MONDAY. OCTOBER 25. 2004
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tennis struggles in Tulsa
Skoda, Hommel slip in final event of the fall season
BY RANIU SHARMA
rsharma@kansan.com
rsharma.INFO@KANSAN.COM
The Kansas women's tennis team struggled to a disappointing finish at the 2004 Wilson/ITA Regional Championships on Oct. 20 and 21 in Tulsa, Okla.
The Jawhacks' doubles pair of junior Christine Skoda and freshman Lauren Hommell fell in the second round on Friday.
The tandem was defeated by Colorado's Kendra Strandemo and Iessica Vanderdys, 8-1.
In the consolation bracket of the singles competition, Hommell lost to sophomore Ana Renda of Saint Louis University in a three-set match. 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.
Also, Skoda was defeated by junior Ewelina Skaza of Nebraska, 6-4, 6-2.
Before Friday's losses, Skoda and Hommell advanced to the
round of 32 in doubles, ousting Jenna Hirdle and Outi Jarvinen of Arkansas-Little Rock, 8-4, but their early victory was the lone bright spot of the entire tournament for the Jayhawks.
"We were really focused on the match," Skoda said.
Sophomores Brittany Brown and Ashley Filberth were also in action for Kansas on Thursday.
The sophomore duo was blanked by Arkansas-Little Rock's Rosario Negrete and Bindiva Parekh, 8-0.
In singles competition on Thursday, Colorado State junior Dasha Zhurin blasted past Skoda in straight-set fashion, 6-1, 6-2.
HOMMELL
Nebraska senior Gitte
Osterman, who is ranked 44th nationally in singles, defeated Thommell, 6-3, 6-1. Osterman went on to win the final of the event as the third seed.
Second-year Kansas coach
Amy Hall-Holt was disappointed to say the least.
"We as a team have a lot of work to do to prepare us for the spring." Hall-Holt said. "We are not playing at the level that we should be to be competitive in the Big 12."
Skoda shared her coach's disappointment.
"We have a lot to improve on," she said. "We'll use the off-season as a means to get better."
— Edited by Ryan Greene
Chiefs run all over Falcons
Eight rushing touchdowns set NFL record
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY. Mo. — Priest Holmes sprained his ankle early in the second half, so Derrick Blaylock scored the other half of Kansas City's NFL-record eight touchdowns rushing.
Holmes scored on runs of 1, 2, 2 and 15 yards during a 35-0 first-half blitz. He was stopped just a couple of feet short of what would have been his fifth TD run for the Chiefs (2-4).
Shredding what had been the NFL's leading defense against the rush, Holmes and Blaylock each scored four times on the ground Sunday in a stunning 56-10 rout of Atlanta.
Holmes, who set the NFL record last year with 27 touchdowns rushing, then left with a mild ankle sprain.
But all Holmes' injury did was get backup Blaylock into the flow. Blaylock, who had a 7-yard TD in the first half, immediately scored on a 1-yard run after Holmes was hurt. He added TD runs of 3 yards early in the fourth period and 2 yards with 1:59 to play in a game that also saw the Chiefs record a team-record 36 first downs.
Michael Vick's 32-yard run set up Jay Feely's 19-yard goal on Atlanta's first possession, then the Chiefs reeled off five straight touchdowns and stunned the visitors with a 35-3 halftime lead.
Holmes tied the NFL standard with four TDs rushing in one half. Those touchdowns also broke the record for most in a game against the Falcons (5-2), who came in leading the NFL with 74.5 yards rushing allowed per game.
It was Holmes' eighth game as a Chief with three or more touchdowns.
Pro LaDainian Tomlinson to 64 yards on 23 carries was gouged for 140 yards in the first half and 271 yards for the game. Blaylock had 90 yards on 19 carries.
The same Atlanta defense that last week held San Diego All-
Vick rushed for 62 yards on six carries, including 32 yards on his first drive, and was replaced in the fourth quarter by Matt Schaub.
The Falcons got their only touchdown when Allen Rossum returned a punt 75 yards in the third period.
The Falcons could have taken a quick early lead. But Vick was stopped on third down after failing to make good on a first-and-goal from the 9. Then the Falcons recovered Holmes' first lost fumble in almost a year deep in Chiefs territory, but were stopped on fourth-and-11 and Kansas City drove for its first touchdown.
The Chiefs' second touchdown came off Greg Wesley's interception of a tipped pass. On a fake reverse; the Chiefs got 35 yards on a screen pass to Holmes. Blaylock scored from the seven.
WHITE: 398 yards through the air doom Jayhawk defense
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
White completed 27 of his 44 passes. His 389 yards passing marked the first time this season that White threw for over 300 yards.
"He was right on the money today, but he's been like that all year," Oklahoma wide receiver Brandon Jones said. Jones caught four passes for 78 yards with a touchdown.
White's passing totals have been down compared to last year because of the increased success of running the football with freshman Adrian Peterson.
"When you have Adrian Peterson back there running the ball,you don't have as many chances." Jones said. "Jason finally had the chances today."
White burned the Jayhawk secondary, particularly after Kansas cornerback Theo Baines, who left the game with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
After Baines left in the second quarter, White passed for nearly 300 yards.
White said he was excited about his team's offensive potential.
"Today, they played the run the first half and tried to play the pass the second half. We still have room to improve in both areas." White said. "When it all comes together, it's going to be real good."
TITLE: Gilfillan's goal leads to win over Aggies
-Edited by Ryan Greene
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
The loss, though heartbreaking, was not the worst thing that could have happened to the soccer team.
Friday's game was similar to yesterday's — scoreless at halftime.
By defeating Texas A&M, Kansas still gave itself a shot at a tie for the conference title.
The Aggies outshot Kansas 17-8 for the contest.
The Jayhawks took advantage of their opportunities, though, and scored the game's only goal in the 59th minute when senior forward Rachel Gilfillan recorded her seventh goal of the season.
A TEXAS TUSSLE
Gillfann received a pass from junior forward Jessica Smith and drilled a shot just over the head of Aggies goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak.
Goals by period 1 2 0T 20T Total
Kansas 0 0 0 0 0 0
Texas 0 0 0 0 1 1
Source: kuathletics.com
Gilfillan's score combined with another solid effort from the Kansas defense sealed the game for the Jayhawks.
The performance lowered her goals-against-average to a conference leading 0.30. She also leads the conference in
"I think this was really a game of two halves," Francis said. "Texas A&M really controlled the first half, and I think that we did a lot better job in the second half. Anytime you can get a win on the road in this conference it is a big deal and this was a great win for us."
shutouts.
Miller earned her third straight shutout and tied her own school record with her 11th shutout of the season.
Edited by Steve Schmidt
NFL
INCINNATI — When
CINCINNATI — When Cincinnati plays Denver tomorrow the subplots of the game might be more interesting than the game itself.
This one tops the list: Champ Bailey covering Chad Johnson.
Bailey, Johnson to meet in Monday night game
"He's got everything," Johnson said of Bailey, admiringly.
After working out with Bailey and Deion Sanders, Johnson found out that Bailey, a four-time Pro Bowl cornerback obtained by the Broncos in an offseason trade, deserved all of the accolades.
He's strong and fast and tough to fool.
"I'm not going to see anything I haven't seen before," Johnson said.
The Associated Press