THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
3B
SWIMMING & DIVING
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAM
Emily Lanteigne, Naperville, Ill., Junior, races through the first heat of the 200-yard freestyle competition during Friday night's meet against Drury in Robinson Natatorium. The lashwavs have one more dual meet before winter break
Kansas tops Division II Drury
BY ADAM SAMSON asamson@kansan.com
The No. 23 Kansas lajhawys overpowered the Division II powerhouse Drury Panthers in the pool Friday night, as well as the Evansville Purple Aces on Saturday afternoon.
In a meet where KU swimmers turned in 24 top performances either reaching goal times or had inseason bests, the Jayhawks defeated the Panthers 140-88.
"There will be plenty of D-I teams that we'll see this year that aren't as good as Drury," swimming coach Clark Campbell said. "They are a very good program and they're going to contend for a national title which is really cool."
The Kansas women's swimming and diving team began Friday night with a victory in the 200-yard medley relay (1:44.29), consisting of sophomore Julia Kuzhil, senior Danielle Herrmann, senior Ashley Leidigh and senior Maria Mayrovich.
Herrmann swam a career-best time in the 200-yard freestyle (1:51.01) although the 200-yard freestyle was a great performance to help improve her freestyle for the individual medley.
"Danielle's lifetime best was a big step for her," Campbell said. "What it does is it helps give her confidence in the freestyle portion of the IM
and we also know that we're going to put her on the freestyle relays."
Herrmann's victory in the 200- yard freestyle with junior Emily Lanteigne and senior Anne Liggett, helped KU women sweep the event, finishing 1-2-3.
Sophomore Amanda Maez turned in an outstanding performance in the 50-yard freestyle with a season-best time of 24.45 seconds. Maez touched out Eunate Garro of Drury by 06 seconds to earn a first-pace victory.
"Drurry's two 50 free swimmers are really good so I was happy to see Amanda step up and get that victory," Campbell said. "When Maria graduates, we're going to need Amanda and Erin Goetz to step up and take over a leadership role in the sprint freestyle's."
The Jayhawks repeated the 1-2-3 finish in the 400-yard individual medley where sophomore joy Bunting took first place with a time of 4:27.59, followed by freshman Stephanie Payne and sophomore Alyssa Potter.
In 3-meter diving, sophomore Erin Mertz had a stellar performance, winning with a final score of 325.20, while junior Meg Proehl finished second at 273.15.
Both Goetz and Mayrovich achieved season bests in the 100-yard freestyle, with Mayrovich winning the event with a time of 50.32
Kuzhi pulled out a close victory in the 100-yard backstroke against Drury's Janelle Slattery.
seconds and Goetz finishing third.
Junior Emily Lanteigne and senior Kendall Matous were close to their season beats in the 500-yard freestyle finishing first and fourth respectively, while senior Anne Liggett finished third and achieved an in-season best.
Proehl and Mertz flip-flipped in the 1-meter diving event as Proehl took first with a score of 289.72 and Mertz finished with a score of 273.07.
The swimmers and divers are transitioning into their second phase of training.
"Usually everybody's mind set is that you have to go in and work hard to prepare us for the next part of the meet season," Bunting said. "Meets over and over again is very tiring for us."
Bunting is excited to get started on the second phase of training.
On Saturday afternoon Kansas had no problem winning events, taking first place in 11 of the 13 events. KU defeated Evansville 132-95.
Next up for Kansas is a dual meet against Nebraska-Omaha at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Omaha. This will wrap up the dual meet season for the Jayhawk until after winter break.
Edited by Arthur Hur
Team notches second sweep Victory gives Jayhawks confidence, momentum at end
VOLLEYBALL
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
After not having a sweep in a little over a month-and-a-half, Kansas has had two in a row, and freshman setter Nicole Tate could get used to this sort of thing.
"I kind of like it," Tate said with a smile. "We get done pretty fast. It's good."
Fast might have been an understatement. The Jay hawks (1 2 - 1 2, 6-9) could have played another match after
Tate
"We're gaining a little bit competitive confidence, a little momentum to next week," coach Ray Bechard said.
disposing the Red Raiders (5-21, 0-15) in three sets (25-15, 25-10, 25-22) in only an hour and ten minutes. It was by far the fastest and most impressive victory for Kansas all year.
Kansas was firing on all cylinders for a majority of the match.
their hitters all night." Bechard said. "We forced them to hit shots they didn't want to hit."
Offensively, Kansas looked as comfortable as it's been all year. Except for a sluggish third set, the Jayhawks maintained their tempo during sets one and two, hitting .419. Kansas had only one player, sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlington, hit for at least 10 kills, but five players in all had at least five kills.
If there was one low point for the offense, it was the balance. While five players did get at least five kills, senior middle blocker Natalie Uhart only had six kill attempts.
"We've got some kids hitting some high efficiencies that aren't getting the ball very much," Bechard said. "But when Garlington is going like she is, you got to make that happen too."
Tate holds the burden of getting those players involved. But with how bad the jayhawk offense was playing a week ago, Tate has done a better job of controlling the offense.
A third
set rally from
Texas Tech
made the
score a lot
closer than
the match
really was.
The Red Raiders were never in the game and looked over-matched the
"We were just determined to
"We're gaining a little bit competitive confidence,a little momentum to next week."
RAY BECHARD Head coach
get back on
tate." Tate said.
"I just have to stay more consistent and distribute the ball better."
Bechard also mentioned how impressed he was with his team's execution of its game plan. It would have been easy for Kansas to overlook a Texas Tech team that hasn't won since September, but Junior middle blocker Brittany Williams knows that every team
"Our blockers were in front of
first two sets. An impressive showing from the Kansas blockers in set two limited Texas Tech to a negative .233 hitting percentage.
notes
KANSAS STARTS STRONG
Kansas played its best set of the season to open things up against the Red Raiders.
Josh Bowe
After having problems with the first set during October, Kansas seems to have figured things out within the last two weeks. Kansas hit .522 with only one hitting error, compared with .100 for Texas Tech.
"Especially since it's getting down to the end of the season that's what we really need," Tate said. "Going into Oklahoma next week and Nebraska, that is something we desperately need."
There is still a lot of volleyball left and next week Kansas will play Nebraska at home and any confidence the Jayhawks can gain before that will be great.
in the Big 12 can be a threat
TOWNSEND STILL OUT OF ACTION
Sophomore defensive specialist Mel Townsend did not suit up against Texas Tech. Her cast has been removed from her recovering right wrist. Townsend might see some action against Oklahoma in small doses.
"I think every team in the Big 12 you have to respect them," Williams said. "You have to respect each team."
— Edited by Arthur Hur