WESMEN - Athletics

Women’s Basketball

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

The No. 6 Wesmen needed a split with the Alberta to win the Great Plains Division and secure the No. 2 spot in the Canada West Conference post season seeding and they did just that with a 79-61 win over the Pandas on Saturday night. The Wesmen used a 14-4 run, sparked by the Wells sisters, JoAnne and Janet, to put some distance between themselves and Alberta and cruised to the finish line in the important victory. JoAnne had 21 points, while Janet added19 to go with 6 rebounds and 3 steals to lead Winnipeg to victory. 5th year post Angela Willerton, playing in her final regular season home game, provided the defensive intensity, pulling down 6 boards and making 4 steals to inspire her team to victory. On Friday night the unranked Pandas upset the Wesmen 76-71, throwing a bit of a scare into coach Tanya McKay’s troops until they rebounded on Saturday. JoAnne Wells had 26 points and guard Heidi Schwartz added 11 in a losing effort. Winnipeg finishes with a 14-6 record and will take on a streaking University of Manitoba squad, winners of 9 of its last 10 games. The two teams split the season series with each team winning twice. The three-game series goes at the Duckworth Centre on Friday and Saturday night at 7:00 with a third game if necessary scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 4:00.

Women’s Volleyball

ALBERTA BOUND

The No. 6 ranked Wesmen fell to the No. 4 ranked Calgary Dinos in the first round of the Canada West Conference playoffs on the weekend, but still advance to the Final Four by virtue of their fourth seed ranking in the Conference. The Dinos took the first match of the best of three series played in Calgary on Friday night with a close five set victory. The Wesmen lost the first set, but reeled off the next two in convincing fashion, setting the stage for an upset. But the Dinos took the fourth set 25-23 and used the momentum to win the deciding set 15-10. Left side hitter Aynsley Laluk led Winnipeg with 14 kills, 12 digs and one service ace in the match. On Saturday night the Wesmen were unable to force a third match, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Dinos. Calgary again won the first set and then came out on top 28-26 in the second. But Winnipeg controlled the third from the outset rolling to a 25-20 victory. Calgary recovered however, winning the fourth set, taking the match and the series win. Laluk continued with her fantastic play by notching 17 kills and 13 digs, while middle hitter Andrea Charbonneau added 14 kills and 14 digs. The Wesmen return to the province of Alberta, this time travelling to Edmonton where they will compete with Calgary, UBC and hometown Alberta for the Canada West Conference Championship. The Wesmen take on Alberta on Saturday at 6:30 pm and will then play in either the bronze medal game at 1:00 pm or the gold medal match at 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. After a week off the Wesmen will then head East to the University of Laval where they have a guaranteed spot in the CIS Nationals. (The Canada West Conference has been allotted four spots at the Nationals)

Men’s Basketball

WESMEN GIVE NO. 2 ALBERTA ALL THEY CAN HANDLE

The Wesmen served notice that they will not be pushovers come next weekend’s divisional semi-final series with Brandon, by giving the No. 2 ranked Alberta Golden Bears all they could handle in the last two games of the regular season. On Friday night Wesmen fans were treated to one of the best games of the season, hanging on the edge of their seats as Wesmen guard Aldin Smalling found himself at the line with .5 seconds left in the game and his team trailing by a single point. Smalling missed the front end of the bonus however and the Golden Bears escaped with a 78-77 victory. It was an unfortunate way to end the game for Smalling as he and Alberta guard Phil Scherer, in a battle of two of the best players in the Canada West Conference, duked it out all game. Smalling finished with a game-high 29 points, while Scherer had 28. Forward Dave Brar and 5th year post Dan Duggan, playing in his final regular home series, had 16 and 15 points respectively. The two teams picked up where they left off on Saturday night and a stubborn Winnipeg squad answered the Golden Bears at every turn until Alberta pulled away down the stretch. Smalling again was front and centre for the Wesmen, picking up 20 points and 5 rebounds, while wing Tosin Opanubi contributed 14 points and 5 rebounds in a solid effort. Winnipeg finishes the season at 7-13, good for third spot in the Great Plains Division and a date with the No. 9 ranked Brandon Bobcats in the first round of the Canada West Conference playoffs. The Wesmen finished 1-3 in the season series with Brandon, but the one win, a 76-75 thriller sparked by Smalling’s season high 37 points, came in BU’s own backyard in the second half of the season. Games go at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday and 2:00 pm Sunday if necessary in Brandon. The winner takes on the Regina Cougars the following weekend to determine the division winner and who advances to the Canada West Final Four tournament.

WESMEN NEWS
February 10 to February 16 /2003 Women’s Basketball *HOME COURT ADVANTAGE* The No. 6 Wesmen needed a split with the Alberta to win the Great Plains Division and secure the No. 2 spot in the Canada West Conference post season seeding and they did just that with a 79-61 win over the Pandas on Saturday night. The Wesmen used a 14-4 run, sparked by the Wells sisters, JoAnne and Janet, to put some distance between themselves and Alberta and cruised to the finish line in the important victory. JoAnne had 21 points, while Janet added19 to go with 6 rebounds and 3 steals to lead Winnipeg to victory. 5th year post Angela Willerton, playing in her final regular season home game, provided the defensive intensity, pulling down 6 boards and making 4 steals to inspire her team to victory. On Friday night the unranked Pandas upset the Wesmen 76-71, throwing a bit of a scare into coach Tanya McKay’s troops until they rebounded on Saturday. JoAnne Wells had 26 points and guard Heidi Schwartz added 11 in a losing effort. Winnipeg finishes with a 14-6 record and will take on a streaking University of Manitoba squad, winners of 9 of its last 10 games. The two teams split the season series with each team winning twice. The three-game series goes at the Duckworth Centre on Friday and Saturday night at 7:00 with a third game if necessary scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 4:00. Women’s Volleyball *ALBERTA BOUND* The No. 6 ranked Wesmen fell to the No. 4 ranked Calgary Dinos in the first round of the Canada West Conference playoffs on the weekend, but still advance to the Final Four by virtue of their fourth seed ranking in the Conference. The Dinos took the first match of the best of three series played in Calgary on Friday night with a close five set victory. The Wesmen lost the first set, but reeled off the next two in convincing fashion, setting the stage for an upset. But the Dinos took the fourth set 25-23 and used the momentum to win the deciding set 15-10. Left side hitter Aynsley Laluk led Winnipeg with 14 kills, 12 digs and one service ace in the match. On Saturday night the Wesmen were unable to force a third match, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Dinos. Calgary again won the first set and then came out on top 28-26 in the second. But Winnipeg controlled the third from the outset rolling to a 25-20 victory. Calgary recovered however, winning the fourth set, taking the match and the series win. Laluk continued with her fantastic play by notching 17 kills and 13 digs, while middle hitter Andrea Charbonneau added 14 kills and 14 digs. The Wesmen return to the province of Alberta, this time travelling to Edmonton where they will compete with Calgary, UBC and hometown Alberta for the Canada West Conference Championship. The Wesmen take on Alberta on Saturday at 6:30 pm and will then play in either the bronze medal game at 1:00 pm or the gold medal match at 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. After a week off the Wesmen will then head East to the University of Laval where they have a guaranteed spot in the CIS Nationals. (The Canada West Conference has been allotted four spots at the Nationals) Men’s Basketball WESMEN GIVE NO. 2 ALBERTA ALL THEY CAN HANDLE The Wesmen served notice that they will not be pushovers come next weekend’s divisional semi-final series with Brandon, by giving the No. 2 ranked Alberta Golden Bears all they could handle in the last two games of the regular season. On Friday night Wesmen fans were treated to one of the best games of the season, hanging on the edge of their seats as Wesmen guard Aldin Smalling found himself at the line with .5 seconds left in the game and his team trailing by a single point. Smalling missed the front end of the bonus however and the Golden Bears escaped with a 78-77 victory. It was an unfortunate way to end the game for Smalling as he and Alberta guard Phil Scherer, in a battle of two of the best players in the Canada West Conference, duked it out all game. Smalling finished with a game-high 29 points, while Scherer had 28. Forward Dave Brar and 5th year post Dan Duggan, playing in his final regular home series, had 16 and 15 points respectively. The two teams picked up where they left off on Saturday night and a stubborn Winnipeg squad answered the Golden Bears at every turn until Alberta pulled away down the stretch. Smalling again was front and centre for the Wesmen, picking up 20 points and 5 rebounds, while wing Tosin Opanubi contributed 14 points and 5 rebounds in a solid effort. Winnipeg finishes the season at 7-13, good for third spot in the Great Plains Division and a date with the No. 9 ranked Brandon Bobcats in the first round of the Canada West Conference playoffs. The Wesmen finished 1-3 in the season series with Brandon, but the one win, a 76-75 thriller sparked by Smalling’s season high 37 points, came in BU’s own backyard in the second half of the season. Games go at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday and 2:00 pm Sunday if necessary in Brandon. The winner takes on the Regina Cougars the following weekend to determine the division winner and who advances to the Canada West Final Four tournament.