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Show sports Sports editor: Brandon Rodak Phone: 626-7983 Lady Cats look to steal title by Andrew Aragon asst. sports editor-Signpost Weber State University's women's track team will compete in the Big Sky Conference championships this week in Cheney, Wash. Women's track coach Jim Blaisdell said he expects the race for the championship to come down to a three-team battle between Cal State Northridge, Northern Arizona University and WSU. "On paper, Northridge would have to be favored a little bit," Blaisdell said. "But funny things happen at conference meets. If they slip, we'll try to steal it." Blaisdell said NAU and WSU both have good chances of beating Northridge. He also said there is a big drop off after the top three teams in the Big Sky. "The top three teams should finish 20 points ahead of everybody else," Blaisdell said. For the Lady Wildcats to win, the team will need some strong performances from the season's "Funny things happen at conference meets. If they slip, we'll try to steal it." Jim Blaisdell WSU women's track coach consistent top finishers. Blaisdell said that Jen Johnstun is probably the favorite to win in two events. She has the Big Sky's best mark in the high jump at 6-0 and the best time in the 800-meters at 2:07.92. She has qualified for nationals in both events. Fredi Salahuddin holds the Big Sky's best time in the 100-meters this season at 11.87. She also holds the Big Sky's fourth-best time in the 200-meters this season at 24.49. Several Lady Wildcat distance runners are ranked in the top five in the Big Sky in their events. In the 1 ,500-meters, Rosy Gardner, Kelly Felsted and Jenny Mortensen are ranked third through fifth in the event. Gardner also has the Big Sky's fifth-best time in the 3,000-meters this season at 9:50.96. Summer Schenck has the Big Sky's fifth-best time in the 5,000-meters this season at 17: 1 8.8 1 and the fourth-best time in the 10,000-meters at 36: 16.50. Ranae Friend has the Big Sky's fifth-best mark in the shot put this season with 48-2.5. The mark qualified her for nationals in the event. Friend also has WSU's best marks in the discus and javelin throws. , See Track page 9 i mmi iiM:c;:sSi!:s - A ' , - ' 1 " 1 2& ill! - 4 ' yf J " 'It j 't (7 ! I "H WSU women's and men's teams are optimistic heading into the Big Sky Conference Championships. Jerome Jenkins is ,WSU's tyesf.contender, in the mop's pole vault. , , , WSU's Tulp, O'Hara named to All-Big Sky tennis team By Brandon Rodak sports editor-Sgiwsf Two Weber State University tennis players are showing that they are experienced beyond their years. On Monday, Wildcats sophomore Blair O'Hara and junior Ande Tulp were named to the All-Big Sky Conference tennis team. O'Hara, who competed as the number one tennis player for the men's squad this year, hails from Mount Eliza, Australia. In his most recent competition at the Region Seven ITA Championship, O'Hara captured three victories before losing to Boise State University's Ben Davidson. He posted an overall singles record of 11-12, a 7-10 record in dual-action matches and a doubles record of 6-1 4. WSU women's team boasted another All-Big Sky Conference team member in Ande Tulp. This is the third time Tulp, a native of Estonia, has been honored with this post-season award. In the 1 997 season, Tulp racked up a 1 2-3 overall record with a 10-5 record in doubles matches. Her three defeats came at the hands of nationally ranked players including the University of Montana's Vanessa Castellano who was ranked 20th when she defeated Tulp in Ogden. Tulp believes that Castellano was her toughest opponent all season.Tulp has recovered from a freshman year where she was hobbled with knee problems. She attributes those injuries to the transition from playing on the mostly clay courts of Europe to the hardcourts of the United States. Tulp said, "The transition was tough both mentally and physically."Though she was content with her play this year, Tulp eyes the upcoming season as a time to improve."As long as we recruit well, we'll be pretty good. I am looking forward to next year because there is a girl from California that is coming in that will be pushing me to do better," Tulp said. With the tennis coaches out of town, Tulp was pleasantly surprised when she found out through another source that she had been named to the team. "I was hoping I would get the award," Tulp said. "I just worked hard all season, practicing a lot, and I had no injuries." For Tulp and O'Hara it looks like "practice has made perfect." MLB, RINK NBA sro; l 1 1 Monday May 12 games, winning pitcher: i National League RichDeLucia(3-i) Florida 1 1 Milwaukee 9 ; j Houston 4 Seattle 8 : I Winning pitcher: Winning pitcher: ; RobStanifer (1-0) Jeff D'Amico (1-2) : Colorado 9 Monday, May 12, NBA j Philadelphia 2 Playoff games ' 1 Winning pitcher: : J MikeDeJean (1-0) Utah 98 ; Los Angeles 9 3 : Atlanta 10 (OT) Pittsburgh 2 Utah wins series (4-1 ) 1 Winning pitcher: High scorer: 1 Greg Maddux (4-1) Karl Malone, 32 points, John Stockton, 24 points 10 assists I American League High rebounder: ; Karl Malone, 20 rebounds ' I Texas 4 Cleveland 2 New York 89 : Winning pitcher: Miami 76 : ; John Burkett (4-2) New York leads series (3-1 ) High scorer: i Minnesota 12 John Starks, 21 points ; Toronto 2 High rebounder: Mike Brown, 12 rebounds Winning pitcher: Brad Radke (3-2) Thursday's NHL games : Baltimore 5 Western Conference Finals ' Oakland 1 Detroit Red Wings vs. Colo- : ; Winning pitcher: rado Avalanche Jimmy Key (7-0) ; Eastern Conference Finals ; Anaheim 16 New York Rangers vs. Philadcl- Chicago ., 8 . ... phia Flyers J 'Vrv,v.w.A.VrV.'..w.v:' ::':,:f"-:-:A:k.y.-''v,.''it . . :-.; yi, l?5iIJlJllll.l:J" |