THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2008
SPORTS
3B
SOCCER
Goal by Cressy clinches second victory for Hawks
BY ANDREW WIEBE
awiebe@kansan.com
Coach Mark Francis isn't one to gloss over his team's performances. When the Jayhawks don't play well, Francis is the first to point out his squad's shortcomings, win or lose.
Minutes after No. 25 Kansas nipped Auburn 2-1 in a wild game Sunday afternoon at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex, Francis delivered a typically frank evaluation of the frantic 90 minutes of action.
"They deserved to win the game," Francis said. "They had better opportunities. They controlled the tempo of the game more than we did. Other than score two good goals, I don't think we did a whole lot right."
The Jayhawks did just enough to survive a second-half barrage by the Tigers, including a goal disallowed by an offside call, and then taking advantage of a late red card to win consecutive games to start the season for the first time since 2004 - the last year the team made the NCAA Tournament.
One year after scuffling to a 1-1 draw with Auburn in Hawaii, Kansas made its few chances count, despite being out shot 17 to 8 and conceding six corner kicks without creating any of its own. It was exactly the type of game that seemed to elude the Jayhawks' grasp a year ago when they lost seven of their first nine.
"Last year, we would have found a way to lose that game," Francis said. "This season, we play a good team, we play like absolute horse crap and we still win, 2-1. As a coach, you've got to say, 'Hey, you
know what? We're doing something right. We're finding a way to win the game.' But I told the players, we have to demand more out of ourselves than what we did today."
The Tigers found their equalizer in the 51st minute after pinning the Jayhawks in their own half. Auburn forward Becca Howell evaded defender Lauren Jackson off the dribble and beat goalkeeper Julie Hanley with a dipping effort from just outside the penalty area.
The tide seemed to turn completely in Auburn's favor in the 84th minute when forward Caitlin King slotted a rebound past Hanley. But the Tigers celebration was cut short by the referee's offside flag.
Despite being outplayed for most of the game, Kansas got off to a dream start when junior midfielder Monica Dolinsky scored six minutes into the game. Dolinsky picked up a loose ball in the midfield, pushed forward into the final third and unleashed an unstoppable drive into the bottom corner after Auburn failed to step up defensively.
"That was huge." Dolinsky said. "When they first scored, we kind of let down. Then we saw the official call it back. We just knew we got lucky, so it was our turn to score."
Kansas scored two minutes later, but not before some controversy when an already physical game took an udlv turn.
cards while jockeying for midfield position before a goal kick. On the ensuing kick, Yauch took exception to more contact from the Kansas midfielder, threw a high elbow and promptly received her second yellow card eight seconds after her first — one of five cards issued in a 10-minute span.
Dolinsky and Auburn midfielder
Chelsea Yauch each received yellow
Freshman forward Emily Cressy played hero 19 seconds later to record her second goal in as many games when defender Lauren Jackson's free kick bounced favorably into her path.
After deftly turning past her defender, Cressy collected the ball and calmly beat the Auburn goalkeeper, sparking a fist pump from Francis and celebration on the sideline.
"Emily is a goal-scorer," Francis said. "I'm not sure anybody else on the team could have finished that as composed as she did."
Weston White/KANSAN
Freshman forward Emily Gressy (back left) and senior midfielder Jessica Bush (back right) hug junior midfielder Monica Dolinsky after she defeated Kansas' first goal. Kansas defeated Auburn 2-1 Sunday afternoon and plays again this Friday.
SALAZAR GETS LOOK
UCLA transfer Sarah Salazar saw her first action of the year against Auburn. Salazar, sophomore midfielder, came on as a substitute for Monica Dolinsky. Salazar did not play in Kansas' opening game Aug. 20 against Purdue.
Freshman forward Emily Cressy spins to kick the game-winning goal with fewer than five minutes to play in the match, breaking a 1-7 Iowa. Kansas improved 2-0 with the victory.
Jon Goering/XANSAN
WHAT HAPPENED? SOCCER RECAP
- Edited by Lauren Keith
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
Junior goalie Julie Hanley's lunging stop not only saved a goal but also lent the game tied.
"After I made the save, I was really happy to see the linesman
And then, a moment later, an Auburn player's shot off Hanley's rebound ripped through the back of the net, seemingly giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead. The key word, though, is "seemingly." Offsides was called, disallowing the goal.
holding his flag," Hanley said. "I looked over and saw it, and I was pretty relieved."
It was a turning point in the game. Hanley's save, combined with the goal reversal, kick started the Jayhawks' late-game surge that led to a 2-1 victory.
They capitalized on that momentum in the 85th minute when freshman forward Emily Cressy scored the game-winning goal. But they'd have never been in that position without Hanley,
"Julie made some really good
saves," coach Mark Francis said, "She kept us in the game a couple of times."
It was something Hanley and the Jayhawks prepared for: The scouting report on Auburn indicated that lateral runs and players crashing around the net were major facets of the Tigers' offensive strategy.
"The scouting report said their forwards were pretty much their whole team," Hanley said. "But we were able to shut them down."
AUBURN ORANGE
PROMINENT AT GAME
It was hard to miss the bright orange shirts and cries of "War Eagle" from the 30 members of the Kansas City Auburn Club in attendance at Sunday's game.
Max Waddington of Leawood spread word to Auburn alumni in the greater Kansas City area.
"We want to support all of our Auburn teams," Waddington said. "But I have to admit, all three of my kids went to Kansas."
CROSS COUNTRY
Runners, alums have impressive showing Men and women's teams sweep race
BY JASON BAKER
jbaker@kansan.com
At Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, the men's cross country team had stiff competition on their hands.
That competition was a group of 17 men dressed in pink shorts and blue shirts with the word "Alumni" stamped across their chests. They were former KU cross country runners and they showed up to Saturday's race looking to win.
The KU alumni team was very diverse, competing with some former All-Americans and an Olympian.
“It's a good mix of guys who just got out of eligibility to guys who ran in the 90's," Paul Hefferon, one of the new members of the alumni team and the winner of the Men's 8k race, said.
Heferson finished the race with a time of 24:49.
Hefferon said he had been crosstraining during the summer and would be competing in a club meet in December. And as for running in pink shorts, he called it a tribute to the Jayhawk team of the past, which wore blue and pink uniforms until 1999.
Not far behind Hefferon was fellow newcomer to the alumni team Colby Wissel, who finished third overall. Other members of the alumni team included Patrick McGowan, Chris Jones, DJ Hilding and Charlie Gruber, who competed in the 1500 meters at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Many of the alumni, including Hilding, were glad to race at Rim Rock with some of their former teammates.
While the alumni team had two members finish in the top three, the current Jayhawk team also had strong performances. Freshman Don Wasinger finished first for the current Jayhawks and fifth overall with a time of 25:56. Also, six current jayhawk runners finished in the top 20, including sophomore Dan Van Orsdel, freshman Kaleb Humphreys, and Juniors Isaiah Shirlen and Bret Imgrund.
"I forgot just how hard the hills were," Hilding, a 2005 graduate, said.
Imgrund ran despite having a chest cold that affected his breathing. He edged out Gruber at the finish line to take ninth place overall. It wasn't the first time the two raced each other.
"We raced in Race For the Cure and 1 beat him by 15 seconds," Ingrumb said. "It was nice to do it again."
A lot of upperclassmen on the current team were impressed with the freshman runners.
"The ones who wore the KU jersey represented well," senior Levi Huseman said. "It's a great way to start their season and their career."
The current team edged out the alumni team by a score of 49 to 52, giving them first place overall. Although it was close, both teams had nothing but respect for each other.
"You have an Olympian, Colby, Paul, and Patrick," Van Orsdel said. "It's good to add some excitement."
"Once the guys get together to develop, a lot of good things can happen. It's a rebuilding year, but it can also be a successful year," he said.
Hefferon said he saw potential in the team.
Junior Lauren Bonds finished first overall with a time of 18:53. Sophomore Amanda Miller finished second with a time of 19:17. Bonds led throughout the race and said she was relaxed the whole time.
"After I got into second, I was able to push my own pace. It was more relaxing not running with a lot of people," she said.
"I treated it as a workout that I got to wear my uniform in," she said.
Meanwhile, the women's team won their title more easily.
Miller said she also felt good during the race.
Kansas alumni Paul Heffernan starts to break loose of the pack at Saturday morning's race at Rim Rock Farm. Heffernan first finished with a overtime of 24-49 by the Bob Timms Classic.
Weston White/KANSAN
Superdome safe from hurricane's damage
"We're in good shape," said Doug Thornton, vice president of SMG, the company that manages the Superdome and neighboring New Orleans Arena. "We've got some exterior signs ripped and things like that, downed fences and light poles blown over, but nothing major, nothing structural or nothing that would affect the
The Louisiana Superdome, for now still scheduled to host an NFL regular-season opener Sunday between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appeared to be in good condition after the worst of Hurricane Gustav had passed, the stadium's operator said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Four others on the women's team finished in the top 10, including senior Megan James, junior Alison Knoll and freshmen Laura Nightengale and Kara Windisch.
NFL
It was the second year in a row that both the men's and women's teams took first place. Though there wasn't a woman's alumni team, some of the returning women said they liked the idea.
Bonds said she found the men's alumni team comical.
"I would love to see some of the girls that I ran with when I was a freshman," Bonds said. "It wouldn't be as funny as the guys though."
"It was funny seeing some of the guys that I saw when I was getting recruited," she said. "Some of them were out of shape. Some were still in really good shape. It was interesting seeing how that all played out."
Next on the Jayhawk's schedule is the Missouri XC Challenge in Columbia, Mo., on Sept. 13.
- Edited by Mary Sorrick
While the dome may be in good shape, whether or not the Saints play there depends on several factors that may be out of stadium management's control.
Thornton, who spearheaded the ambitious $200 million, eight-month renovation of the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, remained in the stadium with a handful of staff during the storm Sunday night and Monday.
Thornton said there was no noticeable structural or interior damage, but stressed that a more thorough inspection still needed to be done. The stadium had yet to lose normal power as of Monday afternoon, he said.
1339 Massachusetts Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6
interior condition of the building."
"Best Selection in Town"
University of Kansas Pre-Law Day
September 3,2008
Law School Fair 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Ballroom, Level 5, Kansas Union
For a list of attending law schools, visit the KU Phi Alpha Delta Web site at www.padukans.wordpress.com
Sponsored by the University Advising Center and KU Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity