January 2007
Lady Bulldogs Host Montana Tech
Wednesday, January 31 2007
The University of Montana Western Lady Bulldogs host the Montana Tech Orediggers in a Frontier Conference women’s basketball game Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007. The game tips off at 6 p.m. from the Straugh Gymnasium on the Montana Western campus.
The game will air on KDBM Radio and be webcast from: http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WBB&sea=NAIWBB_2006&team=330.
Montana Western is 21-2 overall and 6-1 in conference action after last weekend’s victories over University of Great Falls and MSU-Northern. The Lady Bulldogs downed UGF 77-66 and Northern 69-58. Western is ranked sixth in the latest NAIA Division I Top-25 for the third straight week.
Montana Tech is 14-6 overall and 3-4 in league play after victories over UGF and Northern. Tech edged Northern 76-75 with a buzzer-beating basket and 86-70 over the Lady Argos. The Orediggers didn’t crack the Top-25, but they received votes in the latest poll.
In the first week of the conference season, the Lady Bulldogs downed Montana Tech 73-61 in Butte.
“Montana Tech is a very dangerous team,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “The Gimeno's are difficult to defend because they can knock down perimeter shots and can also break down you down off the dribble and finish at the basket or find the open player. It will be important for us to put two good halves together. The last couple of games we've played one good half of basketball but we need to get more consistent for the entire 40 minutes.”
Rebecca Gimeno leads Montana Tech in scoring with 15 points per game (ppg) followed by Angela Gimeno with 14.4 and Jessie DePell with 11. Jenessa Todd leads the team in rebounds with 5.7 per game followed by Adrea Thomas with 4.8. Tech averages 72 ppg while giving up 64. In conference play, Tech averages 66.5 but gives up 71.4.
Katherine Sunwall leads the Lady Bulldogs in scoring with 15.4 ppg followed by Becky O’Neil with 14.8 and Megan Schimtz with 11.3. Sunwall leads the team and the conference in rebounds with 10.6 per game. She leads the league and the nation in blocked shots with three per game. The Lady Bulldogs average 69.7 ppg while giving up a league best 55.3 ppg. In conference games, Western averages 68.3 ppg while giving up 57.6 per game.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Close First Half of Frontier Season With Two Wins
Sunday, January 28 2007
The Lady Bulldogs closed the first half of the conference season with wins over the University of Great Falls 77-66 and MSU-Northern 69-58. Western is now 21-2 overall and 6-1 in Frontier Conference play.
Against UGF, Western led from wire to wire, but it was close all the way. The Lady Bulldogs led by no more then six points over the first 11 minutes of the half. At the 8:50 mark, a three point field goal by Jill Dana sparked a 8-0 Lady Bulldog run and a 26-14 lead with 4:53 left in the half. Western led 33-22 at the half.
The Lady Bulldogs opened the second half with a 9-0 run and led by 20, 42-22 at the 16:27 mark. UGF mounted several charges but could not overcome the Lady Bulldogs lead.
Megan Schmitz led five players scoring in double figures for Western. Schmitz had 18 followed by Jill Dana with 17, Becky O'Neil with 14 and Katherine Sunwall and Crystal Kain with 10 each.
On Saturday night, the Lady Bulldogs got off to a quick start and led 6-1 after the first three minutes. Northernn answered and cut the lead to 6-5 with 14:01 left in the first half. Then, both teams went scoreless over the next five minutes. Colette Behrent ended the scoring drought with a pair of free throws. There were four lead changes and one tie in the final eight minutes of the half. Western led at the break 25-22.
The Lady Bulldogs opened the second half with a 9-0 run and led 34-22 with 16:26 remaining. Northern never recovered from that opening run. The Skylights cut the Lady Bulldog lead to eight, 47-39 at the 8:42 mark, but that was as close as they would get.
Katherine Sunwall led Western with 13 points followed by Becky O'Neil with 12 and Crystal Kain with 10.
Western hosts Montana Tech on Thursday.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Host University of Great Falls and MSU-Northern
Thursday, January 25 2007
The Lady Bulldogs host the University of Great Falls on Friday, Jan. 26 and MSU-Northern on Saturday, Jan. 27 in Frontier Conference women’s basketball.
Tip-off is 6 p.m. from the Straugh Gymnasium. Radio coverage of both games airs on KDBM. The games will also be available with a live web cast at http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WBB&sea=NAIWBB_2006&team=330
Montana Western is 19-2 overall and 4-1 in Frontier Conference action after last weekend’s road split. The Lady Bulldogs lost at Lewis-Clark 56-64 and then downed Westminster College 65-50 at Salt Lake City. Western is ranked sixth in the latest NAIA Division I Top-25.
The University of Great Falls is 2-16 overall and 0-5 in league play after last weekend’s 50-80 loss to MSU-Northern. The Lady Argos are coached by former Lady Bulldog assistant Shawn Chaffin. Western won both games last year, beating UGF 77-51 in Dillon and 76-55 in Great Falls.
“Great Falls has the conference leading scorer in Laura Keaster,” said Lady Bulldog coach Kevin Engellant. “They are a perimeter oriented team, and have a number of different players who can break you down off the dribble and also step out and hit the 3-point shot.”
Keaster averages 18.1 points per game (ppg) followed by Meghan Schwantes with 10 ppg. Schwantes leads the team in rebounding with 6.33 rebounds per game. The Lady Argos average 62.7 ppg but give up 74.8.
MSU-Northern is 14-5 overall and 3-2 in league play after last weekend’s victory over the University of Great Falls. The Skylights did not crack the Top-25 but did receive votes in the balloting. Last year, Western and Northern met three times with the Lady Bulldogs winning two of three. The two teams split their regular season series with each team winning at home. The Lady Bulldogs won 59-56 in Dillon while Northern won 72-57 in Havre. Western downed the Skylights 74-71 in the Frontier Conference tournament semi-finals.
“Northern is a talented team who is playing very well,” added Engellant. “They have a very strong post game to go along with good guard play. Northern is a very goodpassing team and they execute very well in the half court.”
Three Northern players average in double figures in scoring led by DeLayne Johnston with 15.9 ppg, Chelsie Searle with 10.6 ppg and Jena Heggem with 10 ppg. Johnston also leads the team in rebounding with eight rebounds a game followed by Michele VanDyke with 6.2. The Skylights average 77.9 ppg while giving up 62.7.
Katherine Sunwall leads Montana Western in scoring with 15.8 ppg followed by Becky O’Neil with 15 and Megan Schmitz with 11.2. Sunwall leads the team and the conference in rebounding with 10.2 rebounds per game followed by Becky O’Neil with 8.32 rebounds per game. Sunwall leads the conference and the nation in blocked shots with 3.48 per game. The Lady Bulldogs average 69.3 ppg while giving up 54.6.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Down Westminster College
Sunday, January 21 2007
Becky O'Neil and Katherine Sunwall combined for 33 points as the Lady Bulldogs downed Westminster College 65-50. The win raises Montana Western's overall record to 19-2 and their conference mark to 4-1.
Western led 32-21 at the half. O'Neil led the scoring with 20 followed by Sunwall with 13 and Laura Shea with 11. Sunwall led in rebounding with 11.
The Lady Bulldogs return to the Straugh Gymnasium to host the University of Great Falls on Friday, Jan. 26 and MSU-Northern on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Lose First Conference Game
Friday, January 19 2007
From Lewis-Clark Sports Information
LEWISTON, Idaho – Holding Montana Western scoreless for nearly nine minutes in the first half helped the Lewis-Clark State College women’s basketball team turn an early six-point deficit into a lead it never let go of to claim a 64-56 win in a key Frontier Conference showdown at the LCSC Activity Center on Thursday night.
LCSC, ranked No. 2 in this week’s NAIA poll, takes over sole possession of first place in the Frontier Conference standings with the win. The Warriors are 18-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Montana-Western, ranked No. 6, falls to 18-2 and 3-1.
The Warriors trailed 13-7 with 13:31 left to play, but by the time Montana-Western scored its next bucket with 4:36 left in the first half, the Warriors were up 21-15. The Bulldogs cut the margin to four twice in the second half, but couldn’t get closer.
LCSC senior post Ashley Baker scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the first half as the Warriors took a 28-20 lead. Senior guard Janeen Nelson then had 13 of her 16 points in the second half as LCSC stayed in control to stand as the only unbeaten conference team.
Aundrea Morrison had 11 points and Jade Fullbright added 10 as the Warriors had four players in double figures. Baker also topped the team with eight rebounds.
LCSC needed all the production it could manage to offset Montana-Western’s inside duo of Katherine Sunwall and Becky O’Neil. Sunwall, who went just 1-of-8 from the field, still finished with nine points and grabbed 20 rebounds. O’Neil added 16 points and 12 rebounds as Montana-Western held a 42-30 rebounding edge.
The Warriors, however, forced 22 turnovers and held the Bulldogs to just 18-of-49 shooting from the field, 36.7 percent. Montana-Western entered the contest shooting better than 47 percent from the field.
LCSC was 22-of-53 from the field, 41.5 percent, and committed just 13 turnovers.
Both teams return to action on Saturday. LCSC will play host to Montana Tech at 6 p.m., Pacific time, while Montana-Western travels to Salt Lake City to meet Westminster at 5:30 p.m., Mountain time.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs On the Road for Two
Wednesday, January 17 2007
The University of Montana Western Lady Bulldogs basketball team travels to Lewiston, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah for Frontier Conference games against Lewis-Clark State on Thursday, Jan. 18 and Westminster College on Saturday, Jan. 20.
Tip-off from Lewiston is 7 p.m. MST. The game will broadcast in southwest Montana on KDBM radio. Tip-off from Salt Lake City is 5:30 p.m. There will be no radio from Salt Lake, but the game will available online at http://people.westminstercollege.edu/webcast/basketball/Women 2006-2007.htm.
Montana Western is 18-1 overall and 3-0 in league play after last weekend’s sweep over Rocky Mountain and Carroll College. The Lady Bulldogs beat Rocky 64-53 and Carroll 74-51. The Lady Bulldogs are ranked sixth in the latest NAIA Division I Top-25.
Lewis-Clark is 17-1 overall, 3-0 in league play and ranked #2 in the latest latest NAIA Division I Top-25. L-C won two last weekend on the Highline road trip. The Warriors beat the University of Great Falls 106-57 and MSU-Northern 67-59. Montana Western and Lewis-Clark split their series last year with each winning on the others home court.
“LC-State is a very good basketball team and they are playing extremely well,” said Montana Western coach Kevin Engellant. “To beat them on their home court is going to take a great effort. They are very explosive offensively so we need to be solid defensively and not let them get offensive rebound opportunities. LC-State uses their quickness on the perimeter to force turnovers, so taking care of the basketball will be another key to the game.”
In their three conference games, Aundrea Morrison leads Lewis-Clark in scoring with 14.7 points per game (ppg) followed by Ashley Baker with 14 ppg and Jade Fulbright with 13.7 ppg. Lewis-Clark averages a league best 84 ppg in their three league games. They are also tops in defensive scoring giving up 54.3 ppg.
Westminster is 1-2 in league play and 13-6 overall after splitting their weekend series on the Highline. Westminster lost to MSU-Northern 55-68 and came from behind to beat the University of Great Falls 84-75. Last year, the Lady Bulldogs split their season series with Westminster. Western won 69-66 in Dillon and lost 69-70 in Salt Lake.
“Westiminster is tough to defend because they do a nice job of spreading the court and taking advantage of backdoor opportunities,” added Engellant. “Shannon Evans and Elisa Leader are great players that are capable of putting up big numbers so we need to do a good job defensively against them.?”
Leader leads Westminster with 15 ppg in three conference games. Janae Hirschi leads the team in rebounding with 7.33 per game.
After three league games, Katherine Sunwall leads Montana Western and the Frontier in scoring with 24 ppg, The Lady Bulldogs are averaging 70.3 ppg while giving up 55.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldog Stay Unbeaten in Frontier Conference
Sunday, January 14 2007
Montana Western stayed unbeaten in the Frontier Conference with a 64-53 win over Rocky Mountain and a 74-51 win over Carroll College.
Against Rocky, Montana Western got off to a fast start and led 7-0 in the game's first two minutes. They extended their lead to 19-6 at the 10:31 mark. Rocky then caught fire and outscored the Lady Bulldogs 18-6 to cut the lead to one, 25-24 with five minutes remaining in the half. Rocky grabbed their first and only lead of the game at the 1:03 mark 31-30. A Heather Brooks three-point basket gave the the Lady Bulldogs back the lead for good.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Rocky stayed close. Seven minutes into the half, a Katherine Sunwall offensive rebound and lay-up began a 9-0 run to give the Lady Bulldogs a 50-38 lead. Western extended the lead to 64-46 with just a 1:40 to play.
Katherine Sunwall led the Lady Bulldogs with 19 points followed by Laura Shea with 11 and Jill Dana with 10. Becky O'Neil led the team in rebounding with 10.
Against 11th ranked Carroll College, the first half was a battle. The Lady Bulldogs took the early lead on a Becky O'Neil basket. The teams then traded baskets over the first ten minutes of the half. Carroll took their first lead 10-8 at the 9:08 mark. A field goal and free throw from Jill Dana gave the lead back to the Lady Bulldogs. At the 3:46 mark, Carroll took the lead 18-17. The teams traded baskets and leads over the final three minutes of the half with Western leading at the break 26-25.
The second half began just like the first half ended with the teams trading baskets and leads. At the 17:25 mark, a Katherine Sunwall field goal gave Western back the lead and ignited a 22-6 run. The Lady Bulldogs led 49-35 at the 9:05 mark of the game. Western shot a red-hot 77% from the field in the second half and held Carroll to a chilly 38%.
Megan Schmitz led the Lady Bulldogs with 22 points followed by Katheirne Sunwall with 17 and Becky O'Neil and Crystal Kain with 12 each. Sunwall and O'Neil each pulled downn nine rebounds.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Host Rocky and Carroll
Thursday, January 11 2007
The Montana Western Lady Bulldogs host Rocky Mountain College on Friday, Jan. 12 and Carroll College on Saturday, Jan. 13 in Frontier Conference women’s basketball. Tip-off is 6 p.m. each evening from the Straugh Gymnasium.
The games will be broadcast in southwest Montana on KDBM radio and webcast on the internet:
http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WBB&sea=NAIWBB_2006&team=330
The Lady Bulldogs are 16-1 overall and 1-0 in Frontier Conference play after last weekend’s opening conference win over Montana Tech 73—61. In the game, Great Falls senior Katherine Sunwall set a new single game scoring record with 36 points. Montana Western is ranked 6th in the latest NAIA Division I Top-25.
Rocky is 7-11 overall and 1-1 in league play after a home split last weekend with MSU-Northern and University of Great Falls. Rocky lost to Northern 60-74 and beat Great Falls 65-49. The Lady Bulldogs beat Rocky twice last year to extend their winning streak over the Bears to 11 games including five in a row in the Straugh Gymnasium.
“We've been on the road since December 2, so it will be nice to be play at home,” said Lady Bulldogs coach Kevin Engellant. “Rocky is a very balanced team. Jenna Sawyer gives them a low post presence and they have good shooters and quickness on the perimeter.”
Gretchen Wall leads Rocky in scoring with 11.8 ppg followed by Sawyer with 10.9 ppg. Sawyer leads the team in rebounding with 8.6 rpg. Wall’s 86.8 free throw percentage is tops in the Frontier and second in the nation in free throw. Rocky averages 63.4 ppg while giving up 66.9 ppg.
Going into their Friday game at Montana Tech, Carroll is 18-0 overall, 2-0 in league play and ranked 11th in the latest NAIA Top-25. Last week Carroll beat University of Great Falls 81-47 and MSU-Northern 65-50. Last year, the Lady Bulldogs beat Carroll twice in the regular season ( 82-77 & 71-66) and 66-60 for the Frontier Conference tournament championship.
“The Carroll game is a big game for us,” added Engellant. “We've had some great games with Carroll over the past couple of years and we expect another close and intense game on Saturday. Carroll's posts, Brooks and Forney are really playing well this year. Carroll is tough to guard because they have great perimeter shooters to go along with a strong post game.”
Jolene Fuzesy leads Carroll in scoring with 17.4 ppg which is second in the Frontier and 20th in the nation. Also scoring in double figures for the Saints is Amy Brooks with 13.5 ppg. Brooks leads the team in rebounding with 6.6 rpg. Fuzesy leads nation and the conference in 3-point field goals made with 4.72 per game. Carroll averages 79.3 points per game (second in Frontier and 10th in the nation) while giving up 58.9 ppg.
Katherine Sunwall leads Montana Western in scoring with 16 ppg followed by Becky O’Neil with 15.3 and Megan Schmitz with 11.2. Sunwall leads the nation and the conference blocked shots (3.71 per game) and is first in the league and 11th in the nation in rebounds (9.94 rpg). The Lady Bulldogs average 70.5 ppg and give up a league lead best of 54.7 ppg game. That ranks Montanan Western first in the Frontier and 10th in the nation in scoring defense.
Go To Top
Sunwall Sets School Scoring Record in Win Over Montana Tech
Monday, January 8 2007
Katherine Sunwall scored a school record 36 points to lead the Lady Bulldogs to 73-61 Frontier Conference victory over Montana Tech.
The record was 35 points in a game and held by three players; Becky O'Neil, Patty Weed and Kathy Eatinger.
The two teams battled evenly in the game's first eight minutes. Tech used outside shooting to take 16-11 lead at the 11:32 mark. That would be Tech's biggest lead of game. The Orediggers led 32-31 at the half.
The second half belonged to Sunwall and the Lady Bulldogs. Montana Western hit 55 percent of their field goals and held the Orediggers to 36 percent. The Lady Bulldogs hit 43 percent from three point land while Tech shot an icy cold 15 percent.
Becky O'Neil was the only other Lady Bulldog to score in double figures with 13 points. Sunwall also led the team in rebounding with nine.
Montana Western hosts Rocky on Friday, Jan. 12 and Carroll on Saturday, Jan. 13
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Open Conference Season At Montana Tech
Thursday, January 4 2007
The University of Montana Western Lady Bulldogs travel to Butte, Mont. for a Frontier Conference women’s basketball game against Montana Tech, Saturday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is 6 p.m. from the HPER Complex. The game will broadcast in southwest Montana on KDBM-KBEV radio.
The Lady Bulldogs are 15-1 overall and ranked seventh in the latest NAIA Top-25. Montana Western split their holiday series at the South Padre Shoot-Out. The Lady Bulldogs downed Paul Quinn College 67-44 and lost on a last second shot to Xavier of Louisiana 44-45.
Montana Tech is 12-2 on the season and ranked 25th in the latest NAIA power poll. The Orediggers won two in North Dakota last weekend. Tech beat Jamestown College 63-52 and the University of Mary 78-72.
Tech and Montana Western played three times last season with the Lady Bulldogs winning all three.
“Montana Tech is definitely the most improved team in the conference this year,” said Montana Western coach Kevin Engellant. “They are very talented and are playing with a lot of confidence. The Gimeno twins are tremendous players and make everyone else so much better. We need to do a good job of defending their actions and control the boards. We expect a very intense and hard fought game.”
Angela Gimeno leads Montana Tech in scoring with 15.25 ppg followed by sister Rebecca with 15 ppg. Also scoring in double figures are Jenessa Todd with 12.9 ppg and Adrea Thomas with 10.9. Todd leads the team in rebounding with 5.33 rpg followed by Thomas with 4.08. Montana Tech averages 74.8 ppg while giving up 60.36.
Becky O’Neil leads three players scoring in double figures for the Lady Bulldogs. O’Neil averages 15.5 ppg followed by Katherine Sunwall with 14.8 and Megan Schmitz with 11.9. Sunwall leads the team in rebounding with 10 rpg followed by O’Neil with 8.6 rpg. Sunwall leads the nation in blocked shots with 3.87 per game. The Lady Bulldogs average 70.3 ppg while giving up 54.3.
Go To Top
Lady Bulldogs Lose First Game of Season
Wednesday, January 3 2007
The Lady Bulldogs went 1-1 at the South Padre Shoot-Out on the last weekend of 2006. Montana Western beat Paul Quinn College 67-44 and lost to Xavier of Louisiana 44-45. The Lady Bulldogs are now 15-1 overall.
Against Paul Quinn, neither team could untracked offensively. Montana Western hit only 29% of their field goals while Paul Quinn could hit only 24% of their field goals. the Lady Bulldogs led at the break 24-23.
In the second half, Paul Quinn stayed cold while the Lady Bulldogs caught fire. Paul Quinn had their last lead at the 16:29 mark of the second half. Montana Western went on a 22-0 run that put the game out of reach.
Katherine Sunwall led the Lady Bulldogs with 21 followed by Kaylee Williams with 12.
On Saturday afternoon, Western jumped out to a 14-2 lead over Xavier in the game's first eight minutes. Xavier then went on a run cut the Lady Bulldog lead to three, 17-14 with 6:20 left in the first half. Montana Western led 26-23 at the break.
In the second half, the teams traded baskets. Xavier tied the game three times but did not lead until the game's final seconds. Xavier hit the winning jumper with two seconds remaining to had the Lady Bulldogs their first loss of the season.
Katherine Sunwall was the only player to score in double figures for Montana Western with 16. She also pulled down 13 rebounds.
The Lady Bulldogs open Frontier Conference play Saturday, Jan. 6 at Montana Tech.
Go To Top