FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9-24-07
This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics
Monday, September 24
AASU Hosts 2007 ITA Mid-Atlantic Tennis Regional (All Day)
Men's Golf at Coker College Invitational (Orlando, Fla.)
Tuesday, September 25
Men's Golf at Coker College Invitational (Orlando, Fla.)
Wednesday, September 26
No Events Scheduled
Thursday, September 27
Women's Soccer at Queens (N.C.), 6:00 p.m.
Friday, September 28
Volleyball at Francis Marion, 7:00 p.m.
Women's Tennis at GCSU Fall Championships
Saturday, September 29
Volleyball at UNC Pembroke, 3:00 p.m.
Women's Soccer vs. GCSU, 3:30 p.m.
Women's Tennis at GCSU Fall Championships
Sunday, September 30
Women's Tennis at GCSU Fall Championships
Soccer (5-1-1 Overall, 2-0 Peach Belt Conference, No. 11 NSCAA DII Top 25)
The Armstrong Atlantic State women's soccer squad played a pair of Peach Belt Conference matches on the week after ascending to No. 11 in the latest NSCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The Pirates went on the road and earned a 1-1 tie at UNC Pembroke on Wednesday, then returned home and shut out Georgia Southwestern State, 7-0, on Saturday.
After a scoreless first half on Wednesday, UNC Pembroke scored off of a free kick to take a 1-0 lead in the 69th minute – it was the first time that the Pirates had trailed in a match since the season-opening loss to Florida Southern and just the second goal given up in a 489-minute stretch. Just seven minutes later, however, freshman Alyssa Anderson scored the equalizer off of a corner kick from Kristin Burton to give AASU a 1-1 tie.
The Pirates returned home on Saturday and hosted the winless Hurricanes of Georgia Southwestern State. Shana Neves tallied her first career hat trick and Burton delivered a pair of goals and two assists as AASU outshot the Hurricanes, 45-5, in the 7-0 win. Freshman Tracey Mitchell got her first collegiate start in goal and made four saves for her first shutout. Kyndal Schaaf and Jen Brian each added goals as well.
Burton’s two goals gives her 10 for the season and she becomes the first AASU player to record two seasons of 10+ goals.
This week, the Pirates travel to Queens (NC) for a non-conference matchup with the Royals at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 27, then AASU returns home to host GCSU in a key Peach Belt Conference matchup at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 29.
Volleyball (7-14 Overall, 1-1 Peach Belt Conference)
The Armstrong Atlantic State volleyball went 3-2 on the week, splitting two Peach Belt Conference matches and going 2-1 at the Anderson (SC) Region Crossover.
The Pirates hosted Augusta State in its Peach Belt opener on Wednesday and fell in three games to the Jaguars, 30-13, 30-21, 30-27. AASU rebounded, however, to defeat Lander on Friday evening in four games, 16-30, 30-23, 30-26, 30-28. Sophomore Gwen Clarke had a career-high night with 19 kills and a .474 hitting percentage.
AASU then traveled to Anderson, S.C., for Anderson Region Crossover. The Pirates won twice on Saturday, defeating Barton in three games, 30-26, 30-18, 30-19 with Clarke leading the way again with 12 kills, and North Greenville in three games, 30-14, 30-11, 30-13. Allyson Ray had 10 kills, three blocks and eight service aces in the match.
The Pirates then took on host Anderson on Sunday and fell in five games to the Trojans, 30-27, 30-22, 27-30, 24-30, 15-10. Ray had a season-high 20 kills in the match.
This week, the Pirates return to Peach Belt Conference play as AASU travels to Francis Marion on Friday, September 28, for a 7:00 p.m. match. AASU then visits Pembroke, N.C., for a 3:00 p.m. match against UNCP on Saturday, September 29.
Men’s Golf (No. 6, GCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll)
The No. 6-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State men’s golf team plays in its second tournament of the season on Monday and Tuesday, heading to Orlando for the Coker College Invitational at the Orange County National Golf Club.
Junior Chris Wolfe is joined by juniors Justin Smith and Mitch Baxley as well as freshmen Tanner Farr and Daniel Mobley in the lineup this week.
Women’s Golf
The Armstrong Atlantic State women’s golf team finished fourth for the second straight tournament, shooting a two-day 682 total at the Pfeiffer Lady Falcon Invitational. AASU finished behind team champion and host Pfeiffer (647) while Wingate (669) finished second, just one stroke ahead of Newberry (670).
The Pirates were led by senior Katherine Hooks, who shot 84-79 to finish tied for eighth with a two-day total of 163. Freshman Kristen Jelinek shot 90-82 and finished 19th with a two-day 172 total, while senior Kristen Graham shot 84-90 and finished tied for 20th with a two-day 173 total. Freshman Carrie George shot an 87-89 on Tuesday and finished tied for 29th with a 176 total and Courtney Sanders carded 93-88 to finish 32nd with an 181 total.
AASU returns to action on October 1 at the Flagler College Slam in St. Augustine, Fla.
The Armstrong Atlantic State men’s and women’s tennis teams are guaranteed to have the singles champions from both the men’s and women’s main draws after the first two days of the 2007 ITA Mid-Atlantic Regional in Savannah.
The Pirate men placed all four players in the semifinals on Sunday as Rafael Array upset top-seeded Erick Siqueira of GCSU 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. Christian Bergh entered the semis with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Oshada Wijemanne of Francis Marion. The other semifinal features Robert Jendelund, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over teammate Paul Bishop, and Kevin Sijmons, who defeated teammate Davor Zink 5-7, 6-4, 5-2, retired. The final will be played Monday afternoon.
On the women’s side, top seed Johanna Dahlback cruised into the semis with a 6-3, 6-4 win over CSU’s Agata Polcyn. She’ll match up with Sofia Haggstrom, who defeated ASU’s Nathalia Rodrigues, 7-5, 6-2. In the other half, third-seed Gabriella Kovacs defeated Clayton State’s Viktoriya Semyrodenko, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to reach the semis, where she will match up with newcomer Alida Muller-Wehlau, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over teammate Alisa Kagukina. The final will be played on Tuesday.
The winner of each will advance to the ITA Small College National Championships on Oct. 11-14 in Mobile, Ala.
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