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.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Men's Basketball Picked 2nd in Big South
At the Big South Conference Media Day yesterday, voters confirmed just how dangerous UNC Asheville could be this season, picking the Bulldogs to finish second in the conference behind defending regular season and tournament champion Radford. Asheville turned in a 10-8 conference record (15-16 overall) last season to finish fourth in the Big South, and fell to Radford, 94-86, in the conference semifinals.
The Bulldogs lose forwards Reid Augst and Jason Ridenhour, the only two players to start every game last season, to graduation. Augst led the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game and was second in rebounding. Although these departures leave a void in the Asheville frontcourt, the Bulldogs have reloaded and are prepared to fill it. Three returning starters and eight returning lettermen ensure that this will not be a rebuilding season. Junior forward John Williams is the Bulldogs leading returning scorer (12.9 PPG) and leading rebounder (6.6 RPG) from last year. Asheville also has one of the best guard tandems in the conference with sophomore Matt Dickey (named to the Big South All-Rookie team last season) and lone senior Sean Smith (the Bulldogs’ best three-point shooter, posting an incredible .457 mark). Both players averaged in double figures last season. Asheville will have outstanding depth at guard, including sophomore J.P. Primm, who started a number of contests and played big minutes last year.
In the frontcourt, there are several potential candidates to help fill the shoes of Augst and Ridenhour. Junior Eric Stubbs led the Bulldogs in field-goal percentage one year ago at .515. Asheville also has a pair of underclassman centers with tremendous size. Sophomore Sean Hobbs (7’2”, 260) and freshman D.J. Cunningham (6’10”, 240) should provide depth and a strong interior presence.
The Bulldogs will be tested early and often this season, as they embark on a grueling non-conference slate to begin the year. The schedule includes away matches with national powerhouses Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Charlotte. There will be 14 home games played at the Justice Center this year, as well as an exhibition match against Brevard on November 9th. Asheville tips off the official practice season this Friday night with the annual Jammin’ at the Justice event. The festivities will include scrimmages with both the men’s and women’s players, a slam dunk contest, and a three point contest. Jammin’ at the Justice begins at 6pm.
The Bulldogs lose forwards Reid Augst and Jason Ridenhour, the only two players to start every game last season, to graduation. Augst led the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game and was second in rebounding. Although these departures leave a void in the Asheville frontcourt, the Bulldogs have reloaded and are prepared to fill it. Three returning starters and eight returning lettermen ensure that this will not be a rebuilding season. Junior forward John Williams is the Bulldogs leading returning scorer (12.9 PPG) and leading rebounder (6.6 RPG) from last year. Asheville also has one of the best guard tandems in the conference with sophomore Matt Dickey (named to the Big South All-Rookie team last season) and lone senior Sean Smith (the Bulldogs’ best three-point shooter, posting an incredible .457 mark). Both players averaged in double figures last season. Asheville will have outstanding depth at guard, including sophomore J.P. Primm, who started a number of contests and played big minutes last year.
In the frontcourt, there are several potential candidates to help fill the shoes of Augst and Ridenhour. Junior Eric Stubbs led the Bulldogs in field-goal percentage one year ago at .515. Asheville also has a pair of underclassman centers with tremendous size. Sophomore Sean Hobbs (7’2”, 260) and freshman D.J. Cunningham (6’10”, 240) should provide depth and a strong interior presence.
The Bulldogs will be tested early and often this season, as they embark on a grueling non-conference slate to begin the year. The schedule includes away matches with national powerhouses Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Charlotte. There will be 14 home games played at the Justice Center this year, as well as an exhibition match against Brevard on November 9th. Asheville tips off the official practice season this Friday night with the annual Jammin’ at the Justice event. The festivities will include scrimmages with both the men’s and women’s players, a slam dunk contest, and a three point contest. Jammin’ at the Justice begins at 6pm.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Volleyball Alone On Top
The Bulldogs solidified their position atop the Big South standings over the weekend with two huge conference wins at the Justice Center. UNC Asheville (17-5, 6-0) shut out High Point on Friday evening, and then defeated Liberty on Saturday afternoon to take sole possession of first place in the conference.
It was a team effort for the Bulldogs against High Point (11-11, 1-5) on Friday night. Kelsey Benorden posted a match-high 12 kills, but Lauren Ficker contributed 11 while hitting .412, and Cindi Miller added 9 to go with a .500 hitting percentage. On the defensive end, Raquel Miotto had 16 digs and Bridget Holliday came up with 13. Asheville also collected 9 blocks in the match, with Ficker tallying 4 and Jenna Dover and Holly Shelton each with 3. The Bulldogs outlasted High Point in a tough first game, 25-21, and then were able to pull away in the next two, winning 25-17 and 25-18.
On Saturday afternoon, Asheville tackled Liberty, the only remaining team unbeaten in conference play. The star of the match was Miller, who had a career-high 22 kills while hitting .500 for the second straight outing. Miller had a particularly strong showing in the decisive fourth set. Benorden and Ficker combined for an additional 24 kills, and three Bulldogs tallied double-digit digs - Miotto (16), Benorden (16), and Brooke Holliday (13). The match seemed destined to go five sets, with the first decided by a 30-28 margin. Asheville had several key blocks to take the second set, 25-22, but Liberty came back from the break re-energized and stormed to a 25-16 victory in third set. In the fourth set, however, the Asheville attack proved too much for the Flames (10-8, 5-1). Behind a series of powerful kills from Miller and Ficker, the Bulldogs were able to shut the door for the 3-1 victory.
Cindi Miller’s outstanding performance was recognized this afternoon when she was named Big South Player of the Week. In addition to the two matches this weekend, Miller also had nine kills and two blocks in the Bulldogs’ road win over Presbyterian on Tuesday night. With Ficker leading the attack all season and Benorden now healthy, the emergence of Miller makes Asheville’s front line truly formidable.
The Bulldogs will have the week off, but return to action over the weekend against two of the conference’s best. Asheville will travel to Rock Hill, S.C., on Friday night to take on second-place Winthrop (13-6, 5-1), followed by a Saturday afternoon battle with fourth-place Coastal Carolina (9-9, 3-2) in Conway, S.C. If the Bulldogs are able to come away from this road trip with their perfect conference mark in tact, they will be the clear favorite to claim the Big South regular season title.
It was a team effort for the Bulldogs against High Point (11-11, 1-5) on Friday night. Kelsey Benorden posted a match-high 12 kills, but Lauren Ficker contributed 11 while hitting .412, and Cindi Miller added 9 to go with a .500 hitting percentage. On the defensive end, Raquel Miotto had 16 digs and Bridget Holliday came up with 13. Asheville also collected 9 blocks in the match, with Ficker tallying 4 and Jenna Dover and Holly Shelton each with 3. The Bulldogs outlasted High Point in a tough first game, 25-21, and then were able to pull away in the next two, winning 25-17 and 25-18.
On Saturday afternoon, Asheville tackled Liberty, the only remaining team unbeaten in conference play. The star of the match was Miller, who had a career-high 22 kills while hitting .500 for the second straight outing. Miller had a particularly strong showing in the decisive fourth set. Benorden and Ficker combined for an additional 24 kills, and three Bulldogs tallied double-digit digs - Miotto (16), Benorden (16), and Brooke Holliday (13). The match seemed destined to go five sets, with the first decided by a 30-28 margin. Asheville had several key blocks to take the second set, 25-22, but Liberty came back from the break re-energized and stormed to a 25-16 victory in third set. In the fourth set, however, the Asheville attack proved too much for the Flames (10-8, 5-1). Behind a series of powerful kills from Miller and Ficker, the Bulldogs were able to shut the door for the 3-1 victory.
Cindi Miller’s outstanding performance was recognized this afternoon when she was named Big South Player of the Week. In addition to the two matches this weekend, Miller also had nine kills and two blocks in the Bulldogs’ road win over Presbyterian on Tuesday night. With Ficker leading the attack all season and Benorden now healthy, the emergence of Miller makes Asheville’s front line truly formidable.
The Bulldogs will have the week off, but return to action over the weekend against two of the conference’s best. Asheville will travel to Rock Hill, S.C., on Friday night to take on second-place Winthrop (13-6, 5-1), followed by a Saturday afternoon battle with fourth-place Coastal Carolina (9-9, 3-2) in Conway, S.C. If the Bulldogs are able to come away from this road trip with their perfect conference mark in tact, they will be the clear favorite to claim the Big South regular season title.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Volleyball Preview: High Point
The Bulldogs will look to remain unbeaten in conference play on Friday night as they take on High Point. UNC Asheville (15-5, 4-0) enters the match having won eight of its last nine, and tied for first in the Big South with preseason favorite Liberty. The High Point Panthers (10-10, 0-4) have struggled early in their conference schedule, but will look to get back on track against the Bulldogs.
High Point was picked fourth in the Big South preseason poll, and turned in several quality non-conference wins, including victories over North Carolina State and Charlotte. Conference play has been less kind to the Panthers, who were defeated at home by Big South powers Winthrop and Coastal Carolina before falling in a pair of five-set battles on the road against Radford and Presbyterian. On Tuesday night, the Panthers found their way back into the win column, easily defeating North Carolina A&T. Despite its record, High Point enters the match with a Big South-leading opponents’ hitting percentage of .163 (UNC Asheville ranks second at .169). In juniors Megan Smith and Stephanie Wallin, the Panthers have two players in the top ten in the conference in kills. Junior libero Julie Hershkowitz is second in digs behind Asheville’s Raquel Miotto.
Asheville has reeled off an impressive streak of victories to open its conference slate, culminating with a 3-0 victory over Presbyterian on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs’ senior leadership has led the charge all season. Middle blocker Lauren Ficker ranks third in the Big South in hitting percentage and seventh in kills. Libero Raquel Miotto leads the conference in both digs and service aces. Asheville has grown even stronger with the return of junior outside hitter Kelsey Benorden. The preseason all-conference selection shone against Presbyterian, contributing 17 kills, 9 digs, and a .464 hitting percentage to the effort. In 2008, the Bulldogs split a pair of matches against the Panthers, with each taking five sets to decide. Friday night’s match gives Asheville a great opportunity to build momentum for its showdown with Liberty on Saturday.
Go Bulldogs!!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Men's Soccer Preview: High Point
UNC Asheville will kick off conference play on Saturday afternoon with a tough match at Greenwood Field against the Panthers of High Point University. The Bulldogs (4-5-1, 0-0-0) have come away victorious in three of their last four outings, including a 1-0 victory over East Tennessee State on Tuesday. High Point (5-3-0, 1-0-0) opened its conference slate on Wednesday by pounding a good Gardner-Webb team, 5-0, on its home field.
High Point demonstrated Wednesday why it was projected as a Big South title contender in this year’s preseason poll. Five different Panthers scored against the second-ranked keeper in the Big South, and High Point goalie Michael Chesler turned in his fourth shutout performance of the season during the match in Boiling Springs, NC. Gardner-Webb is not a likely candidate to be blown out at home – the Runnin’ Bulldogs were off to a 2-0 start in conference play, with shutout victories on the road against Presbyterian and Radford. The Panther offense is spearheaded by brothers Ferijo (3 goals, 1 assist) and Karo Okiomah (2 goals, 2 assists), and by senior midfielder Matt Tuttle, who leads the team with five assists on the season. Chesler has played every minute of the season in the net for High Point, and ranks fourth in the conference with a 1.38 goals against average.
The Bulldogs have progressed dramatically during the young season, and enter the match with a good deal of momentum. Two weeks ago, Asheville defeated Lipscomb and Belmont to win the Hyatt Place Select Invitational – the Bulldogs’ first tournament championship in over 20 years. After a hard-fought loss against nationally ranked Kentucky, Asheville responded with the win over ETSU on Tuesday. Lassi Hurskainen recorded his first shutout of the season in that performance, lowering his goals against average to 1.55 (fifth in the Big South). Hurskainen’s performance in goal is a big part of the reason that the Bulldogs have been so competitive this season despite sometimes struggling to convert on the offensive end. Connor Holzinger has emerged as a star, leading the team with six points (two goals and two assists) while performing equally well on defense. Jake Hagedorn, who scored the winning goal on Tuesday, and Bryan Bartels also each have two goals on the season. Bryan George, the leading returning scorer from last season, has yet to crack the score sheet but has come close on a number of occasions.
UNC Asheville played High Point to a 1-1 draw on the road last season. If the Bulldogs are able to keep the scoring down again this year, they will have a great opportunity to claim a big conference win on Saturday. The match kicks off at 2 pm, and admission is free.
Go Bulldogs!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Volleyball Preview: Charleston Southern
The Bulldogs will look to remain undefeated in conference play tomorrow night when they host Charleston Southern at the Justice Center. Something will have to give in the match, as the Buccaneers (10-7, 1-1) boast the Big South’s best hitting percentage at .250, while the Bulldogs (13-5, 2-0) lead the conference in opponent hitting percentage, allowing just .167.
Charleston Southern had a six-game win streak broken up on Tuesday night, losing at home to Winthrop in consecutive sets. Just three nights before, Buccaneers had opened conference play with a convincing three set victory over Presbyterian. CSU has faced a number of the same opponents as UNC Asheville this season, and had little difficulty dispatching the Citadel, South Carolina State, and Savannah State. In the opening weekend of the season, however, the Bucs fell in straight sets to North Carolina State, a team that the Bulldogs topped en route to their USC Upstate Invitational championship.
Preseason all-conference selection Amanda Hill has lived up to the hype thus far for the Bucs. Her .312 hitting percentage ranks her fourth in the Big South, and she is second in the conference in kills and ninth in digs. Fellow junior Cori Holeman is also a key component of the dangerous CSU attack, ranking eighth in attack percentage and second in blocks.
The Bulldogs have had a week to rest since an inspired, come-from-behind victory at Radford last Friday night. Middle blocker Lauren Ficker was the star of that performance, with 16 kills and 14 digs. The senior’s .339 season hitting percentage is second-best in the conference. Asheville has also been able to rely on consistently outstanding performances from senior libero Raquel Miotto, who leads the conference in digs and ranks second in service aces, and from junior setter Rachel Guinane, who is eighth in assists and has a team-high .379 hitting percentage (Guinane does not have enough total attacks to qualify for the Big South leaderboard).
UNC Asheville and Charleston Southern split their two matches last season, with each taking five sets to decide. Tomorrow night’s battle should be equally competitive as the teams battle for position in the conference standings.
Go Bulldogs!!!
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