SPORTS
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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1996
Title eludes tennis player
Tyler Wirken /KANSAN
Kansas tennis player Kylie Hunt came one victory away from winning the NCAA Division I women's title but was defeated in the title match. She was named College Sports magazine Division I women's tennis player of the year.
Kylie Hunt loses championship in three sets
By Spencer Duncan Kansan staff writer
Kylie Hunt saw her dream slip through her fingers.
Hunt, a junior on the Kansas women's tennis team, had her sights set on one thing when the season began in August.
"My goal was to win the NCAA tournament," Hunt said. "I want to play well and win during the season, but really I just want to win in the NCAA's."
On May 26th, Hunt came close to her dream.
In mid-May, Hunt entered the NCAA tournament in Tallahassee, Fla., with a season record of 45-3 and was the top seed in the tournament. She easily won 4-0 in her bracket and advanced to the championship match.
But things did not go Hunt's way in the finals.
Hunt lost in three sets, 7-5, 3-6, 3-6, to No.4 seed Jill Craybas of Florida.
"It was disappointing," Hunt said. "I really wanted to win."
Hunt finished the season ranked No.2 nationally, had a record of 49-4, and was named College Sports magazine's Division I Women's Tennis Athlete of the Year.
"Kylie has worked very hard on her game," Merzbacher said. "She has worked to become the best and she has made herself mentally
Kansas women's tennis coach Chuck Merzbacher knows how hard Hunt had worked and how disappointed Hunt was after losing the title.
sound."
Hunt, a native Australian, came to KU at the beginning of the 1995 season after transferring from North Carolina State.
"Kansas gave me more of a chance to play tough competition," Hunt said. "I just want to win and at KU I know that I have a better chance of doing that."
Hunt will do anything to win. Her doubles partner, Jenny Atkerson, sees Hunt's drive to be better than everyone else.
"She is very competitive and hates to lose," Atkerson said. "She is very focused and when she loses she won't always say it, but she is upset."
"Winning the NCAA title has been one of my goals ever since I started playing in college," Hunt said.
Hunt has one season left to capture her dream of an NCAA title.
"I will be upset if I don't win it, but there are other things out there to accomplish.
"I just want to win the NCAA title because that is the best thing that you can do."
Runners end season at NCAA tournament
By Matt Woodruff Kansan sports writer
Three members of the Kansas track and field team competed in the NCAA outdoor championships last weekend in Eugene, Ore.
Sophomore Candy Mason finished 15th in the heptathlon, and junior Mike Evers finished sixth in the decathlon with 7,612 points, earning All-American honors.
Sprinter Pierre Lisk, a junior, ran the 100-meter trials in 10.47 seconds, finishing 17th and missing the final cut by one spot.
The final Big Eight Track Championships were two days before the NCAA Championships on May 27 and 28 at Nebraska's Ed Weir Track.
Senior distance runner Sarah Heeb won the 10,000-meter run on Monday with a personal best time of 35:28.79, also the third fastest time in the University's history.
"My goal coming into the race was to qualify for nationals," Heeb said. "I was scared like a fox with those girls from Colorado on my tail. I just said to myself, 'Just sprint that last one, and I'll go to Eugene.'
Eight Jayhawks qualified for the finals on May 28. Lisk and junior Jeff Dieterich each claimed Big Eight titles.
Lisk edged Iowa State's Franklin Nwankpa for the 100-meter title, and Dieterich set a personal best with a 221-foot javelin throw.
Sophomore middle distance runner Matt Norton finished second in the 800-meter race, running a personal best 1.50:53.
Heeb followed her victory in the 10,000 meter with a second-place finish time of 16:59.73 in the 5,000 meter.
Sophomore Brian Martin took fourth in the 400 meter with his best time this year, 46.95.
The Kansas men's and women's 4x100-meter relay teams came in fourth and third, respectively.
The women's team of Carleen Roberts, Latayna Holloway, Diamond Williams, and Dawn Steele-Slavens placed third with a time of 45.78, the team's fastest this season.
The men's squad of David Cooksey, Travis Batts, Nathen Hill and Lisk posted a time of 41.00.
Overall, the Jayhawks had three top-five finishes in the competition.
In the heptathlon, Mason had a two-day total of 5,174 points for third place, and teammate junior Amber Mounday finished fifth with 4,536.
The Nebraska men and the Colorado women finished first overall.
Although the final Big Eight track meet was competitive, some felt that there should be more time between the Big Eight and NCAA meets.
Dick Weis, Oklahoma State track coach, said a break between the events would help. "Competition-wise, it was fine," he said. "But it would be much better if it took place earlier in May. With no time to rest, the runners just get too beat up."
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