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Show i 6 ATHLETICS Westminster basketball player scores 1,000 points career mark Mens soccer off-seas- on lj training methoc TAYLOR STEVENS Tia Pappas, senior, reached her 1,000 points career mark at a home basketball game on Feb. may become club sport MCCALL MASH CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING WRITER 19- - WRITER Chris Dorich, coach of the mens soccer team and national soccer coach of year 2015, said that he believes he has found the best way to condition his players in the Dorich decided to incorporate team handball into mens soccer training. There are many reasons why Dorich chose team handball over the regular running and weightlifting. Its good conditioning, said Yanni Cayias, a player on the team. Its better than running. NCAA The training rules limits the hours spent practicing soccer and conditioning that resembles the sport. Dorich needed to find something that could combine multiple elements found within soccer but that didnt resemble the sport itself. Team handball is similar to football and basketball. Fourteen players are on the court at once, six field players and one goalie per team. The games are divided into two halves with a off-seaso- n. She was presented with a bouquet of flowers and now joins the ranks of the relatively small number of alumni who have attained this feat. It was really cool, Pappas said. I think Im like the eighth player to get it at Westminster. Because many athletes transfer to Westminster or only play for a season, Pappas said the 1,000 points mark can be difficult to attain. For Pappas, this accomplishment the perfect culmination of her four-yecareer at Westminster and her teams performance this season. is off-seas- on ar "But I Weve done really well all four years, Pappas said. But this year were ranked third in the nation, and we have some high expectations for nationals. The team has only lost two games so far this season. Pappas said basketball has been a lifelong passion. She started playing Jr. Jazz when she was four and hasnt stopped since. Its crazy that its ending because its been my whole life, she said. Basketball and school, you know? But I know no matter what that basketball will be a part of my life that Ill coach or something. The Utah native will graduate this spring with a major in biology. She plans to go to graduate school, but said she will never forget the experiences that she had playing for Westminster. I just feel really lucky that I ended up here, Pappas said. I have the most amazing coaches and I love my teammates so much. Were like sisters. Its going to be really hard not seeing them every day, but I know its the type of relationship where if I called them 10 years from now it would be normal. We could just pick up right where we left off. The conference tournament semi-finawill be held at Westminster on March 6 in the Behnken Field House at 7 p.m. I hope everyone comes out and supports, she said. When were clicking, were really fun to watch. ls know no matter what that basketball will be a part of my life that I'll coach or something." off-seas- on Senior Night slips away RACHEL ROBERTSON The Behnken Field House was filled with smells of popcorn, pounding rap music and balloons on Feb. 20. The Westminster Griffins mens basketball team hosted Montana State- - Northern Lights for its annual celebratory Senior Night game. The Griffins honored their two seniors, Nick Jensen and Colton Moon. Jensen is a forward from Bakersfield, California. Moon is a guard from Burley, Idaho and has played on the team since his first year. Westminster won the starting tip and never looked back in the first half of the game. The Griffins possessed the ball and dominated within the offensive and defensive half of 30-min- ute 10-min- halftime break. Goals are scored anytime the entire ball crosses the goal line. The sport combines communication skills with agility and teamwork, which is why Dorich uses it for the mens team. Team handball creates the crucial skills we need, according to Shawn Egland, a player on the team. We build chemistry when we are out there playing. There is a high level of competition when playing team handball. We go out there looking forward to winning, Cayias said. Team handball is not only an international sport but a professional sport. Although its not big in the United States yet, there are collegiate teams across the country and Dorich said he would like to see it grow at Westminster. He hopes to see it become a co-e- d intramural club which he would be willing to assist with coaching. The boys love it everyone comes, said Dorich, which is why he said he believes team handball could have a good turn out as a club on campus. The soccer team has already purchased all of the necessary equipment All thats needed are the players. Until Westminster forms a team, those interested can check out Salt Lake Citys team, Utah Dynamo Team Handball Club, which practices weekly and plays in national tournaments. CONTRIBUTING WRITER the court. The Lights coach barked and paced back and forth. Within the opening two minutes his blazer was thrown behind a chair. The Griffins grabbed a 19-- 5 lead over Montana within the first 11 minutes of play. They let off the gas pedal towards the end of the half as Montana found a way to possess the ball. Westminster headed into the locker room at halftime with a lead of 29-2- 2. The Griffins second half was turnover ridden with a total of 15. Frustrations ran high, turnovers increased and possession went out the window. Turnovers, said Kenny Woodward, junior justice studies major. Most of their points actually came off of our turnovers. Woodward expressed his frustrations of turnovers in the second half which lead to the downfall of the Griffins. Montana rallied and scored 10 points to Westminsters two to bring the score to 43-4- 1 with eight minutes left to play. With four minutes left, Montana took the lead 48-4Colton Moon, senior, made a crowd roaring defensive steal with two minutes left and tied the score at 51 apiece. That was the last push by the Griffins. The Lights dominated the rest of the game and won 58-5The Lights were at the foul line in the final five minutes of the game. 7. 1. 9-of- -io It hurts, said Woodward, shaking his head. It stings. The turnovers we gave them turned into points for them. If we cut that out we would have won the game hands down. Nick Jensen, senior, led the team scoring 12 points. Moon, the other honored senior, finished with seven points and three steals. Moon moved within two steals of the Westminster career steal record of 164. Moon will look to catch the record on the road. The team finishes up their regular season with a pair of away games State and against Lewis-Clar- k then Montana Tech. We wanted it for the seniors, said Kenny Woodward, junior. But theres only so much you can do. Now we just have to get it for them and hopefully we make playoffs. Getting into the playoffs is the most important thing. Once we get in, we can just go from there. Students and faculty can keep up with the team on the Westminster athletics page for statistics, videos and game updates. I - : - ; I j 1 I s : j I I Montana State Northern and Westminster line up for foul shots at the end of the second half of their game on Feb. 20 during Senior at the line and take home the win of Night. Montana would score 22-of-- 24 58-5- 1. |