THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MONDAY. AUGUST 22. 2005
PAGE 10A
SOCCER
Kansas knocks off Drake
Coach Francis: Freshmen performed better than every other group on the field
Justin O'Neal/KANSAN
Junior defender Holly Gault passes the ball around Drake's Andrea Schmitz, senior forward, during Saturday's exhibition. The Jayhawks defeated the Bulldogs 2-1.
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Despite the rain-soaked field, uniforms and soccer balls, Kansas hung on for a 2-1 victory against the Drake Bulldogs Saturday at the Jawhawk Soccer Complex.
The exhibition game was a success, complete with a Jayhawk victory, tables of victorious athletes signing autographs after the game and plastic leis for all.
"The confidence is always good when you win," coach Mark Francis said.
Kansas jumped on top early because of two Smiths.
Senior forward Jessica Smith shot and hit the goal post, in the ninth minute.
As the ball bounced away, senior forward Caroline Smith was there to knock it back in.
"I think I did all right. I think I can do better," Caroline Smith said.
"I'm a better player now than I was last year. I've done everything I'm supposed to, now it's just a matter of me stepping on the field and playing."
Kansas continued to send shots at Drake's junior goalkeeper, Erin Jarvis, outshooting Drake 13-4.
Even though Drake took three times as many shots, it wasn't until the 43rd minute that Kansas scored again.
In a double-assisted effort, freshman forward Sara Rogers scored her first goal as a Jayhawk.
Forwards Lacey Novak, junior, and Jennifer Thomas, sophomore, each received an assist.
Rogers and the rest of the freshmen were the consensus best group in the game.
All of them got playing time and midfielders Jenny Murtaugh,
Francis and Caroline Smith both agreed they played the best against Drake.
Jessica Bush and Missy Geha all took the field as starters.
Murtaugh played all 90 minutes of the match.
"I thought, as a class, the freshmen were the best on the field," Caroline Smith said.
Although all of Kansas' scoring came in the first half, the team preferred the play in the second half.
"The second half was a little bit better," Francis said. "We kept the ball a little bit better."
Drake got on the board in the 75th minute of the match. A high shot soared over freshman goal- keeper Julie Hanley's head.
Hanley played the entire second half of the game while sophomore keeper Colleen Quinn spent the first half in goal.
"The speed of play is something I am not used to." Hanley said. "It's going to take time. I thought I did some things wrong, like I definitely mistimed the ball."
Senior forward and defender Sara Foote put the ball past Hanley to score the only Bulldog goal of the afternoon.
Other than -allowing the goal, the Kansas defense put on a show throughout the game.
The defense, led by junior defender Holly Gault, allowed the Drake Bulldogs only four shots on goal.
Neither Gault nor Francis,however,were particularly pleased with the defensive execution.
"We did all right. We got caught out of position," Gault said. "I have a lot to do. I definitely made some mistakes."
Francis echoed that sentiment.
"Defensively, I think we've got some work to do," Francis said. "We're a little disorganized, especially in the midfield. That's why we have exhibition games."
showing the Bulldogs just how fast and how physical life is in the Big 12 Conference.
The Jahawks' physical intensity also rose to the occasion Saturday,
CONFIDENCE Drake coach Corbin Stone disagreed with the referees' foul calls and no-calls loudly and often.
"We were definitely a little quicker to the ball than they were. We were more physical and I think they were surprised at that," Francis said. "Corbin's a good friend of mine, but he likes to whine a bit. He was justified, I think, in some of the things he was complaining
about."
The final score may not have been exactly what the Jayhawks were looking for, but they are excited to prove that this year's team is not inferior to the last.
"We're not going to be as far along at this point as we were last year," Francis said. "They're still learning. It just takes time. Fortunately we have four days left before we play Michigan."
— Edited by Jonathan Kealing
FOOTBALL
Offensive line ready to protect quarterback
BY DANIEL BERK
dberk@kansan.com
KANSAN SHOP SPORTWRITER
Each of the past three seasons, the Kansas football team has lost its starting quarterback at some point during the season to injury.
This season, members of the offensive line are making it their objective to keep the starting quarterback healthy for the whole season. The quarterback is still undecided.
The Jayhawk offensive line, in blue jerseys, squares off against the defensive line in practice Wednesday. The team will meet real competition in its first name against Florida Atlantic, on Seat 3, at Memorial Stadium.
"We have a lot of guys at the quarterback position that can really play well," said Travis Dambach, junior offensive guard. "We are going to do everything we can to make sure nothing happens to any of them."
Justin O'Neal/KANSAN
David Ochoa, junior center, will anchor the line this year after being named one of the team captains. Ochoa will make the move from offensive guard, where he started all 11 games last year.
Keeping the quarterback healthy should be a bit easier than years past, as the offensive line is one of the most experienced units on the team.
Ochoa will try to fill the void left by Joe Vaughn, who graduated last year. Vaughn was a two year starter for the Jayhawks. He will be the only player replaced on the line this year.
"I think the offensive line will be a strength," Mangino said. "We did lose a very good center, and once we get that position solidified, we should be in good shape."
Coach Mark Mangino is confident in the offensive line, but knows Vaughn will be missed.
Sophomore Todd Haselhorst was expected to be the team's starting
Junior Bob Whitaker will be the starter at one of the guard positions after starting all 11 games at the left guard position last season. Right now, the other guard figures to be junior college transfer Jake Cox. Cox will take Ochoa's spot on the offensive line.
center, but was moved to second team guard early in preseason practice.
Mangino said he has been pleased with Cox during practice, and expects him to be a factor this season.
Senior Matt Thompson will anchor the tackle position this year after starting all 11 games at left tackle last season. Thompson was named first team Academic All-Big 12 last year, and looks to be a leader on the line this year.
"He's going to win a job at one of the guard spots," Mangino said. "There is no question in my mind."
The other tackle position figures to be filled by sophomore Cesar Rodriguez, Rodriguez had a solid freshman campaign, playing in 10 games and starting six at the right
tackle spot.
Rodriguez impressed coaches enough to be selected as the offensive player of the game against Iowa State, last year, making him the only lineman to be chosen all season.
Dambach, Haselhorst, freshman Anthony Collins, freshman Ryan Cantrell and freshman Scott Haverkamp will provide depth at the offensive line and could all potentially see action.
BIG SKY TO BIG TIME
Edited by Nate Karlin
This is not the question. It's a bit blurry, but it looks like "What is this?"
TIM HALL
thall@kansan.com
Jayhawk has best summer of his career
All of golf's majors are over. Tiger had a wonderful stretch. Phil somehow won the PGA Championship. What's the point in watching golf on TV now? For Jayhawks and Kansans there's one good reason — Gary Woodland.
The junior golfer is playing the best golf of his life. He has captured three different Kansas Golf Association championships in the last month, The KGA Fourball, the Father-Son Championship and the 95th Kansas Amateur Championship. And I almost forgot — he's in Ardmore, Pa., today to play in the 105th U.S. Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club.
"I'm not thinking about qualifying for the matches," Woodland said. "I think that would be setting the bar too low. In my mind I'm thinking about winning the dang thing."
Woodland defeated senior teammate Pete Krsnich in a one-hole play off at the U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifier — at Alvamar Golf and Country Club — on July 25 to qualify for the event. He is the second Kansas golfer in two years to qualify for the event. Last year, junior Tyler Docking played and advanced to become one of the last 16 players to be eliminated. Docking finished higher than any other Jayhawk in Kansas golf coach Ross Randall's 25 years.
On paper, the historic East Course at Merion doesn't set up well for Woodland's game. At 6,600 yards, Merion is short and narrow.
"I think that Gary has a real good shot to beat that this year," Randall said. "He's improved a lot. Now he can score better than he plays."
On Aug. 9, Woodland and his father, Dan, cruised to victory in the Father-Son Championship at Shawnee Country Club in Topeka. In the first round, Gary broke the course record with a 61. He followed that with a final round 64. They were the best back-to-back rounds Woodland has put together.
He's defeated everyone in Kansas this summer. He's winning nearly every tournament he plays in. He's starting to make a name for himself on the national golf scene.
Now he's going to Merion to prove that he can play on the national level, and his goal isn't just to make it to match play.
SEE HALL ON PAGE 8A
'Hawks sweep match with alumni
Kansas defeated its alumni counterpart 3-0 Saturday, before winning a fourth match, just for fun. The match featured high action and competition despite its fun nature. The Jayhawks hustled their way to a 30-25 victory in game one, with senior outside hitter Paula Caten even losing a shoe.
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STFFE WRITE
VOLLEYBALL
The quick pace continued in game two, which Kansas won 30-24. Caten had seven kills, and junior defensive specialist/libero Jamie Mathewson had six digs in the game.
Game three featured the most spectacular point of the night. Leading 11-10, the current Jayhawks made three diving plays to return the ball to the alumni side of the net, eventually winning the point en route to a 30-26 victory. Game four was the least competitive of the night, with Kansas winning 30-22.
The alumni squad, which featured recent grads such as Lindsey Morris, 2004, and Abbie Jacobson, 2003, provided an early test for Kansas. The alumni have quite a bit of athleticism, which Kansas coach Ray Bechard believed was important for the current Jaj Hawkys to face.
"We wanted to make it as competitive as possible," Beachard said. "I think we got a pretty good group together to do that."
Junior outside hitter Jana Correa led the current Jayhawks with 13 kills. In total, Kansas had three players reach double figures in kills. Mathewson and junior defensive specialist/libero Dani Wittman had 10 digs each. As a team, the Jayhawks
SEE ALUMNI ON PAGE 7A