SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, April 22,1994
13
Kansas tennis aims for No.1 in Big Eight
KANSAN FILE PHOTOS
Women use lone Big Eight loss for motivation
Senior Abby Woods and other members of the Kansas women's tennis team are expected to repeat as Big Eight champions this weekend in Oklahoma City.
By Matt Siegel
Kansan sportswriter
Less than a week ago, it appeared that the Kansas women's tennis team would get the top seed at the Big Eight Tournament in Oklahoma City this weekend.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The Jayhawks had not lost since early March, had won 12 consecutive matches and were ranked 6. in the nation.
But a loss to Oklahoma - the last match of the season for the Jayhawks - changed the entire complexion of the tournament. Instead of finishing with an undefeated conference record, the Jayhawks finished 6-1, and lost the No. 1 seed to Oklahoma, which finished 7-0.
"I think we got a little satisfied." Kansas coach Chuck Merzbacher said. "We just consider the loss a wake-up call. In the long run it will be better for us. We are just trying to use it as motivation."
Sophomores Reid Slattery and Michael Isroff and the rest of the Kansas men's tennis team are favored to win the Big Eight Championship.
But other Big Eight coaches didn't think Kansas needed any more motivation. In a coaches poll that was released April 12, the Jayhawks, who are two-time defending conference champions, were picked to win the tournament.
Kansas plays Kansas State at 2 p.m. today in the first round. "The first round is important for us and I think the match will help us gain some confidence." Kansas senior Mindy Weiner said, who went 7-0 during conference play. "The loss to Oklahoma put it all in perspective."
The Jayhawks are the only Big Eight team ranked in the top 20. Kansas, 21-3 overall, has been ranked in the top 20 all season and is 8-3 against nationally ranked programs. Junior Nora Koves is ranked No. 9 in the nation
Merzbacher said the Jayhawks main rivals would be Oklahoma State and Oklahoma as the tournament is in
Weiner said the team was focused on winning their third conference championship.
Oklahoma. But if the Jayhawks could come away victorious, he said, it would almost assure them the automatic regional selection for the NCAA Tournament.
"Hopefully we will get the job done against K-State in the first round." Merzbacher said. "In the second we'll probably face Oklahoma State."
and has a 29-3 record. Koves and junior Rebecca Jensen are ranked No. 2 in the nation in doubles.
Merzbacher said he was confident entering the tournament. He said the team was determined to erase the loss.
"We wanted to be the No. 1 seed." Merzbacher said. "We just got a little satisfied, but we are solid. The bottom line is if we win this weekend it negates the last regular season loss."
Men awarded first-round bye in tournament
The Big Eight Conference tennis tournament starts today in Oklahoma City, but the Kansas men's tennis team has already passed the first round.
By Matt Siegel
Kansan sportswriter
The Jayhawks won't have to play until the second round. Kansas received a bye because it finished first in conference play with a 6-0 record, and finished the regular season 20-5 overall.
"It's nice that we can keep the guys in school an extra day and they can keep their regular routine." Michael Center, head coach, said. "I think the biggest advantage is that we are on the opposite side of the bracket as Colorado and Oklahoma. I think we put ourselves in a plus position, but we haven't won anything yet."
And therein lies a problem. The Jayhawks have played these teams at least once before the tournament and are familiar with them. But the other teams are familiar with Kansas and have the added motivation of redemption and defeating the No. 1 seed.
The Jayhawks are looking to win their first conference championship since 1988. In a coaches poll released April12, the Jayhawks were picked as the favorites entering the tournament.
"We are going to come out on top," sophomore Victor Fimbres said. "We are the team to beat. Everybody wants a piece of us. It's going to be tough. We can't rely on what we did in the regular season, we just have to come out ready to play."
"We could conceivably play Oklahoma four times this year," Center said. "After you play a team so many times you're like 'Can we beat this team again?"
On the other hand, Center said that the other teams, having been beaten before, may lack the confidence to defeat Kansas.
One player giving the Jayhawks the upper hand is Fimbres, who plays in the No. 4 singles spot for Kansas. He went 6-0 during conference play and was named Big Eight Netter of the Week. Also, he has compiled an 18-3 record overall and he and junior Manny Ortiz have a 17-3 record at the No. 2 doubles spot. Fimbres and Ortiz went 5-1 during the conference season, which earned them the individual conference championship.
"It just shows me that I'm working hard," Fimbres said. "Anything I can do to help the team. We are trying to
use this tournament as a stepping stone to regionals. We just have to take care of business."
But there are obstacles; A hostile environment from the home crowds at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State; sophomore J.P. Vissepo and freshman Tim Radogna still battling illness and injury; a possible letdown against a team that they defeated during the regular season. But the time for excuses is over, Center said.
"We worked really hard during the regular season, but it will all be for naught if we don't come ready to play," he said. "This has been one of our goals all season. This is one of our steps to our ultimate goal, which is to compete for a national championship. If we want to compete against the best team in the country we need to beat teams from around here. I think the best team will win and I think we are the best team."
Four Jayhawks show strength in Relays
Evers places third in decathlon, qualifies for NCAA track meet
By Andrew Gilman Kansan sportswriter
"This was a great time," said sophomore decathlete Michael Evers. "I couldn't be more happy."
Congratulations were in order after day two of the Kansas Relays, after four Kansas athletes turned in strong performances at Memorial Stadium.
Evers, competing in only his second decathlon, finished in third place, but, more importantly, he gained a provisional qualification for the NCAA meet with 7,152 points.
A provisional qualification does not guarantee that Evers will be competing, but it does assure him that someone must beat his score for him not to compete.
Kansas junior heptathelete Sandy Wilder scratches on her second jump attempt at the Kansas Relays. She finished seventh overall.
Evers finished strong, coming in second in the last event, the 1,500-meter run.
"It was wind out there," he said. "I was getting boxed in, and it took some work."
Evers, who ran hurdles in high school, said that he was most comfortable in that event, but he said that he didn't think he had any major deficiencies. He also noted some of his improvements.
"I really feel comfortable in all the events," he said. "It's just a matter of getting better. I even jumped two feet better than I had in the pole vault."
The best Jayhawk performance of the day was seen in an individual event, the women's 5,000-meter run.
Senior Daniela Daggy finished first with a time of 17 minutes, 22.31 seconds, and senior Ashley Ace came in third.
Daggy, who led from the beginning and increased her lead as the race finished, said the race wasn't easy for her.
"It was a long race," she said. "Mentally, it was very long. It was not comfortable out there."
"I wasn't surprised she won at all," Ace said. "She's running the best she has in her career."
"Ashley has had a tough year," he said. "She's had an arch problem in her foot and has been battling pneumonia. She's overcome a lot of things. Anytime you place two out of the top three at a meet, that's a great performance."
But Ace, who ran 18:01.03, said she was pleased with her own performance and never doubted her teammate.
Kansas assistant coach Steve Guymon said he was especially pleased with Ace's finish.
John Gamble / KANSAN
"I needed a good race," Ace said. "The illness has taken a lot out of me, so I was really pleased with the finish."
Kansas junior Bobby Palmer overtook
Oklahoma's Connor Holt to finish third in
the 5.000-meter run.
John Gamble/
"I've been working at around 100 miles a week," he said. "The strength training makes it really tough. Plus, we haven't started tapering yet and we just began our workouts on the track. A lot of things could have contributed to my time."
"I knew that I could out kick him," he said.
"But my time was way off."
Palmer said that his time was slower than usual because his training had been particularly intense.
"I was kind of mad," he said. "People were speeding up and slowing down. That makes it a lot harder."
Palmer ran 14:46, but he said he was hoping to finish closer to 14:30.
Kansas freshman Colleen McClimon finished second at 35:56.48 in the women's 10,000-meter run.
"This was a great time.I couldn't be more happy."
Michael Evers Kansas sophomore decathlete
TODAY
Baseball
Kansas at Nebraska
Kansas Relays Track and field events at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Men's and Women's tennis
Big Eight Tennis Championship at Oklahoma City.
'SATURDAY'
Baseball
Kansas at Nebraska.
Kansas Relays
Field events at 8 a.m.
Track events at 8:30 a.m.
Opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m.
Track events at 1 p.m.
Softball
Kansas at Oklahoma State
Men's and Women's tennis
Big Eight Tennis Championship at Oklahoma City.
SUNDAY
Baseball
Kansas at Nebraska.
Softball
Kansas at Oklahoma State
nd Women's tennis
Men's and Women's tennis Big Eight Tennis Championship at Oklahoma City.
Micah Laaker/KANSAN
Louisville center to go pro
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Clifford Rozier, Louisville's All- American center, said yesterday he will forgo his senior year to enter the NBA draft.
Rozie, who at 6-foot-9 is certain to shift to the forward position in the pros, said he expected to be chosen in the top 15 on June 29.
"I've heard anywhere from No. 5 to No. 10 and I've heard No. 15 to No. 25," he said at a news conference. "I've heard a lot. But nowadays, team's don't draft the best players. They draft what they need."
Rozier said he still could change his mind and return to Louisville for his senior year if he wasn't drafted high enough or if he can't come to a financial arrangement with the pro team that drafted him.
"I think this is the best decision for Cliff," he said. "I know how to play this game. I'm not going to get any better."