Gorillas off to winning start

Tyler Smith – Collegio Sports Reporter The PSU volleyball team started its season hot last weekend, earning four big wins at the Pittsburg State Classic. The women beat Illinois-Springfield, Northwestern State University (Okla.), Bemidji State (Minn.) and William Jewell. They also managed to win all but one set during the four-match tournament. Sophomore Paula Okrutna had an outstanding performance in both matches on the first day, earning 10 kills with only one error on 21 attempts against Illinois-Springfield. Freshman Crystal Whitten added nine kills while junior Christa McCaw finished with a team-high 11 digs. Okrutna also tied with Chloe Foster for the team lead in blocks with four. Okrutna says she was pleased with the…

No bucking for the Bronchos

Trent Johnson | Collegio Sports Reporter The Gorillas opened 2012 with a convincing 41-20 victory over the Northeastern State Riverhawks last Thursday, dominating the MIAA newcomers from Tahlequah, Okla., in virtually every aspect of the game. This week will be the first of five games at Carnie Smith Stadium for the Gorillas, as they will face the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos. The last time these two teams met was the 2010 season opener. That game was a close one, but the Gorillas escaped Edmond with a 31-20 victory. The score this Saturday will not be that close. If you picked up the season preview, then you saw that the Bronchos’ projected record is 1-9….

New coach helps inspire golf team

Garett McCullough |Sports Editor The Pittsburg State University golf team has long been an afterthought in the minds of PSU fans, but Fletcher Harder believes this is the year the team takes a leap forward, beginning with the Missouri Intercollegiate Championship on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Senior Harder came into the season after watching the entire 2011-2012 season from behind the ropes with a knee injury. The knee may have kept him off the course, but he is back and ready to help his team compete. Harder’s determination is aided by the new head coach, Todd Loveland. Loveland’s full focus is on golf, compared to the previous coach, Matt Brock, who also was an assistant basketball…

New year, new court

Wiping the slate clean for 2012 Jessica Sewing | Collegio Reporter With a new court, the PSU women’s volleyball team sees an opportunity to re-establish the program. The new court took three months to complete and was funded solely by donations from PSU alumni Allan and Roberta Wetzel. Before the remodel, the volleyball and basketball court in the Weede had an indoor track surface with a wooden area in the center for games. Now the entire gym has new hardwood floors, which gives the team more practice space. “A project of this magnitude to be in the completion phase within a three-month window has been incredible,” said Ibraheem Suberu, head volleyball coach. According to Suberu,…