December 2004
Lady Bulldogs Sweep King's University
Saturday, December 18 2004
The Lady Bulldogs swept their two game series with the King's University of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
On Friday night, Western scored the game's first 33 points before King's scored their first point. on the way to a 74-15 victory.
The Lady Bulldogs led 47-10 at the half and outscored King's University 27-5 in the second half.
Jill Feller led Western with 16 points and nine rebounds. Heather Kennedy added 15 followed by Katherine Sunwall with 12.
On Saturday, the Lady Bulldogs made it a clean sweep over the Lady Eagles of King's University of Canada as they rolled to a67-29 victory. The pair of wins raised Western's record to 10-3.
Western led 29-10 at the half and out-scored the Eagles 38-19 in the second half. The Lady Bulldogs converted 24 King's University turnovers into 26 points.
Three players scored in double figures for the Lady Bulldogs led by Jill Feller with 16. Katherine Sunwall added 11 followed by Billi Suhr with 10. Sunwall, Suhr and Alyssa Matter each pulled down five rebounds.
Western is off until December 29-30 when they compete in the Grand Canyon Classic in Phoenix, Arizona.
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Lady Bulldogs Host King's University of Canada
Tuesday, December 14 2004
The Lady Bulldogs host the King's University College Eagles of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18.
On Friday, the two teams tip-off at 7:00 p.m. from Beaverhead County High School's BW Lodge Gymnasium. The game is being played there due to the Montana Youth Challenge Graduation taking place at the Straugh Gymnasium.
On Saturday, the two teams tip-off from the Straugh Gymnasium at 6:00 p.m. followed by the men's game at 8:00 p.m.
Western is 8-3 on the season after beating Montana Tech 81-52 on December 8. They are ranked #22 in the latest NAIA Top 25. Katherine Sunwall led the Lady Bulldogs with 17 points.
King's University is 1-11 on the season. The Eagles won their first game of the season on December 8 when they edged Northern Alberta Institute of Technology 47-44.
“Our non-conference schedule is winding down, so it is important that we improve our consistency on both ends as we get ready for the conference season,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “Our defensive rebounding has gotten better but we need to be more aggressive on the offensive boards and limit our turnovers.”
Three players are averaging in double figures led by Jill Feller with 15.8, Hillary Taylor with 14.3 and Katherine Sunwall with 11.2.
Western is averaging 72.4 points a game while giving up 62.2 points per game.
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Lady Bulldogs Roll Over Montana Tech
Wednesday, December 8 2004
The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 19-0 lead and were never threatened in an 81-52 non-conference victory over Montana Tech, Wednesday night in the Straugh Gymnasium.
Montana Tech scored their first points of the game at the 14:41 mark. Westerm led 47-18 at the half.
In the second half, Montana Tech turned up the defense and battled the Lady Bulldogs to a 34-34 draw. Western's dominating first half was too much for Tech to overcome.
Katherine Sunwall led Western with 17 points followed by Hillary Taylor with 15 and Heather Kennedy with 14. Jill Feller pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Lady Bulldogs.
Western has this weekend off and then plays host to King's University of Canada next Friday and Saturday, December 17 and 18.
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Lady Bulldogs host Montana Tech in Non-Conference Basketball Game
Tuesday, December 7 2004
DILLON - After taking a week off, the University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, December 8 when they host the Lady Orediggers of Montana Tech in a non-conference college basketball game from Dillon's Straugh Gymnasium. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m.
Western is 7-3 on the season and last saw action at the Sarsfield Classic ten days ago. Western beat nationally ranked University of Mary 82-74 on November 26 and beat Mount Royal 61-50 in an exhibition game on November 28.
Montana Tech is 4-7 after last Saturday's 100-55 loss at Montana State-Bozeman.
“We've been on the road since the middle of October, so we are looking forward to finally playing at home,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “Anytime Tech and Western play, anything can happen. Tech is a dangerous team. They play hard and they have a number of different players who can hit the 3-point shot. We need to control the boards and use our size to our advantage.”
Jill Feller leads the Lady Bulldogs in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.5 points and 11.1 rebounds. Hillary Taylor follows with 14 points and 5.2 rebounds. Taylor is shooting a sizzling 61% from the field. Western is averaging 71.5 points per game while giving up 63.2.
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Lady Bulldogs Move Up in Rankings
Tuesday, December 7 2004
Both the University of Montana-Western men's and women's basketball teams are ranked in the top-25 of the latest NAIA Division I Power Poll.
The Western men's team, 9-3 on the season, is ranked #10, while the Lady Bulldogs, 7-3 on the season are ranked #22, moving up from #23.
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Lady Bulldogs at Sarsfield Classic
Tuesday, December 7 2004
November 23, 2004 – The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs basketball team continues their month-long road trip when they travel to Butte to compete in the Sarsfield Classic.
Western is 6-3 on the season. The Lady Bulldogs lost 68-49 to the University of Montana Lady Griz in an exhibition game Monday night. Western plays the University of Mary on Friday, November 26 at Montana Tech’s HYPR Complex at 6:00 p.m. The two teams played November 5 at the U of Mary Invitational with the host team winning 79-50.
The Lady Marauders are unbeaten this season in five game including a 97-81 win over MSU-Northern a week ago in Bismark.
“Mary is a very good basketball team,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “They are extremely athletic, very talented and deep. Jessica Zundel is their key, but they have a number of different players who can score from both the perimeter and inside. We didn't play very well the last time we played them at their place and we know we will have to play a lot better this time. We need to make good decisions on offense and keep them off the boards.”
Western will close out the tournament against Mount Royal College of Calgary, Alberta, Canada Sunday, November 28 at 2:00 p.m. The two teams last played in the 2001-2002 season with Western winning 90-64 in Dillon. Mount Royal enters the weekend with a 9-1 record.
Jill Feller continues to lead Western in scoring with 17 points per game followed by Hillary Taylor with 14. Feller also leads the team in rebounding with 11 boards a game. Western is averaging 70 points a game while giving up 62.
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Lady Bulldogs at the Mountain West Bank Classic
Tuesday, December 7 2004
November 22, 2004 - The Lady Bulldogs went 1-1 at the Mountain West Bank Classic in Helena over the weekend. On Friday night, Western fell to Fresno Pacific 76-64 and then rebounded to beat Western Baptist 79-71 on Saturday.
Against Fresno Pacific, the Lady Bulldogs shot only 40% from the field. Fresno led by 17 at the half-time break and held off numerous Lady Bulldog runs in the second half.
Katherine Sunwall, fresh off the volleyball season, led Western in scoring with 16 points. Also scoring in double figures for the Lady Bulldogs were Billi Suhr with 14, Alyssa Matter and Jill Feller with ten each. Sunwall led Western in rebounding with 11.
On Saturday night, Western led 41-35 at the half after leading by double digits with eight minutes left in the half. Western Baptist battled back in the second half to outscore the Lady Bulldogs 38-36.
Jill Feller led Western with 25 points and 15 rebounds. Hillary Taylor and Katherine Sunwall scored 11 points each to round out the Lady Bulldog scoring.
Western plays the University of Montana in exhibition game in Missoula on Novermber 22.
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Lady Bulldogs at Mountain West Bank Classic
Tuesday, December 7 2004
November 17, 2004 – The Lady Bulldogs travel to Helena to compete in the Mountain West Bank Classic Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20.
On Friday, Western faces the Fresno Pacific University Sunbirds and on Saturday, plays the Western Baptist University Warriors. Tip-off for both games is 6:00 p.m. from the Carroll College P.E. Center The Lady Bulldogs are 5-2 on the season after going 2-1 last weekend at the Westminster Fall Classic.
Fresno Pacific, from Fresno, California, is 3-1 on the season after winning two games at their own tournament this past weekend. The Sunbirds are members of the Golden State Athletic Conference. Last season Fresno Pacific finished at 16-15 overall and 10-10 in league play.
“Fresno Pacific is very athletic and they run floor very well,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “They are very balanced offensively and have good depth. We played very well at times this past weekend at the Westminster Tournament. We need to continue to rebound on both ends of the court and take care of the basketball.”
Western Baptist, out of Salem, Oregon, is 1-0 on the season after opening with a 67-56 victory over Northwest Christian on Tuesday. Last season, the Warriors were 14-14 overall and 10-10 in the Cascade Conference.
Jill Feller leads Western in scoring and rebounding with 16.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Hillary Taylor is second in scoring with 15.7 points a game.
Western is averaging 70 points a game while giving up 58.7.
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Lady Bulldogs Fall to Point Loma
Tuesday, December 7 2004
Over the weekend, the Lady Bulldogs lost to Point Loma Nazarene 66-56 at the Westminster Holiday Classic.
There was a little positive footnote to the loss, Jill Feller set a school record for rebounds in a game when she pulled down 23.
The Lady Bulldogs got off to a slow start and struggled on the offensive end. On defense, Western held Point Loma, one of the nation’s higher scoring teams to only 66 points.
Hillary Taylor led Western with 19 points followed by Megan Schmitz with 14 and Feller with 10.
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Lady Bulldogs Rout Southern Oregon
Tuesday, December 7 2004
The Lady Bulldogs raised their record to 5-2 as they routed Southern Oregon 96-59 in their final game at the Westminster Fall Classic.
Western jumped out to a 17-0 lead and extended their lead to 47-23 at the halftime break. They outscored Southern Oregon 49-36 in second half. The Lady Bulldogs out-rebounded Southern Oregon 41-23.
Three players scored in double figures for Western led by Jill Feller with 28, Hillary Taylor with 25 and Megan Schmitz with 17. The Lady Bulldogs dished out 31 assists led by Michelle Sullivan with 10.
Western travels to Helena on November 19 and 20 to compete in the Carroll College tournament.
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Lady Bulldogs Down Albertson College at Westminster Fall Classic Tournament
Tuesday, December 7 2004
November 12, 2004 - The Lady Bulldogs used a balanced scoring attack to down Albertson College 70-53 at the Westminster College Fall Classic.
Three players scored in double figures led by Hillary Taylor’s 22 points. Jill Feller added 14 points and Alyssa Matter scored 13. Only one player did not score in the Lady Bulldogs’ offensive attack.
Western led only 35-32 at the half, but outscored Albertson 35-21 in the second half on their way to their fourth win of the season.
Feller and Heather Kennedy led the Lady Bulldogs in rebounding with seven apiece. Megan Schmitz dished out eight assists. Western is now 4-1 on the season and will next face Point Loma.
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Lady Bulldogs Compete in Westminster Tournament
Tuesday, December 7 2004
November 10, 2004 - The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs travel to Salt Lake City, Utah for the Westminster College Fall Classic Basketball Tournament, Thursday, November 11 through Saturday, November 13.
Western is 3-1 on the season after their split at the University of Mary Invitational last weekend. The Lady Bulldogs lost to Mary 79-50 and defeated Jamestown College 58-49. Western is ranked 23 in the NAIA Pre-Season Top 25.
“We will face three quality opponents in three days, so we know that we will have to play well,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “We need to get better at rebounding, being more aggressive on the offensive boards and making sure we limit our opponent to one shot on the defensive end.”
On Thursday, November 11, Western plays Albertson College of Caldwell, Idaho at 6:00 p.m. Albertson competed last weekend at the Carroll College Invitational where they lost to Carroll 89-50 and MSU-Northern 64-50. “Albertson has good size in the post so we need to do a good job defending their posts, and keep them off the boards,” added Engellant.
On Friday, November 12, the Lady Bulldogs play Point Loma Nazarene at 6:00 p.m. Point Loma will open their season Thursday night against the University of Great Falls. Last year, Point Loma was 23-13 overall and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament where they lost in the second round.
“Point Loma is the #11 ranked team in the country, and they have four starters back from last years Sweet 16 team,” said Engellant. “They are led by All-American Jessica Mercarado and have a 6'2" P team.”< athletic and talented very a are They Arizona. Northern from transfer>
On Saturday, November 13, the Lady Bulldogs close the tournament against Southern Oregon University at 2:00 p.m. Southern Oregon is 0-2 on the season after losing to Holy Names 80-60 and Dominican 101-51. Jill Feller leads Western in scoring with 16.5 points a game and rebounding with 9.5 rebounds per game. Also scoring in double figures is Hillary Taylor with 11 points a game.
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Lady Bulldogs Play at North Dakota Tourney
Tuesday, December 7 2004
November 4, 2004 - The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldog basketball team swings back into action at the University of Mary Invitational Tournament at Bismark, North Dakota, Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6.
The Lady Bulldogs are 2-0 on the season after two wins over the University of Lethbridge two weeks ago.
Friday at 7:30 p.m., Western faces the tournament hosts, the Lady Mauraders of the University of Mary. Saturday at 5:30, the Lady Bulldogs play Jamestown College. Rocky Mountain College is also in the tourney field.
“After a couple of weeks without games we are looking forward to facing two very good teams on the road,” said Western coach Kevin Engellant. “Both Mary & Jamestown are athletic and have good size. Defensively we will have to get back in transition, and limit them to one shot. Mary is a tremendous offensive team, so we will have to be ready to play good defense for 40 minutes. Offensively we need to take care of the ball and execute in the half court. These two games will definitely be tough, but I believe we will be ready for the challenge.
The Friday night game with Western will be the Lady Mauraders first game of the season. Jamestown will open their season Friday night against Rocky.
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Florence Hoop Star Signs with Lady Bulldogs
Tuesday, December 7 2004
June 1, 2004 -- Kaci Gaub, a 6-3 post player from Florence, has signed a Frontier Conference-NAIA letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs, according to head coach Kevin Engellant.
Gaub averaged 13.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and two blocks per game and earned All-Conference honors as Florence advanced to the State Tournament for the third time in the last four years. She was selected to the Bitterroot All-Star team and to the Montana BCI team.
"Kaci brings tremendous size and good athleticism to our program," said Engellant. "She has soft hands and possesses the ability to finish in traffic. We are excited that Kaci will be a UM-Western Lady Bulldog!"
In addition to basketball, she also competed in volleyball where she also earned All-Conference honors. From the classroom, she was selected to her school's High Honor Roll with her 3.53 GPA. Gaub earned Academic All-State honors in both sports and was a Montana Girl's State delegate.
She is the daughter of Steve and Mary Beth Gaub of Florence and plans to major in Criminology at Western. Gaub is a 2004 graduate of Florence-Carlton High School.
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Lady Bulldog Hoops Inks Washington Star
Tuesday, December 7 2004
May 22, 2004 -- Michelle Sullivan, a 5-6 point guard from Everett, Washington, has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Kevin Engellant. She transfers to Western from Everett Community College.
Sullivan earned All-Conference honors and was selected to play in the NAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) All Star game. Last year at Everett, she averaged 8.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.2 steals, and 7.2 assists per game, tops in the NAACC.
"Michelle will be a great addition to our program." said Engellant. "She is a very unselfish player who sees the court extremely well. Michelle is a very complete player. Not only is she a great passer but she is also a tremendous rebounder."
Sullivan plans to major in business at Western. She is the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Sullivan.
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Lady Bulldogs Sign Montana Stars
Tuesday, December 7 2004
May 11, 2004 -- Jasmine Ray, a 6-2 post from Charlo, and Christa Rozann Sprout, a 5-7 guard from Cascade, have signed Frontier Conference/NAIA letters of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Kevin Engellant.
Ray earned All-Conference honors for Charlo. She averaged 4.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Off the court, Ray participated in the Salish Kootenai College Upward Bound Program, the C-Club and Indian Club. She was selected to her school's Honor Roll.
"Jasmine comes from a very successful program at Charlo," said Engellant. "Her game is continuing to develop and we are excited about her possibilities in the future."
Ray graduates this Spring from Charlo High School and plans to major in music at Western. She is the daughter of Beth Ann Ray.
Sprout earned All-Conference honors at Cascade. She averaged 14 points, three assists, three steals and five rebounds. Sprout scored 851 points in her career at Cascade. She was coached in her senior season by former Western great Karly Tait.
"Christa is a hard worker both in the classroom and on the basketball court," added Engellant. "She has tremendous range, and is strong off the dribble."
In addition to basketball, she participated in volleyball where she earned All Conference honors. In track she was the District and Divisional pole vault champion in 2002, the District champion and Divisional runner-up in 2003. The 2004 season is currently underway. Sprout was named the 2003 Cascade High School Female Athlete of the Year.
In the classroom, she earned Academic All-State honors in volleyball, basketball, track and cross country. She was also selected to the National Honor Society. Sprout will graduate this Spring from Cascade and plans to major in pre-professional health sciences at Western. She is the daughter of Dale and June Sprout.
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Charlo Star Signs with Lady Bulldogs
Tuesday, December 7 2004
April 29, 2004 -- Shianne Perry, a 5-7 point guard from Charlo, has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs according to head coach Kevin Engellant.
Perry earned All-Conference and All-State honors in basketball. In her senior season, she averaged 14 points, five assists, 3.7 steals and five rebounds per game.
"Shianne is a tremendous point guard who is very skilled at seeing the entire floor." said Engellant. "She makes other players better because of her unselfishness. Shianne will be a great fit in our program."
Perry also earned All-Conference honors in volleyball and All Conference and All-State honors in track.
From the classroom, she maintained a 3.8 GPA and was selected to the National Honor Society. Perry earned Academic All-Conference and Academic All-State honors.
She is the daughter of Shawn and Diane Perry and plans to major in elementary education at Western. Perry graduates this Spring from Charlo High School.
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Lady Bulldogs Sign Two
Tuesday, December 7 2004
April 28, 2004 -- Jessi Held, a 5-8 guard from White Sulpher Springs and Kristen Leverton, a 5-9 forward from Whitehall, have signed Frontier Conference/NAIA letters of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western according to Lady Bulldog coach Kevin Engellant.
Held averaged eight points, six assists and 10 rebounds a game during her senior season. She earned All-Conference honors and was selected to play in this Spring's Treasure State Classic. In addition to basketball, she also competed in volleyball and track.
"Jessi is an outstanding athlete with a great all-around game," said Engellant. "She is very good at taking the ball to the basket and we feel she will continue to develop in our program."
In the classroom, Held maintains a 3.384 GPA. She was an Academic All-Conference selection and named to her school's Honor Roll. Held will graduate this Spring from White Sulphur Springs High School. She is the daughter of Mike and Kathy Held and plans to major in pre-professional health science.
Leverton was a three-time All-Conference selection and led the conference twice in scoring. In her senior season, she averaged 20 points, five assists, three steals and 10 rebounds per game. Leverton hit 62% of her field goals and 80.3% of her free throws (tops in conference) For her career, she averaged 15.6 points and 10.4 rebounds. Held was a four year starter for Whitehall and selected as her team's MVP each year.
"Kristen had an outstanding high school career at Whitehall," added Engellant. "She has great moves around the basket and really knows how to score."
In the classroom, she maintains a 3.87 GPA and was selected to the National Honor Society. Held was also selected to Academic All-State each year.
She is the daughter of Claude and Annette Leverton and will graduate this Spring from Whitehall High School. Held will major in elementary education at Western.
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Lady Bulldogs Ink College Star
Tuesday, December 7 2004
April 14, 2004 -- Heather Kennedy, a 6-1, post/forward from Tigard, Oregon, has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Kevin Engellant. Kennedy transfers to Western from Big Bend Community College.
Kennedy was a first team Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges All-Star selection both seasons. Big Bend won the league title in her freshman year, and were runner-ups her sophomore year. Big Bend was 52-10 during her two year career.
"Heather had a tremendous career at Big Bend, and we are excited that she is continuing her athletic and academic career at UM-Western." said Engellant. "She is a great rebounder and has a nice touch around the basket. Heather is a proven winner and will be a significant contributor to the continued success of our program."
Kennedy averaged 14 points and 10.7 rebounds her sophomore season. She hit 52% of her field goals and was 79% from the free throw line.
Kennedy is a 2001 graduate of Mountain Home High School. She is the daughter of Mike and Roxanne Kennedy and Carol Wise. Kennedy plans to major in business at Western.
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Lady Bulldogs Sign CMR Hoops Star
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 30, 2004 -- Joslin Swartz, a 5-11 post/forward from Great Falls, has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Montana-Western according to head coach Kevin Engellant.
Swartz was an Eastern AA All-Conference selection in 2003 and 2004 and an All-State selection in 2004. In her senior season, she averaged 14.1 points and ten rebounds per game, leading the conference in rebounding. In her career, she averaged 9.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Swartz was a member of the CMR team that finished second at the 2004 AA State Tournament. In her senior season, she had 13 double doubles. She capped her career by being selected to the CMR Hall of Fame.
"We are thrilled that Joslin is a UM-Western Lady Bulldog," said Engellant. "She is an outstanding student-athlete, and the type of person we want in our program. Joslin works extremely hard and will be a great player in the Frontier Conference. She is a tremendous rebounder and has good moves around the basket. Because Joslin is a gym rat, she will continue to improve."
From the classroom, she maintains a 3.7 GPA. Swartz earned Academic All-State honors and was selected to the National Honor Society. She is the recipient of the Heisey Award.
Swartz will graduate this Spring from Charles M. Russell High School and plans to major in secondary education with emphasis in biology and health and human performance. She is the daughter of Tom and Suzanne Swartz.
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#2 Houston Baptist University Defeats #7 University of Montana-Western 89-79
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 21, 2004 -- JACKSON, Tenn. - The "Huskies" of Houston Baptist University (Tex.) jumped to a 17 point lead at the half and advanced to the second round as they defeated the "Lady Bulldogs" of the University of Montana-Western in a 89-79 victory in the sixteenth game of the first round in the 24th Annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.
The Huskies shot 55.5% from the field and was assisted with 22 points coming off the bench. Houston Baptist put five players in double digit scoring, led by Elinor Smith with 21 points, followed by Jere` Adams with 17 points. Velencia Kuykendall tallied 15 points, Griffin Colvert added 13 points, and Sherill Hadrick added 10 points.
The Lady Bulldogs of the University of Montana-Western were led in scoring by Megan Schmitz with 26 points, followed by Hillary Taylor with 15 points. Alyssa Matter tallied 14 points and Jamie Buell and Katherine Sunwall added 12 points each. The Lady Bulldogs ends the season with a 22-14 record in their fifth tournament appearance.
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Lady Bulldogs Make 5th Straight National Tournament Appearance
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 17, 2004 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs face the Houston Baptist Huskies in the first round of the NAIA, Division I, National Basketball Tournament, Thursday, March 18. Tipoff is 8:45 p.m. from Jackson, Tennessee. The game will be broadcast live back to Dillon on KDBM-FM, 98.3 on the FM dial.
The Lady Bulldogs are making their fifth straight appearance at the NAIA National Tournament and are 5-4 in national tourney games. Last season they defeated St. Xavier 75-51 in the opening round and then were eliminated from the tournament by Wayland Baptist 68-57.
Western, Frontier Conference Tournament Champions, enter the tourney with a 22-13 overall record. Western has won 14 of their last 15 games. In this year's conference tournament, their average margin of victory was 19.6 points. This is also the fifth straight year Western has won at least 20 games. The Lady Bulldogs are seeded seventh in their bracket.
"We are looking forward to playing in the National Tournament," said Western coach Kevin Engellant. "These ladies have worked so hard and have improved tremendously as the season has progressed. With no seniors on the roster and five new players in the starting lineup this year, I don't think many people thought we'd have much of a chance to make it back to the National Tournament. This group is very unselfish, the team chemistry has been great, and they believe in one another. We've definitely over-achieved and it's been a very fun and rewarding season."
Houston Baptist, 30-4 on the season and ranked fifth in the nation, enter the tourney as the third seed in their bracket. The Huskies were both regular season and tournament champions of the Red River Athletic Conference for the fifth straight year. Five Houston Baptist players earned All-Conference honors including Player of the Year Elinor Smith and Defensive Player of the Year Jere Adams. Houston Baptist has not lost a regular season conference game in three years. It is also the Huskies fifth straight appearance at the National Tournament.
"Houston Baptist is a very big, athletic and talented team," noted Engellant. "They really pressure the ball and rely on their athleticism and quickness to create easy baskets off turnovers. It will be very important that we handle their pressure and take care of the ball. Houston Baptist is a tough team to defend because they are very explosive and are capable of scoring in a number of ways. They have a great low post game, and they have tremendous shooters and quickness on the perimeter. We will have to play great defense for 40 minutes. With their size and athleticism rebounding will also be a big key in the game."
Elinor Smith is one of four players averaging in double figures for Houston Baptist. Smith, a four-time All-Conference selection, leads with 16.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game followed by Jere Adams with 16.2 points a game, Sherill Hadrick with 13.6, and Cari Scaff with 13.2. Adams is a three-time All-Conference selection and won her second straight Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Western's five starters continue to score in double figures led by Hillary Taylor with 11.5, Alyssa Matter with 11, and Katherine Sunwall with 10.8 points per game. Both Taylor and Sunwall earned 1st team All-Conference honors, and Sunwall was named Freshman of the Year. Alyssa Matter, an honorable mention All-Conference selection averages 11.1, Megan Schmitz 10.9 and Jamie Buell with 10.4 points per game. Sunwall leads the team in rebounding with 8.2 rebounds a game followed by Meghan Gradert with 7.2. Western is averaging 67 points a game while giving up 64.8. The winner of the Houston Baptist-UM-Western game will face the winner of the game between No. 3 Columbia and No. 6 Wayland Baptist.
For the complete tournament bracket, click www.naia.org. A tournament website, courtesy of the Jackson Sun newspaper, will be linked to this page at the beginning of the tournament, early next week.
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It's Off to Tennesse for the Lady Bulldogs!!
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 11, 2004 -- For the fourth time in the last five years, it was Western facing Lewis-Clark State for the Frontier Conference Women's Tournament Championship. And, for the fourth time, Western prevailed, although this time there were no last second, buzzer beating shots to seal the victory. This time, the Lady Bulldogs won easily 63-45.
It wasn't so easy in the first half. Western couldn't hit a shot, make a pass or do anything right. On offense, the Lady Bulldogs shot a dismal 29% from the field and committed 16 turnovers. Western's defense didn't allow L-C to do much better, forcing 14 turnovers . The Lady Warriors led at the half 21-17.
The second was entirely different, at least for Western. The Lady Bulldogs came out smoking. After giving up an opening possession field goal, Western outscored L-C 20-4 and led 37-27 at the 11:48 mark and never trailed again. Lewis-Clark cut the lead to 7 twice, but that was as close as they got the rest of the way.
In the second half, Western committed only two turnovers and shot a sizzling 53% from the field. The L-C zone, which put a damper on Western outside shooting in the first half, was full of holes in the second half. The Lady Bulldogs hit eight long range field goals in the second half led by Lindsay Scott and Jamie Buell with three apiece.
Hillary Taylor was a perfect 8 for 8 from the field, 2 for 2 from free throw line and led Western with 18 points. Alyssa Matter followed with 15, Buell and Scott with 12 each. Taylor led in rebounds with eight, followed by Meghan Gradert with 7 and Katherine Sunwall with 6.
Western now 22-13, advances to the national tournament for the fifth straight year. The Lady Bulldogs will face Houston Baptist on Thursday evening at 9:45 Central time, 8:45 Mountain.
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Lady Bulldogs Dim Northern's Lights in Semi-Final Action
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 9, 2004 -- The Lady Bulldogs used an explosive first half and rolled over MSU-Northern 80-56 in a Frontier Conference Women's Tournament game from the Butte Civic Center.
The Lady Bulldogs had trouble getting started, and after the first three minutes, led only 5-4. Then the fireworks started. Jamie Buell hit a three point basket to begin an 18-4 run and Western never looked back. The Lady Bulldogs led by as many as 32 in the first half. It was a half of basketball where it seemed they could do no wrong. Western hit eight three point field goals in the first half and scored easy layups after forcing Northern turnovers. For the game, Western scored 24 points off of Skylight turnovers. The Lady Bulldogs went into half-time leading 49-24.
The second half, Western maintained at least a 20 point lead for most of the second half. Northern rallied at times, but each rally was put down by the Lady Bulldogs defense.
Katherine Sunwall led Western with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Hillary Taylor scored 17 followed by Megan Schmitz with 12 and Jamie Buell with 10. All eight Lady Bulldog players scored at least one basket. Western outrebounded the Skylights 43-34.
For the fourth time in the last five years, Western faces Lewis-Clark State for the Frontier Conference Tournament Championship.
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Round One Win Sends Lady Bulldogs to Semi-Finals
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 8, 2004 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs advanced to the semi-final round of the Frontier Conference Tournament with a hard fought 75-58 win over Rocky Mountain College.
In the game's first five minutes, Rocky took advantage of cold shooting by the Lady Bulldogs to build a 7-1 lead. Two free throws by Katherine Sunwall and a three point basket by Jamie Buell brought Western to within one. Rocky then went on an 13-5 run to build an 20-11 lead. The Lady Bulldogs went on a run of their own, outscoring Rocky 10-0 to take a 21-20 lead with 4:52 remaining in the first half. Rocky took one more lead, 26-25 on a field goal by Amber Griffith and a bonus free throw, but that was their last lead of the game. Western closed out the half on a 11-1 run and led 36-27 at the half.
In the second half, Western extended their lead to 50-36 at the 10:00 minute mark on a layup after a steal by Megan Schmitz. With the lead 62-42, Rocky mounted a brief comeback as they outscored Western 10-3 to cut the lead to 13 with 4:17 remaining. Rocky then went to fouling for possession and the Lady Bulldogs sealed the victory from the free throw line.
Megan Schmitz led Western with 16 followed by Lindsay Scott who scored 15 off the bench. Jamie Buell added 14. Meghan Gradert led Western with 11 rebounds. Amber Griffith led Rocky with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Sister Ashley scored 15 and Kelley Edwards added 11.
Western is now 20-13 on the season while Rocky ends the season with a 10-21 record. The Lady Bulldogs now advance to the semi-final round of the tournament Monday, March 8 in the Butte Civic Center.
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Lady Bulldogs Advance to Post-Season Action
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 1, 2004 -- The Lady Bulldogs closed out the regular season with wins over Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College. The pair of wins raises Western's overall record to 19-13 and 11-3 in league play. The Lady Bulldogs finish the regular season in second place and host Rocky in a first round tournament game on Friday, March 7.
On Friday night, Western made it a clean sweep of regular season champion Carroll College with an 80-66 victory. The Lady Bulldogs were the only team to beat Carroll in conference play.
The first half was nip and tuck with the Lady Bulldogs leading 35-32 at half time. More of the same in the second half with the two top teams in the league putting on a great show. Western grabbed the lead in the game's final minutes and forced Carroll to foul. The Lady Bulldogs made their foul shots and their defense held.
Five Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures led by Jamie Buell with 18. Hillary Taylor added 16 followed by Megan Schmitz with 13, Alyssa Matter with 12 and Billi Suhr with 10.
On Saturday night, Western faced Rocky for the third time of the season. The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 40-25 lead at the half and extended that lead to 20 in the second half. Western seemed to let their guard down with the big lead and Rocky came battling back.
Megan Schmitz led Western with 15 followed by Lindsey Scott with 14, Katherine Sunwall with 12 and Alyssa Matter with 11.
The two teams play for the fourth time in a first round Conference Tournament game on Friday, March 6. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. from the Straugh Gymnasium.
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End of the Regular Season Close for Lady Bulldogs
Tuesday, December 7 2004
February 22, 2004 -- With only one weekend left of the regular season, the Lady Bulldogs are 9-3 in league play and 17-13 overall.
Two weeks ago, Western split their two games on the Hi-Line. On Friday, the 13th, the Lady Bulldogs downed the University of Great Falls 76-63. Jamie Buell led Western with 18 points followed by Alyssa Matter with 13 and Lindsey Scott with 11.
On Saturday night, the 14th, the Lady Bulldogs lost their third conference game of the season when they fell at MSU-Northern 73-67. The difference was at the free throw line. Northern went to the line 24 times, making 11 while the Lady Bulldogs went only five times, making four. Alyssa Matter led Western with 19 points followed by Megan Schmitz with 13 and Hillary Taylor with 10.
On Friday, the 20th, Western edged rival Montana Tech 69-60 in Butte. Hillary Taylor led a balanced attack with 21 points followed by Alyssa Matter with 17 points and Katherine Sunwall and Billi Suhr with ten apiece.
The Lady Bulldogs close the regular season with games against Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College on Friday and Saturday, February 27 and 28 in the Straugh Gymnasium.
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Lady Bulldogs Pull Within a Half Game of the Lead
Tuesday, December 7 2004
February 9, 2004 -- The Lady Bulldogs are just a half game out of first place after a weekend home sweep of Westminster and Lewis-Clark.
In the Friday night 57-53 win over Lewis-Clark, four Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures in a balanced scoring attack. Katherine Sunwall led the charge with 14 points followed by Alyssa Matter, Hillary Taylor and Jamie Buell with 11 points each. Sunwall also led Western in rebounding as she pulled down seven followed by Matter with five. Western led by only 22-21 at the half.
On Saturday night, the Lady Bulldogs avenged an overtime loss at Westminster with a 64-47 home victory. Western led from start to finish. Hillary Taylor led Western with 20 points. Katherine Sunwall followed with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Alyssa Matter added 12 points.
Western is now 15-12 overall and 7-2 in league play.
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Nationally Ranked Team Plays the Lady Bulldogs
Tuesday, December 7 2004
February 6, 2004 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs host nationally ranked Lewis-Clark State on Friday, February 6 and league leading Westminster College on Saturday, February 7 in a pair of Frontier Conference games. Both games tipoff at 6:00 p.m. from the Straugh Gymnasium.
Western is 13-12 overall, 5-2 in league play after last weekend's road wins over Rocky Mountain and Carroll College. The Lady Bulldogs edged Rocky 63-62 and downed league leading Carroll 75-65.
Lewis-Clark is also 5-2 in league play and 17-6 overall. The Lady Warriors are ranked 21st in the latest NAIA Top-25. Western and L-C are in a second place tie in the conference standings.
When the two teams met in the conference season's opening weekend in January, Lewis-Clark came from behind to edge the Lady Bulldogs 66 62.
"This is definitely a big weekend for us," said Western coach Kevin Engellant. "In order to stay in the conference race, you need to win your home games. When we played a month ago in Lewiston, it was definitely another great Western/LC-State match-up, very competitive and hard fought. LC-State has great perimeter players to go along with a strong post game. They lead the league in scoring at almost 80 points per game, so we will have to be ready to play defensively."
Cami Kalbfleisch leads Lewis-Clark and is fourth in the conference in scoring with 16.5 points per game. Also scoring in double figures is Ashley Baker with 14.7 points a game and Jessica Foote with 14.5 points a game.
Westminster is in a first place tie with Carroll College with a 6-1 record after last weekend's home sweep over Great Falls 75-51, and 58 47 over MSU-Northern. Their lone league loss was a 85-70 setback at Carroll last month. The Lady Griffins are 11-12 overall. Westminster won in Salt Lake in January 76-72.
"A lot of people may be surprised with Westminster leading the league at the half-way point, but they are legit," noted Engellant. "They play tremendous defense and with Rebekah Steenblik and a great supporting cast, they are a very good offensive team."
Steenblik leads Westminster, the Conference and is 11th in the nation in scoring with 18.3 points per game. Also scoring in double figures is Shalee Fackrell with 11.5 points per game.
Katherine Sunwall leads five Western players scoring in double figures with 11.7 points per game followed by Megan Schmitz with 11.4, Hillary Taylor and Jamie Buell with 10.6 a piece and Alyssa Matter with 10.4.
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Lady Bulldogs Take Two on the Road
Tuesday, December 7 2004
February 2, 2004 -- The Lady Bulldogs jumped right back into the thick of the Frontier Conference race with two road wins. Western edged Rocky Mountain 63-62 on Thursday night, and then handed Carroll College their first conference loss 75-65 in Helena on Saturday night. With the wins, the Lady Bulldogs moved into a second place tie in the league with a 5-2 mark and raised their overall record to 13-12.
Against Rocky, the Lady Bulldogs led by 12 at the half, and built that lead to 19 midway through the second half. The Lady Bears then turned up the defensive pressure and got red hot from the three point line. It seemed down the stretch, Western couldn't make a free throw, and Rocky couldn't miss a long range field goal. The 19 point lead quickly evaporated. In the game's final minutes, Western made points when they had to and defensive stops when they had to.
Megan Schmitz led the Lady 'Dawgs" with 14 points followed by Katherine Sunwall with 13 and Alyssa Matter with 12.
Against Carroll on Saturday, Western came from four points down at the half to outscore the Lady Saints 48-34 in the second on the way to the ten point victory. The Lady Bulldogs held Carroll's leading scorer, and the leading scorer in the conference Tara Zoanni to 11 points.
Jamie Buell led the Western attack with 21 points including a 5 for 8 performance from the three point line. Katherine Sunwall added 18 points followed by 10 from Hillary Taylor.
Up next, Western hosts Lewis-Clark on Friday, February 6 and Westminster on Saturday, February 7.
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Lady Bulldogs Hit the Frontier Conference Road
Tuesday, December 7 2004
January 28, 2004 -- The University of Montana Lady Bulldogs travel to Billings and Helena for Frontier Conference games on Thursday, January 29 and Saturday, January 31. Western faces Rocky Mountain College on Thursday and first place and nationally ranked Carroll College on Saturday. Tipoff for both games is 6:00 p.m.
Western is 11-12 overall and 3-2 in the Frontier after last weekend's rout of Montana Tech 82-49. Rocky is 1-4 in league play and 8-13 overall after splitting their two road games last weekend. The Lady Bears beat Great Falls 85-62 and lost at MSU-Northern 90-65. Western and Rocky met at the tipoff tourney in December with the Lady Bulldogs winning 70-59.
"Rocky is a very dangerous team," said Western coach Kevin Engellant. "They have a number of players who are capable of scoring in double figures. We had our best overall effort of the season on both ends of the court against Tech, and it is important that we build on that performance."
Rocky has only one player averaging in double figures, Amber Griffith with 16 points a game. Griffith also leads the Lady Bears in rebounding with 5.76 boards a game. Rocky is averaging 65 points a game while giving up 72.6.
Carroll leads the Frontier with a perfect 5-0 record and stand 20-3 overall. The Lady Saints are ranked 23rd in the latest NAIA Division I Top 25. Last weekend, Carroll beat MSU-Northern 70-59 and the University of Great Falls 78-44.
"Carroll is playing tremendous basketball and with a lot of confidence," added Engellant. "They are very explosive offensively, so we need to defend their perimeter shooters for 40 minutes. They are a very good rebounding team, and we will need to limit their second chance opportunities."
Three Carroll players are scoring in double figures led by Tara Zoanni with 18.4 followed by Emili Woody with 13.5 and Andrea Hall with 11.1. Zoanni leads the league and is ninth in the nation in scoring. Woody also leads Carroll and the Frontier in rebounding with 9.7 rebounds a game. She leads the Frontier and is third in the nation. Carroll averages 77.9 points a game.
Five players are scoring in double figures for Western led by Katherine Sunwall with 11.7 points a game followed by Megan Schmitz with 11.48, Hillary Taylor with 10.74, Jamie Buell with 10.22 and Alyssa Matter with 10.4 points a game. Sunwall also leads the team in rebounding with 8.83 a game followed by Megan Gradert with 7.05. Western is averaging 66 points a game while giving up 65.
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Lady Bulldogs Charge Past Lady Orediggers
Tuesday, December 7 2004
January 26, 2004 -- The UM-Western Lady Bulldogs thundered past the Montana Tech Lady Orediggers 82-49 Friday night from the Straugh Gymnasium in Frontier Conference action. Western raised their overall record to 11-12 and 3-2 in league play. The Lady Orediggers fall to 7-15 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
The Lady Bulldogs led Tech 36-22 at the half and continued to outscore them 46-27 in the second half. Megan Schmitz led Western with 25 points followed by Jamie Buell with 19 points. Hillary Taylor led Western in rebounding with nine.
The Lady Bulldogs hit the road next weekend as they travel to Rocky Mountain College, Thursday, January 29 and Carroll College, Saturday, January 31. Tip off is at 6:00 p.m.
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Western Women Host Montana Tech in Conference Action
Tuesday, December 7 2004
January 22, 2004 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs hosts the Montana Tech Lady Orediggers in a Frontier Conference women's basketball game, Friday, January 23. Tipoff is 6:00 p.m. from Dillon's Straugh Gymnasium.
Western picked up their first conference wins of the season last weekend with a 52-50 win over MSU-Northern and a 69-66 victory over the University of Great Falls. The Lady Bulldogs are now 2-2 in league play and 10-12 overall.
Montana Tech split their series with Great Falls and Northern. The Lady Orediggers beat Great Falls 69-62 but lost to Northern 66-47. Tech is now 1-3 in the Frontier and 7-14 overall.
"Montana Tech is a well-balanced team." said Western coach Kevin Engellant. "They have players who can hurt you in the post as well as perimeter players who can knock down shots. Tech always plays hard and they play good defense! Anytime Western and Tech play it's always a very competitive and hard fought battle, and we don't expect anything different this time!"
Katherine Sunwall leads four Western players scoring in double figures with 11.5, followed by Hillary Taylor with 11.05, Megan Schmitz with 10.86 and Alyssa Matter with 10. Sunwall leads the team in rebounds with 9.2 a game followed by Megan Gradert with 7.2. Western is averaging 65 points a game.
Montana Tech is led by Kaila Fowler with 11.7 points a game. Marcie Alzheimer leads the Lady Orediggers in rebounding with 8.52 rebounds followed by Melissa Ritter with 7.90 rebounds a game. Tech averages 64.2 points a game.
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