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Show Fall athletes performance hard to read If youre an SUU fan, this semester has been somewhat of a disappointment with the results on the field Of course, the womens soccer team was the exception to that rule this semester, as it had the finest season in its history I Honestly, when that teams season began, never would have thought the T Birds would do as well as they did However, this season is just the beginning for the womens soccer team Despite losing leading scorer and school record holder Tara Olson to graduation, there are still a number of key players that will be back for the in 2006 The Mid Continent Conference should be shaking in its collective soccer cleats at the mere might do next year, thought of what the one year older and one year wiser oh, where do I As far as the football team to be finding has of business first order The begin? a way to improve the dismal running game that all season doomed the While the passing attack improved throughout the season, the rushing stats never, ever O s uaee owa UniTG. U SUU hunting for win at Huntsman Center However, Nevill has not saited any of the Utes' so far tins season, despite shooting neaily games dvaughansuujoumal com 64 percent from the floor Markson, the Utes leading scoier averages 17 2 The SUU men's basketball team will venture to Salt Lake City Saturday to face the University of points per game to go with 5 6 rebounds per game Bryant has averaged 15 4 points per Utah, the third m state nval the T Birds season game and shoots nearly 85 percent fioin this so far faced have the free tlirow line have yet to win a game The The Utes average nearly 74 points per away from the Centrum Arena, with game as a team and their defense has their lone win coming m their only home limited opponents to just undei N7 points game against Weber State Meanwhile, per game on 45 percent shooting the Utes have yet to lose at the Huntsman The T Birds have struggled with a loss to off Center, but they are coming this season with starting center injuries Rice University m Houston Monday night MENS limited to ust tw'o games Lubor of Olsovsky m Colorado and faced the University BASKETBALL because of a sprained ankle he sulleied Boulder, Colo Wednesday mght m tire seasons fiist game Additionally The T Birds will look to stop freshman center Luke Nevill, who is following in the leading scorers Rand Janes and Justin Allen have both missed time with injuries footsteps of fellow Austialian Andrew Bogut The injuries have led to inconsistent starting Nevill is one of three Utes averaging m the double as only three players have staited all seven figuies so fai this season joining senior Bryant lineups See MEN, Page 8 Markson and sophomoie Johnnie Bryant By DARREN VAUGHAN CHRISTINA MCIER , UHlXR IT t J mill L puts up a shot against Weber States Brett Cox victory against during the the Wildcats in the Centrum Aiena. SUU plays Utah Saturday in Salt Lake City. SUU junior Henry Uhegwu 68-4- 7 did didnt even have 700 rushing yards The as a team this season Each of the top five running backs in the Great West Football Conference outgained the entire team As I said during the season, there is absolutely no way a team can win on a consistent basis without a strong rushing game (see BYU under Gary Crowton to see what I mean) . There is no way the can win consistently if they continue to throw the ball 50 times a game, because it will eventually come back to bite them the ball is Throwing decidedly more risky than grinding it out on the ground I am sure coach Wes Meier knows this already In fact, in talkmg to him after the Weber State game, he said he needed to go after some more offensive linemen to help protect quarterback Wes Marshall That will also strengthen the ability to run the ball If Meier is able to get the players the need, the ball carriers will definitely be getting more than just two or three yards per carry when they run the ball The womens basketball team looks like it is finally starting to find itself My initial worry when the season started was the teams youth, but it doesnt look like that worry will be confirmed While seniors Cassie Hahl and Cheryl Grant aie the unquestioned leaders of this team, it has been fun to see the younger players step up Sophomore Amy Young has developed into a rock solid point guard, whose ability to see the couit rivals that of any other guard in the Mid-Co- n Charmame Piula has been everything coach Joe Hillock expected and then some, as she thoroughly dominated Idaho State Tuesday night Julie Stradling has also been quite a find for the T Birds, as she provides a number of intangibles that don't always show up on the scoresheet If there was a statistic for hustle, I think Stradling and probably most of the would lead the nation The freshmen have really stepped up as well, especially Emily Mothershed If you would have told me that one of the T Birds freshmen would be such a spark commg off the bench in her first 10 games of Division I level college basketball, I really would have questioned your sanity, but Mothershed has done just that As for the mens basketball team, there is possibility that Saturday could be the day the erase their early season struggles A win against Utah would do wonders for their confidence, and I believe they can do it Remember, Utah barely beat Weber State, as the Wildcats took the Utes to overtime However, theT Birds made Weber State look like Weber High as SUU cruised to a 21 point victory against the Wildcats for their lone victory this season Can the T Birds break their road losing streak in one of the nations most difficult places to win for road teams, the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake j CHRISTINA MEFR SUUs Charmaine Piula prepares to drive past Idaho States 5 victory against the Andrea Lightfoot during the were able to hold The Arena. Centrum in the Bengals 80-7- vi--y H1' & rumble, Bengals stumble in victory ds By SCOTT MONROE smonroesuuoumal com T Bird forward Charmaine Piula led all scoreis wnth 25 points as the SUU womens basketball team held off Idaho State Tuesday night 80-7- 5 With the win, the T Birds improve to 4 2 on the season and the Bengals drop to 3 4 with the loss Piula, who also had seven rebounds and four steals said the win was a team effort I just played my hardest she said I couldn't have done it without the team State stalled the game shooting 0 foi 10 from the field but kept the scoie close m the hist half with its 3 point shomi'is The Bengals finished he g line sin olnia 25 for 71 from the field SUU setnot guild Cassie llihl overcame a slow lust hall lo scoie 14 points and giab five Idaho Mothetshed fouled ISU foiwatd Cliche) ( hambeis on ibo next Bengal possession and Clninbcis converted a 1 point play ill it pulled the Bei gils within one point Piula tesponded vv ith a i) lip with a minute to pla) and Halil hit two fiec tluows ill it se tied the victoi) loi SUU Doina kd the licnyils m scoi mg will. 21 point rebounds FicUunau Find) ill ol v filch e nil'' in the Mothetshed came ol f the second Ii ill h in locscl bench to add 5 poi nt s and 5 scoie points ind four iebounds toi the I Ulltlool lddc lie Riuls J as the t'v combined SUU coach loe Hillock foi six J poinlcis said ever) playei on the he Buds v ill be busy team was ready to phi) in WOMEN'S dm the ( hm tin n in" Tuesday mght s game BASKETBALL Bie.ik v fill g lines mist out came Ever) body and in st ue foes Utah with some pnde tonight I SI lie ilb ill Ut hey ) for the game and passion will also begin then Mid Continent he said Tonight that was the key The T Birds led 39 32 at the halt ( 'onteienee si lie lule u sd i) SUU s next "line is and didnt tiail again Howevei the ( ilil Lie D n P is in aa mist Bengals kept the scoie close in the second halt wiili solid post pi a) J he T BikU iIk n Ii el to Mi i" i Calif to ICe S ni M II) x oil from Natalie Doina Satui d iy hit two s ISU Andiea Lightfoot J lieT Bu Is next home g lines will free throws with two minutes left in Dec lo ag mist f lslein Oie"on o9 be 70 the the game to make scoie Hahl answered with a 3 pointer on and Dec 20 wainst UYS The 1 Buds begin their Mid Con the ensuing SUU possession to give m the Birds a 73 h9 lead with 1 35 to schedule Jan 2 agunst UMI-Cthe Centrum Ai en i play 1 ) 1 11 City? Its not likely but I think there is a possibility, and as long as that exists, it is hard to say it wont happen If the T Birds can avoid another fluky injury, I think there is a chance, mainly because Luke Nevill is NOT Andrew Bogut That, by itself, gives theT Birds their best chance against the Utes m quite a few years I hope to see some SUU fans in Salt Lake City I . I Saturday mght Darren Vaughan is the sports editor for the University Journal. He is dreading Finals Week , hoping that he can get the proverbial Game 7. He can be reached at dvaughansuujournal.com. CHRISTINA MEIER Hahl UNIVERSITY JOURNAL reaches for the ball as it goes out of win against Idaho Tuesday-nigh- t senior Cassie bounds during the State in the Centrum Arena. SUU L off a late comeback attempt by the Bengals, thanks in part to Piulas 25 points and seven rebounds. SUUs next home game is Dec. 16 against Eastern Oregon aurrow T-Bir- 'HI '111 |