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Show SPORTS B6 Cross country does it again By Justin Rogers Sports Writer On Oct. 31 the men's and women's cross country teams traveled to Edinburg, Texas, for the Great West Conference Championships, where both finished in first place. The men's team won with a score of 34 points, which was 22 points better than second-place Seattle University. The women's team won with a score of 39 points, 33 points ahead of second place Texas-Pan American. The men captured their second straight GWC title, while the women completed a three-peat of being named GWC champions. "It's always nice to see them run well /' Coach Scott Houle said. "They came healthy and ran with a lot of confidence." Even though freshman Kodi Kleven came in at fourth place for the women, it was the finishing places 10 through 16 that sealed the victory for the women. Six of the seven runners were from UVU. "In cross country we have something called a time gap, which is the finishing time between the first and last runner on the team," Houle explained. "You want the gap to be close, and it took our girls less than one minute to complete the race after Kodi crossed the finish line." That is not to minimize Kleven' s performance, as she was named GWC Freshman of the Year. "I really love running, and I want to contribute as much as I can to the team," Kleven said. For the men, junior Josh McCade was named the GWC Runner of the Year. "Josh is a great runner. He puts himself in the top of the country," Houle said. "He has put in the time and has kept his body healthy. He loves to compete." "I try to stay focused and relaxed and not have a plan before each race," McCade said. "I decide what I am going to do about 400 meters into each race. Your body reacts differently to each race." The awards for the teams do not end with Kleven and McCade. For the men McCade, senior Jared Keller and junior Spencer Evensen made first team All-Conference, and sophomore Tim Rowberry earned second team. Kleven and senior Aleina Eisenhauer Winger both made first team AllConference for the wpmen while junior Stephanie Christensen, junior Krystal Harper, sophomore Shelise Walker, freshman Jessica Wilding, sophomore Brooke Hodson and freshman Ivie Gonsalves made second team AllConference. Houle was named the GWC Coach of the Year, an award he was also given in 2008. Cross country will now move on to the NCAA Western Regionals that will be held in Salt Lake City on Nov. 13. Utah Valley plays green and white exhibition By Mike Sanborn and posting a dismal 35.7 percent field goal percentSports Writer age. Neitner side was able Basketball fans got a to get ahead of the other depreview of the men's bas- spite looking more alive on ketball team Wednesday, the court. After the game, Coach Nov. 3, as the team played an intrasquad green-and- Dick Hunsaker described the team's performance as white game. While appearing slug- neither lackadaisical nor sugish at the start, the players perhuman. Watching from came alive midway through the sideline, Coach Hunsathe first half and carried the ker was able to observe the energy through the end of a team play, and while he saw areas to improve on, he apshortened second. proved of the effort overall. With the team split With eight newcomers evenly between the home joining the five returning and away uniforms, it was starters, Coach Hunsaker difficult to assess all the saw a team that was still strengths and weaknesses. During the first half, finding itself. He explained freshman Holton Hunsa- that there is still uncertainty ker and junior transfer Isiah with each individual and Williams shot a combined their role they are playing 87.5 percent behind the line, on the team. Coach Hunsaker noted with Hunsaker sinking all that there are still areas in five of his shots. need of improvement, such Overall, the two intraas timing, execution and squad teams combined for learning the plays. Perhaps 84 points in the first, postIng a 54 percent field goal most telling of all, Coach percentage. Whether this is Hunsaker noted that the a testament to the Wolver- team needs to be more deciines' offensive power or a sive while playing defense. lack of defensive play re- When asked about the number of 3-pointers made in mains to be seen. the first half, Coach HunNotably absent from the saker responded, "I'm just first half were senior guard happy to see them on the Shawn Deadwiler and junior court." Rory Fannon. Their presUVU's big test comes ence was certainly felt in the this Friday at 7 p.m. when energetic 10-minute second the Wolverines will take half, with 3-point coverage on the University of Maine tightening and defenses on in the UCCU Center. Unboth sides arriving. doubtedly, Coach HunsaWith Deadwiler on the court, shot percentage ker will be working on the dropped significantly, with team's weak points throughthe opposing side failing to out the coming week. Jordan Swarbrick returns for his final season as a Wolverine. make a single 3-point shot Kira Terry/UVU Review Volleyball notches another crucial game Shane Maryott/UVU Review Senior Dani Robison goes for a kill in last weeks match against conference opponent Houston Baptist. The lady Wolverines will play two more conference matches before entering the Great West Conference championships on Nov. 19. By Kira Terry Sports Editor Utah Valley volleyball took on conference opponent Houston Baptist last Thursday night ending in a conference win, putting their conference record to 6-3 and 17-10 overall. The match began with senior Lanni O'Reilly doing her signature move: spinning the ball on her right hand, throwing it up and serving it over the net. The lady Wolverines took an early lead, secur- ing them the first set, 25-12. Senior Kayli Doxey led the Wolverines with six kills and three digs, while freshman standout Brookelyn Campbell finished the first set with nine assists* The second set saw the same story with an early lead, giving them a 2-0 advantage for the match. Doxey finished the second set adding five more kills and seven digs. Junior teammates Chelsey Heaps and Sarah Clement followed with three % digs apiece, while Campbell added nine more assists. After the break, UVU returned to the court with a winning momentum from the previous two sets, while Houston Baptist had another idea. The Huskies and the Wolverines stayed just within points of each other until Houston Baptist took a lead after passing the Wolverines at 10. The Huskies got a five-point lead before Coach Sam Atoa called a time out. After the time out, the Huskies scored four more consecutive points before UVU hit the score- board again. UVU scored ines, with UVU winning the five consecutive points in set and taking the match, hopes of catching the Hus- 3-1. kies, who were sitting at 24 'That was a nice win for points and needing just one us," Atoa said. "The girls to take the set. The Wolver- really dominated in the first ines couldn't catch Houston two sets and then kind of Baptist as they won the third had a learning experience in set, 25-22. the third and came back and did really well under both In the fourth game, Utah Valley again took an circumstances." early lead, but the Huskies The Wolverines will fincaught up, coming within ish up their regular season just one point of the Wol- on the road this week at verines. UVU held the lead, NJIT on Nov. 11 and at Chibut Houston Baptist trailed cago State Nov. 13. closely behind. The Huskies couldn't keep pace with the Wolver- |