This Week in Cross Country

The Mountaineers will compete in the NCAA Regionals on Saturday, Nov. 15 … WVU returns to West Windsor Fields, in Bethlehem, Pa., the same course where the team took fourth place on Sept. 13, at the Princeton Invitational.

Last Week in Cross Country

The Mountaineers were idle.

Notes & Quotes

Marie-Louise Asselin was the first Big East Women’s Cross Country individual champion in West Virginia history at the Big East Cross Country Championships held at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, N.Y., on Oct. 31 … Asselin, Clara Grandt and Keri Bland were all named to the All-Big East Women’s Team, which includes the top 15 finishers.

This Week in Women’s Basketball

West Virginia opens its 36th season of basketball when it plays host to North Carolina Central, Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum … the Mountaineers will then entertain Iona, Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. also at the Coliseum … both matchups will mark first time meetings with the Eagles and the Gaels, respectively.

Last Week in Women’s Basketball

Done in by a 44-32 second-half scoring disadvantage, West Virginia lost 70-67 to DT-3 in an exhibition contest at the WVU Coliseum … senior guard Takisha Granberry led all Mountaineers with 18 points on 7-15 shooting, while sophomore guard Sarah Miles added 16 points, going 7-13 from the field … classmate, guard Liz Repella, netted WVU’s only double-double with 15 points, including a 3-7 effort from the 3-point line, and 10 rebounds … the Mountaineers jumped out to a 35-26 halftime score, but could not contain the DT-3 shooters, as the team went 8-12 from the 3-point line in the second stanza … a Vanessa House first-half lay-up put the Mountaineers ahead, 13-11, at 13:47... WVU retained the lead until the 9:59 mark in the second half, when DT-3’s Jasmine Byrd knotted the score at 51-51 … Miles regained the lead for WVU, 53-51, with a lay-up at 8:46 …the Mountaineers built a four-point advantage, but could not hold on, as Owens gave DT-3 the lead for good with a 3-pointer at 2:30 … House brought WVU to within one, 66-65, with a lay-up at 1:14, but the squad could never get over the hump, missing eight of its last nine shots … overall, the lead changed hands five times, while the score was even on four occasions.

Notes and Quotes

“I’m disappointed because we competed, had an 11-12 point lead, but then relaxed and didn’t start executing offensively or defensively. There is a lot we have to correct and that is why we have these games.” - Coach Mike Carey.

This Week in Rifle

The Mountaineers resume their GARC season and travel to Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 15, for an 8 a.m. meeting with Kentucky … the team then competes against Memphis Nov. 16, at 8 a.m., also in Lexington.

Last Week in Rifle

The Mountaineers (5-0 overall, 2-0 GARC) did not compete this past week.

Notes and Quotes

The Mountaineers lost to Kentucky last season, 4647-4616, and defeated Memphis, 4609-4470 … WVU owns a 13-5 overall record against the Wildcats, and a 2-2 overall record with the Tigers … the team last defeated TCU 4666-4626 on Oct. 19 at the WVU Rifle Range … WVU was paced by six school records and eight personal bests … WVU has yet to lose in either discipline … WVU improved to 3-0 against TCU … this is the squad’s best start since the 2003 season, when it won its first eight matches.

This Week in Men’s Soccer

The West Virginia University men’s soccer team has concluded its fall season.

Last Week in Men’s Soccer

The Big East Blue Division fifth-seed Mountaineers fell to Red Division fourth-seed Louisville, 2-0, on Nov. 5, at Cardinal Park in the first round of the Big East Tournament … WVU strung together its best scoring opportunities of the game in the second half at the 65-minute mark … the team rattled off four shots and took two corner kicks in a three-minute stretch … the contest was scoreless until the 70:50 mark when Louisville earned the first score of the game on a Mountaineer own goal … the Cardinals scored again with less than two minutes remaining when J.T. Murray put one past sophomore goalkeeper Zach Johnson.

Notes & Quotes

WVU finished the 2008 campaign with a 5-9-5 overall mark, going 3-4-4 in the Big East … the Mountaineers outshot the Cardinals, 11-9 … WVU owned the second half advantage in corner kicks, 5-0 … sophomore Paul Paradise finished with a game-high three shots … seven Mountaineers played a full 90 minutes of action … it is the first time under Coach Marlon LeBlanc that the Mountaineers have fallen in the first round of the Big East Tournament.

This Week in Women’s Soccer

West Virginia owns a record of 13-2-6 and awaits its destination for the upcoming NCAA tournament field of 64 announced Monday evening, Nov. 10, on ESPNEWS … Notre Dame defeated Connecticut, 1-0 in overtime, to win the 2008 Big East tournament title, one of 30 automatic bids through conference championships … the Mountaineers will receive one of 34 at-large bids up for grabs.

Last Week in Women’s Soccer

Despite a season-high 28 shots, the 12th-ranked West Virginia women’s soccer team fell to Connecticut in penalty kicks, 4-2, in a 1-1 draw in Big East Championship semifinal action at Alumni Field on Nov. 7 … UConn connected on all four of its penalty kicks including the game-clinching try from sophomore Meghan Cunningham … WVU made only two of its four penalty kicks … after a scoreless first half, the Huskies struck first on a goal from junior Annie Yi in the 47th minute … WVU quickly countered with a goal from redshirt freshman Erica Henderson at 57:06 and an assist from junior Nicole Mailloux … the Mountaineers were dominant for most of the contest, controlling possession and out-shooting Connecticut 28-11 on the afternoon … WVU totaled 12 corner kicks, including seven in the second half, while the Huskies did not attempt one the entire 110 minutes … senior forward Deana Everrett led all players with eight shots and junior midfielder Carolyn Blank attempted six shots … WVU rattled off 18 second half shots … Mountaineer goalkeeper Kerri Butler totaled three saves including two impressive saves in the second half … Blank and Henderson each earned a spot on the 2008 Big East Championship All- Tournament Team.

Notes & Quotes

WVU’s semifinal match was the first-ever penalty kick shootout for a women’s soccer game at Notre Dame’s Alumni Field … ten times this season the WVU offense registered 20 or more shots in a match … Mountaineer freshmen have accounted for 17 of the team’s 41 goals this year … WVU has scored at least one goal in 18 of 21 games this season … the Mountaineer defense has 13 shutouts on the season, tying the all-time record … six West Virginia women’s soccer players were named All-Big East at the annual awards banquet last week .. Blank was named co-Big East Midfielder of the Year for her outstanding play this season … she becomes the school’s second Big East Midfielder of the Year, joining current Assistant Coach Lisa Stoia who won the award in 2002 and 2003 … Blank, senior defender Greer Barnes and senior midfielder Amanda Cicchini each were named First Team All- Big East … the first-team honor is the third straight for Cicchini, second for Barnes, and first for Blank … Everrett was named to the All-Big East Second Team … taking home Third Team All-Big East honors is forward Megan Mischler … rounding out the all-league recognition is freshman Blake Miller, named All-Big East Honorable Mention in her first season in Morgantown.

“Give Connecticut credit for battling throughout the match and executing in the shootout. We played well but couldn’t put away our opportunities. Losing in penalty kicks is always hard but we have to realize the season is not over.” – Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown.

This Week in Volleyball

The Mountaineers (7-19, 0-12 Big East) close the season with a 7 p.m. match against Marquette on Friday, Nov. 14, and a 2 p.m. match against Syracuse on Sunday, Nov. 16. Last week in Volleyball The Mountaineers closed out their home season with losses against Cincinnati and Louisville ... the Bearcats defeated the Mountaineers in a 3-0 (25-7, 25-12, 25-14) match, while the Cardinals won 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-20).

Notes and Quotes

Senior middle blocker Lisa Hough led the way for the Mountaineers with nine kills and a .240 hitting percentage over the weekend ... junior outside hitter Abby Raines followed with eight kills and six digs ... freshman setter Kari Post recorded 35 assists and 17 digs, including 11 assists and 11 digs in the match against the Bearcats ... sophomore libero Bonnie West led in digs with 25.

This Week in Swimming & Diving

The Mountaineers will have a break in the season to prepare for the Georgia Invitational which will take place Dec. 5-7 … joining the Mountaineers in Athens, Ga., will be Georgia, California, Clemson, Denver and Harvard.

Last Week in Swimming & Diving

The squad had two meets this past weekend with both teams losing to Louisville on Friday and defeating Cincinnati on Saturday … the men’s team was defeated by the No. 18 Louisville men, 178-122 and the Louisville women, ranked No. 26, defeated the Mountaineers, 182-94 … the men had great performances from seniors Michael Walker, Pablo Marmolejo, Payton Brooks and juniors George Farquhar, Justin Galbreath and Tim Field … WVU also got key swims from freshmen Brad Eichenseer, Martin Vanis, and Taylor Camp .. Kayla Andrews had key swims in that meet for the women … the men defeated the Bearcats by a score of 161-137, while the women won 147.50-142.50 ... overall, there were 30 individual Mountaineers who helped to record points and the women overcame the loss of possible points with no divers in the meet … West Virginia won three of the meet’s four relays and finished with 17 first-place finishes … the men were led by Marmolejo, while the women were led by Stephanie Shupe and Jaryn Studer.

Notes & Quotes

Marmolejo has yet to not place first in the 100 and 200 fl y events, while Andrews has done the same in the 50 and 100 free