4B
SPORTS
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY; APRIL 16, 2007
Reaching for the shot
Anna Faltermeyer/KANSAN
Faisal Almadani, Madena, Saudi Arabia, freshman, goes up for a basket as Ali Agha, Paola senior, watches behind him. The two KU students were playing basketball on the outdoor courts of the Student Recreation and Fitness Center Sunday evening.
ANDERSON CHANDLER LECTURE SERIES
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING PRESENT THE ENGINEERING DISTINGUISHED LECTURESHIP
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY
"Working Together"
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2007·7:00 P.M. THE LIED CENTER OF KANSAS
Junior Lauren Hornmell returns a shot from Colorado opponent Franziska Jerdian. Hornmell lost the match, 6-4, 6-4. Kansas was defeated over Colorado, 5-2.
TENNIS
Amanda Sellers/KANSAN
Injuries limit players
Poor doubles play hurts ailing Kansas against strong Colorado squad
During Kansas' 5-2 loss to Colorado on Sunday, half the players representing the Jayhawks were slowed down by injuries.
BY RUSTIN DODD
No. 30 Colorado came out strong against an ailing Kansas, and cruised to three doubles victories. Junior Elizaveta Avdeeva and Horvath fell to Camila Belassi and Gleis Torres Torres at No. 1 doubles, 8-1, while Hommell and freshman Kunigunda Dorn lost to Monica Milewski and Franziska Jendrian 8-1 in the No. 2 position. Sophomore Yuliana Swistun and Smith fared only slightly better, managing to get three games against Melisa Esposito and Martina Sedivec in an 8-3 loss at No. 3 doubles.
Three players — juniors Stephanie Smith and Lauren Hommell and sophomore Edina Horvath — battled through injuries on Sunday. A fourth injured player, sophomore Ksenia Bukina, watched from the stands.
"Right now we probably only have three healthy players in our lineup," coach Amy Hall-Holt said. "It's taking a toll on us, but we have to keep staying minded."
"One thing that we need is to take time off, but there isn't any time for that," Hall-Holt said.
The Jawhaws fought back in singles play, with Svistun and Horvath both taking victories. Smith, who has battled ankle problems all spring, retired after dropping the first set, 6-0, and down 3-0 in the second set, giving Colorado a 3-1 lead. With freshman Kunigunda Dorn up a set against Veera Nurmi at No. 3 singles, and Avdeeva and Hommell still on the court, it looked like Kansas might have a chance at a miracle comeback. But Avdeeva fell to Milewski, 6-3, 6-1, at No.
one day to rest before practice on Tuesday and matches on Wednesday.
BY RUSTIN DODD
After the dual with Oklahoma on Wednesday, Kansas will return home to take on Texas A&M on Sunday.
"Our singles came out and really stepped it up after doubles," Hall-Holt said. "Our doubles play has been disappointing, and after struggling today, our girls wanted to put it all out there in singles."
1 singles, and Hommell lost to Jendrian, 6-4, 6-4. Dorn dropped the final two sets to Nurmi, and Colorado had its 5-2 victory.
Yuliana Svistun stopped by her coach's office this week for a quick and casual meeting. Coach Amy Hall-Holt just wanted to see how her soft-sophomore was doing.
Injuries continue to haunt the team, and Hall-Holt sees no relief in sight. Hall-Holt said it was tough because Kansas will play at Oklahoma on Wednesday, so the team would have only
Sophomore hits her stride
Kansan sportswriter Rustin Dodd can be contacted at rddd@kansan.com.
"The more she opens up, the better her confidence is," Hall-Holt said about Svistun, a second-year player from Ufa, Russia.
Svistun might have a quiet demeanor, but right now she's letting her game do the talking for her.
TENNIS
- Edited by Ashley Thompson
Svistun defeated Colorado's Gleisy Torres Torres, 6-2, 6-2, and improved her singles record to 13-5, and 7-2 in the Big 12 Conference. She trails only Marta Tsikva of Oklahoma State and Ristine Olson of Texas in the Big
Kansan sportswriter Rustin Dodd can be contacted at rdodd@kansan.com.
"She's definitely a laid-back player," Hall-Holt said, "But she's been a rock for us on the court."
Svistun's game is unassuming at times — she's more likely to wear down an opponent with consistency than overpower them. But with injuries plaguing the team throughout the spring, Svistun has been a much-needed constant at No. 5 singles.
"To go from not even being in the lineup at times last season to where she is now, I've been so pleased with her," Hall-Holt said earlier in the season.
Svistun struggled her freshman season to make the transition to Division I tennis and spent most of the season outside of the top six in the Kansas lineup. This year, Swistun stumbled out of the gates, losing three out of her first four singles matches. She eventually settled in at the No. 5 singles spot and has won 12 out of 14 matches.
from the start. Svistun used a solid baseline attack to jump and jumped a 5-1 lead on Torres Torres. She won the first set 6-2. Svistun continued that momentum in the second set.
On a day when Kansas struggled to keep up with a tough Colorado squad, Swistun looked in control
12 standings at the No. 5 singles position. With conference matches left against Oklahoma and Texas A&M, Swistun still has a chance to finish on top.
Edited by Ashley Thompson