SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27. 1994
SECTION B
Iowa State blocking beats Kansas
Running back fills big shoes
Paul Kotz / KAN$AN
Kansas junior outside hitters Tracie Walt (left) and Jenny Larson attempt to block the spike of Iowa State outside hitter Stephanie McCannon at Allen Field House. Kansas lost last night's match in three games.
Oklahoma State player overcomes comparisons
By Matt Irwin
Kansan sportswriter
Had the Kansas football team been able to recruit the elite Kansas high
school football players during the mid-1980s, perhaps Kansas sophomore tailback June Henley would be following in the footsteps of National Football League great Barry Sanders
David Thompson
Instead, it is
The 4-3 Jayhawks will play the 3-3-1 Cowboys at 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
the Jayhawks' opponent this Saturday, Oklahoma State, that has a young running back who feels the pressure of following Sanders.
Despite the fact that Sanders last played for Oklahoma State in 1988, sophomore running back David Thompson said that he felt the pressure of building a rushing attack comparable with the Cowboys' attack during the 1980s.
"I kind of feel it sometimes, but I don't let it to me." Thompson said.
Sanders, who plays for the Detroit Lions, wasn't the only Cowboy running back that went on to a successful NFL career. Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas holds the Cowbys' career rushing record of 4,595 yards on 888 carries. Sanders is third on the career rushing list with 3,565 yards on 523 carries.
Thomas played for Oklahoma State from 1984 to 1987, and Sanders played for the Cowboys from 1986 to 1988.
Volleyball team starts close but can't get victory By Chesley Dohl
Kansan sportswriter
"Kansas is capable of a lot, and they showed that in their performance tonight," Nunez said. "They're a very scrappy team, but they go in spurs. They're very sporadic."
Kansas and Iowa State battled at the net in the second game, shutting down the opposing teams' hitting game. But in the end, the Cyclones outplayed the Jayhawks, turning in 10 blocks to Kansas' five.
Thompson said that the present Cowboys' running backs sometimes talked about building a rushing attack that would compare to the previous years.
Still, Kansas was persistent, coming back with kills and blocks to stay in the game.
"Personally, I felt like we would come back and win it," Kansas freshman setter Trisha Lindgren said. "We were especially pumped up for the third game."
Kansas proved its capabilities — at times — to a crowd of 197 in Allen Field House. But the performance was not consistent enough to keep up with the Cyclones.
The Kansas volleyball team came up short again last night, losing to Iowa State in three games, 15-7, 17-15, 15-12.
But the third game, Kansas again committed too many errors. The Jayhawks ended with 29 errors on the night to Iowa State's 14.
Kansas kept up with Iowa State in the first game. The score was 6-6 when Iowa State coach Jackie Nunez called a timeout to get her team back in sync as Kansas made a run.
"We've talked all year about this, and it's just a matter of time for us," Kansas coach Karen Schonewise said. "We have to take it one step at a time. It's frustrating for us. It's not something we can do in two steps."
Nunez said that Kansas tried using the block to shut down Iowa State's
iowa State wine match
15-7, 17-18, 15-12
'Thompson's career rushing statistics over two seasons are comparable to Sanders and Thomas in their first two seasons.
KANSAS(4-16.1-5)
Thompson has rushed for 1,128 yards on 248 attempts in 16 games compared to Sanders 928 yards on 179 attempts in 19 games. Thomas had 2,241 yards on 474 attempts in 22 games his first two seasons.
Player k e ta pct.
Kahler 6 4 17 .118
Purkeykeyle 12 7 34 .147
Wait 9 4 22 .127
Larson 5 5 30 .100
Lindgren 1 0 2 .500
Walsh 7 9 28 .-071
Izokaltis 0 0 1 .000
Wiedeke 0 0 0 .000
Totals 43 29 134 .104
Kansas freshman Brian Watts and sophomore Cord Criss race each other during practice. The Big Eight Championships will be this Saturday in Manhattan, Kan.
In the Cowboys last game, a 31-31 tie with Iowa State. Thompson tied his career high for yards in a game. He rushed for 154 yards on 27 carries.
"I don't think it's fair to compare him at this point in his career," said Tim Reynolds, Oklahoma State running backs coach. "He's behind only Thurman Thomas in terms of production."
"It was a little highlight of the season," Thompson said. "I should have put out like that a while back. I have more confidence in the offensive line now to just follow their blocks. They had a big day also. Everything fell into place."
IOWA STATE (16-6, 5-3)
Thompson's other 155 yard performance was in a 13-6 loss to Kansas last season in Stillwater, Oka.
Analyst Kansas 36 (Lindgren 36), Iowa State 45 (Law 42) Diga Kansas 60 (Lindger 13), Iowa State 55 (McCannon 13) Blocks 6, Iowa State 72 (McCannon 7) 1-3, Iowa State 2-1-6 (Fleece 2-4-3) Service access Kansas 9 (Watt 4), Iowa State 6 (Mucha 3) Attendance 197
"They were deflecting us well and getting a hand on it," Nunez said. "They shut down McCannon, but Kirstin hit very well for its tonight."
outside hitting duo, junior Stephanie McCannon, and Kirstin Hugdahl. The two led the Cyclones' offensive attack with 13 and 19 kills respectively.
[NBA WEEK 1 (10-8, P-3)]
Freshe 5 1 11 .364
Mucha 5 3 17 .118
McCannon 13 4 32 .281
Hugdahl 19 3 42 .381
Law 4 0 10 .400
Van Helden 3 3 11 .000
Green 0 0 2 .000
Mitchell 5 0 8 .625
Lee 0 0 0 .000
Totals 54 14 133 .301
Offensively for Kansas, freshman Leslie Purkeypile paced the Jayhawks with 12 kills. The Jayhawks defense was strong as four Kansas players recorded over 10 digs.
Junior outside hitter Jenny Larson, who turned in eight kills and 12 dugs, said it was a number of errors that caused Kansas the loss.
"We had a lot of letdwnns that caught up with us," she said. "They found our holes, and they hit them. It's all the little things right now that are holding us back."
Runners to take on Big Eight
By Kent Hohlfeld
Kansan sportswriter
The No. 25 Kansas cross country team hopes to return to its winning tradition this
weekend in the men's Big Eight Conference cross country meet in Manhattan, Kan.
Kansas used to dominate the league cross country meet, winning 19 titles. However, the Jayhawks last clinched one in 1969
Colorado is the only team besides the Cyclones to capture a title since 1981, winning the meet four times.
Prior to 1981, no other team had been able to match that prolonged level of success.
But Iowa State, led by coach Bill Bergan,
has won nine titles in the past 13 years. The
Cyclones are favored to add to their 12
league titles at this weekend's meet.
The Cyclones appear loaded again this year, according to league coaches, and are No.4 in the nation.
"They're the best team in the country," said Jerry Quiller, Colorado head coach. "Our guys will run their hardest race, and we'll be doing good to come in third."
Iowa State had won only three league titles prior to 1981, two of which came in 1930 and 1931 when the league was known as the Big Six. The Jayhawks still lead the all-time title count with 19 conference crowns.
The biggest difference Bergan brought to the Cyclones was a philosophy of recruiting international athletes. Those athletes have helped turn Iowa State into a national power.
Kansas coach Gary Schwartz said that the strength of the conference would make it tougher for Iowa State to walk away with this year's title.
"In the past it has been a race for second," Schwartz said. "The conference has the deepest quality that I've seen."
Kansas senior co-captain David Johnston said he was optimistic about Kansas's shot at dethroning the Cyclones.
"I think we will finish in the top division," Johnston said. "That could mean anywhere from first to fourth."
A top division finish would be a significant improvement from last year's performance, when the Jayhawks came in last. Johnston and senior Michael Cox, Kansas' top two runners, both sat out last season to save a year of eligibility for this year.
"Last year was such a disaster that we know we're better than that." Johnston said.
He said that injuries, along with the fact that he and Cox did not run, made last season's meet a fluke. The most significant injury for this year's team was to Bryan Schultz, who is suffering from a strained back.
"He hasn't run most of the week," Johnston said. "That's significant because he's our third-best runner."
The Cowboys finished third in the league meet last season and 16th at the NCAA meet. Quiller said he thought the Cowboys were good enough to finish second this season.
"They've decimated the opponents we have in common," he said. "They have one of the best hidden teams in this league."
Johnston said it was important to do well in the league meet because it was the one meet in which they faced every Big Eight team.
"The Big Eight meet is like having the entire football season wrapped up in one day, so it's big," he said.
BRIEF
Swim and dive team heads to invitational
Kansan staff report
The women will swim in a duel against Colorado State tonight. In last year's meet, the Jahayhaws swam laps around the Rams, winning 188-112 in Robinson Natatorium.
Tonight's duel could prove to be more of a test for Kansas. In the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Preseason Poll, the Kansas women are ranked 24th nationally, while Colorado State is ranked 17th.
The Kansas swimming and diving team hits the road for the first time today.
The team travels to Fort Collins, Colo., for three days of competition. This marks the first stop of a sixmeet road swing.
The men's squad will join the women tomorrow for a two-day meet.
'Sky's the limit' for tennis duo of Isroff, Slattery
The Rams' women squad ended last year with a 12th place finish in the NCAA Championships.
Doubles tournament champions credit chemistry for winning ways
By Jenni Carlson Kansan sportswriter
As members of the Kansas men's tennis team, Isroff and Slattery have played doubles together for two years. On Monday, they won the doubles region at the Rolex Region V Championship in Wichita and qualified for the Rolex National Indoor Championship next spring in Dallas.
Juniors Michael Isroff and Reid Slattery are so happy together.
"To win it was their goal," said Michael Center, Kansas
To win it was their goal, said Michael Carter, his men's tennis coach. "They believed they deserved to win." Center said the key to the team's success was not a secret.
Slattery said he thought he and Ieroff were alike in a number of ways.
"Chemistry is the most important thing." he said.
"I think we have more similarities than differences," he said.
Playing doubles together plus their similarities has created a close relationship. Isroff said
In addition to the chemistry that doubles teams need to
Isrof said on area that Slattery specialized in was the service game. Being physically tall and muscular, Slattery serves the ball fast and hard;
succeed, Center said, players must pick up weak facets of their partner's game. For example, teams should be able to return the ball well from both sides of the court.
"He has a big serve," Isroff said. "We can always kind of bank on that."
Knowing the other player's tenden
Michael Ieroff
cles and disposition also is important to the success of the team. Slattery said.
"We understand each other pretty well," he said. "We communicate well."
Even with the success Isroff and Slattery have had in the past, neither player competed in doubles extensively before coming to Kansas. Both played some doubles in high school and in junior tournaments.
"I've never really worked on it as much as after I came here," Isroff said.
With all the work they have done, Slattery said, doubles play is the area he has made the most improvements.
"Just by playing good teams, it helps you get a lot better," he said. "It's really good to see and play against top teams."
Those improvements led to the team qualifying for the NCAA Championships last spring. Even with a tournament-ending loss, Isroff said, the team learned and grew.
After their Monday victory, Isroff and Slattery are focusing on finetuning their play. Slattery said that he hoped to improve his volleying
Reld Slattery
and movement on the court but that his changes would not be big.
"At a certain point in your game, there's no major improvements you can make," he said.
Even though they are having fun playing doubles, Isroff and Slattery set a goal early in the season to gain All-American status.
Center said if the team continued to improve its game and become more consistent, the goal of becoming All-Americans could be within reach.
"If they continue, those things will happen," Center said "The sky's the limit."