Friday, March 5, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Women serve up Baylor, Texas Tech this weekend
'Kansas junior Brooke Chiller volleyed during a doubles match against New Mexico. Chiller and the rest of the Jayhawks will play Baylor today in Waco, Texas. Photo by Augustus Anthony Piazza/KANSAN
The Kansas women's tennis team will open the Big 12 Conference season with a tour of Texas this weekend.
By Amanda Kaschube
akaschube@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
The Jayhawks will face Baylor at 3 p.m. today and Texas Tech at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Kansas beat Baylor and Texas Tech last year at home.
Last season, Kansas was 10-3 in conference play.
Kansas, ranked No. 17 nationally, leads the all-time series with Baylor (3-1) and Texas Tech (3-3).
Two years ago, Baylor defeated the Jayhawks 8-1 at Waco, Texas.
"This is our first time going back to Baylor since they killed us two years ago," said Jenny Garrity, women's tennis head coach. "We want to have a good effort against them in comparison to our poor performance last weekend."
Kansas, 2-5, lost to New Mexico last weekend, 7-2.
Baylor features No. 1 singles player Katja Kovac, ranked no. 5 nationally.
The Jayhawks will be without their No. 1 singles player Kris Sell, ranked No. 18, this weekend. Sell, Moorestown, N.J., senior, injured her ankle last Friday when she fell down some stairs.
"She has put full pressure on her ankle without crutches on Wednesday," Garrity said. "Hopefully she can compete next weekend."
Last weekend marked the first time Sell missed a match in
"It was very difficult for her to watch," Garrity said. "She really wanted to contribute her game."
two years because of an injury.
Brooke Chiller, Warrnambool, Australia, junior, will fill in Sell's No.1 singles spot.
Chiller lost last weekend at No. 1 singles 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, to Ana Friganovic, of New Mexico, who ranks No. 89 nationally.
Garrity said the team had been retraining the basics in bones of improving its game.
Chiller, 9-12, agreed.
"They have been practicing how to use their talent and their weapons," she said. "We refuse to let anyone take us out of our game.
"Brooke has done nothing but work to get her game back," Garrity said. "She has put all of her efforts on refocusing and she is ready to have a good effort on Friday."
"We have to play our own game no matter what the score is or who the opponent is," she said. "I need to make my opponent play more and not make too many errors on my part."
On Sunday, the Jawhays will travel to Lubbock, Texas, to face the Red Raiders...
"They are a solid team," Garrity said. "I'm eager to see how the team reacts to their performance."
Texas Tech is 4-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play
Kansas tennis looks to extend streak
Overall, Garrity said she wanted to see an increase in the level of play of her team.
"I'm looking forward to see a vast improvement from the team this Friday from last Sunday." Garrity said.
- Edited by Julie Gibson
By Melinda Weaver
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas men's tennis team will face a familiar opponent tomorrow when it takes on No. 70 Nebraska.
The Cornhuskers, 4-5 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12 Conference, are attempting to bounce back from road losses to No. 10 Southern Methodist and No. 65 University of Texas-Arlington.
The Jayhawks are coming off their third straight 64 victory. Kansas beat Iowa on Sunday in front of an enthusiastic home crowd and will try to increase its five-game winning streak tomorrow.
Coach Mark Riley said that Nebraska had a very good top half of its lineup but that his team performed better at the bottom of its lineup.
The bottom of the Kansas singles lineup consists of three freshmen Alex Barragan, Quentin Blakeney and Rodrigo Echagaray, who have won a combined nine straight in the last three matches.
"Our freshmen have really been coming through," senior Kenny Powell said. "They have really been stepping up and taking the pressure off us seniors. We have four people behind us who are capable of getting it done, and that's very important. We have a very deep team."
Taking the center stage in Saturday's match-up will be senior Luis Uribe, who will try to become only the fifth player in Kansas history to win 100 singles matches.
Sunday against Iowa, he fell short by losing to Tyler Cleveland in straight sets. 3,67 (1).
Uri never has lost a singles match to a Nebraska opponent. He is 7-lifetime against the 'Huskers, and he has a 1-2 record against his probable opponent Dinko Verzi. He defeated Verzi in the fall at the Region V team championships, 7.4-6, 4-6.1.
"I've been practicing my serve and foreswing." Uribe said. "I didn't feel comfortable against Tyler Cleveland. I know as long as I play consistent, I will do well."
Though he didn't reach 100 victories in singles, Uribe did tie Chris Walker for fifth place in doubles wins with 89. Uribe and his partner Ed Dus defeated Ulf Jentler and Jason Dunn 8-4. He needs only four wins to capture fourth place, which is currently held by his former partner Enrique Abaroa.
In their last meeting, the Jayhawks defeated the Cornhuskers 5-2, and Uribe said they expected to play to do the same tomorrow at the Alvamar Racquet Club.
"Last time we played them, we beat them," Uribe said. "They've improved a lot since then, but we have too. If we can keep our momentum, we will be fine."
— Edited by Chris Fickett
Three track athletes earn spots in national championship meet
By Mike Miller
By Mike Miller
mmiller@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Capping the indoor season, three track athletes will compete this weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Indianapolis.
All three athletes, senior polevaulter Colby Miller, sophomore pole-vaulter Andrea Branson and sophomore weight-thrower Scott Russell, are ranked in the top 10 in their respective events going into the competition.
Russell, who finished second at the meet last season, is ranked third in the 35-pound weight throw. The All-American thrower won the Big 12 Conference title two weeks ago, shat
tering the Big 12 and school record with a throw of 73 feet, six inches.
It was Kansas' first conference victory in the weight throw during the 97-year history of track and field.
"I'm not really nervous, I'm just excited to go compete," he said.
"I've seen everybody else throw and I threw against them last year, so I know what to expect," Russell said.
Back spasms earlier in the week prevented Russell from practicing on Wednesday, but he expects his back to be healthy Saturday.
Andrea Branson finished fifth last season at nationals but is ranked fourth this season. She set a new Big 12 and school record in the pole vault at the Big 12 meet, winning with a mark of 12 feet, nine inches.
Like Russell, Branson is an AllAmerican who knows what to expect at nationals.
"It'll be fun." she said. "If I get things together, I can jump a foot higher."
Colby Miller, ranked ninth, is making his first appearance at nationals, but he has been preparing for this his entire career.
"I m gonna peak at nationals — I know it." Miller said. "I can make the right adjustments throughout, then I do great."
His vault of 17 feet, four inches at the Big 12 meet qualified him provisionally for nationals, and the mark remained high enough for him to compete.
Edited by Darrin Peschka
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