Yote Notes – Sept. 18, 2007

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

ATHLETIC NEWS:

GOLF TEAM TAKES FIFTH AT CCC #1 IN WILDER: Cool damp conditions helped the Albertson College of Idaho golf teams Tuesday morning, as scores lowered during the final round of the opening Cascade Conference Tournament at River Bend Golf Course in Wilder. The Coyote men were led by Ben Coate (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS), who carded a one-over 73 in his final round to place 19th-overall.  He was one of only five golfers in the 54-hole tournament to record a score of 73 or lower. Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Madison HS) shot an 84 this morning to finish in 23rd-place, while Cris Tietsort (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) shot a 84, moving him in to 24th, and Colin Slaughter (Sandpoint, Idaho / Sandpoint HS) fired an 87 moving him into 25th - helping the Yotes to a fifth-place finish in the six-team event. On the women's side, ACI recorded a pair of Top-10 finishes, as Ali Straubhar (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) recorded a 302 overall total for eighth-place, while freshman April Patton (Ontario, Ore. / Ontario HS) recorded a 99 today, helping her to a ninth-place finish. Concordia swept the team titles - with CU's Lindsay Aho earning women's medalist honors, while Tyler Austin of Concordia and Justin Ahrens of Northwest Christian sharing the men's honor. 

COYOTE OPEN SET FOR SEPTEMBER 28: The 24th Annual Coyote Open Golf Tournament is set for Friday, September 28, at Falcon Crest Golf Club in Kuna.  Year in and year out one of the top events in the Treasure Valley, the Coyote Open has 175 players and over 110 sponsors per year that help support athletics at Albertson College of Idaho.  To secure your spot in the tournament for yourself or your team, or to support the tournament as a sponsor, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835 or go online at https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/coyoteopen.asp.

BASEBALL ALUMNI GAME SET FOR SEPTEMBER 29: The annual Albertson College of Idaho baseball alumni game has been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29, at Simplot Stadium in Caldwell.  A home run derby will begin at 11:30 a.m., with the game to begin around 1 p.m.  For alumni and their families, food and drinks will be provided throughout the day - with a $30.00 fee per player to help pay for t-shirts, derby prizes, and the post-game barbeque.  For more information, contact head coach Shawn Humberger at 459-5861 or shumberger@collegeofidaho.edu.

VOLLEYBALL (6-6, 4-0 CCC): Coyotes sweep in Portland, complete road trip with matches at Eastern and NW Chrisitian

LAST WEEK: at Warner Pacific (W 3-1), at Cascade (W 3-0)

COMING UP: at Eastern Oregon, Tuesday, 7 p.m. (PDT); at Northwest Christian, Saturday, 1 p.m. (PDT)

STREAKS CONTINUE: ACI extended a pair of long streaks on their weekend in Portland, as the Lady Yotes ran their Cascade Conference win streak to 22 matches in a row and their win streak against teams not receiving votes in the NAIA poll to 48 in a row. ACI 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 27 games in a row in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, dating back to the 2005 season.

MORE ON PLAYING AT HOME: The Lady Yotes have enjoyed much success in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center over the last 12 years, compiling a 120-36 record in the building – winning 77-percent of their matches. Over the last three seasons, ACI has a staggering 39-2 record at home, including the current 27-match home win streak. Under Liz Mendiola, the Lady Yotes have a 68-12 record in the JAAC.

ACI WINS AT WARNER PACIFIC: The tandem of Katie Hogue (Sparks, Nev. / Reed HS) and Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) combined for 23 kills and 12 blocks this evening, as the Lady Yotes remained perfect in CCC play with a 29-31, 30-24, 30-19, 30-18 victory at Warner Pacific on Friday night. Henning was the story, as the reigning CCC Freshman of the Year made a splash in her 2007 debut, recording 11 kills and a .364 hitting percentage in three games, recording five solo and three block assists. Hogue helped the attack with 12 kills, two aces, and four blocks, while Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / Chicago State U.) had 13 kills and Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore. / La Grande HS) had 12 spikes.  Ashley Galeai (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) led the Yotes 6-2 attack with 27 assists and four acs, with Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) adding 23 assists and nine digs.  Catherine Everist (Portland, Ore. / Chicago State. U.) paced the defense with 22 digs. It was ACI’s 20th-straight win over the Knights.

GAME WIN VS. ACI RARE IN CCC PLAY: Warner got some solace in the loss to the Coyotes by winning Game 1 – something that hasn’t happened often lately in CCC play. In their last 20 conference matches, ACI has won 60 of the 63 games played – with no match pushed further than four games. The Yotes have not lost a CCC game since October of 2005 in a 3-1 victory over WP.

YOTES DOMINATE CASCADE: Fueled by a dominating Game 1, ACI sprinted to a 30-7, 30-14, 30-15 victory at Cascade College on Saturday night. Katie Hogue opened the match with a kill and set the tone for the rest of the night.  The senior the served the next 13 points, as ACI built a 13-0 lead, before the Thunderbirds finally recorded a kill. For the second-straight night, Kristin Henning led the way for ACI, recording a team-high ten kills and five blocks.  Anne Parker (Pocatello, Idaho / Century HS) added eight kills, Madie Machurek had 20 assists, and Catherine Everist was held to just four digs, but had a team-high six aces. The T-Birds struggled offensively all night, recording just 15 kills as a team, with the Yotes forcing Cascade into a sub-zero hitting percentage (-.177) – as they lost their 21st-straight match to ACI.

SINGLE-DIGIT GAMES IN RALLY SCORING: For the third time since rally scoring was instituted prior to the 2001 season, the Lady Yotes held a team under ten points in a 30-point game. Besides the seven points scored by Cascade on Saturday, ACI held Evergreen State to nine points in 2006 and held Cascade to six points in 2003 – each time in Game 1.

NAIA POLL: ACI remained among the elite teams in the NAIA, as the second regular-season national poll was released last Wednesday. The Lady Yotes remained at No. 11 for the second-straight week – while all eight opponents the Purple and Gold played during the preseason are in the Top-25 (No. 1 Fresno Pacific, No. 4 National American, No. 5 Biola, No. 7 Point Loma Nazarene, No. 9 Westminster, No. 15 Savannah A&D, No. 19 Vanguard, No. 22 Great Falls).

Receiving votes in the poll from the Region I were Southern Oregon and Montana Tech. The NAIA Top-25 will be released each Wednesday afternoon during the regular-season.

PREVIOUS NATIONAL POLLS: The Coyotes have been ranked in the Top-25 on 20 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 two regular-season polls this season. In all, ACI has been ranked in the last 15 tabulations released by the NAIA.

REGIONAL POLL: The thrid NAIA Region I Top-10 ranking was released on Monday, with the Yotes holding steady in the No. 2 spot. Westminster remains the top team in the region, followed by the Coyotes, Great Falls, Southern Oregon, and Montana Tech. The next five include Concordia, Lewis-Clark State, Carroll, Eastern Oregon, and Oregon Tech. 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 second all-time in blocks (455), fourth in kills (1,140), and sixth in aces (154) – needing just 16 blocks to set the school record. Anne Parker is fifth all-time in blocks (321) and is tenth in kills (773), with Kathryn Ely now eighth on the all-time kills list (968), needing 32 spikes to become the seventh member of the 1,000-kill club. Tiffany Sower (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is now fifth all-time in aces (160) and is eighth in digs (1,030), while teammate Catherine Everist is seventh in digs (1,050).

CONFERENCE / NATIONAL STATISTICS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in aces per game (2.2) and blocks per game (2.5), are second in hitting percentage (.189), and are fourth in assists per game (12.0), kills per game (13.3), and digs per game (17.4). Individually, Katie Hogue ranks in the Top-10 in three categories – eighth in blocks (0.9) and aces (0.5), and ninth in hitting percentage (.251). Other Yotes in the Top-10 are Catherine Everist, who is No. 3 in digs (5.4), Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) is No. 4 in blocks (1.2), Ashley Galeai is No. 5 in assists (7.0), and Kathryn Ely is No. 7 in kills (3.2). This season, the NAIA is compiling a weekly national statistical report, thanks to DakStats. On the national front, Everist is 42nd in digs per game, with the team 50th in blocks. To read the national report, head to the Coyotes DakStats webpage at http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WVB&sea=NAIWVB_2007&team=1900.

DAY TRIP TO LA GRANDE, FIRST TRIP TO NCC: The Coyotes will conclude their four-game road trip this week with a pair of games in Oregon. On Tuesday, ACI travels to Eastern Oregon, meeting their I-84 rivals. The Mountaineers (5-4, 3-1 CCC) are off to a nice start in 2007, thanks to the play of Grace Deboot (3.7 k/g, 0.8 b/g), Chelsea Lally (2.3 k/g, 4.2 d/g), and Kiley Cobb (5.1 d/g). Eastern is looking to end a 24-match losing streak to the Lady Yotes, dating back to the 1990s. It is the 74th meeting between the teams, with ACI holding a 53-20 series edge. In a rare Saturday afternoon match, the Coyotes travel to Eugene, Ore., for their first-ever battle with CCC newcomer, Northwest Christian. The Beacons (6-5, 1-3) are led by hitters Brooke Stribling (2.6 k/g, 2.9 d/g) and Ashley Blanchfill (2.5 k/g, 3.1 d/g) – and notched their first-ever league win with a three-game sweep of Cascade.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: This week, while ACI and Eastern Oregon head to NW Christian, Corban and Concordia will host Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon, while Cascade and Warner Pacific head north to Evergreen State and Northwest.

ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola is in her seventh season as the ACI 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 142-62, 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.  ACI 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 ACI 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 ACI 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 ACI volleyball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.

MEN’S SOCCER (4-2-1, 1-1-1 CCC): Coyotes set for four-game road trip, beginning with games at Evergreen State and Northwest

LAST WEEK: vs. Corban (T 0-0), vs. Northwest Christian (W 5-1)

COMING UP: at Evergreen State, Friday, 5 p.m. (PDT); at Northwest Christian, Saturday, 5 p.m. (PDT)

YOTES FALL ONE SPOT IN REGIONAL POLL: Despite holding firm at home with a draw and a win, the ACI men’s soccer team dropped one spot in this week’s NAIA Region I Top-5 poll, sitting in the No. 5 slot. Simon Fraser (No. 17 nationally) leads the pack, followed by Westminster (No. 25), Concordia, Corban, and the Yotes. The regional poll is released each Monday afternoon, with the national poll released each Wednesday afternoon.

LOOKING WAY AHEAD TO THE PLAYOFFS: It is expected 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 is expected to be reinstated for the first time since 2003 – with the champion earning an automatic bid to nationals.

110 MINUTES DOES NOT SETTLE ANYTHING: The Yotes and Corban College played physical soccer for 110 minutes, but nothing was resolved on the pitch, as the two Cascade Conference rivals settled for a 0-0 draw at Symms Field on Friday. Both teams had chances in the match, which featured 32 shots and 42 fouls - but the Yotes Jay Gentle (Boise, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) and Warriors James DelCastillo kept each team out of the net. ACI had their chances - as Cameron Johnson (Eagle, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) hit the crossbar in the ninth minute and Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) rattled the cage in the 16th minute.  The Coyotes best chance was in the 59th minute, when Corban was called for a handball in the box - but DelCastillo guessed correctly on an Alex Penrod (Las Vegas, Nev. / Cimarron-Memorial HS) penalty kick, stopping the shot, with Penrod's return blast banging off the far post.

SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON WITH 0-0 SCORE: For the second year in a row, the Coyotes played a game to a scoreless draw. ACI and Whitman opened the 2006 season with a 0-0 score in Walla Walla.

SCORING FRENZY LIFTS ACI PAST NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: A five-goal outburst during a 15-minute stretch spanning both halves helped the Yotes pick up their first CCC win of the season, topping Northwest Christian, 5-1, at Symms Field on Saturday. After peppering the NCC goal during the first 30 minutes, ACI finally broke through in the 35th minute, as Stephen Reinschmidt (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS) headed home a Michael Delgado (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) corner.  It opened the flood gates, as Alex Penrod cracked an 18-yard shot off an Antonio Bautista (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS) feed in the 39th minute, and Kazuki Murata (Tokyo, Japan / Ichiritu HS) ripped a wicked shot in the net just before halftime to make it 3-0. With 30 former ACI players in attendance for Alumni Day, the Coyotes kept the barrage going early in the second half, as freshman Emir Kobic (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) found the net with his left foot off a Jesus Lopez feed four minutes into the period, followed by a Mats Boehnke (Carson City, Nev. / Carson HS) header off a Delgado corner in the 50th minute to cap the Coyotes scoring. The Beacons, who had just 12 players in uniform, broke through after ACI committed a foul in the box.  Greg Erickson barely beat ACI keeper Jay Gentle to the top right corner to avoid the shutout. ACI had a commanding 30-6 edge in shots and a 13-2 edge in corner kicks.

OFF TO SEATTLE METRO: The Yotes head out on the first of two consecutive weekend road trips – this weekend to Western Washington for a pair of CCC tilts. Friday is a late afternoon match at Evergreen State, battling a Geoduck (1-5, 0-3 CCC) team that is searching for their first CCC win. Evergreen opened the season with a 5-1 victory over Great Falls, but have dropped five-straight matches – allowing over three goals per match. The Geoducks are led offensively by Shawn Farrow, who has recorded four goals and one assist in six games. It is the 20th meeting between the clubs, with ACI holding a 13-5-1 series edge – with the two teams splitting matches last season, winning on each others home field. Saturday, a much improved Northwest squad hosts the Yotes on the FieldTurf surface in Kirkland. The Eagles (3-2, 2-1) have recorded wins this season over Menlo, Evergreen, and Warner Pacific and are looking to end a 15-game losing streak to the Yotes. Gary McIntosh’s bunch is led offensively by Micah Williams (2 goals, 1 assist) and Brandon Screen (2 goals, 1 assist), and in goal by Kyle Wall (1.20). It is the 25th meeting between the teams, with ACI holding a commanding 22-2 series edge.

CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL STATISTICS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in goals scored per game (2.6), points scored per game (7.0), and corner kicks per game (7.1), while ranking second in shots per game (19.9) and assists per game (1.9). Individually, Antonio Bautista leads the league with three assists, with Kazuki Murata and Alex Penrod second in the CCC with four goals scored. Penrod and Mauricio Both (Cachieora de Sul, Brazil / Nampa HS) are third in shots per game (3.0), with keeper Jay Gentle fifth in goals against average (1.61). This year the NAIA is requiring schools to report their statistics on a national basis each week – creating a national stats report. To access the men’s soccer national page, log onto the DakStats website at http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=MSO&sea=NAIMSO_2007&team=2518.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE: The Yotes and travel partner, Cascade, will tackle Evergreen State and Northwest, while Corban and Northwest Christian get their first crack at Concordia and Warner Pacific. In the Region I, Simon Fraser continues to impress, going 2-0 on a California tour with victories at Vanguard and Biola, while Westminster is in their annual three-week hiatus and will play the final nine matches of the season on the road.

ABOUT THE COACH: Brian Smith is in his fourth season as head coach of the ACI men's soccer team and has compiled a 34-22-3 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 ACI with a degree in political science in 1994.

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

WOMEN’S SOCCER (3-3-2, 0-0-2 CCC): Coyotes open conference season with back-to-back draws, off to Southern Oregon and OIT

LAST WEEK: vs. Northwest (T 1-1), vs. Evergreen State (T 1-1)

COMING UP: at Southern Oregon, Friday, 3 p.m. (PDT); at Oregon Tech, Saturday, 7 p.m. (PDT)

YOTES REMAIN FOURTH IN REGIONAL RANKING: For the third-straight week (and the third-time ever), the Lady Yotes were ranked fourth in the NAIA Region I Top-5 poll. Carroll College remained in the top spot after wins over Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech, with Concordia in the No. 2 slot. Simon Fraser is third, followed by the Yotes, and Evergreen State, which moved into the ranking after defeating Eastern Oregon and playing ACI to a draw. The regional Top-5 is released each Monday, with the NAIA Top-25 poll released each Wednesday afternoon.

DEEP TEAM BEING CHALLENGED BY INJURIES: One of the strengths coming into the 2007 season for the Lady Yotes was their depth – possibly the deepest team in school history. However, bumps and bruises along the way have depleted some of that depth – especially last weekend. Four starters – Colleen Smith (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), Nikki Anderson (Citrus Heights, Calif. / Sierra HS), Laura Fink (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS), and Sadie Hughes (Courtenay, B.C. / Vanier SS) were dinged up through the weekend, with Fink seeing limited action against Northwest, and Smith seeing limited action against Evergreen State.

BACK TO BACK DRAWS DO NOT HAPPEN OFTEN: Over the last 11 seasons, the Lady Yotes have played to just 11 draws in 190 matches – and had not recorded the tie in back-to-back games. However, back in 1995, the ACI set a school record with four ties that season, including three ties to open the year (two scoreless draws with Concordia and a 1-1 draw with Pacific). That season, the Yotes finished 3-1-4 – one of only two winning seasons in school history.

LESS THAN TWO MINUTES FROM VICTORY: The Lady Yotes were less than two minutes from victory, but a late Northwest University goal helped the Eagles earn a 1-1 draw Friday at Symms Field. Rushing the ball up field, Amy Bostock played a through-ball at midfield that an ACI defender could not clear, finding Brittney Marshall - who found the left side of the goal to tie the game. The Lady Yotes had a chance in overtime - but a Kat Becker (Salt Lake City, Utah / Judge Memorial HS) drive from the top of the 18 was wide left. ACI did not allow an Eagle shot in the first half -  and had a pair of chances, with Leah Roach (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS) missing to the near post in the opening minute, and NU keeper Jasmine Yeldon making an outstanding save of a Brittney Hulin (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) drive in the 23rd minute. The Coyotes would take the lead in the 65th minute, as freshman Colleen Smith bent home a free kick from 25-yards out.  However, NU would not fold, holding a 9-5 edge in shots after halftime, finally cashing in on Marshall's goal.

YOTES AND EAGLES STILL SEARCHING: An interesting note on the ACI-Northwest rivalry, is that both games played between the teams have ended in draws. The two teams played to a 0-0 stalemate last season, then played to the 1-1 draw on Friday. It is one of only three season series that are deadlocked – ACI is 5-5 all-time against Southern Oregon and 1-1 all-time vs. Western Washington.

REGIONALLY RANKED TEAMS BATTLE TO DRAW: An early goal scored by ACI did not hold up, as Evergreen State tallied the equalizer late in the second half, as the two Cascade Conference rivals played to a 1-1 draw Saturday at Symms Field. The Coyotes got the early advantage, as Jamie Reichel (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) flicked home a Mandy Greif (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) corner kick at the far post in the ninth minute. ACI controlled the pace throughout the first half, but the Geoducks had more opportunities in the second half, and cashed in when the Yotes could not clear a ball from their own end.  Nora Skeel jumped on the ball at the top of the 18 and cracked a shot into the top corner of the net to tie the score.   Evergreen had a chance to win late in regulation, but Amy Rhoades (Eagle, Idaho / Dixie State Coll.) snuffed out a Monica Ragan shot with a diving save. In overtime, ACI had a pair of corner kicks - but could not muster a shot on goal, while the Geoducks Katy Delong had a shot miss high in the second extra session.

THE LONG BUS RIDE SOUTH: The Lady Yotes head out on their first CCC road trip of the season, making the long trek Friday to Southern Oregon, and a match-up with the Raiders (3-3-1, 1-0-0 CCC). Southern had won two matches in a row, but dropped a 5-1 decision to Carroll on Sunday. SOU has a balanced scoring attack, with five players having scored two goals this season – while Sara Switzer leads the team with three helpers, and Melanie Hopkins (1.74 GAA) is solid in goal. It is the 11th meeting between the teams, with the series deadlocked at 5-5 – but ACI has never won in Ashland. Saturday, it’s a night game at Oregon Tech, who hosts the Yotes for the first time since 2004. The Owls (5-3-1, 1-0-0) had a three-game win streak snapped by Carroll on Saturday, but feature a potent offense, led by all-star Katie O’Brien. OIT has been stingy defensively this season, recording five shutouts, led by keeper Jaclyn Unruh (0.47 GAA). ACI has never won in Klamath Falls, but has played Tech to a pair of draws in the mountains – and holds a 5-3-2 series edge.

ELSEWHERE AROUND THE LEAGUE: Conference play opened up last week, with Concordia the only CCC side to pick up a pair of wins – topping Warner Pacific (7-0) and Corban (1-0). Evergreen State is second after a win and a tie, with a big logjam of teams sitting with three points. This week, while the Yotes and Eastern head south, Concordia and Cascade head north to Northwest and Evergreen State, while Northwest Christian tangles with Warner Pacific and Corban. Also to note, Region I foe Westminster makes a trek to the Portland metro area over the weekend – playing Corban, WP, and Cascade.

CONFERENCE / NATIONAL NUMBERS: As a team, the Lady Yotes rank No. 2 in the CCC in fouls (10.4), and No. 3 in shutouts (3) and goals against average (1.16). Individually, Leah Roach leads the league and is No. 48 in the NAIA in game winning goals (2), and is No. 10 in goals scored (2), while Amy Rhoades is second in save percentage (.880) and third in GAA (0.65), and Mandy Greif is tenth in assists (2). To find the national statistics, head to the following link: http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WSO&sea=NAIWSO_2007&team=2300.

ABOUT THE COACH: Niki Taylor is in her second season has head coach of the ACI women's program and has an overall record of 9-13-4. 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 ACI women’s soccer program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.

CROSS COUNTRY: Yotes ready to run at Bob Firman Invite

LAST WEEK: Idle

COMING UP: Co-host Bob Firman Invitational, Eagle Island State Park, Sept. 22.

BOTH TEAMS RANKED IN THE NAIA TOP-25: Last week, both the Albertson College of Idaho men’s and women’s cross country teams were ranked in the NAIA Top-25 poll at the same time for the first-time ever. The men’s team dropped a pair of spots, from No. 14 to No. 16, while the women’s team earned their first Top-25 ranking in program history, debuting at No. 18. Other NAIA Region I men’s teams in the Top-25 are Lewis-Clark State (No. 7), Eastern Oregon (No. 13), and Simon Fraser (No. 24), with Southern Oregon and British Columbia receiving votes. On the women’s side, Simon Fraser is ranked No. 1, with British Columbia at No. 9, and Lewis-Clark State at No. 13, with Northwest and Eastern Oregon receiving votes.

REGIONAL RANKINGS: Both the ACI men and women were in the Top-5 of their respective NAIA Region I Top-10 polls, released Monday. The men’s team fell one spot to No. 4 in the latest NAIA Region I. Lewis-Clark State holds the top spot, followed by Eastern, Simon Fraser, ACI, and British Columbia. Carroll, Northwest Christian, Concordia, Evergreen State, and Southern Oregon round out to men’s ranking. On the women’s side, the Lady Yotes are the top Cascade Conference team in the poll, remaining at No. 4 this week. Powerhouse Simon Fraser continues to hold the No. 1 spot, followed by British Columbia, Lewis-Clark State, ACI, and Northwest. Rounding out the Top-10 are Eastern Oregon, Carroll, Great Falls, Evergreen State, and Concordia.

FIRST TIME IN THE BOB FIRMAN: This season, the largest cross country race in Idaho will add a pair of collegiate races to the mix. The Bob Firman Invitational, at Eagle Island State Park, will have a women’s 5,000-meter race and a men’s 8,000-meter race, to go along with 12 other races for runners ranging from middle school to high school. Joining the Yotes in Ada County will be NCAA Division I teams Boise State and Idaho State, Division II teams Northwest Nazarene and Chico State, and NAIA teams Concordia, Eastern Oregon, and Lewis-Clark State. For more information on the Bob Firman Invitational, log online at www.bobfirmanxc.org.

HOSTING THE REGIONAL: For the first time, ACI will play host to a major cross country meet, as the Coyotes are the host institution for the Cascade Conference Championships. The event will be Oct. 20 at Eagle Island State Park – and is sponsored by Bandanna Running and Walking of Boise. For fans attending the race, an admission charge of $5.00 per person ($3.00 for seniors/students) will be charged, while the Idaho State Parks Department will charge a nominal fee for parking.

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