Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
The dance team, cheerleading squad and mascot have chosen their new members after extensive tryouts. See Page 3B
College Football
The Associated Press poll is out, and Kansas State has cracked the top five for the first time ever.
Tuesday
September 8, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
SEE PAGE 2B
Kansas Soccer
The women's soccer team stumbled in its debut but will try to rebound today against rival Missouri.
SEE PAGE 4B
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Volleyball starts strong sets Kansas opener streak
By Laura Bokenkroger
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas volleyball team ended one streak and began another this weekend, winning the Western Michigan Early Bird Tournament in Kalamazoo, Mich.
The Jayhawks broke an 11-year losing streak of season openers on the road by
After finishing the weekend 4-0, winning all four matches in three games, the Jayhawks are on a 12-game winning
streak of season opener sweeping Wisconsin Green Bay three games to none Friday.
Making History
surek. It's the longest winning streak of season-opening games in Kansas history.
They beat Wisconsin Green Bay (15-10, 15-15,
15-9) and Western Michigan (15-4, 15-7, 15-2)
Friday. Kansas defeated Auburn (15-12, 15-13,
15-12) and Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis (15-10, 15-5, 15-6) Saturday.
The Jayhawks already are on the road again, battling the 1-4 Wichita State Shockers tonight at 7:30.
Kansas middle blocker Amanda Reves said the Jayhawks were prepared to take on Wichita State.
"Last weekend gave us confidence and we
Reves, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Western Michigan Early Bird Tournament and Big 12 Player of the Week, said the team's chemistry was the key to their suc-
heaven. Reves said. "We were down in some games and we came back, and we were able to finish the close games. That's something we weren't able to do in the past."
Reveals:Named Big 12 Conference Player of the Week.
cess. Reves said new head coach Ray Bechard was a bie part of that chemistry.
"Coach adds a lot of energy." Reves said.
"He has a sense of humor, and he's the kind of coach who makes you want to win."
Bechard, is the first volleyball coach in Kansas history to begin 4-0 in a season debut.
"We're pretty fired up right now," Bechard said. "We played well all weekend. To go through this thing without losing a game, that's something special."
All 14 players on the Kansas roster saw action this weekend, and Reves said it was an opportunity for them to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Reves led the Jayhawks with 43 kills and 17 blocks last weekend, earning her fifth selection to an all-tournament team in two seasons.
Big 12 officials named Reves Big 12 Player of the Week yesterday, making her only the ninth player in Kansas history to receive conference player of the week honors.
"I think it says a lot about the rest of the team when the MVP is a middle blocker." Reves said. "Middle blockers can't do a lot without a good pass and a good set. If they can get the ball there, it makes my job easy."
VOLLEYBALL RESULTS
Western Michigan Early Bird Tournament
Match 1- Kinasas vs. Wisconsin Green-Bruz 1-5, 10-1, 15-5, 15-9
Match 2: Kansas vs. Western Michigan,
15-4, 15-7, 15-12
Friday
Seiter Laura Rohde, 155 assists
MVP: Middle blocker Amanda Reves, 43
kills, 17 blocks.
Match 3: Kansas vs. Auburn, 15-12, 15-1
**Middle blocker Anne Kreimer, 27 kills,**
**8 service aces**
Saturday
All-Tournament Team
ST. LOUIS — Home run No. 61 came at just the right time and on just the right day for Mark McGwire.
His son was in the stadium. His dad was celebrating his 61st birthday. His biggest rival was in right field.
McGwire ties home-run record
The Associated Press
The historic homer flew off McGwire's bat yesterday, matching Roger Maris' record and leaving but one question: How soon will it be his alope?
McGwire immediately began celebrating after hitting Mike Morgan's fastball 430 feet to left field, typing the hallooled mark that has stood for 37 years.
And then, with a fist thrust high, he began his triumphant trip around the bases.
"As soon as it left my bat, I just threw my hands up," he said. "I knew it at that time. What a feeling that was."
got another one from former St. Louis teammate Gary Gaetti as he approached third. He also banged forarms with third-base coach
Big Mac got a high five from Cubs first baseman Mark Grace as he rounded the bag and
Rene Lachemann, a tribute to his Bash Brother days in Oakland.
"I was, like, in awe," McGwire said.
The 50,530 roaring fans at Busch Stadium stood all the while.
Chicago's Sammy Sosa, whose 58 home runs have pushed McGwire down the stretch, applauded from right field.
Waiting at home plate,
where McGwire ended his trek with a two-footed hop, was his 10-year-old batboy son, Matt. The slugger hoisted his boy in his arms and gave him a bear hug.
McGwine: Tied Roger马斯' report of 61 Home Runs.
The Cardinals spilled out the dugout to mob McGwire, and it took him a few moments to make it to the bench. But he didn't stay there long, springing back out to salute his father, Sosa and the Marris family, watching from seats on the first-base side.
McCwire acknowledged Maris' children by pointing his right index finger to the sky, tapping his heart three times and blowing a kiss.
"I he tapped his heart, like Dad was in his heart," said Kevin Maris, son of the former New York Yankees slugger.
The landmark shot provided a fitting present to McGwire's father, John. He was sitting in the stands celebrating his birthday — No.61, naturally.
what better way to say happy birthday," McGwire said. "I was driving to the ballpark, and I was saying that if it's meant to be, hitting the 61st home run on his 61st birthday, it's meant to be."
In all, McGwire has homered 15 times in the last 20 days.
"I was. like. in awe."
Mark McGwire
St. Louis slugger
McGwire finished 2. for-4, adding a later ground single - he has 53 singles this season, compared to 61 homers.
Sosa went 1-for-5 with a single and struck out
with a runner on the third ending the game.
McGwire and Sosa, who have become friends throughout their rivalry, spent the early part of the morning at a joint news conference.
"Wouldn't it be great if we just ended up tied?" McGwire said. "I think it would be beautiful."
The Cardinals won 3-2, blunting the Cubs' bid to increase their lead in the National League wild-card race.
JAYHAWK FOOTBALL
Cowboys overturn Kansas' opener
By Jodi M. Smith
Kansan sportswriter
He did just that — to an extent.
Kansas coach Terry Allen wanted to showcase an improved offense Saturday against Oklahoma State in the Jayhawks' season opener.
offense, including 228 yards passing on 17 completions.
But Kansas' offensive game was not all high fives and chest bumps.
Only once last season did the Jayhawks record more yards passing than they did Saturday.
Three turnovers cost Kansas the game, and that is something the Jayhawks can ill afford to continue in upcoming matchups.
Allen: Please with his team's offense, despite a loss.
"Not make mistakes, not make mistakes," Bowles said. "Oklahoma State wouldn't have beat us if we hadn't made mistakes. We gave up interceptions and a turnover and stuff like that, and it just kills a football team, and we did that. We can't do that."
Running back Mitch Bowles knows what the Jayhawks need to do now to prevent further losses.
The three turnovers — two interceptions thrown by quarterback Zac Wegner and a fumble by Bowles — led to two of the Cowboys' five touchdowns.
"We can't turn the ball over," Allen said. "We did some better things as far as protecting the quarterback, but what happened in turnovers was our own worst enemy. We improved offensively, as I told you we would, and I think we will continue to improve there. If you were to grade Zac, he did some very good things, but obviously, he had some very critical, critical mistakes."
wegner counterbalanced his interceptions with two touchdown passes and the most passing attempts, completions and vards of his career.
But it is the offensive line that Wegner, Bowles and running back David Winbush think deserves the credit.
Winbush expressed the same sentiments. "I was pleased with the line today, honestly," Winbush said. "They're really ahead of what they were last year. We're going to be able to get better and go back this weekend and try to do something to Missouri."
"I thought the line did great today," Wagner said. "Those guys blocked their butts off. They've been preparing for this game for two weeks, and they've been seeing every look they've been given, and those guys blocked great up front."
And Missouri is exactly where sights are set now — beating Missouri on Saturday and
Running back Henri Childs attempts to hold off Oklahoma State cornerback Evan Howell. The Hawks scored 28 points in Saturday's loss to the Cowboys. Photo by Dan Elsavage/KANSAN
solving early-season problems before then.
"We need to learn how to handle the game-
type situation stuff," Winbush said. "All the
factors with the heat and overcoming the big
play when the other team makes one and learning how to bounce back from the adversity of that. Mostly, the mental part of the game."
Oklahoma State fullback Jeremy Halfery takes a hand-off from quarterback Taryn Lindsay. Photo by Dane Elsavsky/KANSAN
'Hawks check OSU quarterback
By Brandon Krisztal
Kansan sportswriter
The season opener for Kansas against Oklahoma State could have gotten out of hand, if the Jayhawks had allowed quarterback Tony Lindsay to control the tempo of the game.
Lindsey, the Cowbys' sophomore quarterback who earned Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year last year, has dominated games in the past.
Instead, the Jayhawk defense neutralized Lindsay for most of the game — something they will try to do Saturday against Missouri quarterback Corby Jones.
Kansas senior linebacker J. J. Johnson said he was impressed by Lindsay's performance.
"Tony Lindsay is an extremely good athlete," Johnson said. "One thing about him is he is really a
Lindsay: Quarterback impressed Kansas players.
yards.
leader out there. When he saw we weren't huddled up, he ran up to the line and got the quick snap. We
Kansas' defense was in
Lindsay's face all day. Lindsay was sacked four times for a total loss of 28 yards. He was limited in passing, completing 8-of-16 passes for 110
were prepared for him. We had a couple of defenses in there for him, and we just stopped the option on the run. You still got to give the credit to O-State. They came out ready."
Late in the first quarter, he rolled
left to pass, checked his receivers,
saw an opening and sprinted 51
vards for a touchdown.
His other touchdown was the nail in the Jayhawks' coffin, and Lindsay scored on a six-yard run. The subsequent extra point gave the Cowboys a 10-point lead with 1:21 left in the game.
Despite his scores, Lindsay said Kansas kept him guessing.
"They threw some stuff at me, special alignments that kind of had everybody on offense kind of rattled," Lindsay said. "They got their sacks and big plays, and I didn't know they we're going to be able to do all that."
Lindsay was impressed by the Jayhawks' ability to force Oklahoma State into making a number of careless mistakes that resulted in penalties or broken-up plays.