Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Season's end disappoints Team looks to make improvements for the spring season. TENNIS | 8B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009
Soccer stays afloat for now Hawks defeat Iowa State, leaving postseason hopes alive. SOCCER | 3B
COMMENTARY
OUT OF REACH
Kansas loses its spark
PAGE 1B
Todd Reesing floated a pass on the 'game's first play intended for Dezmon
**intended for DECEMBER**
Briscoe — who torched Oklahoma a year ago — only to see it intercepted, putting Oklahoma's offense on Kansas' 46-yard line. The result?
An 11-play drive met by little protest from the Kansas defense save for a near goal-line stand that invited an invigorated crowd to dare dream that this game would be different.
Photos by Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN
Reesing's short-lived Heisman bid was humbled. Likewise, a chance to reestablish the Jayhawks as the class of the Big 12 North was greatly missed in front of a national audience watching at home on ABC — just like last year's game in Norman, Okla.
Fiesta Bowl representatives watched from the Kansas press box as the Jayhawks fell far short of topping an Oklahoma squad slowed by a 3-3 start.
Alas, missed — and perhaps lost opportunities will be the book on Saturday's game, a 35-13 Kansas defeat.
'Rough day at the office'
Reeing would be picked off twice more Saturday, completing one of the darker days in his storied Kansas career. The second interception came when an Oklahoma defensive lineman got a finger on Reeing's pass, allowing linebacker Jeremy Beal enough time to debate the merits of a public health-insurance option before collecting the turnover.
Defensive back Dominique Franks made it a trilogy when he shot past wide receiver Bradley McDougald to steal away a pass without breaking stride en route to a touchdown. The score put the Jayhawks down two touchdowns and ultimately proved an insurmountable deficit.
So, yes, it was a bad day for Reesing. Sparky was without his snark.
It was last week's trip to
SEE COLUMN ON PAGE 4B
Follow Stephen Montemayor at twitter.com/smontemayor.
**Above:** Senior quarterback Todd Reesing throws a ball that is tipped by Oklahoma defensive tackle Adrian Taylor. Reesing threw three interceptions in Kansas' 35-13 loss to Oklahoma Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
*Top: Junior wide receiver Dzexon Briscoe attempts to pull in a catch near the end of the first half. Ribsonhard seven catches for a team-high 60 receiving yards.*
Weston White/KANSAN
Early turnovers doom Kansas from the start
BY JAYSON JENKS
jienks@kansan.com
It was crinkson and cream versus crimson and blue. It was one of the
Big 12's most prolific offenses versus one of the Big 12's most aggressive defenses. It was a preseason Big 12 North favorite versus one of the conference's perennial ten dogs.
And by the start of the fourth quarter, it was just plain over.
That Kansas fell at the hands of Oklahoma 35-13 on Saturday isn't totally surprising. Even with
Follow Jayson
Jenks at twitter.
com/JaysonJenks.
injuries, the Sooners still possess a stable full of athletic and talented players.
But what left people startled after the game was the manner — and individual — responsible for the lopsided result: senior quarterback Todd Reesing and his three interceptions.
Reesing's fist-pumps and knack for big plays have become standard during his four years at Kansas. It's expected and anything less is considered a disappointment.
So after the game, as is the norm,
Reeing plopped into a seat and started answering questions. Only this time, his playful banter was replaced by the attitude of a man who knew exactly what his turn-overs meant.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 5B
VOLLEYBALL
Kansas falls to Missouri in a repeat of season's first Border Showdown
BY ZACH GETZ
zgetz@kansan.com
For the second time this season the Kansas volleyball team lost to Missouri. Just like the first match, Kansas came out strong in the first set, but faltered in the last three sets.
"In the second and third game was the turning point," Grieb said. "Those were games you wish you could have back."
Senior defensive specialist Melissa Grieb said that Kansas started out well in the first set and made good plays, but that somewhere in the second or third set it all fell apart.
Coach Ray Bechard said Missouri was just able to make more plays than Kansas.
Check out a photo gallery of the game at Kansan. com.
"We played well game one and moments of other games," Bechard said. "But when you are up 22-17 in game four, you got to find a way to
@KANSAN.COM
Senior outside hitter Brittany Williams said it hurt a little more losing to Missouri and not just another team and seeing Missouri's fans out there.
Junior outside hitter Karina Garlington led the team with 15 kills and had a .481 hitting percentage. Williams was right behind Garlington with 14 kills and a .458 hitting percentage.
close out the game."
Junior libero Melissa Manda led Kansas with 19 digs and sophomore setter Nicole Tole had 10 digs.
On the other side of the net, outside hitter Paola Ampudia had 35 kills for the night, a Missouri record and a four-set Big 12 Conference record.
Follow Zach Getz
at twitter.com/
getz.
Kansas fell behind 2-6 early in the first set, but later tied the set up at 10-10. Kansas then took a small lead, which it held for the rest of the set, winning the set 25-21.
Kansas and Missouri went back and forth for most of the second set, but Missouri pulled away late and Kansas lost the set 21-25.
Missouri started out the third set strong and Kansas fell behind 1-6 early. Missouri kept a strong lead throughout the set and Kansas lost 17-25.
Upcoming games
UMKC at Kansas
When: 6:30 p.m. Oct 27th
Where: Horejsi Family Athletic Center, Lawrence
WEEKEND GAME
RESULTS
Kansas 25 21 17 24
Missouri 22 25 25 26
No. 21 Texas A&M at Kansas When: 6:30 p.m. Oct 27th Where: Horesej Family Athletic Center, Lawrence
Senior defensive specialist Melissa Grieb digs the ball off of a serve from Missouri. Grieb had eight digs in the match. Check out a gallery of the game at Kansan.com.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
The start of set four was very close, but after being tied at 10-10, Kansas went on a 5-0 run to take a lead. Kansas kept its lead to 22-16, Missouri scored the next five
Kansas fell to 11-9 (4-7) while Missouri improved to 13-9 (5-6).
points to pull within one. Kansas could not put Missouri away and lost the set 24-26.
Kansas will continue Tuesday
when it faces University of Missouri Kansas City in Kansas' last non-conference match of the season at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
Edited by Abbey Strusz