Sixteen Westminster College student-athletes have been named to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) All-Academic Team. The recipients were members of the 2008 fall varsity cross country, soccer and volleyball squads. Other selection criteria include: (1) Minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average, (2) At least sophomore academic standing and (3) Have at least one full year at Westminster (first year transfers and true freshmen are not eligible).

Men’s Cross Country: Josh Ray, Sr., West Plains, Mo./West Plains, English/Psychology.

Women’s Cross Country: Jillian Bone, Jr., Imperial, Mo./Seckman, Accounting/Religious Studies; Lauren Brohammer, Jr., Wentzville, Mo./St. Dominic, Elementary Education/Spanish.

Men’s Soccer: Kurt Boardsen, So., Moberly, Mo./Moberly, Secondary Education/Mathematics; Jeff Chacko, So., Little Rock, Ark./Catholic, Undeclared; Logan Ray, So., West Plains, Mo./West Plains, Biology; Nenad Stamatovic, Sr., Vukovar, Croatia, Mathematical Sciences; Michael Tulley, Jr., Ballwin, Mo./Marquette, Undeclared.

Women’s Soccer: Meaghan Barron, So., St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy, Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education; Maegan Buzzetta, Jr., Hazelwood, Mo./Hazelwood West, Education/Science/Social Studies; Alex Johnson, So., St. Louis, Mo./Clayton, Political Science/Pre-Law.

Volleyball: Danielle Bazan, So., St. Louis, Mo./Villa Duchesne, Biochemistry/Pre-Pharmacy; Shanna Crafts, Jr., St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central, History/Pre-Law; Emily Crohare, So., Snelling, Calif./Livingston, Sport Psychology/Biomechanics; Elizabeth Jansen, Sr., Bonnots Mill, Fatima, Psychology/Leadership Studies; Katie Morfeld, Jr., Linn, Mo./Linn, Environmental Science.

Five Westminster College Soccer Players Named All-SLIAC

Five Westminster College soccer players have earned all-conference honors as voted on by the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coaches.

Brandon Blasé, Ryan Orf and Taylor Webb have been named to the all-conference first team for a Westminster men’s team that finished 8-8-1 overall and fifth in the league at 4-4. Blasé, a senior defender from St. Charles, Missouri (Duchesne High School), is named to the first team for the second consecutive year. Blasé appeared in all 17 matches and finished the season with four goals and four assists. Orf, a junior midfielder from St. Charles, Missouri (Duchesne High School), is a first-time honor winner. Orf led the team in goals (11) and points (22). Webb, a sophomore goalie from Jefferson City, Missouri (Jefferson City High School), is a two-time honor winner after receiving honorable mention recognition as a freshman. Webb played the entire season in goal and finished with an 8-8-1 record, a 1.66 goals against average, 103 saves and four shut outs.

Meaghan Barron was named to the first team and Caity Zielinski earned second team recognition for a Westminster women’s team that finished 4-11-1 overall and tied for seventh in the league at 1-6-1. Barron, a sophomore midfielder from St. Louis, Missouri (Ursuline Academy), is being recognized for the second time after earning second team honors as a freshman. Barron led the team in goals (11), points (23) and game-winning goals (2). Zielinski, a sophomore defender from St. Louis, Missouri (Notre Dame High), receives second-team accolades for the second year in a row. Zielinski appeared in all 16 matches and recorded an assist.

Blue Jay Women Come Up Short In 2008 Season Finale

The Westminster College women dropped a 5-1 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference soccer decision to Eureka College in the 2008 season finale Sunday in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (4-11-1, 1-6-1 SLIAC) trailed 2-0 at intermission and got on the board in the 52nd minute when Meaghan Barron recorded her team-high 11th goal of the season. But, Eureka (9-11, 3-5 SLIAC) added three unanswered goals to complete the scoring.

Westminster Blue Jays Get Much-Needed SLIAC Victories

Both Westminster College soccer teams both got much-needed wins, sweeping a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader from MacMurray College Saturday in Jacksonville, Illinois.
 
The Blue Jay women (4-9-1, 1-4-1 SLIAC) snapped a three-match losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the MacMurray women (1-12-1, 0-7-0 SLIAC). Jen Brotherton score two first-half goals, sandwiched around a Meaghan Barron goal to put Westminster up 3-0 at halftime. Barron added a second goal in the second half to round out the scoring. Barron has now scored a team-high nine goals this season.
 
The Westminster men (7-7-1, 3-3-0 SLIAC) recorded their fourth shut out of the season with a 4-0 win over the MacMurray men (2-15, 0-7 SLIAC). Jeff Chacko and Brandon Blase found the net in the first half, while Brady Weinhold and Matt Weber scored in the second half.

Blue Jay Soccer Teams Go 0-1-1 In Non-Conference Action

The Westminster College soccer squads went 0-1-1 against Greenville College in non-conference soccer action Wednesday in Fulton.

The Westminster women (3-7-1) fell behind early in a 6-1 loss. Greenville (10-5) grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first 19 minutes of play, before the Blue Jays got on the board. In the 29th minute, Meaghan Barron scored her team-high eighth goal of the season for Westminster. But, Greenville tallied three second-half goals to round out the scoring.

Westminster (6-6-1) and Greenville (8-2-3) played through regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods, but had to settle for a 2-2 tie in the men's contest. Greenville took a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute, but Sean Peterson got the equalizer for the Blue Jays in the 19th minute and the teams went to intermission deadlocked 1-1. Greenville grabbed a one-goal advantage in the 69th minute, but Westminster's Brady Weinhold knotted the contest in the 80th minute, setting the stage for two scoreless overtime frames.

Both Blue Jay teams play conference matches Saturday against Principia College in Fulton. The contests were originally scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., but the games have been moved up four hours, with the women's contest beginning at 1:00. The men follow at 3:00.

Westminster Women Grab Road Win In Closing Minutes

Meaghan Barron scored in the 88th minute to lift the Westminster College women past Illinois College 1-0 in non-conference soccer action Sunday in Jacksonville, Illinois.

The Blue Jays (3-6-1) were playing for the second day in a row and appeared headed into overtime when Barron took a pass from Jen Brotherton and scored. Westminster goalie Katie Jolliff made five saves in the match with Illinois College (2-6-0) and recorded her second shut out in a row and her third of the season.

Both Westminster And Blackburn Fail To Score In 110 Minutes

The Westminster College women's soccer squad battled Blackburn College for 110 minutes with neither team able to find the net in a 0-0 double-overtime St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference stalemate Saturday on Westminster Field.
 
The Blue Jays (2-6-1, 0-3-1 SLIAC) out shot the Beavers 33-2, but Blackburn (0-6-1, 0-1-1 SLIAC) got a 22-save shut-out performance from Erika Boeckman. Westminster goalie Katie Jolliff turned away just one shot to earn her second shut out of the season.

Athletic Events Highlight Of Westminster Family Weekend

The Westminster College campus will be abuzz at the end of the week because of Family Weekend. And many of the activities are Blue Jay intercollegiate athletic events.

The weekend activities begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday with the intrasquad tennis scrimmage. At 7:00 p.m. Friday, the Family Weekend Pep Rally, sponsored by the Westminster Cheerleaders, will be held at Latshaw Plaza.

Four Westminster athletic teams compete in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday, including the volleyball, football, women’s soccer and men’s soccer squads (see schedule below).

2008 Westminster College Family
Weekend Athletic Schedule

Fri., Sept. 26
Tennis Intrasquad Scrimmage, Home, 3:30
Family Weekend Pep Rally, Latshaw Plaza, 7:00
Sat., Sept. 27
* Volleyball vs. Maryville, Home, 10:30
* Football vs. Eureka, Home, 1:00
* Volleyball vs. MacMurray, Home, 2:30
* Women’s Soccer vs. Blackburn, Home, 5:00
* Men’s Soccer vs. Blackburn, Home, 7:00
* SLIAC Contests

Blue Jay Soccer Fortunes Have Changed Since Early Start

After achieving some early season success, the Westminster College soccer squads have found the going a bit rough in league play, with both squads falling on the road to Fontbonne University in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Wednesday in St. Louis.

The Blue Jay women (2-6-0. 0-3-0 SLIAC) opened the season 2-1, but have since dropped five matches in a row. The most recent loss came Wednesday in St. Louis, when Fontbonne (5-3-1, 1-0-0 SLIAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead at intermission and handed Westminster a 4-0 defeat.

In men’s action, Westminster (3-5-0, 1-2-0 SLIAC) and Fontbonne (3-6-0, 1-0-0 SLIAC) battled through a scoreless first half. Fontbonne won the second half and the match, 2-1. Ryan Orf tallied his team-tying second goal of the season for a Blue Jay squad which has loss each of its last two conference matches by one goal.

Three Matches In Four Days Too Much For Blue Jay Women 

The Westminster College women's soccer squad went 0-2 over the weekend to fall to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
 
The Blue Jays dropped a 4-1 conference decision to Greenville College Saturday in Greenville, Illinois. Trailing 1-0, Meaghan Barron recorded the equalizer for Westminster, but Greenville (6-3, 2-0 SLIAC) held a 2-1 lead at intermission and went on to the 4-1 win.
 
Westminster returned home Sunday to face Simpson College in non-conference action. However, playing their third match in four days proved too much for the Blue Jays in a 4-0 loss. Westminster goalie Katie Jolliff faced 25 shots and recorded 10 saves for a Blue Jay squad which managed just four shots.

Westminster Men Capture Conference Opener, Women Fall

Brady Weinhold scored from 30-yards out in the 49th minute, lifting the Westminster College men’s soccer squad to a 1-0 victory over Webster University in its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener Thursday in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (3-3-0, 1-0-0 SLIAC) got solid defensive play in goal from Taylor Webb, who finished with five saves in recording the shut out. Michael Tulley recorded an open-goal save to aid in the win over the Gorloks (1-4-1, 1-1-0 SLIAC).

In women’s action, Webster shut out Westminster, 3-0. Blue Jay goalie Katie Jolliff recorded 17 saves in the loss which drops Westminster to
2-3-0 overall and 0-1-0 in conference play. League leading Webster is now 6-2-0 overall and 2-0-0 in conference action.

Westminster Blue Jays Split Non-Conference Doubleheader

Westminster College got mixed results in its final tune-up prior to the start of conference play, splitting a non-conference doubleheader with Central Methodist University Monday in Fulton.
 
The Blue Jay women (2-2) were out shot 25-4 in dropping a 4-0 decision to their CMU counterparts, with Natalie Rolph and Summer Rohe putting the Eagles on top 2-0 in the first 15 minutes. Lauren Robb added two goals to round out the scoring for Central Methodist (5-3).
 
Although the Westminster men (2-3) were out shot 22-11, JP Thompson and Jeff Chacko tallied goals to lift the Blue Jays to a 2-1 come-from-behind win. Paulo Vaz gave Central Methodist (4-2-1) the early 1-0 lead, but Westminster goalie Taylor Webb recorded eight saves and defender Brady Weinhold came up with an empty net save to help key the Blue Jay win.
 
Westminster begins St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play against Webster University Thursday in Fulton. The women tip off at 5:00, followed by the men at 7:00.

Barron Nets Hat Trick In Westminster's Shut Out Victory

Meaghan Barron recorded a hat trick in leading the Westminster College women's soccer squad to a 7-0 shut out win over Ozark Christian College Wednesday in Fulton.

Barron scored her team's first goal and the winning goal in the 26th minute, and added back-to-back goals early in the second half as the Blue Jays (2-1) recorded their first shut out of the season. Jen Brotherton tallied two goals, while Maegan Buzzetta and Katie Washko each added a goal to round out the scoring for Westminster. Blue Jay goalie Katie Jolliff recorded a save in picking up the victory.

Blue Jays Drop Non-Conference Pair Sunday At Home

Both Westminster College soccer squads found the going rough Sunday, falling to McKendree University in non-conference action in Fulton.

The Blue Jay women (1-1) recorded just two shots in dropping an 8-0 decision, while Matt Shoults scored off a corner kick from Brady Weinhold for Westminster’s only goal in the men’s 4-1 loss.

Both Blue Jay teams return to action this week. The women host Ozark Christian at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday and the men host Missouri Baptist at 7:00 p.m. Thursday.

Westminster Women Open Season With A Road Victory

Meaghan Barron scored a goal and added an assist as the Westminster College women's soccer squad opened the season with a 3-1 win over Wisconsin Lutheran Tuesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
 
Barron scored on a free kick to give the Blue Jays (1-0-0) the early lead. Jen Brotherton scored on an assist from Rachel Burrus to give Westminster the 2-0 halftime advantage. Wisconsin Lutheran and Westminster traded second half goals, with Brandy Yungmeyer scoring on a Barron assist for Westminster's third and final tally.

Blue Jay Men Fourth, Women Sixth In Preseason Soccer Polls

The Westminster College men are picked fourth and the women sixth in the preseason polls of St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference soccer coaches.

The Westminster men finished 10-10 overall last year and tied for second in the league standings at 7-2. Defending conference champion Principia College is the unanimous choice to win the 2008 men's race followed by 2. Fontbonne University; 3. Webster University; 4. Westminster; T-5. Greenville College; T-5. Maryville University; 7. Blackburn College; T-8. Eureka College; and T-8. MacMurray College.

Westminster ended the 2007 women's season with a 4-12 overall mark and placed sixth in the league standings at 3-5. Defending conference tournament champion Webster University is picked first in the women's poll followed by 2. Principia; 3. Maryville; 4. Fontbonne; 5. Greenville; 6. Westminster; 7. Eureka; 8. Blackburn; and 9. MacMurray.

Preseason Practice Begins This Week At Westminster College

The 2008-09 Westminster College athletic season gets underway this week when student-athletes from four intercollegiate teams report for preseason practice.

Football players are the first to report, arriving on campus Thursday, August 14. Following orthopedic physicals and dinner, the team will meet for its first practice at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening. The Blue Jays host The University of the South in their home and season opener at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 6.

The members of the Westminster volleyball squad arrive for preseason practice on Sunday, August 17. The Blue Jays open the season at the Illinois College Tournament on August 30 and 31 in Jacksonville, Illinois.

Soccer players on both the men's and women's squads arrive on Sunday, August 17. The Westminster men open the season against Birmingham Southern on August 29 in Birmingham, Alabama. The Blue Jay women open on the road at Wisconsin Lutheran on September 2 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jones And Buxton Named Westminster Athletes Of The Year...