Check out these highlights from the slam dunk contest at the 2009 Jammin' at the Justice event!
http://tiny.cc/uncadunk
Friday, October 23, 2009
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!!!
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!!!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, October 19, 2009
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!!
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!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
