UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, April 3, 1997
3B
Tennis sweeps home return
Eric B. Howell / KANSAN
By Andy Rohrback
Kansan sportswriter
Amy Trytek returns a serve during the No. 3 singles match at Alvamar Tennis Club. Trytek won her match against Nebraska 6-0, 6-0.
At the first home meet in more than a month, the Kansas women's tennis team swept the Nebraska Cornhuskers 9-0 yesterday at Alvamar Tennis Club.
"Starting off after the UNLV tournament with a 9-0 win helps the confidence a lot," Christie Sim said. "Overall, I thought we were a better team, even though we've been losing."
The win marks the second consecutive home sweep by the Jayhawks, following a 9-0 victory over Auburn March 1.
Several factors came into play, including the conference rivalry, a return to the Jayhawks' home court and last-minute schedule changes.
The Jayhawks, 6-11 (2-1 in the Big 12 Conference) controlled the dual match from the beginning, winning all six singles matches and four of them in straight sets.
"We knew coming into the Big 12 we were going to be more confident," Sim said. "They're a good team too. They're better than they were last year."
The familiar environment at Alvamar was effective as well. "We've been on the road so much this year that it just helps so much to be at home, because it's your own environment, and you have people here cheering for you." Sim said.
But Alvamar wasn't the planned site for the meet. Rain forced the matches to be played indoors rather than on the courts outside Robinson Center. The meet also had to be rescheduled, starting at 11 a.m. instead of 2 p.m. Kansas tennis coach Roland Thornqvist said the schedule changes had little effect on the team.
"We're pretty solid that way," he said. "One thing this team has shown all year is we can go from one thing to the next. We can take a bad loss one day and bounce back and get a good win the next
day. It won't bother us."
Sim said the change affected the team, but it quickly adjusted.
team, but it quickly adjusted.
"I think in the beginning it did a little bit just because we've been practicing outside for the last month. But once we adjusted to indoors it wasn't that bad at all."
The Cornhuskers are unranked with a 12-5 record, but the caliber of their competition doesn't measure up to that of the Kansas schedule, Thornvist said.
"It's never wrong to play a tough schedule," he said. "Even though we took some hits at the beginning of the year, in the long run it's going to be good for us, because now, coming into the Big 12, it doesn't have anything that we haven't seen before. You can take other schools like Nebraska
and Colorado, they have great records, but they haven't played the kind of competition that we have."
The closest match in the dual match involved Kansas' Bianca Kirchhof and Nebraska's Jennifer Thoste. Despite pulling out to an early lead, Kirchhof dropped the first set 7-6.
"She's played a lot of close matches all year," Thornqvist said of Kirchhoff. "She lost the first set. That was very disappointing, and she was thinking, 'Oh, here we go again.'"
Kirchhof's frustration was evident after she lost a tough point. During a break, Thornqvist went to talk to her. "He gave me the game plan for the whole match," Kirchhof said. "He told me to be
more aggressive. He told me,
"Bianca, you're going to win this."
As a result, Kirchhof pulled out to a 3-0 lead in the second set, and went on to win the set 7-6. She finished with a 6-3 set and clinched the match.
"She got off to a good start, that was the turning point," Thornqvist said. "That showed her that she can win. Then all we had to do was stay with the game plan. That was a big win for her."
The Jayhawks also defeated Missouri in Kansas City last night.
Sim said the win at Alvamar was a confidence booster.
"If we would have lost this match, it would have been a bad thing and it wouldn't have helped confidence, but it helps a lot to win, and even 9-0," she said.
By Matt Woodruff
Kansan sportswriter
Big-name sprinters to compete with KU
The Kansas track and field team will split forces today, with half of the members traveling to Emporia for the ESU Relays and the remainder heading to Austin, Texas, for the 70th annual Texas Relays.
So high-powered that athletes such as 10-time Olympic goldmedalist Carl Lewis and Olapade Adeniken, the Texas Relays 100-meter record holder will travel to Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to compete in the three-day event.
"The Texas Relays will be a very, very competitive meet," said Kansas State track coach Cliff Rovelto. "In most events where there will be open competition, it could take a national qualifying time to just make the finals."
Schwartz said sprints were the main event in the Lone Star State, and Doug Wilson, Texas Relays meet director, explained why.
"We'll be going down to sprint country, and I think the team's heading in a good direction." Kansas coach Gary Schwartz said. "When I was in school the big meets were Texas, Kansas, and Drake, and it's still a high-powered meet with teams from all over the country."
"We've tried to make Saturday a sprint day," Wilson said. "We're going to play to Texas track fans because they like to see sprints."
Schwartz said the team got off to a good start in last weekend's Arlington Invitational as seniors Gene Coleman and Carleen Roberts each recorded season-best times in the 400-meter run (47.71 for Coleman and 55.45 for Roberts).
"We had some good things happen in Arlington and we did well in the spirits, especially on the girls' side," he said.
Former Kansas coach Bob Tim-
mons will be the honorary referee of the relays. Timmons coached Kansas from 1966 to1988 and led the Jayhawks to 13 Big 8 Conference indoor titles and 14 outdoor titles. He also coached three teams that won NCAA indoor championships (1966, 1969, and 1970) and one that tied for the 1970 outdoor championship.
The Kansas athletes who don't compete in Texas will travel to Emporia State's Zola Witten track for the second time this outdoor season.
Top Performers
Men
- 200 Meters Pierre Lisk 22:04
- 400 Meters Gene Coleman
47.71
Prenger 14.16
200 Meters Pierre Lisk 22:04
100 Meters Grady Blackmon
10.79
110 Meter Hurdles Nathan Prenger 14.16
400-Meter Hurdles David Henderson 55.09
800 Meters Matt Norton
1:55.49
1,500 Meters Andy Tate 4:00.36
5,000 Meters Jerry Pullins 15:05.80
100 Meters Tamra Montgomery 11.98
Women
100-Meter Hurdles Candace Mason 14.67
200 Meters Madinah Hazim 24.94
400 Meters Carleen Roberts 55.45
400-Meter Hurdles David Henderson 55.09
800 Meters Tracey Thompson 2:17.37
1,500 Meters Emily Miles 4:51.00
3,000 Meters Emily Miles 10:59.90
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Agnizing ... the only word that comes to mind when I think of Kansas' loss to the Arizona Giant Killers. It's just another example of an opposing team playing its best ball game against the Jayhawks. Kansas had risen to the challenge so many times this season, one would begin to think of it as a strategy. Anyone believing that KU was looking past the Wildcats is sorely mistaken. I recently watched a tape of last year's game in the Sweet 16 against the same team. Kansas knew they would have a fight on their hands. Give credit to Arizona. They made the big shots when they needed most.
tion, but Roy has a way of attracting not only great players, but great people.
I could not help feeling a bit selfish. I live and die with the 'Hawks every year and this was no exception. My behavior ended quickly when I thought of Roy Williams and his seniors. In my opinion, they are the best team and group of kids ever assembled at Allen Field House. Can you think of anyone more deserving of a national championship than Coach Williams? He is the class act of college sports. Even people outside the Jayhawks faithful cannot argue this point. You get the feeling that opposing coaches don't mind losing to him. I truly shed a tear with Roy Williams. He is much more to these players than just a coach. It may be awhile before we see someone with Jacque Vaughn's leadership or Jerod Haase's guts and determine-
My wife and I were both students at KU when Danny and the Miracles won the national championship in 1988. What an incredible season! Not to take anything away from that team, but fans were not counting on winning a national championship. That's what made it so sweet.
On the other hand, fans were expecting nothing less than a national championship this year. It goes to show you that anything can happen on any given night.
Kansas fought with more heart that I thought possible, but it just came up short. For those off you feeling a bit selfish, don't give up hope. Raef LaFrentz will be the best big man in the country next year. Paul Pierce will continue to amaze and thrill us. Billy Thomas' rain of three-pointers will exceed this year's performance. And don't forget Ryan Robertson, who led the Jayhawks to an undefeated record during the toughest part of their schedule. If you're feeling a little selfish — don't. Roy and the 'Hawks will eventually break down the door and I will be court-side to see it!
Pat Sullivan
Kansas Alumnus
Gilbert, Ariz.
Sports Briefs
The No. 18 Kansas men's tennis team shutout the Missouri Tigers yesterday, 7-0, at Northland Racquet Club in Kansas City, Mo.
The Jayhawks won all six singles and three doubles match.
Five of the six singles victories were won in straight sets.
Kansas is now 12-6 on the season and 4-1 in the Big 12 Conference.
Junior Trent Tucker won his eleventh consecutive match, beating Rob Silver 6-2, 6-2 at the No. 2 doubles position. Tucker is now 25-8 on the season.
Kansas will return to action on Saturday against Nebraska a 1 p.m. at the Robinson tennis courts on campus.
The Kansas baseball team lost 9-5 last night to the Wichita State Shockers in Wichita.
Kansas opened the game with two runs in the top of the first inning when center fielder Justin Headley picked up two RBI by driving in second baseman Joey DeMarco and left fielder Kevin Nannini.
But Wichita State took advantage of Kansas pitcher Tim Lions in the bottom of the first inning by scoring four runs of its Lynn.
Kansas was forced to play catchup the rest of the game and was never able to regain another lead.
Lyons took the loss and shocker pitcher Ben Thomas earned the victory.
Kansas is now 22-11 on the season.
Canadians without cable can't watch World Series
The Associated Press
TORONTO — The Sports Network has bought broadcast rights to the World Series, meaning baseball's biggest games won't be available to Canadians without cable television.
TSN announced Wednesday it was paying about $12 million for the Canadian rights to baseball's division championships, league championship series and the World Series for the next three years.
Now, with an NHL regular season package, CFL deal and baseball, TSN has a stranglehold on most major league sports.
"This is maybe the pinnacle of a strategy we started a year ago when we were turned down for an additional network," Rick Brace, vice president and general manager of TSN said.
However, by awarding its entire postseason package to a cable station, major league baseball has taken its biggest event away from Canadian fans who don't have cable..
Seventy-five percent of Canadian homes — excluding those in Quebec — have access to cable and TSN is in 70 percent of those, Brace said. Its French-language service RDS serves 2 million Quebec households.
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