SAN
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012
PAGE 5B
ED PRESS Chen dur-
rd
VOLLEYBALL
in his first
it him on
who had
over his
allowed
ie, match-
Jayhawks make history with last night's win
14 down
o conten-
wild card
h finished
the third
Junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc spikes the ball during the second set against Iowa State Wednesday night Sept 26. Kansas won the second set 25-19.
bee baser
the fourth
do or right-
out on a
on the
a氧器
The 2011
ir walked
ig off the
y McGee
utter, Nate
GEOFFREY CALVER
gcalvert@kansan.com
Despite losing the opening set for only the second time this season, the No. 24 Kansas layhaws moved to 3-0 in conference play for the first time in school history with a 3-1 victory over West Virginia Wednesday night.
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN
In the first set, the Jayhawks appeared to lack focus in their first trip to Morgantown, WVa., to play the Mountaineers in a Big 12 match. Nine attack errors by Kansas gave West Virginia a 25-15 first set victory. The Jayhawks admitted they came out passive in the first set, and it showed on the court.
"We just kind of sat back in the first set, and we didn't play our typical game," said Caroline Jarmoc, junior redshirt middle blocker. "I think that could attest to not being totally focused."
West Virginia entered the match with 92 service aces on the season, second in the Big 12. The Mountaineers scored three service aces in each of the first two sets, which Kansas coach Ray Bechard said stopped the Jayhawks from establishing an early offensive rhythm.
"They were serving tough, and that limited our options offensively." Bechard said. "You can tell by the nine kills and nine errors (in the first set) that we just weren't in sync offensively."
The second set, however, went just as well for Kansas as the first set went badly for them. Two early kills by Sara McClinton, sophomore outside hitter, helped Kansas open an early 8-4 advantage.
The Jayhawks found its offensive rhythm in the second set, only committing two attack errors. Jarmoc, McClinton and redshirt junior outside hitter Catherine Carmichael each contributed three kills during the set, while senior middle blocker Tayler Tolefree and junior setter Erin McNorton contributed two. Kansas won the set 25-16.
Carmichael led the Jayhawks with 15 kills in the match, and Jarmoc finished with 14 kills and no attack errors.
"I was trying to get up early," Jarmoc said. "I was just being really conscious of getting up in transition and telling Erin to feed me the ball."
Kansas continued its strong offensive play in the third set,
and the defense joined in. The Jayhawks allowed zero service aces in the third set while scoring two aces of their own, eliminating the only area of the match where the Mountainers could have an advantage against Kansas.
"They drive the ball deep," Jarmoc said. "First contact is the name of the game in volleyball, because you can't do much without
having a good first contact."
After winning the third set 25-14, Kansas used a 6-0 run to secure a 17-8 lead in the fourth set, effectively ending the Mountainers' hopes of forcing a fifth set. The Jayhawks' defense notched four of its 12 blocks during the final set, including the final block of the match by Tolefree and McClinton to give the Jayhawks a 25-17 fourth
Despite hitting a dismal .000 in the first set, Kansas still outhit West Virginia .252 to .107. The victory advanced Kansas to 15-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12.
Every season since 1996, Kansas has faced at least one ranked conference foe in the first three matches of conference play. This year, however, Kansas defeated that
ranked foe, which was No. 19 Iowa State.
"It's a really good feeling," said Jaime Mathieu, junior defensive specialist. "Obviously now we have a big target on our back, but we're ready to handle it and I think we can. It's exciting."
- Edited by Laken Rapier
MLB
Astros season finally over
I ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — The Houston Astros ended their National League tenure with a result that's become familiar: a loss.
The Astros set a franchise record for losses in a season, finishing 2012 with a 5-4 defeat to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday as Bryan LaHair homered and hit a game-winning single in the ninth inning.
"That's the goal of a season where we didn't win as much as we wanted to," shortstop Jed Lowrie said. "To finish strong gives everybody a good feeling going home."
Houston went 55-107, one more loss than last year. The Astros split the final 30 games of their sorry season, winning five of their final seven.
In the first series between 100-game losers in the major leagues since 1962, LaHair homered in the second and broke a 4-all tie against Hector Ambriz (1-1).
The Astros became the first team with 106 or more losses in consecutive seasons since the 1964-65 New York Mets.
Houston finished its NT lenure with 3,999 regular-season wins and 4,134 losses with five ties. The Astros are moving to the AL West next season, creating three divisions
of five teams in each league.
"There's going to be some stiff competition, but it'll be good for everybody," Lowrie said. "We'll prepare and see how it goes."
The Astros were 16-25 under interim manager Tony DeFrancesco, who took over after Brad Mills was fired on Aug. 18. Washington third base coach Bo Porter already has been hired as Houston's manager for next season.
"I just went around to everybody and thanked them for everything they did," DeFrancesco said. "I appreciate it. They're ready to go home. It been a long season."
"I was comfortable in the clubhouse talking to the players and dealing with Jeff in the front office," DeFrancesco said, referring to general manager Jeff Luhnow. "Everybody's been very warm to me. I'm really proud to be a part of this."
DeFrancesco, previously Houston's Triple-A manager, hopes to remain on the Astros' major league staff.
The Cubs, who haven't won the World Series since 1908, went 61-101 for their most losses since dropping 103 games in 1966.
to finish the season with a win, it's always fun to do that"
"A lot of hard work was put in this year," LaHair said. "Unfortunately, the record didn't say that, but just
Carlos Marmol (3-3) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win.
Justin Maxwell hit a tying, three- run homer for Houston in the eighth off Shawn Camp. It was Maxwell's team-leading 18th home run.
"The way we finished, we knocked the Brewers out of playoff contention, we really played well these last few weeks," Maxwell said. "If we individually work on the things we know we have to get better at, we're going to be as a better team."
Cubs starter Travis Wood allowed one run, three hits and give walks in 6 1-3 innings, giving up Carlos Corporan's RBI single in the first. Wood also chased Astros starter Edgar Gonzalez with a two-run single.
Gonzalez gave up four runs, five hits and four walks in 3 1-3 innings. Houston pitched 28 consecutive scoreless innings before LaHair's homer in the second.
Most Cubs' regulars were given the day off. The exception, Starlin Castro became the first player in franchise history to play shortstop in all 162 games, and the first major leaguer to do it since Jimmy Rollins in 2007. Castro's 195 consecutive games played is the longest active streak in the NL.
LINGERIE | INTIMATE TOYS | ROMANCE ESSENTIALS