6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY OCTOBER 2 2008
VOLLEYBALL
Weston White/KANSAN
Sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlington dives forward to dig a serve during the first game against Kansas State Wednesday night. Kansas fell short of a win against the Wildcats, dropping the fifth match for a 3-2 finish. Sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlingen (7) blocks a shot back for a Kansas point Wednesday night against Kansas State. Garlington finished with 17 kills and six blocks in Kansas' 3-2 loss to the Wildcats.
Jayhawks lose to No.17 Wildcats
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
Kansas Coach Ray Bechard couldn't have been happier after the first set against Kansas State. But he couldn't have been more disappointed after the match was over.
The Jayhawks fell in five sets to the No. 17 Wildcats last night in front of a sellout crowd at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Kansas finally got over the hump their first-set-hump, but struggled mightily in the all-deciding set five.
"In set five they were much cleaner, no hitting errors, we had five," Bechard said. "We thought we had a lot of momentum."
It was an honest thought to have for Bechard, after the Jayhawks had a complete reversal against the Wildcats. They won that fourth set 25-18 after losing it by the same score in set three. But with those five hitting errors, Kansas could not keep up, losing the fifth set
15-9.
It was a see-sawing match, with momentum clearly changing sides from set to set. After the Wildcats built a 22-18 lead toward the end of set one, the Jayhawks bucked the trend of their terrible opening sets with a 7-0 run to close out the match 25-22.
Senior middle blocker Natalie Uhart let the late set charge, picking up a block and a kill during the run. But Uhart was unable to describe what happened to the Jayhawks for the next two sets, both of which Kansas lost.
"We got that first set, then we lose focus," Uhart said. "That's what seems to be the problem, we can't stay focused."
It was an odd occurrence for Jayhawks, who have usually played their best during sets two and three. But with the Wildcats holding all the momentum heading into a do-or-die set four for Kansas, the Jayhawks responded, with a little help from defensive specialist Melissa Grieb.
Grieb tallied four aces during an 11-0 run that saw Kansas down four before the run and up seven at 14-7 after it. The Jayhawks continued to pile it on, using a 5-0 run to build a 10 point lead at 21-11. It was the largest lead the Jayhawks have had over a Big 12 opponent this season. Grieb ended up finishing with five aces total for the match.
"We were talking about serving aggressive," Grieb said "If you come out with an aggressive serve then it dictates what the play is going to be like."
A reason why the Jayhawks held on for as long as they did was their outstanding effort on the Wildcats Big 12 kills leader, senior outside hitter Rita Liliom. Liliom was held to 13 kills for the match with a hitting percentage of .136. With Liliom struggling, other Wildcats stepped up as senior outside hitters Natalya Korobkova and Jenny Jantsch finished with season highs in kills, with 20 and 11 respectively.
Across the board Kansas had plenty of players contribute throughout the match, but Bechard said all the stats in the world do not matter when the end result is a loss.
"We got a distraught team in there right now that doesn't really care about stats," Bechard said. "This was a very important match."
With steps made tonight in opening a match, Bechard realizes that work has to be done for the Jayhawks to come out cleaner in future set fives, and with the Big 12 as competitive as it is, it seems all the likely.
But he promises this loss will not affect future matches.
"There will be no emotional, physical or mental hangover from this." Bechard said. "We will get better tomorrow."
— Edited by Arthur Hur
Sophomore libero, Melissa Manda, turns to her side to set up a ball for the setter. Manda lead the team with 16 digs in Kansas' 3-2 loss to Kansas State. The Jayhawks play again at home at 7 p.m. on Oct. 8 against Texas A&M.
Weston White/KANSAN
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Associated Press
Hamels pitched eight brilliant innings, Lidge escaped a ninth-inning jam and Philadelphia took advantage of Mike Cameron's miscue in center field for a 3-1 win over Milwaukee in their playoff opener Wednesday.
BY ROB MAADDI
PHILADELPHIA — Cole Hamels was so dominant the Milwaukee Brewers were glad to see Brad Lidge come in. The switch to their perfect closer nearly cost the Philadelphia Phillies.
MLB
Phillies win NLDS Game 1
Behind their top two arms, the Philies grabbed their first postseason victory in 15 years — barely.
Chase Utley's two-run double slipped out of Cameron's glove in the third, helping the Phillies take a
"I can't let him get a hit there," said Lodge, who was 41-for-41 in chance chances this season. "I've always been a strikeout pitcher and that's what I wanted to do."
3-0 lead. Lidge allowed a run in the ninth but struck out Corey Hart with runners at second and third to end it.
Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Thursday, with ace CC Sabatia going to the mound for the wildcard Brewers on three days' rest for the fourth consecutive start. Brett Myers pitches for the Phillies.
"Not too many times you can say you're happy to see Lidge, but we didn't hit the ball hard off Hamels all day." Brewers manager Dale Sveum said.
It'll be tough for anyone to match Hamels' superb performance. The 24-year-old lefty retired the first 14 batters and allowed two hits, striking out nine.
Hamels baffled the fastball-hitting Brewers with his dazzling changeup,helping the Phillies earn their first postseason win since the 1993 World Series against Toronto.
Philliesmanager Charlie Manuel considered sending Hamels out to start the ninth, but decided to go with Lidge. The Brewers got the tying run to the plate, but Prince Fielder fanned for the second out. After JJ. Hardy walked to put two runners on, they advanced on a wild pitch. Then Hart struck out swinging to end it.
The NI. East champions were swept out of the first round by the surging Colorado Rockies last year. Hamels lost the opener of that series, but didn't have any jitters this time around.
"I learned what it really takes in trying to kind of mellow out, not have that sort of excitement where you can't really control everything," he said.
Milwaukee entered September with a 5½-game lead in the wild-card standings, but didn't clinch a spot until the New York Mets lost to Florida on the final day of the season.