VOLLEYBALL: Wildcats outplay Jayhawks SWIMMING: Kansas heading to Southwest Missouri State
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SPORTS
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2001
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Commentary
Chris
Wristen
Columnist
sportskaansan.com
Support one of KU's finest teams
The fall sports team with the best opportunity for postseason play gets disturbingly low support, but you can do something about that and you can do it today.
can do it today.
The women's soccer team plays its Senior Day game against Missouri at 3 p.m. today at Super Target Field. For those of you living in Oliver Hall, Super Target Field is that large patch of grass right behind your residence hall with chalk lines and two goals resting on it. From time to time, you'll see the team playing games on it, and yes, you are allowed to come watch. Admission is even free.
Now, more than ever, there are plenty of reasons to go to the soccer games.
the team wins—a lot. It is pounding home twice as many goals per game as its opponents and has destroyed every school scoring record this year.
Kansas is having its best season in school history and facing a probable first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, but it needs a win today. The Jayhawks need your support to make it happen.
Former Kansas defenders Carl Nesmith and Kareem High take down Nebraska running back Dan Alexander last season as senior defensive back Andrew Davison watches. Davison hopes to help Kansas improve on its 56-17 loss to the Cornhuskers last year.
The team has been deserving of support all season, especially when compared with other sports' success-toattendance ratios. The football team draws just more than 42,000 fans per home game despite a dismal 2-5 record and an embarrassing loss to a putrid Missouri team.
The volleyball team draws 675 fans per game, despite dropping 12 of its last 15 matches.
The good people at the department of atmospheric sciences, which provides weather reports for the University Daily Kansan, have forecasted a beautiful day, perfect for tailgating, eating free food and watching soccer.
Despite the team's new knack for winning, students haven't responded — until now.
Meanwhile, soccer's highest single-game attendance was 653 fans on Oct. 24, 1999, when the KU promotions department offered Quarter Dog Day. This year the Jayhawks have attracted an average of 264 fans per contest, despite their 12-5 record and fourth-place standing in the Big 12 Conference. They've garnered season-long regional recognition and have been nominated for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and SoccerBuzz Magazine Top 25 polls, both of which are extremely difficult to crack without a lengthy winning tradition.
One bold group of fans is taking a stand. Tired of the small gathering of fans at soccer games, they have organized a tailgate party in the parking lot outside of Super Target Field starting at 1 p.m. In addition to grilling for themselves, they will have some free food available for students who join them for the game. They know the Jayhawks need and deserve your support to beat those pesky Tigers.
So skip that afternoon class, and start your weekend early. Bring some brats and chips, and support your soccer team this afternoon.
Wristen is a Leawood senior in journalism.
Jayhawks will be seeing red
Allen hopes home advantage will ruin Nebraska's title run
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswrite
The Kansas football team has a new outlook for its first two Saturday of November — to play with heart and hope for a chance at the postseason.
But to play next month, the Jayhawks will have to run the table in its next four games. And the challenge of taking four straight begins tomorrow against No. 2 Nebraska, a club Kansas has not ousted in 32 consecutive games.
consecutive games. Kansas handled the 'Huskers 23-13 in Lincoln, Neb., in 1968. The winning water dried up the next season, and the drought has lingered through four decades.
Relaxed but focused going into tomorrow's seventh game in his fifth season at Kansas, coach Terry Allen said he hoped that by lining up against Nebraska in Lawrence, his team would have a better chance of pulling off the upset.
"They have played nine games; seven of them have been in Lincoln," Allen said. "The times where the University of Kansas has had its most success is obviously when we have played them
October duel between his 3-5 football team and the 6-1 Cornhuskers, then ranked No.5 in the country. Kansas trailed by just one point going into the fourth quarter, only to see the game slip
here at Memorial Stadium.
"They are an excellent football team. But they are not as good a football team when they are away from home."
Allen pointed at the 1999
Game day
Kansas football vs.
Nebraska
6 p.m.
Memorial Stadium
away by a couple of game-breaking plays. The Cornhuskus beat the Jayhawks, 24-17.
"I'd like to think that we can play at that level," Allen said. "As ironic as it might sound, I think that this football team today is probably better than the team that played them two years ago."
Nebraska is a 29-point favorite. It will attempt for 33 in a row against Kansas and controls its own destiny to play for the National Championship.
the National Champs But Kansas' junior starting center Nick Smith wants to play the role of spoiler. He said he thought he was on the team that could pull off the impossible
"We know we can play well." Smith said. "A victory over Nebraska would eliminate the thoughts that we are not a team to be reckoned with.
Contact Denton at 864-4858
Kansas freshman forward Amy Geha battles for position with a St. Louis University defender during Kansas' 3-0 win Tuesday. The Jayhawks will play their final home game today at 3 p.m. at Super Target Field.
Season finale will be glimpse of Big 12 soccer tournament
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
Despite its three-game winning streak, the Kansas soccer team hopes it has saved the best for last.
Today's game is a preview of the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament, which kicks off next week in San Antonio. Kansas and Missouri are guaranteed to play each other in the opening round game on Thursday.
The Jayhawks (12-5, 6-3 in Big 12 Conference) play host to Missouri at 3 p.m. today at Super Target Field.
That's about the only thing that's certain right now.Today's winner will have an edge on its interstate rival in more ways than one.
"It's obviously a huge game," said Kansas coach Mark Francis. "There's a lot riding on it. Whoever wins the game finishes fourth. The fact that we can finish fourth could put us in a very good situation for the big picture, the NCAA tournament.
"I think psychologically, whoever wins the game is going to be at an advantage going into the (Big 12) tournament."
The Tigers (11-6, 5-4) are coming off
Game day
- Kansas soccer team's final home game vs. Missouri
- 3 p.m.
- SuperTarget Field, behind Oliver Hall at 19th Street and Naismith Drive
a two-win weekend, including a 12-6 rout of Arkansas-Little Rock last Sunday. Missouri sophomore Adriene Davis had one goal and three assists in the game and leads the Tigers with 11
SEE SOCCER PAGE 3B
Kansas admits that Nebraska quarterback is mighty foe
By Brent Briggeman Kansan sportswriter
"Nebraska's going to be Nebraska," said Kansas coach Terry Allen. "They tweak over the years, but they don't really change."
When Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch lines up tomorrow, Kansas will know what to expect.
Anticipating the 'Huskers game is one thing — stopping it is quite another.
The Cornhuskers have led the conference in rushing every year since 1987. They've claimed 12 of
Eric Crouch
They've claimed 12 of the last 21 national rushing titles and are on pace to do it again this year. They've gone to 32 straight bowl games, including five for national championships.
Simply put, being Nebraska means keeping the ball on the ground and winning.
Crouch is the 'Huskers' unquestioned leader. Add his rushing and passing yards to the yards gained on his option pitches, and Crouch has accounted for more than 57 percent of the Nebraska offense. Crouch's uncanny running ability garners more attention from defenses than that of a typical option quarterback. As a result, when defenses close on him, he can pitch out to his running backs, usually junior I-back Dahrran Diedrick.
Crouch, who scored four touchdowns against Kansas last year, has scored 14 rushing touchdowns this year. Kansas, as a team, has scored 15 touchdowns.
"He might be the best there's ever been at what they do," Allen said. "His speed and decision-making is what makes him different."
SEE CROUCH PAGE 3B
NBA
Dallas 99
Philadelphia 92
NBA
Detroit 90
Memphis 80
NBA
Houston 98
Los Angeles 92
NBA
Milwaukee
Milwaukee 102
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Denver 101