2005
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2005
Berk football
SOCCER
Maintaining momentum
The Kansas soccer team won't have a fall break this year.
Jayhawks fourth in Big 12
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
abauer.SPORTWRITER
"Once you realize what you're capable of doing, I think it's just an open door now for us to improve and get better," said Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis.
This weekend the Jayhawks will travel to Lubbock, Texas, and Boulder, Colo., with momentum on their side. Kansas will face Texas Tech at 7 p.m. on Friday and Colorado at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The performances raised Kansas from eighth place to fourth place in Big 12 Conference standings.
The momentum came from home victories against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma last weekend.
The Red Raiders are last in the Big 12 and have not won a match since August, when they topped Sam Houston State, 3-2, in overtime.
Kansas (7-5-2, 3-2-1 Big 12)
will look to add to Texas Tech's
10-game losing skid (1-12-0,
0-4-0 Big 12).
"In the conference, any game is tough, especially on the road," Francis said. "We have to address the game the same way, regardless of who we are playing."
The Red Raiders have not scored in their last four matches and were outscored 14-0 in that span.
Texas shut them out in a 6-0 defeat last Sunday. The Red Raiders had two shots on goal in the game.
Texas Tech forward Kimmie Davis leads the team in goals.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3R
six, and points, 13.
Kansas will face Colorado (7-5-2, 3-2-0 Big 12) on Sunday.
The Buffaloes are coming off of a weekend sweep of their own, shutting out Northern Colorado on Sunday. 3-0, and Texas, 2-0, last Friday.
Kansan file photo
Colorado is in sixth place in the Conference.
"With the conference being so close, I don't think anyone can afford to give up any points," Francis said. "We only have four conference games left. We have to go out and win them all."
Kansas will look to the recent play of senior forward Jessica Smith to hold off Texas Tech and Colorado.
Colorado midfielder Fran Munnelly lit up the field last weekend, knocking in a goal against Texas before adding a pair of them against Northern Colorado.
Munnelly leads the Buffaloes with eight goals for 19 points.
Smith scored four goals last weekend,including her first career hat trick against Oklahoma State.
She was named Big 12 Conference offensive player of the week for her performance.
Smith said. "We're confident in that."
"We're looking forward to coming out this weekend and winning both games,"
Freshman keeper Julie Hanley will likely be in goal after posting a 3-0 record and a .81 GAA. Hanley has allowed three goals and has saved 14.
"I think Julie did very well this weekend," Francis said. "She'll continue to play right now."
Senior forward Jessica Smith makes a move during the game against Texas A&M earlier this season. Smith was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after scoring four goals during the weekend against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. The soccer team travels to Lubbock, Texas, to battle Texas Tech at 7 p.m. Friday.
Edited by Becca Evanhoe
WOMEN'S GOLF
Last year's champs fall to sixth overall
Kansas won the tournament last year at Alvamar Golf and Country Club.
The Jayhawks, with a team score of 923, were paced by junior Amanda Costner, who finished sixth overall with a three-round score of 220. Costner has now finished in the top 10 in all three tournaments this year.
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Senior Chelsey Pryor, who won the Battle at the Lake tournament in Tulsa, Oklaw., on Oct. 4, finished 25th overall in Manhattan. Sophomore Annie Giangrosso, senior Meredith Winkelmann and junior Jill Womble finished 33rd, 43rd and 48th, respectively.
The Kansas women's golf team finished sixth overall at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational Tuesday in Manhattan
On Monday, the Jayhawks shot an unimpressive team score of 315 in the first round, but bounced back with 297 in the second round.
TCU won this year's tournament with an 869 three-round total. All five of the Horned Frogs' golfers placed in the top ten individually.
"We didn't play very smart golf in the first round, but the second round was much better." Kansas coach Erin O'Neil said.
At the start of the third round yesterday, Kansas was in fifth place — well behind Oral Roberts, the fourth place team. The Jayhawks shot a score of 311, dropping beneath Missouri State in the standings.
Nebraska, Kansas State, Oral Roberts, and Missouri State rounded out the top five after TCU.
Kansas State's Helene Robert took home the individual championship after beating Nebraska's Stephanie Ruiz in two playoff holes.
Kansas will hit the fairways next at the Lady Razorback Invitational on Sunday in Fayetteville, Ark.
Edited by Katie Lohrenz
Cardinals player uses break to nurse injuries
ST. LOUIS — The extra day the St. Louis Cardinals have had between playoff series has been a much-needed break for Larry Walker. The 38-year-old right fielder was hit by a pitch on his right knee in Game 6 of the division series sweep of the Padres and needed therapy to reduce swelling in time for the NLCS rematch against the Houston Astros that begins tonight.
Walker said getting plunked in the knee by Woody Williams in the second inning was much worse than the nasty-looking spill he took over a railing while chasing a foul ball later in the game. It's the latest injury for Walker, who has received four
cortisone shots this season for a herniated disc in his neck.
MLB
"Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to play yesterday with my knee," Walker said. Walker had no explanation for his head-over-heels tumble over the waist-high railing, after it appeared he had stopped.
"I don't know what that was about," he said. "I apologize for that, but it was a perfect landing. Nothing went wrong."
Walker is enjoying his second straight postseason appearance with the Cardinals after making it only once in his first 14 seasons. The Cardinals acquired him in August 2004.
The Associated Press