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  1. BYU to take on Lobos in semifinal match

    By Lauren Johnson

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 20:39

    It will be another New Mexico matchup when BYU plays the Lobos Thursday in the Mountain West Conference soccer semifinals.

    New Mexico played against Wyoming in the MWC quarterfinals on Wednesday night, winning 1-0 and advancing to meet the Cougars in the semifinals.

    The Lobos’ goal came shortly after halftime when Zaneta Wyne scored off an assist from teammates Rachel Fields and Alexis Ball. The Lobos had 14 shots compared to Wyoming’s seven.

    The Cougars last played New Mexico on Oct. 15, a game that also took place in Provo at South Field. The Cougars beat the Lobos 3-0, bringing their overall record to 13-2-3 against New Mexico.

    The BYU game will follow the other semifinal matchup between Utah and SDSU at noon.

    The Cougars and Lobos take to the field at 3 p.m., with the winner going on to compete in Saturday’s MWC Championship game.

     

  2. Cougars to play in exhibition game

    By Dallin Turner

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 20:38

    The BYU men’s basketball team will play its first exhibition tonight at 7 in the Marriott Center against Trinity Western University.

    Trinity Western is a private Christian university in British Columbia, Canada. It is led by Joey Doerksen, a 6-6 senior who averages 15 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

    The Cougars are returning four starters from last year’s team that won a share of the Mountain West championship, including MWC first-team selection Jimmer Fredette.

    The game will be broadcasted on BYUTV and the Internet by KSL on the X-Stream.
    This is BYU’s first of two exhibition games before the regular season begins Nov. 13 against Bradley.

     

  3. Volleyball hits the road, tests two-game streak

    By Jake Drzayich

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 20:37

    Back at full strength, the BYU women’s volleyball team looks to ride a burst of confidence and a two-game win streak into a weekend road trip.

    “Our goal is to win out the rest of the season. We’re taking it one game and one ball at a time,” said BYU head coach Shay Goulding.

    The Cougars have recently been lifted by the return of senior right side hitter Kayla Walker and sophomore outside hitter Casey Thurston, who are both recovering from injury.

    “It’s great that they are both feeling healthy, that they’re doing much better and that we can count on them,” Goulding said. “It’s nice to have our whole team playing together again.” 

    The Cougars (6-4) start the weekend in Fort Worth, squaring off against TCU (10-2). Despite an early-season three-set loss to the Horned Frogs, Goulding said she is confident in the Cougars’ lineup.   

  4. Cowboys want to find offensive stride

    By Kenneth Cox

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 20:33
    Photo by Christine Armbruster. BYU defensive back Brandon Bradley takes out a Wyoming Cowboy during last year's shut out.

    The Wyoming Cowboys can play with the best teams in the country, but their offensive woes are keeping them from actually getting the big win they are looking for.

    The Cowboys (4-4, 2-2) are coming off a disappointing loss to No. 16 Utah last week, where Wyoming took a 10-9 lead into the fourth quarter but collapsed late to allow the Utes to take the lead. After a costly Wyoming turnover, Utah went on to a 22-10 victory.

    “I thought our kids fought the whole way through, there’s no quit in these kids,” said head coach Dave Christensen in a post-game press conference. “We’re in the thing until the last eight minutes of the game and we had a chance to win the football game. That’s all you can ask for at this point in time with where the program’s at.”

  5. Nowitzki has huge fourth quarter as Jazz waste big lead

    By Associated Press

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 01:16
    AP Photo. Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) from Germany goes to the basket on Tuesday night.

    DALLAS —Dirk Nowitzki scored a club-record 29 of his 40 points during a frantic fourth-quarter comeback and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 96-85 on Tuesday night.

    Nowitzki broke the franchise record of 24 points in any quarter set by Mark Aguirre against Denver on March 24, 1984.

    Dallas was down 72-56 after Utah's Wes Matthews hit a layup with 9:51 left. The Mavericks then trailed by 13 before Nowitzki's three-point play triggered a 19-6 run capped by his layup with 2:41 remaining to tie it at 83.

    Nowitzki's inside basket on Dallas' next possession put the Mavericks in front for good, 85-83 with 2:05 left. Carlos Boozer's basket with 3:49 to play had given the Jazz an 83-78 edge, but Utah wouldn't score again until Boozer's hoop with 35 seconds remaining.

    Nowitzki left to a standing ovation with 28 seconds remaining.

  6. Yankees go for title against old foe Pedro

    By Associated Press

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 01:13
    AP Photo. New York Yankees' Derek Jeter leaps over Philadelphia Phillies' Carlos Ruiz to turn a double play.

    NEW YORK — Andy Pettitte leaned forward in his chair and recounted a recent chat he had with Derek Jeter as soon as they realized what was next in this World Series.

    Pettitte vs. old foe Pedro Martinez, with the Yankees one win from ecstasy.

    Still chasing that elusive 27th championship, New York turns to Pettitte once again in Game 6 on Wednesday night, hoping he can pitch his team past the Philadelphia Phillies on only three days' rest.

    "Me and Derek were talking about it in the clubhouse last night. Just, how strange is this?" Pettitte said Tuesday. "I think everybody knew it was going to be a great Series. I think everybody knew it was going to be a tough Series. And it looks like it's living up to that."

  7. MWC tourney comes to Provo

    By Candice Wood

    - Wed, 11/04/2009 - 01:05

    The 2009 Mountain West Conference Women’s Soccer Championships will be held today through Saturday at South Field.

    The first rounds of the tournament will take place on Wednesday, the semifinals will be on Thursday, and the championship game takes place on Saturday at noon.

    The BYU Cougars are the No. 1 seed in the tournament, finishing first in the regular season with a 6-0-1 league record (16-2-2 overall). BYU has been the No. 1 seed in the MWC Tournament four times (2000, 2001, 2002 and 2008) and has won the championship title in each of those four years.

    The Cougars this year are led by freshman Carlee Payne, who has scored 12 goals and taken 46 shots, scoring in 12 of BYU’s 20 games. Sophomore goalie McKinzie Olson recorded her 10th shutout win of the season in BYU’s final game of the season against Wyoming.

  8. CougarCast: MWC preview part 1 — previewing teams 5 through 9

    By Seth Stoker

    - Tue, 11/03/2009 - 12:26

  9. Cougars travel to Hawaii for tournament

    Mon, 11/02/2009 - 21:33

    By BRETT WRIGHT

    What could be better than playing golf in Hawaii in November?
    Ask the women’s golf team — because that’s exactly what the women are doing right now.
    The team opens up their fifth and final tournament of the year at the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational in Kahuku, Hawaii. The team will have three months off before starting up again in February.

    There are 18 teams competing in the tournament, including the top ranked UCLA Bruins, 6th ranked USC, UC Davis and Washington.

    Although playing in Hawaii is a rare experience, the players are focused on finishing at a better position than their 17th place finish in their last tournament.

  10. Photo Gallery: Intramural ultimate tournament

    By Stephanie Rhodes

    - Mon, 11/02/2009 - 15:43

  11. Cougs wrap up conference crown

    By Candice Wood

    - Sun, 11/01/2009 - 22:11

    The BYU women’s soccer team secured its second consecutive regular season Mountain West Conference Championship after finishing the conference season unbeaten with a 2-0 win over Wyoming.

    The Cougars finished the regular season with a 6-0-1 conference record (16-2-2 overall) and are on a 14-game unbeaten, 6-game winning streak.

    “I’m really excited for these players and their futures,” BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “I’m proud of the way they played.”

    BYU’s offense tested Wyoming’s back line throughout the first half. The Cougars took their first real scoring chance after just 15 minutes of play.

  12. Cougars finish second at MWC Championships

    By Dallin Turner

    - Sun, 11/01/2009 - 22:10
    Photos by Natali Wyson. Junior Cecily Lemmon-Lew crosses the finish line well before the other runners at Saturdays race.

    BYU sophomore Miles Batty gave all he had, sprinting to the end and collapsing right after crossing the finish line.

    But it just wasn’t enough. He, and his men’s team, finished second.
    In the women’s race, junior Cecily Lemmon-Lew dominated, finishing more than 20 seconds ahead of second place. However, the next three runners behind Lemmon-Lew were from New Mexico, leaving BYU with another second-place finish.

    The MWC Cross Country Championships were held in Orem on Saturday in front of hundreds of Cougar fans. Even Cosmo was there, sporting some short shorts of his own.

    But it was New Mexico that ran away with all the trophies instead of host BYU. The New Mexico women’s team won its second-consecutive MWC championship and the men’s team won the title for the first time ever.

  13. Cougars don pink, defeat UNLV in four

    By Jake Drzayich

    - Sun, 11/01/2009 - 21:51

    The BYU women’s volleyball team was victorious Thursday with help from a sturdy defense, the return of some key players and pink uniforms.  

    Donning pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Cougars posted their sixth conference win by defeating UNLV in front of nearly 1,500 fans at the Fieldhouse.

    After dropping the first set to the Rebels 25-18, the Cougar defense stepped up to record 13.5 total team blocks and propel BYU to a four-set win.  

    Kayla Walker, starting in her first game since Oct. 8, led the  Cougars with 13 kills, 10 digs and three blocks. 

  14. Cougs have strong showing at weekend meets

    By Ryan Bytheway

    - Sun, 11/01/2009 - 21:50
    Photo by Natali Wyson. The BYU swim and dive team had strong showings at meets over the weekend against UNLV and Arizona State.

    The Halloween weekend proved eventful for the men’s and women’s swim and dive teams as they faced off against UNLV on Friday night and then Arizona State on Saturday morning at the Richards Building pool.

    The BYU women’s team beat UNLV 213-87. Highlights included Natasha Menenzes breaking two pool records, the women taking the top three places in the 100-yard fly and taking the top five places in the 3-yard dive.

    Menezes broke the 500-yard freestyle BYU pool record. Melanie Rile-Menezes, Natasha’s mother and a spectator at the meet, previously held the record, which had stood for 27 years. The new record time is 4:55.46, which beat Rile-Menezes’ time of 4:56.87.

  15. Real Salt Lake takes playoff opener

    By Lauren Johnson

    - Sun, 11/01/2009 - 21:49
    Photo by Jamison Metzger.Tony Beltran controls the ball during Real Salt Lake’s win on Saturday.

    It was a last-minute win for Real Salt Lake in its first leg of the MLS playoffs.

    Real Salt Lake played the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Semifinal series, scoring the game’s only goal in the 88th minute. The goal came just in time to eliminate any comeback from Columbus.

    “I wanted to win … I was willing to make any changes to make that happen, to go for it,” said coach Jason Kreis. “I wasn’t going to be content with 0-0.”