ST. GEORGE – This week in Dixie State sports saw the football team win the passing battle with Griff Robles out-passing his counterpart 422-407, but lose on the scoreboard, 46-34. The volleyball team continued its winning ways with a win over Holy Names. The women’s and men’s soccer teams both lost close games at home. Here’s the recap:

FOOTBALL
The Red Storm got into an offensive shootout in its rematch with Western Oregon. Both quarterbacks topped 400 yards passing and both defenses forced three turnovers. The difference in the game was that the Wolves were able to capitalize on DSU’s turnovers. Mitch Frei and Joe Don Duncan finished with 103 and 170 yards receiving respectively. Zac Christian led the Red Storm defensively with six tackles and two interceptions. The loss dropped the Red Storm to 2-5 (2-4 in the GNAC). The Red Storm will have an excellent chance to get back on the winning track as they face Humboldt State at home this Saturday at 6 p.m. HSU is 0-7 and lost its earlier match this year to DSU 49-24.

VOLLEYBALL
The Red Storm volleyball team (11-7, 7-4 in the PWC) had to wait for the Holy Names Hawks to arrive this past Saturday, with the match starting over three hours after the scheduled time. DSU started the match a little flat, but jumped on the back of Shelby Sorenson, who served the Red Storm on a 4-0 run to win 25-21. Senior outside hitter Shannon Young earned a match-high 14 kills to lead Dixie State to 25-21, 25-18, 25-17 Pacific West Conference win over Holy Names on Saturday afternoon at the Student Activities Center. Coach Robyn Felder received solid performances from Haylee Wilkes (17 digs), Sorenson (28 assists), and Pauline VonDinklage (2 solo blocks and 2 kills). The Red Storm depart on Wednesday for a three match and five day road trip to Hawaii. DSU will battle Hawaii Hilo, Hawaii Pacific and nationally-ranked BYU-Hawaii.

MEN’S SOCCER
Jordan Steed deposited a goal late in the second half of Saturday’s Pacific West Conference match against Azusa Pacific at Hansen Stadium, but no equalizing tally came as the Dixie State men’s soccer team lost, 2-1. The Red Storm dropped their third straight match to fall to 2-8-3 on the year and 1-7-2 in the PacWest. APU took the lead in the 18th minute off a DSU handball call in the goal box. The resulting penalty kick put the Cougars up 1-0.
In the second half, the Cougars added an insurance goal in the 80th minute to go up 2-0. The DSU offensive pressure escalated in the second half, but only one of 10 shots found the back of the net. Steed had options on where to score after a Bobby Schwarzkopf shot was blocked by the APU keeper. Kris Evans had a final look in the 89th minute, but the Cougar defense kept the shot away from the goal. The Red Storm close out the home section of conference games next Saturday against Point Loma. Kick is set for 11:30 a.m. from Hansen Stadium.

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Kimberly Thurman led the Dixie State women’s soccer team with four shots while the team outshot the opponents of Azusa Pacific 14-12, but a 22nd minute goal from the Cougars was enough to take the 1-0 decision at Hansen Stadium. The Red Storm fell to 6-5-2 and 6-3-1 in the PacWest. “We knew we could have done better in the first half,” DSU head coach Kacey Bingham said. “We felt our second-half performance was very strong.”
DSU had multiple chances midway in the second period, but best efforts on a Megan Marchbanks header and blast from Jennifer Mason were thwarted by great goalkeeping. Dixie State closes out its home season next Saturday, Oct. 26, with a league match against Point Loma at 9 a.m.

MEN’S GOLF
Hayden Christensen played to a sixth-place finish individually at the Otter Invitational on Tuesday at the par-72, 6,810-yard Black Horse Course. Host school and No. 8-ranked Cal State Monterey Bay shot the lowest round to cruise to a 27-stroke victory over No. 1-ranked Barry. Wilmington (889) finished in third place. Dixie State shot 919 and finished in 11th place. Kenny You shot the best round of the day for DSU, carding an even par 72 to finish +6 for the tourney and tied for 14th-place. Connor Van Gilder finished +24, Jesse Porch shot +25, and Cody Wass carded a +46. This is the final fall tournament for the Red Storm. They will next compete in the Pat Hicks Invite at Sunbrook in Feburary of 2014.

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