As the calendar flipped to October, the Atlantic Sun swung into conference play with Lipscomb and Jacksonville sweeping weekend play to share the top spot in the standings. The conference's top two RPI squads, Lipscomb and ETSU meet in Johnson City, headlining a 10-game weekend slate of games.
Owls Win Opening A-Sun Match in Historic Fashion
Since creating its volleyball program in 2006, Kennesaw State had dropped the first two sets 68 times. In all 68 instances, the Owls went on to lose the match. On Friday, they pulled off their first-ever rally from a two-set hole to beat Belmont in their A-Sun opener. Camile Pedraza and Alyssa Lang each topped 20 digs for Kennesaw State. Watch a replay of the Owls' comeback on ASun.TV.
Dolphins Complete Successful Florida Swing
Jacksonville won the final two games of its stretch of nine games in 10 against other Florida schools with victories against FGCU and Stetson. For the third time in their last four meetings with the Eagles, the match extended to five sets. In all three instances, the Dolphins pulled out the win. The following night, the Dolphins swept Stetson to improve to 2-0 in league play for the first time since winning their first six conference contests in 2005. Read the thoughts Brittany Lehman and Hannah Munneke on the weekend HERE as part of her weekly blog.
Week Two Features Volunteer State Showdown
The NCAA released its first RPI rankings on Monday with Lipscomb and ETSU pacing the A-Sun, placing just outside the top 100. The two meet in Johnson City for the only time in regular-season play on Friday at 7 p.m. The match airs on ASun.TV. Last season, despite not qualifying for the A-Sun Championship, ETSU proved to be Lipscomb's toughest challenge within the league, taking three sets off the eventual champions. In their meeting Johnson City, the Lady Bisons needed five sets to thwart off the upset-minded Buccaneers. No other A-Sun foe took two sets from Lipscomb in a match last year. Lipscomb has won 30 of its last 31 A-Sun contests - 24 have ended in a Lady Bisons sweep.
Catch Six A-Sun Contests on ASun.TV
In addition to Friday's Lipscomb-ETSU meeting, five league matchups air on ASun.TV. Also on Friday, fans can watch Jacksonville at Kennesaw State or UNF at Mercer. On Saturday, ASun.TV offers three games: Belmont at ETSU at 2 p.m., UNF at Kennesaw State at 3p.m. and Jacksonville at Mercer, also at 3 p.m. The remainder of the A-Sun slate include Belmont at USC Upstate and FGCU at Campbell on Friday, both at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Campbell hosts Stetson at 2 p.m. and Lipscomb duels with USC Upstate at 3 p.m.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Extra Time - Women's Edition
A new week, a new name for our soccer blog … welcome to Extra Time! Our comments have been sparse so far. If you have enjoyed reading the blog, please let us know. If we aren’t covering an angle that needs more light, let us know. Don’t forget to follow us on our social media sites (Twitter.com/AtlanticSun & Facebook.com/AtlanticSunConference) as well.
In a Pinch Turn to Hensley
Some players just seem to have that innate ability to be in the right place at the right time. This season, Lisa Hensley has been that player for Jacksonville. In consecutive one-goal conference matches, JU defeated Stetson (1-0) and Kennesaw State (1-0) with Hensley providing the winning goal. For the year, the sophomore forward owns four game-winning goals in the Dolphins’ six victories. View Hensley discussing the Stetson game-winner here.
Peach State Leaders
Kennesaw State and Mercer each navigated its first four matches with a 3-1-0 record to top the A-Sun standings. Defense has been the calling card for both squads. The Bears surrendered just one goal over the four-match stretch while the Owls let two balls hit the back of the net. Another big challenge waits this weekend with a two-game swing through Florida for both teams to face Stetson and FGCU.
Belmont Breakout
Belmont put a disappointing start to the conference season in the rear-view mirror last weekend, beating USC Upstate 5-0 and ETSU 3-2 in double overtime. Sunday’s match with the Lady Bucs was a thriller that saw the teams combine for four second-half goals with Marcela Sanchez netting the equalizer with less than four minutes to play. Jessica Rix’s free kick from outside the box sealed the come-from-behind win in the 107th minute. Belmont’s eight goals more than doubled the team’s season total.
Pugh Etches Name in Record Books
With her three saves in the Owls’ 1-0 win at UNF on Sunday, Staci Pugh became the all-time Kennesaw State saves leader with 267 for her career. She passed Jessica Marek who now moves into second place with 264 saves for her career, which spanned from the Owls’ inaugural 2002 season to 2005. Not only has Pugh made her mark in the Kennesaw State record books, but she is also in the top five in a pair of categories in the Atlantic Sun Conference record book. She is currently tied for fourth all-time in career shutouts with 23, and she is fifth in career goals against average at 0.98.
Worth Quoting
“She's worked extremely hard since arriving as a freshman, and has been a key component to the program's constant success over the years. Staci had to overcome a serious injury that kept her out for a year, but she kept working hard and has improved in all areas of her game. Now in her final season, she's enjoying the fruits of her labor. Staci is not only a terrific goalkeeper, but a real character as well, and we couldn't be happier for her."
Rob King – Kennesaw State Head Coach on Staci Pugh
In a Pinch Turn to Hensley
Some players just seem to have that innate ability to be in the right place at the right time. This season, Lisa Hensley has been that player for Jacksonville. In consecutive one-goal conference matches, JU defeated Stetson (1-0) and Kennesaw State (1-0) with Hensley providing the winning goal. For the year, the sophomore forward owns four game-winning goals in the Dolphins’ six victories. View Hensley discussing the Stetson game-winner here.
Peach State Leaders
Kennesaw State and Mercer each navigated its first four matches with a 3-1-0 record to top the A-Sun standings. Defense has been the calling card for both squads. The Bears surrendered just one goal over the four-match stretch while the Owls let two balls hit the back of the net. Another big challenge waits this weekend with a two-game swing through Florida for both teams to face Stetson and FGCU.
Belmont Breakout
Belmont put a disappointing start to the conference season in the rear-view mirror last weekend, beating USC Upstate 5-0 and ETSU 3-2 in double overtime. Sunday’s match with the Lady Bucs was a thriller that saw the teams combine for four second-half goals with Marcela Sanchez netting the equalizer with less than four minutes to play. Jessica Rix’s free kick from outside the box sealed the come-from-behind win in the 107th minute. Belmont’s eight goals more than doubled the team’s season total.
Pugh Etches Name in Record Books
With her three saves in the Owls’ 1-0 win at UNF on Sunday, Staci Pugh became the all-time Kennesaw State saves leader with 267 for her career. She passed Jessica Marek who now moves into second place with 264 saves for her career, which spanned from the Owls’ inaugural 2002 season to 2005. Not only has Pugh made her mark in the Kennesaw State record books, but she is also in the top five in a pair of categories in the Atlantic Sun Conference record book. She is currently tied for fourth all-time in career shutouts with 23, and she is fifth in career goals against average at 0.98.
Worth Quoting
“She's worked extremely hard since arriving as a freshman, and has been a key component to the program's constant success over the years. Staci had to overcome a serious injury that kept her out for a year, but she kept working hard and has improved in all areas of her game. Now in her final season, she's enjoying the fruits of her labor. Staci is not only a terrific goalkeeper, but a real character as well, and we couldn't be happier for her."
Rob King – Kennesaw State Head Coach on Staci Pugh
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Extra Time - September 29th Edition
Right before conference play kicks off, we felt it was a perfect time to change the name of the soccer blog from Free Kicks to Extra Time. Let us know what you think about the name on our Facebook or Twitter pages and until then let’s talk a little bit about the past week of games and ones ahead.
Twice As Good
For the first time this season, two teams from the A-Sun Conference appeared in the NSCAA South Region Poll as FGCU jumped up one spot to number six, while ETSU received its first-ever recognition in the rankings coming in eighth place after defeating two opponents last week, both in overtime. Jacksonville has also seen its name in the south region polls this season coming in the week two poll.
Schoenfeld Nets Two
ETSU junior forward, Aaron Schoenfeld, racked up two overtime game-winners for the Bucs against Marshall and UNC Asheville. His efforts not only earned ETSU regional recognition, but also earned the Knoxville, Tenn. native two awards as he was named the A-Sun Player of the Week and was put on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week. The 6-foot-4 forward also added an assist on the week to bring his season point total to eight, tied for sixth in the conference.
Let’s Go Streaking
Five teams in the A-Sun have unbeaten streaks of two games or more, which is led by Mercer’s five-game streak (4-0-1). Behind the Bears is FGCU’s four-game stretch (2-0-2), ETSU (3-0) and Campbell (2-0-1) carry three-game runs and USC Upstate owns a modest two-game streak (1-0-1). It is highly likely that some of those runs will come to an end this weekend as the Camels open the A-Sun season against the Bucs and Mercer squares off with the Spartans on Thursday.
Conference Games This Week
Thursday, September 30th
Campbell at ETSU – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Mercer at USC Upstate – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Friday, October 1st
Stetson at Belmont – 3 p.m.
FGCU at Lipscomb – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 2nd
Campbell at USC Upstate – 2 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Mercer at ETSU – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Sunday, October 3rd
FGCU at Belmont – 12:05 p.m.
Stetson at Lipscomb – 2 p.m.
Jacksonville at UNF – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
The Scoring Trio
Stetson, Jacksonville and Mercer are at the top of the league in scoring with all three teams averaging two goals or more per game. The Hatters lead the conference with three goals per game average having scored 18 goals in six games, while the Dolphins have tallied the most goals, 21, coming in nine games for a 2.33 goals/game. The Bears are hanging right behind the duo with a two goal average.
Defense Wins Championships
On the flip side of the pitch, four A-Sun squads are allowing less than a goal per game as we begin conference play. Stetson, ETSU, FGCU and Campbell all adorn that list as the Hatters led the league with a 0.76 Goal Against Average (GAA). Nine of the ten teams in the conference have posted a shutout this season, while seven teams are tied for the led league with two blank sheets this season.
The Points Chase
Belmont’s Brandon Tarr, Stetson’s Kai Eckenrode and Jacksonville’s Nedim Hrustic are battling one another for the points lead as all three are in double-digits for points. Tarr, a sophomore, has 11 points on the season with three goals and five assists is first in the A-Sun, while Eckenrode (3 G, 5 A) and Hurstic (5 G, 0 A) are tied for second with ten points. The trio is in the lead for now as only four points separates first place from ninth.
Twice As Good
For the first time this season, two teams from the A-Sun Conference appeared in the NSCAA South Region Poll as FGCU jumped up one spot to number six, while ETSU received its first-ever recognition in the rankings coming in eighth place after defeating two opponents last week, both in overtime. Jacksonville has also seen its name in the south region polls this season coming in the week two poll.
Schoenfeld Nets Two
ETSU junior forward, Aaron Schoenfeld, racked up two overtime game-winners for the Bucs against Marshall and UNC Asheville. His efforts not only earned ETSU regional recognition, but also earned the Knoxville, Tenn. native two awards as he was named the A-Sun Player of the Week and was put on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week. The 6-foot-4 forward also added an assist on the week to bring his season point total to eight, tied for sixth in the conference.
Let’s Go Streaking
Five teams in the A-Sun have unbeaten streaks of two games or more, which is led by Mercer’s five-game streak (4-0-1). Behind the Bears is FGCU’s four-game stretch (2-0-2), ETSU (3-0) and Campbell (2-0-1) carry three-game runs and USC Upstate owns a modest two-game streak (1-0-1). It is highly likely that some of those runs will come to an end this weekend as the Camels open the A-Sun season against the Bucs and Mercer squares off with the Spartans on Thursday.
Conference Games This Week
Thursday, September 30th
Campbell at ETSU – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Mercer at USC Upstate – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Friday, October 1st
Stetson at Belmont – 3 p.m.
FGCU at Lipscomb – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 2nd
Campbell at USC Upstate – 2 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Mercer at ETSU – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
Sunday, October 3rd
FGCU at Belmont – 12:05 p.m.
Stetson at Lipscomb – 2 p.m.
Jacksonville at UNF – 7 p.m. - ASUN.tv
The Scoring Trio
Stetson, Jacksonville and Mercer are at the top of the league in scoring with all three teams averaging two goals or more per game. The Hatters lead the conference with three goals per game average having scored 18 goals in six games, while the Dolphins have tallied the most goals, 21, coming in nine games for a 2.33 goals/game. The Bears are hanging right behind the duo with a two goal average.
Defense Wins Championships
On the flip side of the pitch, four A-Sun squads are allowing less than a goal per game as we begin conference play. Stetson, ETSU, FGCU and Campbell all adorn that list as the Hatters led the league with a 0.76 Goal Against Average (GAA). Nine of the ten teams in the conference have posted a shutout this season, while seven teams are tied for the led league with two blank sheets this season.
The Points Chase
Belmont’s Brandon Tarr, Stetson’s Kai Eckenrode and Jacksonville’s Nedim Hrustic are battling one another for the points lead as all three are in double-digits for points. Tarr, a sophomore, has 11 points on the season with three goals and five assists is first in the A-Sun, while Eckenrode (3 G, 5 A) and Hurstic (5 G, 0 A) are tied for second with ten points. The trio is in the lead for now as only four points separates first place from ninth.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
VolleyBlog - Sept 28 Edition
The Atlantic Sun volleyball teams concluded weekend non-conference action in strong fashion, winning 14 of 20 matches. ETSU posted a 5-0 record and Jacksonville won its three matches. The first full week of league play begins Wednesday with Campbell traveling to Spartanburg, S.C. to take on USC Upstate. If you attend any of the 10 A-Sun contests over the weekend, be sure to take some pictures and we'll recognize you here on the blog and on our Facebook and Twitter page.
Bucs Soaring Entering A-Sun Play
For the second time in the 2010 non-conference season, the ETSU Buccaneers collected a tournament title, winning the North Carolina Central Tournament. On Friday, the Buccaneers beat NC Central, Maryland-Eastern Shore and wrapped up the event by beating Hampton and South Carolina State on Saturday. Alysa Long earned MVP honors after collected 24 kills and 20 blocks. She hit .477 and enters conference play pacing the conference in hitting percentage (.338) and blocks (91).
Dolphins Staking Claim for Sunshine State Crown
Jacksonville closed its pre-conference portion of the schedule by again dominating in-state competition. The Dolphins swept Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M and a non-conference match Stetson in improving their record against fellow Florida schools to 6-1 (2-7 against the other 49 states). Coincidentally, Jacksonville opens A-Sun play with FGCU on Friday and Setson one day later.
ETSU's Start One of A-Sun's Best Last Six Years
With victories on nine of its last 10 games, ETSU has improved its record to 14-5, its best 19-game start since also going 14-5 in 2005 and 2006. Since ETSU joined the A-Sun in 2005, only four teams have posted better 19-game starts than ETSU...FGCU started 17-2 in 2007 as did FAU in 2005. Belmont opened 2006 16-3 as did Lipscomb last season.
Gulley Garners National Praise
Kennesaw State's Sabrita Gulley's performance against Alabama A&M garnered the senior acclaim from Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com), as the organization named the outside hitter one of the Top Performers of the week. Gulley set a Kennesaw State record with 21 kills in a three-set victory. The 21 kills also marked the highest total by an A-Sun performer in a three-set match since the scoring format changed from the 30-point era to the 25-point era. Gulley is only the second A-Sun performer honored by the organization this season.
Lipscomb Enters A-Sun Play Looking to Extend Win Streak
The reigning champion Lipscomb Lady Bisons open league play with home contests against Kennesaw State and Mercer. After posting a perfect 20-0 regular-season mark in 2009 and finishing the 2008 regular season with five straight wins the Lady Bisons have won 25 straight regular-season conference games. Across Division I, only North Dakota State, which has won 42 regular-season Summit League games, owns a longer active streak. Lipscomb last lost an A-Sun regular-season game on October 28, 2008, a five-set loss at Belmont. The Lady Bisons have not lost a home A-Sun match since October 4, 2008, falling to FGCU in five sets.
Catch Seven Matches on ASun.TV
Among the 10 conference contests slated for the weekend, seven can be viewed on ASun.TV. Belmont, Lipscomb and UNF will air both its games while Jacksonville will broadcast its Friday game with FGCU.
Upcoming A-Sun Volleyball Matches on ASun.TV
Friday, October 1: Stetson at UNF, 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday, October 1: FGCU at Jacksonville 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday, October 1: Kennesaw State at Belmont, 6:30 p.m. CT
Friday, October 1: Mercer at Lipscomb, 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2: Mercer at Belmont, 2:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2: Kennesaw State at Lipscomb, 2:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2: FGCU at UNF, 3:00 p.m. ET
Bucs Soaring Entering A-Sun Play
For the second time in the 2010 non-conference season, the ETSU Buccaneers collected a tournament title, winning the North Carolina Central Tournament. On Friday, the Buccaneers beat NC Central, Maryland-Eastern Shore and wrapped up the event by beating Hampton and South Carolina State on Saturday. Alysa Long earned MVP honors after collected 24 kills and 20 blocks. She hit .477 and enters conference play pacing the conference in hitting percentage (.338) and blocks (91).
Dolphins Staking Claim for Sunshine State Crown
Jacksonville closed its pre-conference portion of the schedule by again dominating in-state competition. The Dolphins swept Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M and a non-conference match Stetson in improving their record against fellow Florida schools to 6-1 (2-7 against the other 49 states). Coincidentally, Jacksonville opens A-Sun play with FGCU on Friday and Setson one day later.
ETSU's Start One of A-Sun's Best Last Six Years
With victories on nine of its last 10 games, ETSU has improved its record to 14-5, its best 19-game start since also going 14-5 in 2005 and 2006. Since ETSU joined the A-Sun in 2005, only four teams have posted better 19-game starts than ETSU...FGCU started 17-2 in 2007 as did FAU in 2005. Belmont opened 2006 16-3 as did Lipscomb last season.
Gulley Garners National Praise
Kennesaw State's Sabrita Gulley's performance against Alabama A&M garnered the senior acclaim from Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com), as the organization named the outside hitter one of the Top Performers of the week. Gulley set a Kennesaw State record with 21 kills in a three-set victory. The 21 kills also marked the highest total by an A-Sun performer in a three-set match since the scoring format changed from the 30-point era to the 25-point era. Gulley is only the second A-Sun performer honored by the organization this season.
Lipscomb Enters A-Sun Play Looking to Extend Win Streak
The reigning champion Lipscomb Lady Bisons open league play with home contests against Kennesaw State and Mercer. After posting a perfect 20-0 regular-season mark in 2009 and finishing the 2008 regular season with five straight wins the Lady Bisons have won 25 straight regular-season conference games. Across Division I, only North Dakota State, which has won 42 regular-season Summit League games, owns a longer active streak. Lipscomb last lost an A-Sun regular-season game on October 28, 2008, a five-set loss at Belmont. The Lady Bisons have not lost a home A-Sun match since October 4, 2008, falling to FGCU in five sets.
Catch Seven Matches on ASun.TV
Among the 10 conference contests slated for the weekend, seven can be viewed on ASun.TV. Belmont, Lipscomb and UNF will air both its games while Jacksonville will broadcast its Friday game with FGCU.
Upcoming A-Sun Volleyball Matches on ASun.TV
Friday, October 1: Stetson at UNF, 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday, October 1: FGCU at Jacksonville 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday, October 1: Kennesaw State at Belmont, 6:30 p.m. CT
Friday, October 1: Mercer at Lipscomb, 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2: Mercer at Belmont, 2:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2: Kennesaw State at Lipscomb, 2:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2: FGCU at UNF, 3:00 p.m. ET
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Women's Soccer Free Kicks - Week 5
Free Kicks returns for another week of notes, recaps and previews. We have two competitive submissions for new names of the blog, Extra Time or Offside. If you have a favorite between the two or still want to offer up another option for us to consider, submit your title in our comment section, on our Facebook page or through our Twitter account.
Shutouts Rule Week One
Conference play opened in the Atlantic Sun this past weekend with eight of the 10 league games resulting in a shutout and one, the FGCU-Jacksonville contest finishing in 0-0 fashion. Mercer (1-0 win vs Belmont; 4-0 win against Lipscomb) and Jacksonville (0-0 tie with FGCU; 1-0 win vs Stetson) posted back-to-back clean sheets and ETSU blanked Campbell, 2-0, in its lone A-Sun contest.
Georgia > Nashville
The only two schools to earn two victories in the first weekend shared two traits -both reside inside "The Peach State" and both headed north and beat Belmont and Lipscomb. Kennesaw State opened league play by pulling out a dramatic victory against Lipscomb, 2-1, thanks to a goal by Brittany Vining with three seconds left in regulation. Also on Friday, Mercer got an overtime goal from Sara Elliot to top Belmont, 1-0. In a rematch of the 2009 Atlantic Sun Championship title game, the Owls shut out the Bruins, 2-0 on Sunday afternoon. Down Belmont Boulevard, Mercer blanked Lipscomb, 4-0, and held the Lady Bisons shotless, 19-0.
Kerns Moves to the Top of Goal Scoring List
Although only playing one game during the week, ETSU's Ramey Kerns scored both goals in the Buccaneers' 2-0 home win against Campbell. She moved ahead of Stetson's Tessa Gavilsky to take the lead in conference in both goals (5) and points (11). Check out highlights from Buccaneers victory HERE.
Hear from the Weekly Winners
Each week, the Atlantic Sun conducts interviews with the Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week. To hear from UNF's Carolina Lencina and Mercer's Raschelle Riley, click HERE.
Full Slate on ASun.TV
In addition to being the week of season premieres on network television, ASun.TV offers plenty of fresh action this weekend as eight of the 10 league showdowns air on the channel. Friday and Sunday feature four games each. On Friday, The A-Sun's reigning weekly award winners, Mercer's senior defender Raschelle Riley and UNF's Carolina Lencina meet in Macon. For the full schedule of games and how to purchase events, visit ASun.TV.
Shutouts Rule Week One
Conference play opened in the Atlantic Sun this past weekend with eight of the 10 league games resulting in a shutout and one, the FGCU-Jacksonville contest finishing in 0-0 fashion. Mercer (1-0 win vs Belmont; 4-0 win against Lipscomb) and Jacksonville (0-0 tie with FGCU; 1-0 win vs Stetson) posted back-to-back clean sheets and ETSU blanked Campbell, 2-0, in its lone A-Sun contest.
Georgia > Nashville
The only two schools to earn two victories in the first weekend shared two traits -both reside inside "The Peach State" and both headed north and beat Belmont and Lipscomb. Kennesaw State opened league play by pulling out a dramatic victory against Lipscomb, 2-1, thanks to a goal by Brittany Vining with three seconds left in regulation. Also on Friday, Mercer got an overtime goal from Sara Elliot to top Belmont, 1-0. In a rematch of the 2009 Atlantic Sun Championship title game, the Owls shut out the Bruins, 2-0 on Sunday afternoon. Down Belmont Boulevard, Mercer blanked Lipscomb, 4-0, and held the Lady Bisons shotless, 19-0.
Kerns Moves to the Top of Goal Scoring List
Although only playing one game during the week, ETSU's Ramey Kerns scored both goals in the Buccaneers' 2-0 home win against Campbell. She moved ahead of Stetson's Tessa Gavilsky to take the lead in conference in both goals (5) and points (11). Check out highlights from Buccaneers victory HERE.
Hear from the Weekly Winners
Each week, the Atlantic Sun conducts interviews with the Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week. To hear from UNF's Carolina Lencina and Mercer's Raschelle Riley, click HERE.
Full Slate on ASun.TV
In addition to being the week of season premieres on network television, ASun.TV offers plenty of fresh action this weekend as eight of the 10 league showdowns air on the channel. Friday and Sunday feature four games each. On Friday, The A-Sun's reigning weekly award winners, Mercer's senior defender Raschelle Riley and UNF's Carolina Lencina meet in Macon. For the full schedule of games and how to purchase events, visit ASun.TV.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Men's Soccer Free Kicks - Week 3
We are one week away from the beginning of the conference season as the 10 teams across the league wrap up the non-conference season. This will also be the final week before we pick a new name for the men’s and women’s soccer blog so continue to send in your suggestions to our Facebook and Twitter account for a chance to win an A-Sun Apparel package.
FGCU Takes Down Another Ranked Team
On Saturday, FGCU welcomed the No. 5 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes into Ft. Myers for the FGCU Kick-Off Classic and the Buckeyes left with a 1-0 loss as the Eagles’ freshman Ryan Price headed in the lone goal of the game in the 64th minute to stun the visiting Buckeyes. For their win and 1-1 tie with Drexel, who is ranked fifth in the South Atlantic region, on Thursday, FGCU earned a seventh place ranking in the latest edition of the NSCAA South Region Poll. Video Interview
Campbell Breaks through with Victory Over Niners
Not to be outdone by its A-Sun brethren, Campbell defeated the Charlotte 49ers, 2-1, on Saturday for the first time since Oct. 2, 1990. Khalil Johnson, a senior forward, registered two second-half goals before Charlotte, who defeated then-No. 14 Wake Forest earlier in the week, scored a late goal to cut the deficit to one. For his efforts, Johnson earned the A-Sun Player of the Week honors.
Mercer’s Shutter Earns National Team of the Week Honor
The Bears sophomore Josh Shutter was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week after scoring two goals in a 2-1 victory against Georgia State. Shutter scored the game’s opening goal in the first half and then added the game-winner in the 85th minute to seal the victory against the Panthers. The victory moved Mercer to 3-1-1 on the season and its best start after five games since going 4-1 to start the 2007 season.
Brustad Tallies Four-Minute Hat Trick
Stetson's Fredrik Brustad registered three goals in the Hatters 4-1 win against the Manhattan Jaspers. Brustad scored his first two goals in the 50th minute before recording his final goal in the 54th minute to put the game out of reach. Brustad, the A-Sun Preseasoon Player of the Year, leads Stetson in scoring with four goals and nine points. Brustad Interview
A-Sun Teams on the Winning End
At this point of the non-conference season, six of the 11 teams in the A-Sun have records of .500 or better, four of which are winning records. In comparison at the end of last season only two teams finished with a .500 record or better (FGCU and Stetson).
Tough Opponents Ahead For A-Sun Teams
In the final week of non-conference play, the A-Sun squares off against three regionally-ranked teams and one top-10 team. Campbell faces UNC-Greensboro, No. 8 in South Region, on Wednesday, while FGCU hosts Florida International, No. 5 in the South Region, on Friday. In a Sunday showdown, Jacksonville faces the No. 9 team in the nation, SMU, who has already faced one A-Sun team earlier in the season in Lipscomb.
Quote of the Week
"I'm proud of the way that our team was able to come together and pull out a victory against a quality opponent," said Campbell head coach Steve Armas. From opening day until now, we've had a lot of growth in the way we play and it clicked today for us. I credit our kids for pushing each other to be successful and I'm extremely proud of their efforts."
FGCU Takes Down Another Ranked Team
On Saturday, FGCU welcomed the No. 5 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes into Ft. Myers for the FGCU Kick-Off Classic and the Buckeyes left with a 1-0 loss as the Eagles’ freshman Ryan Price headed in the lone goal of the game in the 64th minute to stun the visiting Buckeyes. For their win and 1-1 tie with Drexel, who is ranked fifth in the South Atlantic region, on Thursday, FGCU earned a seventh place ranking in the latest edition of the NSCAA South Region Poll. Video Interview
Campbell Breaks through with Victory Over Niners
Not to be outdone by its A-Sun brethren, Campbell defeated the Charlotte 49ers, 2-1, on Saturday for the first time since Oct. 2, 1990. Khalil Johnson, a senior forward, registered two second-half goals before Charlotte, who defeated then-No. 14 Wake Forest earlier in the week, scored a late goal to cut the deficit to one. For his efforts, Johnson earned the A-Sun Player of the Week honors.
Mercer’s Shutter Earns National Team of the Week Honor
The Bears sophomore Josh Shutter was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week after scoring two goals in a 2-1 victory against Georgia State. Shutter scored the game’s opening goal in the first half and then added the game-winner in the 85th minute to seal the victory against the Panthers. The victory moved Mercer to 3-1-1 on the season and its best start after five games since going 4-1 to start the 2007 season.
Brustad Tallies Four-Minute Hat Trick
Stetson's Fredrik Brustad registered three goals in the Hatters 4-1 win against the Manhattan Jaspers. Brustad scored his first two goals in the 50th minute before recording his final goal in the 54th minute to put the game out of reach. Brustad, the A-Sun Preseasoon Player of the Year, leads Stetson in scoring with four goals and nine points. Brustad Interview
A-Sun Teams on the Winning End
At this point of the non-conference season, six of the 11 teams in the A-Sun have records of .500 or better, four of which are winning records. In comparison at the end of last season only two teams finished with a .500 record or better (FGCU and Stetson).
Tough Opponents Ahead For A-Sun Teams
In the final week of non-conference play, the A-Sun squares off against three regionally-ranked teams and one top-10 team. Campbell faces UNC-Greensboro, No. 8 in South Region, on Wednesday, while FGCU hosts Florida International, No. 5 in the South Region, on Friday. In a Sunday showdown, Jacksonville faces the No. 9 team in the nation, SMU, who has already faced one A-Sun team earlier in the season in Lipscomb.
Quote of the Week
"I'm proud of the way that our team was able to come together and pull out a victory against a quality opponent," said Campbell head coach Steve Armas. From opening day until now, we've had a lot of growth in the way we play and it clicked today for us. I credit our kids for pushing each other to be successful and I'm extremely proud of their efforts."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
VolleyBlog - Fourth Edition
USC Upstate stands on top of the Atlantic Sun standings after winning the first conference game of the season, beating Stetson in four sets on Thursday. The Spartans will hold onto that spot throughout the week as schools conclude non-conference weekend play this week. Once again several individuals and teams shined over the weekend adding intrigue to the upcoming conference season. Continue to message us here, on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AtlanticSunConference) or on Twitter (http://twitter.com/atlanticsun)
Camels Emerge Champs of Hilton Garden Inn Beach Bash
In leading Campbell to the UNC Wilmington Hilton Garden Inn Beach Bash, Allyson Goldbach earned MVP honors of the tournament. She hit a career high .480 in the Camels' fourth-ever victory against NC State. For the tournament, she totaled 38 kills, 36 digs and nine aces.
A Grand Performance for Gulley
Kennesaw State's Sabrita Gulley became the first Owl to record 1,000 kills for her career in the Owls' match with Coastal Carolina. Kennesaw State posted a pair of victories at its Owl Invitational. Gulley earned All-Tournament honors. She established the program's career record for kills during the 2009 season.
Bucs Bolster Non-Conference Record
ETSU picked up three wins at the Battle in the Boro tournament over the weekend. ETSU downed Charleston Southern, South Alabama and Winthrop, losing only to host Georgia Southern. ETSU's Alysa Long hit .350 at the tournament and picked up 38 kills and 16 blocks to earn her first Player of the Week honor. After a 1-3 start, the Buccaneers have won 8 of their last 10 games, their best 10-game stretch since an 8-2 span from September 15 through October 12 in 2007.
A-Sun Foes Continue to Meet In Non-Conference Action
One week after Belmont-Lipscomb and USC Upstate-Stetson squared off in non-conference play, three pairs of league members will hold non-conference competitions this week. FGCU will travel to Nashville to face Belmont on Saturday and Lipscomb on Sunday. Also on Saturday, Stetson hosts Jacksonville.
Spartan Teammates Sink Stetson
USC Upstate's Katie Downey and Morgan Thomas became the first set of A-Sun teammates to record at least 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .500 or better in a match. Thomas led the Spartans with 18 kills and hit .500 while Downey hit a team-leading .524 (12 kills, one error in 21 attempts) in the four-set victory.
Follow Pease's Senior Season
Lipscomb senior setter, and Atlantic Sun Preseason Player of the Year, Stefine "Jake" Pease submitted her first entry in her journal on LipscombSports.com adding the Lady Bisons entry into social media. The volleyball team features a dedicated Facebook page where fans can view game highlights like the Lady Bisons contest with Belmont and behind the scenes videos on their trip to St. Louis.
Did we miss a performance, a milestone or victory of note? Share with us here, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Camels Emerge Champs of Hilton Garden Inn Beach Bash
In leading Campbell to the UNC Wilmington Hilton Garden Inn Beach Bash, Allyson Goldbach earned MVP honors of the tournament. She hit a career high .480 in the Camels' fourth-ever victory against NC State. For the tournament, she totaled 38 kills, 36 digs and nine aces.
A Grand Performance for Gulley
Kennesaw State's Sabrita Gulley became the first Owl to record 1,000 kills for her career in the Owls' match with Coastal Carolina. Kennesaw State posted a pair of victories at its Owl Invitational. Gulley earned All-Tournament honors. She established the program's career record for kills during the 2009 season.
Bucs Bolster Non-Conference Record
ETSU picked up three wins at the Battle in the Boro tournament over the weekend. ETSU downed Charleston Southern, South Alabama and Winthrop, losing only to host Georgia Southern. ETSU's Alysa Long hit .350 at the tournament and picked up 38 kills and 16 blocks to earn her first Player of the Week honor. After a 1-3 start, the Buccaneers have won 8 of their last 10 games, their best 10-game stretch since an 8-2 span from September 15 through October 12 in 2007.
A-Sun Foes Continue to Meet In Non-Conference Action
One week after Belmont-Lipscomb and USC Upstate-Stetson squared off in non-conference play, three pairs of league members will hold non-conference competitions this week. FGCU will travel to Nashville to face Belmont on Saturday and Lipscomb on Sunday. Also on Saturday, Stetson hosts Jacksonville.
Spartan Teammates Sink Stetson
USC Upstate's Katie Downey and Morgan Thomas became the first set of A-Sun teammates to record at least 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .500 or better in a match. Thomas led the Spartans with 18 kills and hit .500 while Downey hit a team-leading .524 (12 kills, one error in 21 attempts) in the four-set victory.
Follow Pease's Senior Season
Lipscomb senior setter, and Atlantic Sun Preseason Player of the Year, Stefine "Jake" Pease submitted her first entry in her journal on LipscombSports.com adding the Lady Bisons entry into social media. The volleyball team features a dedicated Facebook page where fans can view game highlights like the Lady Bisons contest with Belmont and behind the scenes videos on their trip to St. Louis.
Did we miss a performance, a milestone or victory of note? Share with us here, on Facebook or on Twitter.
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