SWIMMING Kansas begins the season by jumping in a lake. Page 6
CROSS COUNTRY. This weekend's race results, Page 3
SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Oral Dental Care
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1995
SECTION B
Game revives a memory
Thursday's Kansas football game under the lights brought back a vivid memory.
It wasn't Kansas' demise last year to Kansas State, which also was played under the lights. Rather the incident occurred during Kansas' other night game last year against Michigan State.
I was assigned to write a sidebar, which is a story on a special aspect of the game. As a first-semester Kansan reporter, this was my first time covering a big sport. I don't mind letting you in on this little secret—I was scared.
Not knowing what to expect and producing a decent story worried me. But what truly sacred me was how members of the media, players
and coaches would receive me as a female reporter.
SPORTS EDITOR
I had heard the horror stories. Nationwide, women that had infringed on sportswriting, one of the last all-male bastions, were seen as outsiders in the press box and, at times, had been denied
postgame access to players and coaches.
Why couldn't things like that happen to me?
At Kansas football games, there is a closed locker room policy, meaning that all interviews are conducted outside the dressing area.
That question remained in my mind throughout the game and as I made my way to the Spartan locker room for postgame interviews. If there would be a time to dispel my fears or build on them, it was then.
Therefore, about 20 journalists were crammed into a little partitioned entryway to the locker room. As we waited for Michigan State football coach George Perles in that 8-foot-by-6-foot space, I noticed that I had a monopoly on second X-chromosomes.
But then an odd stillness came over us. No one said anything. This guy had lost 17-10 in a hard-fought battle that raged to the end. The disappointment furrowed Perles' face. What should you ask in this somber atmosphere?
Finally, Perles stepped around the corner and, immediately, was swamped by reporters. Camera lights flooded the room, tape recorders cranked to life and pens readied to scribble the coach's every word.
Since none of us seemed to know what to ask, Perles posed a question of his own.
"What can I tell you gentlemen?" he asked.
That warmed the group and the questions began. But his question left me cold.
Did he say gentlemen?
"Excuse me, Coach Perles," I wanted to say. "I want to make sure I got this right. Your last comment made it sound like you believe all sportswriters are men. Is that true?"
OK, I might have been overreacting to this passing comment, but I don't think so. Too often people automatically associate males with sports journalism. Granted, most are male — but not all.
Not too long ago, a female on a sports desk was rare. Usually, women covered female-dominated sports such as gymnastics, volleyball or ice skating. And they certainly didn't cover football, basketball or baseball.
But halleluju for progress. I know of few sports staffs that still are void of women. In addition, women are covering all sports and have access that equals that of men.
And more often than not, the females in sports media are excellent at doing the job they love. They grew up around athletics, play various sports, understand the rules and reach for the sports page first.
The female sportswriters that I have met are top-notch people as well as top-notch reporters. They left me with a lasting memory.
That memory is much better than the one that came out of Michigan State's locker room.
Volleyball team takes Invitational
Kansas sweeps tournament with three victories
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
Steve Puppe/KANSAN
After changing its starting rotation, the Kansas volleyball team began the University of Kansas Invitational hoping to improve its 2-6 record.
The Jayhawks, however, had played two matches in the three days before the tournament. Kansas dug deep and held off a strong field, finishing the tournament 3-0 and providing the sparse home crowd with a memorable comeback in its final match against Western Michigan.
"This was a very important tournament for us," Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise said. "I think our team showed exceptional character throughout."
In their opener against Texas El-Paso on Friday, the Jayhawks won the first game 15-6. The Miners battled back to tie the Jayhawks, winning the second game 15-10.
Overcoming a strong start by UTEP in the third game, Kansas tied the score at 8-8 and never turned back, winning 15-12.
Trailing two games to one, the Miners, led by junior outside hitter Christy Crank, came out hot in the fourth game and jumped out to a 11-6 lead.
The Jayhawks,however,kept their composure and won the game 15-13 and their opening match.
"I was really pleased with our play," Schonewise said. "I think our team showed more discipline on defense."
"It's always fun to play when everything is working," Sennett said. "I got a lot of help tonight from a great supporting cast."
Schonewise, who had praised the bench play by sophomore setter Tiffany Sennett and freshman outside hitter / middle blocker Moira Donovan, gave the players their first home start in the Jayhawks' opener.
Following the win against the Miners.
Kansas returned to the court to take on Ivy League Conference foe Cornell on Saturday.
After a tightly contested game one, the Big Red squeaked by the Jayhawks 16-14 with the strong play of freshman outside hitter Leesa Gotko, who finished the match with 16 kills.
Kansas batted back in games two and three, winning both by the score of 15-10 to take a 2-1 lead.
In the rally-scored fifth game, the Jayhawks broke away from the Big Red and won 15-8.
However, Cornell roared back in the fourth game to tie the contest at 2-2 going into the fifth and deciding game.
Kansas sophomore middle blocker / right side hitter Maggie Mochrie, senior middle blocker Jenny Larson, sophomore outside hitter / middle blocker Kendra Kahler and sophomore outside hitter Leslie Purkeye-pile each had double figures in kills.
After only 3 1/2 hours the Jayhawks took their unbeaten tournament record to the court in their final match versus Western Michigan.
Sennett carried the load in setting with 52 assista
Kansas battled back and forth with the Broncos in game one. The Jayhawks led 13-11 late in the game, only to have Western Michigan run off four consecutive points and win 15-13.
Strong play by the Broncos and mental mistakes by the Jayhawks hurt Kansas in game two as it suffered a 15-5 loss.
With the momentum in its favor, Western Michigan stormed out in game three to a 11-1 lead.
Down by 10 points and two games, Schonewise called a timeout.
"I told them to keep to the basics, and do what not you here." Schoonewise said.
With nothing to lose, the Jayhawks chipped away at the Broncos lead, went on a 14-2 run and won the third game 15-13.
The Broncos, who saw a possible match victory slip away in the third game, jumped out to a 4-10 lead in the fourth game. However, that was all the Broncos would score as Kansas went on a 15-0 run, winning 15-4 and forcing a fifth and deciding game.
Western Michigan opened the fifth game 1-0, but that would be the only time it
Kansas freshman outside hitter Laura Rohde spikes over the net during the Jayhawks' opening match at the Kansas Invitational in Allen Field House. The Jayhawks won both the match against Texas-EI Paso and the tournament title.
would lead. Kansas won game five 15-10.
"I think this was a great example of expecting to win and believing you are going to win." Kansas assistant volleyball coach Liz Muir said.
and Larson added 12. Both were named to the All-Tournament team.
Donovan finished the game with 15 kills.
"We've made some improvements." Schonewise said. "I think we're on the right track, and we're moving in the right direction."
Jayhawks find both good and bad in recent triumph
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
The repercussions of the Kansas football team's victory against Texas Christian on Thursday — both good and bad — are still being felt today.
Although the Jayhawks gained some national recognition when they defeated the Horned Frogs 38-20 on ESPN, they also lost sophomore cornerback Avery Randle for the year.
Kansas senior outside linebacker Keith Rodgers has confidence in Randle's backup, redshirt freshman Jamie Harris.
Randle tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right leg with 9:31 remaining in the third quarter. TCU had the ball on first down and goal from the Kansas 6-yard line and passed the ball. Although the Horned Frogs gained only a yard on the play, it was costly for Randle. He was tangled up in the end zone, where the injury occurred.
$ ^{a} $The secondary deserves a pat on the back because I think
Keith Rodgers Kansas senior outsidelinebacker
they did a really good job. It's unfortunate that Avery Randle went down," Rodgers said. "But we have a talented backup to take his place.
"Whoever's backing him up has to step up."
On the bright side, however, Kansas has been rewarded for its success. The Jayhawks are ranked No. 29 in the latest Associated Press football poll and No. 26 in the USA
Todav/CNN Coaches poll.
Another benefit from the victory, Kansas football coach Glen Mason said, was a feeling of team unity.
"I thought it was a great team victory," Mason said. "One of the indications was how after a big victory like that — when they've got their moms and dads, their girlfriends and all that type of stuff out there and yet — I've never seen guys get to the locker room quicker to be with each other."
Kansas senior quarterback Mark Williams agreed about the team's effort and was grateful for the defense's success. "Last year, I was thinking about how they kept getting the third and longs on us," Williams said. "This year it was a different story. The defense really stepped it up for us."
The feeling was mutual on the other side of the ball.
"I think it's just the whole team attitude. We've been talking about our attitude since the beginning of two-a-day practices," Rodgers said. "Today was a telltale sign that we've got a very good attitude, and this is a very cohesive team."
Adam Ward / KANRAN
Kansas midfielder Kerry Durig tries to move the ball past Rachel Wokurka of Mississippi. The Jawahire defeated the Rebels in overtime.
Women's soccer team runs winning streak to three games over weekend
By Jason Strait
Kansan sportswriter
OVERLAND PARK — The Kansas women's soccer team pulled together yesterday and won its third consecutive game this weekend.
Kansas dominated the game Friday against Iowa State, winning 3-1. The Jayhawks outshot the Cyclones 92-5.
Yesterday's game against Mississippi was not nearly as easy, though. Mississippi — fresh off a 7-0 drubbing of Iowa State on Saturday — gave the Jayhawks their biggest gut-check of the season.
After playing to a scoreless tie through regulation, Kansas freshman midfielder Denise Cooke scored the game-winning goal with less than two minutes left in the first overtime, giving the Jayhawks a 1-0 victory.
*Anytime you go into overtime it becomes who has the bigger
Kansas women's soccer coach Lori Walker said that in a game so closely contested for 90 minutes, the deciding factor usually has little to do with strategy or skill. "Anytime you go into overtime
Cooke led the Jayhawks with eight shots as Kansas outshot Mississippi 22-20.
heart," Walker said. "We train for this situation in practice by pushing ourselves through fitness. When we feel like we're ready to quit and give up and die, that's when we have to pull together. I hope the team is proud of themselves because they did a fantastic job today."
The Jayhawks have allowed only one goal in their last three games and are beginning to jell, Kansas freshman sweeper Jackie Dowell said.
Mississippi junior forward Sarah Comeaux, who scored three goals Saturday against Iowa State, led her team with 10 shots.
Kansas freshman goalkeeper
"When the season started we were a little shaky. We really didn't know how everyone else played," Dowell said. "As the season's progressed we've gotten tougher and learned how each other plays. And it's not just the defense, the offense is using the ball more so the defense doesn't have to worry about it as much."
Erin Hon, who started the season in the field and moved to goal after the first game, had 11 saves against Mississippi, including a diving save on a shot headed for the upper-right hand corner. Her right hand just nearly knocked the ball away.
"Erin Hon came up big for us three times today." Walker said. "It's a tough thing to be a contributing field member and give up that position to go back into the goal. And she's been doing a great job back there."
Kansas improved its record to 3-2 and Mississippi fell to 2-4.
Walker was not impressed only with her own team's performance but also Mississippi's, giving them credit for "the most visually pleasing" game the Jayhawks have played this year.
mussissippi is an excellent first-year program," Walker said. "They are very organized and their coach has done a nice job of putting things together. We play similar styles, and I think this was one of the better soccer games we've been a part of, so my thumbs up to them as well."