Athletics

Carroll football game to be televised on Saturday

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:11:47 MST

By The Independent Record

Carroll College’s first-round NAIA football playoff game against Dickinson State on Saturday will be televised statewide on the CW network, Channel 10 in Helena.

Kickoff for the game is 12:07 p.m., with the telecast starting at noon.

Tickets for the game are still available in the Carroll P.E. Center and will be on sale from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today. Ticket booths at Nelson Stadium open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Reserved seat tickets at $17, $15 and $14. Students and senior tickets are $7.

Carroll to host women's basketball tournament

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:10:40 MST

By The Independent Record

The Carroll College women’s basketball team will be hosting the Mountain West Bank Classic today and tomorrow in the Carroll P.E. Center.

The Saints (3-2) face Dickinson State (3-1) tonight at 8 p.m., following a matchup between Montana Tech (2-0) and Cal Baptist at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Carroll will face Cal Baptist (3-0) at 5 p.m.

The Saints are led by Elly Bruursema with 14.8 points per game while Cassie Scheffelmaier adds 11.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Dickinson State, of the NAIA Division II, is led by Kia Herbel’s 25 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

Cal Baptist’s Kendra Morris averages 22 points to lead her squad.

O'Connell heads All-Frontier Conference soccer team

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:47:25 MST

Carroll College placed six players on the All-Frontier Conference First Team, led by sophomore forward Meghan O’Connell’s election as Player of the Year.

O’Connell led the conference in goals for a second straight year with 14, adding a team-high seven assists.

“Meghan started off a little slow this year, I think since people knew about her,” Carroll head coach Dave Thorvilson said. “She had to work a little bit harder and towards the end of the season she really started clicking again.”

Thorvilson himself garnered the conference’s Coach of the Year honor for a second time, he also received the award in 2007, after leading the Saints to a 15-4-1 overall record and the Frontier title.

“Having my peers in our conference vote me as Coach of the Year just reiterates the fact that the players we recruit buy into our system and want to continue the winning ways we’ve established here,” Thorvilson said.

Joining O’Connell on the conference’s first team were three seniors – forward Hannah Young, goaltender Katie Beall and defender Katie Martin.

“All three are very deserving of the honor,” Thorvilson said. “Hannah and Meghan played so well together up front ... Beall had her best year in goal because of all of the effort she put in ... (Martin) is an anchor on our defense and for her to finally get on the team was well overdue.”

Two more underclassmen, sophomore midfielder Lauren Cacopardo and sophomore defender Abby Hoover joined their teammates on the first team.

“Lauren just stood out in conference and had the most votes for a midfielder,” Thorvilson said. “Abby can go 150 minutes if you need her to and had a great statistical year for a defender.”

Off the Bench: Carroll finally gets to face a running game

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:53:43 MST

By JEFF WINDMUELLER Independent Record

Dickinson State isn't exactly hiding its offensive plan.

The Blue Hawks (7-3) bring with them the first real ground threat to the Carroll College football team (11-0) this season as the squad from North Dakota visits Nelson Stadium in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday.

"We haven't changed our basic thing, we still want to run the ball," said Blue Hawks head coach Hank Besiot. "That's who we are. Whether its going well or not, that's what we're going to try to do."

The big question is: Will the Saints be ready to stop it?

The Blue Hawks don't have the most impressive offensive numbers - they're ranked 54th in the NAIA with 303.9 yards per game - but their balance is something the Saints haven't seen this season.

Dickinson averages 138 yards rushing per game (42nd in the NAIA), while throwing for 164.8 ypg (59th).

Facing off with one pass-happy team after another in the Frontier Conference, the Saints linebackers and secondary have just about worn out the heels on their cleats. Now, they get to face the first two-back offense since Montana Tech, which fell behind in its 27-7 and 23-3 losses to Carroll and relied more on the arm and feet of quarterback Matt Komac than its standard run game.

The Saints have faced 465 pass attempts this season, an average of 42.3 per game, and have allowed 269 completions (24.5 per game) at a rate of roughly 58 percent.

How does that onslaught compare to the passing attempts they've seen in the past?

They faced just 458 all of last season (30.5 per game), and that was including four more playoff games. In 2007, the Saints saw 448 pass attempts, again in a 15-game season (29.9 per game).

"Everybody's going to throw the ball 40, to 50 or 60 times per game," said Saints head coach Mike Van Diest. "That's the mentality of (Montana) Western and Rocky (Mountain College) and of Eastern Oregon.

"They're successful, so you can't argue with their offenses."

Successful to a point.

Carroll might have the 58th-best pass defense in the NAIA (or 31st-worst if you want to look at it that way), giving up 208.2 yards per game, but it's also one of just six undefeated teams in the regular season. That's mostly because of their bend-don't-break attitude.

Against teams with quarterbacks like Rocky's Kasey Peters and EOU's Chris Ware, the Saints were willing to give up the sidelines to receivers if it meant keeping the play in front of them. They relied on the quarterbacks to make mistakes, take sacks or give up turnovers to get the ball back.

It's a strategy, however, Van Diest would like to change, and likely need to change, as the Saints see more powerful and efficient offenses.

The Saints had to battle back and rely on a turnover on special teams to beat Rocky 34-27 in the two team's second meeting, partly because Peters cut up the defense for 307 passing yards. While the Saints held a good-sized lead late in their final regular season contest with EOU, Ware was able to throw for 397 yards and pull within a touchdown late in the game, 48-43.

"There were some things in our scheme and defenses that I've got to shore up and be a little more sound," Van Diest said. "(I need to) have more confidence in our defense and the four-man rush and not be so worried about protecting people for the long ball and playing in the nickel."

Luckily for the Saints, who have also seen some injury cut into their secondary, they will have more opportunities to get on their toes and play smash-mouth football when the Blue Hawks arrive in town.

"I think we're ready for the run," Van Diest said. "We step up, I think we have a physical team. We have a good defensive front, but, yeah, we haven't been tested by the fullback, tight end, 300-pound offensive line that's going to double team you and knock you off the ball in the power game.

"We've gotta be sure guys fill the gaps in the running game. There's no secret to the defense."

Sports Editor Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller -is-at- helenair -dot- com

Volleyball team left out of NAIA Tournament field

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:01:07 MST

By The Independent Record

Despite winning 26 matches this season, the Carroll College women’s volleyball team was not selected for the NAIA national tournament.

Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), which eliminated Carroll in the semifinals of the Frontier Conference Tournament last Saturday on its way to winning the championship, was the only Frontier Conference team selected for the 36-team field. Lewis-Clark (23-7), ranked 21st this week, will open the tournament against 13th ranked Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, on Saturday. SOU is 24-3 this season, including an 11-1 home mark.

Frontier Conference tri-champ Great Falls (18-11) also did not receive a bid after losing to Lewis-Clark in the championship match of the tournament last Saturday.

The season was not without its successes for the Saints, who finished 26-9. Christina Smetana was named the Frontier Conference Player of the Year, while coach Moe Boyle was the Co-Coach of the Year.

Outside hitter Sammy Priddy was also named to the all-conference first team.

Carroll to face Dickinson State in 1st round of NAIA playoffs

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:47:39 MST

By JEFF WINDMUELLER Independent Record

Welcome back Dickinson State.

In a “Sunday Selection” party at the Brewhouse restaurant, the Carroll College football team found out it would be hosting a familiar foe this weekend in the first round of the NAIA national playoffs.

The Frontier Conference champions, fresh off an 11-0 regular season and runner-up finish in the 2008 NAIA national title game, will face the Dickinson State (N.D.) Blue Hawks, co-champions of the Dakota Athletic Conference, Saturday at noon.

The meeting between the Saints and Blue Hawks will be a rematch of last year’s first-round game when Carroll rolled past Dickinson 35-18.

Carroll also met them in the first round in 2005, winning 23-13 on their way to their fourth straight NAIA championship, a title they reached again in 2007. The Saints are 11-5 all-time against the Blue Hawks, dating back to 1968.

“We’ve played them a number of times in the playoffs,” said Saints head coach Mike Van Diest. “Coach (Hank) Besiot is the No. 2 all-time winningest coach, and they get it done year in and year out.”

Besiot, in his 32nd season, has amassed a 235-90-1 overall record, 7-3 this season, and is taking the Blue Hawks to their 14th NAIA playoff appearance and second in a row.

“They’re a program I’ve admired for years from the outside looking in,” Van Diest said. “(Besiot is) a gentleman, a class guy, and his record is a testament to what he’s done for NAIA football.”

The Carroll players in attendance were happy to hear that they’ll be facing a team they’ve seen before, not only in the playoffs last year but on video after Dickinson lost its season-opener to Rocky Mountain College 28-7.

“They’re a quality opponent, they won their conference,” said senior offensive lineman Alex Pfannenstiel. “As an offensive line, it’s nice to have familiarity with their defense.”

Pfannenstiel said the Blue Hawks have a very physical linebacker corps that shoots out of an awkward 3-3-5 set up.

Carroll’s defense, meanwhile, is ready to finally face a power running group that they’ve really only seen twice this season, both times against conference rival Montana Tech.

“They run a two-back set, power offense,” said Saints senior defensive lineman Mike Ogrin. “Since I’ve been here the last five years we’ve played them three or four times.

“It’s going to be a big game, it’s a playoff game. It’s time to win or go home.”

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller -is-at- helenair -dot- com

Volleyball team eliminated in Frontier Conference semis

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:52:46 MST

By JEFF WINDMUELLER Independent Record

Carroll College’s volleyball team can only sit and wait.

The No. 23 Saints dropped their semifinal match of the Frontier Conference Tournament to No. 21 Lewis-Clark State 15-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-23, 15-10 on the Warriors’ home court in Lewiston, Idaho.

With the loss, the Saints lose any chance of an automatic berth in the NAIA national tournament. But, with 32 teams selected to go, Carroll is waiting with bated breath.

“I don’t know what goes into that, an at-large berth and everything,” said Saints head coach Moe Boyle. “For us not to make it to the (tournament) championship makes it pretty slim.”

The Warriors beat the University of Great Falls in the championship game, 20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12.

In the semifinal match, Carroll had three players break into double digits in kills with junior Sammy Priddy leading the way. Junior Kayla Hughes added 13 points and senior Christina Smetana 12.

Still, the Saints couldn’t stop the reigning Frontier Conference champion Warriors’ All-American, senior Anile Clemente. The Brazilian-born hitter finished with 22 points, 19 digs and four blocks while Jenika Bird finished with 12 kills and a team-high nine blocks.

“The middles, they ran our offense where it wasn’t supposed to go,” Boyle said.

After pulling to a 2-0 lead, the Saints hit a road block in the third game, which they were never able to conquer.

“It was a momentum shift,” Boyle said. “We came out real tough and I think we did everything right the first two.

“The third one we came out about as flat as we have all year. I think we fell behind 7-0 and never caught up.”

It was the second straight week that the Saints’ lost to the Warriors, and the second year in a row they dropped they dropped a match to LCSC in the semifinals.

“I think those girls played with heart,” Boyle said. “It as sad for our seniors as anybody. Right now there is no next step for those four. They may have played the last step that they’ll ever play.”

Boyle hopes the younger players can learn from this experience. For the Saints, hopefully, it won’t be the last opportunity to learn this season.

“We just don’t know how it’s going to work,” Boyle said. “We’re not respected enough by the NAIA.”

LCSC def. Carroll 15-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-23, 15-10

Kills — CC 59 (Sammy Priddy 14, Kayla Hughes 13, Christina Smetana 12), LCSC 63 (Anile Clemente 22, Jenika Bird 12). Assists — CC 47 (Caitlin Tocci 24, Katie St. John 18), LCSC 57 (Lisa Davis 26, Kim Fong 27). Aces — CC 3 (Tocci, St. John, Priddy), LCSC 7 (Alysa Wold 3). Digs — CC 81 (Maureen Frauenholtz 23, Priddy 13, Ashley Lupfer 12), LCSC 86 (Katie Hinrichs 26). Blocks — CC 11 (Priddy 4, Smetana 4, Markki Otteson 4), LCSC 14 (Bird 9).

Top-ranked Sioux Falls blows out Morningside

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:47:43 MST

By The Independent Record

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Top-ranked and undefeated reigning NAIA champion Sioux Falls defeated No. 4 Morningside College 49-21 Saturday to secure the program’s eighth Great Plains Athletic Conference championship in nine years.

Sioux Falls (11-0, 10-0 GPAC) defeated No. 2 Carroll College for last season’s NAIA title, the school’s second championship in three seasons. The Cougars will likely retain the top seed when first-round playoff matchups are determined today.

Carroll previously defeated Sioux Falls in the 2007 NAIA title game.

Morningside (9-1, 9-1) will still be headed to it’s sixth consecutive NAIA postseason appearance.

Sioux Falls quarterback Lorenzo Brown accounted for 315 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in the win. He completed 17 of 26 pass attempts for 260 yards and four scores, while scrambling for 55 yards and two scores.

Ryan Lowmiller added 160 rushing yards on 17 carries and a touchdown for the Cougars.

Men's basketball team loses on last-second basket

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:46:04 MST

By The Independent Record

Warner Pacific’s Reggie Guyton scored with two seconds left as the Knights (3-1) delivered the Carroll College men’s basketball team its first loss of the season Saturday, 72-71 in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Saints (5-1) were able to get a hand in front of Guyton, but the near-desperation shot couldn’t be stopped as the NAIA Division II squad upset Carroll.

“They’re really athletic, one through five,” said Saints head coach Brandon Veltri. “They just had a beast in the post, Jake Glisson had 30 points on us.”

Glisson finished 11-for-15 from the field and 6-6 from the foul line as the Saints spent much of their time concentrating on 6-foot-8 senior post Kaylone Riley.

Riley finished with an impressive 20 rebounds, 13 on the defensive end, as Carroll’s Chase Godecke and a slew of other players tried to defend him. Riley ended with seven points.

“Sooner or later a kid like that is going to get a couple,” Veltri said.

Senior forward Chris Medina led the Saints with 21 points, thanks in part to a 4-for-8 performance from behind the 3-point line.

Andy Garland added 18 points while Sam Cartmell and Casey Rogers each chipped in 10.

Despite some going back and forth in the first half, the two teams evened out in the second for a close ball game.

“It just came down to one more play, we needed to make one more bucket down the stretch or one more defensive stop to win that game,” Veltri said.

Carroll 32 39 — 71

Warner Pacific 39 33 — 72

Carroll – Casey Rogers 3-10 2-2 10, Sam Cartmell 4-7 1-2 10, Chase Godecke 2-3 1-1 5, Andy Garland 7-13 0-0 18, Chris Medina 7-17 3-3 21, Jordan Reyes 0-2 0-0 0, Ben Cutler 1-5 0-0 3, D Pearson 1-2 0-0 2, Brett Hornung 0-2 0-0 0, James MacIntyre 1-2 0-0 2.

Warner Pacific – Kaylone Riley 3-10 1-1 7, Tom Higgins 1-3 0-0 3, Reggie Guyton 7-11 2-2 17, Webster Moreland 1-10 2-6 4, Jake Glisson 11-15 6-6 30, Jordan Paulson 0-2 0-0 0, Jared Mace 4-7 2-4 11, Stephen Harris 0-1 0-2 0.

3-point goals – Carroll 12-28 (Rogers 2-5, Cartmell 1-3, Godecke 0-1, Garland 4-6, Medina 4-8, Reyes 0-2, Cutler 1-3), Warner 5-11 (Higgins 1-3, Guyton 1-2, Glisson 2-5, Mace 1-1). Rebounds – Carroll 34 (Garland 7), Warner 40 (Riley 20). Assists – Carroll 15 (Reyes 6), Warner 10 (Paulson 4). Steals – Carroll 7 (Rogers 2, Cartmell 2, Medina 2), Warner 5 (Guyton 2). Blocks – Carroll 1 (Medina), Warner 7 (Riley 5). Fouls — Carroll 16, Warner 17. Fouled out – None. Technicals – None. Turnovers – Carroll 19, Warner 19.

Women drop third straight game

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:44:59 MST

By The Independent Record

The Carroll College women’s basketball team found out just what it’s like to play one of the best teams in the country.

The Saints (2-3) dropped their third road contest in three days at the Westminster Classic in Salt Lake City, losing to No. 4 Point Loma University (Calif.) 76-57 on Saturday.

“We were playing the best team in the country today, and they have the player of the year in the post and I thought we came out and we did a great job on her,” said Saints head coach Shawn Nelson, speaking about the Sea Lions’ Colleen Planeta. “We held her to two points at the half and that forced all the other players to step up and make shots.

“They had to play well to beat us.”

Planeta, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, still finished with a double-double, getting 16 points and 10 rebounds, while picking up all four of the team’s blocks on defense.

The Sea Lions (3-0) were led by Amanda Franz’s 19 points and six steals while Liah Ector (15), and Julie Walton (12) also scored in double digits.

Carroll’s Elly Bruursema capped off a strong weekend with a 16-point, three assist game to lead her squad. Sara Meyer led the Saints with eight rebounds.

“We were down four with 55 seconds to go in the first half,” Nelson said. “But, we got back-to-back turnovers, which got it up to nine right up at the half. It stayed at nine throughout most of the game, and then at the end of the game we just got tired.”

The Saints pressed hard in the previous night’s contest, which drained them before taking on the Sea Lions.

“One of the good things is we didn’t have any time to practice or prepare for this game, and the players were able to make the adjustments without working on them, something we haven’t been able to do in the past,” Nelson said.

He said he was particularly proud of the post play, and while the guards were capable of shooting better, he knew they were worn from the weekend.

“The only way we’re going to become one of the best teams in the country is to play them and see how we match up,” Nelson said. “We wanted to win games, but we all understand the significance of the weekend.”

Point Loma 44 32 — 76

Carroll 31 26 — 57

Point Loma — Amanda Franz 8-12 2-2 19, PJ Hanson 1-5 0-0 2, Brianna Colon 1-1 0-0 2, Liah Ector 6-8 3-5 15, Coleen Planeta 7-13 1-1 16, Avery Lee 1-2 0-0 2, Danielle Arriola 1-3 0-0, Renee Crawford 1-1 0-0 2, Jil Haentges 2-6 0-1 4, Julie Walton 5-5 0-0 12.

Carroll — Elly Bruursema 5-16 3-3 16, Alex Dunn 2-5 0-0 5, Sara Meyer 3-4 0-0 6, Cassie Scheffelmaier 2-5 2-4 7, Jeni Guertin 2-3 0-0 4, Kelsi Brekke 1-5, 0-0 3, Nikki Mills 3-5 0-0 6, Jill Jagelski 1-3 2-2 5, Amy Allen 2-2 0-0 5.

3-pointers — PL 4-10 (Franz 1-3, Planeta 1-1, Walton 2-2), CC 8-23 (Bruursema 3-9, Dunn 1-3, Scheffelmaier 1-3, Brekke 1-3, Jagelski 1-1, Allen 1-1). Rebounds — PL 29 (Planeta 10), CC 29 (Meyer 8). Assists — PL 17 (Hanson 5), CC 16 (Bruursema 3, Mills 3). Steals — PL 19 (Franz 6), CC 4 (Bruursema, Dunn, Meyer, Scheffelmaier). Blocks —PL 4 (Planeta 4), CC 2 (Geurtin 2). Turnovers — PL 16, CC 24. Fouls — PL 14, CC 17. Foul outs — Ector.