Yote Notes – December 10, 2008

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETIC NEWS:

 

TWO MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS NAMED ALL-AMERICAN: A pair of College of Idaho men's soccer players were named today to the Brine-NAIA All-America team, released by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.  Seniors Alex Penrod and Antonio Bautista were among the six Cascade Conference players honored by the NAIA, earning honorable mention accolades.  Penrod, from Las Vegas, Nev., who was an honorable mention selection last year as a forward, earned the distinction as a defender this season, anchoring a Coyote defense that allowed less than one goal per match - helping The C of I to a school record 13-game win streak and a 14-3-1 overall record.  Bautista, the CCC Player of the Year, was the offensive catalyst, leading the NAIA in game-winning goals with ten, ranking third all-time in school history with 21 goals - leading the league.  The Homedale native was honored last week by Sports Illustrated in their Faces In the Crowd segment and has earned a tryout with the MLS Chivas USA franchise.

 

NINE PLAYERS NAMED TO DAKTRONICS/NAIA SCHOLAR-TEAM: Nine College of Idaho student-athletes were named to their respective Daktronics/NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete teams, as the national office in Kansas City, Mo., released their fall sports awards this afternoon.  Leading the pack was the Coyotes men's soccer and women's cross country teams, each with three recipients.  Seniors Alex Penrod and Derek Erstad, along with junior Esteban Cabrera earned the award for the CCC South Division champions, while senior Jayne Saunders and juniors Molli Lee-Painter and Chantel Varland carried the banner for the Lady Yotes, who finished ninth at the NAIA Cross Country Championships.  Two members of the CCC runner-up women's soccer team - junior Mandy Greif and senior Martine Troy, along with one men's cross country member - Sam Hardy, were also honored.  To earn the NAIA award, student-athletes must be at least a junior academically and maintain a 3.50 or higher cumulative grade point average. During the 2007-08 school year, 42 C of I student-athletes were honored by the NAIA.

 

DONATE TO THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: Click here to make your tax deductible gift to assist the CIAA with post-season championships team travel, scholarships and recruiting - https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/makeagift.asp

 

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL (4-6, 1-1 CCC): C of I to play in NNU’s gym for first time since 2000 at 2nd Annual Wendy’s Classic

 

LAST WEEK: at No. 1 Oregon Tech (L 79-60), at Southern Oregon (W 55-44)

 

COMING UP: at Second-Annual Wendy’s Classic, Johnson Sports Center, Nampa – Friday vs. San Diego Christian, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday vs. Montana Western, 5 p.m.

 

ON THE RADIO:  Both C of I games will be carried live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford calling the action.  The pregame show Friday against San Diego Christian is set for 5:15 p.m., with Saturday’s pregame vs. Montana Western set for 4:45 p.m.

 

LIVE STATS/VIDEO: Live stats of both C of I games at the Wendy’s Classic will be available online via Northwest Nazarene’s website at http://usak.nnu.edu/stats/xlive.htm.  The games will also be available online via live video with NNU’s CrusaderCast for a $5.95 per game (www.nnusports.com/crusadercast).

 

OPPONENTS SCORING 45 OR LESS: The win on Saturday night over Southern Oregon was the sixth time that the Yotes have allowed 45 points or less in the nine seasons Mark Owen has been head coach – and the second time this season.  The Coyotes allowed 45 in a 73-45 victory over Evergreen State in 2005, 44 in a 53-44 win over Taylor (Ind.) in the 2003 NAIA National Tournament, 42 in a 84-42 rout of Bethany in 2000, 41 earlier this year in a 66-41 win at Menlo, and just 35 points in a 73-35 win over Warner Pacific during the 2003-04 season.

 

TOP DEFENSIVE CLUB IN THE LEAGUE: Through ten games this season, the Coyotes are allowing just 67 points per game – the top scoring defense in the Cascade Conference and the No. 20 scoring defense in the NAIA.  The C of I has yet to allow a team to score more than 83 points in a game, while holding teams under 60 points on four separate occasions.

 

CHAMP KEEPS STREAKS GOING: Senior guard Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) kept his consecutive game streaks alive during the CCC opening road trip – scoring a season-high 18 points in the win at SOU.  Champ has recorded a steal in 39 consecutive games, at least two points scored in 57-straight games, and at least one rebound in 67 consecutive games.  He is now second-place on the all-time steals list with 210.

 

COACH O’S FIRST TRIP TO NNU: After years of playing multiple games at the old Montgomery Fieldhouse, The C of I will make their first-ever appearance in the renovated Johnson Sports Center on the Northwest Nazarene campus this weekend as part of the Wendy’s Classic.  The Yotes have not played on the NNU campus during Mark Owen’s tenure as coach, with the last game for the Purple and Gold at the site of their 1996 NAIA Division II National Championship coming on Feb. 17, 2000 – when the Marty Holly led Coyotes dropped a 82-77 decision to NNU, with Shermon Ewell scoring 30 points with nine rebounds in the loss.

 

THE FIRST WENDY’S CLASSIC: The Wendy’s Classic is in its second year – benefiting the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and their local agency – Wednesday’s Child.  All ticket revenue from Friday night’s doubleheader will benefit the local charity.  Last season, The C of I, NNU, Montana Western, and Westmont helped raise over $5,000 during the opening night game in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  NNU won the tournament, picking up an 88-77 win over Westmont and an 80-70 win over UMW, while the Yotes dropped a 90-89 overtime tilt with UMW, but rebounding with a 79-67 win over Westmont.  Steffen Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS) had the highest scoring game in the tournament with 24 points against UMW, while Western post Aaron Sims recorded a tourney-high 15 rebounds.

 

LOOK FOR NIELSON ON TV: Local NBC affiliate, KTVB-TV, has been running promos for the Wendy’s Classic as part of their cooperation with Wednesday’s Child.  The promo has two players, C of I’s Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Eastern Utah CC) and NNU’s Louie Beech playing ball with a pair of children in the Wednesday’s Child program.  It has been running prior to the sports segment each night – approximately at 10:20 p.m.

 

ABOUT SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN: The Yotes open up the Wendy’s Classic on Friday afternoon against San Diego Christian of the Golden State Athletic Conference.  The Hawks (3-3) are coming off a woeful 5-23 season, but have already notched wins against Trevecca Nazarene and The Masters – two quality NAIA Division I teams.  SDCC, which used to be Christian Heritage, returns a pair of starters in guards Kevin Dillon (12.0 ppg, 2.3 apg) and Craig Jackson (10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg), with 6-9 forward Paul Wolf (13.5 ppg, 10.8 rpg) and 6-6 swingman James Green (11.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) providing part of the load in the paint that averages six more rebounds per game than their opponents.  The Hawks, who are 3-0 at home, but 0-3 on the road, average 16 turnovers per game, but on the defensive side, average just five steals per contest.  It is the first meeting between the teams since 2005, with the Yotes holding a 3-2 all-time series lead.

 

ABOUT MONTANA WESTERN: Saturday, the Yotes will meet Montana Western for the ninth-straight season and the 55th time overall, dating back to 1942.  The Bulldogs (6-4) have fared well this season, including three games against NCAA Division I teams (Montana, Southern Utah, Utah Valley), losing each by single-digit margins.  Chad Myers (16.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Brandon Lawson (12.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg), and Eric Lipkin (10.9 ppg, 5.4 apg) lead an offensive attack that averages 85 points a game, shoots .485 percent from the field, and averages four more rebounds per game than their competition.  Western ended a nine-game losing streak to The C of I in last year’s Wendy’s Classic, but trails the all-time series, 36-18.

 

CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Ben Pawlak (CAS) 23.4, Nate Menefee (ESC) 23.2, Adam Moore (WP) 23.1, Josh Brown (CAS) 19.3, Steven Vaughan (CU) 18.3; Rebound Average – Kaylone Riley (WP) 12.4, Ryan Barker (CAS) 10.0, Steve Trotter (ESC) 9.0, Josh Wetzler (OIT) 8.8, Paul Carollo (EOU) 8.0; Field Goal Percentage – Cavanaugh .759, Wetzler .683, Trotter .674, Dylan Perry (NCU) .662, Craig McGee (CI) .629; Assists Average – Justin Parnell (OIT) 6.5, Kao Saelee (CAS) 6.3, Jeremy Templeton (EOU) 4.7, John Levi (ESC) 4.7, Paul Martin (CRB) 4.3.

 

CCC/NATIONAL POLL: The latest CCC Top-6 ranking was released on Monday morning, with the Coyotes sitting in the No. 5 spot.  Oregon Tech sat in the top spot, followed by Warner Pacific, Evergreen State, Eastern Oregon, the Coyotes, and Northwest.  The second regular-season NAIA Top-25 Poll was released Monday afternoon, with OIT claiming the No. 1 spot, with Warner Pacific No. 12, Evergreen State No. 16, and Eastern Oregon at No. 22.  The next Top-25 Poll will be released after the New Year.

 

GAME RECAP: OREGON TECH 79, C OF I 60: Christian Cavanaugh had seven of his 12 points in a 15-0 second half run, as top-ranked Oregon Tech withstood a C of I challenge, upending the Yotes, 79-60, in the two teams CCC opener Friday in Klamath Falls, Ore.  The Coyotes rallied from an eight-point first half deficit to tie the score at the break at 34-34, and took a 39-36 lead on a Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) dunk early in the second half.  However, the Owls would hold the Yotes without a field goal for a four minute stretch, pushing the lead to double figures in winning their 16th-straight contest.  Justin Parnell had 24 points and seven assists for OIT, connecting on 5-of-9 three-point attempts.  Jguwon Hogges had 12 of his 16 points in the second half for the Owls.  McGee led the Yotes with 23 points and nine rebounds, with Steffen Spinks scoring 14 off the bench and Jordan Stokes (Las Vegas, Nev. / Lassen CC) adding 13.  However, the Yotes three starting guards went a combined 2-for-13 from the field and the squad converted just one three-point attempt on the night.

 

GAME RECAP: C OF I 55, SOUTHERN OREGON 44: Bryan Champ had a season-high 18 points and The C of I held Southern Oregon to just 34-percent shooting from the field, as the Coyotes topped the Raiders, 55-44, Saturday at McNeil Pavilion.  An 8-0 run midway through the second half broke a 29-29 tie, giving the Yotes the lead for good.  They would seal the victory at the foul line, as Champ hit 9-of-10 freebies in the second half.  Craig McGee had eight points and seven rebounds, with Steffen Spinks also scoring eight in the win - the sixth-straight against the Raiders, who were coming off an upset win over No. 5 ranked Eastern Oregon last night.  Dustin Vaughn had a career-high ten points and 11 rebounds in the loss for SOU.

 

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

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (10-1, 2-0 CCC): Gall named Player of the Week, No. 17 Lady Yotes to face tough test at Whitman

 

LAST WEEK: at Oregon Tech (W 75-74), at No. 16 Southern Oregon (W 98-86)

 

COMING UP: at Whitman, Saturday, 6 p.m. (PT)

 

ON THE WEB: Saturday’s game at Whitman will be carried live on the Internet via the Whitman athletic website at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wbb%3A-college-of-idaho-vs.-whitman.  The next scheduled radio game for the Lady Yotes is set for Dec. 31 – the exhibition contest against Northwest Nazarene.

 

LIVE STATS: No live stats will be available for Saturday’s game at Whitman.

 

GALL TIES SCHOOL RECORDS AT SOUTHERN: Transfer Nicole Gall (Boise, Idaho / Santa Clara U.) had one of the more prolific games in C of I history on Saturday night, tying the school record with 36 points in the win at Southern Oregon.  The sophomore connected on 11-of-18 shots from the floor, tying the school record for three-pointers in a game with eight, along with making all six of her free throw attempts.  Gall tied the scoring record of Heidi Goicoechea, who scored 36 points against Fresno Pacific during the 2002-03 season, along with the three-pointers in a game mark shared by Stacey Hammar and Cecilie Bates –both during the 1999-00 season.

 

GALL PART TWO – NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For the weekend, Gall averaged 21.5 points and four rebounds per game, earning Cascade Conference Player of the Week honors – the third Lady Yote to earn the honor this season.  She converted 14-of-25 shots from the field and made 9-of-14 shots from outside the arc, upping her season scoring average to nearly 12 points a night. 

 

MOST POINTS IN FIRST HALF SINCE: In the first half of the SOU game, the Lady Yotes put 55 points on the board – their most prolific first half since the 2001-02 season.  It was the fourth time under Reagan Rossi that The C of I has scored 50-or-more points in the first half – tallying 51 vs. Warner Pacific in 2007, 52 vs. Fresno Pacific in 2002, and 60 against Bethany in 2001.  It wasn’t, however, the most points the Coyotes have scored in a half this season – they scored 59 in the second half in the 102-89 win over Cal Baptist last month. 

 

STILL PERFECT OVER 90: With the 98 points vs. SOU, the Lady Yotes remain perfect all time when scoring 90 or more in a game, recording a perfect 25-0 mark since 1995.

 

YOTES JUMP TO NO. 17: With their victory at nationally-ranked Southern Oregon, the Lady Yotes climbed six spots to No. 17 in the latest NAIA Division II Top-25 Poll – the biggest jump by any school in the nation.  It marked the highest national ranking for the team since the final poll of the 2000-01 season, when the Lady Yotes were ranked No. 8, the same season the team elevated to the No. 4 slot in the poll.  Two other CCC teams are in the poll – Southern Oregon fell four spot to No. 20, while Concordia received votes.  Three other C of I opponents were in their respective national polls - Westminster, ranked No. 21 and Cal Baptist is receiving votes in the NAIA Division I poll, with Holy Names receiving votes in the NAIA Division II poll.  The next poll will be released on January 5.

 

BEST START EVER: With an ten-game win streak (11, if counting the exhibition win over Weber State), the Lady Yotes are off to their best in school history.  The squad has surged past the 1997-98 team that opened with a 7-1 record, sprinting out of the gates to a 13-2 mark on the season – ending with a trip to the NAIA Division II national tournament. 

 

WIN STREAKING: The ten-game win streak marks the third time in program history that the Lady Yotes have won nine-or-more games in a row.  The school-record win streak is 13, set during the 1996-97 season, while the last time the Coyotes won nine-straight was during the 2006-07 campaign.

 

ALLEN HAS BIG WEEKEND: Keying the success for the Lady Yotes this weekend was the play of point-guard Alexandria Allen (Yakima, Wash. / Columbia Basin CC), who had career-highs in scoring on successive nights.  The junior had ten points and four assists against Oregon Tech, including the clinching free throws with five seconds left, then had 15 points and four assists in the win over Southern Oregon.  Despite playing just 17 minute a night in the three point-guard rotation, Allen leads the team in assists with 34.

 

OWEN TO RETURN: The Coyotes will get a boost starting this week, as guard Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) has rejoined the team.  The junior, who started all 30 games last season, was the starting libero on the nationally-ranked C of I volleyball team that just completed a 24-10 season and trip to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament.  Owen averaged seven points and five rebounds last season, along with 60 steals.

 

VANDER ESCH KEEPS THREE STREAKS ALIVE: Forward Christon Vander Esch (Riggins, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) nearly averaged a double-double last weekend, scoring ten point s and nine rebounds per game in the road wins.  Vander Esch also extended a pair of long streaks – she has now scored at least one point in 50-straight games, recorded a rebound in 60-straight games, and a steal in 28-straight games – but saw her streak of games with  a blocked shot ended at 16.  She is No. 2 on the all-time steals (197) and blocked shots (117) lists – needing just 8 steals to break the career school record.  Vander Esch is sixth all-time in free throws attempted (294), seventh all-time in free throws made (203), ninth in field goal attempts (669), and tenth in rebounds (502) and points scored (742) – closing in on the top ten in field goals made (251), three-pointers made (37), and three-point attempts (125).

 

FINAL NON-CONFERENCE TILT AT WHITMAN: For the Lady Yotes to extend their win streak to 11, they will have to get past Whitman, one of the top NCAA Division III clubs in the Northwest.  The Missionaries (7-0) are off to their best start in years, having scored at least 72 points in every game this season – including a win over then No. 9 ranked Washington (Mo.).  Whitman has four players averaging in double figures – Michelle Krall (14.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Hilary White (13.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Jenele Peterson (12.1 ppg, 3.5 apg), and Rebecca Sexton (10.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg).  It is the seventh meeting between the teams, with the Lady Yotes holding a 5-1 series edge.

 

CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Kristina Schumacher (CAS) 27.5, Robin Swain (CAS) 17.8, Emily Gray (NCU) 17.0, Katie Steigleman (CRB) 15.6, Christon Vander Esch (CI) 15.2; Rebound Average – Maya Gross (CAS) 10.2, Vander Esch 8.6, Gray 8.5, Amy Russell (CAS) 8.5, Rosalind Lee (ESC) 8.3; Field Goal Percentage – Callie McVicker (NCU) .648, Danielle Clauson (CU) .574, Katie Strunk (CI) .546, Ann Snodderly (CU) .543, Amanda Johnston (OIT) .525; Assist Average – Meagan Miyasaka (OIT) 6.4, Whitney Scott (SOU) 5.2, Jenny Fiso (EOU) 5.1, Swain 4.8, Kailey Bostwick (CRB) 4.3.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 75, OREGON TECH 74:  Alexandria Allen hit two free throws with five seconds remaining, helping The C of I extend their win streak to nine games with a 75-74 victory at Oregon Tech, in the CCC opener for both teams Friday night in Klamath Falls, Ore.  The Lady Yotes erased a 31-22 first half deficit, as Nicole Bruce (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) scored seven of her game-high 13 points in a 13-0 run, helping The C of I to a 37-35 halftime lead.  OIT opened the second half on a 7-0 run, capped by a Kellie Morey three, to take a 42-37 lead.  However, the Coyotes would use a 15-3 run to take the lead for good.  The C of I built a 71-64 lead with two minutes left, but had to hang on, as a Morey trey and two Amanda Johnston lay-ups helped the Owls close within 73-71.  Tech would have a chance to tie, but Nicole Morgan missed a three inside the final ten seconds, with Allen getting the rebound – knocking home the free throws to seal the win.  Christon Vander Esch had ten points and nine rebounds, with Katie Strunk (Shoshone, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) adding 12 points off the bench in the win.  Johnston led all players with 27 points.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 98, SOUTHERN OREGON 86: Nicole Gall tied a school record with 36 points and eight three-point baskets, as The C of I upset No. 16 ranked Southern Oregon, 98-86, in Ashland, Ore.  Gall had 26 points in the first half, including six of her treys, fueling a 19-4 run late in the period to build a 55-33 lead at the half.  The lead would balloon to 61-33 on a Nicole Bruce lay-up, before the Raiders would battle back, using a 22-4 run to cut the margin to 65-55.  SOU would get within 83-76 on a Rhiannon Dickision free throw with four minutes left, but could not get closer.  Bruce and Alexandria Allen would step up in the second half - the sophomore post scoring ten of her 13 points in the second half, while Allen had 12 of her season-high 15 to help seal the win - extending the Lady Yotes win streak to ten.  The story was Gall, who tied Heidi Goicoechea's school record - set back in 2002 against Fresno Pacific and is now one of three players to can eight triples.  Dickison had 21 points to lead Southern, who had a 21-game home win streak snapped.  Jacki Speer had a monster outing in the loss, scoring 20 points and adding 20 boards.

 

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

 

VOLLEYBALL (24-10): Season Review

 

LAST WEEK: at NAIA Volleyball National Tournament Final Site, Sioux City, Iowa – vs. No. 6 Georgetown (L 3-1), vs. No. 7 Cal Baptist (L 3-1), vs. No. 18 Indiana Tech (L 3-2)

 

COMING UP: Season Complete

 

YOTES GO 0-FOR-POOL PLAY, FINISH TIED FOR 21ST: Playing well in spurts kept The C of I volleyball team in all three Pool Play matches at the 2008 NAIA Volleyball National Tournament Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa, however, it did not net the Lady Yotes a victory.  Facing three teams ranked ahead of them in the final NAIA Top-25 poll, the Coyotes dropped four-set matches to both Top-10 Georgetown (Ky.) and Cal Baptist, before closing with a five-set loss to No. 18 Indiana Tech.  The Purple and Gold were in every set of every match through point 17, however, it was late set runs by their opponents that kept the Yotes from advancing into bracket play for the fourth-straight trip to Nationals.  The Lady Yotes were one of four teams that failed to win a match in the Tyson Events Center.

 

GSAC DOMINATES TOURNAMENT: In the end, the Golden State Athletic Conference proved, without a doubt, they are the force in NAIA Volleyball, as all seven teams from the California based league advanced to bracket play – with four teams (Fresno Pacific, Cal Baptist, Concordia, Biola) reaching the semifinals, eventually seeing Fresno Pacific outlast Concordia in five sets to win the national title.

 

HENNING HONORED BY AVCA AND NAIA: C of I junior Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) was honored by the NAIA, being selected to a pair of postseason teams, released by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.  She was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA All-Northwest Region team - encompassing the Cascade, Froniter, and Dakota Athletic Conferences, while earning honorable mention honors on the Tachikara-NAIA All-America team.  Henning, who was named to the All-Cascade Conference team last month, had a monster season for the Lady Yotes, setting a school record with a .398 hitting percentage, while recording 297 kills and 132 blocks - ranking fifth on the all-time blocks list with one season remaining.  She had a fabulous NAIA National Tournament, leading all players with a .433 hitting percentage - recording 31 kills with just two errors. 

 

THREE YOTES NAMED TO SCHOLAR TEAM: Three Lady Yotes were named to the All-CCC Scholar Team, released by the league office in Portland, Ore.  Redshirt freshman Lauren Bourgeau (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS), sophomore Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS) and junior Courtney Gamel (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) were honored by the league for maintaining a 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA and being at least a sophomore standing academically.

 

RECORDS SET IN 2008: One single-game record and three top-ten single season marks were established during the 2008 season by the Lady Yotes.  Kristin Henning broke the single-game record for hitting percentage, swinging a perfect 14-for-14 in a win over Warner Pacific in September.  Henning also established a new single-season record for hitting percentage (.398), while recording the tenth-highest block total in a season (132).  Rounding out the records was Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS), who now ranks fifth on the single-season digs per set chart (4.72).

 

CAREER RECORD BOOK: Five C of I players currently rank among the Top-10 in the all-time career record book.  Leading the way is Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore. / La Grande HS), who is fifth in school history with 1,199 kills.  Also, Kristin Henning ranks No. 5 all-time in blocks with 383, Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is sixth in assists with 1,257, Naomi Reimer is eighth in assists with 1,020, and Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) is now No. 10 in blocks (230).

 

YOTES FINISH RANKED FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR: The Lady Yotes finished the season ranked in the NAIA Top-25 for the final four weeks, ending the campaign ranked No. 19.  It marks the 33rd time in school history that the Yotes have been nationally ranked – once in 2000, two times in 2001, every poll from Nov. 16, 2005 to Aug. 19, 2008, along with the last four polls.  It also marks the 44th-straight week that the Coyotes have received votes in the national poll and the fourth straight season that the squad has finished the year in the Top-25.  Other C of I opponents were in the ranking – No. 3 Concordia-Irvine, No. 6 Georgetown, No. 7 Cal Baptist, No. 11 Madonna, No. 13 Point Loma Nazarene, No. 14 Lewis-Clark State, No. 18 Indiana Tech, with Southern Oregon, Menlo, and Oregon Tech receiving votes.

 

AGAINST TOP-25 TEAMS: The Lady Yotes played 12 matches this season against teams ranked in the Top-25 and have a 4-8 mark – taking at least one set in all 12 matches.  The Yotes defeated Eastern Oregon in four sets, along with Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, and Westminster in three sets - but have lost matches to SOU, Cal Baptist, Georgetown, and Concordia-Irvine in four sets, while losing to Point Loma Nazarene, Madonna, Indiana Tech, and Lewis-Clark State in five sets.  Since the 2005 season, the Lady Yotes have won 15 matches against teams ranked in the NAIA Top-25.

 

CCC HOME WIN STREAK AT 35: With wins in their final two league matches, the Lady Yotes ran their conference home win streak to 35 matches, dating back to September of 2005.  The C of I has recorded an undefeated CCC mark at home each of the last three seasons – going 9-0 in league play in 2006, and 10-0 in CCC play each of the last two years.  Overall, the Lady Yotes have won 49 of their last 50 home matches, dating back to the 2005 season.

 

RECAP – GEORGETOWN 3, C OF I 1: Erica Janszen led all players with 14 kills, as No. 6 ranked Georgetown College opened up Pool Play at the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament with a 16-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 victory over The C of I last Tuesday inside the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.  For the Lady Yotes, it ended a season-high 13-match win streak.  Naomi Reimer led the Lady Yotes with 11 kills, with Megan Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS) adding eight - but The C of I recorded 23 hitting errors in the match and lost despite a two-to-one margin in team blocks.  Madie Machurek had 19 assists and 13 digs and Whitney Owen had 21 digs for the Yotes.  The Tigers got 12 kills and 11 digs from Jessica Hoeh and nine kills and four blocks from Kristy Hock.

 

RECAP – CAL BAPTIST 3, C OF I 1: The C of I volleyball team fell out of contention for a national title last Wednesday, dropping a tough four-set decision to No. 7 ranked Cal Baptist, 25-21, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18 at the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa.  In Set 1, the Yotes jumped out to a 8-5 lead, as Kaylyn Hayashikawa (Waikaloa, Hawaii / Hawaii Prep Acad.) recorded three-straight service aces.  The two teams would see four ties, before the Lancers took the lead for good at 16-15 on a Rene Simon kill.  The Coyotes would pull within 19-18 on a Kristin Henning solo block, but could not get closer, as CBU scored five of the next six points to put it away.  Set 2 saw the Lancers take a 17-11 lead on a Fei Shi kill, but the Yotes battled back, using a Marcella Hernandez (Torrance, Calif. / El Camino CC) spike to close the gap to 18-17.  However a Shi kill and ace pushed the lead to 20-17, part of a four-point push to give CBU the two-set advantage.  Set 3 was all C of I, using a 6-0 run early in the frame, to build a 11-4 lead, a margin that would grow to 21-10 on a Lancer hitting error.  Unfortunately, the momentum was stopped in Set 4, as CBU took a 12-11 lead and used a 7-1 run, aided by four C of I hitting errors, to take the match.  Noelle Dyk led CBU with 16 kills, with Shi adding 13 kills and 18 digs, and Colleen Sweeney recording 13 kills and three blocks.  The Lancers recorded 11 aces in the match - the most allowed by The C of I this season.  The Yotes were paced by 12 kills and three blocks by Henning, who did not have a hitting error.  Megan Spinks had eight kills, with Naomi Reimer adding eight kills, 21 assists and 11 digs.  Madie Machurek had a double-double with 18 assists and 13 digs, with Whitney Owen leading the way with 22 digs.

 

RECAP – INDIANA TECH 3, C OF I 2: The C of I saw their 2008 season come to a close with a tough 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 16-25, 15-10 loss to No. 18 Indiana Tech in the final Pool Play match Thursday at the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa.  For the Lady Yotes, it marks the first time that they have not won a match at Nationals in four tries.  The C of I battled with the Warriors for nearly two hours, breaking a 22-22 tie in the opener on a Megan Spinks kill, scoring three of the last four points to take the frame.  Set 2 saw ten ties, the last coming at 24-24 on a Sarah Buhler kill, but IIT got an Erika Stouder kill and a Melanie Forman ace to tie the match.  Set 3 was a killer for the Lady Yotes, using an 8-0 run - capped by a Jessie Link kill, to take a 19-14 edge.  However, it was short-lived, as the Warriors scored the final seven points of the period, helped by three C of I errors, to take a 2-1 match lead.  Set 4 was all C of I, hitting a match-high .333 percentage to tie the match up - but fell behind 5-0 in the deciding set.  The Yotes would storm back, taking advantage of four Warrior hitting errors to tie the score at 7-7, but an Ashley Jenkins kill gave IIT the lead for good.  Buhler led all players with 17 kills, with Kristin Henning adding 13 kills and five blocks, and Naomi Reimer recording her third triple-double of the season with 12 kills, 28 assists, and 12 digs, along with five aces.  Hamilton led IIT with 14 kills - one of four Warrior players with double-figure kill totals.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola just completed her eighth season as head volleyball coach at The C of I.  During her tenure, the Coyotes have advanced to seven consecutive Cascade Conference tournaments, four NAIA regional tournaments, and three trips to the NAIA National Tournament.  This season, the squad won their third-straight CCC title, won their third-straight CCC Tournament title, and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament - while being ranked as high as No. 9 in the national poll.  During her career, she has amassed a record of 183-74, the most wins and highest winning percentage in school history and has been named CCC Coach of the Year in 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008.

 

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