Nov. 15, 2006

Lutes Open Season with California Lutheran and Oglethorpe

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran opens its season this weekend at the UPS Tip-Off Classic at the University of Puget Sound. The Lutes play Cal Lutheran at 2 p.m. Friday and Oglethorpe at 2 p.m. Saturday.

THE OPPONENTS: The Lutes will start of the 2006-07 season against California Lutheran at the Tip-Off Classic. The backcourt combo of Tiffiny Shim (Second Team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) and Mary Placido will lead the young California Lutheran team. A preseason poll ranked the Regals as the SCIAC favorite. The Lutes should have a formidable foe in the Regals, who have 10 returning players and seven freshman players. On Saturday at 2 p.m PLU will face off with Oglethorpe University who made their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, and are currently ranked 45th in the D3.com preseason poll.

OUTLOOK: It will be a good indicator of what fans can expect to see from the Lutes this season. PLU is currently ranked No. 16 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 poll. PLU returns 13 players, including seven sophomores, four juniors, and two seniors. Among that group is the Northwest Conference Player of the Year, Nikki Johnson. D3hoops.com selected Johnson as a preseason second team All-American. PLU has a great shot at repeating as NWC champion and could possibly make another run at the Sweet Sixteen. The point guard position will have depth with Trinity Gibbons, Megan Clarno and transfer Nikki Scott. Haley Martin and Kyle Haag are both candidates for the shooting guard spot. Martin returns to the Lutes after taking a season off to emphasize academics. She started several games at point guard two seasons ago. Haag, a junior, could see plenty of action after playing in 20 games and averaging 2.7 points last season. The wing position features Johnson, who averaged 14 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game last season. Other wing candidates include returnees Abby McHugh and Amy Spieker and freshman Danika Lawson. Returning starter Trish Buckingham and Emily Voorhies are featured at the small forward position. Buckingham started every game last season for the Lutes, averaging 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds. Voorhies, a sophomore, is also back to the Lutes lineup after missing last season with a knee injury. She is very versatile and should get plenty of minutes.Kezia Long and Melissa Richardson will appear at the post position for PLU. Long, an honorable mention Northwest Conference choice last season, put up first team numbers, averaging 13 points and 9.9 rebounds a game as well as shooting 50 percent from the field. Richardson started in five games last season, averaging 3.4 points and 3.5 rebounds a game. Sophomore Meghan Dowling, newcomer Tracy Goehri, and Voorhies could also see action at this position.

NEXT WEEK: The Lutes will play at the Western Washington Linda Goodrich Invitational in Bellingham, facing Western Washington at 5 p.m. on the Nov. 24 and St. Martins at 1 p.m. on Nov. 25.

- PLU -