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MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Jayhawks advance to regionals for first time in history
IBLAIR SHEADE
bsheade@kansan.com
For the first time in Kansas volleyball history, the Jayhawks will play in the regional round of the NCAA tournament.
Freshman Tayler Soucie goes up for the kill against a block from Wichita State's Ashyln Driskill. Kansas defeated Wichita State on Friday and Creighton on Saturday.
Junior outside hitter Chelsea Albers led the jayhawks to the first- and second-round victories at Allen Fieldhouse over the weekend.
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
weekend.
"The thing about Chelsea, she is going to make something good happen one way or another and she's going to be aggressive," head coach Ray Bechard said. "When you can get 17 kills out of your right side hitter, that's huge."
The Jayhawks defeated the Wichita State Shockers 25-23, 25-19, 20-25, 25-22 in the first round of the tournament on Friday, when Albers set a career high with 17 kills on 38 attempts and seven errors. Senior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc had 16 kills with one error and four service aces against the Shockers, who defeated Kansas in the second round of the 2012 NCAA tournament.
"When you end the year on a heart-breaking note, you remember that," Bechard said. "You remember the team you played, but you remember the feeling more than anything and we didn't want to feel that way again."
Not everything was working well for the Jayhawks on Friday. Junior outside hitter Sara McClinton was [set 21 times] for only five kills and four errors for a hitting percentage of .048 in the course of three sets
played. Sophomore Tiana Dockery replaced McClinton in the fourth set on Friday, and Dockery finished the match against Wichita State with three kills on 10 hitting attempts and zero errors.
Dockery impressed Bechard enough on Friday that she got the nod to start for McClinton on Saturday against the Creighton Bluejays, who defeated Kansas earlier in the season on Sept. 10.
Dockery had her most dominating performance of the season when it mattered most, Bechard said. Dockery finished the match with 14 kills on 42 attempts and six errors to defeat Creighton 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21.
"I felt the vibe of the team, and it was telling me, 'Dock you have to go in there and you have to fight hard," Dockery said. "All these seniors that wanted this so much, I know Chelsea (Albers) and I for one really wanted to play for them."
Albers, who recorded 11 kills in the first match against Creighton, had another impressive showing by setting another career high in kills with 18 on 38 attempts and only two errors.
Bechard made another hitter substitution move during the Creighton match. Redshirt senior outside hitter Catherine Carmichael played in only three sets before being replaced by McClin-
ton. Carmichael struggled hard with her hits. She had seven kills on 32 attempts and 10 errors for a season-low .094 hitting percentage
McClinton played the fourth set and had five kills on 10 attempts.
and five kills on 10 attempts.
The Jayhawks' defense made the difference on Saturday. Kansas out-dug Creighton 82-69. Their defense was led by freshman defensive specialist Cassie Wait. Wait passed her way into a career-high 19 digs, and the Jayhawks had four other players with double-digit dig performances.
Bechard said earlier in the season that the Jayhawks' group of seniors is the most successful senior class in the history of the Kansas program.
The resume for this senior class just keeps building, being the first Jayhawks team to advance into the regionals of the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks will try to continue their success in Los Angeles on Saturday, Dec. 13, against the No. 3 Washington Huskies.
"We knew the season wouldn't be complete unless we could advance
further than we ever have before," Bechard said. "I'm a basketball guy, I call it the Sweet 16, whatever it is, it's pretty damn cool. I can't tell you how proud I of this group."
Edited by Paige Lytle
SPORTING FROM PAGE 10
Sporting goalkeeper, Jimmy Nielsen punched a shot straight into the air and a Salt Lake attacker was able to get a foot on the rebound. To Nielsen and Sporting's delight the ball bounced off the post and into the keeper's hands. Sporting and US Men's National Team's Graham Zusi was dominant the entire night. He won nearly every 50/50 ball and was serving great balls into the box.
In the 72nd minute, both teams made a substitution to get fresh legs on the field. In the 76th minute, Sporting was awarded a corner kick and Aurelien Collin was able
The first half ended with the score knotted up at 0-0. Sporting led possession 53 percent-47 percent and got seven more shots off than Real for the half. In the 52nd minute, Salt Lake's Alvaro Saborio was able to finish on the Kyle Beckerman assist to give Salt Lake the lead. Sporting began to look a little desperate. Real Salt Lake's defense was looking sharp and Sporting was not getting a lot of opportunities.
Either way, a victor had to be determined. Through the first four rounds, Sporting led 3-2. In the fifth round, Graham Zusi sent his shot high over the crossbar. Salt Lake's Javier Morales tied up the score at 3-3. Both sides traded goals in the sixth and seventh rounds. In the eighth round, Lawrence Olum's shot went wide right, meaning a score for Salt Lake would win them the cup. Salt Lake's Sebastian Velasquez stepped up to the mark and sent a shot in on net. Goalkeeper Nielsen was
"It's about luck," Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis said. "One team is on one day, and the other team is on the next."
The game remained tied at one apiece through the rest of regulation. The teams fought and battled through a very physical and chippy extra time. At the end of 120 minutes, the game was still tied. This cup game had to be decided by penalty kicks, a controversial way to end a game.
to put away the beautiful cross from Graham Zusi. It was only a matter of time before one of Zusi's passes was put away.
Collin was named MLS Cup MVP for his impressive performance.
able to make a diving save and keep Sporting's hopes alive.
In the 10th round, defender Aurelien Collin stepped up and put an impressive upper 90 goal behind Salt Lake's keeper. Lovel Palmer of Salt Lake responded with a kick hard of the crossbar. This miss gave Sporting the victory and the MLS Cup win.
The Frenchman said on his penalty goal, "I had never taken a penalty shot in a game before, I put my best foot on it and scored."
Sporting Kansas City delivered in the biggest game of the year. They played their hardest and capped off an impressive campaign with the MLS Cup victory in front of the sold-out crowd at Sporting Park.
Edited by Casey Hutchins
"It was the best penalty (kick) I had ever seen him take," he said. "In practice, in warm ups, he saves it for the big moments."
MICHAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN
Sporting defenders Lawrence Olum and Mechack Jerome go up for the ball. SKC won the MLS Cup against Real Salt Lake 1(7)- 1(6) in a shootout.
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