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Show SPORTS B1 GREAT WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS Two tough ones Men's wrestling returns to action with some highly anticipated tournaments By Garrett Coleman Sports Writer garrettjcoleman@gmail.com great weekend. We needed that from her in order to be successful." Nish wasn't the only one making a statement for the Lady Wolverines. Kalani Norris made her presence known with 11 kills of her own. She also had seven digs to her name against Houston Baptist as UVU had a total of 57 digs. Alongside Nish, McKenna Tait and Brookelyn Hall were named to the All-Tournament Team and had The men's wrestling team has had three weeks off competition, but those weeks have been anything but a vacation as the team prepared for the biggest two tournaments of the year: the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational and the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Illinois. These two tournaments are what the team has talked about to get the national respect it is looking for. There will be some of the best wrestlers in the nation at both of these tournaments and that is something coach Greg Williams notices. "It will be an eye-opener for other people," said Monte Schmalhaus (174 lbs.) "For them to see that we can hang with the top guys and once we start beating those guys, it's not going to stop, we'll progress." It is easy to see that Williams has confidence in his team. He not only shows that confidence in his team, but the team is catching the contagion in return. "I like the way they have been wrestling," Williams said. "I think that their attitude is really good and they've been progressing. It's the most excited I've ever been." It may seem like it is a huge task in front of them, especially of meeting the goal of getting nationally ranked. Disregarding a pessimist outlook, Williams feels that his team is fully prepared for the tasks at hand. See GWC CHAMPS, B2 See WRESTLING, 82 LAURA FOX/UVU REVIEW The UVU women's volleyball team swept the conference for the GWC Title. Solo senior Erica Nish was named the GWC Tournament MVP and Brookelyn Hall was named to the All-Tournament Team. Nish, Hall and Tait win their first title ever By Alex Rivera Assistant Sports Editor twitter @a_river_uh The women's volleyball team found a way to go out on top by sweeping the conference tournament and leaving the Great West with the championship in its trophy case. With UVU making the move to the Western Athletic Conference next season, the women's volleyball team decided to send a message to upcoming rivals in its new conference. The team did so in sweeping fashion as it was able to knock off Texas-Pan American in three straight sets followed by Houston Baptist in the same manner. Erica Nish, the only senior on the team, was named Tournament MVP after averaging 11 kills and two blocks per match over two games in the tourney. Nish led the Wolverines against Houston Baptist, posting 13 kills, eight digs and two block assists to finish off her collegiate career. This time last year, Nish had blown out her knee and could only cheer on her teammates from the sideline. This year, she was very much part of the action and has a championship to show for it. "I'm very happy for Erica," head coach Sam Atoa said. "It's satisfying to see the comeback she's made and to see her get out there and have a 66 We believed in ourselves and we got it done. SAM ATOA Head Coach UU Defense is the miss ingredient Hoops and hopes SHANE TRUSKOLASKI/UVU ATHLETICS Sophomore Tina Doughty has 27 total rebounds in her seven games played as of last weekend in a push to improve the team's defense. After a tough loss to Long Beach State, coaches and players agree that the defense must improve in order for a win By Matthew Baiamonte Sports Writer mattbaiamonte@gmail.com The missing ingredient to the Wolverines' recipe for success this season is better defense. The Wolverines lost their second home game of the year 69-77 to Long Beach State. It was a tough loss considering the team had a 21 point lead late in the first half and was able to score 49 first half points. The second half is one the ladies would like to forget. Unable to score like they did in the first half, the Wolverines watched their 19-point half-time lead evaporate and disappear entirely when they couldn't generate enough defensive stops. "It was a tough loss," said sophomore guard Taylor Huber. "We should have won the game. I don't think we came out with as much fire as we should have in the second half." Huber had an exceptional game coming off the bench, tying her career high with 17 points. Most of those points came in the first half when the Wolverines watched most of their shots fall in, shooting a white hot 60 percent from the field. They could have sold a video of the first half to shooting instructors as a how-to DVD. The second half would have been a how-not-to-shoot DVD, shooting only 22 percent. Even 66 We've got to figure out how to win. A lot of times it's just making a stand when the game is in the balance, and I believe it's on the defensive end. CATHY NIXON Head Coach UU CARLOS SANCHEZ/UVU REVIEW though they would have liked to score more, the game slipped out of their hands on the defensive end. The Wolverines won't have much time to dwell on it, though, since they are currently on a two game road trip in Tulsa and South Dakota before returning home on Dec 4. Head coach Cathy Nixon views this short road trip as an opportunity to work on the little things such as rebounding, boxing out and getting defensive stops in critical moments. "We gotta figure out how to win," Nixon said. "A lot of times it's just making a stand when the game is in the balance, and I believe it's on the defensive end. Sometimes your confidence gets a little shaky when you don't see results but hopefully they can remain even keel emotionally and continue with their effort." See DEFENSE, B3 Alfonzo Hubbard has started in six of the eight games played as of last Friday. Men's basketball finishes a three day tournament 1-2, taking a victory from Eastern Washington By Rachel Anderson Assistant Sports Editor randerson3x@gmail.com After winning their home opener 96-70 against Arizona Christian, the Wolverines kept their heads held high as they traveled to Northern California to take on Eastern Washington, Santa Clara and USC Upstate in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic at Santa Clara University. Although the Wolverines didn't finish as hoped, leaving the Classic 1-2, pushing for the lead led to career-high records for some of the team members. "I'm very pleased with our team," said head coach Dick Hunsaker. "This has been a very difficult opening stretch for us but I thought we were very competitive in Santa Clara." Utah Valley tipped off Tuesday night where they took a close 8683 win against Eastern Washington. With a huge comeback during the second half leading the Wolverines to a final victory, center Ben Aird led the night with 25 points, matching his career-high record. With assistance from leading scorers Jason Johnson with 18 overall points and Alfonzo Hubbard at 16 points, the Wolverines maintained a strong offensive play with a consecutive five point lead, shooting a two followed by backto-back free throws defeating the Eagles to a well-earned win. "Eastern Washington was the pre-season pick in the coaches' See BBALL, 82 |