TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2005
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
7A
Conference tennis teams offer stiff competition
BY RAHUL SHARMA
sports@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
Editor's note: With the spring tennis season underway, Kansan sportswriter Rahul Sharma will preview every team in the Big 12 Conference this week. This is part one of the four-part series.
Texas
In the Big 12, the team to beat is still Texas.
Coach Jeff Moore, in his 23rd year with the Longhorns, has become synonymous with success. In the 2004 spring season, Moore and the Longhorns posted an 11-0 record and claimed the Big 12 regular-season championship.
For Moore, repeating will be a matter of consistency.
"We have to focus on competing consistently, match in and match out." Moore said. "My coaching style is based on holding high standards. I truly believe the higher the standards, the higher the achievements."
For 2005, his goal is no different.
VIEIRA
"The team would like to win both titles this year." Moore added. "We are coming off the best fall season since I've been here."
one player in particular, sophomore Petra Dizdar, who last season competed at the number one singles slot, posted a 9-2 singles mark in the Big 12.
"She's matured and demonstrated excellent attitude in her training." Moore said.
Dizdar was named freshman Big 12 Player of the Year and also earned all-conference honors. Joining Dizdar will be junior Katie Ruckert, who was also named to the all-conference team.
"Katie is more experienced than anyone on our team," Moore said. "I expect her to have a great year."
Ruckert played at the number two singles slot, earning a teambest 29 singles victories for the
SALURI
Longhorns last season and also contributed in doubles, as she and junior Kendra Strohm were awarded all-conference honors in doubles.
The talent exists for Texas
to continue its success, but Texas also lacks experience, as there are no seniors on the roster.
"Our players are going to have to play at a high level." Moore said. "As coaches, we are looking for consistency in both the singles and doubles."
When it comes to consistent success in the Big 12, there's Texas.
Texas A&M
and then there is Texas A&M.
The Aggies, under two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year Bobby Kleinecke, finished second behind in-state rival Texas in the regular season.
"We're hoping to continue on," Kleinecke said. "We have some holes to fill, but if we can fill those holes, we have an excellent shot."
The holes refer to all-
RUCKERT
conference star Jessica Roland and former A&M standout Roberta Spencer. All eyes will look to senior Helga Vieira to lead the Aggies in 2005.
"She is going to have to step up," Kleinecke said. "Helga is the type of player who can handle the pressure."
Vieira possesses a baseline game equipped with a solid forehand. Senior Lauren Walker, a transfer from Florida State, is considered one of the Aggies' top competitors.
Junior Nicki Mechem also will play a vital role for the Aggies this season. Mechem possesses a wide array of shot selection and has improved her serve during the course of a year.
DIZDAR
Three freshmen enter the mix this year:
A n n a
Blagodarova,
Tiffany Clifford
and Marisa
D russ s.
Klinecke said all three have bought into the team concept.
Expect Blagodarova to make an immediate impact.
"She's very talented," Kleinecke said. "Anna likes to dictate the game."
For the tennis faithful down in Norman, Okla, life is going to be tough without Anda Perianu. The two-time
Oklahoma
Perhaps the toughest challenge for any player at Oklahoma rests on the shoulders of senior Heather Saluri,
Big 12 Player of the Year and three-time all-conference selection has graduated.
SOONERS
who advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA championships alongside Perianu. Saluri, considered a doubles threat, is going to have to make the necessary adjustments to maintain the type of player she was with Perianu in the lineup.
Seniors Jessica Braver and Bethany Griffin provide veteran talent for the Sooners, as both combined for nine singles victories last fall.
Sophomore Gabby Baker registered a fantastic spring season from a year ago, as she compiled a combined 28-7 record in both the singles and doubles competition. She posted a solid fall season and enters 2005 ranked in the top 100 singles players in the country.
Sophomore Irina Lykina is coming off a solid freshman campaign, as she registered 10 wins in the conference.
The schedule for the Sooners is grueling, as six teams that qualified for the 2004 NCAA tournament are set to face Oklahoma in 2005.
Jayhawks put loss behind them, look ahead to Baylor
Edited by Azita Tafreshi
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITTER
One disappointing loss, an unexpected overnight stay in Philadelphia, and a pantless bus driver later, things are starting to return to normal for the Kansas men's basketball program.
Yesterday the team gathered in Allen Fieldhouse for its first full practice since Saturday's 83-62 loss to Villanova with one thing on its mind: to put this past weekend behind them and focus on playing Baylor tonight.
"This is the biggest game of the season for us right now," Kansas coach Bill Self said.
and it was 5 p.m. before the luvhayks arrived in Lawrence.
It's no wonder the Jayhawks want to forget this weekend. After Saturday's embarrassing loss, their charter flight back to Lawrence was unable to take off because of a blizzard in Philadelphia, so they had to stay an extra night. Their plane didn't leave until Sunday afternoon,
Just one of the many delays for the Jayhawks came at the airport in Topeka. Their bus driver had torn his pants, and they had to wait for someone to bring their driver new pants.
"It was not the best weekend," Self said yesterday. "But we can learn from it. We played miserably, we coached miserably, and we had some bad weather."
All of the delays cut into the Jayhawks' practice time on Sunday, but they had plenty of time to watch film while they were cooped up in the hotel on Saturday night.
"That was good for us," senior guard Aaron Miles said. "We had time to have a meeting and watch tape and talk about some things."
Miles said they learned several important lessons that could eventually improve their team chemistry.
"We are not invincible." Miles
said. "We'll have to win some close games, and we can't wait until we're down to come back."
One of the problems that he has noticed lately is that Kansas hasn't had the same energy and motivation shown early in the season.
"In the big games, the energy is there," Miles said. "But in games that are not as big of games, players have to have energy. We have to bring energy every game."
Mostly what the Jayhawks have been talking about is putting the Villanova game behind them.
"I told them after we watched tape, 'I don't want to talk about this anymore.'" Self said.
After yesterday's practice, the Jayhawks hopped on another bus, this one heading to Waco, Texas. They will take on the Baylor Bears at 6:30 tonight.
"Now we just have to focus on conference play and our goals to win the Big 12," senior forward Wayne Siem said.
Self said it was good that the Jayhawks had another game so quickly.
"The best thing is that there is a quick turnaround," he said. "Our guys need to see the ball going in and have some success."
Giles Out
Before practice yesterday, freshman center C.J. Giles hobbled across the court with an oversized orthopedic boot on his right foot. He dribbled to the free-throw line and put up a lackcluster jumper while balancing on one foot.
For the next couple of weeks. Hudy and Giles will be spending a lot of time together considering that all he can do with his bruised right foot is shoot and lift weights.
"I am going to try to get up to 260." the 235-pound Giles said.
Giles said he landed on his
He made his debut in the boot before the Iowa State game, but he didn't have to wear it all the time.
"I tried to see if I could play through the pain." Giles said.
foot the wrong way after slamming down an alley-oop pass from senior guard Keith Langford during the Kentucky game on Jan. 9.
"I hate this foot man," Giles joked. "I have to wear this thing everywhere."
Giles continued to practice with the injury, but it got worse.
Ideally, Giles said that he would like to return for the Missouri game next Monday, but he doesn't think that is likely. An MRI yesterday confirmed that the injury was no more serious than a bruise, but Giles will likely be out for at least two weeks.
Edited by Azita Tafreshi
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
Freshman center C.J. Giles encourages his teammates from the bench during the second half of the Villanova game Saturday.
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