by Erika Thornsberry | Feb 22, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
For the Bisons men’s basketball team, this Friday night started out a little slow, but the end was anything but slow. Conference foe Northern Kentucky traveled to Allen Arena to play the victorious Bisons, who won the conference game 70-66. Northern Kentucky was first to get on the score board, and Bisons head coach Casey Alexander didn’t waste any time pulling out all five of his starters and putting in a fresh five. It didn’t take long after that for junior Malcolm Smith to get two three point plays (two baskets plus free throws) and for the momentum to start shifting in favor of the Bisons. “My teammates were really looking for me. We took advantage of the size mix-match down low,” Malcolm Smith said. “I focused on posting up hard, attacking the basket quick, and when I got to the foul line, knocking them down.” Going into halftime, senior Khion Sankey made a shot right at the buzzer making it 35-29 in favor of Lipscomb. That wasn’t the only big shot of the game as Martin Smith knocked down a 3 pointer with 34.8 seconds left giving the Bisons a 67-63 score. “It was a huge shot,” Malcolm Smith said. “That made it a two possession game. It helped us put the game away.” During time out, Coach Alexander drew a play up, but sometimes, once you’re out on the court, things don’t go exactly as planned. “That’s not the play we drew up, but we improvised well,” Alexander said. “J.C Hampton hit Martin right on the money, and he stepped up and hit the shot. He’s made a...
by Madeline Smith | Feb 21, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
The world has been watching its favorite teams compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics being held in Sochi, Russia. Students at Lipscomb are no exception. “I’m a huge hockey fan,” said junior Taylor Jackson. “Hockey is the reason I like the Winter Olympics better than the summer ones.” Despite getting off to a bumpy start with construction still going on when the press and athletes arrived to Sochi, the games have been a hit around the world, with the events live on NBC. “I love watching the bobsledding, ice dancing and skiing,” said senior Elizabeth Oliver. Many students have been watching the Olympics, but certain elements of it stand out to different people. “I love the stories about the athletes,” Oliver said. “I like to hear about their stories and their past that got them where they are. I also like to see USA win gold, obviously.” Events Team USA has excelled in are mostly under the skiing and snowboarding categories. America won the gold and silver for both male and female snowboard slope-style. Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the gold for the ice dance free style competition. Team USA also won the bronze in the figure skating mixed team competition. The closing ceremonies are Sunday Feb. 23, at 10...
by Erika Thornsberry | Feb 20, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Top 25 is in reach for the Lady Bisons softball team as they moved up to No. 28 in the ESPN.COM/USA softball ranking. With the season just two weeks under way, the Lady Bisons have made their presence known with wins from Virginia Tech, Butler, Iowa, Drake, UAB and No. 15 Baylor. “It’s exciting to be ranked, and it honestly only motivates us that much more to continue to be the best,” senior catcher Rena’ Cothron said. Lipscomb found huge success when they traveled to Waco, Texas this past weekend to play in the Getterman Classic. Against Baylor, the Bisons won 1-0, which bumped the Bears from 14 down to 15. “So far, I think the season has gone great. 8-1 is a great start to a season, but it’s just that, a start,” Cothron said. “Every game we have won so far has been a complete team win. We just have to keep playing our game and take it one day at a time.” Junior Brianne Welch, junior Paige Neely (recently named Atlantic Sun Player of the Week) and sophomore Tanner Sanders made the Getterman Classic All-Tournament team. Welch found success during the tournament, as she had her first career home run against Iowa. “It feels pretty awesome being top 28,” Welch said. “It’s a great feeling to get recognition for the hard work we’ve put in.” Welch had a two run bomb against Iowa, but it was Sanders who was the winning pitcher. She was named A-Sun Pitcher of the Week for her performance in Texas. Junior Gracey Aguirre, who plays right field for the Lady Bisons,...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Feb 19, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Junior volleyball players Lauren Ford and Jewell Dobson will represent Lipscomb University in the tryouts for the United States Volleyball Team, an honor given to only two other athletes in school history. The others, Jake Pease and Alex Kelly, played together from the 2007-08 season to the 2010-11 season. “I grew up looking up to Alex Kelly and Jake Pease, who have been in this position before,” outside hitter Lauren Ford said. “I would look up to [Pease and Kelly], hoping to be as good as them.” “They’re the type of players who have left a legacy at Lipscomb, and to be in the same position they have been in says a lot,” middle blocker Jewell Dobson said. “It just says a lot about our success and the success that the program has had.” The tryouts begin Feb. 21 and go until Feb. 23 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Volleyball head coach Brandon Rosenthal said that the difference between Pease and Kelly and Dobson and Ford is that the girls this year are going together. In the past, Pease and Kelly traveled separately to the tryouts. This time around, Dobson and Ford will travel together, although Rosenthal doesn’t know if they’ll room together. “I just want them to go and have a great time and just do their best,” Rosenthal said. Rosenthal also said that the only difference the girls will see at the tryouts is the increase in altitude. He mentioned that the ball flies through the air a bit differently, but it will not make a huge difference. The coach, who just finished his...
by Erika Thornsberry | Feb 18, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Four years ago, junior Gemikal Prude would never have believed that he would be a nationally-ranked high jumper. Now, Prude is on track to compete at the highest level of competition in the event. As the second person in his family to attend and stay in college, Prude’s first goal is to receive his diploma. This is his most important goal, but not his only goal for the future. “My goal is to be the best high jumper in the nation,” Prude said. Most athletes grow up playing their college sport, but Prude’s story is very different. He would never have considered track if it weren’t for his high school basketball coach. “My original thought was, ‘I’m going play basketball in college.’ However, my high school basketball coach decided to start conditioning earlier in the spring of my junior year to prepare us for senior year,” Prude said. “To get out of the conditioning, the players and coach decided that we would do track.” Prude’s track and field career began just four short years ago during his junior year of high school. “At first, I ran the 100 and the 4×1. My best friend was a high-jumper. It was technique day, and everyone was telling me to try it,” Prude said. “My coach told me he’d give me a steak dinner if I did it, so of course I did.” Prude said that, two days later, his coach put him in the high jump, and the rest is history. As of Feb. 18, Prude is in a five-way tie for eighth in the nation in the high jump. To achieve...
by Martin Baker | Feb 17, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb’s men’s and women’s Tennis teams each had matches against Austin Peay this past Saturday. The men’s match was at the Richland Tennis Club, and the women’s match was at the Whitworth Racquet Club. The women faired better than the men by defeating Austin Peay 4-3. The men lost their match by a score of 6-1. The women lost 2 out of the 3 doubles matches that gave Austin Peay the doubles point. Lipscomb’s Melissa Kromer and Laura Kent won their doubles match against Austin Peay’s Vanessa Tavares and Isabela Jovanovic. The girls came back to make a statement in the singles matches winning 4 out of 6. Lipscomb’s No. 1 Deahna Welcher defeated Andra Cornea in a close match that ended 3-6, 6-2, (10-6). No. 2 Melissa Kromer, however, lost to Ornella Di Salvo in another close match that ended 2-6, 6-3, (8-10). Lipscomb’s No. 5 Lorena Djuknic had one of the most meaningful matches of the night because it was the match that decided who would take the ultimate victory. Djuknic defeated Hannah Tatlock after two sets with a final score of 6-4, 6-3. The men’s tennis team has faced a tough obstacle all season with only having five players instead of the usual six, therefore they have to give up a point in singles and doubles automatically in each match. “We had a tough loss to Austin Peay State. This match was good for us though to show where we are as a team,” coach Mario Hernandez said. “Ultimately it showed that we need to be tougher as a team.” No. 4 Miguel Cortez was the lone...
