SPORTS
4R THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2005
Jayhawks
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Nebraska (11-5-1, 5-2-1 Big 12) and Texas Tech (1-16-0, 0-8-0 Big 12) are the only teams left with Big 12 games remaining.
The pair's original match-up was canceled because of Hurricane Rita earlier this season and was rescheduled for Sunday.
Let the ifs begin.
If Nebraska beats Texas Tech, but loses to Iowa State (10-5-3, 5-3-1 Big 12) and Texas A&M loses to Baylor then the two teams are in place to share the conference title. But only if Kansas loses to Missouri and Colorado (9-6-3, 5-3-1 Big 12) falls to Texas Tech on Friday.
Kansas is not to be counted out, however. It could share in the Big 12 champion spot if Nebraska downs Iowa State and Colorado and Texas A&M each lose. Five Big 12 Co-Champions would result.
"It's frustrating because of all of the games earlier in the season," Francis said. "If we had done a better job with those games we could've won the conference outright."
"As many starters as we lost last year, that says a lot about our improvement this year."
Mark Francis Kansas Soccer Coach
At least Kansas is a lock for the Big 12 Tournament. Even a loss at home to the Tigers can't keep the Jayhawks from San Antonio, Texas. The conference's top eight teams play in the post season tournament every year.
After sharing the Big 12 Championship role last year, Francis didn't exactly see his team needing to claw its way through the end of the season to ensure making the tournament.
"As many starters as we lost last year, that says a lot about our improvement this year," Francis said.
— Edited by Jayme Wiley
Volleyball
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Texas leads all Big 12 Conference teams with 1.77 service aces per game.Kansas is third with 1.67.
Bechard said he liked the way his team matched up against Texas and needed to take advantage of it.
"It's a team we compared very
Sophomore setter Michelle Moriarty runs the Longhorns' attack. She is third in the Big 12 in assists per game. Kansas counters with Rozum, who is right behind her in fourth.
Kansas' next two matches are at home. After facing Texas, Colorado will come to town. The Jayhawks beat the Buffaloes in Boulder, Colo., earlier this year, so the week ahead could decide their chances of playing in December.
favorably with," he said. "At this point in the year there's nothing for us to hold back. We've got to win close games and win a match."
"Any time you can add a win against a ranked team like Texas, that gives you bonus points toward the postseason," Bechard said.
— Edited by Anne Burgard
"As long as we take care of what we can do, we can't control anyone else," he said.
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Soccer
Entering the match off of a weekend sweep, Kansas has a slight advantage over a Missouri team that split the weekend.
Caroline Smith leads her offense with seven goals and seven assists. The forward needs just one goal to hit the 50-career goal mark. She already ranks as the No. 5 all-time Big 12 scorer.
Fellow senior forward Karfonta can take her hot streak out on the Tigers this afternoon. Karfonta knocked in both game winners last weekend.
Fans line the street to welcome home the Chicago White Sox after their arrival at Chicago's Midway Airport on Thursday, following their World Series victory against the Houston Astros.
Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, Julie Hanley, will likely start in goal for Kansas. Her .81 GAA is currently the best on the team.
"With Julie, she has gained more confidence with every game that she's played," Francis said. "She knows we have confidence in her."
Friday night proves to be the Jayhawks' favorite as the squad has not dropped a Friday game all season, going 7-0-1.
Freshman goalkeeper and
No doubt, Missouri is coming in looking to change that on the eve of the other futbol border war.
Senior day, complete with border war and halftime Halloween costume contest, kicks off at 2:30 p.m.
- Edited by Jayme Wiley
MLB
M. Spencer Green/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY MIKE FITZPATRICK
White Sox clinch victory, 1-0
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Wearing a wide, satisfied smile on a face flushed with pride, Ozzie Guillen stood off to the side by the third base line and simply watched his White Sox rejoice in the middle of the field.
Chicago's exuberant young manager might have enjoyed sprinting toward that cluster of jubilant players and leaping right into the fray.
He passed.
But don't think for a moment he didn't relish this long-overdue championship as much as every die-hard fan on the South Side.
"People thought I was going to be jumping around my players. I have to respect the opposite team," the 41-year-old Guillen said. "It went through my mind to say, 'I'm so glad to see my boys, my players jumping back and forth and celebrating this.' Because it was an amazing feeling seeing them like little kids."
CHICAGO completed a World Series sweep with a 1-0 victory against the Houston Astros Wednesday night, becoming the second consecutive set of Sox to end a title drought dating back to World War I.
Maybe the crosstown Cubs are next. For now, the White Sox rule the Windy City.
Their first title in 88 years didn't come easily, even in a
four-game sweep. The White Sox had to scratch and claw for every win this year, and October was no different.
That's what makes their dominant run through the postseason so remarkable. With stellar pitching, solid defense, timely hitting — and some help from
"We went to Boston, and then we went to Anaheim," Guillen said.
ship since 1918.
ship since 1903.
Chicago hadn't won it all since 1917, and hadn't reached the Series since '59. But thanks to MVP Jermaine Dye, slugger Paul Konerko and the rest, the White Sox will no longer be remembered for Shoeless Joe Jackson's Black Sox, who threw
Chicago completed a World Series sweep with a 1-0 victory against the Houston Astros Wednesday night, becoming the second consecutive set of Sox to end a title drought dating back to World War I.
"I told my players the last 11 games we have to win are the toughest ones."
Going back to the regular season, the White Sox won 16 of their final 17 games. They nearly squandered a 15 1/2-game lead in the AL Central before holding off Cleveland down the stretch, but that seems like a long time ago.
"They were calling us chokers, now they can call us champions," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.
It's the same story as last year, when the Red Sox swept St. Louis for their first champion-
the 1919 Series against Cincinnati.
Now one team remains with a similar streak of full-
And another parallel is striking: Boston won its final eight games in the 2004 post-season, just as the White Sox did this year.
ity — and it's even longer. The Cubs have come up empty since 1908.
"The instant the Red Sox won last year, I thought maybe we're next," said White Sox owner Jerry Reindsor, posing with the trophy, cigar in mouth.
For the Astros, who captured their first pennant after 44 seasons in the National League, it was a difficult defeat to swallow. They were outscored by six runs, matching the New York Yankees' 1950 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies for the smallest margin in a Series sweep.
went the other way," said Houston's Craig Biggio, who reached the Fall Classic for the first time in his 18-year career. "I think it was more destiny for these guys than it was for us."
Now, Houston will hold its breath, waiting to see if 43-year-old Roger Clemens will put off retirement again for a chance at another run.
"All these games could've
The Series clincher was a typical win for the White Sox, with little-known players making key plays and maintaining their poise throughout.
Willie Harris came off the bench for a pinch-hit single against Brad Lidge in the eighth and scored the lone run on Dye's two-out single. Shortstop Juan Uribe made three outstanding plays on defense in the final two innings to preserve the lead, including a tumbling catch into the stands.
And again, they did it on the road. Baseball's best road team during the regular season, the White Sox wrapped up the division title in Detroit, then went 6-0 in the postseason outside Chicago and clinched three series away from home.
When it ended, Guillen, who agonized over losses this year, finally got to exhale.
“That’s the first time in my life my heart was pounding like crazy,” he said. “I was so excited. I said, ‘When this moment going to happen, a lot of people are waiting for this moment.’”
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