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PAGE 8
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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FC Kansas City falls to Sky Blue FC in opener
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@HardyNFL
In Sporting Park, it seems every Kansas City team can outplay its opponent, but can't come out with three points. On Sunday, FC Kansas City played its first match as reigning National Women's Soccer League champions against Sky Blue FC at Kansas City's crown soccer jewel.
However, the team fell 1-0 after conceding in the first half, despite outshooting its opponents 15 to five. That result wasn't the way the team expected to follow up on its championship.
"Coming together, playing with this team again, it feels so good," forward Amy Rodriguez said. "Unfortunately, we just couldn't put them away."
FCKC put consistent pressure on Sky Blue in the opening half, as Sky Blue only had one shot in the first 27 minutes. But in the next few minutes, Sky Blue made their best bit of offense in the game count.
After a run on a counter
attack, Sky Blue midfielder Katy Freels put a long-range shot on goal, but FCKC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart bopped it over. The ensuing corner kick from defender Meg Morris ended up at the feet of forward Nadia Nadim. Nadim, who scored seven goals in six games last year, took a dribble and blasted it into the near post to put Sky Blue up 1-0.
Although Sky Blue played all 90 minutes with a five-man back line and bunkered in for most of the game, FCKC was able to poke holes in the defense. FCKC had 15 shots — six on goal — in the game, but not one found the back of the net.
"They played well defensively, they were organized," manager Vlatko Andonovski said. "But at the same time, we found a way to break them down. ... We did everything we were supposed to to win this game. We just didn't put the ball in the goal."
Much of that goes to the five saves made by Sky Blue goalkeeper Brittany Cameron, including a diving save in the
79th minute on a 30-yard shot from FCKC forward Lauren Holiday.
Sauerbrunn, along with her U.S. Women's National Team teammates on FCKC
"I think Brittany really came in and had a nice game for them in goal. She picked off a lot of balls" defender Becky Sauerbrunn said.
— Rodriguez, Holiday and midfielder Heather O'Reilly — will be in Kansas City for two more games before shipping off to camp, then to the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
But even with the World Cup on their minds, they had been looking forward to this game for a while. The members of the team collected their 2014 championship rings.
"I've been looking forward to [this day] pretty much since the championship last season," Sauerbrunn said. "Unfortunately, it's a rough start to the season, but that happened last year, and we still got a championship, so our heads aren't down right now."
Edited by Kelsi Kirwin
dreams can come true, now open until 3am
Hurdlers compete at a track meet last season. This weekend in Fayetteville, Ark., Kansas track and field members earned five individual event victories and one relay victory at the John McDonnell Invitational.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Track and field post strong performances in Fayetteville
G. J. MELIA
@gjmelia
The Kansas track and field team picked up five individual event victories and one relay victory this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark., in the John McDonnell Invitational.
Senior Michael Stigler won the 110-meter hurdles, posting a time of 13.78 seconds. Stigler was also a part of the 4x400 relay team that included senior Kenneth McCuin and junior Jaime Wilson, and freshman Tre Daniels. The team took first in the event with a time of 3.08.55. In the 4x100 relay, Stigler, McCuin and Daniels, along with freshman Jaron Hartley, took third with a time of 41.10 seconds.
Junior Hannah Richardson
won the 1,500-meter race for the second-straight meet, finishing with a personal best and the sixth-fastest time in Kansas history of 4:18.43.
The Jayhawks swept the top two spots in the women's high jump, with senior Colleen O'Brien taking first and sophomore Grace Pickell coming in second. O'Brien leaped to a height of 5-feet-10 3/4 inches, while Pickell posted 5-feet-8 3/4 inches.
As for the men, seniors Nick Giancana and Austin Hoag finished first and third, respectively, with heights of 6-feet-10 3/4 inches and 6-feet-8 3/4 inches.
Senior Lindsay Vollmer completed a successful meet with two top-three finishes. After taking first in the
prelims, Vollmer finished in third in the 100-meter hurdle finals, timing in at 13.51 seconds. Vollmer's other top-three finish came in the long jump, where she leaped 20-feet-3 3/4 inches, good for second in the event.
Vollmer also ran on the 4x400 relay team of sophomores Zainab Sanni, Whitney Adams and Adriana Newell. The team took fifth place in the event. Junior Sydney Conley picked up a second-place finish in the 100-meter timing in at 11.52 seconds. Sanni placed fifth with a time of 11.65 seconds.
Kansas will host the 88th annual Kansas Relays beginning Wednesday at 10 a.m. with the decathlon 100 meters.
Edited by Chandler Boese
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