PAGE 6
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012
SOCCER
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TARA RRYANT/KANSAN
Senior soccer players gather on the field with their parents after Kansas' 5-0 win on Friday against Northern Colorado at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. Seniors Whitney Berry, Nicole Christopulos, Cassie Dickerson, Amy Grow, Kat Liebetrau, Sarah Robbins and Shelby Williamson are preparing for what could be their last game as they head to the Big 12 Tournament in San Antonio against Tech Tech now.
Jayhawks to face the Red Raiders
INICOLE EVANS
nevans@kansan.com
After gaining momentum from Friday's victorious final game of the season, the Jayhawk soccer team travels to San Antonio to compete in the Big 12 Soccer Championship this week.
This year, Kansas finished 10-7-2 overall, concluding its season with a shutout win against Northern Colorado last week. The game ended 5-0, with five different jayhawks scoring and senior goalkeeper Kar Liebetrau earning her fourth shutout of the season.
Neither team found the net in the first half. Senior Whitney Berry initiated the scoring drive for Kansas, scoring via a pass from sophomore Jamie Fletcher in the 61st minute. Fletcher then set up freshman Ashley Williams for the Jayhawks' second goal only a few minutes later.
in the 67th minute, the jayhawks scored twice. Senior Nicole Chrisopulos scored after snagging the ball away from Northern Colorado goalkeeper Natalie
D'Adamio, Junior Caroline Kastoi capitalized on senior Sarah Robbins, bringing her to a total of 11 goals scored this season, Freshman Ali Kimura would round out the scoring drive for Kansas, scoring her first goal of the season in the 88th minute.
"I think considering all the things we've had to deal with, it's been unbelievable," coach Mark Francis said of his team's performance this season.
After ending conference play with a 3-5 record, the Jayhawks received a sixth seed spot, earning them a match against No. 3 Texas Tech on Wednesday in San Antonio.
Though the Jayhawks have played impressively this season, they need to win this conference tournament if they want to make it into the NCAA tournament, as the winner of the Big 12 Championship gains an automatic bid from the conference. Kansas has yet to win a conference postseason title.
"We want to keep playing, so it is more about extending the season," Francis said. "We're creating a lot
of opportunities right now, and the girls are playing well."
Wednesday's game could be an opportunity to avenge the 3-1 loss to Texas Tech in the Kansas's final conference match last week. The Red Raiders came back and scored twice late in the match to win, handing the Jayhawks their only loss in the season by two goals.
Senior Sarah Robbins the team is evenly matched with the feisty and strong Red Raider squad.
Senior Sarah Robbins thinks her
"We dominated a large portion of that game, so I think coming back and getting the win against [Texas Tech] will be a good boost going into the next game." Robbins said.
Last year, the Jayhawks were seeded as No.7 and fell to No. 2 Texas A&M in the quarterfinal round. The Jayhawks managed to force the game to penalty kicks, but the Aggies squeezed past, beating Kansas 5-3.
losses that may cause teams to underestimate the talent the Jayhawks bring to the field on both sides of the ball. Kansas scored 35 goals this season through seven different jerseys. Defensively, the Jayhawks have collected four shutouts and fifty-four saves. If offensive and defensive units can play in sync, the Jayhawks will be a force to be reckoned with in this tournament.
The Jayhawks have proved themselves to be worthy opponents all season, plagued by a few unlucky
Four Kansas players recently received honors because of their talent on the pitch. Berry was named First Team All-Big 12, while her teammates Fletcher and Kastor were listed on the Second Team All-Big 12. The All-Big 12
Robbins
Newcomer team welcomed Williams to its ranks.
"After playing everybody in the conference, if we play well, I don't think there is anybody that we cannot beat," Francis said.
Kansas will face the Red Raiders today at 2 p.m. in San Antonio in the Big 12 Soccer Championship.
Edited by Joanna Hlavacek
MEN'S BASKETBALL
K-State starts fresh with basketball coach
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The difference between Kansas State coach Bruce Weber and his predecessor, Frank Martin, was evident during the first few practices over the summer.
Weber was starting to implement the very basics of his motion offense, a markedly different system than what Martin had used so successfully, and it was absolute chaos — guys standing in the same spots, bumping into each other and throwing passes to nothing but air.
At first, Will Spraddling braced himself for an earful after every miscue. After a while, he heart-
to realize that the demeanor of his new coach was much more player friendly.
"Last year it was, if we made a mistake, we were on the line. We were running," Spradling said. "This year it's."
"I feel like with Frank, if you weren't a top-seven guy ... if you had a bad practice or something happened, you knew you weren't going to play, guaranteed," sophomore guard Nino Williams said. "It was kind of a bad situation if you aren't a top-five guy or starter."
For all of them, Weber represents a fresh start.
'If you make a mistake, we're going to do it right. We're going to get it right. We're going to do it as many times as we need to get it right.'
He wasn't a particularly popular hire among fans after getting fired by Illinois, but his everyman charm has slowly endeared him to wary supporters across the state.
Make no mistake: Weber can be intense.
"Last year,it was if we made a mistake,we were on the line. We were running.
Several players told The Associated Press during the offseason that Martin created a culture of fear within the program, one that was never fully recognized while he was leading the Wildcats to five consecutive 20-win seasons and four trips to the NCAA tournament.
That became clear during a trip to Brazil over the summer, when the officials let a game get out of hand. But the former Illinois coach picks his moments to let loose, while Martin — who left this spring for South Carolina — often seemed to be searching for a reason to let loose.
It helps that he was able to keep a deep, talented team intact.
Weber said his first order of business was to convince All-Big
WILL SPRADLING
K-State basketball player
12 guard Rodney McGruder to return for his senior year. Then he started meeting with every other guy from a team that went 22-11 last season.
even getting the Brooklyn Nets' Deron Williams — whom Weber coached at Illinois — to call Angel Rodriguez and convince the sophomore guard to give Weber a chance.
"D-Will was just telling me that he was in the same position as me. He was frustrated when Bill Self left Illinois," Rodriguez said. "He just told me to not stress it, take it easy and just remember that he was in the same position, and he will never regret playing for Coach Weber."
"Bill was truly missed there when he left, but we got them going," Bruce Weber said. "You want that challenge, and that's the exciting part of it."
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