Georgia Southern to Visit Justice Center for First Time

The Bulldogs will be back in action Wednesday night when they host Georgia Southern at the Justice Center. UNC Asheville (3-5) snapped a four-game losing streak on Friday with a convincing 94-63 victory over Southern Wesleyan. The Eagles (4-4, 2-0 Southern Conference) are off to a strong start and look to stymie the Bulldogs with their defense when the teams meet in Asheville for the first time.

The dismantling of Southern Wesleyan on Saturday was driven by a career day from Lindsey Montgomery, who finished with 29 points and 20 rebounds – both career highs. It was the first 20/20 performance by a Bulldog since the 1983-84 campaign. Linda Aughburns, Montgomery’s complement in the post, finished up with 17 points and 6 assists. Lindsey Thompson also cracked double figures with 13 points. The Bulldogs shot 55 percent from the field, including 67 percent in the second half, and out-rebounded the Warriors 47-23 to claim the easy win, despite turning the ball over 24 times.

Despite starting in only one game this season, Montgomery now leads the Bulldogs in scoring (12.1), field-goal percentage (.475), and rebounds (9.1). Thompson averages 10.0 points, and Aughburns is just shy of a double-double for the season with 9.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. Asheville’s 21.4 turnovers per game remain a concern, but the Bulldogs’ rebounding and defensive tenacity have kept them competitive.

Georgia Southern leads the Southern Conference in scoring defense, allowing only 57.2 points per game. The Eagles were picked to finish in the middle of the SoCon pack after an 11-9 finish last season, but have looked like contenders thus far. After a tough beginning to the season that included Duke and Auburn, Georgia Southern cruised to victories over conference foes Elon and Appalachian State. Guard Carolyn Whitney leads the Eagles in scoring with 11.3 PPG, and forward J’Lisia Ogburn is averaging 10.5 points and a team-high 5.9 boards. Jessica Geiger is a quality all-around producer, with 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game.

Georgia Southern has defeated UNC Asheville in each of the previous two meetings between the schools, but they have never faced off at the Justice Center. Last season the Eagles came away with a 52-39 victory over the Bulldogs in Statesboro behind a 12 point performance from Geiger. Chioma Okoli led Asheville with 12 points and 7 rebounds in the game. The Bulldogs have a chance to take down Georgia Southern, but will need to protect the ball and find Montgomery and Aughburns in the post for high-percentage shots.

Go Bulldogs!

Men's Basketball To Host Catawba

The Bulldogs seemed to have recovered from the rocky start to their season on Sunday night, when they clobbered Montreat 100-49. Five players scored in double figures for UNC Asheville and three others were within two points as the Bulldogs (2-6, 1-0) took advantage of a balanced attack and strong defensive effort to win their second straight. UNC Asheville will try to keep the streak alive on Tuesday evening when it hosts Division II Catawba, but the game will be no easy challenge. The Indians (5-3, 0-1) are the two-time defending champions of the South Atlantic Conference tournament and the favorite to win it again this year, thanks to the outstanding play of a trio of seniors.

Sean Smith knocked down 5-of-9 three-point attempts on Sunday night and led the Bulldogs with 18, but the supporting cast was just as impressive. J.P. Primm narrowly missed a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists - to go with only one turnover. John Williams went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field to close the night with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Quinard Jackson and Chris Stephenson were also in double figures with 10 points apiece. D.J. Cunningham posted nine points, nine boards, and a game-high five blocks. The Bulldogs also got excellent bench production from Eric Stubbs (8 points, 3 blocks), and Jaron Lane (8 points, 8 rebounds). UNC Asheville outshot the Cavaliers 49% to 29% and turned the ball over only 9 times. The Bulldogs also dominated on the defensive end, outrebounding Montreat by a staggering 58-32 margin and recording 15 steals and 13 blocks.

One week after a last-second shot from Stephenson at Gardner-Webb gave the Bulldogs their first win of the season, UNC Asheville appeared to be hitting on all cylinders. Smith remains Asheville’s leading scorer at 11.4 PPG, and has improved his three-point shooting to over 35 percent despite a brutal early season shooting slump. Primm and Stephenson also average double figures at 10.9 and 10.3 points, respectively. Williams averages 8.9 points and leads the team in rebounding (6.1 per game) and blocks (18 total).

Catawba was picked to win the South Atlantic Conference by a wide margin in the preseason coaches’ poll, following their dominance of the conference tournament the last two seasons. Picked to finish eighth in that nine team conference is Brevard College, a team that defeated UNC Asheville 73-69 at the Justice Center in an exhibition game this season. The Indians lost their conference opener at Lenoir-Rhyne on December 2^nd, but bounced back on the 5^th with a decisive 78-55 win over Chowan at the TWC Arena in Charlotte. Catawba’s backcourt was expected to excel and has not disappointed. Seniors Rob Fields and Antonio Houston were both first team all-conference selections in the preseason. Fields leads the team in scoring with 17.4 PPG on .518 shooting, and is also the leader in assists. Houston averages 15.9 points, 5.1 boards, and leads the Indians in steals. A third senior, forward Donald Rutherford is making the case that he belongs on the all-conference squad as well. Rutherford averages 15.4 PPG and team highs in field goal percentage (.560), rebounds (6.9), and blocks.

The Bulldogs defeated Catawba 84-67 last season at the Justice Center, a game in which both Primm and Stubbs reached double figures (in addition to then-seniors Reid Augst and Jason Ridenhour). Catawba will be far from an easy out on Tuesday, and will likely be emboldened by Brevard’s exhibition upset and Asheville’s less-than-stellar non-conference record. However, the Bulldogs looked like a team that is putting it all together on Sunday, and if they turn in a similar performance tomorrow night, they will have a good chance to make it three in a row.

Go Dogs!!!

Women's Hoops to Host Southern Wesleyan

UNC Asheville returns home to the Justice Center on Friday night to take on Southern Wesleyan. The Bulldogs (2-5) have lost four straight, including a brutal three-game road trip that concluded with a 59-37 loss at Charlotte on Saturday. Southern Wesleyan (6-2, 1-2 SSAC) boasts a high-scoring offense that could present a real challenge for Asheville.

The Bulldogs have put forth a good defensive effort but have yet to find an explosive scoring threat this season. No Asheville player currently averages double-figure points per game, but four are close. Lindsey Thompson leads the team in scoring at 9.6 PPG, and Lindsey Montgomery (9.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and Linda Aughburns (8.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG) have been consistent producers at both ends of the floor. Chioma Okoli (8.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG) has been solid but has not yet taken over a game offensively.

The Bulldogs struggled on Saturday with turnovers and poor field goal shooting. After protecting the ball much better against Western Carolina, Asheville committed 30 turnovers against Charlotte, the Bulldogs’ second game with at least 30 giveaways this season. Asheville shot over 40 percent in the first half, but 19 percent from the field (including 11 percent from three-point range) in the second half sealed the Bulldogs’ fate.

Southern Wesleyan has had no shortage of offense early this season. The Warriors average 84 points per game, and have four players averaging double-figures. Sophomore Kayla Plantin leads the team in points (16.0), rebounds (7.3), and field goal percentage (an astronomical .658). Senior point guard Kesha Smith averages 14.9 points on .579 shooting, along with team-highs 4.6 assists and 3.3 steals. Smith has turned in four points-assists double-doubles this season. Kendra Brooks averages 12.6 PPG for the Warriors, and Janaye Gillard rounds out the group with 12.4 (on .538 shooting).

Southern Wesleyan was picked to finish seventh in the Southern States Athletic Conference this season, but has reeled off some impressive wins in the early going, including a 72-44 clobbering of Montreat. On Saturday, the Warriors came up just short at Lee University, losing 95-85 to the 6^th-ranked NAIA squad in the nation. Gillard (23 points) and Smith (22 points, 10 assists) had big nights as Southern Wesleyan asserted its status as a contender in the SSAC.

UNC Asheville’s offensive woes on Saturday can be attributed to the stifling defense of Charlotte, which enjoyed a substantial size advantage over the Bulldogs. The much more porous defense of Southern Wesleyan will give the Bulldogs an opportunity to get the offense on track as they begin to gear up for conference play. The game tips off at 7 p.m.

Men's Basketball Tops Gardner-Webb 58-56

The Bulldogs may have opened the season with a six game slump against a grueling non-conference schedule, but UNC Asheville remained undefeated in Big South play on Friday night, capturing a thrilling 58-56 victory at Gardner-Webb. Chris Stephenson tipped in the winning bucket with 1.6 seconds on the clock to give the Bulldogs (1-6, 1-0) their first win of the season. It was the third consecutive loss for Gardner-Webb (3-3, 0-1).

Sean Smith led the Bulldogs in scoring for the second straight outing. The senior guard put up 18 points and had another solid night from beyond the arc, hitting 4-of-9 from three-point range. Stephenson was a big contributor down the stretch for Asheville, scoring all of his 13 points in the second half. John Williams filled out the box score with nine points, six rebounds, three blocks, and four steals.

The Bulldogs were able to slow down Gardner-Webb’s top two scoring threats, holding Grayson Flittner to eight points, and allowing Auryn MacMillan a season-low four. Anton Silver led the Runnin’ Bulldogs with 14 points, and C.J. Hailey added 11. After a long see-saw battle, Asheville took a 55-50 lead with 1:10 to play, but two turnovers and a missed free throw enabled Gardner-Webb to tie things up on a jumper from Hailey with 10 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Matt Dickey’s shot was off target, but Stephenson was there with the tip-in to silence the crowd at Porter Arena.

Many of the Bulldogs’ early season issues were evident in Friday’s game. Asheville shot only 38 percent from the field, turned the ball over 19 times, and was outrebounded 45-30. Although free throw shooting was improved, the Bulldogs still shot below 70 percent as a team. UNC Asheville tightened up on defense, however, collecting 11 steals and forcing 23 total Gardner-Webb turnovers. The Bulldogs were also able to limit Gardner-Webb to a woeful 23 percent from the field in the second half. In the end, when the Bulldogs needed a clutch basket for the win in regulation, they were able to get it.

The Bulldogs have the week off for exams and are back in action on Sunday, when they host Montreat (2-9, 1-3 Appalachian Athletic Conference) to begin a four game home stand.

Women's Basketball Travels Charlotte

UNC Asheville will wrap up a three game road trip on Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Charlotte to face the 49ers at Halton Arena. The Bulldogs (2-4) have lost three straight, culminating with a tough 62-51 loss in Cullowhee to rival Western Carolina on Wednesday night. Charlotte (2-5) has performed well against some of the nation’s best, and crushed Presbyterian 72-36 on Wednesday in its only meeting with a Big South Team.

The Atlantic 10 preseason poll picked Charlotte to finish second in the conference. The 49ers are led by Aysha Jones and Shannon McCallum. Jones, a first team all-conference selection, is averaging 11.9 points per game, and had a team-high 14 against Presbyterian in only 20 minutes of work. McCallum was named to the conference’s second team in the preseason and averages 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds. She poured in 25 points in a closely-fought overtime loss to South Carolina in November. In addition to the Gamecocks, Charlotte has played close games this season against Indiana and Duke.

Linda Aughburns led the Bulldogs on Wednesday night with 14 points and 7 rebounds, bringing her season averages to 8.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds. Lindsey Montgomery is also a double-double threat in the sixth man role, averaging 9.4 and 7.4. Lindsey Thompson leads the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game. Guard Kendall Shepard has also played well lately, scoring in double figures in two of her last three outings. Shepard is also the team’s assists leader, with 17.

Last season, Charlotte defeated the Bulldogs 72-50 at the Justice Center. That game was highlighted by a 19 point performance on 6-of-9 shooting from Jones. Montgomery had a strong showing for the Bulldogs in that game, with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Charlotte leads the all-time series 11-3 over the Bulldogs and has won the last four meetings.

Men's Basketball Opens Conference Play Against Gardner-Webb

UNC Asheville has struggled out of the gate this season, but both teams will enter the game undefeated in conference play when the Bulldogs travel to Boiling Springs to take on Gardner-Webb on Friday night. Asheville (0-6) is off to its worst start since the 1999-2000 campaign while Gardner-Webb (3-2) boasts a winning record, but the Bulldogs have faced a much more consistently challenging slate.

UNC Asheville’s losing streak is the result of matchups against such elite opposition as 5^th-ranked Kentucky (7-0), 11^th-ranked Tennessee (6-1), Georgia (4-2), and Charlotte (5-1), in addition to Atlantic Sun leader Campbell (4-1) and Southern Conference leader Furman (4-1). Gardner-Webb has faced a much softer early season schedule, collecting three wins over Covenant, Montreat, and Methodist. Gardner-Webb’s first loss came on November 23 at the hands of 10^th-ranked North Carolina. The Runnin’ Bulldogs put together a strong showing in the loss, and were paced by 32 points from Grayson Flittner, including a Dean E. Smith Center record nine three-pointers. Gardner-Webb dropped its second straight on Saturday, when it was pounded at home by a very good Western Carolina team.

Most of Gardner-Webb’s production comes from its strong senior class. Flittner leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game. Australian-born center Auryn MacMillan is averaging 10.4 points and 9.0 rebounds. Guard C.J. Hailey contributes 9.0 points per game. UNC Asheville has spread the scoring around thus far. In six games the Bulldogs have had five different high scorers, with J.P. Primm the only player to lead the team twice. UNC Asheville may have an emerging leader in Primm, who averages a team-high 12.2 points per game, but needs more consistent production from its veterans. Sharpshooter Sean Smith found his scoring touch on Monday against Kentucky, knocking down six three-pointers en route to a 19 point performance. John Williams leads the team in rebounding and blocked shots, and will look to increase his output on the offensive end.

The stakes will be high on Friday as both teams look to shake off losing streaks and claim a winning record in Big South conference play. UNC Asheville is 12-1 in conference openers in the Eddie Biedenbach era, and has won its last four. The Bulldogs won both games last year against a Gardner-Webb team that played without Flittner, who missed the season with a knee injury. Matt Dickey performed well in both games for Asheville, averaging 17.5 points.

Basketball Live Updates

Check out the Athletic Department's Twitter page for live updates from tonight's women's basketball game against rival Western Carolina

Women's Basketball Preview: Western Carolina

UNC Asheville will look to get back to .500 on Wednesday night with a victory over non-conference rival Western Carolina. The Bulldogs (2-3) have dropped two in a row, including a 78-60 defeat on Saturday at the hands of USC Upstate. The Catamounts (1-5) have dropped three straight against a fierce early season slate, but came out on top in their lone contest against a Southern Conference foe.

Turnovers were a major issue in Asheville’s Saturday afternoon loss in Spartanburg. The Bulldogs turned the ball over a season-high 36 times and recorded only 9 assists. The Bulldogs shot only 34% from the field but had an excellent night on the offensive and defensive glass. Linda Aughburns led the way with 10 rebounds, Lindsey Thompson had a career-high with 8, and Kelli Riles added 7. Riles led the Bulldogs in scoring with a career-high 11 points, and Thompson contributed 10.

Through the first few games, the Bulldogs have enjoyed consistent production from Lindsey Montgomery (10.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg), Chioma Okoli (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Thompson (10.6 ppg), and Aughburns (7.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg), but a go-to player on the offensive end has yet emerge. Asheville’s rebounding success will continue to generate second chances, but to fully take advantage of those opportunities the Bulldogs will need to protect the basketball and improve their free-throw shooting (63% on the season).

Western Carolina defeated Wofford in its first conference game of the season before dropping three straight. That losing skid began with two games in the Great Alaska Shootout, where the Catamounts fell to Cincinnati and to Big South representative Coastal Carolina. Western stumbled again in its most recent outing, losing 80-63 to James Madison in Cullowhee on Sunday.

The Catamounts’ record owes mostly to a difficult non-conference schedule. Western Carolina was picked to finish 5^th in the 11-team Southern Conference this season, following a 4^th place finish one year ago. Western is led by preseason all-conference selection Emily Clarke, who is averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. Clarke is coming off a season-high 20 points in the loss to James Madison. Sophomore guard Kaila’She Menendez averages 11.8 points per game and scored at least 20 in both Great Alaska Shootout contests. Junior guard Kendra Carroll is also averaging double figures at 10.8 points per game, and led all scorers with 18 in the Catamounts’ victory over Wofford.

Western Carolina holds a 24-13 lead over the Bulldogs in the all-time series, but the teams have split their last four meetings. Last season, Asheville defeated Western 90-71 at the Justice Center. In the last contest in Cullowhee, Western came out on top 89-74.

Go Bulldogs!!

Women's Basketball Preview: Campbell

UNC Asheville will defend a winning record on Tuesday night as the Bulldogs (2-1) take on the Camels of Campbell at the Justice Center. Asheville recovered from a sluggish start on Saturday to come away with a decisive victory over Lees-McRae, and has now won two in a row. Campbell (2-1) has also looked sharp at times in non-conference play, but fell 66-59 to Coastal Carolina in its only contest against a Big South opponent.

The Bulldogs struggled out of the gate on Saturday, turning the ball over 15 times in the first half while Lees-McRae took advantage of an early 25-9 run to stretch the lead to as much as 13. At the break, the Bobcats were shooting 53% from the field and held a 43-34 lead. UNC Asheville stormed back in the second half behind a breakout performance from junior Dana Wagner. Wagner, a first team All-American junior college player last season, shot 6 of 8 from the field for a game-high 16 points. Five teammates joined Wagner in double figures. Linda Aughburns put up 14 points and 11 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double, Lindsey Thompson had 12 points, Kiana Rainey had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks, Chioma Okoli tallied 11 points and 6 boards, and Lindsey Montgomery posted 10 points and 9 rebounds. Kendall Shepard had a great deal of success running the offense, dishing out most of her eight assists in the second half. UNC Asheville outscored Lees-McRae 48-15 after the break, and only committed six turnovers.

Despite being picked to finish near the bottom of the Atlantic Sun (9^th in the media poll, 11^th in the coaches poll), Campbell has played well thus far. The Camels defeated Wofford in the season opener, and bounced back from the loss to Coastal to defeat North Carolina Central 79-63 on Wednesday night in their first away game of the year. Freshman guard Tonisha Baker leads the Camels in scoring with 12.0 PPG. Forwards Lauren Yesh and Geami Britt, the team’s top two scorers last season, have each averaged 11.0 PPG over the first three contests. Campbell also seems to have an emerging star at the point. Sophomore Kate Cloxton led the Camels in points (17) and assists (5) in Wednesday’s victory.

Campbell leads the all-time series against Asheville 24-6, dating back to 1980, but the two squads have been quite evenly matched in recent years. Campbell defeated the Bulldogs 65-53 last year in Buies Creek, but Asheville has won in two of the last four meetings. Tuesday should provide a close match between two competitive teams that are looking to exceed expectations this season.

Go Dogs!!!

Volleyball Storms into the Semifinals; Will Take On Coastal Carolina

Just one day after receiving some much-deserved recognition in the Big South year-end awards, the Bulldogs shone again on the court last night. UNC Asheville (25-9) cruised past hosting Radford in the quarterfinals of the Big South tournament 25-21, 25-19, 25-15. The victory sets up a semifinal showdown tonight against a Coastal Carolina squad that accounts for two of the Bulldogs’ three conference losses this season.

Three Bulldog players – Kelsey Benorden, Raquel Miotto, and Lauren Ficker – were named First Team All-Conference, UNC Asheville’s Julie Torbett was named Coach of the Year, and Bridgett Holiday was chosen for the All-Academic team by the Big South sports information directors on Wednesday. Benorden earned her second First Team selection after leading the conference in double-doubles, and ranking second in kills and ninth in digs. Miotto (who was the runner-up to Winthrop’s Kelley Taylor in Player of the Year voting) makes the team for the third time. She led the Big South in digs and aces per set, and this season became the Big South’s all-time career leader in digs. Ficker earned her first all-conference selection this season after leading the team in total kills and posting the second-highest single season attack percentage in UNC Asheville history. This is the second time Torbett, the Big South career leader in wins, has received Coach of the Year honors (the first came in 2002).

On Thursday night, the Bulldogs took to the court to defend their regular season championship in the Big South tournament. UNC Asheville took advantage of early runs in each of the three sets to achieve separation and remain in control throughout the match. Although the Bulldogs only hit .185, they were able to limit Radford to a meager .056. Benorden turned in her 19^th double-double of the season, with 15 kills and 17 digs. Miotto posted 22 digs and one service ace – breaking Frida Sigurdardottir’s single-season school record set in 2002. Sophomore Cindi Miller was also in double figures with 10 kills.

Tonight’s semifinal matchup against Coastal Carolina will challenge the Bulldogs. In each contest against Coastal this season, UNC Asheville came out on the wrong side of a five-set battle. At the Justice Center on November 13^th, the Bulldogs held a 2-0 advantage after the first two sets, but the Chanticleers stormed back, winning three straight for the victory. Early in the match, the Coastal attack centered on First Team All-Conference selection Chelsy Kimes, who finished the match with 22 kills, 10 digs and 4 blocks. The Chanticleers had much more success in the final two sets, however, when they were able to incorporate some diversity into their offense. Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year Jill Nyhof posted 15 kills (most in the final sets) to go with an incredible .667 attack percentage and 9 blocks. Fresham of the year Sierra Livesay also came on strong later in the match to finish with 16 kills and 19 digs. These teams know each other well after 10 sets during the regular season, so expect a close battle tonight.

If the Bulldogs are able to outlast Coastal Carolina tonight, they will face the winner of this afternoon’s semifinal between Liberty and Charleston Southern in the championship match on Saturday.

Go Dogs!!!

Women's Basketball Tops South Carolina State, 67-60

UNC Asheville stormed back from an early 8-2 deficit to capture its first win of the season, defeating South Carolina State 67-60. The Bulldogs (1-1) bounced back from a season-opening upset at the hands of Newberry, thanks to an inspired effort on defense and double-doubles from two Asheville players.

In her first start of the season, sophomore Linda Aughburns led the Bulldogs with 14 points and pulled down 10 boards. Chioma Okoli posted 13 points for the second straight outing, to go with a career-high 11 rebounds. Also in double figures for UNC Asheville were Lindsey Thompson with 12 points and Kendall Shepard with 11.

The Bulldogs faced a South Carolina State squad that returns three starters from the unit that defeated UNC Asheville 67-64 last season at the Justice Center. Once again, Sophilia Hipps had a big night for SCSU. The senior tallied 14 points, while posting game-highs in rebounds (12), assists (4), and steals (4). SCSU Freshman Lauren Johnson led all scorers with 16 points in the game.

The Bulldogs were a significantly improved team on defense Tuesday night. After allowing Newberry to shoot 46.4% in the opener, Asheville limited South Carolina State to 28.6% shooting. Asheville’s shooters also found their touch, shooting 40% from the field (compared with 31% against Newberry) and 40% from behind the arc (the Bulldogs were a woeful 1-of-20 in the season-opener). Free throw shooting was still a concern, as the Bulldogs managed only 55.3% from the charity stripe.

UNC Asheville also had some success in protecting the basketball. The Bulldogs turned the ball over 15 times in the contest – equal to their total in the loss to Newberry, but well down from 28 in last week’s exhibition match against Mars Hill. Despite the efforts of Aughburns and Okoli on the glass, the Bulldogs were again out-rebounded by their opponent. It was also the second straight contest in which Asheville dished out fewer assists (Asheville had 8 to SCSU’s 12) suggesting that the Bulldogs might live or die by the mid-to-long range jumper this season.

UNC Asheville is back in action this Sunday, hosting Lees-McRae at the Justice Center in the Bobcats’ first game of the season. The match tips off at 2:00, and will be followed at 4:30 by a men’s basketball contest against Campbell.

Men's Basketball Preview: Tennessee

The Bulldogs are in for a huge challenge tonight as they travel to Knoxville to take on 10th-ranked Tennessee in a non-conference matchup. UNC Asheville (0-1) fought hard on Friday night but fell, 86-70, in its season-opener at Charlotte. Meanwhile, Tennessee (1-0) easily dismantled Austin Peay, 83-54.

UNC Asheville bounced back from a shocking exhibition loss at the hands of Brevard to put together a quality effort against a talented Charlotte squad on Friday, but was unable to come away with the win. Playing without top returning scorer John Williams, the Bulldogs were led by sophomore Chris Stephenson, who came off the bench to record a career-high 22 points and 6 rebounds. Stephenson also led the Bulldogs in blocks (3) and assists (2). Junior guard J.P. Primm also had a solid outing, adding 15 points for the Bulldogs. Sean Smith, who scorched the nets for a game-high 22 points in the loss to Brevard, shot only 1-of-7 from three-point range and had 7 total points.

The Bulldogs trailed the 49ers 40-27 at the half, but made an impressive second half run, closing the gap to 48-47 with 11 minutes remaining. Asheville was unable to take the lead, however, and Charlotte pulled away over the final 7 minutes. Rebounding was a major area of concern for the Bulldogs. Charlotte dominated the glass in the first half, outrebounding Asheville 32-15. The Bulldogs cut down on this advantage in the second half, but the damage was already done.
Four Volunteers scored in double figures in Tennessee’s season opening victory on Friday night. Sophomore Scotty Hopson, an SEC all-freshman selection last season, was the high scorer with 16. The Volunteers are led by a pair of seniors, Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism, and both made their presence felt against Austin Peay. Smith, a first-team all-SEC player one year ago, filled out the stat sheet with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Chism, a second-team selection, had a double-double as well with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

UNC Asheville travelled to Tennessee last season and lost, 87-69. Smith led the Vols with a triple-double in only 24 minutes of play. Three Bulldogs scored in double digits in that contest, and Asheville will likely be without all of them tonight. Reid Augst and Jason Ridenhour graduated this offseason, and John Williams, who missed the Charlotte game due to illness, is officially listed as questionable.

Women's Basketball Preview: Newberry

Women’s basketball tips off the regular season on Saturday afternoon, hosting Newberry College at the Justice Center. This will mark the first time the two schools have faced one another in women’s basketball competition. The retooled Bulldogs squad looked sharp on Friday night in a 92-72 romp over Mars Hill in an exhibition match at the Justice Center. Newberry has not yet taken the court this season.

UNC Asheville put together a strong showing on the offensive end on Friday, shooting over 55 percent from the field and placing five scorers in double figures. Junior forward Lindsey Montgomery and freshman guard Grace Blaylock led the team with 15 points each, followed by guards Kendall Shepard (11), Lindsey Thompson (11), and Chioma Okoli (10). Blaylock started the game at point guard and played a team-high 30 minutes, dishing out 5 assists and collecting 7 rebounds. Forward Kiara Rainey was the Bulldogs’ rebounding leader, with 9 boards.

Although the offensive effort was encouraging, turnovers and team defense were areas of concern for the Bulldogs following the exhibition contest. UNC Asheville committed 28 turnovers, compared to only 19 from Mars Hill. The Bulldogs were able to limit Mars Hill to 34 percent shooting in the game, but gave up 17 offensive rebounds. Those second-chance opportunities enabled the Lions to rack up 72 points.

If the Bulldogs are able to protect the basketball and control the offensive glass, they have a chance to do much better than the eighth-place finish projected for UNC Asheville at the Big South media day. With the loss of last year’s leading scorer and point guard Ana Baker, there have been questions about the Bulldog’s ability to produce consistently on the offensive end. The strong cadre of Bulldog underclassmen, led by Blaylock, look to answer those questions as the regular season begins. Asheville added another underclassman to its roster this week. Redshirt freshman MacKensie Wheaton, a cross country and track runner at UNC Asheville, has joined the team as a guard.

Newberry enters the season as one of the top teams in the South Atlantic Conference. Last season, the nickname-less Newberry squad finished with an 18-11 record and fell in the semifinals of their conference tournament. The team is picked to finish third in the conference this year. Newberry returns two of its top producers from last season. Senior Helen McKinney average 14.9 points (7^th best in the conference) and 7.2 rebounds. Junior Anita Bulcher was second in the SAC with 8.7 rebounds per game, and 11^th in scoring (13.3).

The game is scheduled to begin at 4:30 on Saturday, immediately following volleyball’s Senior Day regular season finale against Winthrop.

Go Dogs!!!

Vollyball Goes For the Title this Weekend

The Bulldogs return home to the Justice Center this weekend with the opportunity to capture a conference title. UNC Asheville will host Coastal Carolina at 7pm on Friday, followed by a 2pm date with Winthrop on Saturday. A victory in either match earns the Bulldogs a share of the conference title and the top seed in next weekend’s Big South tournament. Two wins (or one win and a Liberty loss) would give UNC Asheville the regular season championship.

Coastal Carolina (16-12, 9-5) handed the Bulldogs their first conference loss of the 2009 season on October 17, in a tightly contested five set match in Conway, S.C. Three Chanticleers posted double-doubles in that match. Junior Chelsy Kimes, who ranks second in the Big South in kills, was the top performer for Coastal with team-highs in kills (15) and digs (19). Classmate Amanda Russell (11 kills, 13 digs) and freshman Sierra Livesay (10 kills, 14 digs) also had big days. The Chanticleers have a variety of talented offensive players and are also one of the best in the conference in terms of blocks. Junior Megan Bickford had five blocks against the Bulldogs, in addition to 15 kills and a .324 hitting percentage, and senior Jill Nyhof ranks third in the league in blocks this season.

UNC Asheville will conclude the regular season with its Senior Day match against Winthrop (18-9, 10-4). On October 16, the Bulldogs defeated Winthrop in four sets on the road, but the Eagles are an elite team and will be prepared for the rematch. Winthrop leads the Big South in team hitting percentage and has two players among the top ten in kills – senior Kelley Taylor and junior Kaley Viola. Viola posted a double-double in the loss to Asheville with 11 kills and 11 digs. The Eagles are also have a strong setter – junior Kelsey Hall leads the conference in assists – and libero. Junior Ginnie Talley ranks among the top ten in both digs and service aces, and notched 12 digs and two aces against Asheville. Winthrop has suffered two losses in its last four outings (against Liberty and Coastal Carolina), but got back on track with a decisive three set victory over Presbyterian on Saturday.

The Bulldogs will need to be at their best to defeat two opponents of this caliber, but the team carries a great deal of momentum into the weekend. Asheville reeled off three consecutive tough road victories last week to claim first place in the Big South, and will be eager to defend that position. Following a phenomenal showing over that three match stretch, Kelsey Benorden was named National Player of the Week by the Collegiate Volleyball Update.

This is a great weekend to see high-level volleyball at the Justice Center, and the last chance to see the 2009 Bulldogs at home. Come out to support the team as they fight for a conference championship.

Go Dogs!!

Men's Soccer Tournament To Begin Friday

Sixth-seeded UNC Asheville will kick off the Big South men’s soccer tournament with a rematch against third-seed Liberty. Thanks to continued rainfall from tropical storm Ida, the match has been postponed and will now begin at 5:00 Friday evening. The Bulldogs (6-11-2, 2-5-1) fell to the Flames (10-4-3, 4-2-2) in the regular season finale at Greenwood Field on Saturday. UNC Asheville claimed the lead in the first half of that match on a Connor Holzinger penalty kick, but was unable to answer second half goals from Liberty’s Darren Amoo and Chris Phillips.

Amoo should again pose the biggest challenge to the UNC Asheville defense. The sophomore from Ghana led the Big South in points (30) during the regular season, and his 13 goals are tops in the conference and sixth best in the nation. Amoo was a constant scoring threat in Saturday’s match, launching a match-high eight shots and scoring the game-tying goal in the 49^th minute. Amoo’s countryman and fellow sophomore, Phillip Aseweh, ranks fourth in the Big South in points (20) and will also be a danger. Sophomore midfielder Juan Niño is second in the conference in assists (8), and supplied the helper on both Liberty goals on Saturday.

Liberty is also a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end. The Flames have allowed a conference-low (and fifth lowest in the nation) 0.51 goal against this season. Most of the credit for this feat belongs to sensational junior goalkeeper Andrew Madero, who leads the Big South with a 0.47 goals against average (fourth best in the nation) and .860 save percentage (10^th in the nation).

The Bulldogs enter the Big South tournament on a five-match losing streak that has dropped them into sixth place, setting up a grueling run at the conference title. If Asheville is able to outlast Liberty on Friday, they will face the winner of second-seed High Point and seven-seed Radford on Saturday. High Point, the tournament host, finished 5-1-2 in conference play and looked very impressive in a 2-1 victory over the Bulldogs at Greenwood Field on October 3. Should Asheville make it to the conference championship match on Sunday, the Bulldogs will likely face either top-seeded Coastal Carolina or fourth-seed Winthrop. The Chanticleers finished the season undefeated in conference play, while the Eagles are the only Big South team to defeat High Point – and did so on the Panthers’ home pitch.

With his penalty kick goal against Liberty, Holzinger became Asheville’s top scorer for the regular season with 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists). Freshman striker Zachary Odum is a close second with 9 points. Lassi Hurskainen has defended the net valiantly all season. Although his goals against average of 1.64 is only fifth best in the conference, Hurskainen leads the league with 105 saves and ranks second with a .789 save percentage.

Although UNC Asheville has struggled of late, the Bulldogs have the opportunity to get back on track and make a run in the conference tournament. Although Asheville lost to the top three seeds, the Bulldogs scored in each match, and each was a one-goal decision. The entire tournament will be streamed online and can be viewed on the Big South network.

Go Bulldogs!

Volleyball Reclaims First Place With Two Thrilling Wins

The Bulldogs wrapped up a four match road trip over the weekend with victories in pivotal contests against Liberty and High Point. On Friday night, UNC Asheville defeated Liberty in four sets (25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20) in a battle for sole possession of first place in the Big South conference. On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs held on to their advantage with a win in four (25-16, 13-25, 26-24, 25-21) against an improved High Point squad.

Friday’s contest matched the two teams that have topped the Big South standings all season long. The Flames (16-11, 11-3) hoped to even the season series after a 3-1 defeat at the Justice Center on October 10^th, but were overpowered by the Asheville attack. Kelsey Benorden produced 25 kills, a .370 hitting average, 15 digs, and 2 blocks, to lead the charge. Cindi Miller chipped in 10 kills, Rachel Guinane had 43 assists, and three other Bulldogs added double-figure digs – Raquel Miotto (24), Bridgett Holliday (19), and Brooke Holliday (12). Liberty was powered by a pair of preseason all-conference selections. Chelaine McCarty turned in 16 kills while hitting .282, and Nicki Scripko posted team-highs in kills (17) and digs (16).

On Saturday afternoon, Asheville was able to avoid any hangover from the previous night’s victory and came away with a critical win against a High Point team that has improved dramatically since falling in consecutive sets at the Justice Center on October 9. After dropping the first set, High Point (16-15, 5-9) dominated the second, but was unable to hold off the Bulldogs from that point. High Point had four players post double-digit kills led by Courtney Johnk (14), and four Panthers recorded over 10 digs, including conference digs leader Julie Hershkowitz (25). The Bulldogs benefitted from another dominating performance by Benorden, who registered 20 kills, a season-high 28 digs, and 3 blocks. It was her 16^th double-double of the season. Lauren Ficker added 13 kills, Guinane supplied 45 assists and, not to be outdone, Miotto turned in a match-high 32 digs.

When the Big South’s weekly awards were announced today, it came as little surprise that Benorden was named Player of the Week and Miotto Defensive Player of the Week. Including Tuesday’s win at Gardner-Webb, the Bulldogs went 3-0 on the road against a very tough conference slate. Benorden posted 61 kills, a .306 hitting percentage, and 58 digs over the three match stretch. She eclipsed the 1,000 career kills/1,000 career digs milestone on Tuesday night and now ranks first in the Big South in kills with 4.12 per game and ninth in digs with 3.52 per game. Miotto tallied 72 total digs this week, along with 4 service aces. The senior from Brazil now ranks 5^th on the NCAA all-time digs list, and is second in the Big South in digs this season with 5.05 per game. Ficker and Guinane were also standout performers this week. Ficker now leads the Big South in hitting percentage at .379. Guinane had 128 assists on the week, and improves to third in the conference in that category, averaging 10.63 per game.

The Bulldogs (23-8, 12-2) will defend their conference lead as they wrap up the regular season at the Justice Center this weekend. Asheville hosts fourth-place Coastal Carolina on Friday, followed by the season finale against third-place Winthrop on Saturday. UNC Asheville clinches the Big South regular season championship and the number one seed in the conference tournament with a victory in either match.

Four Bulldogs Receive Big South Conference Honors

Four UNC Asheville women’s soccer players were honored on Wednesday night at the Big South annual awards banquet. Freshman forward Chloe McCleary-Small and sophomore defender Mary Kate Tucker were both named second team all-conference. McCleary-Small, a homegrown talent who was a standout at Asheville High, led the Bulldogs in points (9), goals (4), and game-winning goals (3) in the first season of her UNC Asheville career. Tucker anchored a back line that allowed the fewest goals this season (16) of any team in the Big South. Tucker was also credited with an assist on a game-winning goal from McCleary-Small in the Bulldogs’ September 13^th victory over Tennessee Tech. This is the second consecutive season Tucker has been named second team all-conference.

Freshman Hannah Jeske, who started every match this season as the lone freshman in Asheville’s strong midfield, was chosen for the Big South’s all-freshman team. Jeske had a strong season on both ends of the pitch, supporting the defensive line and taking 12 shots.

Asheville’s senior goalkeeper, Veronica Lazar, was named to the conference’s all-academic squad for the second consecutive year. Lazar capped off an outstanding career this season by posting a 0.84 goals against average and a .855 save percentage – both marks were second best in the conference. In her final match as a Bulldog, Lazar made nine saves on Sunday against High Point to earn the victory and her 13^th career shutout. Lazar, a Health and Wellness major, has a 3.70 GPA.

The 2009 Big South conference honorees:

Chloe McCleary-Small

Second Team All-Conference

Mary Kate Tucker

Second Team All-Conference

Hannah Jeske

All-Freshman Team

Veronica Lazar

All-Academic Team

Women's Basketball Tips Off Friday

Women’s basketball will take the court for the first time this season on Friday night when they host Mars Hill College in an exhibition match at the Justice Center. This will be a challenging season for the Bulldogs. The team is in a transitional period and must find its identity and leadership. If Asheville is able to do so, however, the Big South race is wide open.

UNC Asheville finished the 2008-2009 campaign with a 10-20 overall record, and a 7-9 mark in conference play. Although that placed the Bulldogs seventh in the conference, they were only three games out of second place. Asheville loses two starters from last season – guard Ana Baker and forward Jessica Monroe. Baker will be particularly difficult to replace. As a senior captain, she led the Bulldogs in scoring, assists, and steals, and was named first team all-conference. The starters that return were all productive last season, but will have to carry a much greater scoring load without Baker. Junior guard Chioma Okoli is the leading returning scorer at 8.7 points per game. Junior forward Lindsey Montgomery averaged 7.6 points and 6 rebounds, and led last year’s squad in blocks. Kendall Shepard, the final returning starter, averaged 6.6 points per game and is the likely choice to replace Baker at the point this season. Forward Linda Aughburns can expect to play a much bigger role in this year’s edition. The sophomore led the team with 6.4 rebounds per game last year, despite coming off the bench most of the season. Aughburns was named to the Big South all-rookie team.

With no double-digit scorer returning and no seniors on the roster, newcomers and inexperienced players will have the opportunity to prove themselves and earn big minutes for the Bulldogs. UNC Asheville has five freshmen on the roster who hope to make an immediate impact. Another key newcomer is junior guard Dana Wagner. Wagner is a transfer from junior college, where she was named first team All-American last season after leading her team in scoring, three-point percentage, free throws made, and free throw percentage. Wagner has already demonstrated her shooting touch here in Asheville – she was crowned champion of the three-point contest during Jammin’ at the Justice.

Mars Hill finished up last season with a 12-16 mark (5-11 South Atlantic Conference). The Lions return three starters from last season, including junior guard Brittini Young. Young was named second team all-conference last season after leading the South Atlantic in points per game (16.6) and free throw percentage (.865). At media day, the Lions were picked to finish eighth in the nine-team conference.

Tip-off will be at 7:00 on Friday. Come out to the Justice Center for an early look at the Bulldogs.

Benorden Reaches Milestone in Volleyball Win

UNC Asheville came away with a critical road victory against Gardner-Webb last night, taking the match in four sets (25-23, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18). The Bulldogs (21-8, 10-2) were able to get back on track after their loss to Charleston Southern on Saturday, while Gardner-Webb (11-17, 3-8) lost ground in the Big South race with a second consecutive conference loss.

The victory was especially significant for outside hitter Kelsey Benorden, who contributed 16 kills, 15 digs, and a .341 hitting percentage to the effort. The junior became only the 10^th player in the history of the UNC Asheville volleyball program to total both 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Tuesday’s match was also the 14^th double-double of the season for Benorden.

Two other Bulldogs also reached statistical landmarks in the win. Senior Raquel Miotto, whose conquest of the UNC Asheville and Big South career digs records this season has been more publicized, is on the verge of eclipsing a school record in an entirely different statistical category. Miotto had three service aces on Tuesday, bringing her total this year to 58. That single-season mark is good enough to place Miotto in a tie for third, just four aces behind Frida Sigurdardottir’s school record, posted in 2002.

Fellow senior Lauren Ficker also had a red-letter night with 12 kills and a .476 hitting percentage. Thanks to that showing, Ficker now leads the Big South in conference play hitting percentage.

The Bulldogs came out on top of a see-saw battle in the first set, then pulled away in the second on a 12-3 run highlighted by three kills from sophomore Cindi Miller. A 13-1 run by Gardner-Webb in the third prolonged the match, but UNC Asheville took an early lead in the fourth set and held on for the victory which came, appropriately, on a service ace from Miotto.

The victory moves the Bulldogs into a tie atop the Big South with Liberty, setting up a showdown on Friday night in Lynchburg with sole possession of first place at stake. UNC Asheville defeated Liberty in four sets at the Justice Center on October 10, but the Flames are a formidable foe. Liberty (15-10, 10-2) has won its last five conference matches and is undefeated at home in regular season play.

Women's Soccer Wraps Up Season on a High Note

UNC Asheville capped off the 2009 season with a 1-0 victory of the High Point Panthers on Sunday at Greenwood Field. The senior class was recognized before the match and proceeded to excel on the playing field. McKenna Stockhausen recorded her 12th goal in Bulldog blue in the 12th minute of the match, and Veronica Lazar made nine saves for her 13th career shutout.

The Bulldogs came out on the offensive in the first half, firing several shots on goal, including near misses by Stockhausen and fellow senior Lauren Turnburke. In the 12th minute, Stockhausen beat a High Point defender but was taken out with a dangerous tackle inside the box. The Asheville striker was awarded a penalty kick, which she drove home to the bottom right corner of the net.

High Point responded with a relentless attack for the final 15 minutes of the period, but a strong effort by the Asheville back line and several quality saves by Lazar combined to preserve the lead. Following intermission, the Panthers again came out on the offensive, but the Asheville defense resisted. After a barrage of about 10 minutes, the Bulldog midfielders succeeded in slowing the tempo of the match and keeping the pressure off of the Lazar the rest of the way.

UNC Asheville wraps up with season with a 5-10-1 overall record and a 2-7-0 mark in conference play. The Bulldogs did not qualify for the Big South postseason tournament. As this was the final match for the seven seniors on this year’s squad, I’m including photos of those players – each of whom made significant contributions to Sunday’s victory.

Lauren Turnburke

McKenna Stockhausen

Keri Skelton

Kristina Montuori

Veronica Lazar

Sara Marie Holland

Meagan Bradham

Men's Soccer Preview: Coastal Carolina

UNC Asheville will return home to Greenwood Field on Saturday after a four match road trip, but a difficult challenge awaits against Coastal Carolina. The Bulldogs (6-8-2, 2-3-1) won at Radford and VMI before dropping consecutive matches to Winthrop and Gardner-Webb, and are now fifth place in the Big South. Coastal Carolina (5-2-6, 2-0-3) is undefeated in conference play and has not lost a match since a Sept. 11 contest with Georgetown, yet the Chanticleers are only fourth in the conference thanks to three draws.

The Chanticleers’ most impressive conference win was a 3-1 victory over Gardner-Webb on Oct. 7. Gardner-Webb defeated UNC Asheville on Wednesday and is currently second in the conference. Coastal has also played both Liberty and High Point, two of the league’s finest, to scoreless draws this season. The Chanticleers defeated the Bulldogs twice last season, first in the regular season and again in the Big South tournament. Both matches were 1-0 decisions, and both game-winning goals were scored by Coastal’s Robert Hunter (now a senior). Coastal has come out on top in its last six contests with UNC Asheville, dating back to 2004.

This year, Coastal Carolina has had several different contributors on offense. Junior Matt Schroeder leads the team in conference goals, while senior James Stapleton and junior Riley Phelps are the overall goal-scoring leaders with five apiece. Defensively, Coastal is an imposing foe. The Chanticleers have allowed only two goals in five conference matches, mostly owing to the stellar goalkeeping of Scott Angevine. The sophomore leads the Big South in goals against average (0.35), save percentage (.913), and shutouts (3). Finding a way around Angevine will be the biggest challenge for the Bulldogs on Sunday.

Freshman Zachary Odum remains the Bulldogs’ top scorer, despite starting in only one match this season. Odum added an assist to his total in the loss to Gardner-Webb when he found Alex Koslick for the sophomore’s first career goal. Lassi Hurskainen’s statistics have suffered in conference play, where he ranks eighth in goals against (1.58) and sixth in save percentage (.800). This owes mostly to the barrage of shots the sophomore has faced – he still leads the conference in saves per game at 6.67.

The match kicks off at 2 p.m., and is a critical contest for the Bulldogs as they fight for Big South tournament seeding. Admission is free, so come out and support the team!

Go Bulldogs!!!

Women's Soccer Preview: Liberty

UNC Asheville will try to snap a four match losing streak on Friday when it hosts Big South-leading Liberty. The Bulldogs (4-9-1, 1-6-0) have struggled to maintain an offensive rhythm in conference play, and their task will not become any easier against the Flames (8-7-1, 5-1-1), a group that has stifled opponents with superb defense.

Liberty goalkeeper Karen Blocker ranks first in goals against average (0.18) and save percentage (.974) in conference play. The sophomore also leads the league with four shutouts. Asheville’s senior keeper, Veronica Lazar, turned in a strong performance in non-conference action but has struggled at times in Big South matches. Lazar ranks ninth in both goals against (1.15) and save percentage (.778) over this stretch. Freshman Megan Dent, who has shared time in goal with Lazar since returning from an injury, has averaged 1.71 goals against and a .667 save rate in three conference matches.

Junior Maria Owen is the linchpin of the Liberty attack. Her 11 points in league play lead the Big South, and she ranks second in goals (4) and third in assists (3). Sophomores Aimee Luurtsema and Silvia Betancourt are tied for fourth, with three goals apiece. Asheville had difficulty converting offensive opportunities over the four consecutive losses, and produced only one goal during the stretch. The Bulldogs’ four conference goals make up the lowest total in the Big South. Katy Beeler leads the team with two conference goals, while Chloe McCleary-Small is the overall leader with four. Senior striker McKenna Stockhausen has only one goal on the year, but leads the team in shots and has had a number of near misses. If this trio of forwards can get back on track on Friday, Asheville will have a good chance to steal a victory from the conference leader.

Liberty defeated UNC Asheville last year, 3-1, in Lynchburg. The Flames also came out on top in 2007, the last time the two sides faced one another at Greenwood Field. Come out and support the Bulldogs as they try to reverse that trend. The match kicks off at 3pm, and admission is free.

Men's Soccer Preview: Gardner-Webb

UNC Asheville will wrap up a four game road trip on Wednesday night when it visits the Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb. The Bulldogs (6-7-2, 2-2-1) defeated Radford and VMI in the first two matches of the trip, before falling to conference-leading Winthrop on Saturday. Gardner-Webb (7-5-1, 3-3-1) is currently third in the Big South standings, and has only lost one home match this season.

Gardner-Webb is very productive on the offensive end, and has come up with several quality wins. The Runnin’ Bulldogs opened the season with a road shutout of ACC heavyweight Clemson. In conference play, Gardner-Webb has defeated Liberty, Radford, and Presbyterian, and played to a draw with Big South-leading Winthrop. Senior Gerard Hefferon ranks second in the conference in points (21), goals (8), and is third in assists (5). Fellow Londoner Romeo Kabanda is fourth in goals with five, and tied with Heffernon in assists. A third Englishman, freshman John Sargent, has also tallied five assists. The goalkeeping for the Runnin’ Bulldogs has been less impressive. Junior Trent Kozman ranks last in the conference among starting keepers with a .672 save percentage – well below the .824 mark posted by Asheville’s Lassi Hurskainen.

Asheville has bounced back from a sluggish start to go 5-3-1 over its last eight contests. The Bulldogs had notched two consecutive wins before coming up short against Winthrop. The match did see sophomore Bryan George, the leading returning scorer from last year, record his first goal of the season. Freshman Zachary Odum remains the Bulldogs’ leading scorer with eight points, but he is followed closely by sophomores Connor Holzinger (7 points) and Jake Hagedorn (6).

UNC Asheville has lost to Gardner-Webb in three of the last four seasons, including a 2-1 defeat last year at Greenwood Field in which both Hefferon and George scored goals. The match kicks off at 7pm, and will be streamed online at www.bigsouthsports.com.

Go Bulldogs!!

Volleyball Preview: Presbyterian

UNC Asheville goes for another conference win on Tuesday night when it hosts Presbyterian at the Justice Center. The conference-leading Bulldogs (19-7, 8-1) need a victory to hang onto their one game advantage over Liberty, while the Blue Hose (9-15, 4-5) look to capture a third straight Big South match.

Asheville is coming off of a decisive win over Radford on Saturday afternoon. Kelsey Benorden turned in her fifth consecutive double-double, Lauren Ficker tallied 11 kills while hitting .556, and Raquel Miotto contributed 16 digs. The Bulldogs appear to have shaken off their brief slump, and will try to claim one more home win before embarking on a four game road trip against some of the conference’s elite. On October 6, UNC Asheville faced Presbyterian on the road. The Bulldogs took the match in three sets, behind 17 kills and 9 digs from Benorden, and outhit Presbyterian, .245 to .106, in the process.

Junior Lisa Shelley, who ranks second in the Big South in kills, led the Blue Hose with 11 during the first meeting between these two teams. The defense was anchored by junior Elizabeth Heineman, who had ten digs (she is currently eighth in the conference in that category). On Tuesday, Presbyterian should also see a bigger contribution from junior Amanda Kettles, who struggled against the Bulldogs but has the seventh best hitting average in the league. The Blue Hose topped Charleston Southern and Radford in their last two conference outings and should provide Asheville with a tough challenge.

The Bulldogs currently lead the Big South in hitting percentage and rank second in opponents’ hitting percentage, which goes a long way to explain their success this year. If UNC Asheville comes out on top, it will be the first time since 2005 that the Bulldogs have achieved a 20-win season. First serve will be at 7:00 p.m.

Go Bulldogs!!

Slam Dunk Contest Highlights

Check out these highlights from the slam dunk contest at the 2009 Jammin' at the Justice event!

http://tiny.cc/uncadunk

Volleyball Takes on Radford in Annual Dig Pink Match

UNC Asheville will resume its pursuit of the Big South volleyball championship on Saturday afternoon when it takes on Radford in the annual Dig Pink match. Together with the Side-Out Foundation, the Bulldogs will do their part to support the fight against breast cancer. The team will wear pink jerseys during the match and auction them off afterwards to raise money for this worthy cause. Donations can also be made at the match and on the UNC Asheville athletic department website.

The Bulldogs (18-7, 7-1) have stumbled a bit of late, falling to Coastal Carolina and East Tennessee State in their last two contests. Asheville still holds a one game lead in the Big South, but will need a victory on Saturday to remain ahead of Liberty, Winthrop, and Coastal. On September 25, the Bulldogs edged Radford on the road, 3-2. The star of that match was Lauren Ficker, who came up with 16 kills (while hitting .455) and 14 digs for her only double-double of the year. Asheville also got strong performances from Raquel Miotto (27 digs), Cindi Miller (13 kills), and the Holliday sisters (a combined 23 digs). The Bulldogs played the match without the injured Kelsey Benorden, who brings a streak of four consecutive double-doubles into Saturday’s match.

Asheville coach Julie Torbett argues that Radford (11-14, 1-8) is a much better team than its record indicates, and the squad certainly played at a high level in the September match. Four Highlanders registered double figure kills, and three had at least ten digs. Radford was paced by senior Lauren Clary, who tallied 17 kills and 8 digs while hitting .400. Freshman Desiree Aramburu, who ranks eighth in the conference in assists, posted 52 in the match to go with 5 kills and 10 digs. Junior Kiley Kent, second in service aces behind Miotto, had 3, along with 14 digs. The Highlanders lone conference win came against High Point on September 29, and the team has dropped six consecutive Big South matches since. Radford did break up the overall losing streak on October 13, edging North Carolina Central, 3-2.

The match on Saturday should be a battle, as Asheville fights to hang onto first place in the conference. Come out to the Justice Center to support the Bulldogs and the Side-Out Foundation! First serve is at 2:00.

Go Bulldogs!!!

Women's Soccer Preview: Winthrop

Women’s soccer will try to bounce back from two disappointing games last weekend when the team travels to Rock Hill, South Carolina, to take on Winthrop. The Bulldogs (4-7-1, 1-4-0) dropped a pair of close matches to Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina, despite outplaying their opponents for long stretches. The Eagles (3-9-2, 0-4-1) have struggled early in conference play, and look to turn things around during this weekend’s home stand.

Quality play by midfielders Meagan Bradham, Leilani Halkiotis, and Hannah Jeske enabled the Bulldogs to control possession and maintain pressure on the defenses of Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina, but Asheville struggled to convert scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs dropped the two contests, 1-0 and 2-0 respectively, even though they outshot Charleston and equaled Coastal. Despite the losses, goalkeeper Veronica Lazar still ranks first in the conference in goals against average, and will again need to keep the score down against Winthrop. The Bulldogs’ scoring line of McKenna Stockhausen, Katy Beeler, and Chloe McCleary-Small has produced six combined goals on the season¬¬. The trio did an excellent job of creating opportunities in the two defeats, and should build on that success this weekend.

Winthrop has also needed to rely heavily on defense this season. In 14 contests, the Eagles have managed only eight goals – and only one goal in five conference matches. Goalkeeper Kelsy Weavil has had an outstanding season, and she ranks third in the Big South in both goals against average and saves. Nevertheless, the Eagles’ struggles on offensive have them sitting in eighth place in the Big South, and in desperate need of a victory this weekend when they host Asheville and last-place Presbyterian. Junior Tricia Vensel leads the Eagles in scoring with two goals.

The match can be viewed on the Big South Network.

Volleyball Suffers First Home Loss of the Season

UNC Asheville suffered its first home loss of the 2009 season on Tuesday night, falling to East Tennessee State in five sets. Paired with Saturday’s defeat at Coastal Carolina, this is the first time the Bulldogs (18-7, 7-1) have lost back-to-back matches in over a month. ETSU (7-14, 5-7) put together a strong effort in the match, breaking a four-game losing streak and ending a long road trip on a positive note.

The Buccaneers came out on a tear, quickly building an advantage in the first set that the Bulldogs were unable to surmount. Asheville took control in the second set, cruising to a 25-18 victory. In the third set it appeared the see-saw battle would continue, as ETSU jumped out to an early lead again. This time, the Bulldogs battled back to tie the set at 23, but back-to-back kills from McKayla Barber and Desiree Dyck quelled the rally. Asheville again claimed a decisive lead early in the fourth set, but allowed an ETSU run to tie the score late in the set before shutting the door with a Rachel Guinane kill. The pattern continued into the fifth set, where ETSU seized an 8-2 advantage. Following a timeout, the Bulldogs closed the gap to 14-12, but Jen Neice found a hole in the Asheville defense for the decisive point.
ETSU only used eight players in the match, but they were exceedingly productive. Five Bucs recorded double-digit kills, and Neice finished with nine. Barber was the leading scorer with 15 kills, and also led her team with a .458 attack percentage. Four different players reached double figures in digs for ETSU, as Whitney Cogburn led the way with 16. Senior Amanda Youell gave the Bulldogs fits in all aspects of the game, tallying 10 kills, a .412 hitting average, 52 assists, and 7 digs.

Several Bulldogs turned in stellar individual performances during the match. In a milestone match, senior Raquel Miotto had 24 digs to vault from seventh to fifth on the all-time NCAA leaderboard. Kelsey Benorden posted a match-high 19 kills along with 10 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. Lauren Ficker continued to attack with precision, hitting .348 with 10 kills. Bridgett Holliday also had one of her best matches of the season, contributing 14 digs to the effort. Team defense seemed to be the greatest struggle for the Bulldogs. Asheville allowed ETSU to hit .253 as a team – well over the Bucs’ average mark (.185) and the Bulldogs’ average allowance (.170).

A team unaccustomed to losing streaks, Asheville will look to right the ship on Saturday night when they resume conference play, hosting Radford (11-14, 1-8) at the Justice Center. The match will be the annual Dig Pink event, to raise money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. UNC Asheville players will wear pink uniforms for the match, which will be auctioned off to benefit the Sideout Foundation. The match will begin at 2pm.

Men's Soccer Heating Up

After a disappointing 1-4-1 start to the season, the Bulldogs have caught fire of late. UNC Asheville has managed a 5-2-1 mark over its last eight contests, a stretch that has included a tournament championship and a 2-1-1 conference record - good enough for third place in the Big South.

UNC Asheville defeated both Lipscomb and Belmont in mid-September to claim the title at the Hyatt Place Select Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the first tournament championship in more than 20 years for the Bulldogs, and a huge momentum boost for the program. Asheville followed the tournament up with a gritty showing on the road against nationally-ranked Kentucky, taking the lead on a Bryan Bartels goal but ultimately coming up just short. The Bulldogs returned home and took out a strong East Tennessee State side before beginning conference play. The Big South slate opened with High Point, one of the conference’s best this year. Despite being outshot 11-1 in the first half, Asheville took a 1-0 lead into the locker room, only to lose in a 2-1 heartbreaker. The Bulldogs responded three days later, rallying from a 2-0 second half deficit to force a draw with Presbyterian. At this point, Asheville set out on a grueling four game road trip, still searching for its first win in conference play. At Radford, the Bulldogs delivered a 1-0 victory behind J.J. Morrow’s first goal of the season and Lassi Hurskainen’s second shutout. On Saturday, UNC Asheville was in Virginia again, this time to take on VMI. The Bulldogs were again forced to play from behind, trailing 1-0 at the half, and again found a way to get the victory behind second half goals from freshmen Scott Himelein and Zachary Odum.

The keys to Asheville’s success thus far have been outstanding play in goal and a balanced offensive attack. Hurskainen leads the Big South in saves per match (6.85), and ranks second in save percentage (.824). Odum is the leading scorer with eight points, despite having started in only one match, but the Bulldogs have benefitted from a diverse attack. The team’s 16 goals have come from 10 different players, and Bryan George (the top returning scorer from last season and this year’s leader in shots) is poised to join that list.

The road will become more difficult for the third-place Bulldogs this weekend when they travel to Winthrop. The Eagles (8-2-2, 3-0-2) are ranked ninth in the South Atlantic Region and 46th in the nation. Senior Matthew Skonicki leads the Big South and is second in the NCAA with 11 goals on the season. The matchup is sure to be tough for UNC Asheville, but a third straight conference win on the road would place the Bulldogs among the league’s elite.

Volleyball Preview: ETSU

Now at the halfway point in their conference schedule, the Bulldogs will take a break from Big South play on Tuesday night as they take on East Tennessee State. UNC Asheville (18-6, 7-1) will try to rebound from its first conference loss of the season, while the Buccaneers (6-14, 5-7 Atlantic Sun) look to shake a four match losing skid.

After struggling to a 1-7 non-conference record to open the season, ETSU jumped out to a 5-3 mark in conference play before embarking on a five game road trip. The Buccaneers have lost each of the first four contests, but will look to reverse that trend at the Justice Center on Tuesday. In its only match to date against a Big South opponent, ETSU was shut out on the road by Liberty on September 4. The Bucs also split their two matches with USC Upstate, a team UNC Asheville blanked in its only other battle with an Atlantic Sun foe this season. The ETSU attack is led by juniors Alysa Long, who ranks sixth in the Atlantic Sun in hitting percentage (.310), and Whitney Cogburn, who leads the team in kills and is second in digs. Senior captain Amanda Youell is fifth in the conference in assists.

The Bulldogs’ impressive unbeaten run in conference play finally came to an end on Saturday afternoon at the hands of Coastal Carolina, a team that is unbeaten at home this season. The match lasted five sets, with four different Asheville players recording double digit kills (Kelsey Benorden, Lauren Ficker, Cindi Miller, and Jenna Dover). Benorden delivered her 10th double-double of the season, while Raquel Miotto posted a match-high 26 digs to move into seventh place on the NCAA all-time list. Despite the loss, UNC Asheville remains in sole possession of first place in the Big South. Liberty fell 3-1 to a rapidly improving High Point team, and is now locked in a three-way tie for second place with Coastal Carolina and Winthrop.
The match will begin at 7:00 Tuesday evening, and can also be viewed online through the Big South Network.

Go Bulldogs!!

Road Warriors

While women’s soccer is at home this weekend for a pivotal two game set, volleyball and men’s soccer are both out of town for conference showdowns of their own. Volleyball travels to South Carolina to face two of the Big South’s best, Winthrop and Coastal Carolina, while men’s soccer heads north to square off against VMI.

For the second straight match, first place in the Big South will be on the line for the Bulldogs (17-5, 6-0) when they battle Winthrop (13-6, 5-1) this evening. The Eagles have won five straight since dropping their conference opener to Liberty in five sets. Winthrop has posted both the highest hitting percentage and the lowest opponents’ hitting percentage in conference play this far. Junior Kaley Viola has been outstanding – she leads the conference in kills, and ranks seventh in hitting percentage and ninth in digs. Senior Kelley Taylor and freshman Baylee Stachan are also among the top ten in hitting, junior Kelsey Hall leads the league in assists, and junior libero Ginnie Talley is fourth in digs.

The Bulldogs will be challenged again on Saturday afternoon by Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers (10-9, 4-2) are fourth in the Big South and have won two straight, their only conference losses coming against Winthrop and Liberty. The Chanticleer attack is led by juniors Chelsy Kimes (second in the Big South in kills) and Megan Bickford (third in hitting percentage). Senior Jill Nyhof leads the conference in blocks, and senior Megan Pollard ranks third in digs. A strong showing this weekend would give UNC Asheville some much-needed breathing room atop the conference standings.

Men’s soccer will travel to Lexington, Virginia, to face VMI on Saturday morning. The Keydets (2-8-1, 1-1-0) are coming off their first conference victory of the season, a 2-0 home win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs also collected their first Big South win in their last outing, defeating Radford on Saturday. The Keydets rank near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, but have been kept in games by junior goalkeeper Brian Sowell, who ranks first in saves per game and third in save percentage. Junior Brian Harding is the leading scorer, with five points on the year. The match gives the Bulldogs a great chance to pick up another conference win on their current four-game away stand.

Women's Soccer Preview: Charleston Southern

The Bulldogs are in for a challenge tomorrow afternoon as they host the offensive juggernaut that is Charleston Southern. UNC Asheville (4-5-1, 1-2-0) is coming off its first win conference win of the season last Saturday, a 3-0 romp over Presbyterian. The Buccaneers (9-4-1, 2-1-1) boast the best overall record in the Big South and have overwhelmed opponents all season long with a relentless attack.

Charleston Southern’s 25.43 shots per game total is more than twice that of the next closest team in the conference. The Buccaneers also lead the Big South in corners (5.57), goals (2.93), and assists (2.86) per match. Junior Marky Boyce leads the conference in both goals (8) and assists (7), while senior Sarah Catenacci and junior Caitlin Wesnesky are tied for second in the league with 17 points each. Add junior Michelle Dennis (15 points), senior Jen Vroman (12), and freshman Morgann Wood (12) to the mix, and CSU has six of the conference’s top ten scorers on its roster. It is worth noting that UNC Asheville has played four fewer games than the Buccaneers; however, all six players also rank in the top ten in points per game (with Boyce, Catenacci, Wesnesky, and Dennis occupying first through fourth in the category). The statistics are inflated somewhat by a 14-0 dismantling of Alabama State in the first week of the season (a match that was abandoned in the 71st minute), but the Buccaneers’ attack has been consistently lethal. The fireworks on offense have enabled CSU to get by with a middling performance on the defensive end. Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Budros ranks near the bottom of the conference in goals against average (1.42) and save percentage (.656) despite the immense ball control advantage CSU has enjoyed. The Buccaneers’ sole shutout came in their most recent outing, a 3-0 defeat of VMI behind goals from Wesnesky, Lindsey Trexler, and Rebecca Hollstegge.

UNC Asheville counters with the Big South’s best defense. The Bulldogs have the lowest team goals against average in the conference at 0.88. Senior goalkeeper Veronica Lazar, who has taken over full-time duties in the net, leads the Big South in goals against average (0.85) and ranks second in save percentage (.848). Despite the outstanding percentage, Lazar is only eighth in the league in saves per game, a testament to a stout defensive line anchored by seniors Meagan Bradham and Keri Skelton. Offensively, the Bulldogs have benefited from the breakout performance of freshman Chloe McCleary-Small, whose nine points lead the team and are ninth best in the conference. Bradham is second on the team with six points, while senior McKenna Stockhausen and junior Katy Beeler have three points each. Asheville’s performance on Saturday, in which McCleary-Small, Bradham, and Beeler each scored (and Stockhausen tallied her first assist of the year), was a welcome sight as it end a three-game scoring drought for the Bulldogs. To defeat Charleston Southern, Asheville will need to have similar success in generating opportunities on the offensive end.

The match kicks off at 4pm tomorrow at beautiful Greenwood Field. Admission is free, so come out and support the Bulldogs in this critical conference match!