2B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
INSIDE SPORTS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2004
SPORTS COMMENTARY
KELLIS ROBINETT
krobinett@kansan.com
Wanted: Kansas soccer fans
When the Kansas women's soccer team takes on Creighton at approximately 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex, the biggest crowd of the year needs to be there to cheer the team on.
The Jayhawks played eight home games this season and never drew more than 1,000 fans to a game. That's a horrible stat, considering these Jayhawks tied for the Big 12 Conference regular season championship and earned the No. 8 seed in the 2004 NCAA Soccer Tournament.
If the soccer selection committee seeded teams the same way the NCAA does it for the men's basketball tournament, Kansas' placement would translate into a No. 2 seed. And the soccer team's high seed comes with home-field advantage. If the NCAA allowed the Jayhawk basketball team to host a subregional at Allen Fieldhouse, students would skip class for a week camping out for $100 tickets. This group of women has played magnificently this season, and the team deserves our support.
Coach Mark Francis was named Big 12 Coach of the Year, four players were All-Big 12 first team selections and two more were on the second team.
It's OK if you haven't been to a game this year. It doesn't matter if you don't think soccer is a real sport. I won't even chastise those of you who boo soccer updates at football games.
But die-hard Kansas sports fans need to figure out a way to attend this weekend's soccer games and give the team the best home-field advantage possible.
If Kansas defeats Creighton and Nebraska defeats Oral Roberts, the team will need all the support it can get for Sunday's 1 p.m. game, because there could be a large number of them coming to town for the game.
The Jayhawk Soccer Complex is conveniently located only 100 yards from Oliver and Naismith halls.Senior goalkeeper Meghan Miller said she got chills on senior day playing in front of only 850 fans. Think how motivated the team will be in front of 1,500 or even 2,000 fans.
At the Big 12 Tournament, a group of 15 Texas fans calling themselves "The Hooligans" were decked out in burnt orange to cheer their Longhorns on against Kansas, and they actually impacted the game. The group memorized Kansas' roster, and was so loud and annoying in cheering its team and yelling at Kansas players that, at times, you couldn't hear the person sitting next to you. I'm not suggesting that anyone go that far to support our soccer team, but if a handful of dedicated students can influence a Big 12 Tournament game, think what a couple thousand of us could do to help the cause in an NCAA Tournament game.
Robinett is an Austin, Texas, senior in journalism.
TALK TO US
Tell us your news. Contact Danielle Hillix or Joe Bant at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
Big 12's top offense brings talented, versatile frontmen
Defense wary of Texas' rushing game
Bv RYAN COLAIANNI
rcaiianni@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
When the Kansas Jayhawks face the No. 6 ranked Texas Longhorns this weekend, they will face one of the nation's most explosive offenses — an offense that touts a versatile quarterback and a running back who leads the Big 12 Conference in rushing yards.
The Longhorns' explosiveness was evident last weekend when they rallied from a 35-7 deficit to beat Oklahoma State 56-35.
The victory was the biggest recovery in school history.
"You have to be impressed with the comeback against Oklahoma State, as
they came roaring back to win," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said.
Senior running back Cedric Benson rushed for 141 yards in that contest, scoring five touchdowns.
He averages 159.8 yards per game, good for fourth, in the
nation. This season he has rushed for 100 yards or more in eight of the Longhorns' nine games.
BENSON
"He's just a powerful guy who has really quick feet," Mangino said. "He really can find a seam and change direction."
The Longhorns' sophomore quarterback Vince Young is dangerous, with the arm to throw deep and the legs to rush for vards if he is in trouble.
Young is second behind Benson in rushing yards for Texas this year with 680, including eight touchdowns.
YOUNG
He has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,249 yards with 10 touchdowns.
At. 6 feet. 225.
Benson is a running back who has not gotten a lot of attention nationally this season, but on the field he is difficult to miss.
pounds, Benson is able to run through defenders to gain extra yards.
He averages 5.9 yards per carry.
"His change of direction for a guy his size is remarkable." Mangino said.
"He gets his pads down and he is never tackled going backwards," Mangino said. "When he gets tackled he's always going forward, getting an extra vard or two."
Benson ranks high in many of Texas' all-time rushing categories.
He is second behind Ricky Williams in career rushing yards at Texas and 10
touchdowns shy of tying Williams in rushing touchdowns.
Williams won the Heisman trophy in 1998.
As the Kansas defense prepares for Texas, it prepares for the No.1 rushing offense in the Big 12.
Benson is one of only 10 collegiate running backs of all time to rush for more than 5,000 yards in their careers.
This is not the first solid running back the Jayhawks have faced this season.
Freshman Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma rushed for more than 200 yards against Kansas earlier this season.
"You can definitely compare him to an Adrian Peterson; he runs real hard, he just finds his way and breaks tackles. We just have to wrap him up and play downhill," safety Tony Stubbs said.
Edited by Janette Crawford
SWIMMER: Nervous to enter real world, change routine
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Q: Now that you're in your fourth year, what has been the best part of attending Kansas?
A: I'd definitely have to say being on the swim team, just because it's such a big part of your life, and it's just always an amazing feeling that you're a student athlete and a Jayhawk and you get to represent this awesome place.
Q: If you could start college over, what would you do differently?
A: I might decide on my major a little sooner — I didn't decide on my major until my junior year. I'm a very indecisive person and I didn't know what I wanted to do.
Q: How was it growing up in Arkansas?
A: It was great. It's very different than everywhere else; Arkansas is kind of its own little place, and my town was terribly small; I only graduated with 30 kids in my class. It was kinda like
you're from and you say Arkansas, people are like 'Bill Clinton!' And I'm just like 'yeah, you're right."
"Every time I'm in a class they ask you where
Amy Gruber Senior swimmer
everyone knew everything and you didn't just know everyone from 9th to 12th grade, but you knew something about them.
Q: Are you ever given a hard time about being from Arkansas?
Clinton!' And I'm just like 'yeah you're right.' I don't have a bad accent like most people down south, but I get a hard time for that a lot, too.
A: Oh yeah, all the time. Every time I'm in a class they ask you where you're from and you say Arkansas, people are like 'Bill
Q: Are you nervous about graduating, or,
with another year, do you try not to think
about it?
A: I kinda try not to think about it, but yeah, I'm definitely nervous to go out into the real world and just not have swimming as a structure.
It's going to be really different to change lifestyles and get out of the routine of just eating, sleeping, and swimming.
O: What do you plan to do after college?
A: I don't really know, hopefully get a job.
I still have a year of school left, so I'm just working on finishing school and then we'll see.
Kucera is an Omaha, Neb., senior in journalism.
BEARS: Volleyball sweeps Baylor, tied for sixth in Big 12
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
"We try not to think about that," she said of the tournament. "We just know we need to win now."
The Jayhawks were primed to do that in game one last night, as they jumped out to a 23-13 lead. Junior middle blocker Josi Lima had three kills and a service ace early in the set, but the Bears answered with a run fueled by junior settter Emily Huston's serving.
With the score 24-23, Lima reeled off three more kills to end the game 50-25.
"We took a nap at the end of game one," Bechard said. "When they picked up their game a little, we didn't."
Both offenses played better in the second set, Kansas barely led 19-18. Four Kansas players notched kills at the end of the match, and the Baylor defense was never able to adjust. The Jayhawks had just two hitting errors in the game.
"When everybody's playing together, it's a lot of fun," Brown said. Kansas won game two, 30-23.
blocks and block assists.
Kansas' offensive balance continued into game three. Lima again led the way with seven kills, including one that gave her team a 14-13 lead. The Jayhawks would not trail again. They sealed the match with the 30-26 victory.
Lima finished with 18 kills, a match high, and also led the team in solo
Lima said the match had extra significance for her because she played with Baylor junior middle blocker Adeline Meira in Brazilian club play before coming to Kansas. Meira had 13 kills and seven blocks when Baylor defeated Kansas earlier in the season.
"There were certain areas of the court we wanted to find with Josi, and after the first game, we did a good job of that," Bechard said.
Beachard said Lima drew motivation from that memory.
"Meira got us pretty good down there, and Josi was pretty set on setting that straight," he said. Meira had three kills and three blocks last night.
Lima credited her performance to the passing of junior setter Andi Rozum, who had a match-high 49 assists.
"Some games, we connect more than in others," Lima said. "Today, we had a very good connection."
Last night's victory moves Kansas into a tie for sixth place in the conference.
The volleyball team added depth at the front line positions with the signings of two high school seniors yesterday.
Volleyball notes
Indianalo, Neb., signed national letters of intent to play with coach Ray Bechard and the Jayhawks.
Martincich will add depth at setter, a position that two upperclassmen currently occupy. Rozum is the starter and will likely start next season. Backup Ashley Bechard is graduating. Martinicich was a member of the 2004 MoKan All-Star team and led her high school, Bishop Miege, to three consecutive state championships.
"She has unbelievable leadership skills and really understands the flow of the game," Bechard said. "She's one of the best setters in the country, and she happened to live 30 minutes away. We think she's obviously the setter of the future here."
Noyes will come in hoping to replace middle blocker Ashley Michaels and outside hitter Lindsey Morris, both of whom will graduate. She will compete with freshmen Caitlin Mahoney and Kristin Buehler for Michaels' vacated starting spot. Noyes was named to the Nebraska all-state team each of the last two years.
"Savannah has good size, excellent foot speed and a great mentality that will put her in the mix right away," Bechard said. "She's a Big 12-type athlete."
Katie Martincich, a setter from Shawnee, and Savannah Noyes, a middle blocker and outside hitter from
Intramural scoreboard
Edited by Neil Mulka
MEN
FLOOR HOCKEY
Phi Psi 1 def. Beta A-3 1-0
Theta Chi 1 def. AEPi 4-1
1122 def. SAE 1 7-0
VOLLEYBALL
MEN
Beta A-1 def. Karate Explosion 25-10, 25-16
LCA-2 def. TKE 25-16, 25-10
CO-REC
B-School Bapers def. Team Hello Kitty
25-21, 21-25, 21-17
Chapstick def. teaf Smeet 25-15, 25-21
Mitchionida def. Ice Cold 20-25, 25-15
SATURDAY
Cross Country. Midwest Regional, Peoria, Ill.
Football vs. Texas, 11 a.m.
Kansas athletics calendar
NCAA Soccer Tournament vs. Creighton, 2 p.m.
Voleyball at Nebraska, 7 p.m.
Rowing vs. Kansas State, TBA
TOMORROW
Men's basketball vs. Washburn (exh.), 7 p.m.
SUNDAY
BASEBALL
Leaders of rebuiltteams earn Manager of the Year awards
NEW YORK — Bobby Cox was voted National League Manager of the Year yesterday for leading the rebuilt Atlanta Braves to a record 13th- straight division title, and Buck Showalter won the American League honor after his Texas Rangers went from also-ran to contender.
Cox received 22 first-place votes and 10 second-place votes for 140 points to win easily. Tony La Russa of St. Louis, who has won four manager of the year awards, was second with 62 points.
It was the third award for Cox, who won in the AL with Toronto in 1985 and in the NL with the Braves in 1991.
Showalter kept Texas in the chase for a playoff berth until the final week of the season after four straight last-place finishes. He received 14 first-place votes, nine seconds and four thirds for 101 points, finishing ahead of Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire, who got 11 firsts.
The Associated Press
THU
LIBERTY HALL 644 Mass
49-1912
I HEART HUCKABEE (n)
4:40 7:10 9:40
A DIRTY SHAME (n=17)
NO SHOWS
Students $4.60
BARTONline
Having trouble getting your class schedule to work?
Dropped a class?
Need to add a class?
Barton County Community College offers online college courses.
We offer both 9-week and 17-week sessions. General education courses transfer to Kansas Regents schools.
Find our schedule online!
www.bartonline.org
Be one of the people behind the Kansan.
Most people go through college looking forward to graduation and finding a real job. At The University Daily Kansan Advertising Department, we provide outstanding students with the chance to work in a professional environment now. We currently have openings for Account Executives, Classified Hourly Staff and Advertising Creatives. At the Kansan, you have an awesome opportunity to build your portfolio, meet and work with great people and above all, have professional experience while in college. If you are hard-working, goal oriented and have a knack with people, we need to talk.
Pick up your application today at 119 Stauffer-Flint. Submissions are due at either NOVEMBER 22 or NOVEMBER 23.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN