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MONDAY NOVEMBER 19,2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Volleyball notches back-to-back sweeps of Oklahoma,TCU
GEOFFREY CALVERT
gcalvert@kansan.com
Playing in Fort Worth, Texas for the first time ever, the Kansas volleyball team made no plans to stick around any longer than it had to, dispatching the Texas Christian Horned Frogs in three sets Saturday.
Freshman outside hitter Tiana Dockery reached 10 kills for the first time since Oct. 10 against Oklahoma, while redshirt junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc added 11 kills. The duo committed only five attack errors during the match.
"It felt really good to get back in the groove of things because for a while there, I kind of hit a rut and wasn't really executing the way that I was before," Dockery said. "I kind of relaxed a little bit and clamped myself down so I wasn't so stressed."
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Dockery had seen her role on the team go from offensive to defensive after sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Albers entered the Jayhawk lineup midway through
the season once she overcame early season health setbacks.
Junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc and junior setter Erin McNorton jump up to block their opponents hit during Saturday's game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. Kansas won 3-0.
Coach Ray Bechard said he decided to rely heavily on Dockery instead of redshirt junior Catherine Carmichael against TCU because of Dockery's defense. But Dockery's biggest contributions actually came on offense, and she paced the Jayhawks in their 25-18 first set victory with four kills.
Carmichael ended with a negative attack percentage in three of the jayhawks' previous four matches, so Dockery's offensive outburst helped keep her on the court.
"Dockery's been practicing well. and we've given Carmichael, McClinton and Dockery all time." Bechard said. "We thought today some of the things we're doing defensively would highlight some of Dockery's talent. Cathy would have done well today. We just settled on Dockery today."
TCU's setter, Megan Munce, entered the match second in the Big 12 with .42 aces per set. But Kansas kept her from recording an ace, which also occurred when the two teams met earlier this season in
Lawrence.
TCU only managed one ace on Saturday while committing four service errors. The Jayhawks netted
two aces apiece from Jarmoc and junior setter Erin McNorton, while committing only three service errors as a team.
"I don't think they really ever could get into system like we could, and we were almost always in-system I felt like," McNorton said. "Our passers did really well. Not only were we digging, but all our passes I thought were to target on serve-receive."
The Jayhawks swept both matches they played this week, but on Wednesday, Kansas needed two extended set victories to earn a sweep against Oklahoma.
On Saturday, however, Kansas won every set by at least seven points, using runs of 11-2, 15-4 and 8-3 to break each set wide open.
Behind McNorton's 34 assists on Saturday, the Jayhawks managed to record 45 kills against 13 attack errors, while holding TCU to 32 kills and forcing them into 17 errors.
Bechard said the Jayhawks' goal was to hit at a .275 percentage for the match, while holding TCU to below .200. Although TCU outblocked Kansas 6-3, the Jayhawks' front line was able to get touches on many of the Horned Frogs' attack. This slowed the ball down for the Jayhawks' passers, helping them to
get in-system and execute their attack. Kansas outdug TCU 50-41, which negated the Horned Frogs slight blocking advantage.
"We didn't have a single block at the break, but our back row was saying, 'Hey, you guys are getting a ton of touches.' Bechard said. "I think that was a key that we dug 50, but we touched a ton of balls off our block that we were able to transition kill."
The victory moved Kansas to 23-6 overall and 11-4 in the conference, ensuring the team will finish at least third in the Big 12. Iowa State is holding onto second place by half a match with an 11-3 record. Kansas' victory gives it the most wins in a season since the 1991队 finished 25-10.
The Jayhawks have two matches remaining in the regular season. They host Saint Louis at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Allen Fieldhouse, which is where Kansas will play if it is selected to host NCAA Tournament matches.
Davis leads Jayhawks with 22 points in comeback victory over Demon Deacons
Edited by Andrew Ruszczyk
NATHAN FORDYCE
nfordyce@kansan.com
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
When No. 25 Kansas came out of halftime trailing for the first time this season, the team relied on senior forward Carolyn Davis.
In the 64-58 Kansas victory
against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Davis showed why she has been mentioned in preseason watch lists. Davis had 16 of her team-high 22 points in the second half.
"It was frustrating being down at half. We talked about how they were
werent rebounding as well as we could have. We weren't being as aggressive as I thought we could be. I wanted to come out the second half and set that tone."
Davis
going to play in the first half, and there was a lot of assignments we messed up." Davis said. "We
Davis was assisted by junior forward Tania Jackson, who got her first start of the season. In the game
against SE Missouri State on Wednesday, Jackson came off the bench as a huge spark. She went for 12 points and 13 rebounds to help the Jayhawks defeat the Redhawks.
Jackson's play was no different Sunday evening.
as she put up 13 points and nine rebounds.
Jackson is known as a high-energy player, but it's always a challenge
for bench players to bring the same intensity as starters.
"Just to come off the bat with energy and do what I do coming off the bench: start with energy and finish with energy," Jackson said. "When I come off the bench, I'm excited because I'm going into the game and to give energy to the team. But it's different when you start, and you have to start and finish."
For the third consecutive game, the Jayhawks couldn't find the bottom of the net with consistency. They finished shooting just 37.5 percent, and senior guard Monica Engelman shot just more than 18 percent. Henrickson isn't worried about her senior or any other player who is struggling shooting, but
she does have to find a way to get them out of their slump.
"You have to shoot yourself out of it," Henrickson said. "You shot your way into it, and you have to
boot yourself out of it. They need to get some extra shots up and get some confidence. The heart rate should drop a little bit and think this one is going in."
tually seal the fate of the Demon Deacons.
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said that Goodrich's shot was the "worst look and the only one that 601."
As the shot clock was winding down late in the second half.
"When I come off the bench, I'm excited because I'm going into the game to give energy to the team."
senior point guard Angel Goodrich hit a runner to give the Jayhawks a three-point lead. Promptly, sophomore guard Natalie Knight had a steal and a layup that would even-
TANIA JACKSON Junior forward
winning in the last minute might have its benefits, but Henrickson wants to figure out why the Jayhawks were in that situation against Wake Forest.
Goodrich finished the game with 13 points and three assists. Knighttadded six points and seven rebounds.
Winning
"There's tremendous value in winning a game like that," Henrickson said. "Certainly we need to address why we're in a game like that."
Like Henrickson, the players believe a tough home win will help the team in the long run, but it's in these games when the chemistry and unity of the team comes together.
"I think it's definitely going to help us, to play tight games like this and come together as a team," Jackson said. "That's what we did today at half. We came together and said we got this and calm down."
— Edited by Nikki Wentling