nber 1, 1997
I
Monday • September 1, 1997
S The Battalion
PORTS
“‘Aggies boom Sooners in season opener
‘ Gamble pays ojfforBlalack,A&M Soccer
to 69 yards on
80-174.
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tshman Heather Wiebe charges the goal in Saturday night’s game against the Uni-
the NFL today,^ Oklahoma. The Aggies are ranked No.6 in the nation.
By Stephen Boudreau
Staff writer
wl champions it
isers last season
rrds on their firs
I Sophomore defender Asheley Fend-
ckDeion Sandeir secured a season-opening 2-1 victo-
ic missed the en'tor the sixth ranked Texas A&M Soccer
le was flagged foi;am over Oklahoma by heading out
malty for leaviAat could have been a game tying goal
rive. The penaltphe waning seconds of the game,
oAnthonyMilla All I saw was the ball. I actually
eturn that set ufought I was going to score on my own
lial,'’ Fendley said. "It was pretty gut-
k in his back, sup*:enching for a second.”
le turf for severs With under a
tried to breakufinute left and theAg-
y realized he wares leading by one,
Moma drove down
ect that from thee right Hank of the
aid. “That kind oAl defense. The Ag-
ivated from that.were slow in recov-
: possessions.Anting, which allowed
mrd catch against) to make a cross
wn 12-yard scoras into the penalty
r. Irvin then out«s where Sooner
, withastop-andiieriWhatley got a head on the ball,
of the second t( Our goalkeeper misplayed the ball to
nefarpost. (The shot) was destined for
i5 yards andfulkienet,” A&M coach G. Guerrieri said,
of his five recep-Ashley, with a diving header, saved it
ante able to clear it off the line.”
rt’s 4-yardpassfc Die game, played before a record-
ay and theCow-oreaiing crowd of 1,202 fans, marked
lefirst ever night game played at the
iggie Soccer complex.
It’s fun to play in front of a crowd that
“I actually thought I was
going to score on my own
I goal.”
ASHELEY FENDLEY
SOPHOMORE DEFENDER
size,” Guerrieri said. “It brings energy out.”
The Aggies dominated in ball posse
sion for most of the game and outshot
the Sooners 34-6.
A&M freshman Alison Peters, in the
first game of her college career, started
the scoring off 5:17 into the game.
Junior Sharon Pickering followed
with a perfectly placed ball in the top, left
corner of the net to give the Aggies a 2-0
lead at the half.
In the second half, A&M’s play was
marked with sloppy passing and OU
started to break
through their defense.
“It was kind of like
everybody decided to
let somebody else take
up the responsibility,”
senior Bryn Blalack
said. “I think it was just
a little first game jit-
MMMMMlM ters.”
With 23 minutes
left in the game, Sooner Bridgette Smith
scored Oil’s only goal of the game.
“I think that our inexperience
showed in that we relaxed. We got a little
casual,” Guerrieri said. “For us to be a lit
tle rusty coming out of the gates, it’s just
the way it is.
“The chemistry of this team is excel
lent and that’s something that is going to
help us down the line. We’ll do better
next time.”
By Kristina Buffin
Staff writer
T hree years ago Bryn Blalack took a risk on playing soccer at
Texas A&M. And from the way it looks going into her senior
year, the risk is paying off.
The sixth-ranked Aggie Soccer Team has emerged from an un
known club sport to a Division I-A national soccer powerhouse. But
the recruits who joined the program in 1993 did not know what to ex
pect, let alone think they would compete for the national champi
onship.
Blalack, a 1997 preseason All-American, came to A&M in 1994
from Newman Smith High School in Carrollton after racking up some
pretty impressive statistics. She led her team to four consecutive play
off appearances and holds school records in six categories. Mind you,
she did this while battling knee injuries in her junior and senior years.
“For her taking a chance on us because it was 1994 and our sec
ond season, it was like going into the unknown,” said G. Guerrieri,
A&M head coach. “For her and Diana (Rowe), two top 15 recruits, to
make a choice and a chance on us kind of puts their footprints on the
program.”
And those footprints have made a permanent indention on the
Aggie Soccer Complex and perhaps the biggest have been left by
Blalack.
She led the Aggies last season for the third straight season with 69
points, coming from 28 goals and 10 assists. She was the Big 12 Co-
Player of the Year and a finalist for the Hermann Trophy which is
awarded to the nation’s top collegiate player.
Blalack is the Aggies’ career goal, points and shots leader with 62
goals, 155 points and 267 shots. She is third on the A&M career list in
assists behind former Aggies Kristen Koop and Yvette Okler with 31.
“Bryn has been an All-American before, so it is something we al
most expect of her,” Guerrieri said. “We were surprised Diana was not
one but people are only concentrating on Bryn. They are in for a rude
awakening because we have a deep bench.”
There are four seniors on this year’s team, Blalack, Rowe, Jessica
Mouske and Sonia Ibanez and coach Guerrieri is looking to them for
leadership.
“The freshmen are good and they are fast learners,” Rowe said. “We
are here to provide leadership and be role models.
“Bryn is kind of like the rah, rah girl. She shows by example.”
Because Blalack has seen the Aggie program grow from its infan
cy to a perennial power, she is looking forward to her final season.
“We have taken tremendous steps and have had continued suc-
DAVE HOUSE/The Battalion
Senior Blyn Blalack looks up the field Saturday night’s 2-1 victory
over Oklahoma. Blalack was named a preseason All-American.
cess,” Blalack said. “Being one of four seniors puts the leadership role
in our hands, it is our job to show [the freshmen) the ropes.”
Ihe Battalion will be running weekly club sport features
fiis semester, but we need your help. We are asking that
club sports bring us an information sheet as well as
ie phone number of the person on the team to contact.
Sports Briefs
A&M puts on clinic at
Georgia Invitational
Staff and Wire
The Texas A&M Volleyball Team won the
Georgia Invitational in Athens, Georgia witli
a straight-set win over the host University of
Georgia Bulldogs.
The Aggies won the third game of the
round robin-tournament 15-9, 15-7, 15-6
over UGA.
Junior outside hitter Stacey Sykora lead
the Aggies with 18 kills in the final game on
her way to being named tournament MYR
She was joined by freshman teammate
Cindy Lothspeich on the all-tournament
team.
The Aggies cruised through the tourna
ment without losing a single set.
A&M opened play on Saturday with a 15-
1,15-10,15-11 victory over the University of
Arkansas-Little Rock.
The win was the first of the season for the
volleyball team which went 0-2 in last
week’s State Farm/NACWAA Volleyball
Classic in Stanford, California.
William and Mary University felt A&M’s
wrath in the second round as the Aggies
cruised to an easy 15-2, 15-3,15-5 win.
The team will be off until the home
opener Sept 8, against Southwest Texas
State University at G. Rollie White Coli
seum.
Belle’s hot bat leads
ChiSox past Astros
CHICAGO (AP) — Albert Belle drove in
two runs, reaching 100 RBIs for the sixth
straight season, as the Chicago White Sox
beat the Houston Astros 3-1 Sunday.
James Baldwin (11-13) allowed six hits
and a run in 6 2-3 innings. Matt Karchner
got three outs for his 12th save.
The game ended when Craig Biggio was
thrown out at third as the Astros tried a
double steal. Derek Bell was the plate with
runners on first and second when catcher
Jorge Fabregas nailed Biggio.
Belle doubled in a run in the third and
had an RBI single in the fifth off Shane
Reynolds (6-9).
ACGIELANP
<s>
lob Marley
a Bullock
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Open a new account & receive 1 box of Custom Aggie land checks
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ANNOUNCING AUDITIONS
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nation: l^P : / / v wmsc .tamu .edu /
4r MSC OPEN HOUSE
“The Link to YOUR Future...”
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Sunday, September 7
From 2-6 p.m. in the MSC
Organizations! Registration deadline is Wednesday, September 3 at 5 p.m.
•Over 250 Student Organizations!
•Live Entertainment!
•Exciting Door Prizes!
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O
Document: Done.
I ? |R]
HOWDY ‘97
An Awesome Concert of
Praise and Worship!
Featuring
Ross King
Shane & Caleb
Sons & Daughters
Thursday, Sept. 11
8:00 p.m.
First Baptist
Church, Bryan
Texas Ave. & 27th
Tickets
$3 Advance
$5 At Door
Tickets Available at MSC Box Office,
MSC, FBC Bryan, BSM, Pothers
Hosted by Compass College Ministry
Fall/Spring Internships
WITH
Northwestern
Mutual Life®
The Quite Company
http:/www.NorlhwesternMutual.c
• Fortune’s “Most Admired” Company
■ “America’s Top Internships" - one of
1997’s top ten intership programs
> “Jobs 96” -Insurance sales compensation
averaged $50,000 per year, increasing to
$70,000 after 10 years. In fact, 20% of all
insurance sales agents earned over
$100,000 in 1996
■ Full-Time Positions for ‘97 graduates
Austin/College Station (512) 327-3868
• San Antonio (210) 490-3133
Houston (281) 583-4330