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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tennis heads to second tournament of the year
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
The Kansas tennis team will travel to Norman, Okla., this weekend to compete in the Oklahoma Classic. Last weekend the team sent four of its players to Little Rock, Ark., for the CCLR Collegiate Invitational and seven more to the Midland Invitational in Midland, Texas.
Senior Maria Belen Luduena was the most successful player in either tournament, winning her division in singles Flight B
"It was a good way to start the year," Luduña said. "Most importantly I was physically and mentally stable from all the work I put in this summer."
Physical and mental strength are things coach Todd Chapman aims to instill in his team with the experience from these tournaments.
"When you're playing against really good players like we did in these tournaments you have to mentally and physically compete in every single point," Chapman said.
Ludueña stayed in Lawrence
over the summer to train for the season and described her quick success as a good way to begin the year with confidence.
Confidence will be important for Luduena this season, as she is the only senior on a team of seven freshmen, two sophomores and one junior.
"I don't think it's time to say they played well, they played bad," Ludueha said of her underclassmen teammates' performances last weekend. "They still need some experience, some work, but I feel like the talent is there so if we work hard we will be really good this year."
Luduena said it's "totally different" from last year's team that had four seniors.
"I didn't have the responsibility of leading the team," Ludueña said. "It's different but it's a good challenge for me."
The Oklahoma Classic in Norman this weekend will feature more Big 12 competition, with Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech competing among other schools with nationally ranked players.
Chapman said his team could use these tournaments as practice for the main season in the spring by gaining experience playing strong teams.
"I think it's important for us to go and play the best competition we can instead of scheduling people I know we can beat," Chapman said. "I don't feel like that gets us prepared for the type of schedule we'll play in the spring."
Ludueña noted the team had a winning record during her freshman and sophomore years, but that was because of a weaker schedule.
"Even though it's going to be harder this year, it's going to help us to get better and to get ready for the Big 12 schools;" Ludueha said.
The Jayhawks have matches Friday through Sunday, then almost an entire month to prepare for the ITA Regional Championships, which begins on Oct. 16.
Edited by Jennifer Salva
Senior Maria Belen Luduena serves the ball against Texas on Apr. 4. Luduena is the only senior on the team this season and was the most successful player in this past weekend's Midland Invitational in Midland, Texas winning her division in singles.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
CHECKING IN ON THE ROYALS KC Royals
Record: 83-68
Playoff odds: 71.2% (espn.com)
Division standing: Second place - ½ game behind Detroit Tigers
Wild card standing: Own second spot - 112 game ahead of Seattle Mariners (not including Wednesday night's Mariners-Los Angeles Angels game)
Trending up: Nori Aoki - Broke franchise record for hits in a three-game series with 11 against the Chicago White Sox. Reached base on 13 of 14 plate appearances
Trending down: Alex Gordon - Has been in a slump since his hot play in August, went 0-for-3 on Wednesday against the White Sox
Last time out: Defeated White Sox 6-1 on Sept. 17
Next opponent: vs. Detroit Tigers on Friday
— By Brian Hillix
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Royals Norichika Aoki hits an RBI single in the sixth inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday.
No Kan
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