PAGE 8B
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOLLEYBALL
Javhawks prepare for Sunflower Showdown after loss
BLAIR SHEADE bsheade@kansan.com
The No. 24 Jayhawks (19-6, 9-3) had the midweek beye, after they lost to No. 1 ranked Te克斯 on Nov. 9, to be prepared for the final segment of the Sunflower Showdown against the Kansas State Wildcats (16-8, 4-7) on Saturday at the sold-out Horeisi Athletic Center.
On Nov. 9, four Jayhawks ended the match with double digit kills against a great blocking Texas team, that averages almost three blocks per game. The girls hit well and they were aggressive, but the team made some crucial errors said
Kansas players confer on the court during the Oct. 30 home game against Baylor. The No. 24 Jayhawks will take on the KSU Wildcats this Saturday at 6 p.m.
head coach Ray Bechard.
"We were pretty relentless, but if we did a better job via serve or pass that game could have been a different outcome," Bechard said.
GEORGE MILLINIX/KANSAN
Bechard was talking about the five serving
son. When the in-state rivals met for the first time on Oct. 2, sophomore outside hitter Tiana Dockery, who led the team in hitting attempts against Kansas State, started instead of Carmichael.
"We were pretty relentless, but if we did a better job via serve or pass that game could have been a different outcome."
Dockery, who was voted to the 2012 B12 Conference All-Fresh-
"We have three great pin players in Dockery, McClinton and Carmichael that we have a lot of confidence in." Bechard said. "For a while it was Dockery carrying the load, then McClinton and now Cathy (Carmichael) has just been playing at a nice level... When she has been playing well, that elevates Dockery and McClinton too."
RAY BECHARD Coach
errors, three serve-receive errors and the three aces the Jayhawks allowed. The Jayhawks made a lot of defensive errors, but the offensive game was working. Redshirt senior outside hitter Catherine Carmichael and her team high of 13 kills kept the game close throughout the match, however the 25 Texas blocks were too much for the Jayhawks.
Carmichael hasn't played against the Kansas State Wildcats this seaman team, hasn't started a game since Carmichael has emerged as the starter on Oct. 19. Before Oct.19, the reason why Carmichael didn't play wasn't because she was performing poorly, instead Dockery and McClinton
were simply playing better volleyball, said Bechard.
"It was McClinton and Dockery playing at a high level and not that Cathy [Carmichael] was bad," Bechard said. "In volleyball, you get into a certain rhythm and you get into an offensive rhythm and when it's going well you leave it."
Since becoming the starter after the West Virginia match on Oct. 19, Carmichael shows the Big 12
Conference that she can play. Carmichael is one of the most dominating outside blockers in the Big 12 Conference, said Bechard.
blocks against Texas.
Kansas is third in the Big 12 Conference averaging 2.61 blocks per set. Carmichael is sixth on the team with 26 blocks this season. Since Oct. 19, Carmichael is averaging .43 blocks per set, which is fourth on the team.
Carmichael was held to only two
"She is playing comfortable," Bechard said. "She senses that this is her last shot at this and she obviously has been attacking at a high level and she is a physical presence blocking too."
The Kansas State Wildcats are a great blocking team as well. The Wildcats are first in the Big 12 Conference by blocking almost three balls per set.
On Oct.2, the Wildcats were outblocked by the Jayhawks 20-18 in a 3-0 Kansas sweep in Manhattan, where Kansas State redshirt freshman setter Katie Brand led the Wildcats with five blocks.
Brand is second on the team with 93 total blocks this season, behind redshirt junior middle blocker Taylor Johnson. Johnson is averaging 1.36 blocks per set against Big 12 Conference opponents, which is
first within the Big 12.
Saturday will mark the 101st time that the Kansas and Kansas State volleyball programs will square off Kansas State leads the all-time record between the two teams 61-39.
The layhawks will try to avoid losing consecutive games this season at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the game will be available on ESPN3.com.
Edited by Hannah Barling
WANT ENTERTAINMENT UPDATES ALL DAY LONG?
Follow @KansanEntertain on Twitter
4000 W 6th St
Lawrence
(785) 832-1860
905 Iowa St, Lawrence Hillcrest Shopping Center (785) 842-1473
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Kansas to host Creighton in Lawrence on Sunday
STELLA LIANG
sliang @kansan.com
Kansas (2-0) will play its thirdstraight game home when it hosts Creighton (1-1) on Sunday. The two teams competed recently, as the Kansas women's basketball team met Creighton early in the season last year and defeated the Blue lays in Omaha, Neb.
Current lajhwk guards, senior Cece Harper and junior Natalie Knight, helped Kansas to victory in that 58-48 match. Harper scored 10 points and Knight added nine points and four assists.
Sophomore Lamaria Cole will be counted on to run the point guard position. Cole is known for her speed and sometimes sped-up style of play. Following last week's season-opening victory against Oral Roberts, coach Bonnie Henrickson said Cole is still figuring out how to use her speed effectively. Against SIU-Edwardsville, Cole set new career highs in assists with five and steals with six.
Junior Chelsea Gardner is leading the Jayhawks in scoring so far. When she catches the ball down low, she is efficiently putting points on the board. Through the first two games of the season, she is making 71 percent of her field goals. She is also on the receiving end of many fouls in the paint and has converted 86 percent of her free throws.
"She's done a good job. As much as anything it's her ethical and her coachability and her discipline."
BONNIE HENRICKSON
Coach
Guard Asia Boyd has emerged as a scoring threat in her first year as a starter.
"She's done a good job," Henrickson said. "As much as anything it's her work ethic and her coachability and her discipline."
Recycle this paper
Like A Down Jacket Only Way Better.
Kansas might be facing a fatigued Creighton squad. Before traveling to Lawrence, the Blue Jays will be hosting Minnesota in an afternoon game on Saturday.
anning had a team-high 20 points and leads the team in scoring after two games. Senior forward Sarah Nelson had 16 points on 8-13 shooting, and junior forward Alexis Akin-Otiko had 13 points on 5-7 shooting.
"It's a work in progress, and we will get back on it," Henrickson said.
Thermoball Jackets and Vests For Men and Women
Creighton opened its season with a loss against Drake, but bounced back by edging South Dakota State on Tuesday 68-63.
sophomore guard Marissa Janning was not shooting the ball well until late in the game when it mattered. Her three-point basket with 48.6 seconds left to go put the Blue Jays ahead for good. That basket was part of her eight-point spurt in the final minutes of the game.
— Edited by Hannah Barling
804 Massachusetts St.
Downtown Lawrence
(785) 843-5000
www.sunfloweroutdoorbike.com
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Junior forward Chelsea Gardner attempts to block her opponent's shot during the Oct. 30 exhibition game against Pittsburg State. Kansas won 85-54.
1