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Show SPORTS WWW.UVUREVIEW.COM VOLUME HI ISSUE 3 AUGUST 1, 2011 wig& Youth will be served By MATT PETERSEN Sports Editor This year's freshman class is the biggest yet, and they're not even done enrolling. For all you upperclassmen who scornfully reply, "So what?" consider this: 18 of the 42 combined players currently on the women's volleyball and soccer rosters are freshmen. That's 42 percent for you stat geeks out there. With 15 true freshmen. That's a lot of youth holding up two of the school's bigger athletic programs. And while strength and conditioning is the first wake-up call in the high schoolto-college transition, there's no telling whether this year's Crop of Frosh will bloom or buckle under the pressure. It doesn't matter if they're eager or afraid. They're going to play, and they're going to determine, for better or worse, how their respective teams perform. Volleyball lost their top three scorers to graduation, possibly a fourth if Jaicee Kuresa can't play this year. Soccer lost nine seniors from last year's GWC regular season champion squad. Nearly all of them were starters or key rotation players. That makes for rebuilding projects both on and next to the 1-15. Either way, it will be messy. There will be bumps in the road, some of them more jarring then others. Freshmen-heavy teams imply exceptional recruiting talent. Will heralded newcomers clash with veterans? It's a legit concern, particularly on women's teams coached by men. Discontent and back-biting happen. It probably won't be a problem given Sam Atoa and Brent Anderson's track records when it comes to team chemistry, but the potential is there. More likely, issues will arise on the court/field. With freshmen, enthusiasm goes hand-in-hand with inexperience. It's a doubleedged sword the coaching staff will try to hone the right way before it cuts too deeply into the losses column. How many times will execution falter because of unfamiliarity with the system? How many close games will be lost due to inexperience? The problem is these teams don't have a lot of time. Volleyball opens the season hosting invitationals that feature University of Michigan, yes, the other Wolverines, Northern Arizona and BYU-Hawaii. Syracuse and Kansas State are also on the slate. It's not any easier for women's soccer. Baylor, Miami, Utah and Princeton all form just part of a brutal early-season. In other words, the coaches will find out real fast who they trust — and who they bench. Onlookers in turn will find out what the coaches are aiming for: repeating or rebuilding. For the freshman, it makes for an NCAA baptism by fire. The cream will rise. Stars will be born in their first year instead of prepared and formed. Call it accelerated development. Just don't be surprised if there are casualties along the way. CONTACT: Photo courtesy of UVU Athletics Stratton Schulz blasted his way from being ranked No. 31 out of 32 to finishing second at the Utah State Amateur Golf Championships. Reloading on the fly team is confident with what they have. Leading the team will be three captains, senior Camille Broderick, senior Brianne Larsen, and junior Kelsey Kimball Cook. "I think we have some really good leaders," Anderson said. "I'm relying on them to organize the team, motivating them, getting them in the right place at the right time. I also think we have some other upper classmen that can add leadership and a spark when we need it." Jamie Lyons, the Wolverines' leading scorer from 2009, will back with the team after red-shirting last year due to injury. Sophomore Lauren Sack, last year's Great West Conference rookie of the year, will return as the goalie. Senior Kaitlyn Thomas will look to add exceptional ball movement to the team. Even with this base of talented players, Anderson said others will need to step up and help out. This will give the team's underclassmen players a chance to make a difference this season. "I think we will even see some freshmen step on the field and have an impact," Anderson said. Full team participation is a big team strategy. Whether it's attack- Womens soccer looking forward after losing nine seniors By GANT STOKES Sports Writer Even after losing nine seniors in the off-season and facing what coach Brent Anderson called "the most challenging schedule yet," the Wolverine soccer team is confident going into the new season. Tough match ups against Miami (FL), Fordham, Baylor and Princeton will challenge the team throughout the season. "We have some big names on the schedule," Anderson said. "The girls are excited about it. They know it's going to be challenging." With a higher level of competition the team will need to rise to a new skill level. Anderson feels leadership on the field will be key to this year's success. Unlike other sports where the coach is directly involved, soccer has a high need for on-field player-leadership. Losing nine players from last year's Great West Conference champion roster doesn't help Anderson in this area, however the Photo courtesy of UVU Athletics Coach Brent Anderson. SOCCER B4 Lauren Sack headlines youth movement By JONATHAN BOLDT Asst. Sports Editor Crafting a winning team while losing nine seniors in one season would be a tall task for any team. That excuse doesn't fly with Utah Valley University women's soccer coach Brent Anderson. "We did lose a lot of valuable girls, but the seniors we have coming back this year provide a lot of leadership," Anderson said. "They are preparing well and we have some amazingly talented players this year." The Wolverines will not have to rely solely on senior leadership the season. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Sack returns as the Great West Wk. - Goalkeeper Lauren Sack. - Photo courtesy of UVU Athletics SPORTS EDITOR MATT PETERSEN petersensports@gmail.com Asst. SPORTS EDITOR JONATHAN BOLDT jonboldt@gmail.com Conference goalkeeper of the year. As a freshman, she tallied an 8-61 record as well as setting a school record 0.98 goals against average. She also tied a school record with four shutouts. "Lauren is very athletic. She is explosive laterally, can jump, and has great hands," Anderson said. "But what makes her great is her leadership. She can position the defense so they can be better and she doesn't have to make a great save." Amazingly enough, Sack did not play keeper until her senior year of high school in Reno, Nevada. She gave up basketball and track after her sophomore year at McQueen to focus on soccer, where she excelled and was named All-League three LAUREN B4 Women's soccer 2011 regular season schedul 08/12/11 Green & White Exhibition 8/15/11 at Westminster 08/19/11 vs. Portland State 08/231 / 1 vs. Web er Sta te vs.Hdy2oVi Wyoming 08/28/11 vs. Miami 09/04 /11 at Utah 09/09/11 vs. Idaho 0 9/11/11 at Montana vs °9F1o1r 6d0a a0t 9ayllor at I0d9a/h2o2 1a1t e v s 9Mon ( t'a1n1a at NorthDakota vs. S LI'ilh1e0r/n1 iltah vs.10 111//aN 10/1511 / V S . Ho uston Baptist 1 0/18/11 at Princeton 10/20/11 at Delaware State 10/22/11 at NJIT 01 29/ 11 vs. South1 Carolin a State Asst. SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS DESIGNER jacobpartridge@gmail.com gonzamatic@gmail.com JAKE PARTRIDGE ERIC GONZALEZ |