Staff Reports
Arizona Daily Wildcat
February 16, 1998

UAroundup

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Vicky Maes

Injured Wildcats lose to record-setting OSU team

There is only one way to put the UA gymnastics team's tough loss to Oregon State on Friday - a learning experience.

A seriously undermanned Wildcat team (3-7 overall, 1-4 Pacific 10 Conference) could never get on track as they fell to No. 14 Oregon State, who set a season high with a 195.2-189.125 win in Corvallis, Ore.

"It wasn't one of our best meets. We had more falls than I would have expected," UA assistant gymnastics coach Bill Ryden said. "Add that to an Oregon State team that was setting personal and team records in every event and we knew that we were not going to fare too well."

While the team faltered, the Wildcats did receive solid all around efforts from both senior Rose McLaughlin and freshman Kara Fry. McLaughlin scored a 37.95 in her first ever performance in the event and Fry led Arizona with a 38.425.

Arizona receives a much needed bye this week before heading to University Park, Pa., to face Penn State, West Virginia and Temple.

Icecats record weekend sweep

The Arizona Icecats swept their weekend series with Colorado, 11-4 and 13-1.

Arizona (16-7-1) improved its chances for a high seed at the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Tournament with the wins.

"Friday we played probably the best three periods this year. Ten different Icecats scored goals," Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said.

"The team with 15 freshmen is coming along nicely. I'm hoping to build momentum with this series against Colorado."

The victories in Boulder, Colo., helped the Icecats sweep the four game season series.

Icecat goalie Mike Tesi had 21 saves on 22 shots in Friday's 13-1 rout. He had 28 saves in Saturday's win.

Freshman right-wing Marc Harris recorded a hat trick on Saturday to lead the Icecats.

Arizona returns home to face Arizona State Friday and Saturday.

Swimming and diving teams split with ASU

The women's team crushed ASU 204.5-93.5, while the men's team lost 153-147 in Tempe over the weekend.

Sophomore Trina Jackson won three events - the 200-meter freestyle, 200 butterfly and 500 free. Anna Wilson was in the winning 200 medley relay team, and won the 200 backstroke and 100 breaststroke races.

Sophomore Denali Knapp also won three events. In addition to being a part of the victorious 200 medley relay team, Knapp won the 100 and 200 back events. Senior Shannon Hosack won the 50 free and 100 fly.

The men's meet was a much closer affair, with the final event (200 free relay) separating the squads. Sophomore Ryk Neethling won the 200, 500, and 1000 free races. Matt Allen, Ben Anderson, Glenn Flint, Danny Zimmerman, and Chris Counts all won a race for Arizona.

Tennis teams find success at home

Amidst rushes of wind yesterday, the women's tennis team gusted past No. 37 Nevada Las Vegas with a 6-3 victory.

"The wind changed the ball so that you really had to concentrate on the effects of the weather," Michelle Gough said. "The ball carries more in the wind, and I had to play more of a baseline game."

No. 23 Arizona (5-2) welcomed Washington State into Pacific 10 Conference tennis on Saturday by firing a 7-2 arrow through the hearts of the Cougars.

Meanwhile, Arizona's No. 61 men's team (3-3) chiseled a 7-0 masterpiece against No. 64 Texas El-Paso Friday.

"It's always nice to finish undefeated in a match, and to see the results of your hard work immediately," sophomore Michel Stopa said.

Senior Jerome Oliveri, team captain, returned from a back injury with a 7-6, 6-7(6), 6-2 win over Osvaldo Biffe.

Runner dusts opponents in Indiana

At the Canon IV Classic Invitational in Indianapolis Saturday, distance runner Amy Skieresz didn't just qualify automatically for the Indoor NCAA Championships in March. She also stunned her opponents with an outstanding performance over the 5,000-meter, finishing 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Amy Skieresz

For the rest of Arizona's track and field team, the Cornhusker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., brought some bad luck. Their plane had a seven hour delay, which made a good preparation impossible. Still, UA's athletes were successful in a few events.

Senior Dominic Johnson won the pole vault competition, while freshman Patrick Nduwimana's 1:50.38 win in the 800 set a provisional mark for the NCAAs. On the women's side, senior Shanna Griffin finished second over 800, also gaining a provisional mark.

Laxcats split weekend games

The Laxcats (2-1) picked up a win this weekend, but they also lost the game they needed to win to prove themselves nationally.

The Laxcats could not hold off seventh-ranked Sonoma State as the Cossacks outscored UA 9-5 in the second half before beating them, 15-11, Saturday at Wildcat Field.

UA had a depleted lineup of 16 players and tired in the end.

"Our conditioning was a major factor because when you do not have enough players to run a full field scrimmage in practice, it is hard to do it for 60 minutes in the game," head coach Mickey-Miles Felton said.

The Laxcats beat the Skyhawks of Ft. Lewis College 15-9 yesterday with great play from freshman Justin Taglianetti and junior Dan Price, who had six goals and five assists over the weekend.