Home-run race
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
A.
Sports
Monday September 21,1998
SEE PAGE 6B
Pro Baseball
Section:
Cal Ripken Jr.'s playing streak has ended. The Orioles shortstop took yesterday off.
SEE PAGE 3B
Kansas soccer
B
The women's soccer team was in action this weekend, picking up its first road win.
Page 1
SEE PAGE 3B
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Field house debut
Volleyball team takes second at home
Anne Kreimer, middle hitter, spikes the volleyball in the Jayhawks' match against Eastern Michigan University. Kansas won the Saturday afternoon match in three sets, 15-4, 15-12, 15-7. Photo by Eric B. Howell/KANSAN
By Laura Bokenkrager
Kansan sportswriter
ir's not that the Kansas volleyball team is disappointed about its record.
team is disappointed about its record. In fact, if you would have told coach Ray Bechard last month that the Jayhawks would be 9-2 going into their conference schedule, he would have been happy.
But when the Jayhawks stepped off the floor last Saturday night after their loss to Saint Louis University in
the Jayhawk Classic, his record was not much consolation.
They finished 2-1 in the tournament, defeating the University of San Francisco and Eastern Michigan University before falling to Saint Louis in the championship.
Bechard: Disappointed his team lost Saturday.
onship.
Second place isn't bad — especially considering that the Jayhawks have already won as many matches in the first month of the season as they won during all of last year.
But they know they could have won the tournament, and that's frustrating.
"One of our goals was to finish in the top two in all three of our pre-conference tournaments, and we did that," Bechard said. "But it's disappointing because we were in a good position to win this one, and we just couldn't close
"We're looking to turn some heads.I think a lot of teams are underestimating us."
Laura Rohde
Kansas volleyball player
Bechard's Allen Field House coaching debut was a success as the Jayhawks defeated a young San Francisco
itout."
team 15-4, 15-5 and 15-9 Friday night in the first match of the tournament.
In front of a crowd of 252 fans, the Jayhawks dominated offensively, posting 52 kills and holding San Francisco to 30 kills.
"Our passing game was on, so
Rohde: Named to the All-Tournament team.
Despite struggling in the second game against Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon, the Jayhawks
it's easy to run middles with good passes," said middle blocker Anne Kreimer, who collected 12 kills. "We came out with a lot of intensity. We had one of the biggest crowds we've ever had and we could tell everyone was pulling for us."
Kreimer and middle blocker Amanda Reves combined for 25 kills, leading Kansas to its eight win of the season.
won 15-4.15-12 and 15-7.
"We thought we were a little uneven ate in game two, and some in game three," Bechard said. "But we picked it
up at 7-7 and started playing well."
Two Kansas aces contributed to an 8-0 run that clinched the second win.
Despite jumping ahead of Saint Louis early
winning the first game 15-8 the Jayhawks fell short, losing three conses
Reves:Named to the All-Tournament team.
tive games 17-15, 15-13 and 15-5
In the second game, Kansas was up 14-11 but couldn't finish off the Billikens and lost 17-15. In the third game the Jayhawks lost, 15-13, after being ahead 13-7.
"We don't have the luxury of taking concentration breaks and that's what happened in game two and game three," Bechard said. "We were in position to put those games away, and we didn't execute."
The Jayhawks were flat in game
four. They fell behind 4-3 and never led again, losing 15-5.
After overpowering the first two opponents, setter Laura Rahde said she couldn't explain the Jayhawks' inconsistency in the championship match.
"We just weren't executing," Rohde said. "Maybe we could've passed better. I could have made better choices with my sets. I don't know. The intensity wasn't there."
Right side hitter Nancy Bell said the defense collapsed in the title game.
"Defense wins games," Bell said. "We weren't producing. Saint Louis dug a lot of balls in long rallies, and we haven't seen any teams that did that. We weren't executing defensively, and that hurt us."
The Jayhawks begin their Big 12 Conference schedule Wednesday against Oklahoma. Despite the disappointment of losing to Saint Louis, the team said it was ready to begin conference play.
"We're looking to turn some heads," Rohde said. "I think a lot of teams are underestimating us."
Rohde, Reves and outside hitter Mary Beth Albrecht were selected to the Jayhawk Classic All-Tournament Team.
Column
Sports editor Matt Friedrichs writes that the volleyball home opener was an important event that no one saw. See page 4B
Kansas Football
Kansas bludgeons Illinois State, looks to the road
First win full of firsts as 'Hawks look ahead
Freshman Nate Dwyer reaches for a tipped pass in the second quarter. Dwyer ran the interception 32 yards for his first career touchdown. Photo by Jay Sheperd/KANSAN
By Jodi M. Smith
Kansan sportswriter
Quarterback Jay Alexander prepares to take a snap from sophomore center Bob Schmidt late the game against Illinois State. The Jayhawks won the Saturday-night contest 63-21. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
Saturday's football game was a game of firsts for the Jayhawks.
"That's a key game for us right now, to go and try to get our first road victory." Allen said.
"It was something else," linebacker Steve Bratten said. "It kind of, maybe, turned the corner for us a little bit. We've worked so hard at winning games, and we finally did."
The Jayhawks haven't won a road game since Nov. 2, 1996, when they defeated Iowa State. 34-31.
After Saturday's 63-21 annihilation of Illinois State, though, Kansas has plenty to build on.
And they hope to add another first this Saturday when they travel to Alabama-Birmingham — their first road win in the Terry Allen era.
Four Jayhawks scored their first career touchdowns — defensive lineman Nate Dwyer, Bratten, and running backs Dustin Curry and Julius Bruce.
"That was a nice touchdown for Steve, and then the opportunity for Nate Dwyer to pick it up and run it in." Allen said. "It was nice for those kids to have some fun with the
Bratten and Dwyer both scored as a result of an interception, the first of their careers.
game."
"My first thought was, take it to the end zone and don't get caught," Dwyer said. "It's right there, you've got one chance, you're probably not going to get another one—get going."
The Hawks racked up 507 yards total offense with 269 rushing and 238 passing, the most offensive yards since Allen began coaching.
Bratten's interception ended Illinois State quarterback Kevin Glenn's string of more than 100 passes without an interception.
The Jayhawks scored on every possession with the exception of two
turnovers and one failed fourth-down conversion.
Allen was able to play his second string offense and rack up more than 500 vards.
"Had we eliminated a couple of turnovers, you can't ask for much offensively." Allen said.
"It's ridiculous to do it any other way," Allen said. "You want people to have an opportunity to do things, but there's no reason to make it any worse than it was."
The Jayhawks, 1-2, were pleased to add a win to their early disappointing season.
"It just felt good to win." Bratten said.
Alexander plays well after break from game
By Brad Hallier
Kansan sportswriter
It had been three years since junior quarterback Jay Alexander had played in a football game.
So naturally, he was a little nervous when he made his collegiate debut Saturday night against Illinois State.
"I was excited and nervous to play in front of the home crowd," he said. "The more I was out there and threw, I started calming down."
Alexander came into the game with 4:20 left in the second quarter and the Jayhawks leading 42.7. He played the remainder of the game as the Jayhawks accomplished their first win of the season, 63-21.
After handing off on his first three plays, he watched in horror as defensive back Adam Franklin intercepted his first pass.
He would have to wait until the next possession to complete his first collegiate pass. On a second-and-12 from the Redbirds' 34, Alexander threw to receiver Terminal Fulton for 24
"It was jitters," Alexander said. "I didn't read the defense whatsoever. I just dropped back, picked a receiver and threw it."
yards.
For the game, Alexander was five-for-six for 74 yards. His longest completion was a 25 yard pass to running back Julius Bruce in the third quarter that set up a Bruce touchdown run.
"After the interception I was pleased," he said. "I was happy with the way I played."
Kansas coach Terry Allen also was satisfied.
"No. it didn't bother me at all." he
Alexander said he wasn't bothered by the fact he only threw six passes in two plus quarters at the helm.
"He did a good job," he said. "Shoot.
He tried an interception.
Besides that, he did a pretty nice job
as far as delivering the ball in there."
said. "I just wanted to slowly get into it."
Alexander had not played in a football game since his high school, Independence, lost in the first round of the 5A state playoffs to Blue Valley, 17-8 in 1995.
He began fall 1996 practice with Garden City Community College, but never took classes or played there. He also attended Independence Community College but did not play there either.
"I've always wanted to go to Kansas," he said. "I was done with juco, and I talked to my dad, and I decided to give it a try here. I've always wanted to play D-I."