PRESS & DAKOTAN ■ TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014 PAGE 9

strength," he said. "Wescored a lot more goals lastyear than we did the year be-fore. Our offense will be eventougher than the year be-fore."

In order to reach the post-season, the Lancers knowthey have to pick it up on thedefensive side of the ball.

"We didn't match up welldefensively," Epp said. "We'vegot those guys back and wewill see a great improvementfrom last season."

Epp feels Mount Martyhas the talent, but wants tofind his team's motivationthroughout the season.

"Our goal needs to bemaking it to the GPAC tourna-ment for the first time," hesaid. "We have the talent todo it, we just need to keepeveryone healthy and to staymotivated."

The Mount Marty Lancersopen their season today atYork College at 6 p.m.

You can follow Nick Robin-son on Twitter attwitter.com/RobinsoNick2013.Discuss this story atwww.yankton.net.

MenFrom Page 7

what their capability is."Epp is impressed with the

level of talent on the field forthe Lancers so far.

"We have some of themore talented soccer playerswe have had," he said. "Eventhe subs are better. The girlson the bench have the abilityto get in there and perform."

Consistency with newplayers will be the key, if theLancers want to make it back-

to-back appearances in theGPAC playoffs.

"We will need to be moreconsistent in the beginning ofthe season," Epp said. "If wecan build some momentumthroughout the season, it willhelp us in the long haul."

Mount Marty will travel toYork College today for theirseason opener. Game-time isset for 4p.m.

You can follow Nick Robin-son on Twitter attwitter.com/RobinsoNick2013.Discuss this story atwww.yankton.net

WomenFrom Page 7

“Her experience is huge, interms of understanding the(Great Plains Athletic Confer-ence), understanding the paceof the league and what we haveto fight through to win thosegames,” Climer said. “It’s alsonice that we have a sophomoresetter and three freshman set-ters coming in this year, andthey can learn from her.”

Sophomore Amber Dysthe(119 assists, 41 digs, 8 blocks),a former Parker standout, sawtime at setter last seasonwhen Illg was injured. Fresh-man setter Lindsey Jaxien(Platte Center, Nebraska) isalso on the varsity roster. Twoother freshmen setters, Mor-gan Hay (Parker) and GabbySwanson (Wausa, Nebraska),will open the season on thejunior varsity.

Besides having a veteransetter, the Lancers boast asolid offensive attack. Five ofthe team’s top six hitters re-turn from last season: Boyle,Groseth, junior Bailey Kuchta(242 kills, 210 digs, 27 blocks,20 ace serves) and sopho-mores Allison Cross (190 kills,74 blocks) and Sierra Kloth(131 kills, 46 digs).

“Laura, Bailey and Sierra allhave experience on the out-side,” Climer said. “In the mid-dle, Allison led us in hittingpercentage (.228) last year,and we have Jena back. It’s awell-rounded group that alsohas depth.”

Miller returns at libero forthe Lancers, who also returnjuniors BreAnne Thege (155digs) and Kayla Jones, andsophomores Sam Bischoff (43digs) and Kesley Abbey (41digs) in the back.

Sophomore Haley Hohn-Donat (16 kills, 5 blocks), whosaw limited time last season,and freshman Adriel Hoflen(OH, Elk Horn, Iowa) will also

dress varsity to open the sea-son, as will freshman defen-sive specialist Taylor Murtha(Sioux Falls).

The Lancers also have sev-eral talented individuals whowill begin the season on the JVroster. Battles for every var-sity spot have been spirited,according to Illg.

“The girls are just playinglike crazy,” she said. “It’s dogeat dog every time we’re outon the court.”

Climer noticed the im-proved overall talent of thefull squad on the first day ofpractice.

“On day one we mixedeveryone up, and it was amaz-ing how well everyone playedtogether,” she said. “I’m confi-dent enough to put the nextperson in, and that hasn’t al-ways been the case.”

The Lancers finished 13-20a year ago, 2-14 in the GPAC.The mark was one victory shyof the most for a Lancer squadin the GPAC era (14-21 in2008).

MMC was picked 10th inthe poll for a second straightyear, but their goals arehigher.

“Northwestern is our firstconference home game, and Icouldn’t be more thrilled,”said Climer, referring to thedefending league champs,picked first in this year’s pre-season poll. “We need to focuson playing our game, and lastyear we started to do thatmore. We can’t worry aboutwho our opponent is.”

The Lancers have oneGPAC Tournament appearancein school history, in 2000 —the first year of the league.MMC is determined to endthat drought this season.

“Our main goal is the con-ference tournament,” Millersaid. “For that to happen, weall have to focus and stay to-gether as a team.”

You can follow James D.Cimburek on Twitter attwitter.com/JCimburek. Discussthis story at www.yankton.net

LancersFrom Page 7

Vikings Name Cassel As Starting QBEDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)

— Matt Cassel has seen a lotin 10 years in the NFL, includ-ing by his count seven differ-ent offensive coordinators inhis last six seasons in theleague.

So when Cassel re-signedwith the Minnesota Vikings inthe offseason and started todigest Norv Turner’s new sys-tem, he knew he’d have towork harder and study longerthan he ever had before towin the starting job.

Mission accomplished. Cassel was named the

starting quarterback overfirst-round draft pick TeddyBridgewater on Monday forthe regular season openeragainst the St. Louis Rams, anachievement that resonatedwith a player who hasevolved from no-name rookieto backup sensation to em-battled starter and then to ajourneyman veteran scratch-ing and clawing to get an-other shot.

“I’ve been through a lot inmy career,” Cassel said. “I’vebeen through the ups, I’vebeen through the downs. I’vebeen through the highs andthe lows. At this point noth-ing really surprises me in mycareer. Because of those (ex-periences), it callouses youto a few different situationsthat as a younger player Imight not have taken it aswell.”

One of those situationshappened last year in Min-nesota, when Cassel out-played Christian Ponder andJosh Freeman during the sea-son, but wound up startingonly six games during a mis-erable 5-10-1 season. TheVikings fired coach Leslie Fra-zier and the rest of the staffafter the season, hired MikeZimmer and Turner to turnthings around and broughtCassel back to bring somestability to the position.

Cassel has been sharpwhile starting all three pre-season games. He has com-pleted more than 66 percentof his passes for 367 yardswith two touchdowns andone interception.

“Matt did not do anythingto lose the job this presea-son,” Zimmer said. “I thinkhe’s played great. The teamhas a lot of confidence inhim. They feel good about hisveteran leadership and pres-ence.”

The Vikings traded backinto the first round on draftnight to get Bridgewater withthe 32nd pick and havepegged him as the long-termanswer for the team’s unset-tled quarterback spot. After

an understandably up-and-down preseason opener,Bridgewater has played wellin the last two games. In allthree games, Bridgewater is26 of 40 for 266 yards, fourtouchdowns and no intercep-tions while getting most ofhis action with the backupsand has impressed with hisunflappable demeanor andlow-key presence.

“I told Teddy this morningthat I’m so happy he’s herewith us,” Zimmer said. “I’mglad he’s the guy we picked.I’ve loved everything thathe’s done. It wasn’t anythingthat Teddy did or didn’t do.Teddy will be, still in my esti-mation, a great player for thisfranchise for years to come.”

Bridgewater took thenews in stride, saying he waslooking forward to learningfrom Cassel, continuing to re-fine his understanding of theoffense while staying ready ifhe’s needed at any point thisseason.

“When camp first started,I just wanted to learn asmuch as I could and try toget better each and everyday, try not to make the samemistakes twice,” Bridgewatersaid. “So I take my hat off toMatt. He’s been playing greatthis preseason. I’m just goingto continue to learn underhim.”

In his first season as a

head coach, Zimmer wasasked if Cassel was hisstarter for the entire seasonor if there was a chance forBridgewater to see time atsome point in his rookie year.

“We will hold the quarter-back position to the exactsame expectations as we doevery other position. If youperform, you play. If youdon’t perform, then the nextguy will get an opportunity atsome point. And when we de-cide to do that, we sit downand discuss it.

“That position, just likethe outside linebacker spot,we have an expectation ofperformance and as long as

those guys perform, theyplay.”

NOTES: The Vikings an-nounced their first round ofcuts on Monday. Safety MistralRaymond was waived/ injuredwith a leg injury after threeseasons with the team. Theother cuts were: CBs DerekCox and Robert Steeples, WRsAndy Cruse, Kamar Jordan, TyWalker and Erik Lora, tacklesPierce Burton and Kevin Mur-phy, DLs Kheeston Randall,Tyler Scott and Jake Snyder,TE Kory Sperry and S BrandanBishop. ... TE Chase Ford wasactivated from the physicallyunable to perform list.

DAVID EULITT/KANSAS CITY STAR/MCTKansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Jaye Howard (96) strips the ball out of the hands of MinnesotaVikings quarterback Matt Cassel (16) for a first-quarter safety in preseason action on Saturday inKansas City, Mo. The Vikings won, 30-12.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —Derek Jeter drove in two runsin his final scheduled trip toKauffman Stadium, backing asharp outing from MichaelPineda and helping the NewYork Yankees beat the KansasCity Royals 6-1 on Mondaynight for their fifth straightwin.

Jacoby Ellsbury drove in arun in the seventh inning withthe 1,000th hit of his career,then added a two-run homerin the ninth. Stephen Drewand Martin Prado also home-red for New York.

Pineda (3-2) gave up a soloshot to Mike Moustakas lead-ing off the third inning, butthat was about it in his thirdgame back from the disabled

list. Pineda struck out fivewithout a walk in 6 1-3 inningsto win for the first time sincebeating the Cubs on April 16.

James Shields (12-7) al-lowed six runs over 6 2-3 in-nings for Kansas City.

The game was a makeup ofa rainout in June. And if you'rewilling to count it as a true se-ries, it would be the first timein their last 11 that the Royalshave dropped one.

Jeter, who is retiring afterthe season, answered a stand-ing ovation as he stepped tothe plate in the third inningwith a groundout to shortstopthat gave New York a 1-0 lead.

Moustakas tied the gamewith his 15th homer in thebottom half.

Yankees Rout Royals 8-1