BEACON SPORTS
WNBA struggles to find viewers, respect
On Tuesday. September 20. 2005, Yolanda Griffith
scored 14 points as the Sacramento Monarchs won their
first WNBA title by taking two straight games from the
Connecticut Sun. It was the first professional title for
any Sacramento professional team and an impressive
victory for the program. In attendance for the big game
were over 15,000 fans. This means that .005% of
Americans attended the game. While most of you
sports fans were glued to your television for this gala
event, 1 believe I was watching a new episode of the
Gilmore Girls.
If you can catch my tone from
my opening paragraph, the
WNBA does not rank high on my
list of fondness. Ever since its
inaugural season in 1097. the
league has struggled for airtime
on television and has basically
struggled for an audience.
Despite efforts from ESPN to
broadcast the finals, attempting
to raise some awareness about
the league, not too many sports fans take a chance to
sacrifice valuable sitcom time to view an event such as
the WNBA.
Right away, people are already making judgments
ranging from my hating of women's sports of sexist
journalism. Therefore. I’d like to clarify that the
WNBA is the only women s league that is unviewable.
Maria Sharapova is a tennis whi/. who is most capable
of beating me 6-0, 6-0 in nine out of 10 matches that I
play against her. Mia Hamm could run circles around
me while playing a pickup game of soccer. In the case
of the WNBA. I feel that I can come off the bench and
score six or eight points. The whole appeal of profes
sional sports is that they are, indeed, professionals and
are better than the average athlete.
Another aspect that renders the WNBA "lacking" is
the marketing of the sport. During most professional
sports season, if you walk up and down campus, you
will see many people sporting their favorite athlete’s
Lions’ tennis looks to make improvements
Heidi Weismiller
staff writer
The Penn State Behrend women's
tennis team managed two easy wins
this past week against Frostburg
State University on the September
24 and Penn State Altoona on
Sunday. September 25.
On Saturday against Frostburg,
the Lions left the court with ari easy
9-0 win. "Our whole team did really
well." said PSB junior Jenna
Yankowski. "We were expecting a
win." This marked the lions third
AMCC win for the season. In sin
gles competition. Allison Mudrey
defeated her opponent 6-1, 6-2.
Mindy Calvert beat her Frostburg
opponent 6-3, 6-1. Yankowski
secured herself a 6-1, 6-0 win and
Shelly Goodpastor and Susan
Cooper easily finished their oppo
nents 6-1. 6-1. Amy Frizzell also
managed a 6-1, 6-4 win. In doubles
competition the lady Lions also
swept the board. The Mudrey and
Calvert team won 8-6. Yankowski
and Goodpastor took home an 8-1
Volleyball captures Lycoming Tournament
By Mathew Turner
staff writer
The Behrend Lions took the
Lycoming College Tournament by
storm over the weekend. They
roared through the entire field of
teams, and captured the champi
onship. The Lions dominated from
the opening game, and didn’t look
back from there.
In the first match of the tourna
ment Behrend manhandled
Dickinson in three straight games
30-12, 30-23, 30-18. Senior setter
Amanda Evans led the attack.
accounting for 38 assists, ten kills,
and nine digs.
In the second match of the
evening, Behrend made quick work
of Penn College. The Lions won in
straight games 30-11, 30-22, 30-12.
Junior middle hitter Elaine Voltz
hammered 16 kills that went along
with her two blocks.
On Saturday, Behrend beat host
Lycoming in four games 30-J 6, 26-
30, 30-15, 30-13. Amanda Evans
recorded her first triple-double of
the year, totaling 44 assists, 16 digs,
and 11 kills. Junior outside hitter
Lisa Wagner accomplished a feat
that only two other Division 111 vol
leyball players have all season. She
blasted a career-high 30 kills, as she
hit .617 on 47 attempts.
By Chris LaFuria
sports editor
When I did a quick
survey, I found that
roughly zero percent
of students here on
campus wear WNBA
jerseys.
win and the Cooper and Frizzell
team left Frostburg with an 8-2 win.
The following day. for their fourth
AMCC game of the season, the
Lions' tennis team traveled south
east to face Penn State Altoona.
"They are pretty good," said
Yankowski. "They improved since
last year and their top players are
strong" They left the court victori
ous taking home a 6-3 win and
securing their place in the AMCC as
number one with a 4-0 record.
Mudrey, Yankowski and
Goodpastor all took home wins for
Behrend in the singles competition.
Behrend also swept the doubles
competition, securing wins in all
three matches. “Our number two
girl had a tough match, but she will
play her again next week." said
Yankowski.
More good news came for the
Lions when Yankowski was named
AMCC player of the week. The con
ference felt that she deserved this
award because she went undefeated.
3-0. in her singles competition, as
well as her doubles competition for
In the championship game,
Behrend rolled over Marywood 30-
21,30-17,30-17. Lisa Wagner
posted 17 kills and 10 digs, while
Freshman middle hitter Jenna
Bensenhoefer added six kills and
four blocks. Coach Pisano talked
about what it meant to win the tour-
nament afterwards, “Winning the
“We played hard all
weekend, and per
formed more con
sistently through
out the tourna
ment.”
tournament was a nice accomplish
ment for the team. We played hard
all weekend, and performed more
consistently throughout the tourna-
ment.”
On Monday Behrend was greeted
with some news that is now becom
ing customary. Lisa Wagner was
named AMCC volleyball player of
the week. Wagner is currently third
in the AMCC in kills per game
(3.81) and sixth in digs per game
(3.85). This is now the third time
uniform or jersey. When I did a quick survey, I found
that roughly zero percent of students here on campus
wear WNBA jerseys. The best way to get fans interest
ed in your sport is to sell merchandise and make the
consumers your billboards for the spoil itself.
In the early to mid 90s, what brought most Americans
to be fans of the NBA is the play of the superstars. Fans
would watch games just so see Michael Jordan dunk or
see Reggie Miller hit 3-pointers. The All-Star game
was full of people that everyone knew. Every fan from
the young to the old could list each roster of the All Star
game. Herein lies another flaw of the WNBA. I could
n’t tell you who started the WNBA all-star game. I
quently televised to appeal to the main viewers of tele
vision- the males. Once again, primitive minds rely on
primitive pleasure. I'm not condoning the displaying of
only these sports, but I am simply stating what is true
about the media world today.
Unfortunately, it is going to take a lot of effort to
make the WNBA something viewable. The current
state of the league is something that is only adored by
avid basketball fans, friends and family of the basket
ball players. What this sport needs is a Michelle Jordan
to take over and leave their mark on the sport. Every
event needs something to make it worth viewing. Right
now, the sub-par play of the league is not instilling
much faith in the sport. Let's just say I will not be
watching the upcoming WNBA Draft or genuinely
anticipating the start of next season. The league needs
help. Maybe a little more than possible.
-Coach Pisano
couldn't even tell you who won the
league's MVF. Furthermore, there
aren't many stars making big plays
and there certainly aren't any players
who can impress fans with a non
trampoline-aided-slam-dunk.
Sadly, the main reason the WNBA
has not lived up to its expectations is
the physical expectation of the main
television audience. Women's events
such as The Miss America Pageant or
Women's sand volleyball are fre-
the past week with her partner
Goodpastor.
"The week before. I won all of my
matches." she said. "The number
one girl on the team usually wins
every season, and she has already
been awarded it this year."
Yankowski believes that although
she is not number one on the team,
she does deserve this award. "I
worked hard in practice and I did
good in all of my matches.” she
said. "We are a strong team and any
one could get it," said Yankowski.
Next week the lions face John
Carroll at home on October first at
11 a.m. "They are really good; it
will be a hard match," said
Yankowski. Although John Carroll
is not in the AMCC, they still hope
to secure another win for their 9-2
winning season. The Lions will also
see Altoona again lor the second
week in a row on October 2 at 1
p.nt. “We hope to have a repeat of
Sunday with a few minor improve
ments," said Yankowski.
in a row that a Lion has been hon
ored.
Behrend traveled to Pitt-Bradford
for their first conference match of
the year on the 28th. They came
out on top for the sixth consecutive
time, winning in straight games.
Last night Behrend returned
home for a non-conference match
with Grove City. They saw their
six game winning streak come to an
end as they fell in four games 22-
30, 27-30, 30-26, 17-30. Elaine
Volt/, recorded 22 kills while Jenna
Bensenhoefer tallied eight blocks.
With the loss Behrend dropped to
13-7 on the season.
On October 1, Behrend will host
Penn State Altoona, in what Coach
Pisano calls the “biggest game of
the year.” Even after the setback
against Grove City Coach Pisano
had positive things to say about the
team. “Our goal has been and con
tinues to be to get better each day.
I think we are right on track with
where we need to be at this point in
the season. Our sights are set on
Saturday’s match vs. Altoona and
we feel good about our positive
momentum heading into the week
end.” The winner of this match
will most likely host the conference
championship, which could be a
huge advantage to either team.
HOUSING AND FOOD SERVICE
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
NAME: Lisa Wagner
SPORT: Volleyball
CLASS: Junior
DATE: September 26,2005
Behreud's Lisa Wagner (New Castle/Laurel) has been named Allegheny Mountain
Collegiate Conference (AMCC) player of the week. The junior led the Blue
and White to test weekend's Lycoming College J
ChampttHMiup.
Behrend won 12 of 13 games en route to the title. They Masked .v
Dickinson, Penn, Lycoming and Marywood. Wagner led the team with 5.19
per game) percentage and a 0.408 attack percentage. Against Lycoming, Wagigef
recorded a single match career-high of 30 kills. She also contributed ,
-V *
The Behrend Lions have a home stand hosting drove City On Thursday,
September 29, at 7 p.m„ Penn State Altoona in the home league opener on
Saturday, October 1, at 1 p.m., and the Hilbert Hawks oaTtosday, “
October 4, at 7 p.m, in the Junker Center. , n t s
* \ * Jj * * *■ ’
;■’ < f
Housing and Food Service Athlete of the Week is selected by the Sports ,
Information Staff. L ' /
■ ■ - --- - •- '■ ' ; Ty
Player Injury Update September 29:
Mike Donaworth, Capital University
Injury is always the furthest thing from the mind of a sports player. Unfortunately for
Mike Donaworth this was the first thing on his mind when he awoke laying face up on
the Behrend Fields.
Late in the second half of regulation, Mike Donaworth was tending the goal for
Capital University. With the game at 2-2 tie and eighteen minutes left on the clock it
was still either teams’ game. Donaworth received an accidental knee to the face from
his own teammate. The field had been saturated by heavy rains the night before and
because of this Donaworths’ teammate could not come to a stop quickly. Donaworth
fell unconscious, as a result of the collision, for almost a minute.
“They were concerned about spinal injuries, however they found he had full feeling
in his extremities and they were taking him to Hamot to check for any additional
injuries,” stated assistant coach Matt Kohl. He was taken by ambulance to Hamot
Medical Center where he was awaiting a MRI and CAT scan.
The game which was called with eighteen minutes left of regulation should be con
sidered a full game because regulation went through the second half. However, official
referree’s were not on site for the game due to a miscommunication of unknown origin.
The next men’s soccer game is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. against La Roche.
Emergency vehicles lines the soccer field to come to the aid of the injured Capital
University soccer player. The game was called due to the injury and darkness.
The Behrend Beacon I 10
Friday, September 30, 2005
By Rob Frank
managing editor
Rob Frank/THE BEHREND BEACON