Fall has turned to winter and its starting to cool off and what’s cooler than being cool? Well if you were thinking ice cold you’re not exactly right. While I don’t expect it to snow again this year in the Old Pueblo, our fall obscure sports teams were in the words of Foreigner, “as cold as ice.”

When I last checked in, it was the beginning of the semester and I’m sure most of my readers have since changed their majors, contracted an STD, learned how to do the superman (I know I did) or in the case of my colleague, Barrett, dropped out of school.

As I mentioned in my last article the Volleyball team was stacked with some tall women and even taller expectations though like most people in the fall they got hit with the a little bit of influenza. The particular bug they were most affected by was tearis ligamentis (it’s a real term I consulted with some med students, check your medical dictionary) or as we in the industry like to call the “injury bug.” Middle blocker Kristina Baum did not return to the team after tearing her ACL and super sophomore Whitney Dosty had to use a medical redshirt due to a tear in her right MCL. The injuries weren’t completely terrible though as it forced many of our youngsters into action. Freshman Paige Weber showed she was up to the task accumulating 1,330 assists and freshman Tiffany Owens stepped up when junior Brooke Buringrud was slow to return from offseason shoulder surgery as the squad stumbled to a 14-17 record 4-14 in conference play. The Pac-10 as a conference lived up to its moniker as Conference of Champions and had the ‘Cats won 3 of their last 6; they would have had a chance for the postseason. But this proved to be a tall task as 5 of those opponents were nationally ranked, four being in the top ten. The ‘Cats weren’t able to “dig” their way out of it to salvage the season, but did end it on a high note beating No. 10 UCLA. With all the injuries and all the big roles our youngsters were forced into, the squad should be even better next year. After missing the postseason for the second consecutive year after 11 straight years of making it, the volleyball community has been put on notice for next year. Don’t believe me?

“Next year, the Pac-10 better watch out, because we’re coming with a vengeance,”
- Sophomore Jacy Norton

The volleyball team wasn’t the only squad to fall short of expectations. After the women’s soccer team opened the season 4-1, including a big win over then No. 3 Texas, I was completely giddy. I even went out and got U of A shin guards and was all ready to become a soccer hooligan. But the ‘Cats struggled after that to finish with a disappointing 6-13-1 overall record and 1-7-1 conference record. Prior to the season, the team lost projected starting keeper Chelsea McIntyre and no I’m not talking about that kind of “keeper” gentlemen, though she’s pretty easy on the eyes. McIntyre’s injury forced the team and forced head coach Dan Tobias to make some “Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes” at goalie. This team could best be described as the young and the reckless, and while the team seemed to always be on the offensive, out-shooting their opponents in most games, they could not pull out the victories. With 19 underclassman returning next year, coupled with the fact that they had what Tobias described as one of the toughest schedules in the country, means the ‘Cats should return far more mature next year and poised to make a deep run.

And speaking of running, the cross-country teams wrapped up their season this fall. I don’t think it could have come any sooner though as the team really struggled to make it to the finish line in more ways than one. Both the men’s and women’s teams were full of youth which didn’t translate into W’s. The men’s team filled the roster with nine freshman, two sophomores and a junior while the women’s team had only one senior, five juniors, and the rest of the squad underclassman. So just when you thought that youth would pay off at the end of the year when all the geezers from the other teams tired out, the opposite happened. In the Pac-10 Championships the first member of our men’s team sputtered across the finish line after the entire squads of seven other schools competing. With both squads returning all but one member next year, (which, I’m not sure if it’s good or bad), I’m optimistic to think that means we’ll be running circles around people cause, well by then this won’t be their first rodeo, if you know what I mean.

Well that’s all we’ve got for this week’s edition be sure to check back next semester and I’ll be sure to be more on the ball. Baseball and Softball, that is.

Bear Down and Beat ASU