4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008
Underground
KANSAN
COLLECTOR
75¢ Off
Any Sub
Not Valid W/any other offers
1814 W. 23rd 843-6000
v is DOUBLE Stamp Day
Tuesday is DOUBLE Stamp Day
KANSAN
COUNTRYS
expires 09-30.08
presented by THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOLLEYBALL
Freshman outside hitter Allison Mayfield spikes a ball over the net during a game against UMKC Sept. 9. In preparation for tomorrow's game against Iowa State, the Hawks have been aiming for a more balanced offense.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Hawks find motivation to improve following tough loss to Colorado
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
The layhawks might wish they had done some things differently in their loss against Colorado on Wednesday night. The Hawks committed 32 errors during the game, a quarter of those occurring in the first set, the most they've committed this season.
But for coach Ray Bechard, as long as the first set from that match is not a nightly occurrence, he can breathe a little easier.
"We had 8 hitting errors in that game and that's just so many," Bechard said of that first set. "It is what it is. When you have the chance to win on the road in this conference you have to take advantage of it."
After such a close match with that number of errors, the
Jayhawks will have plenty to fine-tune before a tough game this weekend. Kansas faces off against Iowa State at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Horeisi Center, and the Jayhawks can expect a competitive match against a Cyclone team that was ranked in the preseason.
"We got a very good team coming in Saturday," Bechard said. "We got a lot of very tough preparation in front of us."
Iowa State comes in with an impressive 9-3 record after beating Texas A&M on their home court Wednesday night in three sets.
Senior outside hitter Karina Garlington expects the Jayhawks to be more mindful of their mistakes. She said she thought Kansas beat itself in its last match.
"I think it was definitely in our hands," Garlington said. "We would get ahead a few points, but we just
couldn't hold on to any moment. I think it's all on our side."
Although it might seem the team is relying on Garlington, whose 24 kills against Colorado were a career high, the team has actually shown some balance offensively. Bechard said he would like to extend that balance.
"We would like to get Natalie a little more involved." Bechard said of senior outside hitter Natalie Uhart.
Kansas had four players with double digits in kills, but Uhart was not one of them. She has made only six kills in 19 attempts, the fewest attempts of any middle blocker.
Even with the disappointment of the close loss, Garlington said, she knows the team can look at the match and improve.
"We'll just use it as a learning tool." Garlington said. "It'll light
some fire under us for Iowa State this weekend."
The Jayhawks will not have any time to lament this loss. The schedule is brutal for Kansas. After Iowa State, the Jayhawks will play against three consecutive ranked teams, two of which, Nebraska and Texas, are ranked in the top three. The other team, Kansas State, is ranked No.18.
But Garlington and the rest of the Jayhawks are not going to let that deter them from their goals this season and will continue to play with confidence for the remainder of the year.
"In the Big 12, anybody can beat anybody," Garlington said. "We are really going to use this to fire us up extra hard for Iowa State. We have a lot to think about so we're going to try and move on."
— Edited by Adam Mowder
MLB
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Royals end season with victory against Seattle
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City rolled through a weak part of its schedule, putting together its
best run in five years
It left the Royals feeling good about themselves, even at the end of another losing season.
Zack Greinke combined with
two pitchers on a three-hitter, Mike
Aviles hit a three-run homer and
Kansas City routed Seattle 12-0
on Thursday to complete its first
four-game sweep of the Mariners
in 19 years.
"The guys are having a lot of fun right now," manager Trey Hillman said. "It's an atmosphere wed like to have here all the time. There's just nothing better than a win. There's just no other way to say it."
Kansas City led 9-0 after four innings, roughing up Ryan Feeriband (1-4) on its way to its first four-game sweep of the Mariners since Aug. 17-20, 1989, in Seattle. It was the Royals' first fourgame sweep of anyone since taking a home series against Detroit from Sept. 19-21, 2005.
Kansas City had at least 10 hits (13) for the sixth time during a seven-game winning streak, its longest since opening the 2003 season 9-0. Alberto Callaspo and Alex Gordon drove in two runs apiece, and Mark Teahen had two of his three hits in Kansas City's five-run fourth inning.
Still in last place in the AL Central, the Royals are enjoying this late-season run.
"It feels good, a different feeling than what we're used to," Greinke said. "It's nice to feel good about yourselves for once."
Greinke (12-10) has been one of the AL's best strikeout pitchers this season and got off to a great start. The right-hander struck out the side in the first inning, including Raul Ibanez to end it for his 500th career punchout.
Greinke added four more and didn't allow a runner past second base, giving up two hits before being replaced by Jimmy Gobble in the eighth inning.