Wildcat Week in Review, Oct. 21
Arizona athletics stiff-armed their competition last week, winning seven of it’s 11 competitions during the University of Arizona’s Family Weekend.
Arizona football (4-2, 1-2) plowed over Utah in Arizona Stadium Saturday night. The Wildcats’ 35-24 victory was supplemented in part to the team’s 300 rushing yards, making it the third time this season that UA has reached 300 yards on the ground. Junior running back Ka’Deem Carey recorded 236 of those yards, carrying the ball a school-record 40 times, including a 44-yard touchdown. Senior quarterback B.J. Denker added two rushing touchdowns and 51 rushing yards, and went 18-for-30 for a touchdown and 168 yards passing. On the defensive end, seniors Marquis Flowers and Shaquille Richardson each had interceptions, with Flowers returning his for a 14-yard touchdown. Senior Jake Fischer recorded 12 tackles in a defensive effort that held Utah to 329 total yards.
Women’s volleyball shut out the weekend, defeating UCLA and No. 1 USC each in three sets on Friday and Sunday. After defeating UCLA 25-22, 25-20, 25-20, the Wildcats (15-5, 5-3) pounced on USC, handing the Trojans their first Pac-12 loss of the season in the 3-0 sweep (27-25, 25-21, 25-21). Freshman setter Penina Snuka recorded her 9th and 10th double doubles of the season, finishing the weekend with 30 assists and 10 digs against UCLA and 43 assists and 10 digs against USC. Junior outside hitter Madi Kingdon continued her hot streak with 13 kills against UCLA and a match-high 20 kills against USC.
Arizona hockey finished its trip to Oklahoma on a high note, sweeping No. 3 Oklahoma after losing to No. 11 Central Oklahoma 8-1 on Thursday. The No. 17 Wildcats (5-4-0, 2-1) took Friday’s game into overtime after trailing 3-1 in the third period. Andrew Murmes scored the two third period goals to send the game into overtime, where teammate Matt Nowicki scored to win the game 4-3. On Saturday, senior goalie Steven Sisler saved 36 of 37 shots on goal to help the Wildcats win 2-1, with goals coming from Rob Wilkinson and Alex O’Dea.
Arizona women’s swimming and diving (1-0) dominated it’s dual meet at Utah last Saturday, Oct. 19, outscoring the Utes 206-94. The women won 13 of their 16 events in their victory, with senior Margo Geer taking home three individual relays in the 200-yard freestyle, 100y freestyle, and 50y freestyle. Geer also helped Arizona win the 400y freestyle relay with teammates Gracie Finnegan, Leticia Lelli, and Taylor Schick. Defending NCAA champion Samantha Pickens also won the 1m diving competition, scoring 295.73 points in her victory.
Men’s swimming and diving fell just short of Utah 148-152 on Saturday. Defending national champion junior Kevin Cordes took home two titles in the 100y and 200y breaststroke, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Wildcats (0-1) past a tough Utah team. Freshman Tyler Fowler won his debut collegiate race in Salt Lake City, finishing the 1000y freestyle in 9:47.07.
USC overpowered the Arizona women’s tennis team in the quarterfinals of the ITA Regionals on Saturday. Both doubles teams and singles competitor senior Kim Stubbe lost their matches to USC teams. Stubbe retired her match against Brynn Boren in the second set of play (6-1, 3-2, ret.). She partnered with teammate senior Lacey Smyth in doubles play, falling to the No. 1 duo of Christian and Santamaria 8-2. USC’s Olmos and Scandalis also defeated Wildcats Akilah James and Laure Marker 8-6.
The University of Arizona No. 3 women’s cross country team won their fourth consecutive race Saturday at the fifth annual Wisconsin Adidas Invitational in Madison, Wisc. Sophomore Kayla Beattie finished in seventh place with a time of 19:56 to lead the Wildcats to victory in the 6,000 meter race. She was followed closely behind by teammates freshman Maria Larsson (15th, 20:07), junior Nicci Corbin (18th, 20:09), and senior Elvin Kibet (21st, 20.12). The team finished with 117 points, taking a 19-point lead over second place No. 8 Arkansas (136). No. 1 Providence finished in third, totaling 191 points.
Men’s cross country also competed in the Wisconsin Invitational, placing 30th overall. Junior Lawi Lalang led the Arizona men’s team, placing 13th with a time of 23:55, giving Lalang only his second loss of his career. Following Lalang was junior Sam Macaluso (92nd, 24:18) and freshman Collins Kibet (153rd, 24:40). No. 3 Northern Arizona University won the meet, finishing with 121 points.