Yote Notes – September
8, 2009
Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
ATHLETIC NEWS:
COYOTE
OPEN SET FOR SEPT. 25: The annual Coyote Open golf tournament to raise funds
for the College
of Idaho Athletic Association
is scheduled for Friday, September 25, at Falcon Crest Golf Club in Kuna.
For more information, visit our online Coyote Open sign-up portal at https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/coyoteopen.asp.
R.C. OWENS AND FRIENDS TO HOST EVENT IN SAN FRANCISCO: The C of I Alumni Office will be hosting a Bay Area
event in conjunction with the San Francisco
49ers-Tennessee Titans football game at Candlestick
Park in San Francisco, Calif.,
on Nov. 8. The day will begin with a
Tailgate Party, hosted by FedEx – which will include a meet-and-greet with C of
I Hall of Famer and former 49er, R.C. Owens, followed by the game. For more information on tickets for both the
Tailgate Party and the football game, contact The C of I alumni office at
459-5770.
BASEBALL ALUMNI GAME SET FOR OCT. 3: The annual C of I baseball alumni
game is set for Oct. 3 at Wolfe Field.
At 1 p.m. will be a Home Run Derby, followed by the game. For more information or to RSVP, contact head
coach Shawn Humberger at 459-5861.
IDAHO PRESS TRIBUNE FEATURES C OF I/NNU SPORTS BLOG: Fans of C of I athletics can share
their thoughts on the Yotes as part of the Idaho Press Tribune’s College of Idaho/Northwest Nazarene Sports Blog.
Beat writer Mike Stetson shares his thoughts and stories, along with pictures
and videos, on both the Yotes and Crusaders, with fans having the ability to
leave their thoughts on their favorite team. The blog is linked on the
front of The C of I athletic website or can be visited at http://www.idahopress.com/blogs/?blogid=6.
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
VOLLEYBALL (5-1, 2-0 CCC): No. 11 Lady Yotes set to open home
season against Oregon Tech and No. 21 Southern Oregon
LAST WEEK: at Comfort Inn Invitational – vs. No.
2 Concordia-Irvine (L 3-2), vs. No. 14 Lewis-Clark
State (W 3-2), vs. Northwest (W 3-0),
vs. Great Falls
(W 3-0); at Northwest Christian (W 3-0); at Corban (W 3-0)
COMING UP: vs. Oregon
Tech, Friday, 7 p.m.; vs. No. 21 Southern Oregon,
Saturday, 7 p.m.
LADY YOTES CLIMB TO NO. 11 IN
NATIONAL POLL: On
the strength of a 5-1 start to the season, including a strong showing against
nationally-ranked foes, The College of Idaho volleyball team climbed seven
spots to No. 11 in the first NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll of the 2009 season,
released Tuesday. It is the
46th-straight week that the Lady Yotes have been ranked or received votes in
the national poll and the 35th-time in program history that the squad as been
in the Top-25, the highest being at No. 6 during the 2007 preseason poll. Three opponents are also in the ranking – No.
2 Concordia-Irvine, No. 14 Lewis-Clark State, and No. 21 Southern Oregon. The Lady Yotes claimed the top-spot in the
CCC weekly ranking as well, followed by SOU, Eastern
Oregon, Concordia-Portland, and Warner Pacific. The CCC rankings will be released Monday’s
and the Top-25 each Tuesday throughout the season.
DEFENDING THE HOME COURT: Each time the Lady Yotes take to the
floor in the J.A.
Albertson Activities
Center in league play,
they will be looking to extend a school-record 35-game CCC win streak at
home. The squad has not lost a league
tilt at home since September of 2005, recording an undefeated mark at home each
of the last three seasons (9-0 in 2006 and 10-0 in both 2007 and 2008). Overall, the Yotes have won 49 of their last
50 home matches – and have an all-time record of 142-37 in the facility,
including a 90-13 record in the Activities
Center under head coach Liz Mendiola.
ABOUT OREGON
TECH: The Lady Yotes
open up their ten-match home schedule on Friday night, hosting Oregon Tech.
The Owls (1-9, 0-2 CCC) have had a sluggish start after advancing to the
CCC semifinals last year – and returning seven letterwinners from that
team. The attack on paper looks
one-dimensional, as outside Megan Christensen (3.4 k/s, 2.5 d/s) has the
majority of the swings, with a pair of setters in Sarah Svedin (4.2 a/s, 2.3
d/s, 17 aces) and Jackie Polette (3.3 a/g, 1.5 d/s) running the 6-2
offense. Defensively, libero Joey Larsen
(3.8 d/s) has been solid, despite 24 reception errors. The two teams split matches last season –
with OIT the only opponent to sweep three-set match from the Lady Yotes. It is the 50th time the teams have met, with
the Coyotes holding a 31-18 series edge.
ABOUT SOUTHERN OREGON: Saturday night, perennial power Southern Oregon battles the Yotes for the top spot in
the CCC – putting their seven match win streak on the line. The Raiders (8-1, 2-0) are looking for redemption
after the Coyotes defeated them in three sets last year in the CCC Tournament
title match. SOU has a potent attack,
led by outside Chelsea Hartman (3.3 k/s), middle Heather Porter (1.8 k/s, 0.9
b/s), and opposite Leah Bergstrom (3.2 k/s, 0.8 b/s). A pair of freshmen setters, Angela Spieker
(5.5 a/s, 1.1 d/s) and Caryn Westrick (5.7 a/s, 1.0 d/s, 12 aces) run the 6-2
attack, while libero Becky Johnstone (4.2 d/s) has been solid. The Lady Yotes won 2-of-3 meetings last
season, but Southern holds a 53-17 all-time series edge.
NOT AT FULL STRENGTH: Despite the success during the
opening two weeks of the season, the Lady Yotes have not had their entire squad
on the floor – as top returning hitter, Sarah
Harris (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton
HS) and top recruit, Nathy Neres (Sao Paulo, Brazil / College of Southern
Idaho) have seen little or no action, while middle Marcella Hernandez (Torrance,
Calif. / El Camino CC) has been slowed due to injury.
MENDIOLA CLOSING IN ON 200: With the victory on Saturday night at
Corban, head coach Liz Mendiola is well in reach of her next milestone victory
– No. 200. The ninth-year head coach has
recorded 190 career wins and would join an elite group of coaches in The C of I
200-win club fraternity (Tim Mooney, Marty Holly, Shawn Humberger, Clem
Parberry, Babe Brown, John Calpin).
COYOTES SWEEP WEEKLY HONORS: Following a 3-1 trip to the Comfort
Inn Invitational in Lewiston
during the first weekend of the season, the Lady Yotes completed a clean sweep
of the first CCC weekly awards. Junior
combo player Naomi Reimer (Killarney,
Man. / Killarney SS) was
named Hitter of the Week after a phenomenal tournament. The Manitoba
native recorded back-to-back triple-doubles on Friday, recording a career high
22 kills in a five-set loss to second-ranked Concordia-Irvine, followed by 13
kills, 23 assists, and 15 digs in a five-set win over Lewis-Clark State.
Reimer led the Yotes with 49 kills and eight aces in the tournament. Madie
Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) earned Setter of the
Week honors for the first time in her career, as the junior from Eagle was
solid in running the Coyote attack. She had a pair of double-doubles on
Friday, recording 32 assists and 14 digs vs. CUI and 19 assists and 12 digs vs.
L-C. Machurek led the way with 79 assists over the two-day event. Rounding out the Yote winners was Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS), who claimed her
sixth-career Libero of the Week honor. The junior from Caldwell
had back-to-back career-highs on Friday, recording 32 digs against CUI,
followed by a 34-dig explosion in the win over L-C State.
Owen leads the CCC with a six dig-per-set average.
THE TRIPLE-DOUBLE: With two triple-doubles during the
first two weeks of the season, Naomi Reimer is now halfway to the school record
in the elite category. The Canadian has
recorded five career matches with ten-or-more kills-assists-digs, five behind
the record of ten set by Amanda Basanez during the 2003 season.
RECORD BOOK: Four players currently are in the
Top-10 in the Coyote career record book.
Leading the way is Kristin
Henning (Boise,
Idaho / Boise
HS), who is No. 3 all-time with 418 blocks and No. 10 in kills (812), while
Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore. / La Grande HS) ranks fifth
all-time in kills (1,253). Rounding out
the list are the two setters, as Madie Machurek is No. 6 (1,372) and Naomi
Reimer is No. 8 (1,122) in assists.
GAME RECAP – DAY 1 IN
LEWISTON: It
nearly was the greatest day in C of I volleyball history, but the Lady Yotes
used stellar play to split a pair of five set matches, stopping host
Lewis-Clark State, but losing a heartbreaking affair with No. 2 ranked
Concordia-Irvine on Aug. 28. In the
nightcap, the Lady Yotes withstood a record crowd of over 800 strong to top the
two-time defending Frontier Conference champions, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 20-25,
17-15. After battling to a deadlock
after four sets, The C of I withstood a pair of match-points by the Warriors,
getting back-to-back kills from Naomi Reimer to take a 16-15 edge. Transfer Nathy Neres then had a solid serve
that resulted in a free ball, with setter Madie Machurek spiking home the
winner – ending a two-match losing streak to L-C. Reimer notched her third-straight triple
double with 13 kills, 23 assists, and 15 digs, while Kathryn Ely added a
team-high 15 kills. Kristin Henning had
11 kills and five blocks in the win, with Machurek recording 19 assists and 12
digs. Whitney Owen had a career-high 34
digs for the Yotes. Anile Clemente was
on fire for L-C, recording a match-high 16 kills, 21 digs, and eight aces, with
Kelli Tikker registering a double-double with ten kills and 18 digs. Reimer recorded her fourth career
triple-double in today's opener as The C of I put a serious scare into No. 2 ranked
Concordia-Irvine, but the Eagles used a four-point push in the decisive fifth
set to stop the Lady Yotes, 26-28, 28-26, 26-24, 20-25, 15-13. Tied 8-8 in the finale, back-to-back Brooke
Marino kills gave the 2008 NAIA national runners-up the lead, with a Serrina
Russo spike and a Jenna Salo ace giving CUI a 12-8 lead. The Yotes would
battle back, closing to 13-12 on a Machurek kill and 14-13 on a Reimer kill,
but Stephanie Darnell put the match away with a closing spike. The Lady Yotes, who were playing without
returning starters Sarah Harris and Marcella Hernandez, had their chances to
put away their California
opponents, holding set-point at 25-24 in Set 2, while jumping out to a 12-7
lead in Set 3. Reimer had a career-high
22 kills, to go along with 29 assists and 11 digs, Henning had 13 kills and a
career-high 12 blocks, while Jessie Link
(Tonopah,
Nev. / Nicholls State U.) and
Ely each had 12 kills. Machurek recorded 32 assists and 14 digs, while
Owen had 32 digs in the loss. Marino led
the Eagles with 17 kills, while Darnell recorded a double-double with 12 kills
and 15 digs.
GAME RECAP – DAY 2 IN LEWISTON: The Lady Yotes closed out play on the final day of the
Comfort Inn Invitational in Lewiston
on Aug. 29. The Coyotes won their early
match over Northwest, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19, then dispatched the University of Great Falls, 25-18, 25-11, 25-18. The opener against the CCC rival Eagles was
tough, as The C of I had to battle back from a 21-19 deficit in Set 1, scoring
six of the final seven points to earn the win.
Naomi Reimer had a pair of kills in the rally, which was aided by two of
the Yotes 13 aces in the match. Set 2
saw the Yotes jump out to an 11-4 lead on NU, but the Eagles rallied to tie the
score at 18-18, before the Coyotes rattled off the final five points of the
game. Set 3 was all C of I, sprinting to
a 11-3 lead and were not threatened.
Kathryn Ely led the way with ten kills, with Jessie Link adding eight
kills and five blocks. Breanna Covey had
11 kills for NU. In the late match, the
Yotes defense was stellar, recording 12 team blocks and forcing the Lady Argos
into 33 hitting errors in the win.
Reimer led the way with ten kills, while Whitney Owen had 12 digs and
four aces. Ely had five kills and six
block assists in the victory.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 3, NW CHRISTIAN
0: The Yotes ran off
the final 11 points of Set 1, rolling to a 25-10, 25-20, 25-12 victory over
Northwest Christian, Friday in Eugene, Ore.
Madie Machurek led the push, picking up a pair of aces - with Naomi
Reimer and Kristin Henning adding two kills each in the run. The Lady
Yotes would hold NCU to 19 kills and 22 errors in the match, while racking up
11 aces - including five by Marcella Hernandez.
Henning led the way with nine kills and four blocks, with Reimer
recording five kills, 13 assists, two aces, and nine digs. Machurek had
18 assists in the win, with Whitney Owen leading all players with 18 digs. The Beacons got nine kills and seven digs
from Cassie Bishop.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 3, CORBAN 0: The Yotes ran their win streak to
five in a row, sweeping Corban College, 25-18, 27-25, 25-23 on Saturday night
in Salem, Ore. The Lady Yotes used a 7-2
push to close the Set 1 victory, then fought off the Warriors in Set 2, forcing
a hitting error and receiving a Marcella Hernandez ace to close out the
win. In the finale, the Yotes never trailed, but Corban was within a
point before a tandem block by Kristin Henning and Jessie Link ended the
match. Henning led the way with seven
kills and six blocks, while Naomi Reimer added six kills, 13 assists and 11
digs. Hernandez had five kills and four aces, Madie Machurek had 18
assists, and Whitney Owen led all players with 15 digs. Morgan Hirzel led the Warriors with eight
kills.
ABOUT
THE COACH: Liz Mendiola is in her ninth season as The C of I
head volleyball coach. During her first eight seasons at the helm, the
Coyotes have advanced to seven consecutive Cascade Conference tournaments, four
NAIA regional tournaments, and trips to the NAIA National Championships in
2005, 2006, and 2008. Last season, the squad won their third-straight CCC
title, claimed their third-straight CCC Tournament title, won their NAIA
Tournament Opening Round match, and advanced to the NAIA Tournament Final Site
in Sioux City, Iowa – with Mendiola earning her third-straight CCC Coach of the
Year honors, while being ranked as high as No. 9 in the national poll.
During her career, she has amassed a record of 190-75, 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 CCC 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 – with that team setting a school-record with 22
straight wins. Her 2009 club will take a
35-match CCC home win streak into the season.
Mendiola was an assistant for the Coyotes on two separate occasions –
from 1995-96 and from 1999-2000, before elevating to head coach. She has also coached club volleyball at
Emmett High, for the Treasure Valley Volleyball Club, the Boise River
Volleyball Club, and various camps in the Northwest. A native of Jerome, Mendiola graduated from
The C of I in 1996 with a degree in elementary education, and taught kindergarten
in Nampa before
becoming head coach in 2001. A two-year member of the Coyotes, Mendiola set
school records for kills per game (4.86) in 1994, and holds the school mark for
kills per game in a career (4.46). She
earned All-CCC honors following her senior season with the Yotes. Mendiola is married to former Coyote baseball
standout and current C of I softball coach Al Mendiola. The Mendiola’s have two children, Aleah and
Micah.
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 (2-1): Lady Yotes head to Utah for two tough games, open home season
Wednesday vs. NNU
LAST WEEK: at No. 21 Rocky Mountain (W 2-1), at Great Falls (W 5-2), at
Carroll (L 3-2)
COMING UP: at Westminster, Saturday, 11:30
a.m.; vs. No. 23 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) – in Salt Lake City, 3:30 p.m.; vs.
Northwest Nazarene, Wednesday, 3 p.m. (at Syringa Middle School)
NNU GAME TO BE PLAYED AT SYRINGA MIDDLE SCHOOL:
The Wednesday
women’s-men’s doubleheader vs. Northwest Nazarene will be played at Caldwell High School’s
game field, located at Syringa Middle School (corner of Linden
and Washington). The C of I and the City of Caldwell were hopeful that Simplot Stadium,
the new home of the Yotes, would be ready for game play by this weekend,
however, the playing surface is not ready.
It is expected that the Lady Yotes will make their Simplot Stadium debut
on Friday, Sept. 25, against Evergreen
State.
LADY YOTES RANKED #26 IN NAIA POLL: Coming off of an outstanding road
trip through Montana, the Lady Yotes gained ten more voter points and four
positions in the first NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll of the season – climbing to the
first team listed in the “Others Receiving Votes” category, or No. 26. The C of I had 86 points – their highest
total ever, as is their ranking. Three
opponents are in the Top-25, No. 2 Concordia, No. 19 Carroll, and No. 23 Embry-Riddle
(Ariz.). In the weekly Cascade Conference poll,
Concordia claimed the top spot, followed by the Lady Yotes, Oregon Tech, and Southern Oregon.
The CCC poll is released each Monday, with the NAIA Top-25 released
every Tuesday throughout the regular season.
COYOTES SWEEP SEASON OPENING AWARDS: The Lady Yotes claimed both CCC
weekly honors after the first week of the season, announced Sept. 1, by the
league office. Forward Jessica Ayala (Salinas, Calif.
/ Eagle HS) earned Offensive Player of the Week honors in her collegiate
debut. The freshman assisted on the game-winning goal in the 2-1 upset of
No. 21 ranked Rocky Mountain, then had two goals and an assist in the 5-2
victory over Great Falls. Keeper Sadie
Hughes (Courtenay, B.C. / Vanier SS) earned
Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in her career after quality
performances in the two games. The senior had five saves in the victory
over Rocky, adding two saves in 45 shutout minutes of work against UGF.
OFFENSIVE PUNCH IS THERE: One of the goals for the Lady Yotes
in 2009 was to average two goals scored per match. After three matches, the squad is averaging
three goals per game – including the five tallies against Great Falls.
What is impressive is that of the nine goals scored, eight different
players have found the back of the net.
OFF TO SALT LAKE FOR SECOND TIME: This weekend, the Lady Yotes head to Salt Lake City to play a pair of matches against NAIA
competition – the second time in three years they have traveled to the Beehive State.
In 2007, the squad lost a 4-0 decision to Dixie
State, but defeated Westminster,
2-0, on the artificial surface at Dumke Field on the Westminster campus.
ABOUT WESTMINSTER:
The Yotes will open
up their trip Saturday against host Westminster,
who is 12-4-1 all-time on their home pitch – with one of the losses coming to
The C of I. The Griffins (3-4) have won
three in a row – victories over Chaminade, Kansas Wesleyan, and Great Falls,
thanks to the play of forwards Sarah Swenson (2 goals 1 assist) and Megan
Maldonado (2 goals) and keeper Dayna Winter-Nolte (1.25 GAA, 2 ShO). The lone game between the two schools was in
2007, a C of I 2-0 victory in Salt
Lake City.
ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE: Sunday, it’s a matchup against Embry-Riddle of Prescott, Ariz.,
ranked No. 23 in the NAIA poll. The
Eagles (2-0-3) are coming off a great road trip to Illinois, where they played Top-25 teams
Olivet Nazarene and Trinity Christian to draws.
They are led by Brittany Griffin and Samantha Welch, who each have
scored two goals, and keeper Ciarra Pederson (1.13 GAA). It is the first-ever meeting between the
teams.
CANYON COUNTY CLASH IN CALDWELL: For the first time in seven years, the Lady Yotes will play host to rival
Northwest
Nazarene in Caldwell – as the Crusaders (2-1-2) come
calling on Wednesday afternoon. NNU,
coming off a one-win season in 2008, is vastly improved – already recording
wins over Mary and Eastern Oregon and playing CCC teams Southern Oregon and
Corban to draws. The Crusaders are led
by Stacey Beckman (4 goals) and Sarah Staropoli (3 goals), while keeper Tanya
Zickefoose (1.79 GAA) playing the majority of the minutes in goal. It marks the first time since 2002 that NNU
has played against C of I in Caldwell
(a 4-3 Lady Yote overtime win) – but the Crusaders have dominated the series,
holding a 15-7 all-time series edge.
RECAP – C OF I 2, #21 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
1: Goals by Chelsea Heffner (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) and Erika Mouritsen (Wellsville,
Utah / Dixie State Coll.) helped The C of Ito their biggest road win in
program history, stopping No. 21 ranked Rocky
Mountain, 2-1, Aug. 29, in Billings,
Mont. It marked just the second victory in program
history against a ranked foe and the first time they have defeated a Top-25
team on the road. Despite the
fact that Rocky held a 16-5 edge in shots, the Lady Yotes made the most of
their opportunities against the 2008 NAIA National Tournament qualifier, as
Heffner knocked home a feed from Justine
Hawkins (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) in
the 23rd minute to make it 1-0.
Mouritsen, a transfer from Dixie State, made
it 2-0 midway through the second half, converting a feed from freshman Jessica
Ayala. The Bears would cut
the lead in half with 12 minutes left, as Lauren Brophy slotted home a cross
from Brittany Dockter that slipped through the hands of Yotes keeper Sadie
Hughes. Hughes was injured on the play
and was replaced by sophomore Tracy Diaz
(Boise, Idaho
/ Timberline HS), who held the Bears at bay to complete the win.
RECAP – C OF I 5, GREAT FALLS 2: The Lady Yotes jumped out to three
goal lead and cruised to a 5-2 victory over the University of Great Falls, Aug.
27, at the Seibel Soccer Complex in Great Falls, Mont. The Coyotes open the season with two
consecutive wins for the second-straight year - the only two times in the
21-year history of the program. It
didn't take long for The C of I to get on the board, as sophomore Taylor Culver found the net in the
sixth minute, with Mandy Greif (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) scoring
off a Jessica Ayala feed in the 28th minute to push the lead to 2-0. Jamie
Reichel (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) added
a goal early in the second half to make it 3-0, before the Lady Argos struck
for back-to-back goals off breakdowns in the Coyote box - the second
coming in the 77th minute, to close the gap to 3-2. However, Ayala scored
a pair of goals in the final 11 minutes, including one off a Lauren Winterholler (Idaho Falls, Idaho / North Idaho CC) touch,
to complete the scoring. The Yotes had a
23-14 edge in shots and a 7-1 edge in corner kicks.
RECAP – CARROLL 3, C OF I 2: A penalty kick by Tayt Ellison with
just 46 seconds left in the match broke a tie, lifting host Carroll College to
a 3-2 victory over The C of I in a non-conference women's soccer match-up at
Nelson Stadium in Helena, Mont. on Sept. 1. The Lady Yotes, gunning for their
first 3-0 start in program history and their first-ever win in Helena,
tied the score in the 89th minute, as Colleen
Smith (Boise,
Idaho / Boise
HS) headed home a corner kick from Chelsea Heffner. However, off the
restart, the Saints played a long ball in the Coyote end, eventually freeing up
Ellison for a 1-on-1 with keeper Sadie Hughes, who pulled down the Carroll
player - earning the PK, which was converted for the victory. Kayla
Bigelow (Boise, Idaho / Timberline
HS) got the Yotes on the board in the 31st minute, blasting home a one-time
shot from the top of the box, off a feed from Justine Hawkins and a touch from
Jessica Ayala. However, the Saints needed just two minutes to score the
equalizer, as Abby Coburn found the net off an Abby Hoover feed. Carroll
would make it 2-1 early in the second half on a Hannah Young goal. The Lady Yotes held a 15-9 edge in shots,
along with a 7-0 edge in corner kicks.
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 (0-1): Yotes look to get in win column in
Cascade Conference opener vs. Northwest Christian
COMING UP: vs. Northwest Christian, Saturday,
Noon; vs. Northwest Nazarene, Wednesday, 5 p.m. (both games at Syringa Middle School)
GAMES TO BE PLAYED AT SYRINGA MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Saturday’s game vs.
Northwest Christian and Wednesday’s doubleheader vs. Northwest Nazarene will be
played at Caldwell High School’s game field, located at Syringa Middle School
(corner of Linden and Washington).
The C of I and the City of Caldwell
were hopeful that Simplot Stadium, the new home of the Yotes, would be ready
for game play by this weekend, however, the playing surface is not ready. It is expected that the Coyotes will make
their Simplot Stadium debut on Saturday, Sept. 19, against Oregon Tech.
CONFERENCE/NAIA POLL: The first Cascade Conference weekly
poll was released on Monday afternoon, with the Coyotes falling one spot from
the preseason ranking to No. 3.
Concordia continues to sit atop the tabulation, followed by Warner
Pacific, the Yotes, Evergreen
State, and
Northwest. No CCC team was in the NAIA
Top-25 ranking which was released on Tuesday – as Concordia was the lone team
to receive voter points. The CCC poll is
released every Monday, the NAIA poll each Tuesday throughout the season.
CONFERENCE OPENER VS. NORTHWEST
CHRISTIAN: The
Coyotes will open up their home schedule and their 14-game CCC slate on
Saturday, hosting Northwest Christian. The Beacons (0-3) have struggled in the early
going, being outscored 14-0 in their first three games (losses to Goshen, Pacific, and
George Fox) – and have not scored a goal in their last 437 minutes, dating back
to last season. NCU returns last year’s
leading scorer, Greg Erickson, but haven’t had many scoring opportunities,
recording just 15 shots and just seven shots on goal in their three games. It is the fifth meeting between the teams,
with the Yotes holding a 4-0 all-time series edge.
CANYON COUNTY CLASH: For the first time since the 2002
season, the Yotes will play host to rival Northwest
Nazarene in Caldwell. The Crusaders (2-3) are in their second year
of action after a six-year hiatus as an intercollegiate sport and are coach by
former C of I All-American, Coe Michaelson.
NNU has a potent offensive attack, led by All-Great Northwest Athletic
Conference selection, Alex Mangeac (5 goals), along with newcomer Renatto
Britto (2 goals 1 assist). Defense will
be the question mark, as the Crusaders have allowed three goals a game. The last meeting in Caldwell was in October 2002, with C of I
claiming a 3-1 victory, thanks to stellar play in goal by current Coyote
assistant, Jake Steele. It is the 54th all-time meeting between the
teams, with the Yotes holding a 40-11-2 series lead.
STRUGGLING TO FIND CONNECTION: After three scrimmages and one
counting game, The C of I men’s soccer team continues to have issues with
continuity on the pitch. The Yotes have
had a sizable shot advantage in each afternoon, but have not found the knack of
putting the ball away – including an 11-4 edge in shots in the loss at
Whitman. “We have been able to put
ourselves in a position to score,” said head coach Brian Smith. “We just
haven’t been able to put the ball in the net.
The key thing is, this is what preseason and preseason training is about
– now we have to make the adjustments as conference season is here.”
BATTLING THE INJURY BUG: The Yotes have been struggling with
numbers throughout the preseason, as injuries have limited players in both
training and in competition. Working
hard to get back on the field are Jon
Latorre (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho / Coeur
d’Alene HS), Emir Kobic (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS), Drew Smith (Boise, Idaho / Boise State U.), James Collet (Pocatello,
Idaho / Pocatello HS), and Zach
Pulkinen (Minot, N.D. / Minot HS)
– who all missed the season opener against Whitman last Monday.
THROWN INTO THE MIX: With the rash of injuries, young players
have taken the opportunity to get playing time.
True freshman Matt Kelly (Klamath Falls,
Ore. / Henley HS) recorded an assist in
his Coyote debut, while four other freshmen – Zach Richardson (Boise, Idaho / Mountain View HS), Carlos Gomez (Boise, Idaho / Centennial
HS), Stephen Franden (McCall, Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS), and Parker Waddell (Meridian, Idaho / Meridian HS) all saw action in their first C of I
game.
RECAP
OF SCRIMMAGES: Although scores are not
reported in scrimmages (or exhibition matches), the Yotes went 1-2 in those
non-counters. The C of I dropped a 5-2
decision to Treasure Valley CC and a 3-1 decision at Walla Walla CC, while they
toppled their Alumni, 3-0.
RECAP – WHITMAN 2, C OF I 1: Despite a 11-4 edge in shots, The C
of I could not capitalize on opportunities, as Whitman
College toppled the Yotes, 2-1, in the
season opener last Monday in Walla
Walla, Wash. The Missionaries withstood an early Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) penalty kick attempt by the Yotes that
was smothered by Nic McDonald - taking the lead on a Todd Wallenius goal just
before the end of the opening half.
Whitman, who played the game as an exhibition, made it 2-0 on a Connor
Bottomly goal in the 63rd minute. The Coyotes made it interesting with 16
minutes remaining, as transfer Brian
Buckingham (Boise,
Idaho / Walla
Walla CC) headed home a Matt Kelly cross - but The C of I could not find
the equalizer. "We had some great
opportunities," said head coach Brian Smith. "Unfortunately, we
were unable to finish and Whitman took advantage of their chances. We
were tired a bit in the second half - as we are still building our
fitness."
ABOUT THE COACH: Brian Smith is in his sixth season
as head coach of The College of Idaho men's soccer team. During his
tenure, the Coyotes have posted a 55-29-4 overall record, including Cascade
Conference co-championships in 2006 and 2008, earning CCC Coach of the Year
honors on both occasions. His clubs have won at least nine games in each
of his five years, while his 2008 squad became just the second CCC school to
complete an unbeaten, untied conference slate and set a school record with 13
consecutive wins. For his efforts, the Coyote skipper was named CCC Coach
of the Year. Smith, who helped the
Coyotes to a 35-21-1 record as a player for longtime coach, John Calpin, from
1990-93, returned to his alma mater in 2004 after a successful high school
coaching career in the Treasure Valley.
He coached the Timberline High School boys’ team for three years, before taking
over the THS girls’ program in 2002 – earning Idaho State
Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2001 and Southern Idaho Conference
Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2003. After earning All-District honors as a
player and graduating from The C of I with a degree in political science in
1994, Smith has assisted the Coyote program along with serving as a coach with
the Boise National Soccer Club, the Les Bois United Soccer Club, and with the
Idaho Olympic Development Program - currently serving as a team coach with Les
Bois. Smith is single and resides in Meridian.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote men’s soccer program, head to the
official homepage of The C of I, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm.
CROSS COUNTRY: Season Preview
COMING UP: Saturday at Roger Curran Invitational,
West Park,
Nampa (Women’s 4,000-meter race at 12:45 p.m.;
Men’s 6,000-meter race at 1:25 p.m. – vs. Boise
State, Northwest Nazarene, Eastern
Oregon, Westminster,
and Treasure Valley CC)
QUICK 2009 SYNOPSIS: Expectations are high for The
College of Idaho cross country teams this season, a year after both the men’s
and women’s teams qualified for the NAIA Championships. With the men’s team returning a pair of
All-Cascade Conference competitors, while the women’s team returns seven of
their top eight runners from a team that finished in ninth-place at the NAIA
Championships, optimism is abound for the Coyotes.
CCC/NAIA PRESEASON POLL: The Lady Yotes were picked to defend
their conference championship and the Coyote men were picked third in the CCC
Preseason Poll – released in late August.
Just behind The C of I women were Concordia, followed by Eastern Oregon,
Corban, and Evergreen State, while defending men’s champ, Southern Oregon took
the top spot, followed by Concordia, the Yotes, Eastern Oregon, and
Corban. In the NAIA Top-25 Preseason
Poll, the Lady Yotes earned their highest ranking in program history, opening
the year at No. 8 – the 12th-straight national poll appearance by the
team. Joining them in the Top-25 was No.
11 Concordia, with Evergreen State and Eastern Oregon
receiving votes. The Coyote men received
44 voter points in the preseason poll, as Concordia was ranked No. 7, Southern
Oregon No. 10, with Eastern Oregon receiving
votes. The first regular-season national
poll will be released on Sept. 16.
LAST SEASON / RUNNERS LOST: For the Coyote men, last season was
an up-and-down year, plagued with injuries and illness – but the team came
together when it mattered at the CCC Championships, placing third to solidify
an at-large berth to the NAIA Championships (where they placed 20th). The men return six of their top seven runners
from last season – losing a pair of four-year seniors to graduation in Cory Kniep and Sam Hardy. The Lady Yotes
had their best season in program history, winning both the Lewis-Clark State
Invitational and the CCC Championships, along with their Top-10 finish at
Nationals. The squad returns their
top-six runners from last year, and nine of their top-ten – only losing senior Jayne Saunders.
MEN’S PREVIEW: Health is the key for the Coyote
men, who have a young, but talented crew of runners – expected to surprise the
critics in the CCC. Leading the pack is
junior Paul Sartin (Meridian, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS), who
had a breakout 2009 season, earning All-CCC honors and finishing in the Top-60
at the national meet. Also in the
front-running group is sophomore Kiprotich
Langat (Nairobi,
Kenya / Soliat SS), who
earned All-CCC honors last season, along with sophomore Zeke Wilson (Challis, Idaho
/ Challis HS). Junior J.J. Burk (Bliss, Idaho / Bliss HS) has
improved every season, with seniors Geoff
Williams (Boise,
Idaho / Boise
HS) and Mike Tobiason (Boise, Idaho
/ Bishop Kelly HS) providing leadership.
True freshman Nick Hampton (Eagle, Idaho
/ Eagle HS) and Andrew Hugill (Colorado Springs,
Colo. / Coronado
HS) each have the credentials to find themselves in the scoring positions
WOMEN’S PREVIEW: The Lady Yotes return an experienced
group that is looking for an exceptional season. Leading the way is two-time CCC champion,
junior Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS), who holds every
cross country record in C of I history and was the Yotes first cross country
All-American. Right behind her is the
ever-improving senior, Tegan Troutner (Lake
Fork, Idaho /
McCall-Donnelly HS), who earned All-CCC honors last fall and is coming off
a tremendous track season. Juniors Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan, Utah / Juan Diego HS) and Maggie Miller (Anchorage,
Alaska / Lane CC) were also All-CCC award-winners last year and add to the
formidable group at the top-end. Seniors
Molli Lee-Painter (Moscow, Idaho / Moscow HS) and
Chantel Varland (Boise, Idaho
/ Mountain View HS), junior Kristine Smith (New Meadows, Idaho / Meadows Valley
HS), and sophomore Kayloni Jones (Nine Mile Falls,
Wash. / Lakeside
HS) have all looked great in preseason training – adding to the Yotes
scoring depth. Look for true freshman, Kaitlyn Gerard (Kimberly, Idaho / Kimberly HS), to also be in the
mix.
HOME MEET: The Yotes will host a meet in the Treasure Valley
for the third time – joining the 2005 Coyote Invitational on The C of I Campus
and the 2007 CCC Championships at Eagle
Island State
Park. The 2009
version of the Coyote Invitational will be held in late October at Fairview
Golf Course in downtown Caldwell – a course that
resembles that of the 2009 NAIA Championships course at the Fort Vancouver
Historical Site in Vancouver,
Wash.
SIZING THE CCC: The men’s race should be a four-team
battle between the usual suspects – Concordia, Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, and the Yotes. Both CU and SOU return experience from teams
that had quality finishes at Nationals, while Eastern has a great crop of new
talent. The women’s side should be a
slugfest between the Lady Yotes and Concordia – both teams with enough talent
to stand on the podium at this year’s NAIA Championships.
ABOUT THE COACH: Pat McCurry is in his sixth season has the head
coach for The C of I cross country and track programs. In just five 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, 2007, and
2008 NAIA Championships, while the women’s team winning the 2008 CCC title and
placing ninth at Nationals, earning CCC Coach of the Year honors. He has also coached three NAIA All-Americans,
and numerous All-CCC 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
Oregon University,
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 and 2009 Race to Robie Creek and
the City of Trees
marathon.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on The C of I cross
country program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/xc.asp.
GOLF: Season Preview
COMING UP: at Warner Pacific Invitational,
Monday, Heron Lakes
Golf Club – Portland, Ore.
QUICK SYNOPSIS: The ever-improving College of Idaho
golf teams should again contend for the upper half of the Cascade Conference
standings during the 2009-10 season, as the men’s team returns four key players
and the women’s team returning three of their top players.
LAST SEASON: The Coyote men had their best overall
season in four years, placing fourth in the CCC, while the Lady Yotes had their
best season in program history, finishing second to Concordia – one spot away
from a berth to the NAIA Championships.
The women established four of the Top-5 team rounds in program history
during the season.
MEN’S PREVIEW: The Yotes top player from last
season, Tyler Thurston (Meridian, Idaho / Eagle HS) returns for
his sophomore season, after a freshman season that saw him average 78.6 strokes
per round – including a 70 against Northwest Nazarene. He is joined by fellow sophomores Jeff Davies (Odgen, Utah
/ BYU-Idaho) and Jacob Reyes (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), along with junior James Taylor (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS) – all of whom have
played well in qualifying this fall. Two
freshmen are expected to make an impact – Kasey
Allen (Boise,
Idaho / Timberline HS) and Casey Dyck (McMinnville, Ore. / McMinnville HS).
WOMEN’S PREVIEW: The Lady Yotes return a trio of
All-CCC selections from last season – senior Cecilia Garcia (Ontario, Ore.
/ Treasure Valley CC), who averaged 85 strokes per round last season, along
with sophomores Breanna Pace (Burley, Idaho / Burley HS) and Heidi Murphy (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS).
Also expected to make an impact is true freshman Jocie Cracroft (Soda Springs, Idaho
/ Soda Springs HS).
QUALIFICATION PLANS: For both the men’s and women’s teams
this year, each will have to compete in a play-in tournament to determine a
berth to the NAIA Championships, as the CCC does not sponsor the required six
teams to earn an automatic qualifier.
The men’s teams (Concordia, C of I, Corban, Northwest Christian, Warner
Pacific) will join Victoria, Simon Fraser, and British Columbia – with the
winner earning the automatic berth, while the five CCC women’s teams will join
Victoria, Simon Fraser, British Columbia, Simpson (Calif.), Biola (Calif.), Cal
Baptist, Cal State-San Marcos, and Southwestern (Ariz.) to determine the
automatic berth.
TOURNAMENTS: The CCC athletic directors have made
a change to the length of tournaments during the 2009-10 season. All fall CCC tournaments (hosted by Warner
Pacific and Concordia) will be one-day, 36 hole events, while the spring CCC
tournaments (hosted by Corban, C of I, and Northwest Christian) will be
two-day, 54 hole events.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I
golf teams, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/golf.asp
