Sports update Nov. 7: Volleyball wins 20th UAA title

The No. 3 volleyball team rallied from an 0-2 deficit to defeat No. 2 Emory University in the 2011 UAA championship match Nov. 5 in New York.

The UAA title is a school-record 20th in WUSTL history, and the first since 2008.

Emory (34-4, 9-1 UAA) had won the last two UAA titles and had posted three straight wins against the Bears. The win gives WUSTL (32-1, 9-1 UAA) the league’s automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Division III Championship, which begins Friday, Nov. 11, at a site to be determined.

The Bears will be making their 25th straight NCAA appearance, and vying for a NCAA Division III-record 11th national title.

Senior Lauren Budde had 22 kills and 12 digs in the five-set win, registering the 13th double-double of the year. Sophomore Meghan Byrne added 13 kills and junior Drew Hargrave had 12 as Washington U. hit .240 as a team. Junior Marilee Fisher recorded her third double of the season with 50 assists and a season-high 12 digs, while junior Kelly Pang had 30 digs.

Men’s soccer claims share of UAA title

The No. 18 men’s soccer captured a share of the 2011 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship with a 2-0 win at the University of Chicago Nov. 5. The UAA title is the sixth in school history for the Bears, and first since 1999.

Sophomore Jeremy Kirkwood and freshman Pay Estakhri each scored in the win as the Bears ended regular season play with a 14-3-1 record. Sophomore goalkeeper Jonathan Jebson made four saves as he picked up his eighth shutout of the season. Jebson allowed 10 goals in 1615:55 minutes played in the regular season for a 0.56 goals-against-average.

Women’s soccer ends on high note

Sophomore Jen Reed scored an unassisted goal from 35 yards out in the 76th minute to lead the No. 14 women’s soccer team to a 1-0 win at No. 25 University of Chicago Nov. 5.

Reed’s goal, the third of the season and fourth of her career, secured the Bears a second-place finish in the UAA standings with a 5-2 record. Junior goalkeeper Clara Jaques made six saves en route to her fifth shutout of the year. WUSTL completes regular season play with a 15-4 record.

Football loses to Case Western Reserve

The football team had its three-game winning streak snapped in a 16-6 loss at home to Case Western Reserve University Nov. 5.

Senior Easton Knott (six catches, 105 yards) and junior running back Chris Castelluccio (23 carries, 88 yards) were the bright spots on offense. The defense limited Case Western Reserve to 294 yards (163 rushing; 131 passing) of total offense, and forced six punts.

Senior Nick Hillard led the defensive effort with 10 tackles, including three for loss, while senior Ed Ferguson added eight stops. WUSTL closes out the season at home at noon Saturday, Nov. 12, against the University of Chicago. Prior to the contest, the team will honor its 25 seniors.

Swimming & diving drops dual meet in Chicago

The men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams fell to the University of Chicago in a dual meet Nov. 5. The men lost 164-143, while the women suffered a 187-107 defeat.



Freshman Zane Turpin led a top three sweep of the 200-yard butterfly for the Bears with a time of 1:58.04. Freshman Luke Dobben took second in 1:58.61, and senior Chris Valach finished third in 1:58.69.

Turpin also won the 400-yard individual medley by over five seconds, finishing in 4:15.00, and Dobben also contributed to a victory in the 1,650-yard freestyle, winning in 16:52.85.

Sophomore Chi Pham paced the women’s side with a pair of individual victories. Pham earned first place in the 50-yard freestyle (24.84) and the 100-yard butterfly (1:00.15). The Bears return to action at the Drury Invitational in Springfield, Mo., Nov. 18 and 19.

Water polo club team wins national title

The men’s water polo team captured the Division III Collegiate Club title with a 13-10 win over Bowdoin College Nov. 6 in Clinton, N.Y.

It marks WUSTL’s first national title in as many championship game tries, while Bowdoin finished as runner-up for the first time in the program’s history.

Graduate student Adam Gremp scored five goals to lead WUSTL, while sophomore Tim Greer added three goals and freshman Shay Benton recorded a pair of tallies. On defense, the dynamic duo of sophomore Chris Lauber and Andrew Ng combined for 11 saves in 28 minutes in taking the victory.

Greer was named tournament MVP, while Benton earned rookie accolades. In addition, graduate student Dan Conner was named the top coach of the tournament.

Women’s basketball drops exhibition at Bradley

Senior Brianne Monahan scored a game-high 18 points but it was not enough as the women’s basketball team dropped an 81-63 decision to Division I Bradley University Nov. 5 in Peoria, Ill.

Junior Kristin Anda (11 points, eight rebounds) and senior Dani Hoover (10 points) also scored in doubles figures in the exhibition game. The team shot 38.3 percent (23-60) from the field. Freshman Melissa Gilkey added nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. The Bears were 4-of-18 from three-point range, and committed 22 turnovers.

The women opens their 2011-12 season at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Fontbonne University.

Zutavern Named assistant sports information director

Kelcey Zutavern has been named the assistant sports information director, according to Director of Athletics John Schael.

Zutavern began her duties Nov. 7. She replaces Vincent Novicki, who resigned after four years to become the assistant sports information director at his alma mater. Seton Hall University.

Zutavern arrives on the Danforth Campus after having served as the sports information director at Central Methodist University the past four years. A native of Dunning, Neb., she joined the Central Methodist athletic staff after graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Doane College in May 2008. Zutavern earned her master’s of education degree at Central Methodist in 2010.