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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6,2002
Volleyball goes for 4 straight
By Jason Hwang
jhwang@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
to some people, records are made to be broken. For the Kansas volleyball team, some marks could fall tonight.
The Jayhawks will take their three-match winning streak to Lubbock, Texas when they play the Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-13 overall, 3-9 Big 12) tonight at 7 p.m.
Kansas has won two consecutive Big 12 road matches, but it is 0-2 in road games in the state of Texas this season.
Kansas (17-5 overall) is fifth in the Big 12 Conference at 8-5, the team's best conference record through 13 games since the beginning of the Big 12 in 1996. Its eight conference wins place the team in a tie with the 1999 squad for the most Big 12 wins in a season.
"Something like that is always an extra incentive," junior outside hitter Sarah Rome said. "It's awesome to break records, so if we can break another record this year it'll be one more great event to come."
The Jayhawks will attempt to win three consecutive conference road matches for the first time in Kansas history. The team will also attempt to win its fourth consecutive conference match for the first time in school history. The Jayhawks have won three consecutive Big 12 matches three times, including twice this season (Sept. 21-28 and Oct. 26 present). Kansas won its last match on Saturday in an upset sweep of then-No. 24 Texas Longhorns in Lawrence.
"We were very comfortable at Horesji on Saturday, but now we're going to be in front of a hostile crowd," coach Ray Bechard said. "Our mindset is going to
"It's awesome to break records, so if we can break another record this year it'll be one more great event to come."
Sarah Rome junior outside hitter
mave to change, from the standpoint of just trying to block out all the interference that surrounds you."
Kansas snapped a four-match losing streak to Texas Tech on Sept. 28 when they won in a 3-1 sweep in Lawrence. Freshman middle blocker Josiane Lima had 18 kills and Kansas held Texas Tech's Melissa McGehee to only four kills.
Freshman middle blocker Josiane Lima is sixth in the Big 12 in kills (3.77 per game), points (4.81 per game), and blocks (1.11 per game). Lima's 264 kills rank her second on the freshman single-season kill list (Catalina Suarez, 1985, 301 kills). Rome is sixth in the conference in digs, averaging 3.21 per game.
Texas Tech has lost six of its last seven matches. They lost Saturday at Nebraska in three games. Sophomore setter Laura Grote is second in the Big 12 in assists (12.65). Sophomore outside hitter Kelly Johnson's 4.61 kills per game average is third in the conference.
"We have to keep that momentum from the Texas game and go down to Tech and play really well." Rome said. "They're a good team who's going to fight for every point. So we can't go down there cocky or underestimate them or they'll come back."
— Edited by Ryan Malashock
Graves not on team but sees court time
By Jessica Scott
jscott@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
In Monday night's exhibition game, junior Jeff Graves scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds, blocked a shot and recorded a steal in 10 minutes of action.
Pretty good for a guy who isn't even a member of the team.
Graves could have easily switched jerseys and played for the EA Sports All-Stars if he wanted to because he has not yet passed the required running tests to become a Jayhawk basketball player, coach Roy Williams said. Graves still has no true team affiliation.
"He's still not officially on our team," he said. "He's still got some running to do."
The running test, a tool for coaches to gauge the physical condition of players at the start of the season, takes place annually on the first day of classes in August. Players had to complete at least six and one-half laps around the Memorial Stadium track in 12 minutes. Freshman walk-on Steven Vinson won the race, recording seven and three-fourths laps. Junior forward Bryant Nash finished second and senior guard Kirk Hinrich took third.
After a car accident over the summer, Graves found his practicing and conditioning time limited. When he arrived in Lawrence in August, he
SEE GRAVES PAGE 6B
Freshman guard Jeff Graves muscles past EA All-Star center Marion Thurmond in the Jayhawks 111-94 victory at Allen Fieldhouse. Despite playing only ten minutes, Graves hit four free throws and knocked back eight points for Kansas in Monday's game.
Chris Burket/Kansan
Player to face father's former team on field
Chris Burket/Kansan
Kansas linebacker Kevin Kane, number 45, attempts to tackle Kansas state quarterback Ell Roberson as he rushes through the Jayhawk defensive line. Kane had a career-best six tackles in the Javahawks' 64-0 loss Saturday and was named defensive player of the week by Kansas coaching staff.
By John Domoney
jdomoney@kansan.com
Kansas writerwriter
When Kansas linebacker Kevin Kane takes the field Saturday against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., nobody will blame the freshman if he is in awe of the sea of red that engulf Memorial Stadium.
Kane grew up a fan of Cornhusker football because his father, John Kane, played for Nebraska during the mid 1970s and earned a letter in 1975.
"I wanted to be a part of something good here," said Kane during yesterday's press conference. "Hopefully, with the new coaches, in a couple of years we'll turn it around."
After a career at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo., Kane said it did not take long to decide which college he wanted to attend.
Kane began practice this fall behind other linebackers such as seniors Greg Cole and Leo Etienne, who were both projected to play the most minutes at the
linebacker position.
Kane knew the linebacker position was one of the deepest positions on the team, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to put himself in position to garner playing time.
"I figured I'd just come in and play hard, show what I've got," Kane said. "The coaches would put me where they want me."
It did not take long for Kansas coach Mark Mangino to realize Kane would be a freshman he could count on, especially after sophomore linebacker Banks Floodman was injured in the Iowa State game on Aug. 31, taking him out for the season.
"He understands how to play football," Mangino said. "Even when he's outmatched he finds a way to make a tackle. He's a very intelligent guy and has a great grip on how to play this game as a true freshman."
Kane had a career-best six tackles Sat-
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 6B
Mangino should not let Whittemore play
If Kansas quarterback Bill Whitemore plays another down the rest of this season, Kansas athletics director Al Bohl should suspend and fine coach Mark Mangino.
Whittemore, the best quarterback to suit up for the Jayhawks since Mark Williams led Kansas to victory in the 1995 Aloha Bowl, tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the Jayhawks' Oct.26 loss to Missouri.
With Kansas' season now shot, Whitemore's injury isn't so much a loss to Mangino's team as it is a loss to the 35 fans still paying attention to the 2-8 'Hawks. Ranking third in the Big 12 in
Joey Berlin
iberlin@kansan.com
SPORTS COMMENTARY
total offense, just ahead of Iowa State Heisman Trophy candidate Seneca Wallace. Whittemore's one-man running-and-passing show has been the only reason the team would work on building strength and fitness. They will be lifting weights three times a week, as well as running on the track and up the stairs in Memorial Stadium, according to Van Ruyven. She also said the scheduled workout times were reduced during the off-season from 20 hours a week to eight hours.
SEE BERLIN PAGE 6B
Rowers motivated by loss
ByJeremyKrashin
jkrashin@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Despite this past weekend's loss to Kansas State, members of the University of Kansas rowing team plan to keep their heads up and look forward to a strong off-season of workouts.
With the fall races at an end and no more competitions until the spring, only individual workouts remain in sight for the rowers.
"We have a lot of work to do this winter," said Head Coach Rob Catloth. "And we don't want to get beat by Kansas State in the spring when it counts."
Catloth echoed her sentiments.
Junior Jen Van Ruyven was disappointed that the team did not win at least one race last weekend.
"We didn't row to the best of our ability," he said. "Especially on the varsity-8, where we got out of our rhythm and let them row past us, which shouldn't happen."
The rematch with Kansas State in the spring will take place April 19 in Manhattan.
"There are improvements we've made that I'm pleased about, we just didn't win the race," Catloth said. "There are other improvements we need to make."
During the winter, team members increase the weight they lift and perform fewer repetitions to build more muscle.
"We need to work a lot harder in the off-season and winter," she said. "Everyone is going to need to do workouts on their own."
Catioth added that during the offsea- Edited by Amanda Sears
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