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Show SPORTS r www. uvur evie w. com AUGUST 30, 2010 VOL L ISSUE 5 Soccer team picks up first loss of season ':'^" - v S '•> •' ' A^Mi Winning streak comes to an end against Utah State By Matt Petersen Asst. Sports Editor Consecutive wins over Weber State and Southern Utah showed how far the Wolverines can go this season. A 4-0 loss to Utah State two days later, ending their seven-game winning streak, showed just how far they have to get there. The good, bad and ugly were intermixed within a weekend's span, leaving both coach Brent Anderson and the Wolverines (2-1-0) grateful the season is a marathon in which improvements can be made and bad habits left behind. "Those types of mistakes will happen early in the season," Anderson said. "I don't expect they'll happen going forward, because now we recognize that." Anderson stressed the need for UVU to make adjustments to avoid repeat letdowns. "We let ourselves down a little bit in not figuring them out," Anderson said. "The same girl scored two goals and got an assist on a third. The same player. That's happening during the game. The players need to recognize the [other team's] dangerous players." The transition from shutout-victor to hapless victim can be attributed to the brand of soccer the Wolverines played, a brand which went from team-oriented against the Thunderbirds to self-centered versus the Aggies. "I think we came out a little bit flat on Sunday," Anderson said. "We just really didn't get going as a team. We weren't working together well, and we played a very individual game." A bright spot early on in the team's campaign has been senior forward Nicole Archibald Spencer. Spencer scored one of the Wolverines' two goals against the Aggies, and had two of the Wolverines' six shots on goal in their loss at Utah State. "Nicole is a team leader for us," Anderson said. "She's always been a contributor. Even as a freshman, she got in and played." The Wolverines return home to Mstar Field Sept. 12 when they host Northern Colorado at noon. David Shackelford/UVU Athletics Senior Nicole Archibald Spencer passes the ball in the game against Southern Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium. David Shackelford/UVU Athletics Seniors Nicole Archibald Spencer and Katie Turner celebrate after a goal against Southern Utah. A year of discovery for UVU women's golf The bar has been raised for UVU cross-country By Nate Gray Sports Writer Cross-country? A sport? Does the school even have a cross-country team? These are questions readers might be asking as they glance at the sports section. The answers; all yes. The Wolverine-cross-country team or should we call them, reigning Great West Conference Champions, will start their season this Saturday, Sept. 3, running in the Wyoming Invitational in Laramie, Wyo. The women's team, led by senior Mary Nothum, will have eight of last year's top-10 runners returning this year, giving head coach Scott Houle reason to set the bar even higher than last year's sixth place finish in the women's regional. "We want to be better," said Houle. "We want to be more competitive in a region full of great [cross-country] progrdrns." Houle also has higher expectations for the men's team, who finished eighth in last year's regional, but only have two of last year's top-10 runners returning. "There is a handful of men returning this year from missions or from being red shirted," said Houle. "Josh (McCabe) and Spencer (Evensen) should be able to lead them and be more competitive this year." For those who don't really know about NCAA cross country, these expectations are high in such a competitively tough region with such great programs like BYU and Colorado. This year's regional event might be the only time to catch the Wolverines in action this year, due to the team's previous event being lost by construction. Due to the building of the new science building, which falls right in the middle of the planned 2010 course, the Wolverines will try to look elsewhere to bring a cross-country event backtoOrem. Keep an eye on these Wolverines this season and expect them to turn some heads. For those who don't feel crosscountry is sport, the next time you sit down to watch an episode of Pardon the Interruption or Around the Horn on ESPN, realize that in that same amount of time, these athletes will have run about six miles. Just a little something to think about. Season begins with a new coach j By Mike Sanborn Sports Writer Last Wednesday, as students were arriving for the first day of classes, the women's golf team held their first meeting with head coach Sue Nyhus. Many people would be worried with the opening tournament less than a week away on Sept. 3, but Nyhus can't wait to get the season started. "No concerns whatsoever, just very excited for the season," said Nyhus. Nyhus joins the women's golf team after a successful run heading the team at BYU, taking the No. 64 ranked team to No. 13 in just seven years. Building the team here is already off to a great start thanks to men's head golf coach Chris Curran. While leading the women's team last year, Curran recruited three great additions, increasing the depth of this year's roster. The 2010-11 roster features five returning players: seniors Abbie Archibald and Stacey Parkinson, juniors Stephanie and Monica Fox and sophomore Morgan Workman. Joining them are transfer students Clarrissa Reid and Jordyn Dougal, as well as true freshmen Celeste Gish and Beverly Pike. Nyhus is not singling any team member out as more deserving of attention; rather, she is excited to see the entire nucleus compete. Facing the team is thenmost ambitious schedule in over five years. They travel to nine tournaments spread across nine states, including tournaments in Florida and Kansas. With the tougher schedule come more challenging opponents and a wider variety of courses than seen in previous seasons, giving each team member a chance to play to their individual strengths. The women's golf team is starting this season with high hopes and a lot of potential. They will discover how far they can reach beginning Sept. 3 at the Wildcat Invitational in Kaysville. Courtesy of Stock.xchng UVUSCHEDULE Tuesday, August 31 Women's Voile) hull '«- Utah Salt Lake Cily 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 3 Cross Country («' Wyoming , Invitational Laramie, Wyoming Women's Volleyball vs. Air Force Shurian Family Activity Center 4:00 p.m, Women's Soccer <§• Boise Slate Pocatello, Idaho 2:30 p.m. Women's Golf <& Wildcat Invitational Kaysville, Utah Saturday, September 4 Sunday, September 5 Women's Volleyball vs. Fresno Stale Shurian Family Activity Center 1:00 p.m. Women's Soccer @ Idaho Pocatello. Idaho 11:00 a.m. |