Yote Notes – September 16, 2008

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETIC NEWS:

 

COYOTE OPEN SET FOR SEPTEMBER 26: The 25th Annual Coyote Open Golf Tournament is set for Friday, September 26, 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 The 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.

 

HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS SET FOR OCTOBER 3: The C of I Athletic Department will hold induction ceremonies for the 1953 football team; football, basketball and baseball coach Sam Vokes; and women's field hockey coach Shirley Kroeger.  A welcome reception will be held Thursday, Oct. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m., in the McCain Student Union. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is on Friday, Oct. 3, in Simplot Dining Hall. The ceremony begins with a cocktail hour at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. and the ceremony at 7 p.m. Coach Vokes' wife Ina and daughter Sandy are planning to attend as is Coach Kroeger. Several members of the 1953 football team or their families are expected to attend including: Ed Bonaminio, Pete Douroux, Bill Kundrat, R.C. Owens, Chuck Ruby, Ted Shannon, George Shull, Rano Sullivan, Harlan Geach, John Park, Donna Shannon (Bill), Barbara Rich (Don), Bernie Kahahawai (Joe), Joe Jakubowski (Walt), Jerry Cole (Coach Eddie Cole). For more information, including tickets, please contact Dick Carrow at 871-8863.

 

GOLFERS STOP NORTHWEST NAZARENE: Led by a two-under par 70 from true freshman Tyler Thurston, The College of Idaho men's golf team posted their best team score since the 2003 season, defeating rival Northwest Nazarene 298-302 in an 18-hole dual at Broadmore Country Club in Nampa.  It marked the best team score by the Yotes since they posted a 295 at the NAIA Region I Championships on April 27, 2003 in Missoula, Mont.  Four other C of I golfers were in the mix, as returners Ben Coate and Cris Tietsort, along with freshmen Jeff Davies and Jacob Reyes each shot a four-over 76.  NNU, which had a five dual-match win streak over the Coyotes snapped, was led by freshman Zach Grunig, who shot an even-par 72 on the narrow 6,352-yard course.  On the women's side, the Lady Yotes posted a team score of 357 - as six different golfers posted scores under 100.  Freshman Heidi Murphy took home medalist honors with an 84, followed closely by Cecilia Garcia with an 89, and Jordan Peterson with a 91.  Yote Notes will recap this week’s Northwest Christian Invitational in the next edition.

 

BASEBALL ALUMNI GAME SET FOR SEPTEMBER 21: The annual C of I alumni baseball game is set for Saturday, Sept. 21, beginning with a home run derby at Simplot Stadium at 1 p.m.  All baseball alumni – contact head coach Shawn Humberger at 459-5861 to reserve your spot for the fun afternoon.

 

FIRST EVER SOFTBALL ALUMNI GAME SET FOR OCTOBER 5: The C of I softball team will host their first-ever alumni game on Oct. 5, at the Symms Field diamond.  To RSVP, contact head coach Al Mendiola at 459-5113.

 

VOLLEYBALL (5-6, 2-2 CCC): Big week ahead for Lady Yotes – host No. 22 Eastern, an exhibition vs. CSI, and Northwest Christian

 

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

 

COMING UP: vs. No. 22 Eastern Oregon, Tuesday, 7 p.m.; exhibition vs. College of Southern Idaho, Friday, 7 p.m.; vs. Northwest Christian, Saturday, 7 p.m.

 

HENNING BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD: A 14-year old school record was broke Friday night, as Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) had one of the more prolific hitting nights ever.  The junior recorded 14 kills in 14 attacks – for a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage, eclipsing the former record of .813, set by Miranda Harris in 1994 (with a minimum of ten kills).  Henning was just one attack away from qualifying for the NAIA national record of .933 (which requires a minimum of 15 attacks), set by Julie Trouba of St. Mary (Neb.) in 1999.

 

BIG WEEKEND EARNS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: For the weekend, Kristin Henning recorded kills on her first 18 swings, before having a spike dug out during the second set vs. Cascade.  Overall, she had 20 kills in 24 attacks -  a staggering .833 hitting percentage, along with four blocks, earning Cascade Conference Player of the Week honors.

 

.500 HITTING NIGHTS COMMON DURING WEEKEND: Four other C of I players recorded a match with a hitting percentage above .500 – including three against Cascade.  First off, however, freshman Megan Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS) had a career-high 11 kills against Warner Pacific, on just 14 swings – without a hitting error, for a .786 attack percentage.  On Saturday, Ali German (Jerome, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) had four kills in five swings, Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) had 12 kills and a .688 hitting percentage, and Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS) had five kills and a .571 hitting percentage.  Overall, the Lady Yotes combined for 85 kills with just 16 errors in the two matches.

 

SINGLE-DIGIT GAMES IN RALLY SCORING: For the third time this season and the seventh time overall since rally scoring was instituted prior to the 2001 season, the Lady Yotes held a team under ten points in a 25-or-30 point set. Earlier this season, the Yotes held Mount Marty to six points, held Warner Pacific to five, and Cascade to nine.  Last season, the Yotes allowed just seven points scored by Cascade and eight in a set by Evergreen State. C of I held Evergreen State to nine points in 2006 and held Cascade to six points in 2003 – each time in Set 1.

 

DEFENDING THE HOME COURT: The Lady Yotes will close out their homestand this week with three matches – two CCC counters and an exhibition.  The home court advantage as been prevalent, as The C of I has not lost a home match since the 2005 season – taking a 38-match home win streak into the week.

 

ONE POLL STREAK OVER, ONE STILL STRONG: Despite a tough start to the season and back-to-back road losses to open up the 2008 CCC season, the Lady Yotes received votes in the first NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll of the season, released by the national office last Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.  The C of I, who saw their streak of 25-straight weeks in the Top-25 snapped, received 36 voter points, good enough for No. 36 in the NAIA.  They were ranked No. 9 in the preseason poll, released in August.  However, the Coyotes extended their streak of consecutive weeks receiving votes in the poll to 34 - dating back to September of 2005.  Two CCC rivals were ranked in the Top-25 - Oregon Tech at No. 18 and Eastern Oregon at No. 22, while Southern Oregon and Concordia each received votes.  Other C of I opponents were also ranked - No. 6 Point Loma Nazarene, No. 7 Madonna, and No. 12 Lewis-Clark State.

 

CASCADE CONFERENCE RANKINGS: The second regular-season CCC Coaches Poll was released today, with the Lady Yotes remaining in the No. 4 in the balloting.  All six spots remained the same – with Oregon Tech claiming the top spot, followed by Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon, the Coyotes, Concordia, and Corban.

 

EASTERN OREGON ON A ROLL: The most improved team in the Cascade Conference invades Caldwell on Tuesday night, as I-84 rival and No. 22 ranked Eastern Oregon meets the Lady Yotes.  The Mountaineers (7-4, 3-1 CCC) have won six of their last seven matches, including a four-set upset at Southern Oregon.  All four of EOU’s losses this season have been against ranked teams (No. 2 Cal Baptist, No. 4 Biola, No. 5 Azusa Pacific, and No. 18 Oregon Tech). All-CCC middle Grace Deboodt (3.2 k/s, 1.9 d/s, 1.1 b/s) is the Mounties top option, while libero Sareena Simpson (5.0 d/s) leads the loop defensively.  The match marks just one of two home mid-week games this season – the Yotes will host Lewis-Clark State on Oct. 8.

 

LONG STREAK ON THE LINE VS. MOUNTIES: Tuesday’s match marks the 76th time that EOU and The C of I have met on the volleyball court, dating back to 1982.  The Lady Yotes hold a 55-20 series edge and boast their longest current win streak against any opponent against Eastern – having won 26-straight matches, dating back to 1996.

 

EXHIBITION VS. THE OTHER COLLEGE OF (SOUTHERN) IDAHO: The Yotes step aside from counting matches on Friday, but will play one of the more talented teams on their schedule, as the College of Southern Idaho makes the trek over from the Magic Valley.  The Eagles (17-3) are ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA national poll – thanks to the play of Jessica Peacock (4.3 k/s) and Alyssa Wistrick (3.2 k/s, 1.1 b/s).  For the first-time ever, the Yotes swept the two exhibition matches between the teams last season.

 

HERE COMES NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: Closing out the five-match homestand is a CCC tilt with Northwest Christian.  The Beacons (4-6, 0-4) have played well outside of CCC action, but have lost all four loop counters.  NCU is paced by hitters Brooke Stribling (2.9 k/s, 3.2 d/s) and Cotie Howard (2.6 k/s, 3.0 d/s) – as they are looking for their first-ever win vs. the Coyotes, as The C of I swept the first two meetings between the clubs last season.

 

CCC NUMBERS: Kills – Krista Wooley (OIT) 3.7, Sarah Buhler (CI) 3.5, Grace Deboodt (EOU) 3.3, Kara Veach (WP) 3.2, Leah Gradwohl (WP) 3.1; Hitting Percentage – Kristin Henning (CI) .380, Lindsey Fryer (CU) .352, Wooley .301, Deboodt .270, Jessica Lea (EOU) .267; Assists – Lindsey Stone (SOU) 8.7, Skyler Kamaka (CU) 8.5, Lizzie Law (OIT) 8.3, Samantha Kolakowski (WP) 8.2, Madie Machurek (CI) 7.6; Digs – Sareena Simpson (EOU) 5.0, Rebecca Franke (CRB) 5.0, Rashelle Davenport (CRB) 3.9, Annie Forman (ESC) 3,8, Molly Webb (WP) 3.5; Blocks – Marcella Hernandez (CI) 1.3, Deboodt 1.1, Natalee Staggs (WP) 1.0, Megan Bartling (SOU) 1.0, Henning 1.0.

 

CAREER RECORD BOOK: Four 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. 6 all-time in blocks with 292, Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is seventh in assists with 824, and Naomi Reimer is eighth in assists with 574.

 

RECAP – C OF I 3, WARNER PACIFIC 0: Kristin Henning set a C of I school record with 14 kills in 14 swings, as the Lady Yotes opened up their home season with a dominating 25-15, 25-5, 25-17 victory over Warner Pacific in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  Henning had six kills in the Set 1 win, added three in Set 2, and spiked five more balls in the finale, as the Coyotes handed the Knights their first loss of the season.  After the Set 1 win, the Yotes set a new rally-scoring record by allowing just five points by WP in Set 2.  Leading 6-3, The C of I rattled off 19 of the final 21 points - thanks to the play of freshman opposite Megan Spinks, who had eight of her career high 11 kills in the frame and hit .786 for the night.

Naomi Reimer had a great all around night in the win - recording five kills, 24 assists, 11 digs, and two aces, while Sarah Buhler added eight kills and six digs.  The Lady Yotes had a 46-17 edge in total kills and recorded eight team blocks, without allowing the Knights a block.


RECAP – C OF I 3, CASCADE 0: Sarah Buhler led a potent C of I attack with 12 kills as the Coyotes ran their home court win streak to 38 games with a 25-15, 25-9, 25-18 victory over Cascade College, Saturday night.  The Yotes held a commanding 39-16 edge in kills - forcing the visitors into more hitting errors (24) than digs (22).  The C of I jumped out to a 7-2 lead in Set 1 and cruised, then ran off a 13-1 run midway through Set 2, thanks to three kills from Buhler and a pair of Megan Spinks spikes, to notch the win.  Set 3 was tight, as four kills from Natalie Forgan gave the T-Birds a 12-11 lead.  The Yotes, however, would persevere, running off the final six points of the match - including two more Buhler kills.  Kristin Henning had six kills and three blocks - finishing the weekend without a hitting error, with Spinks adding five kills.  Naomi Reimer had five kills, 17 assists, and six digs, while libero Whitney Owen led all players with 11 digs.  Megan Stanley led Cascade with six kills, with Forgan adding five - as the T-Birds lost for the 23rd-straight time against the Yotes.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola is in her eighth season as head volleyball coach at The C of I.  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 in 2005 and 2006.  Last season, the squad won their second-straight CCC title and advanced to the NAIA Region I Tournament semifinals - while being ranked as high as No. 6 in the national poll.  During her career, she has amassed a record of 166-70, the most wins and highest winning percentage in school history.  In 2006, 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 Yotes 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.

 

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.

 

WOMEN’S SOCCER (4-2): Yotes knock off first-ever ranked team, set for rivalry game at NW Nazarene on Wednesday

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Great Falls (W 2-0), vs. No. 10 Carroll (W 4-2)

 

COMING UP: at Northwest Nazarene, Wednesday, 4 p.m.

 

LADY YOTES KNOCK OFF FIRST-EVER RANKED TEAM: With their 4-2 victory over then No. 10 ranked Carroll College on Sunday, The College of Idaho women’s soccer team picked up their first-ever victory over a ranked opponent in the 20-year history of the program.  Last season, the Coyotes played a scoreless draw against No. 15 Simon Fraser – the lone positive effort against a ranked foe.

 

HEALTHY PLAYERS MAKE BIG IMPACT: The Lady Yotes got key components back for the weekend games off the injury list – and all played key roles in the two wins.  Heading the list was striker Macy Egerman (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), who scored a goal in each of the two games – and provided a spark off the bench.  Transfer Lauren Winterholler (Idaho Falls, Idaho / North Idaho CC) was inserted into the starting line-up as the sweeper – helping anchor the back-third, and assisting on a goal in the Carroll game.  Also back was Melissa Garrison (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS), who started both games in a defender role.

 

UNDERCLASSMEN PROVIDE BIG DIVIDENDS: Of the six goals scored by the Lady Yotes this weekend, all six were scored by freshmen or sophomores.  Freshman Macy Egerman tallied a goal in both games, sophomore Jamie Reichel (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) scored a goal in both games, with freshman Kelly Hardegree-Ullman (Boise, Idaho / Mountain View HS) knocked home a pair of goals against Carroll.  Of the six assists – five were by underclassmen, including three from freshman Chelsea Heffner (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS).

 

FOUR WINS – WHERE DOES THAT STAND: Heading into the week, the Lady Yotes have a 4-2 record overall.  In the 20 years of the program, The C of I has won more than four games in a season ten times, while winning four or few games ten times.  The most wins in a season by the Coyotes is ten, set in 2002.

 

GOALS COMPARED TO LAST SEASON: Through six games this season, the Lady Yotes have scored 17 goals – equaling the total number of goals The C of I scored in 19 games last year.

 

LADY YOTES EARN VOTES IN NAIA POLL FOR FIRST TIME: Thanks to the upset of Carroll, who had advanced to the NAIA Tournament each of the last two seasons, the Lady Yotes made a name for themselves on a national scene.  The C of I received 17 voter points in the latest NAIA Top-25 poll, the first-ever mention of the Coyotes in the 20-year history of the program.  The Lady Yotes are the ninth team listed in the “others receiving votes” category, good enough for No. 34 in the nation.  Three other opponents are in the Top-25 – CCC rival Concordia is No. 5, Simon Fraser, whom the Lady Yotes meet in October, is No. 10, with Rocky Mountain ranked No. 20.  Two others teams – Carroll and Dominican, received votes.

 

CANYON COUNTY BATTLE WITH NORTHWEST NAZARENE: The road does not get easier for the Lady Yotes, who have their final tune-up prior to the opening of CCC play on Wednesday, meeting Northwest Nazarene in Nampa.  The Crusaders (0-5) have played a difficult preseason schedule – losing games at Chico State, Stanislaus State, and Notre Dame de Namur, followed by home setbacks to Eastern Oregon and Carroll.  Five different players have scored goals for NNU, but the issue has been defensively, as the Crusaders have allowed over three goals per game.

 

ABOUT THE SERIES: It marks the 22nd meeting between the two Canyon County schools, with Northwest Nazarene holding a 14-7 series edge.  Once again, the teams will meet in Nampa – as NNU has not made the eight-mile jaunt to Caldwell since 2003, when the Coyotes handed the Crusaders a 4-3 setback.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 2, GREAT FALLS 0: A pair of second half goals and a stingy defensive effort that allowed just three shots on the afternoon helped the Lady Yotes to a 2-0 victory over Great Falls, Friday at Symms Field.  The Lady Yotes finally cracked the UGF defense in the 59th minute, as freshman Macy Egerman, in her collegiate debut, took a feed from Jessica Patton (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) 15-yards out to the left of the goal and cracked a liner into the right corner of the netting for the 1-0 lead. The hosts would make it 2-0 early in the 71st minute, as Chelsea Heffner lobbed a perfect cross from the right touchline to an open Jamie Reichel in front of the net, who one-timed a shot to the far post.  Overall, the Yotes helde a 25-3 edge in shots, had an 8-0 edge in corner kicks, while allowing just one shot on goal.  The C of I nearly made it a rout in the final 20 minutes, as a shot by Allie Dufault (Irvine, Calif. / University HS) clanged off the left post, an Egerman drive bounced off the crossbar, and the Argos had to make a pair of team saves to clear would be goals of the goal-line.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 4, CARROLL 2: Paced by a pair of second half goals from Kelly Hardegree-Ullman, The C of I withstood a second half rally from No. 10 ranked Carroll College, upsetting the Saints, 4-2, Sunday at Symms Field.  The win for the Lady Yotes was their first-ever against a Top-25 team in the 20-years of the program and was their first against Carroll in eight tries.  "This was a collective team effort - a great all-around performance by our team," said head coach Niki Taylor.  "A win over a quality team like Carroll is something that hopefully we'll be able to build on Tuesday against Northwest Nazarene."  The Coyotes stunned the visitors from Montana in the first 20 minutes, converting on a pair of scoring opportunities to log the early lead.  In the 16th minute, Chelsea Heffner drove a shot that was blocked by Saints keeper Katie Beall, but the rebound found the foot of Jamie Reichel, who slotted home the opening goal.  In the 20th minute, the Yotes struck again, as a Lauren Winterholler long ball chipped over the Carroll defense, with Macy Egerman heading it home for the 2-0 lead.  In the 58th minute, the Yotes made it 3-0, as Hardegree-Ullman headed home the lone corner kick of the game, a chip from Justine Hawkins (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) from the right corner.  Less than two minutes later, Heffner crossed a ball over the head of Beall, finding Hardegree-Ullman at the far post for a four-goal lead.  The Saints, the defending NAIA Region I champions, made a rally in the final 20 minutes - getting on the board in the 71st minute on a Hannah Young goal, following her own shot off the right post, then made it 4-2 when Abby Coburn flicked home a rebound of a Bobbi Allard shot.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Niki Taylor (19-19-5) is in her third season as head coach of The C of I women's soccer program.  In her two seasons with the Coyotes, she helped the Lady Yotes to their first-ever back-to-back playoff appearances, including their first-ever postseason win in 2007, advancing to the Cascade Conference Tournament semifinals.   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 the 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 five 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 Coyote women’s soccer program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.

 

 

MEN’S SOCCER (1-2-1): Coyotes open up Cascade Conference play with road matches at NW Christian and Oregon Tech

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Pacific (L 2-1 2 OT)

 

COMING UP: at Northwest Christian, Friday, 6 p.m. (PT); at Oregon Tech, Saturday, 1 p.m. (PT)

 

OFFENSE REMAINS STAGNANT: Despite some tweaking by head coach Brian Smith, The College of Idaho men’s soccer team continues to struggle to find the back of the net.  The Yotes ended a stretch of 210 minutes without a goal with a first half counter against Pacific on Friday, but could not find the net again.  In their last three matches, all at home, the Yotes managed 42 shots – with only 19 on goal, converting just two times.  In the nine-team Cascade Conference, the Yotes are last in goals scored, goals per game, and seventh in shots attempted.

 

CAN ONLY HOLD OUT FOR SO LONG: Luckily for the Yotes, the back-third has been solid this season, going 261 minutes without allowing a goal, until Pacific found the net in the second half on Friday.  While the offense is at the bottom of the loop ledger, the defense is at the opposite end of the spectrum – allowing the fewest number of goals and recording the third-best goals against average, with keeper Aaron Reynolds (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) leading the league in save percentage.

 

NEW LOOK CASCADE CONFERENCE: CCC play opened up last weekend, as Corban shutout Northwest Christian – playing the first-ever divisional game in the 15 years the league has sponsored the sport.  The Yotes are joined by Corban, NCU, Oregon Tech, and Cascade in the South Division, while Warner Pacific, Concordia, Northwest, and Evergreen State are in the North Division.  Each team will play divisional foes home and away, while facing the opposing division just once (North Division teams will play 11 league counters, South Division teams will play 12 league counters).  The top three teams in both divisions will advance to the CCC Tournament – with the tourney champ earning an automatic berth to the NAIA Championships.

 

ABOUT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: The Yotes open up league play with a night game Friday at Northwest Christian.  The Beacons (1-3-1, 0-1 CCC) are in their second season of CCC play, coming off a 1-16 campaign.  NCU got their first win of the season on Monday night, topping Walla Walla, 4-2, getting three goals from striker Greg Erickson, who has five of the six goals the team has scored.  Offense has been the struggle for the Beacons over the past two years, as they were outscored 85-9 last season and have been outscored 17-7 this season.  It is the third meeting between the schools, with the Yotes holding a 2-0 series edge.

 

FIRST CRACK AT THE HOOTER BOOTERS: The Coyotes will then head south to meet the newest CCC men’s soccer outpost, as Oregon Tech is fielding a team for the first time in 2008.  The Owls (1-4-1, 0-0) opened the year with a draw at Northwest and a 2-0 win over Menlo – but have not seen the positive side of the victory column since.  Tech has been pummeled in the defensive end, being outshout 117-48, with opponents having a commanding 38-12 edge in corners.  Antonio Jaimes and Leo Keiser each have scored two goals this season for OIT.  It is the first-ever meeting between the two teams on the pitch.

 

CONFERENCE/NAIA RANKINGS: The second CCC Coaches Poll of the regular-season was released on Monday, with the Coyotes sitting in the No. 4 spot – one slot down from where they were in the first two tabulations.  Concordia remains on top, followed by Warner Pacific, Northwest, the Coyotes, and Corban.  Concordia moved up five spots last week’s NAIA poll to No. 19, while Warner Pacific received votes.  The CCC poll is released each Monday, with the NAIA poll released on Tuesday afternoons.

 

COYOTES PLAY GAME #400: Friday’s home match against Pacific was the 400th match in College of Idaho men’s soccer history – dating back to the inception of the program in 1984.  In this the 25th anniversary season of Coyote soccer, the Yotes now have a 240-140-20 all-time record on the pitch.

 

GAME RECAP: PACIFIC 2, C OF I 1 (OT): Travis Birrell slotted home the Golden Goal nearly three minutes into the second overtime period, lifting Pacific University to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over The C of I, Friday afternoon at Symms Field.  After both goalkeepers made stellar plays in the extra time, it was Danny Williams, who threaded a pass to Birrell on a counter-attack for the Boxers, who punched the ball into the right corner of the net, past a diving Aaron Reynolds to send the visitors into a frenzy.  It was Pacific's first win over The C of I since 1994.  The Coyotes dominated play in the opening 45, getting an unassisted goal from Antonio Bautista (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS) in the 32nd minute to get on the board.  The junior made a nifty move around the Pacific defender inside the 18-yard box, and laced a shot into the right corner of the net.  However, Pacific picked up the pace in the second half, knotting the score a 1-1 on a Williams goal off a cross over the defense by Patrick Murray.  The rest of the game was physical, as the teams combined for five cards and 42 fouls - but it was the play of Boxer keeper Andrew Stevermer that sent the game to extra time.  The 6-5 netminder had eight saves - including a point-blank save of a Emir Kobic (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) boot in the 69th minute and a lunging save of a left-footed Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) drive early in the second overtime.  Stevermer also turned away nine C of I corner kick attempts - including seven in the second half.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Brian Smith (5th year, 42-27-43) is in his fifth season as head coach of The C of I men's soccer team.  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.  In 2006, 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.  Last season, the Yotes missed out on the postseason by one game.  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 and graduating from The C of I with a degree in political science in 1994.

 

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

 

 

CROSS COUNTRY: Coyotes set to run Saturday at Bob Firman Invitational in Eagle

 

LAST WEEK: Idle

 

COMING UP: at Bob Firman Invitational, Saturday, Eagle Island State Park – Men’s 8,000-meters at 8:50 a.m., Women’s 5,000-meters at 9:25 a.m.

 

COLLEGE RACES TO OPEN THE BOB FIRMAN INVITE: A pair of collegiate races will open up the chaos at Eagle Island State Park on Saturday, as the Bob Firman Invitational, the largest cross country meet in Idaho, commences again in 2008.  A total of 15 races – ranging from junior high to college, will be run over the site of the 2007 Cascade Conference Championships, as a total of 85 high schools will converge for the running extravaganza.

 

THE COMPETITORS ARE?: A total of eight men’s teams and nine women’s teams will comprise the field at the Bob Firman.  Boise State and Idaho State will send both teams to Eagle, while the talent-laden Brigham Young women’s team will be the odds-on favorite to win the women’s race.  Two Division II teams – Northwest Nazarene and Dixie State will be on hand, as will the nationally ranked teams from Lewis-Clark State and Eastern Oregon, with junior college program, Treasure Valley CC, rounding out the field.

 

LADY YOTES ON TOP OF CCC POLL: The C of I women’s team remains on top of the CCC weekly poll, released Monday by the NAIA national office.  Following the Lady Yotes were Concordia, Eastern Oregon, Corban, and Evergreen State.  On the men’s side, Concordia leapfrogged over the Yotes after a stellar weekend at the Lewis & Clark Open, to take over the top spot.  The Coyotes were No. 2, followed by Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon, and Corban.

 

BOTH TEAMS RANKED IN TOP-25: Both The C of I men's and women's cross country teams were ranked among the elite squads in the nation, as the NAIA unveiled their first Top-25 Coaches Poll of the regular season, released last Tuesday by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.  The Lady Yotes were ranked No. 12 in the polling, down one spot from their preseason perch at No. 11 (as four teams moved ahead of the Yotes after not turning in their rater information prior to the preseason poll), while the Coyote men were ranked No. 14 - jumping into the poll after being listed in the "Others Receiving Votes" category during the preseason.  For the men, it marks the tenth-straight regular-season poll that they have been in the Top-25.  Both teams were the highest ranked Cascade Conference team in the poll, with Eastern Oregon's men ranked No. 21 - the only other CCC team of either gender in the Top-25.  Concordia and Southern Oregon received votes on the men's side, while on the women's side, Concordia, Eastern Oregon, and Corban all received votes.

    

ABOUT THE HEAD COACH: Pat McCurry is in his fifth season has the head coach for The C of I cross country and track programs.  In just four seasons (after the Coyote running programs were dormant for nearly 30 years), he has built the Coyote men and women into NAIA Top-25 programs, with the men's team achieving berths to the 2005 and 2007 NAIA Championships.  Both programs have also had at-large runners at nationals each of the first four seasons.  He has also coached three NAIA All-Americans, and numerous All-Cascade Conference and All-NAIA Region I competitors.  A native of Boise and graduate of Bishop Kelly High, McCurry came to C of I after serving as the assistant coach at Eastern, his alma mater, for two years.  He helped the Mountaineer men achieve a No. 1 ranking in the 2003 NAIA preseason poll.  As a head coach, he led North Powder High to a track and field state championship.  He also competes at a high-level post-collegiately, running for the Nike-Portland Track and Eastside Club, having won the 2005 Race to Robie Creek and the City of Trees marathon.  McCurry and his wife Andrija live in Caldwell. Oregon University

 

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