Sports – Page 82 – The Western Howl

By JACOB HANSEN
 Staff Writer

Western men’s baseball team traveled to La Jolla, Calif. to play nationally ranked No. 15 University of California, San Diego last week in efforts to tune up for the regular season.

The Wolves (0-4) lost all four games but managed to start a comeback run in the last game of the tournament. They were in a comeback winning position until a two-run homerun during UCSD’s (4-0) last at bat put the game out of reach.

“UC San Diego is one of the best division two teams in the country and was a challenge for us as a team,” said outfielder Matt Taylor. “We schedule to play these nationally ranked top teams to prepare us for a regional title.”

During the first day of competition the Wolves played a double header losing 0-4 in the first game and 3-8 in the second. Taylor and infielder Jake Whisler registered multiple hits with Taylor recording three hits that included the Wolves’ first runs batted in of the season in the second game.

The next day the Wolves fell to the Tritons 5-12 in a scoring frenzy.

“The games down here in California are extremely important for setting us up to get where we want to in the end and that’s at West Regional,” said Whisler.

“The key lessons that the team is learning are adversity with all the travel and already being 0-4, we have a lot of work to do that continues tomorrow against PLNU.”

The Wolves’ have won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference baseball title for their league every year since 2002. Head coach Kellen Walker was named GNAC coach of the year in 2013 and is responsible for an outstanding overall record of 276-138 for the wolves.

Western Oregon continued its week-long Southern California road trip on Thursday, Feb. 5, as they traveled to Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, Calif.

“The games in California helps to unite us as a team and sets us up so that we can prepare for a regional come the end of May,” said pitcher Spencer Trautmann.

The Wolves will play the Sea Lions four times over a three-day period.

“We look forward to competing against Point Loma and taking what we learned from UCSD and applying it to this next series,” Taylor said. “Guys are discovering who they are as hitters and how they can help us get a win at the end of the day. We are confident that we are the best team in the GNAC and expect nothing less that to win our conference.”

The Wolves first conference game is on Feb.28 against Saint Martin’s University in Lacy, Wash.

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Wolves fall to Saints by one (48 – 47)

Photo by Matt Coulter Staff Photographer — Photo by Matt Coulter | Staff Photographer

By GUY PERRIN
 Staff Writer

Women’s basketball played just one game this past week, suffering another defeat as they fell 48-47 to Saint Martin’s University on Saturday, Jan. 31 in Lacey, Wash.

The Wolves (5-13, 2-8 GNAC) rebounded well, outrebounding SMU 39-32, and dictated the tempo of the game but weren’t able to make enough shots, only 31 percent shooting, to pull away from the Saints (7-11. 4-6 GNAC).

Forward Dana Goularte was the only player to finish with double digits for the Wolves, scoring 10 points and adding seven rebounds as well as seven steals.

After a back and forth first half, Western used a series of runs in the second half and found itself leading 44-40 with just over four minutes to play. Saint Martin’s, however, would hold the Wolves to just three points the rest of the way securing the narrow, one-point victory.

“The last two games have been heartbreaking,” said head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter. “Against Billings, we fought back from a 10-point deficit, and against St. Martin’s, we were ahead at the last media timeout but just couldn’t finish in either game.

“We need to be more confident and mentally tough in those situations. We need to trust in our preparation and just focus on the little things rather than the outcome. Our focus this week and the remainder of the season is to just take one practice, one game at a time. We need to be persistent in our effort and intensity in practice and play in the moment during games. Our goals are still in reach and we will continue to fight for them,” Howard-Carpenter said.

Saint Martin’s guard Krista Stabler led all scorers with 11 points on 4-7 shooting. The Wolves traveled further north this week as they took on Alaska-Fairbanks Thursday, Feb. 5 and will meet Alaska-Anchorage Saturday, Feb. 7.

“We definitely want to get a win in Alaska,” Goularte said. “It’s always hard traveling there, so our mindset is to stay focused on our goals and do the little things.”

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FIRST YEARS SHINE

By GUY PERRIN
 Staff Writer

The Western men’s and women’s track teams set numerous personal records last weekend at the Husky Invite held at the Dempsey indoor facility on the campus of the University of Washington.

A few first years impressed on Saturday as Suzanne Van De Grift set a personal best in the 400 meter, running in 60.94, while Kylie Reinholdt would surpass her previous best mark in the triple jump with a jump of 10.71 meters. Meanwhile, another first year, Cody Warner, posted a personal record as well as a NCAA Division II provisional time of 6.89 in the 60 meter.

“I’m very excited that I have been able to be competing in the indoor season so far and starting out with a good time is exciting and allows me to set goals for myself for the rest of the season,” Van De Grift said.

Brady Beagley took home the victory in his heat of the men’s mile run finishing in 4:11.20 while Rachel Crawford impressed in the women’s event running the mile in 5:12.94, vaulting her into the all-time top 10 at Western for the event.

“The competition at UW is so strong that all you have to do is stay with the pack and beat as many people as you can,” Crawford said. “It feels good to get a PR in my first mile race of the year but I know I can improve even more this season. It is always a learning experience when competing in indoor meets.”

Emmi Collier had a successful day in the shot put, posting a career-best throw of 13.20 meters that was just shy of the NCAA Division II provisional mark.

The Wolves will travel to Pullman, Wash. to compete in the Cougar Open at Washington State University on Feb. 6-7.

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Wolves upset No. 8 Seattle Pacific

By GUY PERRIN
 Freelancer

The women’s basketball team snapped their five-game losing streak in dramatic fashion last week as they knocked off the No. 8-ranked Seattle Pacific University Falcons 67-62 on Thursday, Jan. 22.

Forward and team leader, Dana Goularte returned from injury to help the Wolves (5-11, 2-6 GNAC) storm back from an eight-point halftime deficit to hand Seattle Pacific (16-2, 6-2 GNAC) just their second loss of the season.

The Falcons came in shooting 40 percent on three-pointers as a team on the season but were stifled all night and finished just 4-21 from beyond the arc, good for 19 percent. Sami Osborne continued her strong run of play, leading the Wolves with 16 points, including a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line.

Goularte provided a necessary spark off the bench, scoring 10 points while also leading the team in rebounds and assists with six of each. Guards, Elise Miller and Katie Goddard chipped in 11 and 10 points respectively as the Wolves finished with four players in double figures.

The Wolves were unable to keep their momentum going on Saturday, Jan. 24, suffering a 59-57 loss to Montana State Billings during the ROOT Sports game of the week.

Guard Jordan Mottershaw led the Wolves with 18 points and forward Sami Osborne hauled in 10 rebounds for the Wolves (5-12, 2-7 GNAC).

Montana State forward Kayleen Goggins was able to squeak in the game-winning layup as time expired to steal the victory for the Yellowjackets (11-8, 3-6 GNAC).

After a closely contested first half, the Yellowjackets managed to open up a 10-point lead midway through the second half before the Wolves battled all the way back to tie the game with just over 90 seconds to play. The comeback ultimately came up short when Goggins was able to sink a difficult shot at the buzzer to ensure the victory for Montana State.

The Wolves enter a 3-game road trip, starting with Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington on Saturday, Jan. 31.

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Wolves win two on the road

By JACOB HANSEN
 Staff Writer

Western Oregon men’s basketball won both games last week in dominant fashion, scoring a season high 114 points during their 114-75 win against Simon Fraser on Jan. 22.

The Wolves also beat Western Washington 90-87 on Jan. 24 in a comeback led by guard Julian Nichols who scored the final seven points of the contest. With these two wins Western Oregon (16-3, 8-1 GNAC) is now ranked No. 24 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches poll. This is the first time in program
history that the Wolves men’s basketball team has been ranked in the top 25 teams in the country.

Along with two wins, guard Jordan Wiley was awarded in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference for his performances. Wiley was named GNAC Player of the Week thanks to a career performance against Simon Fraser and a key three-point basket
late versus Western Washington.

Wiley scored a career high 26 points while making an impressive 7-for-8 from three point range against Simon Fraser (5-14, 2-7 GNAC). He also snagged six rebounds and two steals.

In the following match against the Vikings of Western Washington (10-9, 3-6 GNAC) Wiley contributed 15 points to the win including a late three pointer that helped to seal the win for the Wolves.

During the Western Washington game, forward Andy Avgi became the newest member of the 1000 point club with his first basket from the free throw line. That night he also had a team high 21 points and a team high five rebounds.

“It felt good to beat a team that hadn’t been beaten on their home count in over a year at their place.” Avgi said.

During the win against Simon Fraser the Wolves dominated from down low, as two forwards had more than 20 points. Marwan Sarhan had a season high 20-point performance to accompany Avgi’s 23. As a team, Western Oregon combined to shoot
43-for-74 (58.1 percent) from the field. The Wolves were also a combined 10-of-22 (45.5 percent) from beyond the three-point line and 18-of-23 (78.3 percent) at the free throw line.

“We got significant contributions from all 11 guys in uniform tonight. We defended with great intensity and attacked their pressure with purpose,” said head coach Brady Bergeson.

During the Saturday night win against Western Washington Nichols added 18 points that included 15 in the second half, to go along with a game-high eight assists, three steals, and a pair of rebounds. His clutch play helped to rally the Wolves from behind late in the game. As a team, Western Oregon combined to shoot
31-for-55 (56.4 percent) from the field that included a 7-of-15 (46.7 percent)
showing from beyond the three-point line and a 21-for-23 (91.3 percent) performance at the free throw line.

“We had to dig down deep to get this one done,” said Bergeson. “[Western Washington] outplayed us for 17 minutes in the second half. We outplayed them for the final three. I’m very proud of the toughness we displayed on the road.”

The Wolves, who are 16-3 overall and 8-1 in the GNAC, are riding a current six-game winning streak and have won 15 of their last 16 games dating back to mid-November.

The Wolves will host a pair of GNAC games this week beginning on Thursday, Jan. 29 against Montana State University Billings starting at 7 p.m. Two days later, Western Oregon will welcome the Falcons of Seattle Pacific University on Saturday
Jan. 31, starting at 7 p.m.

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ROOT Sports partnership with GNAC adds exposure for Western

By RACHEL SHELLEY
 Sports Editor

ROOT Sports serves as a local and regional network for sports broadcasting around
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska, reaching 3.4 million homes.

Regionally, ROOT is operated by DIRECTV in four different regional networks, featured in over 22 states and reaches 13 million households. The network has exclusive programming and distribution partnerships with over 25 teams and conferences including the Northwest region, Pittsburgh, Rocky Mountain and the Southwest.

ROOT sports is home of the Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders
FC, Portland Timbers, and Gonzaga Bulldogs, but most importantly broadcasts for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Western Oregon University Wolves.

Many students have already experienced a ROOT sports game including the women’s
basketball game on Jan. 24. The men will be televised on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. when they take on Saint Martin’s in Lacey, Washington. These games are a part of a 10-game GNAC package from December through February.

Students who work during the basketball games get to experience working with a
sports broadcasting network. KWOU Station Manager Iain Dexter had his own positive
experience broadcasting the game with the ROOT crew.

“The experience working with ROOT Sports was incredible,” Dexter said. “Getting
the opportunity to meet and work with them was exciting as a college student. The guys worked with were helpful and easy going, making the experience more enjoyable.

“Having ROOT come to Western is great for the exposure of our school and students,” Dexter said. “Having a game air in the entire Northwest will hopefully bring more students to our school and bring us more opportunities for exposure.”

The next opportunity for Western exposure will be the men’s basketball game on Feb. 11 but anyone can watch GNAC games throughout February on TV depending on their cable package.

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Western improves home winning streak before road-trip

By JACOB HANSEN
 Staff Writer

Western Oregon men’s basketball team showed their true colors in an impressive win against their conference rivals Saint Martin’s University last Thursday in the New PE Building. This Great Northwest Athletic Conference win extended the Wolves home win streak to nine games as they found themselves on top by 14 (82-68) at the conclusion of the game.

“Tonight’s win feels good,” said head coach Brady Bergson.

Thursday, Jan. 15, the Wolves doused the Saints with shots from beyond the arc hitting 12-23.

Late in the fourth, four Wolves players contributed to make five straight three-pointers in a row.

Guard Jordan Wiley made two of the five in a row and also shot 5-of-9 from beyond the arc for the night. Wiley led Western Oregon (14-3, 6-1 GNAC) offensively with 21 points and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line.

Fellow guard Julian Nichols continued his outstanding free-throw performance for the season by hitting a perfect 10-for-10 from the line; he also contributed 17 points and seven assists.

Guard Devon Alexander tallied up 12 points of his own to help the Wolves. Forwards Andy Avgi, Lewis Thomas and Marwan Sarhan held down the paint.
Avgi scored in double figures for the 15th time this season with 16 points. Thomas put in major minutes playing for 28 and contributing seven points of his own. Sarhan came up big on the boards to grab a game-high tying six rebounds.

“It felt good,” Wiley said. “The ball was going in tonight so that is always nice. We have a nice zone play that gets me open quite a bit and Saint Martin’s was shagging off a little bit resulting in a 2-on-1 on the back side that turns into a wide open shot for me or one more pass results in a wide-open shot for the next guy.

“My teammates did a good job finding me,” he added.

During the win, the Wolves combined to shoot 24-for-50 (48 percent) from the field.

That number improved in the second half, 12-for-22 (54.5 percent).

The Wolves made half of their shots from behind the three-point line 12-for-23. They impressively made 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) of their shots at the free throw line. The Wolves have won four straight games and 12 of their last 13 games, which contributed to their unbeaten home stretch of nine.

“Each week is a new week,” Bergeson said. “The streaks are for the fans and the people on the outside to enjoy and talk about. We don’t talk about it. For us, the streak ends at the end of the week.”

Western Oregon traveled across the border Thursday, Jan. 22 to play the highest scoring team in NCAA Division II, Simon Fraser of Burnaby, British Columbia before traveling to Bellingham, Wash. to take on Western Washington University Saturday, Jan. 24.

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

Accessibility Public Records Privacy Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.

Baseball loses first four games in week-long Calif. tournament

Wolves fall to Saints by one (48 – 47)

FIRST YEARS SHINE

Wolves upset No. 8 Seattle Pacific

Wolves win two on the road

ROOT Sports partnership with GNAC adds exposure for Western

Western improves home winning streak before road-trip

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