PAGE 10
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2013
VOLLEYBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Jayhawks sweep weekend tournament in Wisconsin
BRIAN HILLIX
BHAN HILLIX
bhillix@kansan.com
Kansas went 3-0 in Madison, Wisc., over the weekend to win the InnTower Invitational, its second tournament championship this season.
The Jayhawks (7-3) beat host team Wisconsin and closed the tournament with two consecutive five-set victories to claim the title, adding to their first place finish at the Arizona Invitational.
With a winning stretch of nine-out-of-10 road matches to open the season, the team has dubbed themselves "Road Warriors." The Jayhawks backed up that claim after finishing with a 7-2 record on the road.
ROAD matches are the hardest ones to play," said Tiana Dockery, sophomore outside hitter.
"We had to push through and work hard, and I think we showed that mentality this weekend."
The Jayhawks started strong, racing to a three-set victory over the Milwaukee Panthers with a score of 25-20, 25-18 and 25-10 in just one hour and 15 minutes. Junior outside hitter Chelsea Albers and Dockery led the team with 10 kills each. Albers also contributed five blocks.
in the primetime match of the tournament Friday night, Kansas took on No. 25 Wisconsin, who was undefeated at 6-0 and about to play in its home opener. With 3,490 in attendance, the Badgers stormed out and took the first two sets of the match.
Kansas responded after the break and built an early five point lead in the third. Redshirt senior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc landed four kills in the set and senior setter Erin McNorton had 13 assists to pace the offense. Wisconsin didn't lead the entire set as the Jayhawks gained momentum and quieted the home crowd.
Down 3-0 to start the fourth set,
Kansas used a 14-7 run to gain the advantage and force a decisive fifth set.
Wisconsin served for the match leading 14-13 and 15-14, but kills by junior outside hitter Sara McClinton erased both match points. Tied at 15-all, an attack error by the Badgers gave the Jayhawks a match point of their own. A block by freshman middle blocker Tayler Soucie and Albers ensured the match
to give Kansas its first win over a ranked team this season with a score of 22-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21 and 17-15. Coach Ray Bechard said the match gave his squad great experience playing in a difficult road.
ment's Most Valuable Player after producing 42 kills and a teamhigh 18 blocks for the tournament. Riley and Dockery were also named to the All-Tournament team. Riley led the Jayhawk defense with 71 digs for the tournament while Dockery aided the offense with 36 kills.
in a difficult road atmosphere.
"We had to push through and work hard, and I think we showed that mentality this weekend."
a difficult road atmosphere. "You can't simulate this in practice." Bechard said. "This match got the players to experience that kind of environment with that kind of pressure."
Dockery led all players with 21 kills in the match while Jarmoc contributed 17. Erin McNorton tied her season-high with 85 assists, and senior libero Brianne Rieanne anchored the defense with 28 digs.
The Jayhawks are now 3-1 in five set matches for the season with all three wins coming on the road.
One match away from clinching the title, the Jayhawks took on the Bowling Green Falcons (1-6) Saturday afternoon. Better than their record suggests, the Falcons battled back from a 2-1 set deficit to force a fifth set. In arguably its best set of the match, Kansas scored five points in a row to take a 7-2 lead. Up 11-8, the Jayhawks won the last four points of the match to claim the championship 25-22, 22-25, 25-18, 23-25 and 15-8. Jarmoc and Dockery continued their hot play with 41 combined kills, while Riley set the tone with 31 digs, a season-high.
"You've got to be determined
TIANA DOCKERY Sophomore outside hitter
and have a
Jarmoc was named the tourna-
and have a tough mind-set," Bechard said. "When we needed to buckle down, we were able to do that."
Last year,
Kansas opened
the season with
seven of its first
10 matches at
home. Senior defensive specialist Jaime Mathieu said the opening slate of matches this year will better prepare the team for the rest of the season.
"We're learning how to handle adversity and we're encountering situations we not used to" Mathieu said. "It will get us ready for the postseason and we'll be more ready than we were last year."
Kansas has now faced teams in the Pac 12, SEC, Big Ten and Big East this season. The Jayhawks stand 3-2 against teams in power conferences.
"We've run into a lot of good teams and we'll be a better team for it," Bechard said. "It's going to challenge us to be the best we can."
The Jayhawks now begin a fivegame home stretch starting on Friday, Sept. 20, with the Kansas Invitational. The experience gained from the road matches will go a long way in helping the Jayhawks reach new heights this season.
"We're prepared for anything,' McClinton said.
Edited by Paige Lytle
Senior setter Erin McNorton launches the ball to her teammate during the Arkansas game on Sept. 7.
SOCCER FROM PAGE 12
offensive run for themselves with swarming defense. Sophomore midfielder Hanna Kallmaier dribbed to midfield before sending a long pass to senior forward Caroline Kastor. Kastor seemed to have the goalkeeper beat, but her shot proved to not have enough power, and gave goalie Maladyn Schiff plenty of time to catch the ball.
The Jayhawks had one final opportunity to score with 15 seconds left. Junior defender Haley Yearout sent a corner kick toward the goal, but Fletcher's shot on goal went wide right.
Before this weekend, the Jayahwaks were looking forward to getting back on track on their home field. They were 2-0 at home before the Kansas Invitational; now they are 2-2 and looking for answers.
The last Jayhawk goal came in the match against Arizona on Sept. 6. Arizona came back to
force a tie with the Jayhawks, who couldn't protect or extend their lead that day. After that came the loss to Arizona State, as well as Friday's loss to San Diego 2-0.
Francis said his team played well Friday against San Diego and lost because of two mental mistakes. He said his team lost track of members of the opposing team, which San Diego midfielder Taylor Housley took advantage of, scoring both goals. Other than that, Kansas defended soundly and played well enough to win.
Now, Friday seems like it was just part of the current Jayhawk slump.
We have to show up and get a goal Friday to get back on the winning track," Francis said.
Kansas drops to 3-4-1 and 2-2 at home. Up next is a road matchup against South Dakota State and a home game against Illinois State next weekend.
Edited by Sarah Kramer
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Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) pumps his fist after throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Martellus Bennett during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013, in Chicago.
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Cardiac Cutler leads Bears to victory
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CHICAGO — Jay Cutler came through just in time again.
Minnesota's Blair Walsh had just kicked a 22-yard field goal with 3:15 remaining when Chicago took over at its 34. Cutler, who led the Bears back from an 11-point deficit in a season-opening win over Cincinnati, struck again.
Cutler threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett with 10 seconds left to lead the Chicago Bears to a 31-30 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
A 24-yard pass to Bennett along the sideline put the ball on the 16. Cutter then spiked the ball before connecting with Bennett in the front corner of the end zone. Robbie Gould kicked the go- ahead extra point and Chicago (2-0) remained unbeaten under new coach Marc Trestman despite committing four turnovers.
Cutler completed 28 of 39 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. But he was also intercepted twice and got stripped by Jared Allen on a sack, leading to a 61-yard touchdown return for Brian Robison in the second quarter.
Devin Hester returned five kickoffs for a Bears-record 249 yards including a 76-yarder and an 80-yarder.
Bennett had 76 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Brandon Marshall had seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Matt Forte chipped in with 71 yards receiving and 90 yards rushing.
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Minnesota's Cordarrelle Patterson returned the opening kickoff 105 yards. Christian Ponder threw for 227 yards, a touchdown and an interception after getting picked off three times in a season-opening loss to Detroit. Adrian Peterson ran for 100 yards, but the Vikings (0-2) remained winless at Soldier Field since 2007.
They looked as if they might pull this one out after two 13-play drives led to 28-yard field goals by Walsh, turning a 24-21 halftime deficit into a 27-24 advantage in the fourth quarter.
The first came after Chicago's Isaiah Frey recovered a fumble by Jarius Wright in the end zone, only to have it overturned on a replay review. Harrison Smith set up the second when he intercepted a long-
The Te yards yet sti
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pass from Cutler to Marshall at the 12 on the first play of the fourth quarter. Peterson kept the drive going with a 4-yard run to the 14 on fourth-and-1, and Walsh booted the go-ahead field goal with just over 8 minutes left.
Letroy Guion stripped Forte of the ball near midfield on Chicago's next possession. That led to Walsh's
22-yarder that made it a six-point game, but Cutler and the Bears had one more rally in them.
Patterson got this one off to an explosive start, taking advantage of some big holes and sprinting past a lunging Gould on the way to the end zone. The 105-yarder matched the club record set by Percy Harvin last year and was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Bears opponent since 2007.
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