Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Kansan columnist Harley Ratliff finally reveals the secret of his ratty, old Texas A&M hat.
Friday April 9,1999 Section: B
SEE PAGE 3B
Kansas Tennis
The women's tennis team hopes to find success this weekend against Tulsa at home.
KANSAS TENNIS
SEE PAGE 4B
Kansas Athletics
Page 1
John Jefferson, former NFL star and current director of student-athlete life, helps athletes prepare for the real world.
SEE PAGE 5B
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'Hawks fight to make tournament
Jayhawks midfielder to face old teammates
By Chris Wristen
cwristen@ukansas.edu
Kansan sportwriter
Lents will be facing two of her
When the Kansas women's soccer team takes the field at 11 a.m. tomorrow on SuperTarget Field against St. Louis University, Kansas sophomore Kate Lents will have a little extra incentive to play well.
former high school teammates, freshmen Melissa Gossman and Beth Mobery.
"It's going to be weird since we're all used to playing
with each other," said Lents.
The women, who won two state championships together while at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, will be facing each other for the first time at the collegiate level. Lents won three total championships. They are anticipating a supportive local crowd.
"It's going to be exciting, almost like a high school game, with a lot of people cheering for us," Moberg said. "A lot of people who go to KU and a lot of people from home are coming to watch."
Head coach Mark Francis said he was looking forward to the match-up and thinks it will be fun for them to play each other.
"It's always kind of neat for the kids to play against old buddies and club teammates so it gives them some added incentive," Francis said. "You don't want to lose to your former teammates."
The intensity level also is expected to be higher among the former teammates.
Lents expects to go head-to-head with her former teammates, and she wants to play well against them.
Moberg said that if she or Gossman went against Lents, they would definitely play each other tough.
"Me, Gossman and Moberg all played defense together. It's going to be different since I'm playing center-midfield now, so I'll be going against them," Lents said. "It'll also add the desire to want to beat them since they are younger."
The women know each others' game very well and speak nothing but praise for their friends and former teammates, offering some insights into their playing styles.
"Moberg is really aggressive. Gossman is a good ball controller out of the back. She can distribute really well and find peoples' feet," Lents said.
The St. Louis players both spoke highly of their Kansas counterpart as well.
"She's always been a strong player on the field and a team player. She's serious, but has fun with it," Gossman said.
"She's real smart with the ball. She knows where people are going to be. She knows the right moves at the right time and is an all around talented player." Moberg said.
Lents: Faces former high school teammates tomorrow.
"If it was someone we didn't get along with it would be a be a b i g e r rivalry, but I think it'll be more like a
No matter what happens, you can expect they will have fun with the game.
Moberg agreed.
No matter
friendly competition," Gossman said.
The Jayhawks will travel to Columbia, Mo., on Sunday for a double header against Evansville and Tulsa. The first game will start at noon.
—Edited by Aerica Veazey
Men's tennis to face tough opponents this weekend
By Melinda Weaver
The Kansas men's tennis team faces its biggest challenge of the season as it prepares for two home matches this weekend, against No. 5 Texas today and No. 21 Texas A&M on Sunday.
Kansan sportswriter
Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor are tied for first in the Big 12 Conference, and since the creation of the Big 12, Texas and Texas A&M are the only two teams to have won the conference title.
Colen mark Riley said he had been stressing this weekend's matches all season as a chance for the team to prove itself in the conference.
The team's three freshmen, Alex Barragan, Rodrigo Echagaray and Quentin Blakeney, improved their games at the bottom of the lineup as the top half, Luis Uribe, Kenny Powell and Ed Dus, faltered, losing in the last three matches.
"It is a good barometer to see where the team is," Riley said. "They are at the top of the Big 12, so if we are going to be at the top, we have to beat those teams. It will be a good test."
The No. 40 Jayhawks split their matches last weekend, losing to Oklahoma 2-5 and defeating Colorado 4-3.
Riley said he had not lost faith in his seniors.
"The only way for them to improve is to play matches," Riley said. "If they keep a clear head and focus good, things will happen."
"Texas is a great opportunity to show everyone how strong of a team we have." Powell said. "It's time for the entire team to step up. We all have to get together and put our best foot forward. If we do this and finish the week with productive practice, we can beat Texas and show the nation that we are for real."
Powell said he was prepared for the challenge.
Riley said he had not lost faith in his seniors.
The Longhorns, 15-4 overall, are undefeated in the Big 12. In their last meeting with Kansas, Texas produced the victory that clinched last year's Big 12 championship for them.
The Aggies, 12-2 overall, defeated the Jayhawks twice last season.
"This might be the toughest competition of the season," Uribe said. "I definitely think we can win. We have been playing hard and practicing hard. We just have to be ready and take advantage of playing in Lawrence."
A highlight for the Jayhawks has been Blak
Edited by Kelli Raybern
Kansas men's tennis player Quentin Blakney swings for an onward return. Blakney and the Jayhawks are scheduled to play No. 5 Texas and No. 21 Texas A&M this weekend. Photo by Matt J. Dauhererty
eney, who won his 10th-straight match Sunday. His is the longest winning streak Since Trent Tucker won 18 in 1997.
Blakeney said he hoped to continue the streak and help his team pull out the victory.
"We just have to play our best tennis of the season," Blakeney said. "It's going to be tough, but we just have to be mentally focused and ready to compete. Our one through six can compete at the same talent level if we all go out and play our hardest. We all have to play well on the same day."
Students should enjoy sun, fun at a Jayhawk baseball game
Spring has sprung. Basketball is finished for another year and football is in the middle of spring drills, but months away from the first game. What's a Kansas sports fan to do? Try going to a baseball or softball game.
For those of you who don't know, Hoglum Ballpark was renovated completely during the last year and is now reopened for games. The stadium looks great. More stands were
nailed, some new seats were put in, and new concessions stands and restrooms were built. The stadium looks cool from the outside, and it is great on the inside too. Even the field looks nice — it's no Kauffman Stadium, but it's nice.
Want to hear the best part? All games are FREE! You don't need to buy a $100 sports pass, and you don't have to wait in line for hours before the game to get a
Brandon Jones
sports@kansan.com
good seat. All students are admitted free with a KUUID, and once you are in, you are sure to find a good seat somewhere — there really isn't a bad seat in the whole place.
Wednesday afternoon, I walked in during the middle of the fourth inning and got a good seat, with a back and a cup holder, right behind home plate. I was even able to look over the shoulder of the guy with the radar gun to see how fast the pitches were coming toward home plate. I decided I should have played college ball. That 90 mph fast ball doesn't look too fast. I think I could hit it—well, probably not.
Now some of you might not be big baseball fans, but you don't need to be to enjoy the games. Go with some friends and sit outside in the stadium and enjoy the sun. It is a great way to relax and enjoy the nice weather with friends or even by yourself. It's even better if you happen to go on quarter dog day. That's right, just 25 cents for a hot dog. Those same dogs will cost you $2 or more at any major league stadium. Hot dogs for 25 cents are reason enough to go to the games. All they need now is 25 cent draws to go with the dogs. And little sauerkraut would help as well.
Take some time, skip a class and go enjoy a beautiful spring day at a baseball game. Who knows? You might even find yourself cheering for the team. If you don't like baseball, don't forget about the women's softball team. It will be just as fun to go to one of the women's games.
The one thing that would greatly improve college baseball is if players were forced to use wooden bats. There has been a lot of talk about going to wooden bats, and I hope it happens. I'm a traditionalist and enjoy hearing the crack of the wooden bat more than the unnatural metallic clink that the metal bats make when they hit the ball.
The wooden bats would make the games much more competitive because there wouldn't be nearly as many hits and home runs. The game would require a lot more defense than is required with metal bats. Several hits would be playable if they came off a wooden bat as opposed to screaming off the metal bats.
Wooden bats would also make pitching more interesting because the pitchers would be able to jam the batters, which is not possible with the metal bats. I hope they change to good old Louisville Sluggers as opposed to Eastons.
Finally, is anyone else excited about the Notre Dame game on Aug. 28? I've got two tickets and can't wait to go. Notre Dame — either you love 'em or you hate 'em. I hate 'em even though I admire their tradition. I really hope we can beat the Irish, and I think we can. Notre Dame always loses a game early in the year that no one thinks it should. I hope Kansas will be the one to beat the Irish. If the Jayhawks win, I'm charging the field and putting Coach Allen on my shoulders. I'll carry him off the field chanting "Rudy, Rudy!" When I get out of jail, maybe I'll write about it.
Jones is a Lyndon second-year law student.
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