Sarsfield Tourney tips off

By Dave Johnson of the Montana Standard and the University of Montana-Western Sports Information Service - 11/24/2006

The Peg Sarsfield women’s basketball tourney begins Friday at the Montana Tech HYPER at 4 p.m.

Joining the host Orediggers are Carroll College, the University of Montana-Western, Doane College, Dickinson State, and Grandview College.

Montana Tech The Orediggers under second-year coach Brian Holsinger have garnered a 4-3 record so far this season with big wins over Montana State (66-57) and Warner Pacific (85-76). Starting sophomore guard Rebecca Gimeno leads Tech with her tenacious defensive play and her long-range accuracy. Rebecca was named to the NAIA national tournament all-tourney team during her freshman year at Master’s College in California.

Inside, freshman forward Jenessa Todd from Denton, Montana will stack up well against the post play of Dickinson’s LaDaonna Downs. Todd will be joined in the post by junior Adrea Thomas from Oreana, Idaho, and 6’-3” phenom from Glendive, Teresa Merrill.

Carroll College Carroll College (10-0), who is currently ranked in the top 20 in the NAIA standings, will probably flex their muscles early with their heady inside play when they open on Friday against Doane. Helena High grad Amy Brooks and Sophie Forney led the post players in a recent game against Bethany College as they scored 26 of the first 40 points in the contest.

“When they started doing a box-and-one on Jolene Fuzesy it left everyone open and helped the inside game,” said Brooks of the win over Bethany.

Fuzesy is Carroll’s prolific three-point scorer who helped the See SARSFIELD, Page B5 Sarsfield ...

Saints into the Frontier Conference title game against Western last year. The Saints, however, ended up losing to Western in the 2006 championship game.

University of Montana-Western The University of Montana-Western Bulldogs (8-0) will also try to dominate inside with the experienced play of seniors Katherine Sunwall and Becky O’Neil. Sunwall averages 16 points a game while O’Neil comes away with 14 points on the average. Megan Schmitz averages 11 points and is a definite three-point threat.

Western plays the Grand View College Vikings Friday at 6 p.m., the Dickinson State Blue Hawks on Saturday at 4 p.m. and the Doane College Tigers Sunday at 3 p.m.

“All three games will be good tests for us,” said head Bulldogs coach Kevin Engellant. “They are games that we have to play well to win.” Grand View College.

Grand View College is an NAIA Division II school from Des Moines, Iowa. The Vikings are members of the Midwest Classic Conference. Grandview is 4-3 on the season after going 1-1 last weekend at the Luther Tip-Off Tournament. The Vikings beat Crown College 71-29 and lost to Luther 54-65. Grandview averages 68 points a game while giving up 59.7.

“Grand View has a strong post game and they rebound very well,” said Engellant. “They are very patient offensively and do a good job of getting the ball to their posts.” Dickinson State.

Dickinson State, an NAIA Division II school and members of the Dakota Athletic Conference, are 2-2 on the season. The Blue Hawks have lost twice to MSU-Northern, 58-72 in Havre and 70-73 at Dickinson. Dickinson has beat the University of Great Falls twice, 75-71 in Great Falls and 72-55. The two teams played at a tournament last year with Western winning 71-47.

The Blue Hawks earned births in the 2003 and 2004 NAIA Tournament and, in the ‘03 tourney, gained elite-eight status.

Dickinson averages 55 points a game and gives up 68.7.

“Dickinson has a very talented and athletic post in LaDaonna Downs and several players who can shoot from the perimeter,” noted Engellant. “We need to keep Downs off the boards and do a good job defending their guards.” Doane College.

Doane College is an NAIA Division II school from Crete, Nebraska. The Tigers are members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference and currently 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. They downed conference rival Dana College 90-81 onTuesday. Their lone loss was a 63-68 defeat at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The Tigers average 73.1 points per game while giving up 65.6.

“Doane is a very solid basketball team,” added Engellant. They shoot the ball extremely well and are very disciplined on offense. They play in a very good league. The last six NAIA Division II National Champions have come from this conference.”