Page 6
The Banner —
Sports
March 2, 2000
High Point stops UNCA
By Teshania Wiley
staff Writer
The men’s and women’s tennis
teams lost their second conference
match to High Point at home on
Feb. 25.
“I think it can be connected to the
fact that we have not worked as
hard as we probably should have,”
said freshman Zack Malina. “Once
you start winning, it keeps rolling
and we just need to start that.”
The men’s team lost with a score of
7-0, according to head coach Jeff
Duncan. In the No. 1 doubles, fresh
men Andrew Herman and Stephen
Poulos won 8-6. Freshman Mike
Leffke and junior Jakub Jez lost a
close match at No. 2.
“We did pretty well in the doubles,”
said Leffke. “We should have come
out with that one point.”
“I was a little disappointed in the
singles matches,” said Duncan.
Jez lost a tough match in the third
set by a score of 6-4. The team’s No.
1 player, junior Scott Prybys, is still
down with an ankle injury.
“Hopefully, this will turn around in
the next couple of weeks,” said
Duncan. “We are going to wait and
see how his ankle does.”
“I think that by the end of the
PHOTO BY ANTHONY GRECO
The UNCA men’s and women's tennis teams were defeated by Might Point on Feb. 25.
year, if we can get everybody
healthy, it will be a much closer
match than it was over the week
end,” said Duncan.
The women’s team lost by a score of
5-4, according to Duncan.
“We had an injured player, so we
started off the match down two
points,” said freshman Ashley Jones.
The team’s No. 4 player, junior
Laura Hastay, was not able to play
due to an ankle injury.
“We would have won had she
played,”saidsophomoreStef^eShuba.
“We were already in the whole 2-0,
and we only had sk players,” said
Duncan. “We had to forfeit our No.
3 doubles and go into the singles
lineup.”
“It is kind of a slow start for the
season,” said Jones.
“There is definitely room for improve
ment,” said Shuba.
“I was proud ofthe giris,” said Duncan.
“All the matches were close and com-
Junior Cathy Rhoney lost a match
6-4 in the third set. Sophomore
Nancy Livesay won two matches,
7-5 and 6-1.
“I was proud ofthe way they played,”
saidDuncan. “Theystepped upeven
though they started out in the hole.”
“As we get into the season, good
things will come,” said Duncan.
“Overall, it was good. We had a long
day.”
Both teams play Elon at home on
March 11.
Asheville loses!
season opener
By Eric Porter
staff Writer
The UNCA baseball team lost
their season opener at home on
Feb. 23 to Charleston Southern
with a score of 5-0.
“We didn’t play badly, but we’re
just not hitting the ball well right
now,” said the Bulldogs' head
coach Mike Roberts. “Give credit
to (Chad) Humbert, Charleston's
right-hand pitcher, who pitched
a Qne game and didn’t walk any-
"We just have to come out to
morrow and play a little better,"
said Roberts.
The Charleston Southern Bucs
allowed only one hit to the Bull
dogs by senior Todd Interdonato
in the first inning,
Humbert only allowed one
baserunner after that, .and that
was on an error in the sixth inning
when senior Willie Stewart
reached on third baseman Dave
Martindale’s miscue with one out.
The Buccaneers (1-1, 5-5) got
two runs in the top of the first
when Kyle Leon singled and Ted
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PHOTO BY ANTHONY GRECO
Junior i\/latt Corrado pitches
for the UNCA baseball team
Malikowski followed with a homt
run, his second of the year, for:
2-0 CSU lead.
UNCA walked six in the fourtli
inning,, which helped the Bua
add two runs in that inning anii
another in the fifth for a 5-0 lead:
Bulldog starting pitcher Matt
Corrado (0-2) lost as he pitched
the first three innings before leav
ing the game with a blister.
'Dogs topple Eagles
By Jennifer Growl
staff Writer
The UNCA women’s basketball
team defeated Charleston Southern
on Feb. 23 with a score of 63-61 and
continued to dominate with a win
over the Winthrop Eagles (66-61)
on Feb. 26 in Rock Hill, S.C.
“We want to go all the way in the
tournament,” saidjuniorguardEmily
Hill. “If we play like this, with the
energy we had, then I think we have
a good chance.”
“This is a great win against a tough
opponent on the road,” said head
coach Kathleen Weber. “We really
seem like we’re coming together at
the right time, and we’re excited about
the upcoming Big South Conference
(BSC) tournament.”
Freshman center Tonisha Jackson
scored a career-high 27 points to lead
UNCA to a victory over Winthrop
and the third-straight win for the
Bulldogs. UNCA tied a school record
for the most conference wins with
eight.
“T.J. was just sensational,” said
Weber. “She was unstoppable in the
first half and then got double-teamed
in the second half She still scored
some big points dovm the stretch.”
Freshman center Jessica Guarneri
had her eighth double-double of the
year with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
J unior guard Denise Wilbanks added
nine points and six rebounds, while
Shamry Kenley added eight points,
according to the athletics Web site.
UNCA led 35-34 at halftime, and
built the lead to six early in the second
half Jackson scored on a three-point
play to put the Bulldogs up 60-59. A
free throw by the Eagles tied it 60-60,
but Jackson scored on a jumper to
give UNCA 62-60 with 2:40 left on
the clock. She then hit two free throws
to push the Bulldogs ahead 64-60.
The. Bulldogs led 64-61 with less
than a minute on the clock, when
Wilbanks rebounded and ran some
time off the clock. Kenley hit a baseline
jumper to win the game.
At Wednesday’s game against
Charleston Southern, the Bulldogs
trailed by 18 late in the first half and
followed by 15 at the halftime mark
with a score of 38-23. However,
UNCA came roaring back in the
second half
“It was a great win for us,” said
Weber. “I thought the beginning of
the game, in the first half, our fresh
men were having a typical freshmen
UNC
UNCA athletes receive
BSC basketball awards
Congratulations to the follow
ing UNCA men's and women's
basketball players for their ex
traordinary performances dur
ing the 1999-2000 season. They
have been recognized by offi
cials from the Big South Confer
ence for their athletic excellence.
The Bulldogs participate in the
BSC tournament on March 2-4.
AndreSmitli: Rookie of the Year,
AU-RookicTeam, SecondTeam
All-Conference
Jessica Guarneri: All-Rookie
Team
Nicholas McDevitt: All-Aca-
demic Team
Tonisha Jackson: All-Rookie
Team
Brandon Carter: All-Rookie
Team
Denise Wilbanks: All-Academ ic
Team
Big South Conference
Tournament action
starts March 2 at the
Asheville Civic Center,
UNCA's women play
Eton at 9:30 a.m. and
the men play Liberty at
7:30 p.m. Free admis
sion on Thursday for
UNCA faculty and
students with school
ID. Winners compete in
semifinals on March 3
at noon (women) and 6
p.rn. (men). Go 'Dogs!
Bulldogs slay Bucs
Men's basketball team falls to Winthrop
By Eric Porter
staff Writer
PHOTO BY WALTER FYLER
Sophomore fonward Tynisha King prepares to take the ball
to the hole for the Lady Bulldogs at a recent home game.
game. We talked to them at halftime “Wilbanks did a nice job
about it and told them they had
play bi^er than what they were.”
“I thought they came out and did a
real nice job. I think the key to the
whole game was Emily’s leadership.
She carried the emotion through the tent, and
second half” said Weber. said Hill. “This
Hill made two free throws with 1.1 cially this close to tournament tii
I
thought that her steal at halfcourt
with the point guard was a big mo
mentum for us,” said Weber.
“It was exciting to come back from
20-point deficit. We were persis-
stay up,”
seconds on the clock, which left the
Bulldogs with a score of 63-61
Charleston Southern. Jackson also fiJ game,
scored 13 of her career-high points. “We played a little bit
Jackson got a layup off an assist from basketball in the seco
HilltomaketheBulldogs6l-61 with freshmen stepped up and started play-
just 32 seconds left on tlie clock. The ing harder, and Emily’s leadership
teams battled for the loose ball after pulled us out,” said Weber. “It was a
Charleston Southern missed with 3 group effort and a great win all
great how we fought back,”
said Guarneri. “Emily had a wonder-
the second half Our
seconds left in the gam
Hill, who entered the game making
around.”
This puts the Bulldogs 8-6 in
17-straight free throws, nailed botli ference play and 9-16 overall.
free throws after a foul was called with UNCA is
w the No. 4 seed in the
1.1 seconds left gainst Charleston BSC. They will play against Elon
Southern forward Kate Sanford. Thursdayat9:30a.m. at the Asheville
Freshman forward Gillian Murray Civic Center, where the Bulldogs will
scored 12 points, while Wilbanks continue to fight for the champion-
helped out with some great plays. ship.
The UNCA men’s basketball team
extended their winning streak to
three with their first road win ofthe
season, 76-61, at Charleston South
ern on Feb. 23. The Bulldogs were
then cut down at Winthrop Uni
versity on Feb. 27 with a score of
90-50 in their last game of the
regular season before the Big South
Tournament.
“We should have won a couple
more road games,” said head coach
Eddie Biedenbach. “That’s the mark
of young teams.”
The Bulldogs (7-7,9-18) had three
players score in double figures for a
significant win as they fought for
seeds in the upcoming Big South
Tournament. '
“It was an important game that we
had to have,” said junior guard
Nick McDevitt.
Freshman guard Andre Smith tied
a career-high for UNCA with 23
points, including 14-17 from the
free throw line. Smith has now
scored at least 20 points in his last
five games. The Bulldogs took ad
vantage at the line by hitting 81
“We were very effective from the
free-throw line,” Biedenbach said.
“We played a good game.”
Both teams fought through the
first half, but the Buccaneers ac
quired a seven-point lead with 3:49
to go. UNCA went on g 9-2 run
that sent the teams into the locker
rooms tied at 34. Charleston South
ern hit 12-29 from the field and
eight of 11 from the line. However,
during the second half, the Bucca
neers struggled.
The ‘Dogs took their first lead of
the game early in the second half off
a layup by Smith. The Bucs' shoot
ing sank to 25 percent as Asheville’s
soared.
“Our shooting has been much im
proved,” said Biedenbach. “That’s
something that’s been really good
for Asheville this year.”
Senior forward Matt Osikowicz
scored 20 points, and junior center
Adam Earnhardt turned in a double
double with 10 points and 10 re
bounds for the Bulldogs.
“We really sucked it up in the
second half,” said McDevitt. “We
needed to stay in a tie for third place
with Coastal.”
The win was UNCA’s first road
victory of the season and broke
a 16-game losing streak on the road,
which dated back to last season.
UNCA’s final game of the season
took place at Winthrop in Rock
Hill, S.C. on Feb. 27.
Asheville’s three-game winning
streak came to a grinding stop Sat
urday at Winthrop when the Eagles
tore through the Bulldogs. This
was the worst loss for UNCA in Big
South Conference play.
“We didn’t match their intensity
and gave them some wide-open
three-pointers early,” said
Biedenbach. “(Winthrop) wasnVin
a very good mood after losing
Wednesday night at Coastal Caro
lina and just look it to us. We just
need to forget about this game and
get ready for the tournament.”
The Eagles made 17 out of 31
threes, which tied a Big Soutl
record. The Bulldogs were led b)
Osikowicz with 15 points, whili
Earnhardt added 13 points and nini
rebounds. UNCA shot a season
low 27 percent from the field (1^-
of-58).
Asheville kept the Eagles withii
striking distance throughout mud
of the first half, until Winthro|
went on a 10-0 run, which sent tk
Bulldogs out at the half 42-24.
In the second half, the Bulldog!
lost any ability to handle the bal
effectively as their shooting fro*
the field slumped to just 24 pel'
cent. The Eagles continued to hao
mer down threes with impunit)'
and their two-point field goal pe
centage jumped to 56.
‘We gave up too many easy threes,
said McDevitt. “That really hui
us. It kind of put the game ou
reach for us.”
Despite the massive scoring |
the Bulldogs finished in styk
junior forward Juma Jacksoi
jammed a dunk down the relendes
Eagles’ throats with just 15 seconil
remaining in the game. Jacksoi
managed an amazing four poinfi
two rebounds and one steal in jus
four minutes of play.
The Bulldogs face Liberty
March2at7:30p^m. attheAshevif
Civic Center for UNCA’s first g
of the Big South Tournament.
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