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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle, Tuesday, October Page Nine 15, 1985 SPORTS After an admittedly 'bleak' outlook, Utah's Tye an prospect All-Ameri- Staff writer When Cher ! Tye first set out to become a volleyball player the future was far from promising. In fact, it looked rather bleak. "I tried out for the team in junior high for two years and didn't make it," Tye remembers. "I would make it past the first cut, but then I'd get cut." But those early failures are all behind her now. Tye is an candidate as a setteroutside hitter on the Lady Ute volleyball team. Tye and the rest of 11-- 8 face Idaho State Tuesday at home in a Utes the matchup at 7:30 p.m. in HPER-E10- 1. in conference play. Utah is Her early dedication finally paid off as she made her 9th-gravolleyball team, but basketball was actually her favorite sport. "Volleyball was second to basketball to me then. I played basketball more than volleyball in high school," Tye said. Ail-Ameri- non-conferen- ed ce 1- -1 dc Tye attended Salt Lake City's Cottonwood High honors School, playing both sports. She received in volleyball in both her junior and senior years and was also an outstanding forward on the Colt basketball squad. Following her high school career she had a tough decision to make: which sport to pursue in college. She entertained thoughts of remaining a two sport athlete in college, but soon realized that "there's no way in a Division 1 university that you could do both." So Tye decided on volleyball due primarily to a trip she team to California following her took with an school. in "That was the first time I'd ever junior year high been out of Utah and it was when I really saw how good volleyball is and what volleyball's like. From then on it was volleyball over basketball," Tye said. The Tye received scholarship offers from a of number junior colleges and from Weber State, all-sta- all-st- te ar and a walk-o- n offer from BYU. But being in a close-kn- it family, the offer to stay at home and go to Utah was too good to pass up. During her freshman year Tye sprained her ankle and missed much of the season, but under the old AI AW rules she couldn't rcdshirt. She then went on to have three successful seasons thinking that last season would be her final one. But after all women's sports changed to NCAA and she rules, her freshman season was received an extra year of eligibility. "Last year I was a senior. I was done. I was called a Nevada-Ren- o ' ' - " " r v - :- - ca by Loren Jorgensen 18th-rank- i' . " . ? ' senior in the paper and everything. Then on the last day of practice I was so excited because I found out I had another year," she recalls. In her first "senior" season, Tye was changed from her outside hitting position to setter and then later filled in again as a middle blocker when injuries left that position depleted. "Cheryl can play anywhere we need her to. She's so versatile," head coach Julie Morgan said of the honors only Ute that has been nominated for this year. Although Tye enjoys playing all the positions, setter is her personal favorite. "The hitters always get all the recognition, but I like setting because it is a lot more ' " '. i - ... v .. , all-Amer- ica challenging." Morgan feels Tyc's versatility may have hurt her a year ago because her stats chances of being were good all around but not outstanding in any one category. Her efforts did not go unnoticed though, as she was an selection and named the High Conference Offensive Player of the Athletic Country Year. Tye is also making the most of her "extra" senior year as she leads the HCAC in digs with 192 for an average of 2.87 a game. Tyc's 465 assists and .266 hitting percentage is tops for the Utes while she also has 60 blocks and 154 kills. "Cheryl is a very strong person both mentally and physically. She knows the game well and is smart on top of it all," Morgan said. "She is definitely a leader on the court." team she has played Tye feels this is the best on during her five year stint at Utah. "In the past we have had more height, but this year we're more team oriented and more organized," she said. "When we play together as a team is when we're at our best." Tye also thinks this year's team has more team depth than any of the previous squads she's played on. According to Tye the conference championship is not out of the Utes' reach although she says "everyone would have to play their best for the rest of the season." Another of Tye's great attributes is her consistency. Morgan said that Tye's off game against BYU earlier in all-arou- nd this season was the first one in two years. Tye also helps the younger players out in the transition from high school to college. "Most of our players arc from Utah and haven't gotten much experience. Cheryl has had the experience and so she helps them out and takes the time to orient them to the program," Morgan said. "She's Lady Ute senior Cheryl Tye sends serve to opponent in recent Utah volleyball action. Tye leads the Utes as they take on Idaho State Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in HPER East 101. an good person." Although Tye doesn't pay much attention to being an candidate, her coach thinks she deserves the and six honor. "Six girls make first team make second team. There arc about 20 or 30 more who deserve recognition and Cheryl is definitely one of those," Morgan said. Tye hopes to graduate at the end of this year with a degree in recreation therapy. "In rec therapy there are so many different people you can work with like the all-arou- nd (all-Ameri- ca) physically handicapped, mentally retarded or the elderly," she said. She wants to do an internship and hopefully work into a job using that route. Tye has had e occupation. thoughts about coaching as a part-tim- Home run from the Wizard puts Cardinals into 3-- 2 lead ST. LOUIS (UPI) Switch-hittin- g home Ozzie Smith hit the first run of his career in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday, moving the St. Louis Cardinals within one victory of the World Series with a 2 decision over the Los Angeles Dodgers. left-hand- ed 3-- Smith's shocking liner down the line off reliever Tom Nieden-fu- er gave the Cardinals their third straight right-fiel- d' victory over Los Angeles and a the best-of-sev- 3-- 2 lead in National League en playoffs. A victory in Game 6 Wednesday in Los Angeles will send St. Louis into the World Series for the first time since 1982. Niedenfuer had just entered the game in relief of starter Fernando Valenzuela. After Willie McGee, the first batter, fouled out, Smith followed with a shot that barely cleared the wall down in right field. He thrust his fist in the air as he rounded the bases and was mobbed at home plate by his teammates. Ozzie is known as the Wizard of Oz for his sparkling defensive work. But this time it was his bat that became a wand and it could propel the Cardinals. The Cardinals are bidding to become the eighth team to capture a best-of-sev- en series after losing the first two games. The most recent team to accomplish the feat was the 1981 Dodgers, who beat the New York Yankees in six games in the World Series. No team has won a series four all home and at winning games by is all But the road. three that what on losing the Dogers must do to capture these playoffs. best-of-sev- en Loss to ASU proved many things about the Utes Utah's performance on the football field Saturday night in Tempe, Ariz, proved a number of things about this year's team. The Utes aren't really as good as their record coming into the game would indicate. 1) 5-- 0 The way a number of Ute fans were talking, this was the year that Utah was finally going to beat the Y, and get ranked in the top 20, and win the WAC, and play in a bowl game, and ... Well, not to shatter the illusion folks, but it's just not going to happen. Sure, the Utes are measureably better ON SPORTS Peter Behle than last year, but they still aren't good enough to win the WAC title yet. Saturday's loss to Arizona State showed that Utah doesn't quite have what it takes to compete with nationally ranked teams. Though the Utes came back to make the final margin respectable, they were blown out for three quarters. The comeback, while somewhat inspiring to Ute faithful, still didn't erase the first "L" from Jim Fassel's coaching record. Those who saw the whole game can tell you it wasn't a contest. 2) The Utes are in for a tough pair of games these next two weeks on the road against San Diego State and Air Force. If Utah had either beaten ASU, or even played respectably for more than a quarter, a sweep over the next two WAC foes wouldn't have been out of the question. Now, however, it appears it is. If the Utes can emerge with a split of their next two, they will still have somewhat of a chance for the WAC crown. But getting that split will take a lot of doing. San Diego State played a fairly tough game in losing 28-- 0 to BYU in Provo last weekend and always gives the Utes fits when the teams get together in California. Air Force has cruised to an undefeated season thus far, and has been ranked in the top 20 virtually the entire year. The Falcons haven't played many legitimate teams, but Notre Dame. have posted a win over always-toug- h Utah must win at least one of the two to have a shot. And even that sounds a whole lot easier than it is going to be. The Utes are still a very young football team. Utah seemed to be rattled by the huge crowd at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Although well short of capacity, the crowd of 60,000 was more than the Utes have seen this 3) year. A veteran team would likely have responded better to the pressure than the young Utes did. While Utah's youth is somewhat of a problem this season, it does bode well for the future. Even quarterback Larry Egger, who is a junior in eligibility but in his first year at the U., appeared to be rattled. Two of his four interceptions took place in the first quarter and many more of his passes were well off the mark. Eventually, he settled down and played reasonably well in the second half, despite being pummeled by the ASU defense on several occasions. For the game, Egger wa sacked six times, which had to affect his passing. 4) Utah has a truly woeful defense. Against an ASU offense that certainly wasn't anything out of the ordinary, Utah gave up tremendous hunks of yardage and points. But that isn't anything new. The Utes have been giving up too many points and too many yards for the whole year. For the season, Utah's 30 a opponents are averaging 450 yards and nearly points game. Against Arizona State it finally caught up with them. The big play always seemed to go the Utes' way in the first five games this year, but it didn't Saturday. Utah didn't get an interception, but did pick up four ASU fumbles, though none helped until the fourth quarter when ASU seemed to already have let down anyway. for Ute fans, it already looks like it's "wait til next year" time. 5) Unfortunately Even looking at the remainder of the Ute schedule in a very optimistic light, it appears that the Utes can't finish much better than 9-- 3 for the year and that would mean two losses in the WAC. mark would look good, but won't get Utah a WAC title. It will however, give the Utes a good boost going into the 1986 season. A 9-- 3 |
