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MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2005
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3B
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BY KELLY REYNOLDS
kreynolds@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
The Missouri swimming and diving team came of Lawrence this weekend and like its football and soccer counterparts, it left a loser.
The Kansas swimming and diving team defeated No. 20 Missouri 175-125 on Friday night in Robinson Natatorium.
Kansas last defeated Missouri six years ago.
The victory moved the team to 2-1 in dual meet competition and 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference.
The early conference victory is an indication of the progress the team has made since the 2004-2005 season. Last year, the Jayhawks went 1-5 in the conference.
The only conference victory was at the end of the season, against Iowa State.
"We take the rivalry just as serious as every other team."
Kansas swimming coach Clark Campbell said. "The past few years, we haven't held our end of the deal."
Defeating a ranked team allowed the Jayhawks to see how good they really were, senior co-captain Gina Gnatzig said.
Although Friday's victory boosted team morale, Gnatzig remained humble on her outlook for the rest of the season.
"Since we beat Missouri, people will now come after us," Gnatzig said. "Yes, it was a win, but it's not going to be easy."
"Last year, we started doing really well halfway through the season at the North Carolina Invite," Gnatzig said.
Gnatzig said having a quicker start to the season would give the team ample time to make improvements.
"It was just so exciting to beat them. We haven't beaten them since I've been here, and to do it in my final year is great," she
Fast times highlighted the layhawks victory.
said of Missouri.
Freshman Ashley Leidigh shattered the Robinson pool record by a half of a second in the 100-yard butterfly finishing with a time of 55.00 seconds. The old record was 55.52 seconds. Leidigh had one of the top times in the nation in the butterfly event, Gnatzig said.
In addition to breaking the pool record in the 100-yard butterfly, Leidigh captured first place in the 200-yard butterfly and the 100-yard freestyle. She was also a member of the first place 400-yard freestyle relay team alongside Gnatzig, sophomore Terri Schramka and freshman Molly Brammer.
"Ashley really broke through to a whole new performance level," Campbell said. "You have things that are momentum changers, and her butterfly race that took place in the first third of the meet
really electrified the team and fans."
Shanna Bradbury and Danielle Hermann also represented the freshman class. They swam in the 200-yard individual medley and both breaststroke events. Bradbury placed first in the IM. Hermann captured first in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard breaststroke. Schramka picked up a victory in the 200-yard backstroke
Other standout swims included victories by Gnatzig in the 200-yard freestyle and Jenny Short in the 100-yard backstroke.
The Jayhawks will meet Iowa and Missouri State in a doubledual meet on Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. in the Robinson Natatorium.
"We need to swim with the same enthusiasm and energy as we did with Missouri," Campbell said. "If we can beat Iowa, there's a good chance we will be a top 25 team."
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
KU freshman swimmer Danielle Herrmann takes a breath during the 200-yard breaststroke Friday night in the Robinson Natatorium. Herrmann won the race with a time of 2:21.75. She also won the 100-yard breaststroke and helped the swimming and diving team defeat Missouri 175-125.
- Edited by Jonathan Kealing
ROWING
Rowers take fifth in four boat
BY KRISTEN JARBOE
kjarboe@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
For Kansas rower Jelayna Da Silva, getting an extra hour of sleep because of daylight-saving time on Sunday morning didn't matter.
She was awake at 4 a.m., ready to row at the Head of the Iowa regatta.
The Kansas varsity women's four boat, which has four women in a boat, finished second in the regatta from Iowa City, Iowa.
"We had really good teamwork in this race," Da Silva said. "We've been working a lot on our technique and fitness, and it all came together in this race."
Rowers Jennifer Ebel and Kris Lazar competed in the women's four boat with Da Silva.
"I think we're in good shape this year and that makes a difference," Lazar said. "It's encouraging to see for the spring season. We're looking very strong."
strong.
But top-ranked teams such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa were more of an issue in the women's varsity eight. Minnesota took first place, Wisconsin, which entered two boats, took second and third and Iowa took fourth place.
Kansas finished fifth, but only half-second behind Iowa. All three teams were ranked in the top 20 last year.
Other results for Kansas included fourth, fifth and sixth
places in the women's open, with sophomore Tiffany Jeffers taking third.
Kansas rowing coach Rob Catloth said he was pleased with the rowers' performances.
Kansas will travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., next weekend to compete in the Head of the Hooch regatta.
"They're rowing three twoand-a-half mile races in a day and performing very well."
"The varsity eight is typically our main focus, so we'll be working on that this week," Da Silva said. "And almost everyone on varsity will be rowing in a single so we'll be looking at that as well. But we're always looking to come away with a win."
and fitness is always something the women work on in practice and in competition.
"It's the little things we do to improve that make a big difference out on the water," Ebel said. "We just always go out to row the race the best we can."
The Head of the Hooch will have several teams Kansas typically does not see, such as Tennessee, so it will be a good opportunity to see how it measures up against the competition.
"We have to keep improving and improving," Lazar said. "There's no doubt our team likes racing, so it'll be good to get out there and see how we compare to our competition."
Edited by Nate Karlin
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
MANHATTAN — Kansas State already knew its Big 12 North title hopes were between slim and none.
Saturday's 23-20 loss to Colorado, which lifted the Buffaloes to a No. 25 ranking and gave them sole possession of the division lead, also eliminated Kansas State from contention. But the Wildcats can still salvage a bowl bid with two wins in their last three games, and they insist they can do it.
Loss ends Wildcats hope of North title
Now, as the old one-liner goes, slim has left town.
tion. "We only need two wins in our next three games, so we'll come back. We'll come back ready to practice on Monday."
"It's tough. The locker room is down, but we know we've still got a chance to make it to a bowl game," safety Marcus Watts said after Saturday's 23-20 loss to Colorado eliminated the Wildcats from North conten-
it won't be easy, though. Kansas State (4-4, 1-4), which has lost three straight, sits in fifth place in the six-team division, ahead of only Kansas.
The Wildcats have already played the Jayhawks, meaning their last three games will come against teams ahead of them in the standings - and gunning for bowl berths of their own.
Kansas State plays this weekend at Iowa State, which is coming off a 42-14 rout of Texas A&M.M The Wildcats go to Nebraska after that, then close out the regular season at home against Missouri.
"The spirit on this team, the effort, the improvement is still there," linebacker Brandon Archer said. "I believe we can pull out two wins"
The Associated Press
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