The Banner
February 3, 2000
Sports
Bulldogs send Eagles, Panthers packing
By Jennifer Crowl
staff Writer
The UNCA women’s basketball
team won its third straight victory
Jan. 29 against the Winthrop Uni
versity Eagles67-59at JusticeGym
after defeating the High Point Pan
thers 59-45 on Jan. 26, making the
Bulldogs 4-2 in conference play
and 5-12 overall.
“I think the team is extremely
excited about the past two wins,
and I think they are excited about
the conference season,” said head
coach Kathleen Weber. “They are
starting to see the benefits of play
ing such a tough schedule and how
it can help us grow as a basketball
The Bulldogs have earned their
first three-game winning streak in
two seasons, and it has been five
seasons since they had a 4-2 record
in conference play, according to the
department of athletics.
“The game Saturday isr^’t about
Winthrop. The game Saturday is
about winning a championship,”
said Weber before the game, “and
Winthrop is one step along the
way. We’re taking one game at a
The Bulldogs played a strong game
against the Eagles and were only
down by one point with a score of
25-26 when the first timeout was
called. After the first half, the Bull
PHOTO BY ANTHONY GRECO
The women's basketball team faced Winthrop on Sat., Jan. 29 in Justice Gym. The Bulldogs won the game 67-59.
on a winning streak; learning how
to win,” said Hill.
Despite sustaining injuries that
made her red-shirt five games last
season. Hill’s presence on the coun
contributed to the win, according
to Weber.
“I think her leadership with the
team is vital, and it is just great to
have her back on the floor,” said
Weber.
The women’s team is excited about
the rest of the season after their
victories over Winthrop and High
Point.
The game against High Point was
led by Guarneri, who tied a career
high with 20 points and Jackson,
who recorded her first double
double with 13 points and 11 re
bounds, according to the Bulldogs
Web site.
UNCA won this game early as it
jumped to a 16-2 lead and then a
29-15 lead at halftime, according
to the department of athletics.
“Right now, we are 4-2 in the
conference, and I think that puts us
in a tie for second place,” said We
ber.
dogs bounced back to take the lead
34-32.
“When it gets down to those cru
cial minutes, they’re learning how
to scratch out a win, ” said Webe'r.
The teams were tied at 41 -41 with
just 12:14 left in the game. Sopho
more guard Shamry Kenley and
freshman center Tonisha Jackson
helped the Bulldogs overcome the
ie. leading scorer with a 12.0 average.
Jackson nailed a layup, making In the last minutes of the game,
the score 59-54 with three minutes junior guard Emily Hill, Guarneri
left in the game. The players worked and junior guard/forward Izzy
well together on the floor 
showed good defense.
“We just pulled together and re
ally showed what we could do out
there,” said freshman guard Jessica
Guarneri, who is currently UNCA’s
Medhanie scored points for the
Bulldogs, helping them win.
“We just rose to the occasion, and
it was a good win for us. It’s helping
us gain our confidence and know
what we need to do to get a win,”
commented sophomore forward
Tynisha King.
Guarneri scored 13 points and
grabbed 11 rebounds, and Jackson,
Medhanie, and King, all contrib
uted 11 points, according to the
department of athletics.
“It was a great win. It was a team
effort, and everybody contributed.
So, hopefully, this is going to put us
“This is the first time since I have
been here that the team has won
three games in a row,” said Weber,
“We have played a brutal schedule
this year, and I think that the team
is learning how to win a game.
Hopefully, this is going to be habit-
forming.”
The Bulldogs won’t be home again
until Feb. 18 when they, once again,
take on the High Point Panthers.
UNCA graduate coaches Bulldogs
New tennis coach excited about season
By Jennifer Crowl
staff Writer
UNCA welcomes back alumnus
and former Bulldogs tennis
standout, who is now head coach
for the men’s and women’s tennis
“It’s kind of a new deal for a lot of
players, and a new deal for me,”
said new head coach Jeff Duncan.
“Just from a lot of the matches I’ve
seen played, I was really impressed.
I am excited about getting into the
heart of the season and seeing where
we will stand and where each indi
vidual will stand.”
Duncan said he is glad to be back
in Asheville, and feels coaching at
UNCA has been a learning experi
ence, He has enjoyed working with
the teams during his first year back.
“It’s been fun,” said Duncan. “I’ve
been looking forward to traveling
and working with these kids and
just seeing how different it is from
when I was playing.”
Duncan was a four-year letterman
at UNCA after transferring from
Appalachian, where he red-shirted
for a year, according to the athletic
Web site. He played for the Bull
dogs from 1988 to 1991 and was
the team’s number one player all
four of his years here at UNCA.
“We’re playing a pretty tough
schedule with both the men’s and
women’s teams,” said Duncan.
“Since I graduated, the quality of
tennis has really gone up, and I am
impressed with the teams I have
now and the quality of players that
we play against.”
The men’s tennis team played
hard, but were defeated by William
and Mary on Jan. 22 in
Williamsburg, Va.
“They are a competitive team that
we play, but we did well,” said
Duncan. “We’re playing a couple
of ACC schools. The schools are
strong, but we can play with them.”
The men’s and women’s tennis
teams have a lot of depth, accord
ing to Duncan.
“We are going
matches due to o
Duncan. “The men’s side is young;
we have three freshmen and no
seniors. There is a base there for a
lot of improvement.”
run down everything,” said
hit a lot of Duncan. “Rhoneywill stay out there
depth,” said until the last ball’s hit.”
Both teams placed in the top half
of the Big South Conference last
)uple of players,
The men’s tennis team includes but have also gained new fresh-
freshmen Andrew Herman, Mike men,” said Duncan. “It will be in-
Leffke and Stephen Poulos; sopho- teresting to see what happe
"Tennis is an Individual
sport, but you move on
as a team. If we expect
to win anything, we
have to look at it as a
whole."
— Jeff Duncan, head
tennis coach
‘With it being
my first year
here, all I ask is
for them to work
Duncan. “By the
time of the Big
South Confer
ence in April,
they will have
played a lot of
matches. Hope
fully, they will
have been put
through differ
ent situations
with room to
Zach
Malina; and jun-
Prybys, Jakub Jez
and John
Rockwell.
“Malina is a
steady player, and
he’ll stay out there
with you all day
long and make
you work,” said
Duncan. “Leffke
is another good
player, and if he
continues to work
hard, he’s got a
bright future.”
“Jezjustcameofi^ “Tennis is an
an injury with his wrist, and I think individual sport, but you move on
the more matches he gets under his as a team,” replied Duncan. “If we
belt and plays, the better he’s going expect to win anything, we have to
to improve,” said Duncan. “Poulos look at it as a whole.”
is also a real good athlete. The whole Duncan earned his all-conference
teamwilldowelliftheyworkhard.” honors in 1989 and 1990. Before
The women’s team has six girls coaching here, he worked two years
now that are healthy and playable, the head tennis pro for the Bun-
according to Duncan. combe County Parks and Recre-
“If we stay healthy, on that stand- ational Department,
point, we’ll do well,” said Duncan. Duncan also worked at the
The women s team includes fresh- Biltmore Forest Country Club, the
men Laura Dye and Ashley Jones, GreatSmokiesHilton,andtheOaks
sophomores Nancy Livesay and Racquet Club, according to the ath-
Stephanie Shuba, juniors Laura letic department Web site.
Hastay and Cathy Rhoney and se- The men’s tennis team will play
nior Janelle Watson. against East Tennessee State Uni-
“Watson is a solid player,^ and versity Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in Johnson
she 11 run a lot of balls down, said City, Tenn. The women’s tennis
Duncan. “Shuba is a very good
player, and she’s got a big serve and
good groundstrokes. Livesay is a
solid player; she has good
groundstrokes,andifshecontinues High Point University at 2 p.
to improve, she’ll win a lot of
matches this year.”
“Hastay is steady, and Jones will
East
Tennessee State University on Feb. 4
at 2 p.m. Both tennis teams will
play at UNCA on Feb. 25 against
'Dogs end three-game losing streak
with victories over Winthrop, Elon
By Teshania Wiley
staff Writer
The UNCA men’s basketball team
defeated defending Big South Con
ference champion Winthrop 64-
63 on Jan. 29 at the Justice Gym
just three days after beating Elon
88-76.
“It was a must-win game for us,”
said assistant coach Mike Matthews.
Freshman guard Brandon Carter
made three 3-pointers in the first
half, helping the Bulldogs gain
momentum. UNCA was behind,
but after tying the Eagles at 25-25,
the Bulldogs managed to break away
and end the half in the lead at 35-
31.
“It was a very competitive game
for the Bulldogs,” said Matthews.
“Winthrop is a good team. Both
teams battled to win.”
Several players on the team made
plays that contributed to the Bull
dogs’ victory over the Eagles. Fresh
man forward/guard Colin Shaw
made a 3-pointer with an assist by
junior center Adam Earnhardt in
the second half of the game.
Freshman guard Andre Smith
made two back-to-back free throws
in the last 17 seconds of the game,
which put the Bulldogs in the lead
63-60. His last free throw gave the
team their final score 64.
“Andre makes free throws and
plays that count,” said head coach
Eddie Biedenbach.
Smith made a steal in the reaming
four seconds of the game, accord
ing to the press release. The Bull
dogs led 64-60 when Roger Toxey
of Winthrop made a 3-pointer at
the buzzer that made the final score
64-63.
Senior forward Matt Osikowicz
led the Bulldogs with 16 points in
the game, while Carter led second
with 15 points on 5-6 shooting
from the 3-poitit line. Smith fin
ished with 11 points in the confer
ence game, according to the depart
ment of athletics.
YOU TO WE JUSTIE CENTER
PHOTO BY ANTHONY GRECO
The men's basketball team battled the Eagles on Jan. 29.
“We toughed up, we’re three in a
row now,” said Smith. “We just
need to get some wins on the road
now, and we’ll be all right.”
“We’ve battled, but we haven’t
been able to get any wins on the
road,” said Biedenbach. “Ifwe take
one game at a time we can begin to
battle for our position for the tour
nament.”
The UNCA men’s basketball game
against Elon was originally sched
uled for Jan. 22 at the Justice Gym,
but was postponed to Jan. 26 due to
inclement weather.
UNCA ended a three-game losing
streak with help from top scorer
Osikowicz, who contributed 22
points in the against the Fightin’
Christians. Smith added a career-
high 19 points, and Earnhardt
blocked five shots and earned 10
points for the Bulldogs.
“These guys are finally realizing
they can compete,” said Matthews.
“I know they knew all along, but
now they are starting to get a visual
picture and that’s good.”
The Bulldogs followed 37-31 late
in the first half when Osikowicz
scored the team’s next eight points,
making the team ahead of the
Fightin’ Christians 39-38, accord
ing to the athletics home page-
UNCA ended the first half with
lead score of 40-39.
The Pulldogs built their lead s
high as 14 points in the second half
before Brandon Rowell, who led
Elon, made three 3-pointers mak
ing score 88-76.
Osikowicz was lO-of-3 from the
field and pulled down nine
bounds, according to the press
lease. Smith was lO-of-12 from the
free throw line, while senior guard/
forward John Risinger handed out
10 assists and pulled down five
bounds.
The Bulldogs battle Radford Feb.
5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Justice Gym-