September 4, 2007

Arroues makes Biola XC debut

Woods produces 20 kills, 19 digs in tough defeat to Ole Miss.

Staff reports

Athletes with ties to Whittell and South Tahoe high schools continue to make their marks at the collegiate level.

Biola University freshman runner Kimmy Arroues finished 43rd out of 136 competitors in her college debut on Saturday in Brea, Calif. The former South Tahoe High runner was timed in 19 minutes, 51 seconds in the 5K race.

Biola's first and sixth runners were separated by only 78 seconds. The team finished fourth out of 12 teams, with Cal State Fullerton winning the meet. Biola was rated 13th in the NAIA preseason poll.

Woods diggin' it at Wright St.

Even though Wright State dropped three matches at the Sheraton Invitational last weekend in Akron, Ohio, the Raiders apparently have a freshman volleyball star in the making:

Jessica Woods, a true freshman from Zephyr Cove, had a career-best 20 kills and 19 digs in a tough, four-game defeat to unbeaten Mississippi on Saturday. The Rebels went on to win the tournament.

Woods was steady in the Raiders' other two matches, scoring 16 digs, nine kills and two aces in a 30-25, 19-30, 28-30, 30-27, 15-7 loss to Akron and 17 digs and 10 kills in a 30-22, 30-27, 27-30, 30-27 setback to Syracuse.

Wright State (1-6) plays Eastern Michigan in its home opener today.

Bettencourt plays role for SP

Jessica Bettencourt, a former outside hitter for South Tahoe High, had seven kills in Seattle Pacific's five-game win over Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday in the Otter Invitational at Cal State Monterey.

Earlier in the volleyball tourney, Bettencourt collected four kills in a three-game defeat to Saginaw Valley State of Michigan and six kills in a three-game victory over host CSU Monterey Bay. The Falcons also lost to Tampa, the No. 1-ranked team in NCAA Division II, in three games.

The Falcons (5-3) play Seattle University on Thursday.

Jacks drop to 0-2

Humboldt State had a 37-yard field goal blocked late in the fourth quarter of a 23-21 football loss to Mesa State on Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo.

The Jacks had one final opportunity to pull out the win but had a pass intercepted in Mesa State territory with 1:26 remaining.

Humboldt State (0-2) has two former STHS players on its roster: Adam Fountain, a 6-3, 275-pound junior offensive lineman, and freshman running back Grant Swinney.