Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, October 12, 2000
Sports
Trivia answer: The New York Giants.
Tiger fans heckle volleyball players
By Shawn Hutchinson sports@kansan.com
Kansas writer sport
COLUMBIA, Mo.— Anyone who doesn't think there can be trash-talking in volleyball should attend a match at Missouri.
The Kansas volleyball team was greeted with a black and gold dose of hostility last night at the Hearnes Center, as a crowd of 1,148 — the second largest in Missouri volleyball history — watched as the Jayhawks dropped a 3-1 decision to the No. 24 Tigers.
The crowd, composed mostly of Missouri students seated directly behind press row, berated Kansas for the duration of the 2 hour and 10 minute match. Every errant serve, every bad bounce, every service error and every missed opportunity for Kansas was saluted with heckles from the Tiger fans.
"They were louder than I can remember," said Nancy Bell, Kansas senior outside hitter. "I had more comments come my way than I can remember. But I try not to think too much about it."
"Rock Chalk All-Talk," one fan screamed at Kansas during the fourth game.
The Jayhawks found themselves down 11-1 in the first game but eventually found their way to within 14-13. But a Kansas attack error soon ended game one. The 'Hawks fought their way to a 15-11 victory in game two, but Missouri rebounded for a 15-12 game-three win
and a 15-8 game-four win.
Through all four games, the Missouri students were heckling, and the Missouri band was blaring. It got louder when the Tigers won the first, third and fourth games, and it topped down when Kansas pulled off the second-game upset. But through it all, the fans kept nagging on the 'Hawks.
"I think our fans are classy," said Kansas freshman Jordan Garrison, referring to the fans who occupy the Horesei Family Athletic Center during Kansas' home matches. "They aren't going to go out there and taunt you. They're just just to watch the game."
Kansas coach Ray Bechard acknowledged that the Hearnes Center was livier last night than the previous two times he had coached there. But Bechard said the crowd noise didn't factor into the outcome of the match, which dropped Kansas to 11-7 overall and 2-7 in the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers, meanwhile, improved to 15-2 and 6-2, which includes a spotless 8-0 record at home.
"I think that late in the games, when the crowd sensed that something was going to happen, it got louder." Bechard said.
Bell said she didn't think the crowd noise had anything to do with Kansas' loss either. Even with the disappointment of the loss, though, she still managed to flash a smile when thinking about the Missouri fan base.
"Crazy fans," Bell said. "Just something you have to ignore."
Soccer player shares Sunday spotlight
Couple forced to miss each other's games
By Yoshitaka Ebisawa sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Edited by Kimberly Thompson
After playing a big game herself, sophomore defender Pardis Brown will have yet another game to worry about this weekend.
On the same Sunday when the Kansas women's soccer team will square off against Texas at 1 p.m. in Austin, Texas, her husband's team, the Kansas City Wizards, will battle for the Major League Soccer Championship against the Chicago Fire at 12:30 p.m. at Washington's RFK Stadium.'
"It's unfortunate that it's on the same day as our big game," Brown said. "I wish I could be there."
Even though they won't be able to share their moment of either joy or disappointment Sunday, the couple will have plenty of chances to share their interests and affect each other's careers.
"Being married to someone with the same interest and same talents really helps me because he helps me with my weaknesses and understands my travel schedule and I understand his," Brown said. "It's just nice to have somebody that I can speak to who completely understands my life."
Sophomore soccer player Pardis Brown will compete against Texas this weekend, and her husband, Chris Brown, a member of the Kansas City Wizards, will play in Washington, D.C. Pardis said she is sharing interests and talents with her husband. Photo by Jaimie Roper/KANSAN
Her husband, Chris Brown,
made his major league soccer
debut last year, leading all major
league soccer rookies in goals
and points.
style and game."
"His experiences really help me develop as a player," she said. "He stands behind the goal and tells me what I need to do better. He is definitely a good coach for me."
Brown's life seems to revolve around soccer, which is not new to her because she grew up kicking a soccer ball.
She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and after graduating from Brighton High School, where she was named Utler Player of the Year in 1998, she was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team Pool from 1996-97. Brown joined The University of Portland in Oregon in 1998, but a broken leg forced her off the field that year; while the Pilots went to the NCAA Final Four, Ironically, the injury brought her close to Chris Brown, who then was a senior forward at Portland.
"We met actually in a training room," she said. "I was rehabbing an injury. He helped me rehab. We hit it off immediately, and we've been together since."
As her future husband launched his professional career in 1999 in Kansas City, Brown, who would marry Chris later that year, looked for a school in the Kansas City area with a speech pathology major and strong soccer team. She decided on the University of
Kansas and transferred before the 2000 spring semester.
"I love the team," she said. "The diversity of the girls and the friendships that I have I never would have been exposed to at Portland."
Kansas coach Mark Francis said Brown not only influenced the team's mentality, she also helped improve the defense.
"She organizes and communi
cates with the defenders in the back." Francis said. "We put her on sweeper so that she can cover for the other defenders, and she has been doing a good job."
Brown said her team needed to win one of its next two games to make the Big 12 Tournament, but a perfect Sunday wouldn't be complete without a Wizards' victory, too.
Edited by Kimberly Thompson
Son Venezuela