Sports
Do the administration shuffle The Athletic Department continues to make changes in its administration this year. PAGE 3B
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The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
sports commentary
Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Jayhawks deserve new soccer complex
If I were a member of the Kansas women's soccer team, here's how Monday night would have gone.
First, I would have watched my team get selected as the 13th seed in the upcoming NCAA soccer tournament and been pretty happy. Then, I would have seen that my team has to travel to Missouri to play our first, and hopefully second, round match even though we have a better record than the other three teams there. Finally, I would take a can of lighter fluid and some matches out to SuperTarget Field. The rest is self-explanatory.
Thank goodness none of the players actually did that, but they have a right to be upset. Despite being the Kansas Athletics Department's most successful program this fall, they still somehow got the shaft.
In the NCAA soccer tournament, 16 national seeds are selected. Kansas finished the regular season ranked 16th in the nation, and garnered the 13th national seed. The seeded teams are supposed to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, but Kansas is only one of two seeded teams that has to play away.
So now, Friday's first-round matchup against Illinois State will be at Missouri's Audrey J. Walton Soccer Complex, complete with lights and a 2,500 capacity.
Kansas' SuperTarget Field resembles the type of soccer complexyou'dfind in a middle-class suburb, with its drab metal bleachers, rough and patchy field and simple scoreboard.
For years, supporters of the soccer program have yelled, whined and cried for a new complex, and no one has really ever listened, not even the corporate sponsor. Maybe someone, like Athletics Director Lew Perkins, will take notice now that the low-rent SuperTarget Field gives the best KU soccer team ever a big disadvantage.
"Friday's game is no distraction," sophomore forward Caroline Smith said. "We've been in that city, been in that environment. If we win Friday, then it's a distraction if we play Missouri. Of all the places they could have put us, we have to go to Missouri."
Not only do the Jayhawks have to play on the road, but come on, they have to go to Columbia of all places.
I'm pretty sure Missouri's not a hotbed for women's soccer fever, but I am certain at least 1,000 Antlers will go out there just for the sole purpose of getting in our girls' heads. True, the Jayhawks are 1-0 this year against Missouri, but the situation still sucks, plain and simple.
Don't think that this is just some random, angry rant by an observer while the players and coaches feel it's a non-issue. Coach Mark Francis and his players have been aware for years.
"I think they already know our facility's not up to par," Francis said. "It's not telling them anything they don't already know."
Junior Stacey Leeper said she was told nearly four years ago while being recruited that the school would have new facilities within two years, but she obviously had the old rope-a-dope pulled on her. Shealy hutu
With thunderous emphasis, the ball has now been placed squarely in the administration's court. One would have to assume that this incident will finally push someone into raising funds to get the team a decent place to play. Of course, that's also what was assumed two years ago when the team made its first NCAA tournament appearance.
So with the events of the past two days, the problem that is SuperTarget Field has now been elevated from a whimper to a temper-tantrum. If, God forbid, the worst case scenario should play out this weekend in Tiger country, that hisisy-fit will reach the level of a scream that the Kansas athletic administration cannot ignore for much longer.
Greene is a Vernon Hills, Ill., senior in journalism
Kansas 103-Pittsburg State 73
Keith Langford battled Pittsburg State's Eddie Jackson to a loose ball during the first period of the game yesterday. The Jayhawks won 103-73.
'Hawks defeat Pitt
By Chris Wintering
cwintering@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
After a hard-fought win against EA Sports last week, the Kansas men's basketball team dominated Pittsburg State, defeating the Gorillas 103-73 last night in Allen Fieldhouse.
A seven-minute scoring drought in the
first half put the game out of reach for the Gorillas. Kansas coach Bill Self said it was important for his team to be able to put scoring spurts together.
"That's one thing that Kansas has always done great in the past." Self said. "It's so demoralizing to a team where you're playing well and you look up and in a two or three minute stretch, you're down 11."
Kansas scored 18 points during the run and stretched its lead to 20. Junior Wayne Simien scored eight points during that stretch.
Simien led the team with 25 points and 7 rebounds. He shot 10-11 from the field, his only miss coming on a tip in the second half.
SEE PITT ON PAGE 6B
Simien bests former pal opponent
By Joey Berlin
jberlin@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
The Battle of Leavenworth wasn't much of a contest.
Kansas junior forward Wayne Simien and Pittsburg State junior guard Tommy Vosseler, Leavenworth natives and friends since childhood, faced each other in Allen Fieldhouse for the first time in their college careers last night.
Their teams had met before, but Simien missed a Jayhawk victory over Vosseler and the Gorillas during the 2001-02 season with a knee injury. This time, he was the undisputed star.
Simien gave Vosseler's Gorilla squad no chance of pulling an upset, pouring in 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting to lead Kansas to an easy 103-73 exhibition game victory.
Vosseler is one year older than Simien, but the two were in school together until Simien transferred to a different school after sixth grade. Simien's father, also named Wayne, said the two "go all the way back."
"Him and Tommy grew up together, they slept at each other's house, they played CYO basketball in Leavenworth against each other," the elder Simien said. "So they've always been very close."
Facing no one on Pittsburg State who could match his sheer size and positioning ability in the low post, the 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound Simien showed why some analysts have picked him for pre-season first team All-American honors.
He was virtually unstoppable, particularly in the first half, when he hit all six of his shot attempts and went to the locker room with 14 points.
SEE PAL ON PAGE 6B
Transfers toughen women's team
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
The Kansas women's basketball team's top guard recruit, Sharita Smith, and Aquanita Burras, one of last year's leading scorers, missed their team's first exhibition game Monday night because of injuries.
But with the way junior college transfers Kaylee Brown and Larisha Graves played, the Jayhawks still did not miss a beat.
In the Jayhawks' 92-67 victory over Sparta Praha Monday night, the duo
"I kind of had a little bit of jitters when I walked onto the floor, but I was fine."
Kaylee Brown Junior transfer
ago.
combined for 24 points and 10 assists in an impressive debut.
Brown and Graves are just part of what looks to be one of the program's most talented teams in years, and add to a backcourt that lacked depth a year
"Last year we struggled, especially putting enough points on the board," coach Marian Washington said. "We've added some good shooters and players that know how to find the rim."
Brown shot an impressive 38.6 percent from three-point range a year ago at Northern Oklahoma College.
She brought that knack for the long-ball to Allen Fieldhouse, going four-for-five from three-point range.
In addition to her jumpshot, Brown displayed the ability to run the fast break with four assists, as well as protect the ball by committing just two
turnovers.
The ability to hit the three is something Kansas lacked in 2002, when the Jayhawks hit only 30 percent from beyond the arc.
Shooting threes in a 16,000-seat arena for the first time can be intimidating, but the sophomore guard was as calm as ever.
"I thought I was going to be a little more nervous," Brown said. "I kind of had a little bit of the jitters when I walked onto the floor, but I was fine."
SEE TRANSFERS ON PAGE 6B
Z. Gordon Straum/Kansai
Senior outside hitter Sarah Rome made a dig during last Wednesday's game against Missouri. The Jayhawks are gearing up for a Big 12 Conference match up against Oklahoma at Horejsi Athletics Center.
Kansas looks to end 5-set match streak
By Mike Norris
mnorris@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
As the Kansas volleyball team takes on Oklahoma at 7 tonight, they will try to defeat the Sooners in fewer than five games.
It was Oct. 17, 2003, and the Kansas volleyball team had just defeated the Iowa St. Cyclones 3-0. That was the last time the lajahays played less than a full five-game match.
It's been a string of competitions where the Jayhawks win three of five consecutive matches.
Kansas coach Ray Bechard said he didn't care if he had to play another five-game match tonight against Oklahoma.
"I just want to win," he said. "If it takes an hour and a half, or two and a half hours, or somewhere in between, we just need to do what it takes."
The lajhwakes (16-9 overall, 8-6 Big 12 Conference), defeated the Sooners 3-0 on Oct. 11 in Norman, Okla. It was the same night freshman outside hitter Jana Correa went down with a knee injury,
ending her season.
"I'm extremely pleased with how we bounced from that," Bechard said.
Senior middle blocker Jordan Garrison was thrust into the lineup because of the Correa injury.
The 6-foot-1 Garrison has improved the Jayhawks' blocking up front. Since she was inserted into the lineup the Jayhawks have gone from last in the Big 12 in blocking to ninth.
Even though Garrison wasn't in the lineup at the start of the season, she's no stranger to the court. She played in 142 games before this season.
The Jayhawks have had to rely on each other more than ever during their five-game match stretch, but Garrison said a fifth game isn't a big deal anymore.
"We just seem to love five-game matches," she said. "I think we're comfortable in the fifth game, and we've had so much experience with it this year I don't think it's a problem for us."
TALK TO SPORTS: Contact JJ Hensley and Shane Mettlen at SPORTS@KANSAN.COM
SEE STREAK ON PAGE 6B