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Show Ready to compete The Griffins expect to have a great 2009 season Josh Fisher Lindsay Bekken. Lindsay Judd and Jennifer Prescott bring depth to the Griffins back line. Sports Information and Events Coordinator The fall athletic season is shaping up to be a good one for the Westminster Griffins. Mens soccer, womens soccer, womens volleyball and cross country The all compete during the fall for Westminster. Griffins have a reputation of being competitive during the fall season and will continue to be a strong force this year. Here is a quick look at how the fall teams look this season. Men's Soccer Tournament After advancing to the in 2008, the Westminster mens soccer team is ready to make a run at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championships. They will have eight seniors on the team this year looking to record they posted in 2008. improve on the Valan Campbell will anchor the team as goalkeeper after playing in 17 games last season. Campbell and recorded 1.20 a of two posted goal against average shutouts in 2008. Jeff Gardner is back after scoring 15 shots on goal last four goals and taking a team-be- st season. Look for Daniel Duke, Tysen Gehring, and Isaac Green to be big contributors for the Griffins. The team has also put together one of the toughest schedules they have ever had. The Griffins will open the 2009 campaign with three games in three days in California. They will face Azusa Pacific, The Masters College, and Westmont College during the trip. They will also face Adams State, Bellevue, and Great Falls in home games this season. Tri-Confere- nce 9-7- -2 Women's Soccer The 2009 season will be the third in the history of womens soccer at Westminster. They enter the season with high expectations after a trip to the Frontier Conference Tournament last season. Seventeen players last year, are returning from a squad that went and including the goalkeeper, Dayna Winter-Nol- te second leading scorer, Maddie Spere. The team also has a great home field advantage, posting a 10-4- -1 record on Dumke Field over the previous two seasons. in goal and Spere with five Along with Winter-Nolt- e Conference goals, the Griffins bring back defender Michelle Erickson. Brinna Bennion, Maddie Maldonado and Elaina Pappas all return to the back line, while Sarah Swenson and Rachel Watson return to provide some offense. Newcomers Megan Maldonado and Nicole Taylor should give the Griffins a few more weapons offensively. They also added depth at goalie with the addition of 7-1- 1-1 All-Front- ier Volleyball Westminster womens volleyball team is reloaded and ready for the 2009 season. They have spent the offseason building and preparing for another run at the' Frontier Conference tide and a return trip to the NAIA National Championships. They have added several hew players who will compete for playing time this season. Whitney Roseborough and Kelsey Schaufler are the lone seniors with experience at Westminster in 2009. Coach Kim Norman will look to them to provide leadership to the younger players both on and off the The court. Ericka Evans and Tahnie Blymiller have each played big roles in the Griffins success over the past few years. Evans is the leading returner in kills and hitting efficiency. During her two seasons, she has piled up 313 kills, 261 digs, and 101 blocks. Blymiller sat out last season, but has put together some staggering numbers playing defense for the Griffins. For her career she averages 3.35 digs per set, and in 2006 she recorded 548 digs. Freshman Megan Evans and sophomore Jessica Schmidt, a transfer from Walsh University, will be asked to step into the setter role this season. Schmidt helped Walsh advance to the NAIA National Championships as a freshman setter in 2008. The Griffins are expecting good 'things in 2009. They have a good mix of talent and experience. They have added some players to the team this season that should help them be competitive this year and for years to come. Westminsters women's volleyball team hopes to go to Nationals this year. Cross Country The cross country program will have a new look in 2009. Under the direction of new Head Coach Craig Binkley, the Griffins will suit 15 athletes this season, the most since the inception of the program six years ago. r Jordan Henderson is expected to lead the mens team 27 f) i Af r during his senior campaign. Henderson placed 15th at last seasons Frontier Conference Championships and I ; i is V. V was consistently the Griffins top performer. Amanda Theobald became the first cross country runner in Westminster history to qualify for the NAIA National Championships when she placed fourth at the conference championship meet last season. This If mut mJ$mi r1 individual for should contend conference she season an The cross country program is starting its season with a new coach . championship along with a return to the national meet. cf S ,'Rl UV 2 i; M?. nl - ri r i y. piMn, of $ A $ QJ to c wdifcv rl : aft ?r' f- -.j IK i: r'V.'i A I F V Sfes W0i - $ f v1 I t , , ? ' A : ' , - fiI i 2 L i t - 1 f . ' I T - - t a4 11, he women s soccer team it - fr ' , a i 7-- ' "A i i h f,'l i v: . ,41-? i will pace its third season this year. 4 v 4 l Of 4 C3 I1I uO. 1 o o JC CL i' f - Westminsters mens soccer team will open the season in California. VOLUME XLIII: ISSUE t9 't!i V ii - frr iV' 3 i ' I Q C a A 9' f 2. JWSavu,'-. - h. k |