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KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | THURSDAY, NOV. 10, 2016
Border War returns in NCAA soccer tournament
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
When the Kansas Jayhawks soccer team gathered Monday afternoon in the Naismith Room at Allen Fieldhouse to learn their NCAA tournament fate, the team already had a pretty solid idea of what it was up against.
"We had a pretty good idea we would be playing Missouri," Kansas coach Mark Francis said. "We've already watched video on them, so we were hoping that would be who we would play."
A renewing of the Border War between Kansas and Missouri was indeed announced by the NCAA's selection show for the tournament.
The Tigers are ranked 41st in the RPI rankings, which matches up almost perfectly with Kansas, which is ranked 21st in the RPI.
"Im excited," Kansas midfielder Jackie Georgoulis said. "It will give us a little bit of revenge from [my] sophomore year so I'm ready."
Kansas will host Missouri at Rock Chalk Park this Sunday, Nov. 13. The match will kick off at 1 p.m.
The regional matchup is a common one for both schools. Kansas lost 3-1 to Missouri in 2014, the last time Kansas made the NCAA tournament.
It will give us a little bit of revenge from [my] sophomore year so I'm ready."
Jackie Georogulis Senior midfielder
For Francis, it is his seventh NCAA tournament appearance in his 18 years as the Jayhawks' coach. This appearance comes on the heels of an early exit from the Big 12 tournament, in which the Jayhawks went out early with a 1-0 loss to the TCU Horned Frogs.
Francis said the early exit might be a blessing in disguise. His team almost certainly would have been facing the Tigers in the first game of the tournament regardless, and the extra rest will be beneficial.
"I said to them after the [TCU] game disappointing for us to lose the way we did,
because I thought we had a good shot at winning it this year, but the bottom line is we've gotten to train four times," Francis said. "It's a little bit of a blessing. Let's say we're feeling a little bit different today than the girls from TCU or West Virginia, that just played yesterday, are now."
Francis also pointed out Kansas' tough schedule preparing it for the tournament. Kansas faced 12 teams that were selected to the tournament in the regular season.
The Big 12 was well-represented in the tournament with six teams in the bracket, but there were some questionable picks.
The most glaring was Texas Tech. The Red Raiders finished eighth — second to last — in the Big 12 and only earned two conference wins. The Red Raiders also bowed out of the Big 12 tournament in the first game with a 3-0 loss to West Virginia.
Baylor, with a third-place finish in the Big 12, was inexplicably left out of the tournament. Iowa State was also left out of the tournament with a fifth-place finish in the Big 12.
Senior defender Aurélie Gagnet takes a shot late in a loss 1-0 loss to TCU in the Big 12 Tournament.
**Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN**
Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN
Missy Minear/KANSAN
Sophomore Sharon Lokedi leads a pack of runners at the Rim Rock Classic in Lawrence on Oct. 1.
Cross country sets sights on championships at regionals
▶ ADAM SCHERZER
@AJScherz
The Kansas men and women's cross country teams are headed to Iowa City, to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships on Friday.
This event consists of the best teams from Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Just like the Big 12 Championships, Oklahoma State and Iowa State will be favored on both the men's and women's sides.
The larger the meet means the better the competition, but a bid to the NCAA Championships is also on the line. Individuals may qualify for the national tournament, but it would be a bigger accomplishment to qualify as a team. The women's team qualified for the 2015 NCAA Championships.
"The purpose of the regional meet is for us to try to qualify for the NCAA Championship," coach Stanley Redwine said. "It just can't be a one-person deal with Sharon to perform well. The goal is to go as a team and hopefully we can do that."
Redwine said he has noticed this problem and addressed his team about it. Running as a pack has been their game plan all year — that is what is going to propel this team to success.
"Everyone has to have their good meet on that one day," Redwine said. "It just seems like so far that one person's been off a little bit, then another person's been off the next time."
In order for the entire team to qualify, every single runner needs to be at the top of his or her game, Redwine said.
"They're showing it and starting to run better together in practice, so we just
Sophomore Sharon Lokedi is coming off of the best finish of her career. She took home the individual title by placing first at the Big 12 Championships. Lokedi will look to work off of that success and will be the tone-setter if the Jayhawks are to qualify for the National Championship.
Unlike most of the season, this time the men's team will have to run a 10K rather than a 8K. The Kansas men have not competed in a 10K all season.
The University of Iowa is hosting the meet on the Ashton Cross Country Course. The women will run in the 6K at 11:00 a.m. and the men will participate in the 10k at 12:00 p.m.
need for that to happen at the meet," Redwine said.
"The little unknown is how they will react to running a 10K versus an 8K," Redwine said. "Hopefully their confidence is there to be able to go out and continue to run well together so that we can try and get an outside bid at making it to the championship."
If the Jayhawks perform well this Friday and qualify for the NCAA Championships, the meet will be held next Saturday, November 19, in Terre Haute, Ind.
Edited by Christian Hardy
KU and ISU still looking for QB ahead of matchup
"They are a lot better than 1-8." Beaty said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. "They are the best 1-8 team in the country. Maybe one of the best 1-8 teams you really have seen."
The Cyclones don't have any Big 12 wins to show for that improvement, but they seemed to have possibly figured out their quarterback situation, which has been a carousel to this point.
Joel Lanning, who was the opening-game starter, appeared as a running back in disguise in the loss to Oklahoma last Thursday. He ran for 61 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and that allowed Jacob Park to excel in the passing game. Park completed 16-of-29 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
► WESLEY DOTSON
@WesleyDee23
Although the Cyclones will enter Lawrence with a record-matching the Jayhawks, Kansas coach David Beaty had high praise for a team that has made strides in recent Big 12 games.
One team will finally win its first Big 12 game of the season when Kansas (1-8,0-6 Big 12) and Iowa State (1-8,0-6 Big 12) clash on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
"Joel Lanning, he's a dangerous guy," Beaty said. "He can run it and he can throw it. He's big and he's got a lot of experience. He's a good player. Jacob Park, they love that guy throwing the football and I can see why — he can sling it."
As for the Jayhawks, they have been spiraling in a different direction. While the team has seen improvement of play in Big 12 games like TCU and Oklahoma State, it has encountered setbacks against Baylor, Oklahoma and West Virginia.
One of the main issues for Kansas has been the inconsistent quarterback play on offense. Redshirt junior Montell Cozart, sophomore Ryan Willis and redshirt freshman Carter Stanley have all seen snaps this season.
Kansas will enter the game with an eight-game losing streak.
[Lanning's] big and he's got a lot of experience. He's a good player."
David Beaty Coach
Cozart was the latest to struggle, as he recorded only 124 yards and threw an interception in a 48-21 loss to West Virginia last week. He suffered a concussion late in the third quarter of the game, and that opened the door for Stanley.
Stanley was able to find success late in the game, as he threw for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas scored 14 of its 21 points with Stanley under center.
With Cozart returning to practice this week, Beaty said a starter will be named after "we go through
practice [Tuesday] and [Wednesday]."
Stanley, who was able to produce more points in less drives than Cozart, could be in line for the first start of his collegiate career if Cozart isn't able to play.
"Our deal is we want to win," Beaty said. "And whatever we've got to do to help ourselves get a chance to get that victory is what we've got to do. It's not about what's challenging. It's about what is best for this football team."
Beaty has said from the beginning of the season that he is always evaluating players at every position. Giving Stanley a start against Iowa State could provide that spark for what has been a dreadful Kansas offense.
"I said before, there's something about him," Beaty said. "He's got kind of a gamer deal to him. He did a good job the other day. I fully expect him to be prepared if his number is called this week. Just how I expect all of them to be prepared this week."
"And listen, [Stanley] did a great job in that game the other night sparking us, and he kind of left that game with a hot hand."
Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. and can be seen locally on Fox Sports Network.
- Edited by Christian Hardy
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