 1.40 b/g) and hitters Anile Clemente (2.81 k/g) and Cintia Alessi (2.05 k/g, 4.60 d/g).  The C of I has won the last five meetings, but trails the all-time series, 9-6.

 

TOUGHEST ROAD TRIP OF THE SEASON: Year in and year out, the toughest trip for CCC teams is their long trips south – as the C of I meets Oregon Tech on Friday night, and Southern Oregon on Saturday.  In their previous 17 trips to the outreaches of the league, the Coyotes have completed just two sweeps – including one last season.  OIT (17-8, 9-3 CCC) comes into the weekend have won ten of their last 11 matches – and have not dropped a match at home this season.  The Owls are paced by outside hitters Michelle Klaja (3.45 k/g, 3.06 d/g) and Nicole Andrews (2.68 k/g) and look to end a six-game losing streak to The C of I.  The Yotes lead the all-time series, 29-17.  Saturday is the clash of the CCC titans, as the No. 21 ranked Raiders (17-4, 11-1) put their 12-match win streak on the line.  Southern is led by blocker Richelle Millsap (3.23 k/g, .389%, 0.75 b/g), the CCC leader in hitting percentage, hitter Jaclyn Hamilton-Smith (3.13 k/g, 1.25 d/g), and setter Lindsey Stone (11.91 a/g).  The Yotes have won the last six meetings, but Southern holds a commanding 51-15 edge in the all-time series.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola is in her seventh season as The C of I head volleyball coach.  During her first six seasons at the helm, the Coyotes have advanced to six consecutive Cascade Conference tournaments, four NAIA regional tournaments, and back-to-back trips to the NAIA National Championships, amassing a record of 148-62, the most wins in school history.  Last season, she led the Lady Yotes to their best season in program history, compiling a 35-4 record - earning CCC and NAIA Region I Coach of the Year honors.  The C of I won their first Cascade Conference championship in 24 years, becoming just the second school to complete the league schedule without a loss.  The Coyotes also captured their second-straight CCC Tournament title, along with their second-straight NAIA Region I Tournament title, before placing ninth at the NAIA Championships.  Her team set a school-record with 22 straight wins and heads into the 2007 season with a 25-game home win streak and a 45-game win streak against non-ranked opponents, dating back to 2005.  Mendiola was an assistant for the Coyotes on two separate occasions – from 1995-96 and from 1999-2000, before elevating to head coach.  She has also coached club volleyball at Emmett High, for the Treasure Valley Volleyball Club, the Boise River Volleyball Club, and various camps in the Northwest. A native of Jerome, Mendiola graduated from The C of I in 1996 with a degree in elementary education, and taught kindergarten in Nampa before becoming head coach in 2001. A two-year member of the Coyotes, Mendiola set school records for kills per game (4.86) in 1994, and holds the school mark for kills per game in a career (4.46).  She earned All-CCC honors following her senior season with the Yotes. Mendiola is married to former Coyote baseball standout and current C of I softball coach Al Mendiola.  The Mendiola’s have two children, Aleah and Micah, and live in Caldwell.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I volleyball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.

 

MEN’S SOCCER (9-4-1, 6-3-1 CCC): Yotes close out three-game homestand with key matches against Northwest and Evergreen State

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Northwest (W 6-1), vs. Evergreen State (W 2-1 OT)

 

COMING UP: at Northwest Christian, Friday, 7 p.m. (PDT); at Corban, Saturday, 2 p.m. (PDT)

 

YOTES BLAST NORTHWEST: Emir Kobic (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) scored a pair of goals and Kazuki Murata (Tokyo, Japan / Ichiritu HS) assisted on a pair of others, as The College of Idaho stopped Northwest University, 6-1, at Symms Field on Friday.  Garga Caserta (Aracatuba, Brazil / North Idaho CC) got The C of I on the board quickly, taking a long through-ball from Murata in the fifth minute and planting the ball in the left corner of the net.  Alex Penrod (Las Vegas, Nev. / Cimarron-Memorial HS) got in the scoring act in the 14th minute, heading home a rebound off a Murata free kick that clanged off the crossbar, to make it 2-0.  Mauricio Both (Cacheoira de Sol, Brazil / Nampa HS) converted a penalty kick in the 22nd minute after a handball in the box to make it 3-0, before NU got their lone tally on a Brandon Screen goal off a Lonnie Wells feed.  The second half allowed The C of I to use all of their reserves and they cashed in on the playing time.  Scott Ward (Rexburg, Idaho / Madison HS) scored his first goal of the season in the 47th minute after intercepting a ball in the back-third and touching home the score.  Kobic scored his two goals to cap the scoring - a left-footed blast in the 51st minute after touches from Ward and Esteban Cabrera (Quito, Ecuador / Payette HS), and a flick in the 87th minute after Michael Delgado (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) touched a pass to Caserta.  The Yotes had all five corner kicks in the match and held a commanding 19-7 edge in shots - as The C of I won their 17th-straight match against the Eagles.

 

MOST GOALS SINCE: The six goals scored by The C of I was the most scored in the four seasons Brian Smith has been at the helm.  The last time the Yotes scored six-or-more goals in a match was on Oct. 30, 2003, as the Purple and Gold tallied a 6-1 win over Corban.  In fact, the 2003 team scored six-or-more goals five different times that season, including nine goals on two occasions.

 

GOALS SCORED UNDER SMITTY: The C of I is on pace to score their most goals in a season under Brian Smith.  Through 14 games, the Yotes have scored 40 goals, four goals ahead of the 36 they scored last season in 19 matches.  The most goals The C of I has tallied under “Smitty” is 41, back in 2004.  The school record for goals scored in a season is 73, set back in 2003.

 

SHOTS PLENTY, BUT OVERTIME NEEDED FOR WIN: Michael Delgado placed a left-footed shot in the back of the net with just under six minutes remaining in the second overtime as The College of defeated Evergreen State, 2-1, Saturday afternoon at Symms Field.  Brian Weiss (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS) placed a long ball up the left side, with Mauricio Both slotting a through-ball between a pair of defenders to Delgado on the left side of the box, with the senior from Vallivue High beating keeper Matt Stalnik for the winner, as the Coyotes won their third match in a row.  Despite having 30 shots in the match, including 19 on goal, the Yotes could not break Stalnik's wall until the 71st minute, when The C of I received a penalty kick for a foul in the box.  Antonio Bautista (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS) converted the chance, tying the game at 1-1.  Stalnik was the story, as the Geoduck keeper made 14 saves - including a trio of diving stops to keep the Yotes off the board.  Evergreen got the game's first goal in the 14th minute, as Eduardo Milan converted a penalty kick.  "Credit their keeper, he played outstanding today," said Coyote head coach Brian Smith.  "We battled hard all afternoon and finally were able to break through.  That was a great goal to win it - Mauricio (Both) had a great pass to Michael (Delgado), and what a poised finish."

 

CASCADE CONFERENCE UP FOR GRABS: The race for the two automatic berths to the NAIA Region I Tournament is a battle between seven of the eight teams in the loop with three weekends left in the regular-season.  Currently, Concordia has a two-game lead on the field, but the Yotes and Warner Pacific are less than a game out of second-place.

 

FIRST OR SECOND PLACE THE ONLY WAY: It was announced two weeks ago that this season will be the final year of qualification for the NAIA Championships through the region process.  This year, the top two teams in the Cascade Conference round-robin, along with the next two teams (including Simon Fraser, Westminster, and Great Falls) with the highest Longo rating, will qualify for the NAIA Region I Tournament in November – playing for a national berth.  Next season, the CCC Tournament will be reinstated for the first time since 2003 – with the champion earning an automatic bid to nationals.

 

C OF I IN REGIONAL RANKINGS: For the second-straight week, The C of I was in the NAIA Region I Top-5 regional ranking, remaining at No. 5.  Simon Fraser, ranked No. 9 nationally, is No. 1, followed by Concordia, Westminster, Warner Pacific, and the Yotes.  The regional poll is released each Monday afternoon, while the NAIA Top-25 poll is released each Wednesday.

 

CONFERENCE STAT REPORT: As a team, the Coyotes rank No. 2 in the CCC in goals scored (40), goals per game (2.86), assists (38), assists per game (2.44), goals against average (1.50), and shutouts (3), while leading the league in corner kicks per game (6.29).  Individually, Kazuki Murata is second in the league in assists (8), is fourth in assists per game (0.6), and is fifth in total points (18), while keeper Jay Gentle (Boise, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) is second in shutouts (3), and is third in goals against average (1.50).  Two other Yotes are in the Top-5 – Michael Delgado, who is fourth in assists (7) and Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS), who leads the league in game-winning goals (3).

 

FINAL ROAD TRIP OF SEASON HEADS TO UPPER WILLAMETTE VALLEY: The Yotes will head westward this weekend, for games at Northwest Christian and Corban.  It will be The C of I’s first trip to NCC, where the Beacons (1-13, 1-10 CCC) look to end a five-game losing streak.  NCC has struggled this season, having scored just seven goals in 14 games played, including just one in their last five games – but top scorer Greg Erickson (6 goals) has the ability to put the ball away.  The C of I defeated the Beacons, 5-1, earlier this season.  It’s then up I-5 to meet the Warriors (5-7-2, 3-5-2), who played the Yotes to a scoreless draw in September.  Corban is led by All-CCC midfielder Caleb Louvier (6 goals, 3 assists), while keeper James Delcastillo (1.51 GAA) was stellar in the first meeting between the teams.  The two teams have met 38 previous times, with the Yotes holding the series edge, 19-17-1.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Brian Smith is in his fourth season as head coach of The C of I men's soccer team and has compiled a 39-24-3 overall mark.  In his first season two seasons, the Coyotes narrowly missed a spot in the NAIA Region I Tournament, despite a second and third-place finish in the Cascade Conference standings.  Last season, however, the Yotes claimed their first CCC title since 2001 and advanced to the regional semifinals.  For his efforts, the Coyote skipper was named CCC Coach of the Year.  Smith, who helped the Coyotes to a 35-21-1 record as a player for longtime coach, John Calpin, from 1990-93, returned to his alma mater in 2004 after a successful high school coaching career in the Treasure Valley.  He coached the Timberline High School boys’ team for three years, before taking over the THS girls’ program in 2002 – earning Idaho State Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2001 and Southern Idaho Conference Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2003.  After earning All-District honors as a player, he graduated from The C of I with a degree in political science in 1994.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I men’s soccer program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm.

 

SWIMMING: Yotes set five records and meet NAIA qualifying times at Whitworth

 

COMING UP: at Lewis & Clark, Saturday, 9 a.m. (PDT)

 

LAST WEEK: at Whitworth (Men L 128-57, Women L 156-42)

 

COYOTES COMPETE WELL IN OPENER AT WHITWORTH: Saturday afternoon, the Coyote swimming teams not only competed in their 2007-08 season opener, but also debuted under the banner of The College of Idaho.  Despite dropping both ends of the dual meet against the high-caliber Whitworth University squads in Spokane, Wash., the Coyotes had their own fireworks – as a pair of athletes earned NAIA “A” qualifying marks for the National Championships.  Leading the way was true freshman Casey Walker (Caldwell, Idaho), who set a pair of school records – becoming the first C of I swimmer to break the one-minute mark in the 100-backstroke and the 100-butterfly.  Walker won the 100-back race in 57.23, meeting the NAIA “A” mark, while placing second in the 100-fly (58.43).  Also earning a blue ribbon at the meet was junior John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS), who won the 100-freestyle in 51.31, while placing second in the 50-free (22.77).  On the women’s side, Alphonsina Savell (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) met the NAIA “A” standard for the third-straight year in the 100-breaststroke (1:13.47), placing second in her race.

 

RELAY TEAMS HEADED TO NATIONALS: Heading into the weekend, the Yotes knew their relay teams were not the squads that will be competing together late in the season – as The C of I wanted every swimmer to compete in a team event.  It didn’t phase the times the Coyotes met in the pool – as both the men’s and women’s 200-free and 200-medley relays teams met the NAIA “A” standard.  It marks the third-straight year that The C of I will send both of the men’s and women’s 200-relay teams to Nationals.

 

FIVE SCHOOL RECORDS FALL: Along with the two records set by Casey Walker, three other school records fell on the women’s side – all set by true freshmen.  Etching their names in The C of I record book were Annie Younggren (Island City, Ore. / La Grande HS), who set the mark in the 200-free (2:10.54), Annie Kerrick (Lewiston, Idaho / Lewiston HS), swimming the fastest 100-back time (1:08.25) by a Lady Yote, with Mariel Davis (Santa Fe, N.M. / Laurel Springs School) setting the record in the 100-fly (1:05.67).

 

BACK TO BACK WEEKENDS AGAINST THE DIVISION III: For the second-straight weekend, the Coyotes will be competing against an NCAA Division III opponent from the Northwest Conference – this time against Lewis & Clark.  The Pioneers will be making their 2007-08 debut, a year after finishing fourth on the women’s side and seventh on the men’s side at the NWC Championships.  First-year head coach Chris Fantz has a pair of solid returners on both sides – medley specialist Lindsay Nixon and sprinter Koy Collier on the women’s side, and breaststroke specialist Pat Murray and sprinter Justin Lawton on the men’s side.  It is the fourth-straight season that the two teams have competed in a dual – with L&C winning each match-up.  The C of I came close on the men’s side during the 2005-06 season, losing a tight 96-76 decision.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Mary Parsons is in her first season as The C of I swim coach. Parsons replaced Mike Shines, who coached the Coyotes for the past three seasons - leading The C of I to back-to-back Top-15 finishes at the NAIA Championships. A native of Caldwell, Parsons had a decorated collegiate career at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, holding the school record in the 100-butterfly (59.78) for 23 years. She was a five-time NAIA All-American, placing second in the 100-fly, fifth in the 200-fly, and seventh in the 200-medley at the 1983 NAIA Championships, while swimming as a member of the Western Conference of Individual Colleges All-Star team. Parsons last coached at Crescenta Valley High School in California, but has spent much of the last two decades coaching her family. She and husband, Lee, have three children - Hailey (19), Basil (17), and Richard (15). "I have really worked hard coaching my family - and now I'll have a chance to work with a new family, the Coyotes."

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I swimming teams, head to the homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/swim.htm.

 

 

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