PIRATE SPORTS ONLINE - Vol. 3 No. 13, Thursday, November 20, 2003

PIRATES' STORYBOOK SEASON ENDS IN SANTA BARBARA
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF--Robert Morris College (Ill.) snapped Park University's 14-game unbeaten streak and advanced to the NAIA National Championship Second Round after Wednesday's opening round victory.  The Eagles posted four goals in the first half, carrying a secure lead into halftime and finishing the match with a 6-0 advantage.  For Park, MCAC and Region IV Champs, the season concludes with a 15-5-1 record.  Robert Morris advances to face Westmont College (Calif.) at 7:30 p.m. PST on Thursday.

Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Men's Basketball Results
#10 BEARCATS USE FREE THROWS TO OUTLAST PARK AT HOME
PARKVILLE, MO--The #10 McKendree College Bearcats (6-0) scored on 19-of-28 free throws to Park's 8-of-17, and the game was theirs, 75-70.  The Pirates (0-4) closed within four points in the final two minutes, whittling away at McKendree's 12-point lead at 60-48.  The Bearcats finished with a plus two rebounding edge, 44-42.  Park junior Chuck Reed led his team with 17 points and seven assists.  Senior Dan Durrer had 14 points and eight rebounds.
     McKendree's guard duo of Chad Storck and Jeff Suelmann each pumped in 21 points.  Pete Krumsieg pitched in with 10 points; Mike Strobbe collected 11 boards off the bench. 
     Park University hosts Missouri Western State College (1-0) from the MIAA on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. | BOX SCORE |

Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Women's Basketball Results
PIRATES RACE PAST MIDAMERICA NAZARENE; MOVE TO 5-1 WITH 16-POINT WIN
PARKVILLE, MO--MidAmerica Nazarene (4-2) and Park University (5-1) battled back and forth Tuesday evening.  In the end, the Pirates prevailed, 74-58, building on a seven point halftime lead to close out the #16 team nationally in NAIA Division II.  Randi Meissner had her fourth double-double of the season, putting up 17 points and collecting 20 rebounds.  Tenysha Brown (13 points, 5 steals), Crystal Tutschulte (13 points) and Kristin Gilmore (12 points, 8 rebounds) also scored in double-figures for the Pirates.  Park outrebounded the Lady Pioneers, 52-34, and held the competition to just 33.8% from the floor in the game.
     Kayla Dingman led MidAmerica Nazarene with 16 points and six rebounds.  Park travels to Missouri Valley College on Thursday, November 20, for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off. | BOX SCORE |

Saturday, November 15, 2003
NAIA Region IV Men's Soccer Tournament
HASTINGS ONE GOAL BETTER THAN PIRATES IN REGIONAL FINAL; PIRATES WIN BID TO NATIONALS ANYWAY
HASTINGS, NEB--The #3 Hastings College Broncos (21-1-0) won Saturday night's NAIA Region IV Championship, defeating #18 Park University (14-7-0), 1-0.  Hastings' Ryan Junge, a freshman from Omaha, scored the game's only goal on a breakaway in the 52nd minute.  Junge was named Defensive MVP for the tournament.  Cody Christline earned the shutout in the match.
     Despite the setback, Park University has advanced to the NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship Tournament in Olathe, Kan., November 19-25.  Park enters the tournament as the #6 seed; the Pirates will face #11-seed Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) at 7:15 p.m. on Friday evening.  | INFORMATION | BRACKET AND WEBCAST | MAP TO OLATHE SOCCER COMPLEX |
Summary: HC 1-0 (52:00) Ryan Junge. Keepers: PARK Ricardo Avalos (90:00) 8 saves, 1 ga; HC Cody Christline (90:00) 2 saves, 1 so. Shots: PARK 2, HC 9. Corner kicks: PARK 3, HC 4.

Saturday, November 15, 2003
NAIA Region IV Women's Soccer Tournament
PARK CLAIMS REGION IV TITLE, SNEAKS INTO NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT AS #18 SEED
HASTINGS, NEB--With their fourteenth win in the last fifteen matches, Park University (15-4-1) claimed the NAIA Region IV Championship on Saturday, winning 2-1 against the host, Hastings College Broncos (16-4-1), and advanced to the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Tournament for the second consecutive season.  Hastings' Abby Huber scored the match's first goal, finding the net behind Park keeper Bridget Duhme in the 37th minute.  Julia Eshikumo knotted the match, scoring on a pass from Pam Bedzrah in the 57th minute.  Six minutes later, Eshikumo booted in the game-winner, assisted by sophomore Kesiann Francis.  With the win, Park improved to 9-0 this season in matches decided by one goal.  Duhme finished the match with eight saves.
     Park is the #18 seed in the National Tournament.  The Pirates will face Region VII champ, Robert Morris College (Ill.) (17-4-1) in the first round on Wednesday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. PST. | INFORMATION | BRACKET AND WEBCAST | Summary: HC 1-0 (36:05) Abby Huber; PARK 1-1 (56:07) Julia Eshikumo (Pam Bedzrah); PARK 2-1 (62:38) Eshikumo (Kesiann Francis). Keepers: PARK Bridget Duhme (90:00) 8 saves, 1 ga; HC Jamie Welliver (90:00) 4 saves, 1 ga. Shots: PARK 10, HC 15. Corner kicks: PARK 5, HC 4.

Saturday, November 15, 2003
Women's Basketball Results
BENEDICTINE LADY RAVENS HAND PIRATES FIRST LOSS OF 2003-2004 SEASON
OTTAWA, KAN--Park University (4-1) women's basketball suffered its first loss of the 2003-2004 season Saturday. The Pirates fell to the Benedictine College Lady Ravens, 62-58, in the Ottawa University Tournament.  Randi Meissner (18 points, 9 rebounds), Randi Johnson (13 points, 6 rebounds) and Kristin Gilmore (11 points, 6 rebounds) kept Park in striking distance.  Meissner and Johnson were named to the All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the classic.  Benedictine's Emily Smith had 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Park hosts MidAmerica Nazarene University at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening.  | BOX SCORE |

Saturday, November 15, 2003
Men's Basketball Results
PARK SCORERS QUIET IN ROAD LOSS TO JEWELL
LIBERTY, MO--William Jewell College (2-2) rallied to a 40-29 lead by halftime in Saturday's 79-62 win over Park University in the Mabee Center.  Chuck Reed led Park (0-3) with 13 points; Corey Gupton had 12 points and five rebounds.  Park's often-hot perimeter shooting was a dismal 0-18 from behind the three-point line.  The Cardinals scored 5-of-12 threes.  Senior Pierre Jallow led all players with 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Park hosts #10 McKendree College (5-0) at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.  | BOX SCORE |

Friday, November 14, 2003
NAIA Region IV Men's Soccer Tournament
REMATCH WITH BELLEVUE FAVORS PARK; PIRATES ADVANCE TO REGION IV FINALS VERSUS HASTINGS
HASTINGS, NEB--In their third head-to-head match this season, #18 Park University surged past the Bellevue University Bruins, 5-0, in Friday's NAIA Region IV Semifinals.  Park led 3-0 at halftime.  Freshman forward Paul McLaughlin scored two goals and added two assists.  Henok Belayneh, Luis Henrique Pinto, and Chris Lisaka also had goals in the match; Ricardo Avalos recorded the shutout for Park. 
     The Pirates advance to Saturday's championship against #1-seed Hastings College.  The Broncos (20-1-0), who were ranked third nationally in the final poll of the season, defeated Park on September 6, 1-0, in overtime.  Hastings and Park meet at 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening; the winner is assured a spot in the NAIA National Championship Tournament, November 19-25 in Olathe, Kan.
Summary: PARK 1-0 (4:00) Paul McLaughlin (Daniel Jiregna); PARK 2-0 (20:00) Henok Belayneh (Jiregna); PARK 3-0 (43:00) Luis Henrique Pinto (McLaughlin); PARK 4-0 (68:00) McLaughlin (Almir Lemes Jr.); PARK 5-0 (80:00) Chris Lisaka (McLaughlin). Keepers: PARK Ricardo Avalos (80:00) 3 saves, 1 so, Chris Eslinger (10:00) 1 save; BU Daniel Galvis (90:00) 2 saves, 5 ga. Shots: PARK 7, BU 4. Corner kicks: PARK 3, BU 5. 

Friday, November 14, 2003
Women's Basketball Results
PARK OVERCOMES GAME DELAY, BAKER WILDCATS TO REACH 4-0
OTTAWA, KAN.--Park University's (4-0) women's basketball squad arrived late for Friday's opening contest in the Ottawa university Tournament due to a prolonged traffic stoppage on I-35.  The game between Park and Baker started nearly two hours behind schedule.  Led by junior forward Randi Johnson and Randi Meissner who each scored 22 points, Park improved to 4-0 with a 79-75 win over the Lady Wildcats.  Park held a 32-29 lead at halftime.  Meissner posted her third double-double in three games this season with 15 rebounds to go with her point total.  Kristin Gilmore had 18 points and four rebounds for Park.
     Baker's Courtney Hodges had 15 points to lead her team.  As a result of tonight's delay, Saturday's game between Park and Benedictine has been rescheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Ottawa. | BOX SCORE |

Friday, November 14, 2003
NAIA Region IV Women's Soccer Tournament
DEJA VU: PARK SNUFFS COLLEGE OF ST. MARY 2-1 ON ESHIKUMO'S GAME-WINNING GOAL
HASTINGS, NEB--Friday's NAIA Region IV Semifinal match between #13 Park University (14-4-1) and College of St. Mary (14-5-3) was oddly reminiscent of last Friday's match between the two teams in the MCAC Championship.  Same teams.  Same coaches.  Same 2-1 result. Same game-winning goal by freshman forward Julia Eshikumo.  Higher stakes.  With Friday's 2-1 win against College of St. Mary, the Pirates advance to the NAIA Region IV Championship at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday against host Hastings College.  The winner will advance to the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship hosted by Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif., November 19-25.    
     College of St. Mary scored first in Friday's match when Kaeley Mauch gave the Flames a 1-0 lead on an assist from Carrie Sharp.  Park senior Pam Bedzrah equalized the match in the second half before Eshikumo broke away for the game-winning goal at the 78:03 mark.  
     Hastings College hosted Park back on September 6, taking a 4-0 win at home against the Pirates.  It was Park's last defeat.  Since then, Scott Bowen's squad has rattled off fourteen matches without a loss. 
Summary: CSM 1-0 (27:35) Kaely Mauch (Carrie Sharp); PARK 1-1 (61:49) Pam Bedzrah (Julia Eshikumo); PARK 2-1 (78:03) Eshikumo. Keepers: PARK Bridget Duhme (90:00) 6 saves, 1 ga. CSM Gina Green (90:00) 3 saves, 2 ga. Shots: PARK 6, CSM 19. Corner kicks: PARK 7, CSM 4.

Thursday, November 13, 2003
Women's Basketball Results
PIRATES DEFEAT HARRIS-STOWE AFTER SLUGGISH START, 74-51
PARKVILLE, MO--Park (3-0) and Harris-Stowe (0-3) were even through much of the first half of Thursday's contest before team defense generated better scoring chances in the second half.  Park led 34-30 at halftime. The Pirates outscored Harris-Stowe 40-21 after halftime to come away with the 74-51 victory.  Randi Johnson (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Kristin Gilmore (8 points, 17 rebounds, 6 steals) led Park's scoring surge which culminated in a 31-point advantage at 74-43.  Senior Priscilla Torto had 13 points; Tangela Rogers contributed 13 points and seven assists. 
     Harris-Stowe's Alicia Williams led her team with 17 points and 13 rebounds.  Park travels to Ottawa, Kan., to face Baker (Friday, 5:30 p.m.) and Benedictine (Saturday, 2:00 p.m.) in the Ottawa University Tournament this weekend.  | BOX SCORE |

For more information, visit the Park University Department of Athletics web site at www.park.edu/athletic.

Boldface text designates home events held on the Parkville campus.
% Senior Day - The final home regular season contest before which seniors will be recognized.