THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
Kansas aims for first victory
Instin O'Neal/KANSAN
Junior defender Holly Gault dribbles past a Wisconsin defender during Sunday's game. The Jayhawks host Missouri State today at 5 p.m.at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The Kansas soccer team will use motivation to fix mishap from an overtime own- goal loss to Wisconsin on Sunday.
Twenty-third-ranked Kansas, 0-1-1, will face Missouri State, 1-0-0, at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex today at 5 p.m.
Complex today Kansas will look for its first victory after a tough loss at the hands of 25th-ranked Wisconsin. The 3-2 defeat left Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis with concerns about his defense.
Until Sunday, Kansas had not given up three or more goals in a regular season game since Sept. 28, 2003, in a 3-2 loss to Texas Tech.
"If we can eliminate some of those mistakes, it's going to be a lot tougher to score on us," Francis said. "We haven't given up three goals in a long time. We've got to start getting a little bit better mentally."
The Kansas defense has already allowed four goals in its first two games.
ing some mistakes.
Junior defender Nikki Alvarez said this was a time for her to work out issues with her teammates before facing Missouri State.
Kansas allowed only 13 total goals last season.
"We have a young team in general," Alvarez said. "We
Own-goal, other mistakes cause for concern after Wisconsin loss
goals last season.
The goalkeeper position was a cause for concern after the defensive struggles during last weekend's games against Michigan and Wisconsin. Francis said he and his coaching staff would take the time to re-evaluate certain situations in order to come to a decision on a starting goalkeeper.
Despite the defensive struggles, Francis said he was pleased with the offensive ball movement and the combinations in front of the goal.
"Penalty box to penalty box, we're playing pretty well," Francis said. "Inside the box, at either end right now, we're making some mistakes."
"We just have to come out and focus and reduce the mistakes," Alvarez said. "We'll just play as a team and make sure we get a couple more goals than they do."
Kansas has been familiar with overtime as well, coming off two matches that went into extra minutes.
Missouri State finished in fourth place in the Missouri Valley Conference last year, with a 9-4-4 record. This year, the Bears lone victory came against Arkansas State, in a 2-1 overtime victory in Springfield, Mo.
push each other. As we get toward the latter part of the season we'll have more chemistry, but I think we're doing well as a team right now."
Senior forward Caroline Smith leads the team with two goals and four points. As a team, Kansas is sitting at a 41 shot-on-goal percentage.
— Edited by Kellis Robinett
FOOTBALL
Quarterbacks use each other to grow
BY RYAN COLAANNI
rcolaanni@kansn.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Adam Barmann wasn't exactly shocked when he learned that Kansas football coach Mark Mangino named him the starting quarterback on Monday.
"Coach never really came out and told us. I have just been working with the ones most of camp so I felt like it was always my job," Barmann said.
The junior quarterback edged out senior Brian Luke and freshman Kerry Meier for the starting job.
Luke didn't find out that he wasn't the starting quarterback until he read a newspaper article yesterday morning.
terday morning.
"I am not discouraged whatsoever by it. It is not going to affect the way I work or my approach to this game," Luke said. "I realize that my opportunity may come two plays into the season or two weeks into the season. Whenever that comes, I will be ready to do my part."
I will be ready to do my part. Luke said he and Barmann did not hold grudges against each other, even though they were fighting for the same job.
"Adam and I are out there helping each other," Luke said. "We are trying to make each other better, and that is the important thing, that we are both trying to make this team better."
Barmann said he was looking forward to starting on Saturday.
"This is what we have been working for all spring, and now it is finally here, just a few days away," Barmann said.
Mangino did not rule out the possibility that another quarterback may see some time on the field. He said that he and the offensive coaches were still tinkering with what they wanted to do.
compiled to his previews.
"When I first got here it seemed like everything was going 100 miles an hour. It seems like it is starting to slowdownlittlebit," Barnannsaid. Barnann started eight games last season and passed for 1,427 yards with 12 touchdowns.
Barmann said he had a better grasp of the offense this season compared to his previous two.
Baines Back
Say What:
Mangino said yesterday that this weekend's season opener was extremely important because the team had lost its previous three season openers. Maybe he forgot it tapped Tulsa 21-3 to open last season's campaign.
Mangino said he expected senior cornerback Theo Baines to see the field on Saturday. Baines has seen limited action in practice because of injury. Say What?
Edited by Alison Peterson
LIVIN' THE DREAM
The quarterbacks, in red jerseys, work on a passing drill during an open practice in early August. Junior Adam Barmany, far right, won the starting position over Kerry Meier and Brian Luke.
DANIEL BERK
DBERK@KANSAN.COM
Jayhawks may take weak division
If you're a big-time college football fan or a big-time Kansas football fan, you've heard the talk
The Big 12 North is terrible. No team stands out, and only two of the six teams made it to a bowl game last season.
This year it doesn't look much better. All six teams have a legitimate chance at winning the division, and all six teams also have a legitimate chance to have losing records.
With all that said, I think the North is going to be great. Maybe not great talentwise, but it's going to be great to watch.
Every week, any team could beat any other team. Kansas proved that last year by having big victories against Kansas State and Missouri, but losing to Iowa State and Nebraska.
When Kansas football coach Mark Mangino addressed the media for the first time this season, he said the Jayhawks would throw their hat in the ring for Big 12 North champions.
Well, coach, your chances are as good as anyone's. Your team also has just as good of a chance of finishing last and missing out on a bowl game.
Right now, it's hinging on a bunch of its.
ii Adam Barmann can continue to separate himself from the competition and have a big season, it will mean more wins for Kansas.
If the running game can take some pressure off Barmann, it will mean more victories for Kansas.
I could present more scenarios, but you get my point.
This could be a special season for Kansas football. Or it could be a really bad year.
Oct. 8 is a big date for Kansas, when it will play at Kansas State. If the Jayhawks win that game, confidence will be high in the locker room, and big things could follow.
"The North is wide open," Mark Simmons, senior wide receiver, said. "The media picked Colorado and Iowa State to be on top, and we played both of those teams to the wire last year. I don't see why we aren't being picked."
The players know they have as good of a chance as any team.
Berk is a St. Louis senior in journalism.
SOCCER
Freshman midfielder Missy Geha prepares to pass around a Wisconsin defender during the game Sunday afternoon in Topeka. KU soccer runs in the family; Geha's older sister Amy was a senior midfielder for the team last season.
Freshman midfielder proud to fill older sister's position on field
BY BJ RAINS
brains@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
While Missy Geha was playing soccer in high school, her older sister Amy was busy playing midfield for the Jayhawks. After Amy Geha was named first team All Big 12 and second team All Central Region last year, one may think that freshman midfielder Missy Geha would be ready to get out of her sister's shadow.
Not at all.
Missy Geha, 2004 Kansas Gatorade High School Soccer Player of the Year, actually likes following in the footsteps of her older sister Amy, who played for the Kansas
soccer team from 2001 to 2004.
"I would never want to get out of her shadow, because she's such a good player, and it gives me something to look forward to." Geha said.
Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis, last year's Big 12 Coach of the Year, was at Kansas for all four of Amy Geha's years on the field, and recruited her younger sister. It's not difficult to tell the players apart, he said.
Following her four-year career at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Missy Geha signed to play at Kansas the same spring that her sister graduated, giving the Jayhawks four more years with a Geha on the roster.
"Other than the name on the back of the jersey and a small family resemblance, it's really not that hard," Francis said. "They are two different types of players."
different types of playgrounds Consider the difference in their sizes: Missy Geha stands at 5 feet 6 inches, while her older sister looks up to her at only 5 feet 2 inches.
"Physically, Missy is a lot bigger and stronger than Amy," Francis said. "It makes her very tough to beat defensively."
Missy Geha agreed that she had a size advantage on her older sister, but said that doesn't mean she's a better player.
"I am bigger than her, but she is
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