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Show Page A6 Thursday, September 16, 2004 Times Newspaper Wilson's Slat trick Tiger s defeat Lone Peak for first Region VII win Rs mm SO!? LANDON OLSON Times Sports Editor There wasn't much Lone Peak could do because Tamika Wilson just wanted it too badly. Getting Orem on the board early, then scoring twice late in the second sec-ond half, Wilson led the Tigers to a 4-2 victory over the Knights Thursday, giving Orem its first Region VII victory. "Tamika won that game for us. There is not a question about that," said Orem coach Melanie Hoopes. "She wanted it, she's a captain, and she led us to it." Up 2-0 at the half, the Tigers saw their lead drop five min- utes into the second half when Laura Goodrich scored on a header. With the Knights pushing hard to get the equalizing goal, Orem had several close calls on the defensive end, watching Bhots ricochet rico-chet of the post and go just wide. Keeper Alyson Tucker made a diving save in the 62nd minute to maintain the lead, but just seconds later she was run over in the goal. She still knocked the ball away, but momentarily left the game after "Tamika won that game for us. There is not a question about that." Melanie Hoopes Orem coach getting kicked in the back. "She got pretty much trampled on," Hoopes said. "Good thing we've got a tough goalie." Tucker quickly returned, but said she was nervous throughout the second half with the Knights so aggressive on offense. She was able to relax a little when Wilson scored her second goal of the game minutes later, though. Taking a throw in, Wilson dribbled down the sideline, angled into the center and beat the defense, drilling a shot from point blank range to put the Tigers back up by two. That lead lasted only two minutes. Goodrich struck again, this time on another header that Tucker couldn't could-n't do much about. "They were amazing headers," Tucker said. "The first one I feel like I should have gone for it and maybe I could have touched it. The second I tipped it and there was no way. It was an amazing header." With the lead back down to one, the anxiety began anew for the Tigers, but Wilson again took care of things, putting the game away. Fighting through the defense, Wilson was able to slide and barely get a foot on the ball, toeing it past the diving keeper to put Orem back up 4-2 in the final five minutes. "When she scored that final one, I was finally able to relax. I thought I was going to have a heart attack," Hoopes said. In the first half Wilson struck five minutes into the game, drilling a long shot that went off the top of the keeper's hands and into the top corner of the goal. In the 19th minute, Anne Shallenberger notched the second goal, tapping in a close range shot off the far post to make it 2-0. Now 1-0-1 in region play, the Tigers started a tough week Tuesday at Timpanogos and will host Mountain View Thursday. The T-wolves were undefeated going into Tuesday's game, while Mountain View's lone loss was at the hands of the Timberwolves. "It's a big week. Definitely a big week," Hoopes said. "Hopefully this was just our warm-up." Tucker said she's looking forward to the challenge, especially with the offensive weapons both opponents possess. "I think we can hold them but I think definitely they'll be a huge challenge," she said, "But I'm ready for them. i 1 i t ""i .. . V " "Hit. A 1 " HI S If photo by Landon OitoalTlmes Newspaper Orem defender Haley Warner lifts her foot high to play a bouncing ball In the Tigers' victory over Lone Peak. Bushnell the bright spot in Bruins' loss to Lone Peak 3 fr- U V w - ' Aik'V i V f. I'M'' - J 5 ' ' i ' I 'fry l Vw4-1 , li - aa, y '. bij-i...,,,., - , ,,,,1,, photo by Landon Ohon7unes Newspaper Mountain View singles player Kim Bushnell returns a shot against Lone Peak during her Sept. 8 match. LANDON OLSON Times Sports Editor HIGHLAND For now, Mountain View has its top player at No. 3 singles, but that's not because the lineup is off. Instead, Kim Bushnell is the one who's playing to the best of her ability, and Sept. 8 at Lone Peak, was the lone Bruin to win a match in the team's 4-1 loss. "Right now I think she's probably playing better than anyone on the team for her ability," coach Lisel Robert said of Bushnell. "She's just playing really consistent." wmcn is sometning tne rest ot the team is 1 -- . A 111 . 1 . wonung lowara, Dut witn only a lew matche oenina mem tms eariv in the aoaann 1 Bushnell is the one who has been finding a way to win, grinding out her first two region juiaiiuica. "Everyone iust looks like thevVp still nnfl I sure how to go out there and win," Robert said. "And Kim just looks like she's an old hat." After dropping the first set 6-4 to Lone Peak's Rachael Martin, Bushnell came back strong in the second, winning win-ning 6-2 to earn the split and bring up the deciding third set. That's when the match came down to consistency and endurance, as the points were drawn out and the set stayed close. Bushnell went up 5-3, but Martin came back with a win to make it 5-4 before Bushnell closed it out for the 6-4 win. It was the second long, tight match Bushnell had played in two days, but says that's not something she wants to make a habit of. "I'm really worn out," she said. "I just like to get the point over with. I'd like to play short matches." Robert, on the other hand, says she thinks tight matches like that are clearly in favor of the sophomore. I ! fa 1 IV v "The tighter the match, it's almost better for her. She never chokes or mentally gets discouraged," Robert said. "She said she was a little bit nervous there at the end, but she never shows it." But how Bushnell stays so composed is even a mystery to her. "I don't know how I do it. I just try to focus hard and not think about anything else that's going on," Bushnell said. "I definitely was nervous. I was about to the point I was going to throw up I was so nervous." In the other matches, Lone Peak cruised to victory, winning all four in straight sets. A T m... At xno. i singles, Anstina Uoerr defeated cnagette Strickland 6-1, 6-0, while at No. 2, Kristi Hight edged Brooke Tenney 6-3, 6-3. But in both those, the Bruins showed some improvement, playing more steady and menially men-ially tough than in earlier matches. In doubles. Nikki Bohne and StonViRTiio v. -I- Jfi..j n pi..-. . ucieaiea Drums otaci spencer and Dam Whittaker 6-2. fi-2 while nt Ma 9 Knights Emily Sheffield and Lindsey Bonne duplicated that score with n fi-2 fi.9. win Avar Heather Cramer and Jen Funk. Still, Robert isn't too concerned this early in the season and expects things to be different the second time around. "I care more what you take away from this rather than if you win or lose," she said. The team also had a chance to get plenty of experience over the weekend, traveling to St. George for at least four matches. Already halfway through the brief season, the Bruins face Orem Thursday in the second round of region play Mountain View went through the first half 2-2, while Orem was 3-0 prior to facing Timpanogos on Tuesday. Agiuu tuuiuiiiiieai ueginB dept. oU. Tigers edge Mountain View tennis in tight rivalry match T A rrv rv t -w -.mv LANDON OLSON Times Sports Editor With the start of Region VII play, the tennis rivalry continued, contin-ued, and there weren't many surprises. Orem eked out a 3-2 victory at Mountain View Sept. 7, renewing the hold on the region the Tigers established last season. "It was good to get that under our belt," said Orem coach Lynsi Gardner. "It kind of scared me on a few matches, a lot of close ones." Those "close ones" included two matches that each had two tiebreakers, and ultimately decided the outcome for the teams. "I wouldn't expect anything less." said Bruin coach Lisel Robert. o 7r ' 1 f Mountain Vtewli Danl Whfttakar steps oacK to return a shot durfcig her Na 1 ooubtes match. Whtttaker aid partner Stacl Spencer won 6-1, 64. With Orem Dickintr un the first two singles spots, and the Bruins laying claim to No. 1 doubles, the remaining two matches became crucial. It was at No. 2 doubles that Orem clinched the match, though. After winning a 7-5 tiebreaker in the first set, Michelle Peterson and Nicole Clark jumped to a 5-2 lead in the second set. But like in the first set, Jennifer Funk and Heather Cramer fought back to tie the set before falling in another tiebreaker, this time 7-4. "We just need to work on focusing more," Peterson said. "We started to get a little bit more focused. We were more focused in the second... until we started making jokes. That's our problem." The win was the first victory at a doubles spot for Orem this season, and after switching team throughout the first couple cou-ple of matches, it may help stabilize sta-bilize the positions. "That's really nice," Gardner said of the win. "It's good to know we can count on them for some wins now." That win sealed the match for Orem, but it also proved necessary nec-essary as the battle at No. 3 singles sin-gles went in favor of the Bruins. Kim Bushnell and Rebekah Valek went down to the wire in both sets, with Bushnell pulling out identical 7-4 wins in the tiebreakers to take the match 7-6, 7-6, 7-6. "They were very evenly matched," Gardner said. "TW going to be a fun match to watch next time. I'm excited for spy-. I ' Tiger. Michelle Peterson (left) congratulates partner Nteoto Clark during their No. tZZ"" it." Despite being young, Bushnell is able to maintain composure through tight matches, something Robert said is an added advantage, and can also help the team. "I was glad all the team came over to watch her because she's a good example," Robert said. "She never screamed or yelled. You didn't know whether she was winning or losing by the way she was acting." The other Mountain View win came at No. 1 singles, where Dani Whittaker and Staci Spencer defeated Ashley Call and Stacee Rowley, 6-1, 6-4. 6-4. In the rest of the singles matches, though, the Tigers where clearly in control. At No. 2, Ashlee Gardner, despite having hav-ing a problem with her eye after getting hit during practice earlier ear-lier in the week, cruised past Bruin Brooke Tenney 6-0, 6-1. Continuing their rivalry from last year, Orem's Kaitlyn Craig defeated Bridgette Strickland at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-1. After Craig went up early, Strickland wasn't able to bounce back fighting not only her opponent, but herself ."I think she- couldn't settle down. I think she was just too hyped up," Robert said. "She kind of ran on emotion and just never settled down, never got in a groove of any sort." Both teams continued region play Wednesday and Thursday, each earning a pair of victories, then traveled to St. George for a tournament over the weekend. Returning to region play this week, Orem was at Timpanogos on Tuesday, then has a rematch with the Bruins Thursday. |