| Show Bruins Wearing Conference Crown is S Champion Co-Champion after 3 1 win over Andy Farnsworth Contributing Writer It has been said that a reigning champion champion champion cham cham- pion never gives up its title Instead it has to be taken away by the new cham cham- pion This was precisely what happened happened happened hap hap- on Thursday night at Bruin Arena when the ranked volleyball volleyball volleyball vol vol- team took a share of the Scenic West Athletic Conference title from defending champ Southern Idaho 3 1 30 26 26 2530 30 25 30 21 30 26 Both teams finish conference play at 9 1 with each teams team's loss coming at the hands of the other Salt Lake finishes the regular season with a record of 7 37 while ranked 3rd-ranked suffered only their third loss of the season and dropped to 38 That this battle for the regular season title would have no bearing on postseason son positioning more on that later didn't didn't didn't did did- nt matter to the players coaches or fans you fans you might even have been led to believe these teams were fighting for forthe forthe forthe the national championship and not the conference title The largest crowd of the season was wason wason wason on hand to witness and loudly express their opinion about everything including including including ing two yellow cards given to one on head coach Ben Stroud and the other otheron on sophomore setter Ashley a dominating game three performance from the home team and only the second second second sec sec- ond conference championship in school history Freshman outside hitter Fabiana Leomil as she has so often this season led Salt Lake with 22 kills a attack percentage and 13 digs Giving plenty of help up front was sophomore middle blocker Laurie Chambers and more transfer Thais Pedroso Chambers playing her final regular season game in a Bruins uniform had 12 kills and 8 blocks and continually made the Eagles pay for mishandled serves and passing errors near the net Pedroso the on-court on emotional leader of the team had 10 kills of her own For Southern Idaho who had a 27 match unbeaten streak in play dating back to September 28 2002 snapped it was a bitter loss to a rival that it had owned prior to this season Salt Lake was a mere 11 1 against the Eagles in the three previous seasons but split four meetings with each other this time The only way these team will get a rubber match is in the national tournament Despite putting in an early hole by winning game one the Eagles were never able to dominate in the match like they had against so many opponents this year In fact a huge run near the end of the first game which game which turned a 21 20 Bruin lead into a 27 21 deficit might deficit might have been the only thing that kept the Eagles from being swept was forced to play without middle middle middle mid mid- dle blocker Marta the leader in attack percentage The freshman from Poland was dressed but sat on the bench all night for undisclosed undisclosed undisclosed closed reasons went instead with Brazilian freshman Samara Freitas who looked nothing like someone who had appeared in only 15 games all season season season sea sea- son leading the team with 17 kills and anda a whopping attack pct pet Unfortunately for Freitas and the Eagles she didn't get much help All All- America candidates Eliane Santos and Tatyana combined for only 26 kills and a attack for the match and neither could coul ge get untracked com com- o especially Game two was another forth back-and-forth affair only this time the Bruins pulled away With the game tied at 16 Salt Lake went on a 6 0 run and kept the Eagles Lat iaL bay to tie the match The key for the Bruins i in game two was their efficiency as they hit for the game after only in game one Salt Lake trailed early in game three but then turned on the heat and pulled away from a 9 tie to lead by as much muchas as seven several times through the game and eventually winning by nine The fourth and deciding game was much tighter as the teams fought hard one trying to finish the job and the other trying to fight off the finishing blow Salt Lake gave up the first two points of the game and trailed 9 8 before seizing control once again The Eagles didn't give up but for every big would come up with Salt Lake had an answer and never trailed again The last gasp by Southern Idaho came with Salt Lake holding match point at 29 23 and the players crowd and cheerleaders waiting waiting waiting wait wait- ing to explode and celebrate a champi champi- scored three straight to tomake tomake tomake make the home fans nervous before setter setter setter set set- ter Priscila Dores' Dores dump shot across the thenet thenet thenet net glanced off CST's Via Filipe and went out of bounds and the celebration began on the floor For head coach Shay Clemensen it was a satisfying end to a regular season were she saw her team improve by 13 victories over a 24 21 record in 2003 It was also a small measure of revenge against Southern Idaho having been swept in four matches last season including a loss in the Region tournament tournament tournament tour tour- championship It also was a abright abright abright bright sign of things to come as she could return all but three players from this years year's team next season Thanks to a region re-alignment re home court advantage in the postseason tournament was not determined by the match After several years in Region A along with Southern Idaho was moved to Region B with Dixie State State- Now the and the Rebels meet one last time this season season season sea sea- son on Monday night at Bruin Arena with the winner advancing to likely face ranked Arizona Western on Saturday night in Yuma Arizona with a aberth aberth aberth berth in the Tournament on the line |
