THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY.OCTOBER 10.2007
SPORTS
3B
VOLLEYBALL
Kansas faces last-place Colorado
BY RUSTIN DODD
rdodd@kansan.com
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Kansas hopes to break its three-game losing streak tonight in its match against last-place Colorado. Sophomore middle blocker Brittany Williams will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ACL.
It appears that Kansas finally gets a reprieve from its rigorous Big 12 schedule when last-place Colorado comes into the Horejsi Family Athletics Center tonight. Colorado comes into the 7 p.m. match with a 5-10 record overall and 0-7 in the Big 12. But coach Ray Bechard knows Colorado isn't a pushover. Bechard saw how Colorado whipped California, the No. 10 team in the country, 3-0 earlier this season.
"It's typical of this conference," Bechard said, noting the strength of the Big 12. "They'll be very hungry to compete. We have to match that competitive fire on the other side of the net."
Kansas, 9-8 and 2-5 in the Big 12, is coming off three straight losses, and is still adjusting to life without sophomore middle blocker Brittany Williams, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Kansas began its slide with a home loss to No. 1 Nebraska, then fell on the road to Iowa State, and lost again to Texas A&M on Saturday. Senior setter/right side hitter Emily Brown said the team needed to put their recent struggles behind them.
"You have to move on. You can't sit around pout about it," Brown said. "You just have to go out and compete."
LONGHORNS LOOMING
Kansas will go from facing the bottom team in the Big 12 on Wednesday to one of the best on Saturday. Kansas will travel to Austin to play No. 7 Texas at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Texas, 10-3 and 5-1 in the Big 12, is coming off a Sweet 16 appearance last season and possesses one of the top players in the country in sophomore Destinee Hooker. Hooker, an Honorable Mention All-America last year, is averaging 4.79 kills per game
this season. The San Antonio native is also a track and field standout for the Longhorns. She is a two-time defending NCAA national champion in the high jump.
Edited bv Amelia Freidline
game previews
UP NEXT
Kansas (9-8, 2-5 Big 12) vs. Colorado
(5-10, 0-7 Big 12) 7 p.m.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tonight Horeisi Family Athletics Center
Kansas has dropped its last three matches against Colorado and trails the all-time series 33-9.
Kansas
Karina Garlington, freshman, out side bitter
The Denver native is the only player from the state of Colorado on the team. Garlington has started six games during her freshman campaign and is averaging 1.76 kills
per game with nine service aces this year.
Colorado
Callie Webster, junior, libero/defensive specialist
Webster was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for her play against Missouri and Nebraska last week. She averaged 6.38 digs
per game in those two matches,
improving her team-leading total to
4.73 digs per game.
AFTER THAT...
Kansas at Texas 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Austin, Texas
Texas swept Kansas 3-0 in both matches last season.
SOCCER
Team to play two matches over fall break
Oklahoma, Oklahoma State come to Lawrence for weekend contests
BY ALISON CUMBOW cumbow@kansan.com
OKLAHOMA:TAKETWO
The second game of the weekend will pit the Jayhawks against the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma, like Kansas and Oklahoma State, also lost to Texas A&M this season, 1-0. The Sooners will come to Lawrence with a 5-5-2-overall record and a 1-3-conference record.
The Kansas soccer team will head into fall break on a winning streak. After what seemed like a never-ending losing rut, the Jayhawks finally added to the winning side of their record. Now up to 3-8-2 overall after last weekend, the team seems poised to keep the momentum going. Kansas will host Oklahoma State on Friday at 4 p.m. and Oklahoma on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
SHOWDOWN WITH OSU
The Cowgirls are 8-3-1 this season and have a 2-2-0 conference record so far. Most recently, they took home a 2-1 win against Baylor. Kansas played Baylor two weekends ago. After two overtimes, the game finally ended in a tie. Both Kansas and Oklahoma State have been handed losses by Texas A&M this season, the jayhawks lost 5-1, and the Cowgirls lost 2-1. But the Aggies are the conference's best team.
A REWARD FOR WATCHING THE JAYHAWKS IN ACTION?
If watching Kansas battle for its third victory isn't convincing enough for KU fans, the Kansas Athletics Department has come up with an extra incentive to see the Jayhawks in action on Friday night. The first 1,000 fans who make it to the game before the first half ends will receive a voucher for guaranteed admission to Late Night in the Phog.
AND THE AWARD GOES
Freshman forward Kaitlyn Cunningham was named the Bigg
12 Conference's newcomer of the Week. Last Sunday, Cunningham scored her first goal of her college career. The goal was scored after she broke
Cunningham
away from Texas Tech's defense during the second half. The award was Kansas' first conference award of the season.
Edited by Luke Morris
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