WWU WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE CENTURY ( )

Transcription

1 WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY-SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE July 14, 1999 Director: Paul Madison Writer: Jim Carberry WWU WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE CENTURY ( ) 1998 Fastpitch team brings Western national title BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- For nearly a century, Western Washington University athletic teams had tried to reach the pinnacle of college sports: a national championship. Season after season after season, great teams and great players tried their best, some coming remarkably close, only to come up short of the elusive title. Yet when it finally did happen, probably no one in the nation expected it - except for the confident women of the 1998 Western fastpitch team. "From the moment we knew we were going to nationals, we knew we had a chance to win the whole thing," said outfielder Jen Brandolini. "I don't think that there was a doubt in anybody's mind that we wouldn't win." "Before the season started, we sat down and talked about goals, and everybody's long-term goal was to win the national championship," said coach Art Phinney. "As coaches, we felt that was a realistic goal." It turned out to be as improbable as it was realistic. To win the first and so far only team national championship in Western history, the fastpitch squad had to overcome the following: - Competing in an infant sports program that had only been at Western since Finishing second in their league and conference tournament. - Qualifying for nationals for the first time - and then only as the 16th and lowest-seeded team.

2 - Losing two players to injuries just before nationals and missing Phinney for most of the tournament due to illness. - Having to beat the four-time defending national champion and No.1-ranked team once and having to beat Simon Fraser, a team the Vikings had lost to six times, twice. But the Vikings did all that to win the national title in the school's final year in the NAIA. For its unique and ultimate accomplishment, the team was chosen as the Western women's team of the century. The season started successfully if not spectacularly. The Vikings returned most of their players from the 1997 team that finished a disappointing runner-up to Simon Fraser in the Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference and fell short of reaching regionals. With all-star pitchers Alison Haukaas and Devon Fliss leading the way, Western battled Simon Fraser all season long in '98, eventually finishing second in the PNWAC (9-3 record) and again in the conference tournament. But this was no second-place team, especially confidence-wise. It had improved as the season went along, winning a school-record 11 straight games and 13 of its last 16 going into nationals. Along the way, the Vikings broke 55 school records and tied 13 others. They batted a hefty.331 as a team, had a minuscule 1.18 earned run average, stole 111 stolen bases in 136 attempts, and held opponents to 12 in 23 attempts "It took a while for things to jell," said Phinney. "We didn't have any key turning point; it was more of a progression. It just kept getting better and better."

3 Still, despite all that, the Vikings were not a shoo-in to qualify for nationals. Only regional champions and the next seven highest ranked teams qualified. The Vikings' No.11 ranking looked sufficient until a series of regional upsets put them on the verge of not making it. The team waited in Phinney's office for the final results from regional tournaments and was even asked to leave the building because the players were too loud. Finally, they heard the good news: they had earned the final at-large berth. "The whole team went ballistic," said catcher Cathy Johnson. "I think all of Western's campus heard us. We knew we deserved it and knew we were good enough." Yet their troubles were not done. In the conference tournament, reliever Darcy Sohns had injured her knee. Then after the team arrived at Broken Arrow, Okla., for the national tournament, No.3 starting pitcher Mandy Helzer broke her jaw in a freak accident during the final practice day. Both missed the entire tournament. Yet it did not stop the determined Vikings. "The more adversity we faced the stronger it made us," said Johnson. "We knew we each had to step it up; it may have even helped us." The Vikings faced highly ranked Southern California College in their opener, coming from behind to tie the score with two runs in the sixth inning and winning the game in the eighth inning, 6-5, when Darcy Taylor's squeeze bunt scored Diana Burrows. While it turned out to be a harbinger of even more exciting finishes, it also was a continuation of the adversity the team had faced all year.

4 Phinney, who had been sick the day before, went to the hospital after the game and remained there the next two days with a painful intestinal obstruction. He would miss the next three games. "If I had any choice I wouldn't miss (those games)," said Phinney, "but I felt we had an outstanding (coaching) staff. We weren't about one coach or one player. If we'd done our job as coaches, the team would be mentally strong enough to handle adversity." With Phinney in the hospital, assistants Dick Greene, Ian Shoemaker and Ed Eliason together decided on the lineups and pitching rotation beginning with the second-round game against William Woods College of Missouri. Fliss won the pitchers' duel and clean-up hitter Johnson had the key hit, a two-run single, as the Vikings won, 4-1. That set the stage for perhaps the biggest game in Western fastpitch history, perhaps in the history of Western women's sports. The Vikings had to play hometown favorite Oklahoma City University, the fourtime defending national champion that had not lost to an NAIA school all season and was ranked No.1. It was also a team not lacking in confidence. "I don't think it ever entered their minds that they would lose to us," said Johnson. "They showed up a half-hour before the game, did their little warm ups. We overheard them saying, `Who's this we're playing? Some Washington team?'" "Their team was the cockiest team I'd ever played in my whole life," said Brandolini. "They maybe had a reason to be, but they were rude and cocky. I remember saying, `We are not letting them win this game.'" For seven innings, Oklahoma City knew it was in the game of its life. First Haukaas and then Fliss managed to hold the hard-hitting team to three runs and the Vikings scratched out three runs of their own.

5 With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, it appeared that the Vikings were headed for their second extra-inning contest in three games. But not so fast. Brandolini, the speedy leadoff hitter, reached base when her grounder was misplayed for an error. Up stepped Sonya Joseph. Another slap hitter, Joseph had dreamed the night before about knocking in the winning run. With the outfield playing tight to try to hold Brandolini to one base, Joseph slammed a double deep over the leftfielder's head. "When she hit that ball, everybody was on their feet," said Johnson. "Jen's the fastest on our team. When it went into the outfield we knew she would try to score." And score she did, sliding ahead of the throw, giving the Vikings a 4-3 victory and putting them in the championship round. "I had faith in Sonya," said Brandolini. "She was doing awesome (at nationals). At the crack of the bat I was running, and when I scored, everybody went crazy. Half the girls went out and tackled Sonya and half tackled me. We were all crying out of joy. It was almost like winning the national championship." Of course, winning the national championship would have to wait. First the Vikings had to face a familiar foe: Simon Fraser. The Clan also had won its first three games and had certainly proven it could beat the Vikings. But this day belonged to Western. Trailing by one after four innings, Western scored two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth as Fliss kept the Clan scoreless for a 5-2 victory and a spot in the championship game.

6 The Vikings left the field not knowing who they would be playing - either Oklahoma City or Simon Fraser - for the title. For Haukaas, who would pitch the biggest game of her life, it was a sleepless night. "All night long I was nervous about playing Oklahoma City in the championship game," said Haukaas. "I had the determination; I was ready to play the game of my life against Oklahoma City. Then we got to the field and found out Simon Fraser had won. And all the pressure just left." Adding to the Vikings' momentum was the return of Phinney. "It was important to have him in the dugout," said Johnson. "We knew it was important to him to be there." With their head coach back in his rightful place, the Vikings shined again. Haukaas held the Clan to one run, thanks to an incredible diving catch by Joseph in leftfield and Western scored five runs to take a 5-1 lead going into the seventh. The Clan was not done, however, putting runners on base for one last threat. But the last of the Clan hit a fly ball to center that Brandolini had from the moment she stepped on the playing field. "The last inning the only thing I could think of was I'd better make that catch," she said. "All I could remember was don't blink." "I remember seeing the ball go up in the air; all I was thinking was `catch that, catch that, catch that,'" said Haukaas. And catch it she did. "It was a beautiful catch," said Phinney. And a beautiful moment. Phinney was on the cell phone the entire final inning with his mother - "my biggest supporter" - who couldn't make it to Oklahoma. "I was doing

7 the play by play with her... and when `Brando' caught that ball, I yelled, `We won it!' and she was screaming in my ear. "I still get goose bumps thinking about it. I'll never forget it." It turned out to be a tournament no Viking will ever forget. Joseph, who made three sparkling catches in the championship game and gunned down the potential game-tying run against William Woods, was named the tournament MVP. Johnson, Brandolini and Fliss, who won the three middle games, were also named to the all-tournament team. At nationals, Burrows was 4-for-8 (.500), second baseman Coni Posey 7-for-15 (.467) and outfielder Dani Puz 7-for-16 (.438). Joseph hit.368 (7- for-19) and Johnson.353 (6-for-17). Fliss had a 0.86 earned run average in 16 1/3 innings pitched, throwing two complete games. The national tournament honors were just the zenith of what was an amazing statistical season. Johnson, who was named the 1998 Western women's athlete of the year, hit.401 and led the league with 44 RBIs and 18 doubles, both school records. Brandolini, the PNWAC hitter of the year and Western's fastpitch player of the century, led the league with a.431 average, 69 hits, 44 runs scored and 30 stolen bases, all school records. She also had a league-recordtying 18-game hitting streak. Haukaas, who won the opener at nationals and the championship game, finished the season 9-2 with a 1.39 ERA and was named to the NAIA Pacific Northwest Sectional all-star team for the third straight season. Fliss finished with a league-best 14-5 record and 0.94 ERA, both school records, as well as 11 complete games, four shutouts, three saves,

8 92 strikeouts and 104 2/3 innings pitched. She also was named to the sectional all-star team along with Johnson, Brandolini, Fliss and catcherthird baseman Andie Greenen (.340 average). Joining them on the all-league team were Burrows (.389 average) and Helzer (7-5 record, 1.30 ERA). In addition to Johnson and Brandolini, six other regulars hit over.300: Burrows (.389), Greenen (.340), Joseph (.316 and 29-for-29 in stolen bases), Posey (.307), Fliss (.306) and Puz (.305). In the end, it was no surprise which team finally brought Western its first national championship. At least it was no surprise to the Vikings fastpitch players. "What made this team special was our team cohesion," said Haukaas. "You could have the same skill level on any other team, but they didn't have everybody focused on the same thing like we did. We all worked together. "Not one person on our team thought we were going to fail." And they were right. WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S TEAMS OF THE CENTURY ( ) SPORT BY SPORT Basketball - Crew - Cross Country , reached quarterfinals at NAIA National Tournament. Only basketball team in school history to win 30 games (5 losses). Only loss at nationals was to eventual national champion. Forward Anna Rabel earned third-team All-America honors. 1996, Varsity eight placed first in Division II/III final at National Collegiate Rowing Championships. Varsity eight, lightweight eight and lightweight four placed first in grand finals at the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships. 1992, placed fourth at NAIA National Championships. Kris Maraveller placed 22nd at nationals to earn All-America honors.

9 Field Hockey - Golf - Soccer - Softball - Tennis - Track & Field , Finished and placed first at Pacific Northwest Tournament (3-0-1). Two players on that team, goalkeeper Rhonda Duckworth and link Beth Barrett, were selected to tryout for the U.S. National team. Molly Matthews led the team in scoring with 14 goals. 1998, placed eighth at NAIA National Tournament. Anna Hiffman tied for 10th place to earn first-team NAIA All-American honors. 1983, finished , one of only two undefeated sports teams in school's history. Won league and District 1 titles. Receiving first-team All- America honors were forward Annette Duvall, midfielder Hope Grimm, and defender Eileen O'Reilly. Outscored opposition, , won NAIA National Championship, the first for Western in any sport. OF Jen Brandolini was named Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference Hitter of the Year. OF Sonya Joseph named national tournament MVP. Also named to national all-tournament team were Brandolini, P Devon Fliss, and C Cathy Johnson. 1980, placed eighth at AIAW Division III National Tournament. Won region title, sweeping singles events dual record. 1984, placed sixth at NAIA National Championship. Two national champions, high jumper Kristy Dees and javelin thrower Joan Williamson, five All-Americans. Broke nine school records. Volleyball , Placed third at NAIA National Tournament. Won District 1 and Area I titles and finished Lost to eventual national champion in semifinals. OH Lorrie Post named first-team All- American and setter Kim Kolody received honorable mention. - WWU -