Sports
Volleyball creates drama The Kansas volleyball team has been providing fans with drama in its five games. The 'Hawks play the Longhorns tomorrow. PAGE 8A
The University Daily Kansan
7A
Friday, November 7, 2003
Soccer team earns first-ever playoff victory
By Nikki Nugent
nnugent@kansan.com
Kansas City writer
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas soccer team won its first postseason game ever last night.
The Jayhawks topped the Oklahoma Sooners 1-0 in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
"Now that we've got that one out of the way," he said, "there's no reason we can't win again tomorrow."
Kansas coach Mark Francis said the team was tired but excited about playing in the second round of the tournament.
Francis said the team was a little jittery at the game's start, but calmed down as the first half progressed.
The game's first shot, by Oklahoma's Lauren Maclver, sailed wide right. Kansas goalkeeper Meghan Miller continued her strong play, recording her 10th shutout of the season.
The first solid scoring opportunity came in the eighth minute. A header by Kansas forward Caroline Smith was stopped by
OU goalkeeper Catherine Wade.
Smith persisted with a shot in the 33rd minute. Wade blocked the shot, but couldn't secure it. Freshman forward Jessica Kilpatrick was waiting for the rebound on the OU goal line and sneaked the ball past the near post for the game's only goal.
The Jayhawks led 1-0 at halftime, carrying the lead until the final horn sounded
Earlier tournament action resulted in unsets for the two top-seeded teams.
The No. 8 Missouri Tigers knocked off the No.1 Colorado Buffaloes 2-0 in the tournament's first game.
In the day's second game, No. 4 Nebraska defeated No. 5 Texas A&M 2-1 in overtime.
Overlining In the third game of the tournament, No. 7 Oklahoma State sent No. 2 Texas packing with a 1-0 victory.
Meghan Miller, junior goalie, took a goal kick for Kansas during a regular season game. The team earned its first postseason victory last night against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament.
Edited by Andy Marso
'Hawks look to end streak
Running back John Randle tossed the ball over his shoulder as he troted into the end zone last week against Texas A&M, Kansas faces Nebraska at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at Memorial Stadium.
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
sports commentary
That year was 1968, a season that saw the Jayhawks go 9-2, financed seventh in the nation and go to the Orange Bowl
Since the last time Kansas beat Nebraska on the football field there have been eight American presidents, eight Kansas football coaches and all but one of the original members of the Doobie Brothers have been replaced.
Looking to end more than three decades of losing to its northern neighbors, this year Kansas has its first realistic chance of making it a game in a long time.
The Jayhawks enter the game with nothing but confidence on offense, thanks to the emergence of freshman quarterback Adam Barmann.
Last season Kansas had to face Nebraska in Lincoln without dual-threat quarterback Bill Whittimore. This year, even with Whittimore injured again, there is more optimism because of Barmann. The freshman made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut at Texas A&M last week, impressing his coaches with his maturity.
"He was checking our offense into the right play. He looked at the defense and saw it was not the play to be in and he audibilized down like he has been doing it for years. I was amazed on the sideline," coach Mark Mangino said. "I asked Nick Quartaro, our offensive coordinator, if he could believe this."
Barmann's home debut will come against a Nebraska defense that is ranked seventh in the nation in total defense, but is also coming in with a chip on its shoulder.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 8A
Nebraska's famed "blackshirts," worm by the defense in practice, were removed this week. First year defensive coordinator Bo Pelini removed the black practice uniforms, traditionally a mark of excel-
Keith Langford sports@klansan.com
Criticism helps shape columnist's character
One thing that I like about writing is the responses. The fact that a 20-year-old writing in a college newspaper can stir up someone to tell my coach on a radio show I should not write is hilarious. I'm not out trying to purposely offend anyone or cause controversy. I say that sometimes people should take things for what they are and let it be water off your back.
Since my freshman year, I have been criticized for not being talented enough and not being top this or top that in whoever's rankings, but there is one factor that people miss. I'm a better person for it, I can now take being criticized with a smile on my face and respond to a challenge most would back down to.
I think as long as freedom of speech and expression exists, why not use it? That is the beauty of sports, writing and college. There is always another view on top of another. Now granted, I am not striving for a Pulitzer Prize in feature writing.
I try to write this almost in diary type format as a direct insight on what's going on in my mind. Anyway, if I do have bad verb agreement or double negatives, don't blame me. I figured the editors would fix it. The great thing about this is that it's so easy to express myself through writing. Also, I think when you express yourself, you'll never have to say shoulda, woulda, coulda.
I almost forgot this was supposed to be about sports.
The game this past Tuesday was fun for me. Although it was closer than a lot of people would have liked, that was our first time playing against different competition without two lottery picks, without our old coach and I probably could have added on to those 91 points too. One love to all my teammates.
I couldn't go without this week's drops.
props.
Shout-out to the volleyball team and coach Ray Bechard for opening the can on Missouri and to the women's basketball team. I see the hard work and it doesn't deserve to go unnoticed. Oh yeah, much love to men's pole vaulting. Hey football team, Jammal who?
Langford is a Fort Worth, Texas, junior in journalism.
Cornhusker fans gather in Lawrence
By John Domoney
jdomoney@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Biting winter winds are not the only thing rolling into Lawrence from the north.
"I know Notre Dame and Oklahoma fans do travel to away games," said Smith, who played for Nebraska from 1976-78. "But I do think Nebraska fans are second to none."
Thousands of Nebraska football fans are sure to descend upon the Kansas campus this weekend to watch their beloved Cornhuskers play against the Jayhawks in a Big 12 Conference battle
jayhawks lrg 12 Cm As Mike Smith, a former Cornhusker football player, sees it, other schools have great fans but none rival those of Nebraska.
Smith said the success of the Cornhusker teams of the past 40 years had a lot to do with the intense fan interest in everything Nebraska football. He also said he thought the location of the road game had a lot to do with the number of
Nebraska fans who planned to travel
Red-clad, rabid football fans are a welcome sight in Lawrence to the various businesses that are sure to benefit from a sold out Memorial Stadium including thousands of out of town visitors.
Lawrence may not offer famous skiing slopes or sandy beaches, but the town is a popular destination because of its proximity to the state of Nebraska and city of Lincoln.
"If we're winning, we'll go anywhere," Smith said. "We Nebraskans need an excuse to go skiing in Colorado or to go to Florida."
Numerous Lawrence hotels are sold out this weekend and have been for the months leading up to this game. The Holiday Inn, 200 McDonald Drive, is one of the hotels that counts on a full hotel when Nebraska comes to Lawrence for a football game.
"Nebraska weekends are a great weekend for the hotel," said Tom Tost, the hotel's general manager. "It's guaranteed to sell out months in advance due to their loyalty to the team."
A hotel full of spirited fans can cause
"If we're winning, we'll go
anywhere."
Mike Smith
Mike Smith
Former Cornhusker football player
concern for hotels. Arvin Patel, general manager of Baymont Inns and Suites, 740 Iowa St., said he took precautions during football weekends.
"Most of the game weekends we have more rowdy people," Patel said. "We have to be very careful to make sure there's no damage because these people will be in a party mood."
will be in a party mood That 'party mood' creates financial benefits for area liquor stores. Joe Schmidt-berger, owner of Alvin's Wines and Spirits, 905 Iowa St., said the impact of a Nebraska football weekend would increase profits by 8 or 9 percent tomorrow.
Restaurants in Lawrence, especially those along Massachusetts Street, expect to see a larger business that will extend from lunch into the late night.
"It can be positive in terms of
The Kansas Athletics Department is expecting a sellout tomorrow, which would be the second of the season for Kansas and the first since the Missouri game on Sept. 27. From a financial standpoint, having Nebraska fans fill the empty seats tomorrow leads to a positive result for revenues, said Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director.
That stress results from the crowded restaurant and having to expand the number of workers tomorrow, Magerl said. Magerl said he has never had any problem with Nebraska fans during his 15 years in the business and described them as "good-natured and fun loving."
TALK TO SPORTS: Contact JJ Hensley and Shane Mettlen at SPORTS@KANSAN.COM
finances," said Chuck Magerl, proprietor of the Free State Brewing Company, 636 Massachusetts St. "But it can cause a certain amount of stress."
What Marchiony wants is for the day to come when a Nebraska game means more blue than red in the stands at Memorial Stadium.
"We'd much rather have our fans in the stands." Marchiony said. "I'm looking forward to the day when the stadium is full of only KU fans."
"Fans wearing a different colored shirt take away from the optimum home field advantage," Marchiony said. "But I expect a considerable home field advantage this weekend."
To reduce the number of Nebraska fans present in Lawrence in future Kansas-Nebraska football games, season ticket sales must increase, Marchionysaid.
Marchiony said he did not expect Nebraska fans to have as much of a presence at Memorial Stadium when compared to the past. He said he hoped that the crowd dressed in blue will be making the majority of the noise tomorrow.
Until then, Nebraska fans, such as Smith, are likely to continue to make their presence known at Big 12 football stadiums.
Smith, whose daughter Jessica is a senior at the University of Kansas, said he would be cheering on his Huskers despite his daughter's loyalties.
"I'll be wearing red and blue," Smith said. "A red shirt and blue jeans."
— Edited by Jonathan Reeder
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