8B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
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In games one and three, Kansas played its best. The team hit at a 471 clip in the first stanza and closed out the match with a 412 attack percentage.
Celebrate
"Our hitting percentages in games one and three are unbelievable," Bechard said. "It was a great team win."
Sophomore opposite hitter Emily Brown, who reached double-figures in kills along with Lima and Correa, said Kansas got a little complacent but had the resolve to hang on.
"We got off to a good start in that game," Brown said. "We just kind of got too comfortable and let them back in it. Then
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2005
we were like 'Hey, A&M. Not today."
Lima said she was not worried as the Aggies were charging.
"Our team is kind of known for doing that," she said. "But we always win the end."
Brown said the Jayhawks had the Aggies' number, at least at home. The match marked the third straight time Kansas had defeated Texas A&M at the Horejsi Center, despite the fact that the Aggies still hold a 17-3 advantage in the all-time series. All of the Jayhawk victories have been sweeps.
"We always play well against A&M," Brown said. "They're always a quality program, but they don't like our gym very much I don't think."
With the Jayhawks already receiving votes in the top-25 poll, a victory over a team as highly ranked as the Aggies will likely push them into the poll next week, barring a setback against Oklahoma on Saturday.
"If it does, then great," Brown said. "If not, you know, we'll try again. That was a great way to start off the Big 12."
Bechard said he, too, was more concerned with the conference win than anything else.
"I just know we're 1-0 in the conference," he said. "We want to be a first-round host in the NCAA tournament, and to do that you have to be extremely, extremely competitive."
Edited by Anne Brugard
Wright
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"It set him back quite a bit, but in the big scope of things he will be OK, but I am sure he is frustrated."
follow-through on his jump shot. He is also focusing on his spot-up shooting and his footwork.
Wright said he was trying to stay positive. He knows he will just have to work that much harder to get ready to play. The coaches have been working with him on drills to improve his base and
glecting his school work.
Robinett
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Wright said he was most looking forward to going to Maui, but overall he was just ready to get the season started. As any freshman, Wright said he was nervous about some of the adjustments that he would have to make, especially playing in the Big 12 Conference and spending a lot of time traveling. Wright, however, won't be ne-
He said his mom, Gina Wright, was on his behind all the time to get good grades.
"My parents tell me you are only as good as your academics," Wright said. "My mom says you have to be more focused on school than you are on basketball because if you are smart, you will be smart on the court."
— Edited by Anne Burgard
Still, the games against Oklahoma and Iowa State are both possible victories. You can hope for more than three victories in those six games, but there is no reason to expect it. At the moment, Kansas would likely be the underdog in most of those games.
So 3-3 against those opponents might not be the best case scenario, but it would be a good one. If Kansas plays well and comes up with three victories in that group, the team will still need one more victory, without a triumph over Louisiana Tech; to become bowl eligible.
Will that victory come at Texas or at Texas Tech? Probably not.
Yes, the Jayhawks should have won both those games last year in Lawrence, but they will be heavy underdogs in Austin and Lubbock this year.
So basically, it all comes down to Saturday. With a victory, Kansas will be right where it wants to be. But a loss will all but ensure that the Jayhawks spend Winter Break at home.
F Robinett is an Austin, Texas,
senior in journalism. He is a
Kansan sports editor.
Gault
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A Spring Hill native, Gault helped lead the Jayhawks to a 2004 Big 12 championship. She said that the conference title was her favorite award.
"Obviously, winning the Big 12 was by far the best," she said. "It took everyone on the team to win it. I was a little caught off-guard getting first team All-American. I just didn't think I'd ever be there, but it was always my goal."
In her two years as a Jayhawk, Gault has been named to the All-Central Region and the All-Big 12 team both years. She's also received All-Big 12 tournament team honors.
"Holly's obviously a great player," said Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis. "She's extremely dynamic and competitive. She
always brings a lot to the field."
Starting every game but one in the past two years, Gault has become the anchor of a dominant defense. Last season, the Jayhawks surrendered 13 goals all season, tying at ninth among the NCAA.
The Kansas defense has allowed seven goals in six games this season.
The 5-foot-6-inch defender compared the feat to a high-scoring football game in an effort to make non-soccer lovers understand. She said that even if a football team scored 50 points in a game, it would be for nothing if the opponent had scored 51.
"It's so important when you're not giving up goals, you're going to win close games," Gault said. "I don't even know how to explain it. It's so huge. We were able to hold teams to no goals and were able to win a lot of good games."
Gault said she supported the Kansas team and never expressed frustration with her team's defense this year. When asked if last year's success could be attributable to the tandem of Gault and former goalkeeper Meghan Miller, Gault stuck by her teammates.
She said that not having Miller this season cuts down the team's margin for error.
"Having an All-American back there makes a big difference," Gault said. "But we have confidence in our goalkeepers now. It's just making sure that they have confidence in themselves."
She embraces her lead-by example approach to the game and plays for her teammates while they play for her.
"I try to come out here with the attitude of this is what I love to do," she said. "As long as I come out here and do everything I can — that's all I got."
Known throughout the Big 12 for her defensive expertise, Gault was just as excited as anyone last weekend when she scored both goals in the loss to Pepperdine.
"Hopefully I keep scoring, but I love playing defense," Gault said. "It was just an extra bonus this weekend. It’s nice to kind of get into the act a little bit."
Known as 'Hollywood' to her dad and 'Holls' to her team-mates, Gault said she would not give less than herself to the sport that she loves.
"I love it more than anything right now," she said. "I come out here and all my worries are gone. I don't worry about school. I don't worry about things going on at home. I just come out here and kick the ball around."
Edited by Tricia Masenthim
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