Seasons Greetings WAC fans,

We wanted to wish all of you a Happy Holidays and hope you enjoy this time with friends and family.

Best wishes for the New Year!
The Western Athletic Conference

Bowl Schedule

The following is a guide for all of the WAC teams participating in post season bowl games....

New Mexico Bowl
Fresno State vs. Colorado State
Dec. 20, 12:30p.m. MT
ESPN
ESPN360.com

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Boise State vs. TCU
Dec. 23, 5p.m. PT
ESPN
ESPN360.com

Sheraton Hawi'i Bowl
Hawai'i vs. Notre Dame
Dec. 24, 3p.m. HT
ESPN
ESNP360.com

Independence Bowl
Louisiana Tech vs. Northern Illinois
Dec. 28m 7p.m. CT
ESPN
ESPN360.com

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
Nevada vs. Maryland
Dec. 30, 2:30p.m. MT
ESPN
ESPN360.com

Cast your VOTE for Boise State head coach Chris Petersen!

Boise State’s head coach Chris Petersen was named one of ten finalists for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award.

The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year is awarded to the college football coach who best demonstrates sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility, and excellence on and off the field.Active football coaches in all NCAA divisions with a winning record are eligible to receive the 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

The winner in each division will be chosen using a combination of fan votes and votes received from members of the 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Selection Committee. Click on the link below vote for Coach Petersen!

VOTE FOR COACH CHRIS PETERSEN HERE

In addition to the award Liberty Mutual provides each winning coach with $50,000 to donate to one or more charitable organizations of his choice and a $20,000 grant to donate to his school's alumni association to enhance student scholarships and activities.

Petersen was also named one of nine finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award which is voted upon by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

Check out the latest and greatest in WAC news

It was an exciting week/end for the Western Athletic Conference with multiple basketball games, two teams participating in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament and of course the highly anticipate postseason bowl selections were announced yesterday!

Below is a list of Top Ten things that happened in WAC action over the last week/end...

10. Last week in women’s basketball action:
Dec. 1
Southern Utah 60, Boise State 74
Dec. 2
Utah Valley 70, Hawai’i 77
Dec. 3
Louisiana Tech 42, Mississippi State 72
Dec. 4
San Jose State 49, Kansas 93
TCU 71, Fresno State 75
New Mexico State 48, New Mexico 80
Nevada 37, UC Santa Barbara 59
Dec. 5
Boise State 70, Montana State 65
Dec. 6
E. Washington 65, Utah State 71
Hawai’i 58, Northern Arizona Univ. 61
Fresno State 70, Pacific University 84
Arizona 53, Louisiana Tech 68
Dec. 7
Boise State 51, Montana 72
Long Beach State 55, Idaho 54
San Jose State 63, Cal State Northridge 69
Nevada 47, UCLA 62
UTEP 67, New Mexico State 77
Hawai’i 46, UC Irvine 74

9. Last week's men’s basketball scores:
Dec. 1
Prairie View A&M 70, Hawai’i 78
Idaho 72, Sacramento State 58
Dec. 2
Nevada 82, Colorado State 76
UC Irvine 62, Utah State 74
Dec. 3
New Mexico State 79, Kansas 100
UNLV 82, Fresno State 76
Wyoming 85, Boise State 86
Santa Clara 59, San Jose State 56
Dec. 6
Idaho 65, Portland 68
BYU 68, Utah State 63
New Mexico State 83, North Texas 85
Fresno State 66, Pacific University 64
UNLV 64, Nevada 57
Grambling 47, Louisiana Tech 77
Colorado State 76, Boise State 85

8. The Western Athletic Conference announced its all-WAC teams and coach and players of the year awards as voted upon by the WAC’s nine head coaches. Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick was named the Offensive Player of the Year, Hawai‘i’s Solomon Elimimian and San Jose State’s Jarron Gilbert shared Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore was named the Freshman of the Year. Boise State’s Chris Petersen was voted the WAC’s Coach of the Year.

7. Hawai’i and New Mexico State earn bids to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament.

6. Fresno State rallied for a 75-71 victory over No.22 TCU. The Bulldogs trailed 69-53 with 6:20 remaining in the game before going on a 22-2 run to earn the victory. TCU led by as many as 18 points with 3:31 left in the first half.

5. In Men’s Basketball action, Mark Sanchez's layup in the final second gave Boise State an 86-85 victory over Wyoming Wednesday night.

4. Gary Andersen has been named Utah State head football coach. Andersen becomes the 26th head coach in 115 years of Aggie football.

3. Both Hawai’i and New Mexico State advance to the Second Round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. No. 6 Hawai’i swept Belmont in three sets while New Mexico State rolled passed Saint Mary’s in four sets.

2. No. 6 Hawai’i swept No. 12 USC in the 2nd round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament to advance to the NCAA Regional match set for Fri., Dec. 12th. Hawai’i will play No. 10 Purdue in Fort Collins, CO

1. For the second time in its history and first since 1992, the WAC is sending five teams to postseason bowl games.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – Dec. 23
No. 9 Boise State vs. No.11 TCU

Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl – Dec. 24
Hawai’i vs. Notre Dame

Independence Bowl – Dec. 28
Louisiana Tech vs. Northern Illinois

Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl – Dec. 30
Nevada vs. Colorado State

Last night a few WAC staff members made the trip over to Fort Collins, CO to watch the Nevada Wolf Pack play the Colorado State Rams, in a WAC versus MWC clash.

The trek to Fort Collins took us about two hours....the traffic in Denver is horrible starting at 4pm (our departure time). We made it safely and dined at the original C.B. & Potts. Which I have to admit is a really fun restaurant. Good food, lots of TV screens featuring sporting events and it was close to Moby Arena home of the Rams.

When you walk into Moby Arena you are over come with green...the seats are green, some of the walls are green, the students are wearing green and some of the walls are painted to look like ram horns. There is even a hanging ram feature that lights up during time outs. Apparently it used to blow smoke out of its nose....unfortunately this did not happen during our visit.

There were about 2,500 Ram fans and only a handful of Wolf Pack fans in attendance.

After starting off slow the Wolf Pack would take and sustain the lead with 10:08 remaining in the first half. The Rams came within four points of the Pack in the second half, but that is as close as they could get to the Pack.

Several players for Nevada made key contributions to the Pack's victory. Joey Shaw had 21points and two assists while teammate Armon Johnson tallied 23 points and five assists. Luke Babbitt and Lyndale Burleson contributed 13 points each.

Top Ten in WAC Action (Nov. 26-30)

Check out the latest and greatest in WAC action with our weekly Top Ten picks. We scoured wacsports.com and found the top ten items to highlight for the week....

10. Idaho senior punter T.J. Conley was named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second team on Wednesday, Nov. 26, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Conley leads the nation in punting with a 47.4-yard average. He punted a total of 58 times for 2,751 yards this season with a long of 74. He was the only WAC player named to either the first or second team.

9. In women’s basketball news Idaho defeated Cal State Bakersfield 75-62, while New Mexico State outplayed Texas A&M Corpus Christi 74-47. Fresno State walked away with a victory over Sam Houston State (76-73) and San Jose State added another ‘W’ with a victory over Sacramento State, 49-48.

8. In their final games as USU Aggies, seniors LB Jake Hutton and DT Ben Calderwood anchored the USU defense which held NMSU to negative seven yards rushing and 156 yards of total offense. Hutton tied a game-high with 10 tackles while Calderwood only had three tackles, but they were all sacks for a total loss of 30 yards. Calderwood added a fumble recovery to boot.

7. In men’s basketball action, Idaho defeated UC Irvine101 -47, while Boise State topped Southern Utah 62-52. Utah State picked up a ‘W’ over Cal Poly with a 40 point victory, 97-57.

6. Vai Taua ran for a 22-yard touchdown with 3:15 left to cap Nevada’s 35-31 comeback victory over Louisiana Tech. Taua's rush capped a 21-0 run that washed away Louisiana Tech's 31-14 lead with 4:48 left in the third. Nevada's three-touchdown turnaround started late in the third with Colin Kaepernick's 18-yard touchdown connection with Marko Mitchell, continued with Kaepernick's 27-yard toss to Mike McCoy to start the fourth and ended with Taua's game-winner.

5. In more men’s basketball action Utah State wins its 56th –straight non-conference home game, improving to 4-0 on the season.

4. In women’s hoops action Nevada recorded their first-ever victory over a nationally-ranked opponent as they upset No. 7 Louisville in the final game of the 2008 Nugget Classic.

3. University of Hawai’i football team defeated Washington State (24-10) to secure its third straight bowl bid. Following the game, the Warrior football program accepted an invitation to the 2008 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl set for Dec. 24th

2. Both Hawai’i and New Mexico State will represent the WAC in the 2008 NCAA Volleyball Tournament. The seventh seeded Rainbow Wahine will face Belmont at 5pm on Dec. 5, in Los Angeles while the Aggies will travel to Berkeley, Calif., to take on Saint Mary’s at 6pm on Friday.

1. No. 9 Boise State finishes the regular season undefeated, 12-0.

WAC Top Ten (Nov. 17-23)

Check out the latest and greatest in WAC action with our weekly Top Ten picks. We scoured wacsports.com and found the top ten items to highlight for the week....


10. San Jose States Freshman swimmer, Heather Denman was awarded Player of the Week honors for her contributions to the Spartans second place finish at the annual Nike Cup. She earned UC Irvine/Nike Cup Most Outstanding Female Swimmer honors with three individual wins and five total school records over the three-day event.

9. Paul George highlighted Fresno State’s game at Saint Mary’s (11/17) with a memorable dunk that landed as the No. 1 play on Sportscenter’s Top 10 “Plays of the Day” for Nov. 18, 2008 and opened the preview highlights for the broadcast. The dunk, where the freshman slashed straight to the basket and delivered an emphatic one-handed slam on two Gael defenders, beat a pair of Lebron James’ and other professional highlights for the top spot.

8. Boise State’s Mark Sanchez led the Broncos in scoring last week, posting 14 points at Siena and 25 more against Idaho State. Sanchez recorded his first career double-double in a double overtime win against Idaho State, registering a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with his 25 points. On the week, Sanchez averaged 19.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Sanchez currently leads the WAC in scoring, averaging 20 points per game

7. Other interesting news in men’s basketball….Utah State has won 54 straight regular season non-conference home games, which is the second-longest streak in the nation behind Duke who has won 58 straight. When including postseason play, USU has won 30 straight home games against non-conference opponents and 54 of its last 56 overall. The last time Utah State lost a non-conference home game during the regular season was on Jan. 8, 2000 against BYU, 82-73

6. In women’s basketball news, Fresno State’s Bailey Amundsen helped lead Fresno State to a 2-0 record last week after averaging 19.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in a 71-54 home win over UC Santa Barbara and a 74-68 road win over Sacramento State. She shot 12-of-26 from the floor (46 percent) and 8-of-18 from beyond the arc (44 percent) on the week. In the win over UCSB, Amundsen had a career-high 26 points and helped the Bulldogs set a school and WAC record for most three-pointers in a game (16) by going 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.

5. Outside hitter for the Rainbow Wahine, Jamie Houston had a match-high 22 kills on .341 hitting to go along with 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. In the semifinal against Idaho, she posted team highs of 11 kills and five blocks. In the quarterfinal win against Boise State, Houston tied for the match high with 12 kills. She also added nine digs.

4. Louisiana Tech running back Keith Brown made two solo tackles on kick returns and blocked a punt that was recovered and returned for a touchdown by a teammate in Louisiana Tech's 35-31 win at New Mexico State. Brown blocked the punt in the second quarter to help give the Bulldogs a 28-10 lead.

3. After a historic post season run that resulted in the program's first National Championship and third consecutive WAC title, the Fresno State baseball team is honored again. Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins has nominated the Bulldog baseball team for SI's 2008 Sportsman of the Year. This is one of the most coveted honors in sports and is bestowed upon the athlete who best symbolizes in character and performance the ideals of sportsmanship. Click here to read Jenkins essay.

2. Hawai’i defeated top-seeded New Mexico State in four sets to claim its ninth straight WAC Volleyball Tournament title.

1. Boise State wins outright WAC title with 41-34 at Nevada. The Broncos are now undefeated at 11-0!

WAC Volleyball Championship Match

We are blogging live from the Championship match of the 2008 WAC Volleyball Tournament in the Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawai'i campus in Honolulu, HI.
The two regular season co-champs, top seeded New Mexico State and the second seeded University of Hawai'i will fight for the title of Tournament Champion.

We are just under a minute away from the start of the match.
The University of Hawai'i are visitors in today's match since they are the higher seeded team in today's competition.

Fans are still piling into the arena....I would guess that our attendance is about 5,500.
A number of fans in attendance are waving tea leaves, they are supposed to bring good luck.

We are just seconds away from the first serve and the fans are chanting "Let's Go Bows!"
New Mexico State takes the first point of the set.

We are tied at two a piece.
The Bows lead by two points, 5-3.

7-5, Hawai'i has the lead and the serve.
The Aggies have claimed the last two points and are within one of the Bows.

The UH fans are making plenty of noise in support of their team as they lead the set 12-9.
I have noticed that the UH fan's will cheer for a good play regardless of who scores the point, although they are bit louder when the Bows walk away with the point.

Time out. I had no idea it could get so loud in here!
The Bows now lead by five points, 19-14.

Time out Aggies. The top seeded New Mexico State Aggies are having a bit of trouble out of the gate. They are down seven points in the first set.

The Aggies have walked away with the last two points and are down 18-22.
Match point University of Hawai'i.
Hawai'i takes the first set of the match 25-19.

The second set of the match will begin in about two minutes.

We are into the second set of the tournament and the Aggies are up by two, 15-13.
17-14, Aggies have the serve, Hawai'i gets the point.

The Bows are within one point, 17-16.
The crowd is really getting behind Hawai'i, chanting "Let's Go Bows!".
Hawai'i is down by two points, 19-17.

The Aggies have the lead at 20-19, UH has the serve.
We are now tied at 20!

We are going point for point....Hawai'i gets a point, then New Mexico State responds with a point and vice versa. We are tied at 23 points each.

Match point Hawai'i. Time out New Mexico State.
The Aggies must get a point now in order to stop the Bow's from winning the second set of the match.

Point Aggies! We are tied up at 25! In order to win the set one team has to have a two point advantage over the other team.

27-25 Aggies win. Each team has won one set.

We now have a ten minute intermission.
In order to win the match, the winning team must take three of the five matches.
Since are are tied at one a piece, we will play a minimum of four sets.

The Aggies have the first serve of the match, but the Bow get the first point.
The Aggies are up by two points, 4-2.

Time out Hawai'i. The Aggies lead, 6-2.
The UH Cheerleaders are leading the crowd in a chant of "Rain - Bows".
Since the start of the first set the crowd size has increased! They are really getting into every point scored.

The Bows have received the last two points and are within two of the Aggies.
Aggie serve is out of bounds, the Bows are down by one and have the next serve.

The Bows are behind by one point and have the next serve, 9-8.
Service error by Hawai'i, New Mexico State is up 11-9.

We are now tied at 14.
The Aggies get the next point and lead 15-14.

Time out Aggies. Hawai'i leads 17-15.
Hawai'i has increased their lead to four, 20-16.
Time out Aggies.

The Aggies are awarded the first point after the time out.
Match point Hawai'i.
Hawai'i wins the third match.

If Hawai'i wins the next match they will be the tournament champions. If the Aggies take the next match the fifth and final match will determine the winner of the match.

Hawai'i wins the first two points of the fourth set.
The Aggies have yet to score a point in the fourth set. UH leads 4-0.

Time out New Mexico State.

The Aggies score their first point of the set and are down by four.
The Bows have extended their lead to six.

Hawai'i 9 / New Mexico State 1.

Hawai'i is dominating the set. They now lead by nine.

Time out. UH leads 14-3.

Hawai'i has increased their lead, 21-8.
We have just received the official attendance figures and there are 5,250 fans in attendance.

Match point Hawai'i.
The UH fans are on their feet.

Hawai'i takes the fourth match and are the 2008 WAC Volleyball Tournament Champions.
Looks like the tea leaves worked!

We are just minutes away from the awards ceremony.
Commissioner Karl Benson just handed over the WAC Tournament trophy to the University of Hawai'i.

WAC Volleyball Semi-Finals, UH vs. Idaho

We are about fifteen minutes away from the the final match of night featuring the second seeded University of Hawai'i Bows and the third seeded University of Idaho Vandals.

The stands are starting to fill in here at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Bow nation is strong this evening. Both teams have cheerleaders present (UH plays host to Idaho tomorrow at Aloha Stadium).

We are just under one minute away from the start of the match.
The teams are preparing for starting line ups, we are following the NCAA format - we introduce the entire team starting with the non-starters, then the starters, followed by the libero, the team captains and the coaching staff (assistants then head coach).

The teams are making their way onto the court while the crowd is chanting "Let's Go Bows!" There is a great crowd/atmosphere here in the Stan Sheriff Center!

Idaho has the first serve of the set and Hawai'i comes away with the first point.
2-1, Hawai'i leads.
We are now tied at two a piece.

The Bows are up by three, 5-2.
Time out Idaho.

Idaho is within two points of UH, 8-5.

The Idaho fans respond to the 'Go Bows!' with a "Go Vandals" chant.
UH is only up by one point, 12-11.

The teams are going point for point.
Idaho now has a two point lead and both the Idaho and UH fans are getting into each volley of the set.

We are tied at 18.
The Bows are up 22-20 in the first set of the match.

25-21 UH wins the first set of the match.

UH will have the first serve of the second set....the band is getting behind their team chanting....the Bows will have the first point.
The Vandals respond with a point of their own.

The floor wipers sporting their WAC Play Up shirts are doing an excellent job this evening.
UH is up by one, 3-2.

The crowd is getting into every play and point.
The Bows are up two points, 6-4.

Time out Vandals. UH is up four points, 8-4.
9-5 Bows lead.

Hawai'i has expanded their lead to six, 11-5.
13-9, the Vandals are looking for a rally to propel them ahead of the Bows.
The Vandals are within two points of UH.

Time out. The Bow's Band is providing the crowd with some entertainment....A little Hawai'i 5-0! The crowd responds well to the song with a little paddle action.

14-13, the Vandals are gaining momentum.
A mix up in communication costs the Vandals a point.
However, they rebound and gain a point in the next play.

Time out Vandals. UH leads 20-16 in the second set of the match.
UH is up 22-20.

Match point Hawai'i.
Idaho steals the point...in order for either team to win the set, they must have a two point advantage.

Time out. We are tied at 24.
Out of the time out, UH takes the first point, giving them match point.
Hawai'i takes the set. In order to advance to the championship round the Bow's have to win one more set.

Set three is now underway. UH leads 6-1.
So far, UH is dominating this set.

Time out Idaho. They need this time to regroup and find a way to stop UH.
Hawai'i extends their lead to 13 points.

Hawai'i has reached the 20 point mark.
They are now four points away from winning the set and advancing to the championship round.
The winner of this match will face top seeded New Mexico State at 3pm (HST) on Sunday.

Match point Hawai'i. The crowd is now on their feet.
Hawai'i sweeps Idaho in three sets to advance to the championship match.

It's official, the top two seeds and regualr season co-champions will play each other for the Tournament title on Sunday at 3pm (HST) here at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI.

WAC Volleyball Semi-Finals - San Jose State vs. New Mexico State

We are blogging live from the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI, home of the 2008 WAC Volleyball Tournament. We are just starting the semi-final round in day two of the tournament.

San Jose State and New Mexico State are on the court now.
New Mexico State is leading the set 4-3.

New Mexico State with the serve, San Jose State with the point.
The Aggies lead by two, 7-5. Aggie serve, Spartan point.

The Spartans have claimed the lead, 10-9.
We have another lead change as the Aggies have pulled one point ahead of SJSU, 12-11.

Time out. New Mexico State leads by four, 15-11.
The teams are back on the court and New Mexico state claims the first point.
The winner of this match will move on to the championship round set for Sunday at 3p.m. (HST)
The Aggies now lead by four, 19-15.
Time out San Jose State. The Spartans are down by five, 20-15.

Match point New Mexico State.

I just noticed that the head coach for one of our teams is wearing a "Chandler Bing" type shirt and the other has an outfit that resembles Jerry Seinfeld.

New Mexico state takes the first set of the match, 25-18.

New Mexico State has claimed the first two points of the second set.
New Mexico State has six unanswered points and the Spartans call a time out.

San Jose State just scored their first point of the match.
The Aggies are up 11-6.

The Spartans have pulled within two of the Aggies.
We are now tied at 14.
The crowd is really getting behind the Spartans who are up by one point.

San Jose State leads 18-20 in the second set of the match.

We are tied at 21.
Match point New Mexico State.

New Mexico State only needs to win one more set to advance to the championship match.

The Aggies lead 6-5 in the third set of the match.
We are now tied at seven.

The Aggies are down one point.
A weather note for those of you on the mainland....although Hawai'i is traditionally sunny...we are under a flash flood warning....just thought I would share this tid bit of information with all of you....

Match point New Mexico State.
New Mexico State advances to the championship round set for tomorrow afternoon at 3p.m. EST.

Hawai'i vs. Boise State in the Final Match of the First Day of the WAC Volleyball Tournament

Second seeded Hawai'i takes on the seventh seeded Boise State Bronco's in the final match on the first day of the WAC Volleyball Tournament. The winner will advance to the semi-final match tomorrow evening at 7:30p.m. (HST).

We are about three mintues away from the start of the match.

The crowd has increased considerably. I would guess we have around 2,500 fans in attendance.

The teams are lining up for team introduction and the Anthem...we will hear Hawai'i's State Anthem followed by the National Anthem.

It looks like the crowd has now grown to over 3,500 fans!

Boise State scores the first point of the match.

The crowd is really into the match and haning on every point scored by Hawai'i.
The arena is silent when Hawai'i serves the ball. Hawi'i leads the set 6-5.

Time out Boise State. We have a brief sponsor read and then some entertainment by the University of Hawai'i Volleyball Band. For those of you at home in Honolulu, HI the match is being televised locally on K5.

Hawai'i leads 11-5 in the first set.
Hawai'i has an eight point lead over the Bronco's.

Hawai'i is bringing some heat in their spikes. Boise only trails by six points, 17-11.
The crowd is getting behind UH chanting 'Let's Go Bows!'

Time out. Hawai'i is four points away from taking the first set.

Boise State trails by eight points, 23-18.
Match point Hawai'i.

Hawai'i wins the first set of the match. We now have a three minute break.

Hawai'i scored the first two points of the second set.
Boise State has tied it up at two.

Hawai'i leads five to three.
Boise State is now within one point of UH.

We are now tied at six a piece.
Hawai'i has the lead with two points, 9-7.

We are tied up at ten points each.
The crowd is trying to inspire the Hawai'i student-athletes by chanting 'Let's Go Bows!' UH responds with three consecutive points.

Time out. Hawai'i 15, Boise State 11.
Hawai'i leads 18 - 11 in the second set.

Time out is called by the Bronco's.
We are being enteratined by the UH Volleyball...a little Hawai'i 5-0.

Boise State is down by 9 points.

Match point Hawai'i.
Boise State has responded with two points, but UH just scores their final point of the match.

Hawai'i wins set two of the match. They just need to win one more set in order to advance to the semi-finals of the Tournment set for tomorrow evening at 7:30p.m.

Karl Benson, WAC Commissioner and UH Director of Athletics Jim Donovan were just introduced to the crowd during our intermission period.

We are being treated to a little Bob Marley over the speakers.

Set three is about to begin. Boise State has the first serve and first point of the set.
Boise State has four unanswered points.

The Bronco's are up 7-0. Time out UH.
Hawai'i scores their first point of the match. They now trail by eight points.

UH is now down by six points. They have scored the last two points.
Time out Boise State.

Coming out of the time out the UH fans are excited and chanting, hoping to inspire the team to score....which they did. UH is now down by five points in the third set of the match. If UH wins this set they advance to the semi-final rounds. If Boise State wins the teams will play set four of the match.

UH is now within three points of the Bronco's.
Boise State 13, Hawai'i 10.

Hawai'i is within two points of Boise. 14-12.
We are now tied at 14 a piece.

UH now has a two point lead over Boise State. 17-15.
Time out Boise State.

Hawai'i is up 20-17. They are five points away from winning the match and advancing to tomorrow night's semi-final match. The winner of this match will face the Idaho Vandals.

Match point Hawai'i. The UH fan's on their feet. I would guess about 5,000 strong.

The match is over. UH wins and will advance to tomorrow's match.
We will be back to blog about the semi-final matches tomorrow beging at 5p.m. (HST)

New Mexico State vs. Fresno State in the Fourth Match of the Tournament

Top Seed New Mexico State faces eighth seeded Fresno State tonight at 5pm (HST) in the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI. Fresno State won the first match of the tournamnet earlier this morning when they beat Louisiana Tech.

We are about two minutes away from the start of the fourth match of the day. Our final match of the day features Hawai'i and Boise State at 7:30pm (HST)

We are underway and Fresno State leads 3-2.
New Mexico State is up one, 6-5.

Time out is called by Fresno State. New Mexico State leads the first set 16-10.
New Mexico State is up 21-15.

New Mexico State won the first match 25-17.

The Aggies score the first point of the second match. The Aggies have the top seed and are Regular Season Co-Champions...they share the honors with Hawai'i.

New Mexico State is serving with a two point lead, 7-5.
Time out Bulldogs.
The Aggies are up 10-5.

The Bulldogs are on a five point streak and have pulled within one point of the Aggies.
18-14, the Aggies lead.

New Mexico State is up 21-16.

New Mexico State advances onto the semi-finals and will face the San Jose Spartans at 5pm (HST) tomorrow afternoon.

San Jose State vs. Utah State in match three of the Tournament

We are back in action at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI as the fifth seeded San Jose State Spartans and the fourth seeded Utah State Aggies fight for a spot in the semi - final match set for tomorrow afternoon.

The Aggies are on top 10-6.

Utah state has a comfortable seven point lead.

Both teams are consistantly chattering, keeping the lines of communication open on the court.
Utah State has increased their lead over San Jose by eight, 21-13.

Match point Utah State...

Utah State wins the first set 25-16. The Aggies lead one set to none.

Set Two is about to begin, with the Aggies having the first serve. The first point was awarded to San Jose State. The Spartans lead 4-1.

San Jose has a four point lead, 10-6 over Utah State.

The Aggies are starting to get back in the zone. They have the serve and are down by two points, 12-10.

Utah State is within two points.

The Spartans are leading the second set 21-16.

The Aggies had a nice rally are are within three points of the Spartans.
San Jose State is at match point with the serve. They lead 24-22.

San Jose takes set two of the match.

Set three has just started. Utah State is down four to two.
SJSU is up 8-6.

Its like a disco / rave in here...exciting times.
Eddie Morelos, Assistant Director of Media Relations for New Mexico State just described himself as a social butterfly traveling from flower to flower.

San Jose State is up 22-13
Match point San Jose State.
San Jose State is building off of their fans energy as we head into the fourth set of the match.

Match four is about to begin...Utah State will have the first serve of the set.
Utah State leads 2-1.

Both teams have a decent amount of fans in attendance at the match and we are tied at six a piece.

If San Jose State wins this set they will advance to the semi - finals set for tomorrow evening.

Utah State leads 10-7 in this do or die set.

Utah State's Chelsea Fowels, just served two tough points for the Aggies.
Both coaches have been extremely calm throughout the set. Utah State stil has the lead, 16-11.

We are now is set five of the match and San Jose State is up 8-5. The team that reaches 15 points first will win the match and the semi-finals spot.

The Spartans are just three points away from advancing in the tournament.

Match point San Jose State.
San Jose State will advance to the semi-finals of the WAC Tournament set for tomorrow evening
at 5pm to play the winner of the New Mexico State/Fresno State match.

Nevada vs. Idaho in match two of the WAC Volleyball Tournament

Match two of the WAC Volleyball Tournament is just underway. The Nevada Wolf Pack and the Idaho Vandals are are competing for a shot in the semi-finals of the Tournament.

Idaho leads the first set 6-4.

Nevada has tied up the match at 10.
Idaho brought a pretty solid fan base to the Tournament.

The teams are going point for point thanks to the rally scoring.

Time out Nevada. Idaho now leads 16-12.

Idaho is now up by four.
Idaho is seeded third while Nevada has the sixth seed for the Tournament.

We are about three minutes away from the start of the third set. This is do or die for the Wolf Pack. They must win this set in order to keep the match and their Tournament hopes alive.

Idaho is getting closer the 25 point mark and their first win of the match (23-19)

Match point Idaho.....Idaho ends up winning the first set up the match.
We now have a three minute break prior to the start of the second match.

SET TWO just started and we are tied at three.
Both teams are doing a great job of being vocal and communicating throughout the set.

Nevada is on a three point streak...they lead 8-5.

Idaho is now within two of Nevada....10-5.

Idaho won the second set of the match, 25-21.
Idaho now leads the match two sets to zero. They just need one more win to move onto the semi-finals of the Tournament.

Nevada has the lead...4-2...
Nevada has now scored three consecutive points and leads the set 7-4.

Idaho is now within one point of the Wolf Pack.

Idaho now leads 11-10.
If Idaho wins this set they will move onto the semi-finals to face the winner of the Hawai'i / Boise State match.

The Idaho fans are now chanting.....the east side of the arena is shouting IDAHO the west side of the arena is responding with VANDALS....the Idaho Volleyball team got a kick out of their fans support.

Idaho is five points away from sealing the deal and moving onto the next round.

Match point Idaho.

Idaho wins the match in three sets.
We will be back in about thirty minutes for the third match of the 2008 WAC Volleyball Tournament featuring the San Jose State Spartans and teh Utah State Aggies.

WAC Volleyball Tournament Underway

The 2008 WAC Volleyball Tournament is now underway! We are coming to you live from Honolulu, HI!

We are in the second set of the first match of the Tournament. Lousiana Tech (seeded nine) and Fresno State (seeded eighth) are fighting to advance in the Tournament.

Louisiana Tech won the first set 25-23.
Fresno State just took the the second set 25-23

In other WAC Volleyball Tournament news we had a very long tournament banquet due to the fact that one team decided to test the limits of hotel elevator by stuffing 16....yup, that's right 16 females in one elevator. As you can imagine the elevator got stuck....for over an hour! I am happy to report that the team made it out safely and the banquet proceeded as planned. I can honestly say that they will not attempt that again!

We are now in our ten minute intermission between sets two and three.
Just a reminder for those of you who are unfamiliar with volleyball terms. Each individual game is know as a set and there are a total of five sets in one match. A team needs to win three sets in order to win the match.

Little Luke Bailey just shared his delicious Mauna Loa chocolate covered macadamia nuts with myself and Hope Shuler, Director of Media Relations.

We are about to start set number three of the match. Since La Tech and Fresno split the first two sets will be forced to go to a minimum of four sets to determine the winner of the match.

We have a sporadic crowd at this mornings first match.

Fresno State leads the third match 6-3.

A point is award after each service....this is also known as rally scoring.

The Bulldogs are up 9-7.

"Are you the Shuemacher's from Dirty Dancing," commented Hope Shuler, Director of Media Relations....in regards to my large purse falling over and a variety of her pens spilling out onto the floor.

Fresno State is now up 15-9 in set three of the match.

La Tech is now within two points of Fresno State....

Fresno State leads 23 - 22.

Fresno State just won the thir set of the match.
In order for them to advance in the tournament they will need to win one set.

We are tied at three a piece in the fourth set of the match.

Elizabeth Kampfe, Director of Championships just saved the day by catching a volleyball headed our direction. Good hands EK good hands.

La Tech just took the frist time out of the set. Fresno State leads 9-5.

Fresno State is up 12-9.

Time out Fresno State....a little Smooth Criminal is coming through the speakers...

FSU is up by one point...15-14.

Time out Fresno State...Louisiana Tech is leading for the first time of this set...17-15.

Fresno State just scored four straight points to reclaim their lead...19-17.

Fresno State is now up 23-19. If they win this set they win the match and advance in Tournament action.

Fresno State just won the set and the match.
I will be back to blog about the second match (Nevada/Idaho) of the tournament in about thirty minutes.
See you then.

Top Ten in WAC Action (Nov. 3 - 10)

10. In volleyball news Nevada’s Allison Hernandez became the eighth player in school history to reach 1,000 digs.

9. New Mexico States Maria Spies swept the breaststroke events in dual meets against Houston and Rice on Nov. 6. En route to taking top honors, Spies broke the school record in the 100 breast (1:03.74) and then improved her school record in the 200 breast (2:17.40). She was also a member of the 400-free relay team which posted the WAC’s fastest time of the season (3:30.70) and a third-place finish.

8. Fresno State kick returner A.J. Jefferson returned six kicks for 241 yards and a touchdown in Friday’s game against Nevada. After a couple of 38-yard returns, Jefferson broke free in the fourth quarter with a 92-yard return for a touchdown. It was his first kick return for a touchdown this year and third of his career.

7. Fresno State’s Clancy Shields earned an automatic bid into the ITA National Indoor Championships by winning the Mountain Region Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. on Oct. 19. Shields, playing as the No.1 seed, went 6-0 in singles play and 3-1 in doubles, reaching the semifinals with teammate Kean Feeder as the No. 2 seeded duo.

6. Utah State’s Emily Kortsen helped the Aggies notch a four-set win over San Jose State last week when she hit .522 with 12 kills and no hitting errors. She also added a career-high seven block assists in the win as Utah State out-blocked San Jose State 14-4 on the match.

5. In women’s soccer action Boise State won their first Tournament match when they beat the Spartans 1-0 in the opening match of the WAC Soccer Tournament.

4. No. 6 Hawai‘i swept Fresno State to clinch at least a share of the WAC Volleyball regular-season title. New Mexico State, which has a 13-1 WAC record, has two matches remaining. Should the Aggies win both, they will share the regular-season title with the Rainbow Wahine.

3. Louisiana Tech cornerback Terry Carter made three tackles and scored on an interception in Louisiana Tech’s 21-0 win at San Jose State. With the Bulldogs leading 7-0 in the second quarter, he picked off a pass and ran 50 yards for his first career collegiate touchdown.

2. Nevada’s Vai Taua, rushed for a career-high 263 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in Nevada’s 41-28 win at Fresno State. His touchdown run went for 25 yards and came in the fourth quarter to give the Pack a 38-21 lead. He is the first WAC running back to top 1,000 yards on the season.

1. Fresno State defeated Utah State in double overtime for the 2008 WAC Tournament Championship. The Bulldogs will face UCLA on Nov. 14th in the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Leadership Conference and the WAC

The NCAA hosted a Regional Leadership Conference Nov 7th – 9th in La Jolla, California. Five western conferences and its respective institutions were represented with the WAC having 100% representation by all nine schools. What a tremendous opportunity for the students that attended to develop and refine their leadership skills.

To begin the conference, we were all assigned to specific color teams. I had the fortunate opportunity to be a participant on the RED team with several student-athletes and administrators. As an ice-breaker, we joined with another red team member and, among other items, were asked to share something about ourselves that no one would ever guess. Although there were several unique answers I wanted to share what I considered the best. One student-athlete (to remain unnamed although I told him I was going to blog about it because I felt it was so exceptional) finished, and I mean finished, two burritos from Chipotle in one sitting. Now, as an avid Chipotle and burrito fan, I understand the significance of stuffing your face twice, not just once, with all the rice, beans, meat, and whatever extras he could handle, at ONE time. Although the significance may not be recognized nationally, it prompted my research regarding the weight of burritos and if I may interject, the world’s largest burrito in the Guinness Book of World Records weighed in at 4500 lbs. Although the combined weight of his two burritos was much less than the World Record, who knows, maybe the leadership skills that he acquired about setting goals will drive him to eat three next time.

A large part of the conference focused on principles and values and the importance of understanding these to become an effective leader. Defining and being clear about these values will serve to guide a person’s daily choices, actions, and behaviors. After engaging in much intelligent discussion the Red Team identified the following headline that they wanted to be remembered by.

“Shaping tomorrow’s leaders one student-athlete at a time.” The Red Team Represents
R = respect
E = effective communication
D = dedication

T = teamwork
E = enthusiasm
A = attitude
M = motivation

Another session of the conference focused on Sportsmanship and how both student-athletes and administrators can be involved in promoting good sportsmanship, regardless of the sporting event. The WAC has taken a proactive approach to promoting good sportsmanship amongst all nine institutions. Specifically, the Conference office created the tag line, PLAY UP, to demonstrate that regardless if you are a fan, coach, player, student, parent, official, we want YOU to Play Up. We want YOU to be positive, to be proactive, to be encouraging, to be a role model, to be involved in creating a healthy environment for competition. And I encourage all of us to consider what sportsmanship means, and ask that we maintain the integrity of the game and ‘Play UP’ in promoting good sportsmanship.

Candice Wiggins (former Stanford Women’s Basketball Standout and current WNBA Lynx player) was the keynote speaker, and the message that she delivered was one that the student-athletes will remember for some time. The advice she offered about leadership based on her own experiences were to
Establish Goals
Have integrity
Trust people around you
Lead during times of adversity
No matter what your role is, you can become a leader
HAVE FUN

However, in my opinion, the greatest advice that she received while she was a student-athlete was, “if you want something that you have never had, then you need to do things you have never done.” If you want to reach the goals that you have established for yourself, either personally or professionally, then one must think outside the box, not be afraid to fail, and do things you have never done before because it is through the journey of failures that you will eventually find success.

Submitted by Mollie Lehman, WAC Director of Business and Operations

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH OF THE WAC SOCCER TOURNAMENT

We are about 15 minutes out from the championship match of the WAC Women's Soccer Tournament. Top seed Utah State and second seed Fresno State will square off for the Tournament title and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

So far this season Utah State is unbeaten in conference action.

We just had the team introductions and National Anthem. We are moments away from the start of the match. Its a pretty cold day...about 45 degrees, cloudy and windy.
The weather is not a factor to the crowd...they are pretty vocal and the match is just underway.

41:19 so far the ball has stayed towards the center of the field with no action by either goal.

40:01 Fresno State has the first foul of the match.

39:43 A header shot by Utah State's Candice Clark is just wide of the goal.

38:33 Fresno State responded with some pressure on goal but has no results. We are still scoreless.

35:03 Both teams are having trouble pushing the all past the 20 yard line.

31:46 Throw in Fresno State....we are still scoreless.

28:20 Corner Kick Utah State. After some action by the goal we are still scoreless thanks to a save by Fresno State's Kaitlny Revel.

25:55 GOOOOOOAL by Utah State's #17 Lauren Hansen assisted by #19 Candice Clark.
That was the first goal scored on Kaitlyn Revel in the four matches and only the second in conference action.

23:44 GOOOOOOAL by Fresno State's #19 Ali Sill. We are now tied at 1-1. The Fresno fans respond with loud cheers and barks.

That is two goals in two minutes.

21:55 Shot by Utah State's Erin Salmon. Save by Kaitlyn Revel.

20:08 A direct free kick is awarded to Utah State. We are still tied at one a piece.

17:20 remaining in the first half of the match.

14:34 Corner kick by Utah State resulting in nothing.

We are just under the 12 minute mark in the match and we are still tied 1-1.

A statistical update:
Fresno State has three shots, two shots on goal, one goal and six fouls while
Utah State has six shots, three shots on goal, one goal, one assist and six fouls.

Utah State is on the attack but can't seem to get the ball past the twenty yard line.

Four minutes remain in the first half of the match. Still tied 1-1.

The Aggie fans are trying to inspire their team with a cheer from the crowd.

The first half ends in a tie 1-1. Both teams are now retreating to their locker rooms.
A quick shout out to our sponsors of for the tournament....Brine, Geico and Gatorade.
A little JT is blaring over the speakers providing some entertainment for the Aggie and Bulldog fans.

We are just about to start the second half of the second half. We start off the half still tied 1-1.

39:13 Shot by Utah State's Lindsey Smart was high.

35:20 Shot by Utah State. Save by Fresno State's Kaitlyn Revel.

Both teams are having difficulty getting the ball anywhere near the goal.

Another statistical update for you...
Fresno State has four shots, three shots on goal, one goal and eight fouls while Utah State has 14 shots, four shots on goal, one goal, one assist and seven fouls.

27:30 Corner Kick Fresno State results in a close call but no goal.

25 minutes left in the half.

Fresno State is attacking aggressively and has control of the ball for most of the half.

22:20 Fresno State's Nicole Gutierrez attempted two shots, one was deflected the other went wide.

18:34 remains in regulation play. We are still tied 1-1.

14:00 Corner kick by Utah State...the ball was kicked away from the goal.

9:08 Corner kick by Fresno State results in nothing.

4:00 remain and we are still tied one a piece.

The winner of this match will automatically receive a bid to the NCAA Soccer Tournament.

One minute remains in regulation and Fresno State has a corner kick. The ball is deflected out of play and Fresno State has another chance. ...but nothing comes from the kick.

Match ends. Since we are tied at 1-1. We will have a five minute break and being our first ten minute over time period.

If we still have a tie at the end of the first over time period we will have another five minute break and followed by a second ten minute period. If we are still tied at one a piece following the conclusion of the second over time period we will go into penalty kicks.

We now have ten minutes on the clock and the first period of over time is underway.

GOAAAAALLL with just over 5 minutes left by Fresno State's Elora Martinez!

MATCH FOUR OF THE WAC SOCCER TOURNAMENT

Match number four of the WAC Soccer Tournament is underway. Currently on the field are Fresno State and the home team, the Nevada Wolf Pack. We are joining you with just under 36minutes to go in the match. Currently we are scoreless.

28:42 GOOOOAL by Fresno State's #19 Ali Sill

23:20 Shot on goal by Nevada's #3 Erin Smith. Shot blocked by Kaitlyn Revel.

The Nevada fans are getting into tonight's competition. I am sure the Wolf Pack appreciate their fans being in attendance.

16:58 A corner kick for Nevada produces nothing.

The crowd is now chanting 'Let's go Wolf Pack! They sure have some spirit this evening.

For those of you who are football fan's the Nevada vs. Fresno State football game is on ESPN2. Watch the game while following along with the Women's Soccer Tournament via this blog.

12:25 left in the first half and Fresno State leads 1-0.

6:50 Nevada is the back field trying to set up a play.

We are just under the five minute mark and Fresno State still has the lead. 1-0.

The first half just ended. Fresno State has the lead 1-0. Both teams are exciting the field.
We are listening to a little Nelly "Grillz" ....a little Big N Rich and some classic 80's tunes...

We are back in action....

For those of you who are curious about the Nevada/Fresno State football game going on at this time...Nevada leads 7-0 in the first quarter.

On the soccer field Nevada is on the defense looking to make a stop and turn things around.

39:42 Shot by Nevada's #16 Cristen Drummond....the shot was blocked.

Nevada is on the attack again....with another shot on goal by #16 Cristen Drummond with just under 38 minutes left in the second half. Nevada still trails 1-0.

In football action Fresno State just tied up the game, 7-7 with 1:05 left to play in the first quarter.

Fresno State is now on the attack but couldn't produce anything. We are just under the 33 minute mark in the second half of the match. The winner of this match will go on to play top seed Utah State Sunday afternoon at 1pm (PST) in the championship match of the tournament.

29:21 Fresno State just attempted another shot on goal but was denied.

28:00 Nevada was called off sides when attempting to score.

The Wolf Pack crowd is getting into the match and chanting 'Wolf Pack, Wolf Pack'

24:15 The Bulldogs still have the lead, 1-0.

In football action the Wolf Pack now lead the Bulldogs 14-7 with just under 13 minutes in the second quarter.

21:17 Fresno State had another shot on goal that was blocked.

18:27 Fresno State's shot on goal was blocked again.

15:01 - Shot by Nevada was just too high.

The crowd is chanting again hoping to inspire the team.

8:25 left in the second half of the match and Fresno Still leads 1-0.

6:16 GOOOOOOAL...Utah State just scored their second goal of the match.

4:57 Nevada's attempt at a goal was a bit too high.

3:42 Another shot on goal by Nevada, this time the shot was too wide.

3:11 Shot on goal by Fresno State was blocked.

Fresno State leads 2-0.

In football news Nevada is leading Fresno State 17-7 with 3:49 to go in the second quarter. Again that game is being televised on ESPN2.

10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..end.
Game over. Fresno State will go on to face Utah State in the championship match of the tournament on Sunday at 1pm (PST).

The Wolf Pack fans are chanting and showing support for their team.

We will be back to blog about the championship match. See you then.

MATCH 3 OF THE WAC SOCCER TOURNAMENT

Match Three is just underway.
Fourth seed Boise State is looking to knock off first seed Utah State.

40:56 left and Boise State just tallied their first foul of the match.

There is a pretty sizable crowd this afternoon....a number of Utah State fans have made the trip out to Reno for the Tournament.

36:09 Boise State has the first shot of the game which was wide.

32:20 Shantel Flanary has the first shot on goal for Utah State....Save by Jennifer Burns.

29:36 Corner Kick by Utah State's #9 Lindsey Smart resulting in three shots on goal....but nothing could get past Jennifer Burns.

27:46 Corner Kick by Boise State #11 Sheyenne Jones. Save by Ali Griffin.

23:04 Yellow card on BSU's Kaylea Perenon.
Both teams have tallied four fouls with less than 18 minutes left in the match.

15:50 Shot by Utah State's Lauren Hansen. Save by Jennifer Burns.
Utah State now has five shots on goal resulting in zero goals.

13:09 A corner kick by Boise State has no results for the Broncos.

Just under ten minutes remain in the first half and we are still scoreless.

Combined the teams have tallied ten fouls.

6:09 Shot by Utah State's Erin Salmon. Save by Jennifer Burns.

4:38 Utah State's Erin Salmon attempts her second shot on goal. Save Jennifer Burns.

2:19 left in the match and Utah State's Erin Salmon had her third shot on goal. Save Jennifer Burns.

1:12 Injury timeout.

The ball is now back in play.

The first half of the match just ended. We are still scoreless.

We start off half time with a little Motel Jordan...This is How We Do it....
After a few PA announcements we are treated to a little Bon Jonvi...Shot Through the Heart...a classic tune.

The teams are heading back to the field. We are three minutes away from the start of the second half.

The second half is now underway.

43:20 Shot by Boise State's Randi Baker was blocked.

It is a beautiful day here in Reno. Sunny skies and 66 degrees....a perfect day for a soccer match.

36:18 Utah State's Stefani Shiozaki shot is high.
We are still scoreless.

A statistical update for you:
Utah State has tallied eight shots, seven shots on goal and six fouls while
Boise State has racked up five shots and nine fouls.

30:01 Wide shot by Boise State's Randi Baker.

23:04 remain in the second half of the match.

Utah State is now on the attack.
Boise State is having difficulty getting the ball past the 40 yard line on the north side of the stadium. For those of you who don't know, the soccer tournament is taking place at Mackay Stadium home of the Wolf Pack football team.

17:15 left in the match and we are still scoreless.

12:17 GOOOOOAL kicked in by Utah State's #17 Lauren Hansen assisted by #26 Andrea Seledee.

Ten minutes remain in the match. The score is 1-0 Utah State.

Another statistical update for you:
Boise State has seven shots and 13 fouls while Utah State has nine shots, eight shots on goal, one goal, one assist and eleven fouls.

6:09 remaining in the match.

4:33 A corner kick for Boise State produces nothing for the Broncos.

1:49 a yellow card was awarded to Utah State's Marissa Sanchez and one was awarded to Boise State's Lindsay Roberts.

End of match. Top seeded Utah State will move on to the Championship round to face the winner of the Nevada / Fresno State match.

We will be back to blog at the Nevada / Fresno State match in about 30 minutes.

MATCH TWO OF THE WAC WOMEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT

We are into the second match of the WAC Women's Soccer Tournament.....
We are joining you half way through the first half of the Hawai'i Nevada match.
So far we are tied 1-1 with 6:36 remaining in the first half.

As media relations intern, Trevor Edy predicted....it is now dark out. (see Kenny Chesney)

Just prior to time expiring on the clock Natalie Ratnavira, assisted by Miranda Montejo notched another goal to lift the Wolf Pack to a 2-1 lead over the Raindow Wahine heading into the half time.

A little Nelly is blaring over the speakers for our half time entertainment...a little "#1"

The teams are back on the field and the second half is now underway.

The Nevada Wolf Pack are still leading 2-1.

Both teams are playing aggressively. Nevada had tallied nine fouls while the Hawai'i has six.

Injury timeout.

The ball is now back in play with Hawai'i taking a corner kick. The corner kick did not produce any results for the Rainbow Wahine.

34:32 remain in the second half of the match.

33:57 Save by Hawaii's Kori Lu.

31:08 Save by Hawaii's Kori Lu.

Nevada has a pretty good student turnout...they are participating in today's festivities chanting Wolf - Pack Wolf - Pack Wolf - Pack. I am sure the student athelte's appreciate the support from their fellow students.

Nevada is on the attack with six shots on goal.

For those of you who don't know the Soccer Tournament is taking place in Mackay Stadium home not only to Nevada's women's soccer team but also to the Wolf Pack football program. For the past few minutes the ball has been between the 40 yard line (N) and the 20 yard line (S).

Nevada has increased their shots on goal to eight....they really want a decisive "W" this evening!

13:34 remains in the second half of the match with the Nevada Wolf Pack in the lead 2-1.

10:38 left and the crowd is still into the competition.

Injury timeout. A Nevada and Hawai'i student athlete collided midfield.
Both student athletes are up and walking off the field on their own.

7:17 left in the contest.

For video quotes from the coaches and student athletes check out our WAC Tournament Central Page on WACSports.com

Nevada was on a roll but went off sides with 2:48 left in the match.

Hawai'i is feeling the pressure of time and scrambling to score.

Just under a minute left in the match.

The match is over. Sixth seed Nevada knocked off the third seed Hawai'i in the second match of the WAC Soccer Tournament.

We will be back again tomorrow for the third match of the tournament featuring the top seed Utah State Aggies and the fourth seeded Boise State Broncos.

See ya tomorrow!

LIVE BLOGGING FROM THE FIRST MATCH OF THE WAC SOCCER TOURNAMENT

We are blogging live from Mackay Stadium in Reno, NV...bringing you the most up-to-date WAC Women's Soccer Tournament Information.

Match One:
Boise State vs. San Jose State

32:17 left in the first half of today's first WAC Soccer Championship match. We are still scoreless
28:20 Ball possession has been split equally between the two teams.

21:22 Each team has one shot, not on goal.

19:25 Boise State has racked up three fouls while San Jose State has notched two.

18:02 First corner kick of the game by San Jose produced nothing.

13:12 Jeff Hurd arrives.
12:41 The stadium looks great. There are WAC Championship banners along the east side of the stadium and we have live action on the video board.
6:24 Remaining in the match. A weather update for you....it is 63 degrees out with a slight wind. A perfect day for a soccer match!
5:07 Each team has two shots, not on goal.
2:59 Shot on goal by Andrea Huerta. Save by San Jose States Sarah Wisotsky.
2:28 Corner kick Boise State.
1:23 Kara Irving from Utah State and former WAC staff member arrives.
We end half scoreless. Boise State has four shots, one shot on goal and three fouls. San Jose State has two shots and six fouls.

HALF TIME:
Nevada is playing some great tunes for our entertainment. A little Kriss Kross action...
Just had a shout out to WAC Sponsors Gatorade, Geico, Zia Graphics and Brine.
Trevor Edy, WAC media relations intern just predicted that "it will get dark later."
We are now treated to a little Salt n' Pepa over the airwaves.... our announcers is singing along in the press box....he's a big fan.

The second half is now underway
39:00 the match is still scoreless.
36:10 GOOOOOOOAL by Boise State's #7 Brandi Hickcox assisted by #15 Janelle Jin.
33:02 Injury timeout.
The ball is back in play.
28:37 Boise State still leads 1-0.
28:11 GOOOOOOOAL by San Jose States #10 Emmy Belding assisted by #25 Hallsie Pacheco. The score is now tied 1-1.
26:17 Corner kick Boise State resulting in nothing.
24:24 We are still tied at one a piece.
23:44 Yellow Card on Boise State's Shannon Saxton.
13:11 Remaining in the second half of the match. We are still tied at one a piece.
9:34 GOOOOOOAL by Boise State's #26 Andrea Huerta assisted by #20 Chelsea Robinson.
8:42 Check back for video of the goal later today.
8:00 Boise State now leads 2-1.
5:42 Corner kick San Jose State resulting in nothing.
3:12 Remaining in the second half and Boise State still has a 2-1 lead over San Jose State.
1:00 left in the match.
END OF MATCH
Boise State will move on to the second round of the Tournament and play #1 Tournament seed Utah State tomorrow at 3pm.
Match #2 of the Tournament will begin in about 35 minutes. Join us as we blog about the Rainbow Wahine and they hometown team the Nevada Wolf Pack

"And back in 5, 4, 3..."

On the road with the Bulldog Sports Network

Halloween weekend of WAC football finds us in Ruston, La., looking in on the matchup between Fresno State and Louisiana Tech. This happens to be broadcast #4 of the fall season for those involved with Fresno State’s Bulldog Sports Network. Let’s check in with Paul Ladwig, Producer for BSN and Associate Athletics Director at Fresno State.

A lot of people watch sports on TV, but don’t get the opportunity to take a peak behind the scenes. Tell us a little about what it’s like in the production truck during the broadcast.

Ladwig: Live broadcast TV should never get old and should always be fun… Controlled chaos is the best way to describe the control room. It is thirty people coming together to do a show, a show no one knows the script for and what event or thing will happen next. But you need to be prepared for any change in the story.

What do you get out of producing your own show?

Ladwig: For those of us who help produce the Bulldog Sports Network it is a medium that we use as one venue to help promote and enhance the Fresno State Athletics story. It is not just a football or basketball or softball broadcast; it is three hours of talking and telling about our student-athletes and their coaches and the experience of being a Bulldog. As the producer of the show, I am very fortunate to have a core group of people who work on every show, who bring the highest level of professionalism to each and every game. I hope I tell them thanks enough; they are the real stars. They are my friends, friends who put their heart and soul into each and every show.

35 shows and counting… What’s the future for BSN?

Ladwig: We hope to do more contests in the future and become a model that other departments our size can follow to tell their stories as well.

Check out Producer Paul and Director Matt McCandlish during Saturday's broadcast:

Captions from photos shown above:

1 - Inside the control room

2 - Paul Ladwig, Producer (left), and Matt McCandlish, Director (center)

3 - Randy Rosenbloom, Color Commentator (left) and Ralph Wood, Play-by-Play (right), interview Karl Benson, Commissioner of the WAC (center)