After pilfering Clemson goalkeeper Cody Mizell with 27 shots, the hard work finally paid off for the Charlotte 49ers Tuesday night. Andres Cuero scored at the 4:05 mark of double overtime to give Charlotte a well-deserved 2-1 win over the Tigers and put Charlotte back to .500 for the season at 4-4.
“At one point I think it looked like their keeper had a cape on,” said 49ers head coach Jeremy Gunn in reference to Mizell’s outstanding effort. “It would have been really easy for us to cave and just get upset at ourselves and not keep pushing.”
Cuero had been kept off the scoreboard for the first seven games of the season, but Tuesday night, he broke out. After Jack Metcalf had given the Tigers an early lead, Cuero responded just four minutes later at the 23 minute mark of the first half when Charlotte was awarded a free kick after Cuero had been illegally tackled. On the ensuing free kick by Donnie Smith, Cuero placed a perfect header into the back of the net to knot the game at one from five yards out.
Charlotte dominated both periods and held a 16-3 shot advantage at the intermission. For the game, Charlotte outshot Clemson 28-6 as Cuero and Evan James both had six shots to lead Charlotte.
Cuero cashed in again when it counted most. After taking a Justin Tucker pass, Cuero turned on a dime and blasted one past Mizell from 30 yards out. Mizell got a finger on the shot but couldn’t keep it out of the net.
“As a striker you get tunnel vision when you’re in front of the goal,” Cuero said of his game-winning tally. “I got it in front of the goal and decided to take it. Went with my instinct and luckily it went in.”
The loss dropped Clemson to 1-5-1 on the season. Gavin Dawson got his first win of the season for Charlotte, making six saves in the process. Charlotte returns to action on Saturday when they take on another Palmetto state rival—the Furman Paladins—at 7 p.m. at Transamerica Field.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Charlotte lands Williams
Charlotte head coach Alan Major has landed his second commitment. 6-4 shooting Guard Terrence Williams of West Mecklenburg High committed to Charlotte today.
Williams averaged 25 points and 12 board per game in his junior season. Williams chose Charlotte over Tulane, East Carolina, Northeastern and College of Charleston. He had recently narrowed his decision to either Charlotte or ECU.
Williams comes after Major landed Mike Thorne, a 6-foot-10-inch center last week.
Williams averaged 25 points and 12 board per game in his junior season. Williams chose Charlotte over Tulane, East Carolina, Northeastern and College of Charleston. He had recently narrowed his decision to either Charlotte or ECU.
Williams comes after Major landed Mike Thorne, a 6-foot-10-inch center last week.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Niners in 5th after two rounds
Charlotte junior Olafur Loftsson fired a 3-under-par 69 in the second round of the VCU Shootout to land the Niners in a tie for 5th at +7. The first and second rounds were played Monday with the final round slated for tomorrow.
After an even par round one, Loftsson carded a three under 69 to vault into a tie for 5th individually. Charlotte, which was recently ranked 10th nationally by Golfweek, is also in a tie with UNC Greensboro. After a 1-over-par first round, the Niners shot +6 in round two.
UNC Wilmington leads at 12-under-par and is followed in second by East Carolina (-5). After an opening round of 2-under-par 70, junior Paul Ferrier faltered on his way to a second-round 77.
Gastonia native Harold Varner (ECU) is tied for the individual lead at -7 with Nate McCoy (Iowa State).
After an even par round one, Loftsson carded a three under 69 to vault into a tie for 5th individually. Charlotte, which was recently ranked 10th nationally by Golfweek, is also in a tie with UNC Greensboro. After a 1-over-par first round, the Niners shot +6 in round two.
UNC Wilmington leads at 12-under-par and is followed in second by East Carolina (-5). After an opening round of 2-under-par 70, junior Paul Ferrier faltered on his way to a second-round 77.
Gastonia native Harold Varner (ECU) is tied for the individual lead at -7 with Nate McCoy (Iowa State).
Niners in the news
-Macky Wingo, a junior midfielder for John Cullen's Charlotte 49ers women's soccer team, was named Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Week. Wingo had two goals and an assist over the weekend as the Niners went 2-0m with wins over High point (4-0) and Francis Marion (1-0).
Wingo had a goal and an assist in the shutout win over High Point on Friday and tacked on the only goal in Sunday's win over Francis Marion. Charlotte opens A-10 play in Amherst, Mass. on Friday with a match-up with UMass.
-In other news, the Charlotte golf team was recently ranked 10th nationally by Golfweek, the highest ranking since reaching No. 1 in the fall of 2007.
Charlotte is competing in the VCU Shootout in Richmond, Va. today and tomorrow. The Niners finished Monday's play at 1-over-par and a tie for 6th place. Junior Paul Ferrier is tied for 5th individually after a round of 2-under-par.
Stay tuned for an update following the final round.
Wingo had a goal and an assist in the shutout win over High Point on Friday and tacked on the only goal in Sunday's win over Francis Marion. Charlotte opens A-10 play in Amherst, Mass. on Friday with a match-up with UMass.
-In other news, the Charlotte golf team was recently ranked 10th nationally by Golfweek, the highest ranking since reaching No. 1 in the fall of 2007.
Charlotte is competing in the VCU Shootout in Richmond, Va. today and tomorrow. The Niners finished Monday's play at 1-over-par and a tie for 6th place. Junior Paul Ferrier is tied for 5th individually after a round of 2-under-par.
Stay tuned for an update following the final round.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Nagy wins pre-qualifying tournament for Q School
Former Charlotte 49er all-America Corey Nagy shot an 8-under-par 280 to win his pre-qualifying tournament for PGA Tour Q School.
Nagy tore through the Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta, Ga. with rounds of 74-67-68-71 to win the event by two strokes. After carding a 2-over-par 74 in round one, Nagy bested par in his final three rounds.
Nagy was a two-time individual A-10 Champion and became the first athlete in 49ers history to earn all-America honors in each of his four years.
Nagy's next step in his quest for the Tour will be in the first stage of qualifying at a course to be determined.
Nagy tore through the Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta, Ga. with rounds of 74-67-68-71 to win the event by two strokes. After carding a 2-over-par 74 in round one, Nagy bested par in his final three rounds.
Nagy was a two-time individual A-10 Champion and became the first athlete in 49ers history to earn all-America honors in each of his four years.
Nagy's next step in his quest for the Tour will be in the first stage of qualifying at a course to be determined.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Niners fall to Wake in 3
The Charlotte 49ers volleyball team dropped to 9-6 Tuesday night when they fell to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-4) in three sets: 25-23, 25-22 and 25-15 at Halton Arena. Charlotte opens conference play when they take on the George Washington Colonials on Saturday.
“I’ve been really proud of our team throughout the entire non-conference season,” said Charlotte head coach Chris Redding. “I think we have to do a few things better with our communication but overall I think we’re doing a great job.”
The two teams started the match on an even basis and found themselves tied at six, before Wake forest ripped off five of the next six points to take an 11-7 first-set lead. Charlotte didn’t waste any time in countering though. Fueled by a Kara Raker kill, the Niners went on a 6-0 scoring run and found themselves with a 13-11 lead that caused a Wake Forest timeout.
Following the timeout, Wake Forest pulled ahead and looked to be in control of the set with a 23-19 lead. However, a service error by Wake’s Kadija Fornah gave Charlotte hope and brought the Niners to within three. Following Fornah’s error, Charlotte tallied the next three points to tie the set at 23. An attack error by Charlotte’s Leah Leventhal and a kill by Wake’s Carlin Salmon gave the Deacons the first set 25-23.
Redding preached prior to the season that the Niners would play fast volleyball, and Tuesday night, he thinks they did.
“We’re doing pretty good in that department,” Redding said. “I would almost say it’s like the spread offense in football. We’re trying to come at them in a lot of different ways and that will be an ever-growing process through the entire season. We’ve got to keep getting better and keep getting smarter.”
Charlotte again played tough volleyball in the second set and matched the Demon Deacons point-for-point until the two teams found themselves tied up at nine. The Niners fell in a bit of a hole after a 4-0 run by the Deacons but again clawed their way back into the set and tied it up at 20 on a kill by Leventhal, courtesy of a Sheri Davis assist. Charlotte took the lead on Wake at 21-20, but lost five of the next six points and dropped the set 25-22.
The Niners once again fell behind at the start of the third set behind a rash of service and attack errors. The Niners were only tied once, at 1-1, and fell into a deep 8-3 hole to start the set. The Demon Deacons proceeded to put the clamps down on the Niners, never allowing Charlotte to get within less than six (17-11). Wake Forest won eight of the final 12 points to drop the Niners to 9-6 and give them their first loss in Halton Arena this season.
Charlotte was once again led in the kill department by specialist Bianca Rouse, who accounted for 10 of the Niners’ 32 kills on the night—she also added seven digs. Junior libero Abbie Rees led the Niners in digs for the night with 12 but was followed closely by Sheri Davis with 11.
Kristen White led the Demon Deacons with a double-double, accounting for 12 kills and 10 digs. Fornah also contributed nicely for Wake, scoring seven kills and 11 digs. Libero Megan Thornberry had a match-high 13 digs for Wake Forest.
Even with the sour taste left in their mouth to end the non-conference season, Redding is staying positive heading into Saturday’s match-up with the Colonials.
“Right now in my mind we’re 0-0 heading into conference play,” Redding said. “I feel great about our group. We have a very special group of players, they respond to everything I tell them, even when I’m dumb and don’t do a good job. Preseason is over now, now it’s time for conference and postseason play.”
“I’ve been really proud of our team throughout the entire non-conference season,” said Charlotte head coach Chris Redding. “I think we have to do a few things better with our communication but overall I think we’re doing a great job.”
The two teams started the match on an even basis and found themselves tied at six, before Wake forest ripped off five of the next six points to take an 11-7 first-set lead. Charlotte didn’t waste any time in countering though. Fueled by a Kara Raker kill, the Niners went on a 6-0 scoring run and found themselves with a 13-11 lead that caused a Wake Forest timeout.
Following the timeout, Wake Forest pulled ahead and looked to be in control of the set with a 23-19 lead. However, a service error by Wake’s Kadija Fornah gave Charlotte hope and brought the Niners to within three. Following Fornah’s error, Charlotte tallied the next three points to tie the set at 23. An attack error by Charlotte’s Leah Leventhal and a kill by Wake’s Carlin Salmon gave the Deacons the first set 25-23.
Redding preached prior to the season that the Niners would play fast volleyball, and Tuesday night, he thinks they did.
“We’re doing pretty good in that department,” Redding said. “I would almost say it’s like the spread offense in football. We’re trying to come at them in a lot of different ways and that will be an ever-growing process through the entire season. We’ve got to keep getting better and keep getting smarter.”
Charlotte again played tough volleyball in the second set and matched the Demon Deacons point-for-point until the two teams found themselves tied up at nine. The Niners fell in a bit of a hole after a 4-0 run by the Deacons but again clawed their way back into the set and tied it up at 20 on a kill by Leventhal, courtesy of a Sheri Davis assist. Charlotte took the lead on Wake at 21-20, but lost five of the next six points and dropped the set 25-22.
The Niners once again fell behind at the start of the third set behind a rash of service and attack errors. The Niners were only tied once, at 1-1, and fell into a deep 8-3 hole to start the set. The Demon Deacons proceeded to put the clamps down on the Niners, never allowing Charlotte to get within less than six (17-11). Wake Forest won eight of the final 12 points to drop the Niners to 9-6 and give them their first loss in Halton Arena this season.
Charlotte was once again led in the kill department by specialist Bianca Rouse, who accounted for 10 of the Niners’ 32 kills on the night—she also added seven digs. Junior libero Abbie Rees led the Niners in digs for the night with 12 but was followed closely by Sheri Davis with 11.
Kristen White led the Demon Deacons with a double-double, accounting for 12 kills and 10 digs. Fornah also contributed nicely for Wake, scoring seven kills and 11 digs. Libero Megan Thornberry had a match-high 13 digs for Wake Forest.
Even with the sour taste left in their mouth to end the non-conference season, Redding is staying positive heading into Saturday’s match-up with the Colonials.
“Right now in my mind we’re 0-0 heading into conference play,” Redding said. “I feel great about our group. We have a very special group of players, they respond to everything I tell them, even when I’m dumb and don’t do a good job. Preseason is over now, now it’s time for conference and postseason play.”
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Charlotte tames Tigers
Charlotte seniors Whitney Weinraub and Sam Huecker took care of business Friday afternoon. The duo both scored goals to lead the Niners’ soccer team to a 2-1 victory over the Towson Tigers in the first game of the Villanova Classic.
Weinraub’s 23rd-minute tally was her second of the season and 33rd of her stellar career—leaving her just three goals shy of the all-time program record.
"We played really good soccer in the first half," Charlotte coach John Cullen said. "We came out and jumped on Towson right from the start. We got quality goals from Whitney Weinraub and Sam Huecker. In the second half, Towson put us under some pressure and they scored a goal off a free kick to cut our lead in half. We need to learn how to finish off games better. However, a win is a win and now we look forward to playing Villanova on Sunday."
Charlotte senior Whitney Bryant set up the game’s first goal when she sent a perfect cross into the box. Weinraub executed the play perfectly and headed the ball over the Town goalkeeper to give the Niners a 1-0 lead.
Just five minutes later, Huecker gave the Niners a 2-0 advantage. The Crestwood, KY native scored for the first time since the season-opening win over Davidson when she took a Megan Minnix pass and blasted it into the left side of the net to put the Niners up by two.
The Niners totaled seven shots in the first stanza with Kirby Stenard, Jonna Handra, Weinraub and Minnix all accounting for scoring chances. Huecker and Macky Wingo both started the second half with a pair of shots that were either saved or went wide of the target.
Towson showed life in the 79th minute when Melissa Gomes scored off of a free kick from 35 yards out. That was all the Tigers could muster though as the Niner defense clamped down to secure the win.
Charlotte finished the game with a 15-9 shot advantage and 4-3 edge on corner kicks. Eight different Charlotte players accounted for shots with Wingo and Huecker both leading the Niners with three.
Cullen has been alternating between Freshman Alex Kubrick and Natalie LaVigne in net through the first seven games. Kubrick got the nod in net for Charlotte Friday and made three saves on four shots on target.
Weinraub’s 23rd-minute tally was her second of the season and 33rd of her stellar career—leaving her just three goals shy of the all-time program record.
"We played really good soccer in the first half," Charlotte coach John Cullen said. "We came out and jumped on Towson right from the start. We got quality goals from Whitney Weinraub and Sam Huecker. In the second half, Towson put us under some pressure and they scored a goal off a free kick to cut our lead in half. We need to learn how to finish off games better. However, a win is a win and now we look forward to playing Villanova on Sunday."
Charlotte senior Whitney Bryant set up the game’s first goal when she sent a perfect cross into the box. Weinraub executed the play perfectly and headed the ball over the Town goalkeeper to give the Niners a 1-0 lead.
Just five minutes later, Huecker gave the Niners a 2-0 advantage. The Crestwood, KY native scored for the first time since the season-opening win over Davidson when she took a Megan Minnix pass and blasted it into the left side of the net to put the Niners up by two.
The Niners totaled seven shots in the first stanza with Kirby Stenard, Jonna Handra, Weinraub and Minnix all accounting for scoring chances. Huecker and Macky Wingo both started the second half with a pair of shots that were either saved or went wide of the target.
Towson showed life in the 79th minute when Melissa Gomes scored off of a free kick from 35 yards out. That was all the Tigers could muster though as the Niner defense clamped down to secure the win.
Charlotte finished the game with a 15-9 shot advantage and 4-3 edge on corner kicks. Eight different Charlotte players accounted for shots with Wingo and Huecker both leading the Niners with three.
Cullen has been alternating between Freshman Alex Kubrick and Natalie LaVigne in net through the first seven games. Kubrick got the nod in net for Charlotte Friday and made three saves on four shots on target.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
James terrorizes Demon Deacons
Charlotte—Wake Forest brings out the best in Evan James. The Charlotte forward tallied the Niners’ second goal and was instrumental in the game-winner during Charlotte’s 2-0 win over the Demon Deacons Tuesday night at Transamerica Field.
“Coach told us to come out strong because Wake Forest is a great team,” James said. “I don’t want to say that playing good teams brings the best out in me, but your biggest adversary is your best friend, it brings the best out of you.”
Nearly a year ago, the Niners traveled to Winston-Salem for a battle with the 3rd-ranked Demon Deacons. The outcome then wasn’t dissimilar to Tuesday’s heavyweight bout, as James scored Charlotte’s first goal to lead the Niners to a 3-1 victory.
That win broke Wake Forest’s 46-game unbeaten streak against non-conference opponents, which was then the longest in the nation.
“He really likes playing against this team,” Charlotte coach Jeremy Gunn said of James’ performance. “He absolutely terrorized them last year with a phenomenal goal and set up an incredible goal as well. He comes alive and he gets excited. He had a phenomenal night tonight.”
Charlotte didn’t waste much time Tuesday night in pilfering Wake Forest keeper Akira Fitzgerald with a number of scoring opportunities. Just 16 minutes in, Charlotte forward Jennings Rex missed a prime opportunity. Charlotte senior Andres Cuero fed the ball to Rex who then sidestepped Fitzgerald, leaving a wide open net. Rex’s shot went just a bit outside though, and the game remained scoreless.
In the 32nd minute, the Niners generated another quality attempt when T.J. Beaulieu broke in undetected on the Wake Forest keeper. Fitzgerald made a diving stop and kept the game scoreless. Just a minute later however, the Niners would strike.
After a series of defensive stops, Charlotte counter attacked. James got the ball near midfield and went streaking down the right side, after deking around a Demon Deacon defender, James sent in his cross, the ball deflected off a Wake Forest defender and off Fitzgerald, into the net. James didn’t receive credit for the tally, but made the play happen.
Charlotte could have been happy with heading into the break with a 1-0 lead, but they didn’t take the foot off the gas pedal. After setting up the first goal, James officially found the back of the net in the 41st minute. After taking a pass from Tyler Gibson, sophomore forward Donnie Smith blazed a trail down the left side and sent a cross to a waiting James, who deposited it into the back of the old onion bag for his second goal of the season.
After returning from a road trip to play games at UAB and Memphis, it would have been easy for the Niners to come out flat. But that didn’t happen. Charlotte carried play for the majority of the first half and led in the shot department 7-5 at the mid-way point.
“It was phenomenal with the intensity. We really took the game to Wake Forest and created great chances right from the start,” Gunn said of Charlotte’s hot start. “You couldn’t have wished for a better performance. We played Friday and Saturday and had a really long road trip. It would have been easy for us to come out tonight and try and ease our way into things.”
Wake Forest came out with a little more fire in the second half, but Charlotte starting goalkeeper Patrick Eavenson and the Niner defense didn’t budge. Eavenson made five saves on the way to the win. Defenders Charles Rodriguez and Isaac Cowles both contributed to Charlotte’s strong defensive play and didn’t allow the Demon Deacons to garner a legitimate scoring opportunity.
“Pat [Eavenson] showed great confidence tonight and dominated his area,” Gunn said of Eavenson’s strong play in net. “He made a couple of great saves, his distribution was fantastic, he was talking to the players and really settled the ship. It was a great first start for him so he’s got to be real proud of himself.”
Both teams ended the game with 12 shots on goal as James led the way for the Niners with four shots while Beaulieu followed closely with three of his own. Fitzgerald recorded three saves for the Demon Deacons and midfielder Ben Newman recorded three shots to lead Wake Forest. Charlotte has outscored Wake Forest 5-1 in the last two meetings between the teams.
The Niners return to the pitch on Saturday in Buies Creek, N.C. for a 7 p.m. match-up with Campbell.
“Coach told us to come out strong because Wake Forest is a great team,” James said. “I don’t want to say that playing good teams brings the best out in me, but your biggest adversary is your best friend, it brings the best out of you.”
Nearly a year ago, the Niners traveled to Winston-Salem for a battle with the 3rd-ranked Demon Deacons. The outcome then wasn’t dissimilar to Tuesday’s heavyweight bout, as James scored Charlotte’s first goal to lead the Niners to a 3-1 victory.
That win broke Wake Forest’s 46-game unbeaten streak against non-conference opponents, which was then the longest in the nation.
“He really likes playing against this team,” Charlotte coach Jeremy Gunn said of James’ performance. “He absolutely terrorized them last year with a phenomenal goal and set up an incredible goal as well. He comes alive and he gets excited. He had a phenomenal night tonight.”
Charlotte didn’t waste much time Tuesday night in pilfering Wake Forest keeper Akira Fitzgerald with a number of scoring opportunities. Just 16 minutes in, Charlotte forward Jennings Rex missed a prime opportunity. Charlotte senior Andres Cuero fed the ball to Rex who then sidestepped Fitzgerald, leaving a wide open net. Rex’s shot went just a bit outside though, and the game remained scoreless.
In the 32nd minute, the Niners generated another quality attempt when T.J. Beaulieu broke in undetected on the Wake Forest keeper. Fitzgerald made a diving stop and kept the game scoreless. Just a minute later however, the Niners would strike.
After a series of defensive stops, Charlotte counter attacked. James got the ball near midfield and went streaking down the right side, after deking around a Demon Deacon defender, James sent in his cross, the ball deflected off a Wake Forest defender and off Fitzgerald, into the net. James didn’t receive credit for the tally, but made the play happen.
Charlotte could have been happy with heading into the break with a 1-0 lead, but they didn’t take the foot off the gas pedal. After setting up the first goal, James officially found the back of the net in the 41st minute. After taking a pass from Tyler Gibson, sophomore forward Donnie Smith blazed a trail down the left side and sent a cross to a waiting James, who deposited it into the back of the old onion bag for his second goal of the season.
After returning from a road trip to play games at UAB and Memphis, it would have been easy for the Niners to come out flat. But that didn’t happen. Charlotte carried play for the majority of the first half and led in the shot department 7-5 at the mid-way point.
“It was phenomenal with the intensity. We really took the game to Wake Forest and created great chances right from the start,” Gunn said of Charlotte’s hot start. “You couldn’t have wished for a better performance. We played Friday and Saturday and had a really long road trip. It would have been easy for us to come out tonight and try and ease our way into things.”
Wake Forest came out with a little more fire in the second half, but Charlotte starting goalkeeper Patrick Eavenson and the Niner defense didn’t budge. Eavenson made five saves on the way to the win. Defenders Charles Rodriguez and Isaac Cowles both contributed to Charlotte’s strong defensive play and didn’t allow the Demon Deacons to garner a legitimate scoring opportunity.
“Pat [Eavenson] showed great confidence tonight and dominated his area,” Gunn said of Eavenson’s strong play in net. “He made a couple of great saves, his distribution was fantastic, he was talking to the players and really settled the ship. It was a great first start for him so he’s got to be real proud of himself.”
Both teams ended the game with 12 shots on goal as James led the way for the Niners with four shots while Beaulieu followed closely with three of his own. Fitzgerald recorded three saves for the Demon Deacons and midfielder Ben Newman recorded three shots to lead Wake Forest. Charlotte has outscored Wake Forest 5-1 in the last two meetings between the teams.
The Niners return to the pitch on Saturday in Buies Creek, N.C. for a 7 p.m. match-up with Campbell.
Charlotte golf finishes 4th
The Charlotte 49ers golf team has gotten off to another strong start to being the season. The Niners, who have made the NCAA Tournament in five consecutive years, took s fourth place finish at the Gopher Invitational in Wayzata, Minn.
Held at the prestigious Spring Hill Golf Club, the Niners finished the tournament with a three-day total of +26, 890. Paul Ferrier, now in his junior campaign, led the way for the Niners. The Edinburg, Scotland native compiled a three-round total of 2-over-par, 218 to place in sixth place individually. It was Ferrier’s first top-10 finish since he placed fifth at the 2009 A-10 Championship Tournament.
“Arguably the best tournament of his career,” 49er head golf coach Adam Pry said on Ferrier’s performance. “The fifth at conference was certainly good but he just played fantastic up there. It’s a testament to what he’s been working on over the last year.”
Ferrier shot a 4-over-par 76 in the final round while another junior—Olafur Loftsson—fired a team-best score of 1-over-par 73. Loftsson finished the tournament in a tie for 21st place at 9-over-par, 225. Alongside Loftsson in 21st were Will Golden and Nebraska State Amateur Champion Andy Sajevic.
“I wouldn’t say any of them felt great about the way they played but they really competed hard,” Pry said. “You’re not always going to have your best game—like Paul did—but as long as you go out there and you compete hard, make good decisions and fight from the first hole to the last, that’s all you can ask for.”
Charlotte’s three-day total of +26, 890 was just one stroke behind third-place Arkansas and two strokes ahead of fifth-place finisher Lamar (+28, 892). LSU took home the tournament title with a three-round total of +5, 869, 11 strokes clear of second-place finisher Kent State (+16, 880).
Ferrier strung together rounds of 72-70-76 for his 54-hole total. The second round of 2-under-par was the lowest score of his collegiate career.
Loftsson rebounded with his third-round 73 after stumbling out of the gate with back-to-back rounds of 76. Sajevic played consistent golf on day one, stringing together two rounds of 2-over-par 74, but faltered with a final round 77.
Golden, the only senior on Charlotte’s 2010-11 roster, shot a final round 76 after rounds of 72-77 on day one. Junior Tyler Mitchell rounded out the Charlotte scoring with a three round total of +18, 234.
Charlotte returns to action at the VCU Shootout in Richmond, Va. on Sept. 27-28. Charlotte all-American Corey Nagy won the event last year as a senior while the Niners placed ninth place out of 14 teams.
“As we always do here, we’ll re-qualify so none of the guys are exempt into the next one (tournament),” Pry said. “I think we’re definitely a deeper team this year. We’re probably as deep as we’ve been in three years. I think we’ve got some guys at home that are chomping at the bit.”
Held at the prestigious Spring Hill Golf Club, the Niners finished the tournament with a three-day total of +26, 890. Paul Ferrier, now in his junior campaign, led the way for the Niners. The Edinburg, Scotland native compiled a three-round total of 2-over-par, 218 to place in sixth place individually. It was Ferrier’s first top-10 finish since he placed fifth at the 2009 A-10 Championship Tournament.
“Arguably the best tournament of his career,” 49er head golf coach Adam Pry said on Ferrier’s performance. “The fifth at conference was certainly good but he just played fantastic up there. It’s a testament to what he’s been working on over the last year.”
Ferrier shot a 4-over-par 76 in the final round while another junior—Olafur Loftsson—fired a team-best score of 1-over-par 73. Loftsson finished the tournament in a tie for 21st place at 9-over-par, 225. Alongside Loftsson in 21st were Will Golden and Nebraska State Amateur Champion Andy Sajevic.
“I wouldn’t say any of them felt great about the way they played but they really competed hard,” Pry said. “You’re not always going to have your best game—like Paul did—but as long as you go out there and you compete hard, make good decisions and fight from the first hole to the last, that’s all you can ask for.”
Charlotte’s three-day total of +26, 890 was just one stroke behind third-place Arkansas and two strokes ahead of fifth-place finisher Lamar (+28, 892). LSU took home the tournament title with a three-round total of +5, 869, 11 strokes clear of second-place finisher Kent State (+16, 880).
Ferrier strung together rounds of 72-70-76 for his 54-hole total. The second round of 2-under-par was the lowest score of his collegiate career.
Loftsson rebounded with his third-round 73 after stumbling out of the gate with back-to-back rounds of 76. Sajevic played consistent golf on day one, stringing together two rounds of 2-over-par 74, but faltered with a final round 77.
Golden, the only senior on Charlotte’s 2010-11 roster, shot a final round 76 after rounds of 72-77 on day one. Junior Tyler Mitchell rounded out the Charlotte scoring with a three round total of +18, 234.
Charlotte returns to action at the VCU Shootout in Richmond, Va. on Sept. 27-28. Charlotte all-American Corey Nagy won the event last year as a senior while the Niners placed ninth place out of 14 teams.
“As we always do here, we’ll re-qualify so none of the guys are exempt into the next one (tournament),” Pry said. “I think we’re definitely a deeper team this year. We’re probably as deep as we’ve been in three years. I think we’ve got some guys at home that are chomping at the bit.”
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Charlotte announces schedule
Charlotte 49er head men's basketball coach Alan Major is taking on a heavy schedule for his first year as head coach. Major will lead the Niners against eight teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Charlotte will play four home games against NCAA Tournament teams, as well as a fifth against NIT Tournament Champion Dayton.
“The schedule is challenging with teams like Tennessee, which could be a top 15 team, and going to Oregon State and to the Charleston Tournament for three games in four days where we will be tested by teams like Georgetown and NC State. It’s definitely a schedule that has some BCS flavor,” Major said of the non-conference slate. “You want to put yourself in position by the end of the year that you’ve seen every scenario. I think this schedule is set up that way. We have strong home and road games, a multiple-game format, a cross country trip – hopefully this will put us in the position that we have seen a lot by the time late February, early March rolls around.”
In addition to Tennessee, Xavier and Dayton, the Niners will also play home games against NCAA Tournament participants Richmond and Winthrop.
Charlotte will travel and play in the Charleston Classic, which will be aired nationally on ESPN. The eight-team tournament currently consists of Charlotte, N.C. State, Georgetown, Wofford, George Mason and East Carolina. There are still two teams to be determined to complete the field.
Charlotte will also play four road games against NCAA Tournament teams including Temple, Georgia Tech, Xavier and Richmond.
“The goal of this team is to be playing in March and with this schedule we put ourselves in position to do just that,” Major added.
The non-conference portion of the schedule will be highlighted by Charlotte's bout with Tennessee on Dec. 17. The game will be played at Time Warner Cable Arena and will be aired nationally on CBS College Sports.
Charlotte opens the season on Nov. 13 against South Carolina State before heading to the Charleston Classic, Nov 18-21.
After returning from the Charleston Classic, the Niners will head west and play at Oregon State on Nov. 24 before returning home to face Radford on the 27 to close out the first month of play.
Charlotte will head to Greenville, N.C. to take on East Carolina on Dec. 1 before returning to Halton Arena to face Winthrop.
Charlotte will gain play in the Hornet's Nest Rivalry when they play at the Davidson Wildcats on Dec. 11. Following Charlotte's game with the Volunteers, the Niners will play host to Wright State on Dec. 22 and will close out the non-conference schedule with games at Mercer (Dec. 30) and at Georgia Tech (Jan. 2).
Charlotte will open conference play with a pair of road games against Richmond (Jan. 5) and St. Bonaventure (Jan. 8). Charlotte hosts Fordham in their conference home opener on Jan. 15 and will stay in town to take on UMass on the 19th.
Charlotte will then hit the road again as they take on Duquesne (Jan. 22) and Temple (Jan. 26) before starting a three-game homestand against La Salle (Jan. 29), Xavier (Feb 2.), and George Washington (Feb. 5).
Charlotte heads up to the great white north to take on Rhode Island on Feb. 12 and returns to Halton for a match-up with Dayton on Feb. 16.
The Niners will play two of their final three regular season contests in the friendly confines of Halton Arena, squeezing a road game at Xavier (Mar. 2) between home contests against Richmond (Feb. 26) and the season finale against St. Josephs (Mar. 5).
The A-10 men's basketball tournament will be held on March 8, 11-13. Opening round games will be held at campus sites while the final rounds will be held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
“The schedule is challenging with teams like Tennessee, which could be a top 15 team, and going to Oregon State and to the Charleston Tournament for three games in four days where we will be tested by teams like Georgetown and NC State. It’s definitely a schedule that has some BCS flavor,” Major said of the non-conference slate. “You want to put yourself in position by the end of the year that you’ve seen every scenario. I think this schedule is set up that way. We have strong home and road games, a multiple-game format, a cross country trip – hopefully this will put us in the position that we have seen a lot by the time late February, early March rolls around.”
In addition to Tennessee, Xavier and Dayton, the Niners will also play home games against NCAA Tournament participants Richmond and Winthrop.
Charlotte will travel and play in the Charleston Classic, which will be aired nationally on ESPN. The eight-team tournament currently consists of Charlotte, N.C. State, Georgetown, Wofford, George Mason and East Carolina. There are still two teams to be determined to complete the field.
Charlotte will also play four road games against NCAA Tournament teams including Temple, Georgia Tech, Xavier and Richmond.
“The goal of this team is to be playing in March and with this schedule we put ourselves in position to do just that,” Major added.
The non-conference portion of the schedule will be highlighted by Charlotte's bout with Tennessee on Dec. 17. The game will be played at Time Warner Cable Arena and will be aired nationally on CBS College Sports.
Charlotte opens the season on Nov. 13 against South Carolina State before heading to the Charleston Classic, Nov 18-21.
After returning from the Charleston Classic, the Niners will head west and play at Oregon State on Nov. 24 before returning home to face Radford on the 27 to close out the first month of play.
Charlotte will head to Greenville, N.C. to take on East Carolina on Dec. 1 before returning to Halton Arena to face Winthrop.
Charlotte will gain play in the Hornet's Nest Rivalry when they play at the Davidson Wildcats on Dec. 11. Following Charlotte's game with the Volunteers, the Niners will play host to Wright State on Dec. 22 and will close out the non-conference schedule with games at Mercer (Dec. 30) and at Georgia Tech (Jan. 2).
Charlotte will open conference play with a pair of road games against Richmond (Jan. 5) and St. Bonaventure (Jan. 8). Charlotte hosts Fordham in their conference home opener on Jan. 15 and will stay in town to take on UMass on the 19th.
Charlotte will then hit the road again as they take on Duquesne (Jan. 22) and Temple (Jan. 26) before starting a three-game homestand against La Salle (Jan. 29), Xavier (Feb 2.), and George Washington (Feb. 5).
Charlotte heads up to the great white north to take on Rhode Island on Feb. 12 and returns to Halton for a match-up with Dayton on Feb. 16.
The Niners will play two of their final three regular season contests in the friendly confines of Halton Arena, squeezing a road game at Xavier (Mar. 2) between home contests against Richmond (Feb. 26) and the season finale against St. Josephs (Mar. 5).
The A-10 men's basketball tournament will be held on March 8, 11-13. Opening round games will be held at campus sites while the final rounds will be held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Niners host Sun Devils
The Charlotte 49ers are off to another great start. No stranger to getting off on the right foot to start the soccer season, the Niners haven’t disappointed through two contests this season.
John Cullen led his women’s soccer team to a 1-0 victory in the season opener against the Davidson Wildcats and then took to the road and defeated the N.C. State Wolfpack 2-1 in overtime on Sunday afternoon.
Even with the 2-0 start to the new campaign, the Niners have still had to fight through adversity. Charlotte lost senior captain Katie Davies on defense because of a broken ankle before the season began and have started freshman, Alex Kubrick, in goal.
"Obviously it's been a good weekend for us," Cullen said. "Through two games we've learned to win from in front against Davidson and then obviously we went on the road, fell behind and came back and won. It's a learning curve, you've got to learn to win the games in different ways."
Kubrick hasn’t looked like a freshman though, combining for 10 saves in the opening week and recording her first career shutout Friday against the Wildcats. She also earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors for her efforts between the pipes.
The 49ers opened 2009 in a similar fashion, scoring a combined eight goals en-route to a 2-0 start but dropped their third game to the Villanova Wildcats, 3-2. Charlotte again welcomes a non-conference opponent to Transamerica Field for their third game when the Arizona State Sun Devils come to town Friday night.
Equally impressive to Charlotte, the Sun Devils are also off to a 2-0 start and have combined for seven goals over the first two games in wins over Baylor and Northern Arizona.
"We definitely have to bring a defensive intensity, they have obviously come out of the gates flying," Cullen said. "They have scored seven goals in the first two games so they're obviously hitting the back of the net. We've got to make sure our concentration levels are pretty high and we've got to have that defensive intensity but at the same time we still have to go out and play our game and our style."
Charlotte and Arizona State last met in the 2007-08 season when the Niners traveled to Tempe as part of a two-game road trip. The 49ers suffered a hard-fought, 1-0 defeat. The Sun Devils’ Karin Volpe scored the game-winning goal in that particular match as a freshman and will now visit Charlotte as a senior. Volpe entered 2010 with 19 career goals and 46 points and has already tallied two goals in Arizona State’s first two games, including the game-winner with just one minute left in the season opener.
"Obviously we need to be aware of her presence on the field at all times," Cullen said. "I think when you focus on one player you can lose sight of the other dangerous players that they bring. Ultimately we just tell our players that every player is a threat, especially in and around our box. We just talk about attention to detail and focus on picking up the dangerous players."
Charlotte senior Whitney Weinraub hasn’t found the back of the net yet in 2010, but she is due for a breakout at any moment. Weinraub entered 2010 with 31 career goals, which is tied for the third highest total in Charlotte history. She needs just six more tallies to break the all-time program record.
Charlotte is known for its passing efficiency and strong defensive play and will surely be tested when the high-scoring Sun Devils visit the Queen city. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
John Cullen led his women’s soccer team to a 1-0 victory in the season opener against the Davidson Wildcats and then took to the road and defeated the N.C. State Wolfpack 2-1 in overtime on Sunday afternoon.
Even with the 2-0 start to the new campaign, the Niners have still had to fight through adversity. Charlotte lost senior captain Katie Davies on defense because of a broken ankle before the season began and have started freshman, Alex Kubrick, in goal.
"Obviously it's been a good weekend for us," Cullen said. "Through two games we've learned to win from in front against Davidson and then obviously we went on the road, fell behind and came back and won. It's a learning curve, you've got to learn to win the games in different ways."
Kubrick hasn’t looked like a freshman though, combining for 10 saves in the opening week and recording her first career shutout Friday against the Wildcats. She also earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors for her efforts between the pipes.
The 49ers opened 2009 in a similar fashion, scoring a combined eight goals en-route to a 2-0 start but dropped their third game to the Villanova Wildcats, 3-2. Charlotte again welcomes a non-conference opponent to Transamerica Field for their third game when the Arizona State Sun Devils come to town Friday night.
Equally impressive to Charlotte, the Sun Devils are also off to a 2-0 start and have combined for seven goals over the first two games in wins over Baylor and Northern Arizona.
"We definitely have to bring a defensive intensity, they have obviously come out of the gates flying," Cullen said. "They have scored seven goals in the first two games so they're obviously hitting the back of the net. We've got to make sure our concentration levels are pretty high and we've got to have that defensive intensity but at the same time we still have to go out and play our game and our style."
Charlotte and Arizona State last met in the 2007-08 season when the Niners traveled to Tempe as part of a two-game road trip. The 49ers suffered a hard-fought, 1-0 defeat. The Sun Devils’ Karin Volpe scored the game-winning goal in that particular match as a freshman and will now visit Charlotte as a senior. Volpe entered 2010 with 19 career goals and 46 points and has already tallied two goals in Arizona State’s first two games, including the game-winner with just one minute left in the season opener.
"Obviously we need to be aware of her presence on the field at all times," Cullen said. "I think when you focus on one player you can lose sight of the other dangerous players that they bring. Ultimately we just tell our players that every player is a threat, especially in and around our box. We just talk about attention to detail and focus on picking up the dangerous players."
Charlotte senior Whitney Weinraub hasn’t found the back of the net yet in 2010, but she is due for a breakout at any moment. Weinraub entered 2010 with 31 career goals, which is tied for the third highest total in Charlotte history. She needs just six more tallies to break the all-time program record.
Charlotte is known for its passing efficiency and strong defensive play and will surely be tested when the high-scoring Sun Devils visit the Queen city. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Who I got and why: South Carolina-Southern Miss
College football season is finally here. Although the first complete slate of games won't happen until Saturday, there is still a little game down in Columbia Thursday night. Here are my thoughts on tonight's match-up.
Southern Miss (0-0) at South Carolina (0-0) Sept. 2 7:30 p.m. ESPN
This will be the third consecutive year that the Gamecocks have opened the college football season before a prime time television audience. It will also be the third straight year that people will wonder if Steve Spurrier will return to "Old Ball Coach" form and help the Gamecocks challenge for the SEC East title. Thursday night shouldn't be a problem when they welcome Southern Miss into Columbia.
Why South Carolina will win: The Golden Eagles could be a potential roadblock for the Gamecocks, but Spurrier will have his team ready. Southern Miss is inexperienced on defense and Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia should have his way with Tori Gurley and Alshon Jeffrey at the receiver spots. Southern Miss will also have four new starters on the offensive line, which could prove disastrous against a stout Gamecock defense.
South Carolina's offense doesn't have a lot of firepower by any means, but expect the South Carolina defense to dial up some pressure and force two or three turnovers to set up Garcia in prime position. Close game in the first half but the Gamecocks pull away in the third.
Prediction: South Carolina 31 Southern Miss 17
Southern Miss (0-0) at South Carolina (0-0) Sept. 2 7:30 p.m. ESPN
This will be the third consecutive year that the Gamecocks have opened the college football season before a prime time television audience. It will also be the third straight year that people will wonder if Steve Spurrier will return to "Old Ball Coach" form and help the Gamecocks challenge for the SEC East title. Thursday night shouldn't be a problem when they welcome Southern Miss into Columbia.
Why South Carolina will win: The Golden Eagles could be a potential roadblock for the Gamecocks, but Spurrier will have his team ready. Southern Miss is inexperienced on defense and Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia should have his way with Tori Gurley and Alshon Jeffrey at the receiver spots. Southern Miss will also have four new starters on the offensive line, which could prove disastrous against a stout Gamecock defense.
South Carolina's offense doesn't have a lot of firepower by any means, but expect the South Carolina defense to dial up some pressure and force two or three turnovers to set up Garcia in prime position. Close game in the first half but the Gamecocks pull away in the third.
Prediction: South Carolina 31 Southern Miss 17
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