STATE SPORTS BRIEFS: UALR women unveil nonconference schedule | HSU women break records | ATU men win in Kansas

BASKETBALL

UALR women unveil nonconference schedule

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock women’s team won’t have an easy start to its season when the Trojans open Nov. 9 at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.

Coach Joe Foley and UALR open the season with a home game against a Missouri State team that finished the 2020-21 season ranked No. 14 in the nation and fell to eventual national c h a m p i o n Stanford in t h e S w e e t

  1. It’s part of a nonconference slate that features f o u r m o r e NCAA tournament teams from a year ago. The Trojans will go on the road for games at Texas A&M and Arkansas, host Alabama and meet reigning Missouri Valley Conference tournament champion Bradley for a neutral-site contest.

After opening against the Bears, UALR plays its first road game three days later against Vanderbilt, which fell to the Trojans 82-74 in Little Rock last season.

UALR begins Sun Belt Conference play Dec. 30 at Georgia State.

— Mitchell Gladstone

GOLF

HSU women break records

The Henderson State University women’s team broke school and tournament records Tuesday on its way to a victory at the NSU Women’s Classic in Tulsa.

Gracen Blount won her second consecutive tournament with a 7-under 137 total, breaking the tournament’s and school’s records for lowest score. Blount registered six birdies in the second round and nine for the tournament. Teammate Daphney Tilton finished runner-up with a 3-under 141 total. Allie Bianchi moved up 14 spots on the leaderboard to finish in a tie for sixth place with a 3-over 147 total.

The Reddies shattered the previous team record with a 21-over 597 total. After shooting a 2-over 290 total Monday, HSU shot a 2-under 286 as a team on Tuesday, which is the best team single round in program history.

ATU men win in Kansas

The Arkansas Tech University men’s team shot a 276 as a team on Tuesday, finishing with an 11-over 863 total to win the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kan., by eight shots over Henderson State University.

Arkansas Tech’s team score Tuesday was 16 shots better than Monday’s 292 total in the tournament’s second round. Henderson State shot a final-round 279 total — 17 shots better than either of its first two rounds — to finish with a 19-over 871 total. Santiago De La Fuente of Arkansas Tech shot a 3-under 68 Tuesday to finish with an even-par 213 total, putting him in a third-place tie in the individual standings. Henderson State’s Michell Ford shot a 4-under 67 and finished the tournament in fifth place after shooting a 1-over 214 total.

Calhoon shoots final-round 72

University of Central Arkansas sophomore Blaine Calhoon shot a final-round 72 on Tuesday as the Bears finished 20th at the Louisiana Tech Jim Rivers Intercollegiate in Choudrant, La.

Calhoon’s 72, along with rounds of 78 and 77, gave him a final score of 227. Junior Spencer Jenkins was UCA’s top finisher, shooting round of 73-72-79 to finish with a 224 total. LSU won the team title with an 841 total, followed by Texas-San Antonio, Southern Miss. and host Louisiana Tech.

UCA women finish fifth

The University of Central Arkansas women’s team finished in fifth place Tuesday at the Golf-week Fall Challenge in Pawley’s Island, S.C.

Sophomore Camila Moreno shot a final-round 79 to finish in a tie for ninth place with a 216 total. Junior Elin Kumlin shot UCA’s best round of the day with a 2-over 73. She finished in a tie for 17th place with a 218 total.

Campbell topped the 20-team field with an 853 total, followed by Jacksonville State (865), East Carolina (867), Lipscomb (871) and UCA

(877).

Matthews, WBU men win

The Williams Baptist University men’s team shot a 3-under 573 as a team to win the WBU Fall Invite in Kennett, Mo.

The Eagles finished 14 strokes ahead of Missouri Baptist and their total marked the best tournament finish in school history. Chance Matthews shot rounds of 70-68—138 to win the individual title, while Tyler Parr shot 71-69—140 to finish in third place.

WBU women finish second

The Williams Baptist University women’s team finished in second place at the WBU Invite in Kennett, Mo.

The Lady Eagles finished with a team score of 694, 42 strokes behind winner Missouri Baptist. Emma French shot her second consecutive round of 81 to finish in fourth place individually. Leslie Hill shot an 85 on Tuesday finished tied for sixth after shooting a 169 total.

SOCCER

UALR beats Jackson State

Jana Heinen scored for the second consecutive game, giving the University of Arkansas at Little Rock women’s team a 1-0 victory over Jackson State on Tuesday in Jackson, Miss.

The Trojans (3-3-1) outshot the Tigers 14-3, including 9 shots on-goal. Fanney Einarsdottir led the way with three shots on-goal, while Mariella Stephens had two. Goalkeeper Paige Henry registered her third shutout of the season and fifth-year senior Bergros Asgeirsdottir played all 90 minutes, becoming UALR’s all-time leader with 7,215 minutes played.

OBU’s Snow earns GAC honor

Ouachita Baptist University junior goalkeeper Michele Snow was named the Great American Conference’s Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday.

Snow recorded consecutive shutouts in home victories over Union (Tenn.) and Christian Brothers. She made one save in a 2-0 victory over Union, then made eight more in a 1-0 victory over Christian Brothers. She has recorded shutouts in three of the Tigers’ first four games and has lowered her goals-against average to 0.71.

VOLLEYBALL

ASU duo honored

Macey Putt and Tatum Ticknor from Arkansas State University were named the Sun Belt Conference’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week on Tuesday.

Putt totalled 65 kills (4.33 per set) over the weekend, including a career-high 30 against Missouri-Kansas City on Friday. She leads the conference in several offensive categories, including attacks per set (13.03), kills per set (4.77), points per set (5.26) and total kills

(186), while leading the nation in points (205) and total attacks (508). Putt’s kills total ranks second in the nation.

Ticknor tallied 73 digs (4.87 per set) over the weekend to top the conference in total digs (195), which ranks sixth nationally. For her career, Ticknor ranks second among active Sun Belt players in total digs (1,647) and digs per set (4.67). She enters the week ranked fifth in school history in career digs.

Friedl earns SAA honor

Hendrix College libero Sam Friedl was named the Southern Athletic Association’s Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Friedl averaged 5.8 digs per set in three matches last weekend at the Hendrix Invitational, leading the Warriors to a 2-1 record and a pair of sweeps over Southern Arkansas University and Dallas (Texas). She ranks second in the conference in digs. Friedl totaled eight services aces for the weekend, including a school-record five against Saint Thomas (Texas).

— Democrat-Gazette Press Services

At a glance

UALR WOMEN’S NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

All times Central

DATE OPPONENT TIME

Nov. 9 Missouri State 5:15 p.m. Nov. 12 at Vanderbilt 7 p.m. Nov. 16 Ark.-Pine Bluff 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18 Memphis 6:30 p.m. Nov. 24 Auburn noon Nov. 27 Abilene Christian* 11 a.m. Nov. 28 at Oral Roberts 2 p.m. Dec. 1 at Texas A&M TBA Dec. 4 Central Arkansas 2 p.m. Dec. 12 at Arkansas TBA Dec. 16 Alabama 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20 Bradley^ TBA Dec. 21 Tex. So./Tulane^ TBA at Oral Roberts Thanksgiving Tournament, Tulsa ^at Tulane Classic, New Orleans

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