Yote Notes – September 23, 2008

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETIC NEWS:

 

COYOTE OPEN SET FOR FRIDAY: 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.

 

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.

 

HALL OF FAME: 2008 Induction set for October 3

 

TENTH INDUCTION CEREMONY: The College of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame will hold their tenth induction ceremony on Oct. 3 – as the greatest football team in school history will be among those receiving their place among the Coyote elite.  The 1953 Football Team, which recorded a perfect regular season, captured the outright Northwest Conference championship, and advanced to a bowl game, leads the group of inductees.  Joining the gridiron greats are former coach Sam Vokes and coach and physical education instructor Shirley Kroeger.  Led by quarterback Boyd Crawford, halfbacks Ted Martin and Ed Bonaminio, ends R.C. Owens and Jack Kennevick, and lineman Joe Kahahawai, the 1953 Coyotes ran roughshod in the Northwest – including convincing victories over both Idaho State and Montana State.  They would be selected for the Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Indiana – one of only six bowl games at the time, where they dropped a tough 14-12 decision to Sam Houston State.  A total of 15 players from the team will be in attendance at the induction ceremonies – including Owens, Crawford, Bonaminio, Gene Strehlou, John Park, Gary Collins, Bill Kundrat, George Shull, Rano Sullivan, Don Troyer, Harlan Geach, Chuck Ruby, Ted Shannon, Merla Cables, and Pete Douroux.  Others will be represented by their families including Donna Shannon (Bill Shannon), Barbara Rich (Don Rich), Bernie Kahahawai (Joe Kahahawai), Joe Jakubowski (Walt), Ina Vokes (Sam Vokes), and Jerry Cole (Eddie Cole).  Also earning induction in the Hall of Fame is Vokes, who served as a coach at The C of I from 1952-55 in football, basketball, and baseball.  He was the head coach of the 1953 football team, along with 1954-55 basketball team that completed a perfect 15-0 NWC record – led by Owens and NBA All-Star Elgin Baylor.  Completing the class is Kroeger, the First Lady of C of I athletics.  She has been recognized as a pioneer in women’s physical education and an inspiration for a generations of men and women who have pursued a career in the teaching of physical education.  From 1947-74, she oversaw the early evolution of women’s athletics at The C of I, and guided the program through the Title IX era of the early 1970’s.  Additionally, she coached the C of I women’s field hockey team throughout her career.  A welcome reception will be held Thursday, Oct. 2, from 5-8 p.m. in the McCain Student Union, while the Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Friday, Oct. 3, in the Simplot Dining Hall, beginning with a cocktail hour at 5 p.m.  For more information, including tickets, contact Dick Carrow at 871-8863 or email The C of I Special Events and Conference Services department at jpilote@collegeofidaho.edu.

 

VOLLEYBALL (7-6, 4-2 CCC): Lady Yotes take four-match win streak on the road to Evergreen State and Northwest

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Eastern Oregon (W 3-1), vs. Northwest Christian (W 3-0)

 

COMING UP: at Evergreen State, Friday, 7 p.m. (PT), at Northwest, Saturday, 7 p.m. (PT)

 

YOTES KNOCK OFF TOP-25 TEAM: With the four-set victory last Tuesday over then No. 25 ranked Eastern Oregon, it marked the second time this season that The College of Idaho volleyball team had defeated a Top-25 squad.  The Yotes opened the year with a 3-0 victory over then No. 25 Westminster – while winning at least one set against four other Top-25 squads.

 

STREAK VS. EASTERN INTACT: The win over Eastern also extended the Yotes longest current win streak against an opponent – as The C of I picked up their 27th-straight win over the Mountaineers.  The Lady Yotes have not lost to EOU since the 1996 season.

 

MONSTER HITTING NUMBERS DURING HOMESTAND: Five different Coyotes recorded hitting percentages of .350 or more during the four-match homestand.  Leading the pack was Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), who had just one error in 45 swings – recording 36 kills along the way, for a .778 hitting percentage.  She also averaged 1.5 blocks per set.  Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) led the team with 40 kills, while scoring a .466 hitting percentage, with opposite hitter Ali German (Jerome, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) hitting at a .364 clip with 11 blocks.  Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS) had a monster stay at home, utilizing the 6-2 rotation to the max – 36 kills with a .444 hit percentage, 77 assists, four aces, 30 digs, and two blocks.  Rounding out the group is Jessie Link (Tonopah, Nev. / Nicholls State U.), who had 18 kills and hit at a .357 percentage, while recording nine blocks.

 

SINGLE-DIGIT GAMES IN RALLY SCORING: Three times this season and seven times overall since rally scoring was instituted prior to the 2001 season, the Lady Yotes have 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 continued to shine in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, going 4-0 on their most recent homestand.  The home court advantage as been prevalent, as The C of I has not lost a home match since the 2005 season – taking a 40-match home win streak into October.

 

YOTES STILL RECEIVING VOTES IN NAIA POLL: Despite a tough start to the season and back-to-back road losses to open up the 2008 CCC season, the Lady Yotes have received votes in each of the first three NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll of the season, released by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.  The C of I, who saw their streak of 25-straight weeks in the Top-25 snapped on Sept. 9, received 33 voter points in the most recent poll, good enough for No. 35 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 36 - dating back to September of 2005.  The lone CCC team in the poll is No. 17 Oregon Tech, while Southern Oregon, the Yotes, and Eastern Oregon all received votes.  Other C of I opponents were also ranked – No. 3 Concordia (Calif.), No. 5 Madonna, No. 12 Lewis-Clark State, and No. 13 Point Loma Nazarene.

 

CASCADE CONFERENCE RANKINGS: The third regular-season CCC Coaches Poll was released on Monday, with the Lady Yotes climbing one spot in to No. 3 in the balloting.  Oregon Tech remained in the top spot, followed by Southern Oregon, the Yotes, Eastern Oregon, Concordia, and Corban.  The CCC ranking is released on Monday’s, the NAIA national poll is released on Tuesday afternoons.

 

ABOUT EVERGREEN STATE: The Yotes begin their trek to Washington with a Friday match at Evergreen State, who ended a 30-match losing streak last weekend with a five-set victory at Cascade College.  The Geoducks (1-10, 1-5 CCC) have struggled offensively, averaging just over eight kills per set, led by Kandice Gleaves (2.4 k/s, 1.2 d/s), while libero Ann Forman (3.6 d/s) has been a bright spot for Evergreen,  It is the 15th meeting between the teams, with the Lady Yotes holding a 12-2 series edge.

 

ABOUT NORTHWEST: Saturday, it’s off to the loudest gym in the loop, as Northwest is set to host the Yotes in the cozy Northwest Pavilion.  The Eagles (5-8, 2-4) are coming off back-to-back road wins in Oregon which ended a five-match losing streak.  NU has a one-two punch offensively – Lauren Holtz (2.6 k/s, 3.0 d/s) and Anu Akamine (2.3 k/s, 2.6 d/s), while Madeline Krahn (1.8 k/s, 0.9 b/s) leads the team at the net.  It is the 27th meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 21-5 series edge, including winning the last six matches in a row.

 

CCC NUMBERS: Kills – Krista Wooley (OIT) 4.0, Sarah Buhler (CI) 3.4, Kara Veach (WP) 3.3, Leah Gradwohl (WP) 3.2, Grace Deboodt (EOU) 3.1; Hitting Percentage – Kristin Henning (CI) .412, Heather Porter (SOU) .336, Lindsey Fryer (CU) .317, Wooley .315, Mia Wortel (SOU) .309; Assists – Lindsey Stone (SOU) 9.3, Lizzie Law (OIT) 8.9, Samantha Kolakowski (WP) 8.7, Skyler Kamaka (CU) 8.6, Carla Crowder (CAA) 7.8; Digs – Sareena Simpson (EOU) 4.9, Rebecca Franke (CRB) 4.8, Annie Forman (ESC) 3,8, Kim Lindow 3.6, Rashelle Davenport (CRB) 3.6; Blocks – Marcella Hernandez (CI) 1.1, Deboodt 1.1, Henning 1.1, Ali German (CI) 0.9, Fryer 0.9.

 

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 301, Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is seventh in assists with 876, and Naomi Reimer is eighth in assists with 610.

 

RECAP – C OF I 3, EASTERN OREGON 1: Kristin Henning led three College of Idaho players in double-figure kills with 16, as the Lady Yotes rallied for a  21-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-11 victory over No. 25 ranked Eastern Oregon, last Tuesday in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  After recording ten hitting errors in the Set 1 loss, the Coyotes recorded just five errors in the final three sets to post their 27th consecutive win over the visiting Mountaineers.  Eastern had control of Set 1 from the outside, as the Lady Yotes led only once at 2-1.  The Mounties were aided by six C of I service errors in the win.  Set 2 saw the two squads tied at 13-13, but an ace from Courtney Gamel (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) and kills from Naomi Reimer and Jessie Link pushed the lead to three – and the Yotes never trailed again. The third set saw the Yotes use an 8-0 push to build a 23-13 lead, thanks to three EOU hitting errors and three Henning spikes, while the final set saw the Coyotes run off 11 of the final 12 points.  Henning added nine blocks to go along with her 16 kills, while Reimer had a double-double with 14 kills and 20 assists.  Sarah Buhler added 11 kills and six blocks, Madie Machurek had 32 assists and 11 digs, and Stacie Drumm (Salem, Ore. / South Salem HS) added a team-high 13 digs.

 

RECAP – C OF I-COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO SCRIMMAGE: Although the stats do not count, as it was technically a scrimmage (or exhibition match), the Coyotes easily handled the College of Southern Idaho, ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA national poll, in three sets.  Naomi Reimer led the way with 13 kills and 19 assists, while the Yotes had nine team blocks and recorded seven service aces in the non-counter.

 

RECAP – C OF I 3, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 0: The Lady Yotes extended their home win streak to 40 in a row with a 25-22, 25-17, 25-14 victory over Northwest Christian Saturday night in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  Naomi Reimer led the Coyotes with 12 kills, 16 assists, and six digs, as the Purple and Gold picked up their fourth consecutive win.  Set 1 saw the two teams tied at 11-11, before a four-point push by the Yotes, keyed by back-to-back Kaylyn Hayashikawa (Waikaloa, Hawaii / Hawaii Prep Acad.) aces, give the hosts the lead for good.  The Beacons would close to 22-21 on a Brooke Stribling kill, but the Yotes would get a pair of Sarah Buhler spikes to end the period.  Set 2 saw NCU take a 13-12 lead on a C of I hitting error, but the Yotes would score 13 of the final 17 points notch the win.  Reimer led the way in the final set, recording two kills and two aces in a 10-2 spurt to open the frame, leading the Yotes to the sweep.  Buhler added nine kills, with Jessie Link recording five kills and seven blocks.  Madie Machurek had 20 assists, Hayashikawa had four aces, and Whitney Owen  (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) recorded 14 digs. 

 

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 168-70, 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.

 

MEN’S SOCCER (3-2-1, 2-0): Yotes open CCC play with two road wins, finish trip with games at Evergreen and Northwest

 

LAST WEEK: at Northwest Christian (W 6-1), at Oregon Tech (W 4-1)

 

COMING UP: at Evergreen State, Friday, 4 p.m. (PT); at Northwest, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (PT)

 

OFFENSE EXPLODES: It took just one goal to get the offense of The College of Idaho men’s soccer team jumpstarted last weekend, as the Yotes piled up ten goals in back-to-back victories over Northwest Christian and Oregon Tech.  The Coyotes, who had scored just one goal in their previous 272 minutes played, notched their first goal of the weekend just seven minutes into the NCU match – and the scoring did not stop until the bus headed back to Caldwell.

 

MOST ROAD TRIP GOALS IN NEARLY 20 YEARS: The ten goals scored by the Yotes on the trip were the most tallied by a C of I team on back-to-back Cascade Conference road games in program history – outscoring the nine goals scored on the Evergreen-Northwest trip during the 2003 season (defeated Evergreen 3-2 and Northwest 6-1).  The last time the Coyotes scored more than ten goals on back-to-back non-neutral site road games was in 1989, when they tallied 13 goals in wins over Columbia Christian (5-1) and Corban (8-0).

 

LONG NIGHTS: It was not an easy trip for the Yotes, as the team did not arrive in Eugene until 1:30 a.m. on Friday – then played a 6 p.m. contest.  Following the game, they traveled to Klamath Falls, where they arrived at 1 a.m. – and played a 1 p.m. contest.  Following the second game, they headed back to Caldwell – where they arrived at 1:30 a.m.  It was a nearly 1,000 mile whirlwind in just over 56 hours.

 

FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTE: Every player that made the trip for the Coyotes received extensive playing time last weekend – with a pair of youngsters knocking home their first collegiate goal.  Travis Newbold (Meridian, Idaho / Meridian HS) converted a pass from Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) early in the second half vs. NCU for his first goal, which was followed by a penalty kick by fellow frosh James Collet (Pocatello, Idaho / Pocatello HS) – which got him into the scoring column.  Also making the most of his playing time was reserve midfielder Esteban Cabrera (Quito, Ecuador / Payette HS), who had an assist vs. NCU and a goal at OIT.

 

BAUTISTA COMES ALIVE: Also having a big weekend was Antonio Baustita (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS), who more than doubled his goal output for the season in one weekend.  The junior scored the first goal of the match against NCU, then followed it up with a pair of strikes against Oregon Tech.  He know leads the team with five goals on the season.

 

ABOUT EVERGREEN:  The road trip continues this weekend, beginning in Olympia, Wash., against Evergreen State.  The Geoducks (1-5-0, 0-1-0 CCC) have started off slow for the second straight season, but three of their five losses have been by one-goal margins, and another, a 3-1 loss to nationally ranked Simon Fraser.  Evergreen is led offensively by Corey Johnson (4 goals, 1 assist), Brian Davis (3 goals), and Shawn Farrow (3 goals, 1 assist), while keeper Matt Stalnik (2.17 GAA) was stellar against the Yotes last year.  It marks the 22nd meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 15-5-1 series edge, including wins in each of the last three meetings.

 

ABOUT NORTHWEST: A much improved Northwest team will meet the Yotes on the fast artificial Lake Washington High School pitch on Saturday afternoon.  The Eagles (4-2-2, 2-0-0) have won three in a row, including back-to-back shutouts to open the league season.  NU is led by Brandon Screen (4 goals), Matt Walton (2 goals, 2 assists), and Luke Fischer (2 goals, 2 assists) offensively, with keeper Kyle Wall (1.16 GAA) leading the league with three shutouts.  It marks the 27th meeting between the schools, with the Yotes holding a commanding 24-2 series edge, including winning the last 17 in a row.

 

CONFERENCE/NAIA RANKINGS: The third CCC Coaches Poll of the regular-season was released on Monday, with the Coyotes remaining in the No. 4 spot in the tabulation.  Concordia remains on top, followed by Warner Pacific, Northwest, the Coyotes, and Cascade.  Concordia moved up one spot from last week’s NAIA poll to No. 18, while Warner Pacific received votes.  The CCC poll is released each Monday, with the NAIA poll released on Tuesday afternoons.

 

GAME RECAP: C OF I 6, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 1: Six different players scored goals for The C of I, as the Coyotes opened up Cascade Conference play with a 6-1 victory over Northwest Christian, Friday night in Eugene, Ore.  The scoring began early when Antonio Bautista got on the board in the 7th minute with an unassisted goal. Jesus Lopez followed in the 17th minute with what amounted to the game winner, and just four minutes later Garga Caserta (Aracatuba, Brazil / North Idaho CC) fired in a long free kick, which put the Yotes ahead 3-0.   The scoring continued for The C of I in the second half in the 53rd minute as Travis Newbold collected a ricochet off of NCU keeper Jared Frasier after a free kick by Lopez, and punched in the score. In the 69th minute the Yotes made it 5-0 on a successful penalty kick for James Collet.   NCU was able to avoid the shutout in the 75th minute on a laser beam free-kick from Shane Dasher from 30-yards out. The shot came in at a left-to-right angle and found its way to the top shelf in the right corner of the net for the score.   The C of I answered with the games’ final score just two minutes later. Esteban Cabrera hit a shot off the right post and Emir Kobic (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) scooped up the rebound and punched in the score.   The Coyotes held a commanding 25-4 edge in shots and were able to get every play who made the trip action on the pitch.

 

GAME RECAP: C OF I 4, OREGON TECH 1: Antonio Bautista had a pair of goals and The C of Iimited Oregon Tech to just six shots on the afternoon, as the Yotes completed a perfect road trip with a 4-1 victory Saturday at Trevor Darrah Field in Klamath Falls, Ore.  Bautista got the Coyotes on the board in the 13th minute, as he got in behind the Owls defense and was pulled down in the box by Tech keeper Travis Bille, resulting in a penalty kick - which the junior converted.    Before the 1-on-1 attempt, OIT's Devon Torrey was issued a red card, forcing the first-year program to play a man down the rest of the way.  The C of I took advantage, getting an unassisted Esteban Cabrera goal in the 40th minute and a nifty Bautista goal in the 53rd minute to make it 3-0.  The Owls avoided the shutout in the 70th minute on a Dylan Durrell score, but just 30-seconds later, the Yotes were awarded a second penalty kick, which Jesus Lopez converted to make it 4-1.  The Coyotes held a 27-6 edge in total shots and a commanding 14-4 edge in corner kicks.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Brian Smith (5th year, 44-27-43) 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.

 

WOMEN’S SOCCER (4-3): Lady Yotes open up Cascade Conference play this weekend at Evergreen and Northwest

 

LAST WEEK: at Northwest Nazarene (L 2-0)

 

COMING UP: at Evergreen State, Friday, 2 p.m. (PT); at Northwest, Saturday, 2 p.m. (PT)

 

CASCADE CONFERENCE PLAY OPENS UP: With seven preseason games under their belt, The College of Idaho women’s soccer team is prepared for the opening of Cascade Conference play – beginning on Friday.  The Lady Yotes will play each of the other ten CCC squads once – six road games and four home games. The top six teams in the league will advance to the CCC Tournament, with the tourney champion earning an automatic berth to the NAIA Championships.

 

LADY YOTES HISTORY IN CCC: Since 1996, the Lady Yotes have recorded a 42-76-10 record in CCC play – but are solid in league counters over the past six years, notching a .500 or better record five times.  The last two seasons, the Coyotes have been above the .500 mark, recording a 9-6-4 loop record – earning playoff appearances each time.

 

ABOUT EVERGREEN: The Yotes open up the conference slate at Evergreen State, taking on a squad itching for a victory.  The Geoducks (1-5-1, 0-1-0 CCC) opened the season with a win, but have gone winless in their last six games – including three losses by one-goal margins.  Striker Kate Green (5 goals, 1 assist) has been their key offensive threat, taking nearly one-third of the Greeners shots to this point this season.  Keeper Sonja Daisley-Harrison (1.80 GAA) has been solid in front of the net, allowing two or fewer goals in six of the seven matches.  It is the 25th meeting between the schools, with Evergreen holding a 15-7-2 all-time series edge.  Last season, the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in Caldwell.

 

ABOUT NORTHWEST: The back-half of the road trip to the Seattle area is at Northwest, where the Eagles (2-1-2, 1-0-0) are poised to make a statement in their third season of intercollegiate soccer.  After a combined 5-11-3 league mark the last two seasons, NU is much improved in 2008 – including a pair of victories over Evergreen State and draws against Embry-Riddle and Lewis & Clark.  Shauna Marshall (1 goal) and Brittanique Clayberg (2 goals, 3 assists) have combined to take 30 of the Eagles 61 shots this season, while the defense has been stingy, allowing just seven shots per game.  It marks the third meeting between the teams, with the first two ending in a draw – including the 1-1 deadlock last year in Caldwell.

 

FOUR WINS – WHERE DOES THAT STAND: Heading into the week, the Lady Yotes have a 4-3 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 seven 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.

 

SCORING FIRST EQUALS WINS: In the Lady Yotes four wins, The C of I has recorded the first goal of the game.  However, in their three losses, the Yotes have seen their opponent get on the scoreboard first.

 

LADY YOTES EARN VOTES IN NAIA POLL FOR FIRST TIME: Thanks to the upset of Carroll on Sept. 14, The C of I received 17 voter points in last week’s 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.  In this week’s CCC coaching ranking, the Yotes were second behind Concordia, with Corban in third, and Northwest fourth.  The CCC poll is released on Monday’s, the NAIA poll on Tuesday afternoons.

 

CONFERENCE LEADERS: The Lady Yotes rank among the CCC’s Top-4 in eight different statistical categories, as the loop released their latest information on Monday afternoon.  The C of I leads the league in offside passes (32), are second in shots per game (16.7) and shutouts (2), are third in assists per game (2.4), and fourth in points per game (7.2), goals per game (2.4), goals against average (1.43), and corner kicks (4.1).  Individually, Jamie Reichel (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) is fifth in the league in goals scored (5), with Mandy Greif (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) and Chelsea Heffner (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) tied for second in the league with four assists, and are third in the league with 0.6 assists per game.  Keeper Sadie Hughes (Courtenay, B.C. / Vanier SS) rounds out the Yote contingent, ranking fourth in the league in goals against average (1.49).

 

GAME RECAP – NORTHWEST NAZARENE 2, C OF I 0: Northwest Nazarene took advantage of some sluggish play by The C of I, as the Crusaders picked up their first win of the season, a 2-0 victory over the Lady Yotes in the 22nd Battle of Canyon County last Wednesday in Nampa.  Kim Bowen got NNU on the board with less than five minutes before halftime, corralling a loose ball that the Yotes were trying to clear and finding the back of the net.  The Crusaders would add an insurance goal in the second half, as Stacey Beckham stuck home the rebound off a Hannah Mohs header in the 59th minute.  The Lady Yotes, who had a two-game win streak snapped, took 13 shots in the game, but only three were on goal - all saved by NNU keeper, Pip Herman.  The C of I tried to create chances, but were whistled for seven offside passes.

 

ABOUT THE COACH: Niki Taylor (19-20-5) 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.

 

CROSS COUNTRY: Yotes battle injuries and elements at Bob Firman Invite

 

LAST WEEK: at Bob Firman Invitational (Men 3rd of 7 teams, Women 5th of 8 teams)

 

COMING UP: Idle until Oct. 4 at Willamette Invitational

 

FIRMAN TURNS INTO A MUDBATH: The biggest cross country race in the State of Idaho turned into a bog on Saturday morning, as the first measurable rainfall in over a month deluged the course.  In fact, throughout the day, races were delayed due to lightning – with the over one inch of rain forcing officials to lay straw on key portions of the loop to try and improve traction.

 

HELM CONTINUES TO IMPRESS: The rain did not hamper C of I women’s standout Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS), as the sophomore finished third overall in a race of over 80 competitors.  Coming off an individual title at the Roger Curran Invite, Helm had a fabulous race, losing only to a pair of Brigham Young runners – one an Olympic Trials qualifier, the other, one of the top D-I recruits on the west coast.  Her time of 18:34 was the fastest 5,000-meter time in the league to this point this season – by nearly 50 seconds.

 

WOMEN STRUGGLE: Outside of Helm, it was not a great day by the Lady Yotes, as The C of I struggled to a fifth-place finish.  According to head coach Pat McCurry, the race plan was to have the bulk of the team try to work through the first loop in around 30th place and move up – when the runners were around 60th place, he knew there was trouble.  The Lady Yotes will undoubtedly fall from their No. 11 national ranking after a fifth-place finish – behind D-I programs BYU, Idaho State, Boise, State, and Lewis-Clark State, yet still ahead of both Eastern Oregon and Northwest Nazarene.  The second finisher for the Yotes was Tegan Troutner (Lake Fork, Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS) in 36th, running a personal best 19:59.

 

QUALITY RACE BY THE MEN: McCurry was very pleased by the effort of The C of I men, who placed third overall – behind just Boise State and Lewis-Clark State, but ahead of Idaho State.  Running without two of their typical Top-5, the Yotes got a seventh-place finish from freshman Zeke Wilson (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS) – traversing the eight-kilometer course for the first time, and a tenth-place finish from sophomore Paul Sartin (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS).  Unlike their women’s counterparts, the Yotes had all of their five scorers within the Top-30.

 

KEY COMPONENTS MISS WEEKEND: The team scores for both teams could have been better, but the Yotes decided to sit some of their top runners – thanks to various ailments.  On the men’s side, Sam Hardy (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) and Geoff Williams (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) did not compete, nor did Kayloni Jones (Nine Mile Falls, Wash. ./ Lakeside HS) and Ashley Miller (Vida, Ore. / McKenzie HS).  All should be healthy and ready to go for the Yotes next meet on Oct. 4.

 

CONFERENCE RANKINGS: The Coyote men dropped one spot in the latest Cascade Conference rankings – falling to No. 3.  Concordia, fresh off their second-straight team title, is No. 1, while Southern Oregon upset highly-touted Simon Fraser to win the Sundodger Invitational, sits in the No. 2 spot.  Following the Yotes are Eastern Oregon, Corban, Oregon Tech, Warner Pacific, Evergreen State, Cascade, Northwest Christian, and Northwest.  On the women’s side, Concordia overtook the Lady Yotes for the top spot, with The C of I slipping to No. 2.  Corban sits in third, followed by Eastern Oregon, Evergreen State, Oregon Tech, Northwest, Cascade, Northwest Christian, Warner Pacific, and Southern Oregon.  The Lady Yotes were ranked No. 11 and the Coyote men No. 17 in last week’s NAIA Top-25 Poll, with the next poll released on Tuesday afternoon.

 

A WEEK OFF: The Yotes will go back to training exclusively this week as they prepare for the gigantic Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational a week from Saturday in Salem, Ore. – their first chance to race against nine of the other ten Cascade Conference teams.

 

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.

 

GOLF: Men 4th, Women 2nd at Northwest Christian Invitational

 

LAST WEEK: at Northwest Christian Invitational (Men 4th of 5 teams, Women 2nd of 5 teams)

 

COMING UP: Idle until Oct. 6-7 (C of I Invitational – River Bend Golf Course)

 

LADY YOTES SHINE IN OREGON: The College of Idaho women’s golf team opened up the 2008 fall season with a great performance at the Northwest Christian Invitational in Blue River, Ore., placing second in the first of four Cascade Conference counting tournaments.  The five C of I golfers hung tough with the NAIA’s No. 18 ranked team, Concordia – finishing the first-round in a deadlock with the Cavaliers.  Unfortunately for the Yotes, they were unable to maintain the pace in rounds two and three, losing by 40 strokes.  It marked the top team finish by the Yotes in CCC play.

 

ALL FIVE IN THE TOP TEN: The key for the Lady Yotes was the fact that all five of their golfers finished in the Top-10 overall after the 54-hole event.  Leading the way was freshman Heidi Murphy (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), who finished fourth with an 84-85-87 (256 +40).  In sixth was transfer Cecilia Garcia (Ontario, Ore. / Ontario HS) with an 82-88-89 (259 +43), seventh was Jordan Peterson (Star, Idaho / Western Washington U.)  with an 86-92-87 (265 +49), Breanna Pace (Burley, Idaho / Burley HS) in eighth with a 90-92-85 (267 +51), and April Patton (Ontario, Ore. / Ontario HS) in tenth with a 90-92-86 (268 +52).

 

WHERE WERE THE OTHER TEAMS: The Lady Yotes and Concordia were the lone teams in the league to field a full four players during the opening of CCC play.  The three other teams – Corban, Northwest Christian, and Warner Pacific each had just two women’s golfers apiece.

 

FINAL ROUND LIFTS MEN INTO FOURTH: The Coyote men did not fare as well as the Lady Yotes – finding themselves eleven shots out of fourth place in a five-team field after 36-holes.  However, The C of I shot their best round of the tourney, a 319, in last Tuesday’s round, moving past Warner Pacific into fourth.

 

THREE IN TOP-20: The Yotes had three golfers in the Top-20 in Oregon – led by freshman Tyler Thurston (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), who was 12th with a 78-82-76 (236 +20).  Also amongst the leaders were Jeff Davies (Ogden, Utah / BYU-Idaho) with an 83-82-78 (243 +28) and Ben Coate (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) with an 85-77-82 (244 +28).  Concordia took the team title, riding the back of medalist Marc Arima, who shot an 66-67-72 (205 -11).

 

TWO WEEKS OFF: The Coyotes will take the next two weeks off from competition, preparing for their lone home tournament of the year, The College of Idaho Invitational at River Bend Golf Course on Oct. 6-7.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote golf team, head to the official homepage of C of I golf, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/golf.htm.