6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2009
BASEBALL Cardinals end contract with 16-year-old player
ST. LOUIS — Less than three months after signing highly-regarded 16-year-old Dominican prospect Wagner Mateo, the St. Louis Cardinals have terminated the $3.1 million contract over what the team called "pre-existing injuries and physical defects."
The Cardinals announced the decision on Tuesday.
A team spokesman did not return messages seeking additional information.
But the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week that the 6-foot-2, left-handed hitting outfielder had vision problems that could jeopardize his career.
FOOTBALL Rams make room for wide receiver Amendola
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams have signed wide receiver Danny Amendola off the Eagles' practice squad.
Kansas to use Missouri loss as motivation
Wide receiver Derek Stanley was waived Tuesday to make room for Amendola. Amendola spent the 2008 regular season on the Cowboys' practice squad after being undrafted, and then joined the Eagles' practice squad in the playoffs.
VOLLEYBALL
Associated Press
BY ZACH GETZ
zgetz@kansan.com
Paige Mazour, left, and Allison Mayfield, right, go up for a block against an outside hitter from Florida International. The Jayhawks lost against Missouri last week but hope to get back on the right track with a victory when they face Oklahoma on Wednesday.
Kansas volleyball hopes to get on the right track with a victory Wednesday after losing a very winnable game against Missouri last week. Kansas will also need to protect its home court in order to stay competitive in the Big 12 Conference.
Kansas will have its chance to do both as it faces Oklahoma at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in the Big 12 home opener. Oklahoma (9-2, 2-0) is coming in with a four match winning streak that includes a victory against Missouri during the weekend.
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
Kansas (7-3, 0-1) had the weekend off and a full week to let the loss to Missouri sink in.
"It hurts to lose any game in the conference," junior libero Melissa Manda said. "It definitely still burns, especially since it was Missouri."
Follow Kansan volleyball writer Zach Getz at twitter.com/zgetz.
The players hope to use the loss as motivation against Oklahoma tonight to prove that the team can still play with anyone, junior outside hitter Karina Garlington said.
WEDNESDAY GAME
"We are all real anxious to get back on the court and prove that it was just a fluke," Garlington said. "We will use the game as motivation but not let it distract us."
**WHAT:** Oklahoma 9-2 (2-0)
**vs.** Kansas 7-3 (0-1)
**WHEN:** 6:30 p.m.
**WHERE:** Horejsi Family
Athletics Center
UP NEXT
Kansas 7-3 (0-1) at No.24 Baylor 12-1 (1-1) 1 p.m., Sept. 26 in Waco, Texas
Coach Ray Bechard said that while Kansas can learn from its loss, the team shouldn't focus on it too much.
"We can't allow our last match to affect our next one," Bechard said. "We need to concentrate on what is ahead of us, not what is behind us."
Kansas needs to limit its unforced errors and end rallies quickly in order to combat Oklahoma, Bechard said. Bechard also said
Bechard said that Oklahoma liked to "gravel," a method of playing strong defensive and fighting hard for every point.
that he had been stressing end game, but that it was hard to replicate it in practice.
Garlington said Kansas would try and focus on the first five points and the last five points in order to start sets strong and put the sets away, Kansas has had trouble all season long with putting games away, including the final two sets at Missouri. She said
that Kansas would try to make Oklahoma uncomfortable with its serving as well as taking care of the ball and eliminating errors.
"It our house, so that's going to be another big motivation — and not letting another team come in and take it from us," Garlington said.
Edited by Samantha Foster
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