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PAGE 8
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sporting KC sees first win of season against NYCFC
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@HardyNFL
New York City FC coach Jason Kreis (center) watches his team run during an open training session at Yankee Stadium on March 25 in New York. Sporting Kansas City won 1-0, its first win of the season. Defender Ike Opara made the goal off a header from a throw-in from team captain Matt Besler. FRANK FRANKLIN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sporting Kansas City defender Ike Opara had two golden opportunities to score one week ago against the Portland Timbers. He failed on both chances and hung his head post-game in the locker room as he vowed to not let it happen again.
On Saturday against New York City FC in Yankee Stadium, it took Opara only one chance. That chance — a header off a throw-in from captain Matt Besler — would be the difference maker in a 1-0 win for Sporting KC, its first of the year.
"The guy is a monster," manager Peter Vermes said of Opara, who has already scored two goals this season. "I would tell you that I think he's the best player in the league in the air ... He's been really, really dangerous."
The set pieces were going to be an obvious benefit to playing in the narrow and short Yankee Stadium, and Sporting KC used it to the best of its advantage, with its lone strike coming in the 13th minute off a set piece from the right sideline.
"We knew going in that because of the size of the field, set pieces were going to be a big part of the game, especially for us on the attacking side." Vermes said in a press release. "We worked on that the last few days, and I think it was executed really well."
The early lead wasn't under much siege until NYCFC made a strong push in the second half. Referee Edvin Jurisevic initially awarded NYCFC a penalty kick in the 67th minute after ruling a handball off Seth Sinovic inside the box. But replay showed it was New York's Andrew Jacobson who
handed the ball, and the call was overturned.
NYFCF got another good chance down the stretch in the 95th minute, but the header from Ned Grabavoy went wide, and goalkeeper Luis Marin's second-straight clean sheet stayed intact. But it couldn't have been done without outstanding work from the back four, although it was missing left back Marcel De Jong, who was on duty with the Canadian National Team.
"For the majority of time, we defended very well," Vermes said. "I think what happened in the second half — everything changed because we were up a goal. They came out ... it's their place. They've got to try and
get back into the game and they threw a lot of numbers forward."
Sporting Kansas City was also missing Roger Espinoza, who was on international duty with Honduras, and forward Krisztian Nemeth, who is recovering from a knee injury and didn't make the trip. Saturday, the team picked up another injury: winger Graham Zusi.
Winger Grimson
Zusi came up lame in the first half with a hamstring injury. Not much is known on that injury as of now. The team should have Espinoza and De Jong back next week as it takes on the Philadelphia Union on Sunday, still seeking its first home victory.
Edited by Lane Cofas
FRANK FRANKLIN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sprinklers water the field during an open training session for New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday,
March 25 in New York. New York City FC hosted Sporting Kansas City on Saturday. Sporting KC won 1-0.
FRANK FRANKLIN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Track and field team splits up for first outdoor meet
GRAYDON MELIA
@gjmelia
The Kansas track and field team split up this weekend and traveled to Austin, Texas, and down the road to Emporia where multiple athletes had strong showings in their first outdoor competitions of the season.
Senior hurdler Michael Stigler begin his outdoor campaign with a performance to remember at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. Stigler finished third in the preliminaries of the 400-meter hurdles. He won the final with a time of 48.44, a world-leading time for this season. Stigler also ran in the 4x400 meter relay where he, senior James Wilson, senior Kenneth McCuin and junior Drew Matthews grabbed the second spot in the finals.
On the women's side, the distance relay team of junior Rhavean King, junior Hannah Richardson, sophomore Whitney Adams and freshman Lydia Saggau took home third place with a time of 11:21.69. The time ranks second in Kansas track and field history for that event.
King, Adams and Richardson competed in the
4x800 relay along with senior Sarah Kelly and finished in fourth place. The relay team was also able to move up the ranks in the Kansas track and field history books, as their time of 8:52.29 was good for sixth all-time
In Emporia, Kansas had five first-place finishes on the weekend, four of which came from field events. Freshman Cole Ceban's throwing distance of 17.99 meters gave him the win in the men's shot put. Junior Daina Levy won the women's hammer throw, and senior Jaimie House grabbed first in the pole vault.
Junior Anastasiya Muchkayev had a successful weekend, picking up wins in the shot put and finishing second in the discus throw. Not far behind was Levy, finishing fourth in the discus.
Next up for the team will be the Baylor Invitational on April 3.
Edited by Laura Kubicki
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