THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015
PAGE 7
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Sporting KC outplays Real Salt Lake, draws 0-0
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@Hardy NFL
Sporting Kansas City striker Dom Dwyer took a feed from midfielder Benny Feilhaber and tucked it into the back of the net. It was routine: another goal from the sensational, prolific goalscorer.
Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler (left) chases down the bail during the second half of its match against Real Salt Lake. The two teams drew 0-0, and Kansas City moved to 2-1-3 on the season.
Confetti cannons went off and Sporting Park exploded as the home team had seemingly gone up 1-0 against Real Salt Lake. That feeling of a win — of a goal, even — was fleeting for Sporting KC on Saturday night.
As Dwyer peeked to the sideline, he saw the line judge with his flag up; Dwyer was offside. The game remained the same way it began: scoreless. The two sides played to a 0-0 draw in a rematch of the 2013 MLS Cup in front of more than 20,000 fans.
"I wanted three points, so that's a little frustrating," said Dwyer, who has been discounted three goals due to calls in the last two games.
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
"We just couldn't put it in the net today," Dwyer said. "Well, we could. We were just offside."
For all 90 minutes, Sporting Kansas City pressed for what would have been a game-winning goal, but — among its multitude of crosses and set pieces — the team failed to put one in the back of the net that counted. It was the team's second scoreless draw at soldout Sporting Park this season.
But there was a much different vibe after the team's third draw of the season, one that easily could have gone Sporting KC's way if not for an offside call.
"We dominated the game," manager Peter Vermes said. "We didn't give anything up to them at all ... I thought from
start to finish our guys were fantastic."
Much of the first half was the physical and defensive match that is expected out of two of the most consistent clubs in Major League Soccer. The scoreless line at half didn't mean it wasn't exciting soccer, though, at least for Sporting KC fans.
"I thought we played well on both sides of the ball," captain Matt Besler said. "The tempo was played at our pace. That's the pace we're comfortable with playing at home. We feel like we can wear teams down like that."
The team had 22 crosses in the first half, which led to six shots, but only one was on goal. The team didn't have a clearance on the defensive end in the first half, simply because they didn't deal with much pressure.
The second half was much like the first: defensive and tenacious, but there was not much to show for it other than a point in the standings. After Dwyer was called offside in the 56th minute, the rest of the half resulted in few chances for the men in blue, along with their Western Conference rivals. The teams combined for only one shot on goal through the full 90 minutes.
"We created a lot of chances around their goal," Vermes said. "The only thing is that maybe we could have been a bit better with the clear-cut finishes on goal. Sometimes it is just a couple of inches."
Those couple of inches served as the difference between three points and the single point Sporting Kansas City was awarded Saturday night; the two points that could have propelled the team to standalone second place in the
Only a week after Sporting KC had played a much uglier game against the Philadelphia Union and came away with three points, the team left with only one after controlling much of the game and playing their style of football.
Western Conference six weeks into the season.
"It's weird. A weird feeling not to get three points." Besler said. "It's a funny game sometimes. Last week, we didn't play our best and we get the three points. So, it's vice versa."
"As the season moves on, if you haven't truly developed your model of play in games when you need to and get your points, you're just on a hope and a prayer." Vermes said. "If you have a model of play, you
Despite not getting three points, Vermes sees his squad inching closer to his vision of the team he wants.
have a purpose of how you are going to do that. That's what rules the day in the long run."
Most notably in the second half, defender Ike Opara — who leads the team in goals with two — went down with a left leg injury after he jumped backwards to try to put his head on a flying corner kick. Vermes doesn't yet have an exact diagnosis, but Opara is scheduled to see a doctor Monday after he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher. Vermes told media it's not the same leg that kept him out for most of 2014 and the 2015 preseason.
Edited by Lane Cofas
With the draw, the two teams remain knotted at third place in the Western Conference with nine points. Sporting KC will be back April 18 in Los Angeles as it takes on the reigning MLS champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy.
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
Sporting Kansas City defender Seth Sinovic attempts to get a cross past Real Salt Lake defenders Saturday night at Sporting Park. Sporting struggled to get the offense going drawing the Real 0-0.
Pitching leads to upset against Oklahoma State
MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
Sophomore pitcher Sean Rackoski throws a pitch during the second game against New Mexico last Wednesday afternoon. The Jayhawks won 10-5 at Hoglund Ballpark. In the weekend series against Oklahoma State, Kansas won 2-1
WESLEY DOTSON
@WesleyDee23
The weekend series between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Kansas Jayhawks was supposed to be a slugfest. Kansas is ranked second in the Big 12 with a .287 team batting average, and Oklahoma State is ranked third at .286, according to big12sports.com.
Instead, the three games featured pitching duels that saw Kansas win the series, 2-1 (2-7, 3-2, 4-2). Senior Drew Morovick and freshman Blake Weiman were two starting pitchers who were projected to struggle against the ninth-ranked Cowboys' offense.
That would not be the case. After the 2-7 loss Friday, Morovick threw seven scoreless innings Saturday leading to his third win of the season. Weiman continued the team's pitching dominance Sunday with his five and one-third innings, allowing only one earned run. His performance would earn him the first win of his career.
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The majority of Weiman's outs came from 10 forced ground balls Sunday.
"That was my main goal going into the game ... thats been my biggest thing is keeping the ball down and staying low in the zone," Weiman said.
Junior pitcher Ben Krauth, Morovick and Weiman each turned in stellar starts over the weekend that led to the Jayhawks taking two of the three games from the Cowboys. The three starters only gave up a combined total of two earned-runs in the series.
After sophomore pitcher Sean Rackoski's strong start Wednesday, he delivered an impressive two and one-third innings in relief for Weiman on Sunday. Rackoski allowed only one earned run while striking out three batters in his work from the bullpen.
"We pitched better, and obviously they are one of the two best pitching teams in our league, so their numbers are as good as they say they are," coach Ritch Price said.
The weekend theme of pitching was a major factor in this series' outcome.
Even the bullpen played a key role for the Jayhawks.
"Sean is one of the nicest kids walking the planet, and we've been trying to get him to be tougher and be more competitive, and he took a big step forward today," Price said. After a rough couple outings last weekend, sophomore pitcher Stephen Villines was able to get back on track Saturday and Sunday, as he recorded a save in both games.
Pitching has been a glaring issue for the Jayhawks all season. Their team ERA of 6.01 ranks last in the Big 12, according to big12sports.com.
"For him to bounce back and save two games against that type of team shows his character and how tough he is," Price said.
For the team to step up this weekend and provide three solid starts — and even strong relief work — against the ninth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, shows it is improving in that aspect of the game.
Villines looked especially sharp Sunday, striking out two batters in his one and one-third innings of scoreless work.
"We are just trying to get better," Price said. "Our pitching has gotten better, and if you look at the pitching numbers and stats, you see that they aren't very good, and as a result of that, this was a huge step forward for our pitching this weekend."
The Jayhawks (15-21) hope to continue to build on this weekend's pitching success as the season progresses. Winning against a team with the caliber of Oklahoma State was a great sign that the numbers are starting to trend in the right direction.
Edited by Samantha Darling
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