| The Concordian
- September 15, 2000
Nate De Cock's Article on Olympic Discus Thrower Kris
Kuehl '92
| 2000
Cobber Volleyball |
Volleyball posts three wins in Dallas
The Concordia netters enjoyed a successful weekend of volleyball winning
8 of the 11 games played at the University of
Dallas Tournament. The Cobbers improved their record to 3-1 after their
initial loss to Moorhead early in the season. "This was great because it
built up our confidence," Junior Leah
The Cobbers opened their weekend play with a win over Sterling Kansas.Concordia
opened the match with two wins 15-10 and 15-6. Sterling retaliated in the
third game 15-11, but the Cobbers finished the match strong winning 15-4.
Leah Sanden and Sam Scariano led the
Cobber attack;
Bethel Kansas was Concordia's next challenge for the weekend. The Cobbers won the first two games 15-8 and 15-9. Bethel rallied in the third game clinching it 16-14. Concordia came back in the third game to win 15-8. The last match of the weekend gave the Cobbers a decisive 3-0 win over Alma Michigan. Concordia flourished early on and won all three games handily: 15-8, 15-11, and 15-4. Senior, Scariano, marked up 15 kills for the match. "Our defense is strong," Sanden said. "We were solid and really know where we are suppose to go." Concordia will strive to add more wins to their record as they travel
to the St. Ben's tournament this weekend.
The following weeks may prove to be a challenge for the Cobbers as they
face a tight schedule. "When we are tired we need to keep playing hard,"
Sanden said. "We have a
| 2000
Cobber Men's Cross Country |
| 2000
Cobber Women's Cross Country |
Women's cross country wins again, men battle injuries
Another meet, another win for the Concordia women's cross country team. The Cobber women won their second meet in as many weeks last Saturday, as they narrowly defeated Gustavus and nationally ranked St. Thomas at the St. John's Invitational. "St. John's was a good effort for us," said head women's coach Marv Roeske. "But it was just a start to what we want to do." The Cobbers finished with a team score of 57, just edging Gustavus with 61 and St. Thomas with 64. Leading the way for Concordia was sophomore Katie Martin and senior Heidi Brenden. Those two finished fourth and fifth respectively. The Cobbers were also helped by freshmen Emily Judd who finished 10th, and senior Heather Brenden, who came in 11th. "Our front runners have a lot of experience," said Roeske, "and our younger runners are learning in a hurry." On the men's side, the Cobbers battled through injuries, finishing in sixth place. Nine runners did not compete for the men due various injuries or ailments. "We've had a rough time," said head men's coach Garrick Larson. "People are feeling the effects of the last three weeks of training." One person who has not been feeling the effects though, is Cobber junior Brian Stotts. After taking first at the Concordia Invitational two weeks ago, Stotts led the Cobbers once again this past weekend, finishing 15th overall. "Brian has improved an incredible amount since last season," Larson said. "He has been performing extremely well for us." The next action for both the men and the women will be on Saturday, September 23rd at the University of Minnesota Invitational. Forty teams will compete in the meet, which draws top talent from the Division I, II, III, and NAIA levels. Larson expects to see at least 15 ranked teams in one race. "We'll use this race to get ready for the level of competition at the end of the season," Larson said. "It will help prepare us for the national meet." | 2000
Cobber Women's Golf |
| 2000
Cobber Men's Golf |
Golf teams hole two wins
The Concordia men's and women's golf teams teed off in their first tournaments last weekend with the women finishing first and the men finishing second in their respective Concordia Invitational meets. After winning the Cobber Open on Friday, the women's team came from behind to also win their Saturday and Sunday Concordia Invitational tournament. "The fact that we came from behind on Sunday gives tremendous credit to our kids," coach Duane Siverson said. "I was so excited for them." After the first day of play, Concordia trailed MSU-Mankato by five strokes, but came back the second day to tie Mankato at a total score of 672. When a tie occurs, the winning team is determined by comparing the score of each team's fifth player, causing Concordia to come out on top. "It was a really good start for us," Siverson said. "The neatest part of the whole thing is that everyone contributed. We've got six kids that can post a good score." The Cobbers were up against some tough competition, including MIAC rival St. Thomas who finished eighth. "St. Thomas has given us a run for our money the last two years," Siverson said. "To beat them like we did just amazes me." Freshman Liz Meschke finished fifth overall for the Cobbers with a two-day score of 165. "For a freshman to have the weekend she did is really good," Siverson said. "We're off to a running start." He added that the biggest goal for this year's team is to reach the national tournament. The women's team will play in the MSUM and NDSU tournament today and tomorrow. The men's team also had a strong first weekend of golf, finishing only one stroke behind UND in the Concordia Invitational on Friday. "I think the world of these guys," coach Peter Hovde said. "They never quit, which is exactly what you want in a golf team." The team finished with a score of 313, with first-year student Andrew Beliveau leading the way with a score of 74. The Cobbers also participated in the Bemidji Invitational on Sunday and Monday, finishing a respective eighth place out of twenty teams. Senior Seth Johnson led the Cobbers with a two-day score of 148, par for the course. Hovde cited the two co-captains, Johnson and Mike Hagen, as being leaders for this year's team. "They're both different," he said. "Seth is more laid-back and Mike is more intense, but it's been amazing to watch these guys year after year." He also cited sophomores Adam
Hanson, Jason Christianson
and Justin Anderson as
important returning players on this year's team. Hovde said that his team
will have some tough MIAC competition this year, especially with Gustavus
and St. John's, but hopes to finish in
"These guys are just fun to be around," he said. "They just don't quit and they generally don't get down." This weekend the Cobbers will play in the NDSU Invite Tournament. | 2000
Cobber Men's Soccer |
| 2000
Cobber Women's Soccer |
Soccer squads place second at Millenium Classic
The Concordia men's and women's soccer teams each posted a win at the Millennium Classic last weekend at Luther College. The men opened the tournament Saturday with a 3-0
victory over Mt. St. Claire followed by a 2-1
overtime loss to Luther in the championship game. In similar fashion,
the Cobber women started the tournament with a 1-0
victory over Luther, but were defeated Sunday 3-2
in the championship
Sophomore Luke Dewey opened the scoring on Saturday with a goal in the first half. As it turned out, that is the only goal the Cobbers needed. Junior co-captain Chance Buzzell and freshman Jerry Nathan each contributed a goal in the second half to give the Cobbers a 3-0 victory. "We really played good as a team," Nathan said. "Our defense really came together and played a strong game." Freshman goalkeeper Kris Overby came up with 4 saves to give him his second shutout win of the season. Nathan recorded his second goal of the season in the first half of Sunday's game against Luther to give Concordia the early lead. The Cobbers held onto the lead until the second half, when a defensive miscue resulted in a Luther goal. The teams fought to a tie at the end of regulation. A Luther goal in overtime resulted in a 2-1 loss for the Cobber men. Despite the loss, the Cobber team felt good about itself. "We had good
team chemistry in this game, and again we played well as a team." Nathan
said. "We are definitely getting better with every
Sophomores Cyle Clavett, Luke Dewey, Peter Pawlowski and first-year man Jerry Nathan were selected to the All-Tournament team. In her second shutout performance of the season, junior goalkeeper Kathy Braun turned away 6 shots against Luther on Saturday. Sophomore Kendra Lee supplied the game's only goal when she scored with 15 minutes left in the contest. Senior Jordi Kortan added the assist that led to the lone Cobber score. Braun noted that the Cobber defense made a large contribution in the
shutout win, saying, "It helps when I don't have to face a lot of shots
on goal. I think the defense is one of the better parts of our
Against Mt. St. Claire on Sunday, the Cobber women found themselves
in an early hole until freshman Haley
Groce kicked in her third goal of the season. Groce added a second
goal in the second half to give the Cobbers a 2-1 advantage. Mt.
St. Claire evened the score at 2-2 later
When questioned about how the team would respond after Sunday's loss, Braun said, "I think we'll respond positively. We played well in somewhat adverse conditions and the score was 3-2. A lot of good things happened that will help us in the MIAC." Kendra Lee, Haley Groce and freshman Abbey Rabine were named to the All-Tournament team for the Cobbers. The Cobber men (2-1-1) will host Nebraska Wesleyan and St. Scholastica
this weekend in the Second Annual Cobber Classic. The Cobber women
(3-1-0) will play Viterbo and St. Scholastica in the 1st Annual Concordia
Invitational this weekend.
Kris Kuehl to throw discus in Sydney
Games:
Kris Kuehl's television will not be tuned this year to the summer Olympics. But not because she can't stand to watch. The 1992 Concordia graduate will be competing in the women's discus at this year's Sydney games, the last of three qualifiers representing the United States. Her throw of 202' 7" in the finals of this summer's Olympic trials guaranteed her a spot on the Olympic squad. "This is definitely our strongest team in . . . probably forever," said Kuehl. "I think if I can throw a PR, I'll be really close to getting a medal. My personal record is 214', and at the last games a bronze was probably in the upper 210's. So it's definitely a possibility." Kuehl's first serious run at the Olympics came in 1996, when a disappointing trials prevented her from making the U.S. team. But her qualifying throw this summer more than made up for the opportunity missed in '96. "1996 was a good year with the exception of the Olympic trials," said Kuehl. "Just having that in the past and then officially closing the door on it by making the team . . . that was definitely vindicating." Kuehl entered this year's trials with the longest throw by an American
this year, but the 2000 competition had its own air of uncertainty. Her
first two throws in the finals fell weakly to the turf, far short of the
needed distance. Even after her more successful third throw, her Olympic
"By the time I had taken my last throws I still wasn't a lock for it," said Kuehl. "There were two people that had yet to go that could bump me down. So to a certain degree I didn't have any control. . . .When the last throw wasn't further than mine it was a sense of relief." Kuehl was a three-time NCAA National Champion in the discus while at Concordia. She also holds the school record at 180' 6"and the MIAC record with a throw of 177' 9". The jump to Olympic caliber, however, which began with her first qualifying run in 1993, was not an easy one. "There's a different mindset," said Kuehl. "There's a huge jump between where I was at (in college) to where I went the very next year. So it took a little while to get my bearings with that. . . .There were a lot of things mentally and physically that just took their time." After having successfully moved from Division III to world-class competition,
Kuehl says she will not be intimidated in Sydney.
"I've competed against all these people before," said Kuehl. "By the time I step in the ring, the Olympic games should just be old hat, and then I can focus on what I'm supposed to do." The Olympics in Sidney kickoff today, and Kuehl competes September 25
and 27. She'll be live, but we'll need our televisions to witness the action.
| 2000
Cobber Football |
There is no article this week.
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