6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2007
CLUB SPORTS
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The women's club soccer team practices during a weekday evening. Both the women's team and men's club soccer team traveled this week to Pensacola, Fla., for the national club soccer tournament. The tournament begins Thursday and will last through Sunday.
Teams head to national tournament with senior leadership, motivation
BY EMILY MUSKIN emuskin@kansan.com
emuskin@kansan.com
Almost 1,000 miles stands between the University of Kansas club soccer teams and the national tournament. The men's team opted to drive the 15 1/2 hours to Pensacola, Fla., and left Tuesday, while the women's team took a plane there Wednesday. The modes of transportation differ, but the two teams share a goal: to win the national club soccer tournament.
The tournament gives the men's team an opportunity to avenge a loss in last year's championship game. The women's team sees the national tournament as a payoff for all of the its hard work during the season.
The tournament is particularly important to the senior players for each team because it will end their four-year participation in club soccer at the University.
Katie Feeley, Chicago senior and member of the women's team, and Casey Aull, Libertyville, Ill., senior and member of the men's team, will be playing in their final national tournament. The two players have led their teams in four national tournaments, and
they both said they hoped their last tournament would be a fitting end to their college soccer careers.
The men's team heads into the national tournament with a 7-4-2 record, and the women's team is 13-2-0. The tournament
is Thursday t hroug h Sunday, and the teams will compete against about 80 other teams from around the country.
In the past three years, the club teams have attended national tournaments in Texas, Alabama and Arizona. Members of both teams described the national tournaments as the highlight of their seasons.
KU soccer memories was cheering for the men's team last year in the national tournament finals.
This year marks the seventh consecutive national tournament appearance for both club teams.
Sierra Winter, Manhattan,
Kan., junior, said that everyone
The teams are guaranteed three games and keep playing until they lose. Even with the busy game schedules, the two teams still find time to attend to and cheer at each other's games.
Sarah Pelster, Omaha, Neb,
junior, that one of her best
The teams are guaranteed three games and keep playing until they lose. Even with the busy game schedules, the two teams still find time to attend to and cheer at each other's games.
needed to be in sync with one another, and that it would take a team effort to successfully compete in the tournament.
Kyle Glick,
Wichita that senior,
said that his team felt some
pressure after
last year's championship game appearance, but that playing in one of the more competitive regions in the country this season had helped prepare them for the national level.
Edited by Chris Beattie
Both teams said they wanted the seniors to end their college careers with a first-place medal around their necks.
Q. How long have you played
Sarah Pelster, Omaha, Neb., junior
emuskin@kansan.com
Kansan club sports writer Emily Muskin sat down with two players from the women's club soccer team for a question and answer session.
BY EMILY MUSKIN
A. Since I was five years old.
A
Q. What is your favorite Lawrence hotspot?
Q. How long have you played on the KU club team?
A El Mez. ...
A. Three years.
Q. What's currently on your ◀...
O
A. Hip-hop and all sorts of other jams.
Q. What are your expectations for the season?
Q. Do you follow international soccer?
A. Yes.I love watching international soccer.Each individual player
A. To win nationals.
has such a unique style, which makes every game so fun to watch.
Q. Who is your favorite team and why?
A. Barcelona is my favorite club team. Brazil is a pretty sick team. They have a romantic way of moving the ball around the field.
Q. Who do you draw inspiration from and why?
A Casey Aull. He plays on the KU men's club team. He is an all around amazing soccer player who is inspired daily.
Q. What are you planning on doing after you graduate?
A. Pursuing a career in nursing and hopefully, being a traveling nurse abroad.
Q. What was the most interesting class you took at KU?
A. Probably Anatomy. Somehow I pulled out an A.
A
Q. What is your greatest individual achievement in soccer?
A. Yes. I plan on always playing on indoor teams and pick up games since this is my last year playing for the KU club team.
Katie Feeley, Chicago senior
O
O
A
A. Spin the globe with my eyes closed, put my finger down somewhere and go there right then for a day with all my good friends. I love doing spur of the moment and different things in life. It makes life exciting.
A I guess just continuing playing through college. Sticking with something that I love.
Q Do you have any rituals that you perform before a game?
A A sesame seed bagel with plain cream cheese and a Berry Propel.
Q. What is your favorite brand of tennis shoes and why?
Q. If you could do anything you wanted for one day, what would it be and why?
Q. Describe the best soccer game you've ever played in.
A. One of my favorites was the state finals championship game in high school my senior year. It was the final game of my high school career, and with all the girls I had played with since kindergarten. It was the perfect end to a perfect season we finished with a 30-0 record, the first time it had been done by a guys or girls team ever in Illinois.
A I'm a big fan of Puma. I have a lot of Puma wear. They make great athletic wear, and it doesn't hurt that it looks good.
Q Who is your favorite pro soccer player?
Q. Do you think you will continue to play soccer?
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A
Q. Describe your best KU soccer memory.
A. One of my favorites was nationals two years ago in Tuscaloosa, Ala. We were in double overtime competing to play in the finals, and it was our last game of the day playing at 9 at night under the lights. The other team had a ton of fans, and we had our guys team screaming and partying on the sidelines. We ended up losing in the last minute with a cheap goal but every person on our team, even though completely beyond tired and exusted, gave every last shot, sprint down the field and everything they had inside of them that last game of the season. It was tough losing, but we had gave it our all, and everyone knew that.
A. Mia Hamm, of course. She is an amazing soccer player, great romodel, and earns women a lot of respect.
A That it doesn't hurt when you chest trap a ball for girls even though guys always think it does. Just like it doesn't hurt when guys or girls head a ball. You know the right way, so it doesn't hurt.
O
Q. What are you more into, KU basketball or KU football?
Q. What stereotype of women soccer players would you like people to know is NOT true?
A I love KU basketball and always will, but the football team has done an amazing job this season, and I hope they take the national title!
Where is the best place you've lived in Lawrence and why?
A Right behind the crossing in an eight-bedroom house for two years. It was probably some of the
Are you planning on playing soccer after you graduate?
A I will always play in leagues and maybe even coach one day, but no plans of going pro here — I'm worth too much. They couldn't afford me.
best memories I've had in college and with some of my best friends.
O
Q. If you could take a roadtrip anywhere. where would it be?
A Probably down the coast of California over the course of a week seeing all the different beaches.
Q. What is your favorite workout, aside from soccer?
O
A
A I like running at night on campus during this time of season with good music.
Q. What is your favorite movie of all time, and why?
A. "One Fine Day" — George Clooney is one of my favorites, and it's just such a classic movie. I got to meet him once, and he is very down to earth.
Q. If you could have any job what would it be and why?
A. Working in Chicago (all my friends and family are there) at a top advertising agency or Media buying firm living the good life!
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