8B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2008
SOCCER (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
DOLINSKY POWERS KANSAS PAST BAYLOR
Junior midfielder Monica Dolinsky drove a swerving free kick into the upper corner with the wind behind her back in the eighth minute to lead Kansas, past Baylor and send the team's six seniors out on a high note.
"Monica is smart," Francis said. "She knew she just had to put it on frame, and the wind would kind of take care of the rest of it."
Kansas outshot Baylor 17 to 10 and registered nine shots on goal while its opponent managed to test junior goalkeeper Julie Harley just once.
With the wind behind their backs in the first half, the Jayhawks had seven shots on goal to the Bears' one and seemed unlucky to be only one goal ahead. In the second half the windy conditions disrupted Kansas' possession game, but Baylor couldn't conjure up any scoring chances of their own.
"I think it hurt us probably all game," Bush said of the effect the wind had on the game. "We had the
wind the first half and that helped us a lot, but in the second half it was ugly"
FIRST HALF GOAL DOOMS JAYHAWKS
Senior defender Kasey Moore scored the game's only goal in the 22nd minute as No.14 Texas defeated Kansas in a physical and evenly matched game.
Francis' team recorded three more shots than the Longhorns, but the versatile Moore latched onto a pass over the top and applied a classy finish to send the Jayhawks behind for the first time in three games.
The lone goal held up as Kansas lost its offensive edge in the face of a deficit and Texas kept numbers behind the ball.
"We lost our rhythm a little bit," Francis said. "We didn't do things in the second half that I thought we did well in the first half — playing the feet, connecting, I think we got caught playing a little too direct."
Edited by Rachel Burchfield
SWIMMING (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
On Thursday, the Jayhawks dropped a close one in its dual meet against the Aggies 133-106.
Herrmann set a new pool record in the 200-yard individual medley clocking in at 2.03.83. Herrmann's pool record and first place, paired with her second place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke, led the way in swimming action.
"Daniellele 200 (individual medley) was the highlight of the meet," Campbell said. "She has set several high goals for the season and she is well on her way to achieving them."
Another notable swim was the 200-yard medley relay where Kuzhil, Herrmann, Leidigh and Mayrovich finished second and were only .5 seconds from first place.
In diving, sophomore Erin Mertz recorded two first-place finishes in 1- and 3-meter diving. Proehl added a second-place finish on the 1-meter
final results:
1st - Texas - 102 points
2nd - Texas A&M - 98 points
3rd - Kansas - 62 points
3rd - Missouri - 62 points
5th - Iowa State - 42 points
6th - Nebraska - 28 points
board and McMacken added to the strong diving performance with a third-place finish on 3-meter.
Next up on the Jayhawks' agenda is the Border Showdown in Columbia, Mo., next weekend for a dual meet on Saturday.
"The Missouri meet is a very fun competition," Campbell said. "Our rivalry brings out the best in both teams."
Edited by Ramsey Cox
The Big 12 Conference coaches named him the Preseason Player of the Year. He's considered an All-American candidate. Most 2009 NBA Draft projections list Griffin as the first or second pick.
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1 B)
"He's the best player in the country," Kansas coach Bill Self said.
But people outside the Oklahoma basketball program never expected this to happen. After averaging 14 points and nine rebounds per game last season as a freshman, Griffin was a surefire first round pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Experts assumed Griffin would follow the lead of other highly-regarded freshmen — such as Kansas State's Michael Beasley and Bill Walker and Texas A&M's DeAndre Jordan from the Big 12 — and enter his name into the draft.
It was the end of March and Oklahoma's basketball program was in a state of chaos. The possibility of the Sooners losing their best player was only part of it. Louisville embarrassed Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 78-48 victory in Birmingham, Ala. Stories reported South Carolina wanted to fill its coaching vacancy by hiring Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel.
When the Sooners returned to Norman, Okla., after being ousted
"There were a lot of rumors flying around out there about both of us," Capel said. "I said, 'Let's take a couple of days and let this die down a little bit — the season, the sting of how we just lost — and let's get together."
from the tournament, Capel sent Griffin a text message.
Before Capel left for San Antonio to attend the Final Four, he sat down with Griffin and told him what coaches tell players in these situations.
If Griffin wanted to play in the NBA next year, Capel would support his decision. If he wanted to come back to Oklahoma, well, Capel would gladly accept that too. Capel assured Griffin that he wasn't going anywhere and would be the Oklahoma coach next season regardless.
"I've always wanted to play on a team with high expectations coming in and have the chance to win championships," Griffin said. "That really excited me."
He knew that's exactly what Oklahoma would be if he came back. The Sooners return five of their top seven players in minutes from last season — including Blake's older brother, senior Taylor Griffin — and added
Griffin thought about it, but he didn't have to think hard. He wanted to return for another year of college basketball.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, right, answers a question at Big 12 Basketball Media Days in Oklahoma City on Thursday, as he sits with his teammates, Austin Johnson, left, and Taylor Griffin, center.
McDonald's All-American guard Willie Warren.
Griffin waited to inform Capel of his decision until after the Final Four. Capel was ecstatic when he found out, but not surprised.
"He's a kid that doesn't follow the norm," Capel said. "He doesn't follow what everyone else is doing. He does what he thinks is best for him."
Griffin spent all summer practicing his shot to add range and become more than just a threat inside the paint. Now, he's ready for the season to start.
But first, he has to attend functions like Big 12 Media Day,where reporters flock around him in droves and even opposing coaches rave about his ability.
Kansas doesn't play Oklahoma until February 23 when the Jayhawks travel to Norman, but Self still answered questions about Griffin.
"We tried recruiting Blake." Self said. "I think he has all the pieces to be great."
Griffin wants to be more than great this year. He wants what Aldrich has — a championship ring.
Edited by Rachel Burchfield
WORLD SERIES Fantastic night in Philly
PHILADELPHIA — Even their pitcher went deep.
If Ryan Howard, the Philadelphia Phillies and their frustrated fans needed any more evidence this really might be their year, Joe Blanton gave it to them.
Blanton's homer combined with two homers from Howard gave the Phillies a 10-2 victory and a 3-1 World Series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Associated Press
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Philadelphia Philies' Ryan Howard is congratulated by Jayson Worth and Jimmy Rollins after hitting a three run home run during the fourth inning of Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays in Philadelphia on Sunday.
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