Recap: ECSU
It wasn’t always pretty, but after a lackluster first quarter, the Bears pulled away from ECSU and won 47-20.
It wasn’t always pretty, but after a lackluster first quarter, the Bears pulled away from ECSU and won 47-20.
Well, this week ALL of the Fall sports get into the full swing of things! Let’s take a quick look at the match ups coming this week.
So, let’s get it out of the way – the bad news.
The not-so-good news:
Now moving on to the good news.
It’s now time for bed.
Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, has finally arrived. It’s been 278 days since a disappointing 17-16 loss to North Dakota to end last season. There’s only seven more hours until kickoff now though, and the Bears and their fans are looking for improvement over last year’s 5-7 season.
Winning game one is obviously crucial to that goal. Elizabeth City State University is a D2 school. I think many FCS schools don’t have the same respect for D2 schools like most of us do, having just been there five years ago. However, I think some UCA fans aren’t expecting much of a contest tonight either. We saw last year that if the team doesn’t come out and play well, even “lower-level competition” can keep things close for far longer than you’d like.
Enough editorializing. Everyone should be able to see things for themselves starting tonight at 7 p.m. Yes, that even means people who live an hour away and get off at 5 p.m. You should be there too.
Here’s some previews for our game and some that include a look at the SLC matchups for the weekend. If you’ve found other stories online, please let me know or add them in the comments.:
Elizabeth City State faces its toughest test in years tonight when it takes on Central Arkansas. Not only will the Vikings be far away from home, they will be playing on just four days rest, fresh off a 15 1/2-hour bus ride and facing a Football Championship Subdivision opponent for the first time since 2005.
Despite encountering long odds versus a team with nearly three times the amount of scholarship players, the Vikings (1-0) have goals heading into the game that are far beyond just getting a pay check for being willing to play there and coming home healthy.
Record: 1-0 (1-0)
2009 Record: 7-4 (5-2)
Mascot: Vikings
Conference: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
Head Coach: Waverly Tillar, 8th season
Located: Elizabeth City, NC
Enrollment: 3,025
Last Week: The Vikings took on conference foe Johnson C. Smith last week. Even though they only totaled fewer offensive yards (372) that Smith, ECSU won easily at home, 27-45. Smith was able to move the ball up and down the field, especially by air (308 yds), but two intereceptions and two fumbles cost them. One INT was returned for a td after Smith had cut a 24-7 lead down to 24-21, and the Vikings pulled away after that.
If you want to be surprised by the football team’s new tunnel entrance, don’t “read more.” If you want to see what showed up for the student pep-rally thing from last week, you can check it out.
Well, this week ALL of the Fall sports get into the full swing of things! Let’s take a quick look at the match ups coming this week.
1. Football
The first football game of the season is Thursday night at 7:00! I don’t know about you, but I am excited to see how this team will come together. The Bears will face off against DII foe Elizabeth City State (North Carolina). The Vikings [1-0 (1-0)] won their first contest on Saturday against Johnson C. Smith 45-27 after holding a 24-7 lead at halftime. One of their defensive ends to watch out for is Malcolm Jenkins who finished Saturday with 7 tackles (5 solo, 2 assisted), a sack for a loss of 3 yards, 2-1/2 tackles for a total loss of 10 yards, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups and 8 quarterback hurries vs. Johnson C. Smith. Granted Johnson C. Smith is a conference foe for ECSU, and they finished the last season with a record of 3-7 (2-5). Good luck guys!
2. Men’s Soccer
After playing three exhibition games and coming out of those with a record of 1-1-1, the Bears open regular season play at home versus Oral Roberts Wednesday at 4:00. This will also be Oral Roberts’ first regular season game of the season. In their last match, the Bears tied NAIA member Oklahoma Baptist. However, in that match the Bears played 23 members of the team in order to prepare them for the regular season matches. After facing Oral Roberts, the Bears with travel to Kansas City, MO to face UMKC on Saturday. Good luck guys!
3. Women’s Soccer
After opening the season with a 1-1 record, the Bears will play three games this week looking to improve their record. It all starts Wednesday when the Bears face off against UALR in Conway at 2:00. The Lady Trojans come into the match with a record of 0-3 (all on the road). On Friday the Bears will travel to Baton Rouge to face Southern University, and then return home to face Lipscomb on Sunday. Good luck ladies!
4. Volleyball
Volleyball opened their season with a 3-1 week at the UniWyo Wyoming Invite hosted by the University of Wyoming. The team’s only loss came at the hands of the home team. Jessica Hays and Chloe Smith were both named to the all-tournament team. This week the ladies continue their travels as they face-off against OU in Norman on Wednesday. OU comes into the match with 2-1 record after a loss to Wichita State and wins over UT-Arlington and Miami (FL). The team will then travel to Fort Worth to face LSU and Alcorn State on Friday and then TCU on Saturday. The road doesn’t get any easier next week either…Good luck ladies!
The season kicks off at noon today as the Sugar Bears take on a Northern Arizona (live stats) team that returns 10 players from last year’s 8-17 (5-10) season. The Lumberjacks were picked seventh in the Big Sky preseason poll. NAU started the 2009 season win a 3-1 win over Boise State. On paper, it would take a near-perfect effort for that to happen again – but it is just the first match of the season.
Tonight at 7, they will face a very experienced host in Wyoming (live stats). All six starters return for the Cowgirls. They finished just 13-18 (3-13) in the Mountain West in 2009. They do have the MWC Freshman of the Year, outside hitter Jodi Purdy, leading their offensive attack. Her numbers weren’t that different from Chloe Smith’s. Purdy led the Cowgirls with a 3.43 kills per set average, while adding 2.53 digs and 28 service aces. Chloe’s numbers were 4.46/1.99/29. The matches that include the host will be video streamed online.
The schedule for Saturday starts with another noon match, this one against the Murray State Racers (live stats). They struggled in non-conference play – losing 10 straight to start the season and had an overall 13-18 record, but finished at 11-7 in the Ohio Valley. They reached the semi-finals of the conference tournament and have been picked to finish third in the OVC this year. They return the OVC Defensive Player of the Year in Kayleah Sauer. The Racers are return the bulk of their team. And their new libero comes in with high expectations from the coaching staff. The Racers started 0-1 already in the tournament as they lost this morning to Southern Utah. . .
who will be the final match for the Sugar Bears tomorrow at 6 p.m. (live stats) Southern Utah was 9-20 (7-12) last season in the Summit League. They are another team that returns all six starters. Sophomore Analaine Pelaez is their leader offensively, and the Sugar Bears will face another conference freshman of the year. Pelaez led the conference in kills per set at 4.18. They began the 2009 season in the Sam Houston State tournament and lost to the host 2-3.
The good news on paper is that the Sugar Bears are the only team that had a winning overall record last season. It’s certainly not out of the question to start the season 4-0.