14B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2006
SOCCER
Coach hopes exhibitions tranlate to season success
BY MARK DENT
So what exactly can a soccer team gain by playing a few spring games against All-Star Canadians and 15-year-old boys?
Plenty, at least according to Mark Francis.
"All of the players have improved; I can't think of one player who hasn't," coach Francis said about his team's spring exhibition season. "We had a really good spring season."
Kansas, which finished with a 1-2-3 spring record, began its spring odyssey in the freezing cold rain against Minnesota, which it tied 1-1.
It was two weeks later against Yale,
however, that the Jayhawks showed
some firepower. Playing against a Yale team that had advanced to the round of 16 during the NCAA tournament last fall, Kansas blew the bulldogs out of the water, mainly because of the play of senior Holly Gault.
Gault, who was playing in her second-ever collegiate game at forward, scored a would-be-benKU record five goals in the jayhawks' 7-2 victory. The record was not set by Gault because spring season statistics do not count towards regular season records. Just as impressive was the rest of Gault's stat line: two assists. In other words, Gault contributed to all seven points for Kansas.
"We were just playing really well as a team that day," Gault said. "My
teammates were feeding me the ball at the right times and I just had to knock it in."
In the Jayhawks' next game Gault continued to impress by scoring a last minute goal to tie a 15-under boys team. But it would be the next game against the Canadian Women's National Team where the Jayhawks would get to show what they were really made of.
"I know we can play them competitively," Francis said before the match. "Otherwise we wouldn't be playing against them."
Francis' words rang true as his team played magnificently on the defensive end, stopping Canada for nearly the entire game. The Canadians were finally able to score
on a penalty kick late in the game to win 1-0. Sophomore goalkeeper Julie Hanley contributed several saves that kept Kansas in the game.
To finish the spring season, the Jayhawks lost close games to two more 15-under boys teams but overall, Francis was pleased with the effort of his team.
"Our team defense is better, and offensive, everyone is on the same page," Francis said. "Spring is all about improving and playing the best competition."
Kansan sportswriter Mark Dent can be contacted at mdent@kansan.com.
Edited by Brett Bolton
Tournament snub motivates Gault
BY MARK DENT
One thought lingered in Holly Gault's mind as she began practice last week: the NCAA tournament.
Last year, Kansas finished in a four-way tie for second place in the Big 12, but was left out of the NCAA tournament, a decision that the team hasn't forgotten.
"It is going to be a huge motivation this year," the senior forward said. "I've been on a team that's won the Big 12 and made the Sweet 16. I want my teammates to be able to experience that."
With last years snub still fresh on the team's mind, it returns as a core group that is ready to do even better than last season's 11-victory campaign that put Kansas in a fourway tie for second place in the Big 12 Conference.
Although six seniors are gone since last season, Kansas' cupboard is anything but bare with eight players, who started at least half of the team's games, returning and eight new freshmen. If anything, the jayhawks might have too much depth.
"I think we will be all right," coach Mark Francis said. "There's a lot of young girls doing well and there will be a lot of competition for spots. We have the potential to be pretty good."
While all returning players and newcomers have good chances to shine, Gault sticks out as the player Kansas is going to lean on. Gault, an All-American and All-Big 12 athlete who has played defender throughout her career, will be moved to forward this season to help bolster the Jayhawks' scoring attack. Such a switch should not prove to be difficult for the senior, as she played forward in spring games and even scored five goals in one game.
Gault will most likely be joined up front by seniors Lacey Novak and Jessica Kilpatrick, and three freshmen who are all competing for playing time. Together, those forwards will hope to make up for the loss of all-time leading goal scorer Caroline Smith, who graduated last year.
"Holly was phenomenal up front in the spring," Francis said. "Novak came in fit, and our freshmen forwards are doing well and could get
some playing time."
The offense, however, is not the only talented group on the field. Returning for a Kansas defense that had eight shutouts last season is senior Nikki Alvarez, junior Afton Sauer and sophomore Jenny Murtaugh.
Murtaugh, who played all but 19 minutes in her freshman year, is one of six talented sophomores for the Jayhawks. Just like Murtaugh, AllBig 12 Newcomer team midfielders Jessica Bush and Missy Geha started each game. Goalkeeper Julie Hanley started the last eight games of the season and collected seven wins with a 1.16 goals against average. Rounding out the core sophomore group are Sara Rogers and Kristin Graves, who saw action in nearly every game.
Even with potential bursting at the seams, the Jayhawks could find it tough to stay afloat with a difficult non-conference schedule and a Big 12 Conference that sent five teams to the NCAA tournament last season.
"Our schedule is a lot tougher than last year," Francis said. "I think
we play a total of 10 teams that made the NCAA last season, and the Big 12 should be a tight race again."
Highlighting Kansas' non-conference season are games in California and Alabama that feature perennial contenders Duke and California. On the conference slate, the jayhawks square off against every Big 12 foe, including defending Big 12 Champion Texas A&M at home. Kansas starts its season Friday in an exhibition at Drake and comes home to play its first match of the season against Furman on Aug. 25.
With a promising season lying right on the horizon for the Jayhawks, Gault is ready to show everyone what her team can do.
"My expectations for this team are really high," Gault said. "We need to do a lot better than last year, win the Big 12, and make the NCAA tournament."
Kansan sportswriter Mark Dent can be contacted at mdent@kansan.com.
—Edited by Kristen Jarboe
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Freshman goalkeeper Julie Hanley is one of many returning members of the 2005 Kansas soccer team. Hanley and several others were named to All-Big 12 teams for their performance last season and lock to duplicate that success this season. The team kicks off action Aug. 25 against Furman.