THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2005
SOCCER
Jayhawks push forward
Holly Gault chases down a ball in a game against Missouri State. Though Gault is a defender, she has scored two goals in the last week. She will try to continue her hot streak tonight.
Fresh off defeat, Kansas prepares for University of California-Irvine
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
With just one week left before Big 12 Conference play kicks off, No. 24 Kansas will take on the University of California-Irvine at 5 p.m. at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
This will be the second time since September of 2000 that the Jayhawks (3-2-1) will face the Anteaters (1-4-1).
Fresh off of a tough loss to Pepperdine last Sunday, Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis said he knew the significance of tonight's match up.
toughness this weekend is going to be huge, especially after losing," Francis said. "In a game where we were ahead, then behind, we tied it back up, and then we lost — this one has to be big."
The Anteaters fell into a losing skid after going winless in the Nike/Holiday Inn Invitational they hosted last weekend. UC-Irvine tied Colombia 0-0 a week ago and lost 2-0 to San Diego State last Sunday.
UC-Irvine didn't record a shot on goal against SDSU.
When the team does score,
it's junior midfielder Britney
Webster leading the way. Webster leads the UC-Irvine offense with seven points off three goals and one assist.
PAGE 1B
MATCHINFO
Time: 5 p.m.
Place: Jayhawk Soccer
Comp lex
Opponent: University of
California-Irvine
Cost: free to students with
KU ID; $6 for adults;
$3 for youth (ages 5 to 17)
Source: KU Athletics Department
allowed 15 goals. UC-Irvine won the last meeting against Kansas, 3-2.
In goal, the Anteaters should start freshman goalkeeper Erin Henry. Henry has racked up 28 saves this season, but has also allowed 13 goals.
ing against Kansas 5-27
Senior forward Caroline
Smith sits atop the Jayhawk
leaderboard with seven points
and three goals.
Junior defender Holly Gault is trying to adjust to being a midfielder for the first time. She has fit into the new position well, scoring both Kansas goals in the 3-2 Pepperdine loss last Sunday.
Francis said he would try to leave Gault at midfield for a while. Sophomore goalkeeper Colleen Quinn was moved around as well. She was benched last
and three goals.
On Sunday, Smith moved into a tie for second all-time in assists at 16.
SEE FORWARD ON PAGE 58
Win streak on the line
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Kansas will look to extend its five-match winning streak tomorrow afternoon when it plays host to Big 12 Conference opponent Oklahoma at 1 p.m at the Horesei Family Athletics Center.
The Jayhawks have dominated the Sooners lately, beating them seven straight times. Oklahoma has not won a match in the series since 2001, and it hasn't won in Lawrence since 1997.
The Jayhawks are on an emotional high after taking care of 15th-ranked Texas A&M on Wednesday night. Kansas now stands at 9-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12 standings. Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard said his team needed to avoid a flat performance after an emotional victory over a top-ranked team.
"You always fear a let-down after a match like that," Bechard said. "If you take anybody for granted in this league, you're going to be in for a rude awakening."
Junior defensive specialist/libero Jamie Mathewson said she was not worried about a letdown.
"With any team in the Big 12, we expect a challenge."
MATCH INFO
Time: 1 p.m. tomorrow
Place: Horejsi Family Athletics
Center
Opponent: Oklahoma
Cost Free to students with KU ID
$6 for adults $3 for youths
(ages 5 to 17)
Source: KU Athletics Department
Mathewson said. "I think we'll be able to step up our game."
The Sooners, on the other hand,
are going into the match on a down
note. Oklahoma was swept by No.
22 Kansas State in its Big 12 opener
on Wednesday. The Sooners are
5-4 on the season.
The Jayhawks and Sooners have one common opponent thus far. Both teams played against Alabama earlier in the season. The Jayhawks swept the Crimson Tide in Lawrence, while the Sooners lost to them in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
last year, Oklahoma was 12-17, its best record since 1997. The Sooners are led this year by junior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt. Schmidt was named to the preseason all-Big 12 team after averaging 4.09 kills per game last season, which was ninth in the conference. Overall, the Sooners return five
starters from last year's squad. They will also add two-time junior college All-American Ellane Santos on the court. Santos transferred from the College of Southern Idaho.
On the bench, Oklahoma is led by second-year coach Santiago Restrepo. He went to the Sooners after he successfully turned Southern Mississippi into a solid program. The Golden Eagles' 27-6 season in 2003 was an 18-win improvement from his first season.
Beachard said he thought the Sooners had their program headed in the right direction.
athy. He's very composed. Bechard said Kansas still has a lot of things to work on despite its good play. The Jayhawks serving, for instance, was subpar against Texas A&M. They had only two aces against 12 errors.
"Santiago has done a great job," Bechard said. "He works extremely hard. I think the team takes on a little bit of his personality. He's very competitive."
Bechard said he expected the Sooners to be a much-improved team and to put up a tough fight against Kansas.
"Their talent level has changed dramatically," Bechard said. "I think their results will, too."
Edited by Jayme Wiley
Josi Lima, a senior middle blocker, defends the net in a game against Texas A&M. Kansas is 1-0 in conference play.
BASEBALL
Matt Baty looks at a ball he just hit during a game last season. The Kansas baseball schedule has just been announced and he is excited about the team's chances.
Jayhawk baseball faces tough slate
BY SHIWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITTER
The road to Omaha in college baseball is never an easy one. For the Kansas baseball team, that road will be especially difficult.
"It's a very difficult schedule," Kansas baseball coach Rich Price said. "Probably, without question, the toughest schedule in Kansas history. But I think we've made the kind of progress with our program where we're ready to play that type of schedule."
The Jayhawks begin the regular season with a 14-game road trip that starts with a five-game series against the University of Hawaii-Hilo, a team that managed only six victories all of last season.
"When we go to Hawaii, it's all about business, it's about getting better and it's about getting
Despite Hawaii-Hilo's poor record from last season and the numerous attractions of "The Big Island," Matt Baty, senior outfielder, said the team goes there to concentrate on baseball.
Baby said.
For its next series, Kansas will travel back to the mainland for a three-game set at Stanford and then to Los Angeles, Cal. the following weekend, for the Public Storage Classic, hosted by the University of Southern California.
into a warm environment and being able to play every day." Baty said.
Last season, Kansas baseball coach Rich Price held pitcher Kodiak Quick out of
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 5R
THE COLUMN
JIMMY CHAVEZ
JCHAVEZ@KANSAN.COM
The race for the Big 12 North still looks wide open.
Big 12 teams on the move
Oh wait, that's actually happened. You heard it here first, Baylor vs. Texas for the right to go to Houston. Okay, maybe not, but one thing is still certain.
Oklahoma lost to TCU and barely got by Tulsa. What's next? Will Baylor have an undefeated record and be ahead of the Sooners in the standings?
Iowa State is for real and will be a contender for the North title that it choked away last year.
So far, no one in the north division has looked impressive, except for Iowa State. The Cyclones' shocking blowout of the then No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes not only gave the often-overlooked Cyclones their sweetest victory in a long time but also catapulted them into the top 25.
The Cyclones always seem to falter as the season goes along, though, so don't label them as the favorite just yet.
year.
But, in some way, this was expected. Okay, maybe not the whipping that Iowa State handed its more glamorous in-state rival, but definitely the respect that it's receiving now.
Factor in that Nebraska still hasn't looked impressive. The Cormhuskers' sloppy performance against the Black Bears and offensive struggles against the Demon Deacons gives reason to believe that the Jay hawks will have a shot at sweet vindication, when the "Corn" comes a-calling on November 5th.
Colorado is doing what it does: It's just lurking around. The Buffaloes will never look that impressive, but with a coach like Gary Barnett, they'll never lose much either.
never lose hope Kansas State has proven that when facing coaches with IQs that rival a hamster -- see last week's victory against Marshall (via Wikimedia)
14
Then there's Missouri who is once again up to its old tricks. It lost to mighty
I hope to make New Mexico last week and faces a daunting rematch with Trov.
For the Jayhawks, the good news is that it appears it has found a starting quarterback, and the hope will be that Brian Luke continues to improve as he has done so far. Another pleasant surprise has been the emergence of a consistent run game with Clark Green and Jon Cornish.
In contrast, the Big 12 South is looking like it is Texas' division to win. Despite that, the Longhorns' much anticipated showdown with the Sooners looms, and you have to figure if the Texas doesn't win this year, then it may never beat Oklahoma.
Texas &M is still a bit of a mystery, but all signs point to its traditional day-after-Thanksgiving get together with Texas being for the South title.
If Kansas continues to consistently rush for 200 yards, Luke's job will become much easier, and he will prove to be an effective quarterback.
Factor those elements and the continued improvement of the defense, and there is finally serious potential.
Chavez is a San Antonio,
Texas, senior in journalism
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