DRC..Scocer, voleyball,cross country

[OldTimer]

Fowler out for season

Senior outside hitter Brieanne Fowler will miss the rest of the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, according to UNT assistant sports information director Jerry Scott.

The injury occurred during pre-game warm-ups for UNT’s match with Tulsa last Wednesday. Before the injury, Fowler was averaging nearly three kills per match for the Mean Green.

— Matthew Postins

Loving the noise

The Mean Green volleyball team wants to make the Snake Pit more of a home court advantage this season. Last Wednesday’s home opener may have set the tone.

Along with the usual loud music that accompanies most sporting events these days, an above average crowd of 284 attended the match in the sweep over Tulsa. At times the crowd produced enough noise to make UNT’s players feel like they had an advantage.

"This is the best crowd we’ve had since I’ve been here," said senior Jill Ruskowski. "We want to get as many people here as possible. There were times tonight when I couldn’t hear other players talk, and that’s something you want during a match. You want the crowd to be in it."

UNT gets another chance to stoke the home crowd this weekend during the Mean Green Invitational, which starts Friday.

— Matthew Postins

Cross country coach pleased with team

North Texas cross country coach Rick Watkins was pleased with his team’s performance at the UNT Invitational last week.

Jessica Schmidt finished fifth in the women’s five-kilometer race with a time of 18:10, while Matt Gieringer was 15th in the men’s eight-kilometer race with a time of 26:34.

"I was happy with the way we competed," Watkins said.

Both the UNT men and women finished fifth in a loaded five-team field that included Oklahoma, Baylor, SMU and TCU.

— Brett Vito

UNT tennis team to host tourney

The North Texas tennis team will host an alumni tournament from 1-3 p.m. Sept. 27 at the North Texas Tennis Courts.

The tournament featuring current and former UNT players will take place in the middle of a three-week break from intercollegiate competition for the Mean Green.

UNT played in the Lady Razorback Invitational on Sept. 12-14. Its next official tournament will take place Oct. 3-5 in Houston.

Eight of UNT’s 10 players participated in the Lady Razorback tournament. Six UNT players picked up at least one win in the tournament. Freshmen Kelli Royer and Megan Schmulbach each won two matches to pace UNT.

— Brett Vito

Player of the week

North Texas goalkeeper Briana Buchanan has come through in impressive fashion for the Mean Green early this season.

The junior posted a shutout Sunday to lead UNT to a 1-0 win over Texas Tech in a home match.

The shutout was Buchanan’s fourth of the season.

All of the Mean Green’s wins this season have come in game in which Buchanan has posted a shutout.

"Shutouts are great, but I just concentrate on making saves," Buchanan said. "If one gets by, we just regroup as a team."

Buchanan has not let too many balls slip by her this year.

She has allowed just eight goals on the season for a tiny 1.31 average per game.

For her performance, Buch-anan is the Denton Record-Chronicle’s North Texas Player of the Week.

— Brett Vito

UNT 7-day schedule

Athletics events for North Texas for the next seven days:

Friday – Drury at soccer, 7 p.m.; UTEP at volleyball, 7 p.m.

Saturday – Football at Arkansas, 6 p.m.; Oral Roberts at volleyball, 1:30 p.m.; LSU at volleyball, 7 p.m.

Sunday – Nicholls State at soccer, 1 p.m.

Monday – Men’s golf at Kansas Invitational

Tuesday –Volleyball at Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m., men’s golf at Kansas Invitational

Athlete profile

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Melinda Renee Pina

Full name: Melinda Renee Pina.

Nickname: Meli.

High school: Duncanville High School.

Born: Jan. 23, 1982 (Dallas).

Family: Mother, Carmen; father, Miguel, brother, Tony.

Sport: Soccer. Pina leads UNT in goals with six and points with 12.

Major: Rehabilitation studies.

When I graduate I plan to: Go to graduate school at UNT and try to play soccer professionally.

My worst (or best) superstition: none.

I am sick of athletes that: Yell negative things nonstop.

If I could get four tickets to any sporting event in the world, it would be: A game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

Three people I would take to the event, living or dead, would be: Family and friends.

My favorite sports movie is: Love and Basketball.

My favorite sports team is: Real Madrid.

The person who had the most influence on my life is: My family.

The best summer I ever spent was: In Florida.

If I wasn’t going to school at UNT, I would be: Sitting at home doing nothing.

My goal for this year is to: Score 10 or more goals and win the conference title.

My dream for this year is to: Make the NCAA Final Four.

If I could say one thing in the newspaper, it would be: I would want to acknowledge all of the people who have helped me in life.