3 / SPORTS / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
SOCCER
Soccer team looks to rebound after unsteady 2009
BY MIKE LAVIERI
BY MIKE LAVIERI
mlavieri@kansan.com
After an injury plagued 2009, the soccer team looks to return to the NCAA tournament this season.
A year removed from making the tournament for the first time since 2004, the expectations are high for the Jayhawks.
"The goal is to always make it to the NCAAs," coach Mark Francis said. "But we also want to win the Big 12."
Senior forward Kaitlyn Cunningham said the team got ahead of themselves last year.
"We need to take it step by step and focus on each individual game," Cunningham said.
It did not help that injuries left the team thin and tired when
Sunday games rolled around.
"They did a good job adjusting," Francis said. "The new players will step in and fill those voids."
The team returns seven seniors and five of their top six leading goal getters. However, the team did lose one of their key contributors in Monica Dolinsky, who graduated in the spring.
"It's a huge loss," senior defender Geneva Magness said. "Monica was part of almost every single attack."
but have a strong recruiting class with six newcomers.
Dolinsky led the team with 10 assists and was second in goals with 22.
"They're a little banged up right now, with two-a-days," Francis said. "They have a lot of potential though."
The team lost four seniors total,
Magnness believes they will have a huge impact on the team. Last year as freshman, forward Whitney Berry and forward Shelby Williamson contributed 37 goals. If the Jayhawks get similar production out of the this year's freshmen, the team should have a lot of success.
"It's a huge loss. Monica was part of almost every single attack."
Freshman Whitney Berry cuts inside to free herself of a Missouri defender. Missouri started out with a goal in the first minute but Kansas came back to win the game 3-2.
GENEVA MAGNESS Senior defender
"They're all excited." Mangess said. "But they're a little nervous."
It will take a little time for them to transition from high school to college, but with strong leader-they form the
upperclassmen, they should be able to find their step quickly.
Cunningham believes that she can be a leader for the team this year and Francis agrees.
"It's not just on the field, but off it too," Cunningham said.
Francis said that Cunningham is a leader by example and that she has a commitment to the team and her teammates. Francis, however, does not look at just the seniors for leadership. Among others, junior midfielder Jordyn Perdue, Berry and Williamson have shown leadership potential.
With the young leadership, it will be important that the team takes full advantage of their practices in order to be on the same page.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The Jayhawks played Creighton Sunday night in their only tune-
up game before the season starts on Aug. 27, when the Jayhawks host Western Kentucky at 5pm at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
The preseason will allow the team to gain experience as a team.
Magness said. "And with team chemistry comes good play."
"We'll gain team chemistry,"
Edited by Tim Dwyer
NBA
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Kansas guard Sherron Collins drives into the lane during the K-State game in Manhattan.
Sherron signs with the Bobcats
BY KANSAN STAFF
Former Jayhawk point guard Sherron Collins may not have been drafted last July, but things have decidedly turned in his favor since then. Following that disappointment, Collins signed on with the Charlotte Bobcats' summer league team. After a successful summer — he scored 32 points in the final game — the
Bobcats offered a league minimum contract to Collins. He'll make $473,604 for the season.
With the departure of starting point guard Raymond Felton, the Bobcats had space on the depth chart for a third point guard. Collins is expected to compete for the backup point guard spot with Shaun Livingston. Former Longhorn D.J. Augustin is slotted into the starting role.
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MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNI
University of Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp reacts during the second half against the University of Alabama at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Cal. on Thursday, January 7. Alabama won 32-21.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Texas coordinator excited about aggressive defense
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
AUSTIN, Texas — Talent always trumps scheme in Will Muschamp's world.
Square pegs usually go into square holes. It's a lot easier than taking a hammer to a problem. Now Muschamp may have more pure talent with which to work than at any time during his three years as Texas defensive coordinator — or even the整Mack Brown era.
"I do think this could be our best defense," Brown said, noting health and depth as variables. "We should be really, really good on defense."
Texas has featured some impressive defenses since Brown arrived in 1998. Last season's group was ranked third nationally in total defense, allowing 251.9 yards a game en route to the BCS title game.
"We want to come out with that same intensity, that same edge, that same chip on our shoulder every day," junior safety Blake Gideon said. "We left something on the field last year and we want to make sure that doesn't happen again."
"It's going to be new faces doing the same thing," linebacker Keenan Robinson said.
But the secondary may be the Big 12's best. Junior Aaron Williams could become just as significant a playmaker as Thomas playing the nickel spot.
This could be even better, despite concerns about depth at tackle.
Christian Scott, who emerged in last season's camp only to run into academic troubles, has continued to deliver attention-getting hits.
At every other position, Texas has speed, big-play ability and a mix of experience and youthful depth.
Case in point: the loss of All-America defensive back Earl Thomas as a first-round NFL draft pick. Nobody has forgotten Thomas or his eight interceptions.
Linebacker features Robinson and Emmanuel Acho, who can both close quickly. Defensive end? Freshmen Reggie Wilson and Jackson jeffcoat might have been starters for a majority of Bowl Subdivision teams. Instead, they'll add
off, not to take anything away from Earl. He's richer than all of us for a reason," Gideon said. "But Christian is a great player, and he's going to contribute to what we hope is a great secondary.
Added Brown: "What we do feel is that our secondary can all run, they can all cover, we can disguise (and) we're really two-deep."
Then again, Muschamp always has options. Acho played tackle about 40 percent of the time last season, mainly in passing situations, by Muschamp's estimates. He still recorded 10 sacks. Or Texas could throw a 3-4 look at opponents.
Muschamp's goal remains the same: Tweak and change just enough. It starts with recruiting
"He's the same guy that we met that first night in spring ball my freshman year," Gideon said. "That's his personality."
Gideon and Robinson say Muschamp's combustible, type-A-to-the-max personality shows no signs of mellowing, even now that he's Brown's designated successor.
big-time depth behind Sam Acho,
Eddie Jones and Alex Okafor.
So why does Gideon remember that first meeting so much?
Only tackle seems suspect behind junior Kheeston Randall, though redshirt freshman Calvin Howell has been solid.
"Then you get them on campus and figure out the best things that they can do." Muschamp said.
"I probably had the worst butt chewing of my life," he said.
NFL
Schaub impresses despite 19-16 loss
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Houston's Matt Schaub had a short, highly efficient night and teammate Mario Williams didn't look like someone slowed by a hip injury, especially to Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart.
Schaub completed 5 of 6 passes
for 78 yards, directing Houston to a field goal on its first possession and throwing a 44-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson on the second before retiring for the game in a 19-16 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.
Rookie John Skelton directed two late touchdown drives against the Texans' reserves to give Arizona the victory.
Williams, battling a hip
problem, sacked Leinart twice as Houston took a 10-1 lead.
Leinart completed 6 of 7 for 49 yards but, in addition to the sacks, misconnected with Tim Hightower on a handoff, for a fumble. Leinart's backup, former Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson, threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Beanie Wells but was intercepted twice.
Asked about Leinart's play, Whisenhunt targeted the entire first-team offense.
"I'm not pleased with how our offense performed in general," he said. "It's not so much the quarterback. We had guys the wrong routes, guys in the wrong spot. We had a protection breakdown, not a breakdown but we got beat. All things that we've got to clean up."
Associated Press