6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOLLEYBALL
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
Kansas looks for tournament victory at Arkansas
BY ZACH GETZ
zgetz@kansan.com
The Kansas volleyball team will try for its first tournament win since 2007 this weekend when it travels to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete in the Arkansas Tournament.
Kansas will face North Texas (0-7) on Friday and will face Jacksonville State (6-2) and Arkansas (5-3) on Saturday.
"We are hoping to come away 3-0," sophomore outside hitter Allison Mayfield said. "We've had two tournaments where we went 2-1, and we want to have a tournament victory this preseason."
Neither coach Ray Bechard nor the players are satisfied with their second place finishes in the last two tournaments.
"There are a lot of good things
Follow Kansan writer Zach Getz at twitter.com/zgetz.
that have come out of the two tournaments, and we've gotten a lot better, but it hurts not to win your home tournament," junior defensive specialist Melissa Manda said. "We really want to get one on the road."
The team has been working on its stamina as fatigue may have played a part in the Florida International loss last weekend, said Mayfield. The team has also been working on trying to clean up play and reduce the number of errors for this weekend's matches. Kansas had 37 errors in the Florida International loss last weekend.
"Getting better digs from the
The team has also been working on game situation such as end game situation, Bechard said. Kansas had many chances to win sets against Florida International last weekend but couldn't put them away.
back row helps set up a betterbalanced offense — and hitting and working on shots over and over," Manda said.
"it's hard to simulate end game, those games 20-20, and making really good volleyball choices, and the balance of being aggressive and not making errors," Bechard said.
Kansas won't be facing nearly as difficult competition this week, which may help Kansas rack up three wins and some momentum going into the Big 12 Conference opener next Wednesday at Missouri. In 2008, the three teams combined for a record of 23-67, but Bechard
ARKANSAS
TOURNAMENT
Barnhill Arena -
Fayetteville, Ark.
Friday
Jacksonville State (6-2) 1
p.m.
Saturday
Arkansas (5-3) 7 p.m.
Saturday
said the team isn't overlooking any. of the teams.
"If you don't respect any team at this level, then you are going to be in trouble," Bechard said.
—Edited by Samantha Foster
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Sophomore outside hitter Allison Mayfield bumps the ball to a teammate. The Kansas volleyball team will compete in a tournament at Fayetteville, Ark. this weekend.
FOOTBALL
Sibling rivalry: two brothers, two schools, one football field
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
If he had the choice — if junior linebacker Justin Springer could have made it work — he'd be playing alongside his twin brother, Jeremy, this Saturday, not against him.
During their recruiting process in 2006, the brothers searched for schools interested in Justin, the linebacker, and Jeremy, the quarterback
Springer
No school, however, offered scholarships to both.
So Justin headed north to Kansas while Jeremy headed northwest to El Paso.
The two will meet on the field Saturday for the first time since leaving Los Fresnos, Texas, after high school.
Follow Kansan football writer Jayson Jenks at twitter.com/JaysonJenks.
"We tried to go to the same school, but it just wasn't going to happen," Justin said. "If UTEP would have offered me, I would have gone there."
On Monday, Justin picked up the phone and called Jeremy.
They talked about UTEP's 23-17 loss to Buffalo and Kansas' 49-3 victory against Northern Colorado. They talked about their individual performances and Saturday's game when Kansas plays at UTEP. And it's something they do every day.
Sure, the phone calls are friendly and supportive. But the 30-minute phone conversation tells only part of the story.
The Springers also possess a trait that links most athletically-inclined brothers; a will to outdo the other.
"We competed in everything we
did, even how much food wed eat," Justin said. "That's how competitive we are."
Justin graduated from high school ranked seventh in Los Fresnos' graduating class. Jeremy was ranked eighth In college, though, Jeremy currently has posted the higher GPA.
And it spills over into all fields.
"It's because he goes to a school that's not as hard as this one," Justin said. "That's what I say."
Athletically, Justin is physically bigger and playing in the Big 12, but Jeremy is a starter for UTEP. Growing up, the two competed in a wide-range of sports: track, football, basketball. It didn't matter.
After signing with UTEP as a quarterback, Jeremy switched to the defensive side of the ball before this season. He made nine tackles in his first game at linebacker.
"He was always a better baseball player than me," Justin said. "That's the only sport he was better than me at."
And Mangino said there are noticeable similarities between the two brothers.
"You can tell he's just like Justin," Mangino said of Jeremy. "He plays hard, he makes plays and he's a good football player."
ing adjustments of a different nature.
Justin, meanwhile, is experienc-
After tearing his ACL last season against Kansas State, Justin spent most of the offseason simply rehabbing. He says he's still recovering and that
lonely world," coach Mark Mangino said. "You're not practicing with your teammates. You want to be out there but you're not. As much as the coaches and players want to make you feel a part of it, it's lonely."
"We competed in everything we did, even how much foot we'd eat. That's how competitive we are."
he's "85 to 90" percent healthy right now.
JUSTIN SPRINGER KU junior linebacker
Still, throughout the summer. Springer attempted to work his way into drills
Most of Justin's time in the spring and summer was spent working with strength and conditioning coach Chris Dawson, away from his teammates.
"Having a major injury, it's a
into drills.
Senior safety Darrell Stuckey said there were multiple times when Springer tried to jump in seven-on-seven scrimmages even if he wasn't supposed to participate.
"Id tell him, 'Hey man, you haven't been cleared yet. Get outta
here," Stuckey said, laughing. "I told him, 'Wed rather have you on game days than in the offseason."
Against Northern Colorado last Saturday, Justin played sparingly as a reserve.
Part of the reason is simply to ease him back into game condition.
But defensive coordinator Clint Bowen said that Justin's playing time will be drastically affected by opponents' offensive schemes.
"If they put some bigger people on the field, we have to match them and put him on the field," Bowen said. "If they play four or five wide receivers, his reps will be limited."
That doesn't cast a shadow on Justin's excitement for Kansas' game against a spread-heavy UTEP team.
Though Los Fresnos is a 12-hour drive from El Paso, the Springer cheering section will feature friends, family and even former teachers.
And, of course, the brothers' parents will wear shirts neutrally imprinted with the names of both schools.
"It's going to be a crazy atmosphere there in the Sun Bowl," Justin said. "It's going to be fun but it's very, very important for our team to get a win."
Edited by Jonathan Hermes