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INSIDE: Olympic committee looks to beef up security. SEE PAGE 3B Inside: Eight Wvomina runners die in car crash. SEE PAGE 3B
TALK TO US: Contact Jay Krall or Sarah Warren at (785) 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,2001
Commentary
Brian
Hanni
Columnist
sportsanskan.com
Kansas' game against Buffs a must win
It's the same routine every year.
Every summer I sit down with a red pen, a full tank of optimism and a pocket-sized Kansas football schedule hot off the printing press.
My yearly mission is to find six dates to circle among the 11 games on the Jayhawks' schedule. It doesn't matter how good our team is or how tough the schedule looks. Kansas usually needs six wins to be bowl-eligible, so six games have to be circled. Some years, this task seems more daunting than other others, but somehow I always get it done.
This past summer, my annual circling-session took a little longer than usual. It started off just fine and I had no problem picking Kansas at home against Southwest Missouri State, Wyoming and Missouri. All three games seemed likely wins, but the ink was dry for quite a while on those picks before I could circle win No. 4.
After some deep thought and several minutes of banging my head against the wall, I concluded that Iowa State wouldn't be as good this year as their 9-3 team last season, and thus, a fourth game could be marked.
By that time, I'd been starring at my pocket schedule for a good 10 minutes and finally decided that Heather Graham had a better shot at winning an Oscar than the Jayhawks did of winning six games. My last two circles would have to be long shots.
Even though road games have been tough in the Terry Allen era, Texas Tech is beatable. So I gave them a circle and then rounded out my six picks, with a real stretch — Kansas at Colorado.
It was the only way I could find six wins. The Jayhawks would have to win in Boulder to get a postseason birth. Now, as the game approaches, it looks to be as important as ever.
The 'Hawks will definitely have their hands full Saturday when they face the Buffalooes. The Jayhawk defense will have to worry about an offense that has put up 92 points in its last two outings, thanks to a balanced passing and rushing attack.
On offense, the Jayhawks' starting quarterback will be Mario Kinsey. If Kansas wants to have any chance against the Buffers, the redshirt freshman will need to have a big day.
Two years ago, another scrambling quarterback, Dylan Smith, emerged as the 'Hawks top signal-caller while on the road against Colorado. Smith's first big day in the spotlight was one he'd like to forget though, as Colorado pounded Kansas 51-17.
Just as Smith spent most of that day running for his life, Kinsey could be in for a tough day too with Jashon Sykes and an improved Colorado defense chasing after him.
Sure, the Hawks knocked off Colorado last year in Lawrence, but after losing two of the last three meetings, Colorado will be fired up for this one.
If Kinsey has a breakthrough day, and the Jayhawk defense doesn't spend the whole afternoon on the field, my pocket schedule might be safe.
If not, the 'Hawks will fall to 1-2,and I'll be searching for some white-out.
Hanni is a Topeka senior in broadcast journalism
KU soccer game postponed again
Jayhawks to attend funeral for father of teammate
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
Tragedy has struck the Kansas soccer family, and today's game against St. Louis University has been postponed as a result.
Timothy R. Schroeder, 48, of Stillwater, Minn., the father of senior midfielder Melanie Schroeder, died Friday in a motorcycle accident in Minnesota.
The game has been postponed so the team can travel to Minnesota and attend the funeral with her. Visitation will be tonight, and the funeral will be tomorrow morning.
Kansas plans to reschedule the game, although no makeup date has been announced. The game was originally scheduled for last Friday but was postponed after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
assists, including a school record three in one game against University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Sept. 7.
Melanie Schroeder also is from Stillwater, Minn., a suburb of St. Paul, Minn. She has started all four games for the Jayhawks (3-1) and tallied four
The Jayhawks travel to Florida this weekend, playing Florida State on Friday night in Tallahassee and Central Florida on Sunday afternoon in Orlando, Fla. Their next home game is Friday, Sept. 28 against Oklahoma.
Players could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Notes
■ Kansas' match against Drury has been rescheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 at SuperTarget Field. The game
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America did not release a poll this week because of the large number of postponed games. A new poll will be released Monday. Kansas is ranked ninth in the poll's central region.
originally was scheduled for last Sunday but also was postponed because of the terrorist attacks.
Contact Wood at 864-4858
Kansas still undefeated with close win
Coach pleased with win but concerned about team's communication
By Steve Laurenzo Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas volleyball team pulled off a tough fourgame victory against the University of Missouri, Kansas City, last night at the Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas City, Mo.
The UMKC Kangaroos took the first game, 30-28, and also gave the Jayhawks a run for their money in game four, 30-27. The Jayhawks, now 9-0, are tied for first place in the Big 12.
Coach Ray Bechard said he was pleased with the win but was quick to point out a few problem areas.
"We missed four out of the first six serves, and that got us a little bit on our heels," Bechard said.
He said the Jayhawks struggled to cover sophomore middle blocker Lindsey Zerr and sophomore middle blocker Sara Foster. Zerr led UMKC with 18 kills followed by Foster who had 17.
As for the Jayhawks, they lacked in one area in particular. Bechard said.
"We have simple communication rules every day that we talk about in practice," Bechard said. "If you don't follow them you're going to be in trouble. You have to really trust in communication. You have to trust in the things that you do each and every day in practice."
Bechard did draw a positive aspect from the match.
ANTHONY REYES/KANSAN
"Ashley Michaels did a great job coming off the bench, she had 10 attacks, 8 kills and no errors," he said. "That was big for us."
Molly LaMere,(center) Papillion, Neb., senior sets the ball to Kylie Thomas, Sutherland, Neb., junior, as Thomas prepares to spike the ball to the UMKC volleyball team. The Jayhawks played UMKC last night at the Swinney Recreation Center at UMKC.
Michaels, a freshman middle blocker, said Bechard helped to turn the match around after the first game.
"He said that this wasn't KU volleyball we were playing." Michaels said. "We knew there wasn't enthusiasm. We knew there wasn't communication. We knew we weren't playing at the level we could play."
Junior middle blocker Molly Scavuzu said she thought the team was somewhat under-prepared.
"Our serving was spastic, our blocking was pretty bad," Scavuzzo said. "We came out a little bit too confident. The first game was really quiet, and I think that's what got us off to a bad start."
Senior setter Molly LaMere said the come-from-
behind victory would act as a morale booster.
"Even though it was ugly at times, we just pulled through and got the rally over and got the point," she said.
"When it came time to win the big points, we earned some of them and some they made errors," Bechard said. "But we did finish the games we needed to finish.
Bechard said he was proud of the team's effort and confident in its ability.
We just know we can play much better and we're going to have to as we move into Big 12 Conference play."
Kansas' next match is at 7 p.m. tomorrow at home against Iowa State. The Cyclones finished last in the conference last year with a conference record of 0-20.
Contact Laurenzo at 864-4858
Quarterbacks grapple with uncertainty
By Brent Briggeman Kansan sportswriter
The controversy between Zach Dyer and Mario Kinsey was supposed to end yesterday.
Allen did not expect last week's game with Wyoming to be postponed by the worst terrorist attack in the country's history.
During the preseason, Kansas coach Terry Allen pointed to the Colorado game, the team's Big 12 Conference opener, as the first game in which he would stick with a permanent starting quarterback.
"We needed another game in there," Allen said yesterday. "We'll just stay the course and Mario will start, and we'll go from there."
So the contest continues between the two Kansas quarterbacks.
Dyer started the season opener as Kinsey served a one-game suspension for breaking team rules. Dyer established a school record for passing yards by a quarterback in his first starting assignment. He competed 19 of 29 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown in a 24-10 win against Southwest Missouri State.
Kinsey had comparable numbers in the 41-17 loss to the Bruins. He completed 6 of 17 passes for 93 yards and one interception. However, Kinsey picked up 50 yards rushing on 14 attempts, compared with Dyer's 20 carries for 35, and he led Kansas on its two scoring drives.
His production slipped in a week two loss to UCLA as he threw his third interception in two games and completed just 6 of 16 passes for 63 yards.
"As you can see, Zach has his good
moments, and I have my good moments," Kinsey said. "But it hasn't been where one of us is just clicking. So I think this is the best thing to do."
Kinsey and Dyer indicated they had no idea who would get the job.
"I'm just as confused as everyone," said Dyer, who said the coaches have continued to play both quarterbacks equally in practice. "I go two, he goes two."
As the wait goes on, the frustration builds.
"It is kind of frustrating," Kinsey said. "I think me and Zach feel the same way. We need to just get one in there and go with it."
Notes
The date for a make-up game between Kansas and Wyoming is still in question.
"There is no word yet," said Doug Vance, sports information director. "Wyoming is dealing with their own traegedv now."
Eight Wyoming cross country runners were killed Sunday night in a headon collision.
Vance said the game was most likely to be played on Friday, Nov. 23 or Saturday. Nov. 24.
He also acknowledged the possibility that Kansas would make up the game with a different opponent.
"It's more than likely going to be Wyoming," Vance said. "Unless the conference asks us to do something different."
Contact Briggeman at 864-4858
MLB
Pittsburgh
4
New York
1
Philadelphia
5
Atlanta
2
MLB
Florida
10
Montreal
6
MLB
St. Louis
2
Milwaukee
1
MLB
Arizona
7
Colorado
3
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