The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 23

THE SALINA JOURNAL SPORTS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1996 D3 VOLLEYBALL Salina South wins 3 matches TENNIS Cougars open season with wins over Lincoln, Dodge City, SE Saline By LARRY MORITZ Tlie Salinn Journal If the season opener was any indication, nothing is going to come easy for the Salina South volleyball squad this season. That's not all bad for coach Stef Curchy and the Cougars, if they continue to get results like they did Tuesday at the South High gym. The Cougars opened with three victories, topping Dodge City 16-14, Southeast of Saline 10-15, and defeating Lincoln "Tonight we were just getting to know each other and learning to trust each other," Curchy said. "We have a young team and we just really want to concentrate on thinking and playing the mental game of volleyball. "We talked amongst ourselves and we may find some frustration at the beginning of the year, but what we're reaching for is peaking in October." There was some frustration for Southeast as the Trojans opened 0- FOOTBALL 3 under first-year coach Bill Gies.

In addition to the loss to South, the Trojans fell to Lincoln 15-5, 15-9; and to Dodge City 15-7, 15-12. Lincoln also lost its match with Dodge City, "Realistically we shouldn't beat Dodge City," Gies said. "Their talent pool is five times what ours is, but we still want to play hard. "Against South we got some breaks, got on a roll and had some good things happen for us. But I think we got tired against Dodge City and the balls weren't falling in." After splitting the first two games, South and Southeast had five ties in the third game before the Cougars won seven consecutive points without a sideout to finish it.

The turning point in the Cougars' opener came in the first game when Dodge City had five chances serving for game point but couldn't finish it off. South took advantage, rallying from a 14-9 deficit to win 16-14. The Cougars never trailed in the third game by more than a single point, winning the final seven points of the match just as they did against Southeast. "The comment was made after- Sampras moves into quarterfinals DAVIS Salina Journal Members of the Salina South volleyball team huddle during their match Tuesday against Dodge City. ward that we are 3-0 and did better than we ever thought we could," Curchy said.

"It keeps coming back to playing mental volleyball and we have to out-think our opponents. That's what we did against Southeast and Dodge City." Junior setter Tai Kerbs had 20 assists in South's three wins and led her team with 11 service points against Southeast. Senior hitter Darcy Durfee topped the Cougars with 27 kills, 11 of those against Lincoln. "Darcy played really well tonight," Curchy said. "She is going to be a big team leader for us and a very vocal leader on the court." Junior Jessica Watson added nine kills and seven blocks in the Dodge City match, while Kayla Eilrich came off the bench with six assists against the Red Demons.

Curchy also noted the passing and digs of sophomore Leah Wahlgren on the back row. Southeast played well at times in its match with Dodge City, leading 10-5 in the second game, but couldn't manage to hold on. "Our big weakness is our inconsistent passing," Gies said. "It was actually good tonight, but that's the thing that gives me the most worries." South will play at home again next Tuesday when Hays and Junction City come to Saline, while Southeast is off until Saturday, Sept. 14 when it plays host to the Trojan Invitational.

Raytown player will get his helmut Nation-wide attention brings several offers for size-8 helmut By The Kansas City Star KANSAS CITY, Mo. Kevin Ashcraft was already the BMOC (big man on campus) just because of his 335-pound frame, but now he also has fleeting celebrity status. An article in The Kansas City Star on Saturday told how Ashcraft, a Raytown South junior, was in danger of not playing this football season because he could not find a helmet big enough to fit his size-8 head. FOOTBALL And then it snowballed. There was a brief in Tuesday's USA Tod, then appearances on Kansas City, Chicago and Detroit radio shows and calls from Washington, D.C., Seattle and nationally syndicated radio.

The story traveled The Associated Press wire coast to coast. More important, Good Samaritans got wind of it. Jim Lambie, owner of Lambie-Geer Homes in Kansas City, offered to pay for a custom helmet. "You got so many kids who don't want to do anything, and this kid wants to play and can't," said Lambie, whose son plays at Blue Valley North. "It's kind of a bad deal." Lambie's gesture may not even be necessary.

A Riddell representative told Ashcraft and a Chicago radio audience that the company, which unsuccessfully tried its largest helmet on him last month, will heat and remold a current one or make a new one. Jennifer Wood, a Truman senior, was also ready to have a helmet fund-raiser for the student council's monthly service project. "There's a lot coming out of this," said Ashcraft's mother, Verna. "It's cool. It lets me know there are people out there who want to help kids.

I was really afraid he wasn't going to get to play football." Ashcraft's season still is in danger. It will be at least a week before he gets the helmet, which must get Missouri State High School Activities Association approval. Ashcraft then would have to practice 15 days with pads before he could play. He figures he won't be available until the district opener, not a good time to crack a lineup. "I'm worried about how the coaches and players will be because they're not happy about all the attention," Ashcraft said.

"Everybody at school thought it was real amazing, unless they play football. That's the first time I've got that much attention on the first day of school." Crowd favorite Edberg wins again, advances to quarterfinal match By The Associated Press NEW YORK Pete Sampras took the sizzle out of Mark Philip- poussis' serves, blocking back anything he could see and touch, and knocking the Aussie giant out of the U.S. Open. Sampras lost the duel of aces, 1711, but won the fourth-round match 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday night with a masterful performance in every other phase of the game. This was Sampras at his best, the three-time champion showing Philippoussis how to return against a big server, how to mix up serves, how to be patient in rallies, and how to smother an opponent on key points.

In all those ways, this fourth meeting between the No. 1 player and the tallest, most talented teenager in tennis was much like their match at Wimbledon two months ago, which Sampras also won in three sets. Though on hardcourt this time, Sampras dominated with the same kinds of skills and mature decisions that led him to victory on grass. And it was again very different from their match in Australia, when Philippoussis won 8 in straight sets and served so perfectly that Sampras said he "didn't get a sniff' of the ball. Philippoussis felt he "could do no wrong" that night, but this time he could do little right except run up his ace total.

"I was a bit nervous at the start," said Philippoussis, who served as fast as 134 mph but never led in the match after getting broken in third game. Sampras' fastest serve was a formidable 127 mph. "I tried to force it a bit too much instead of playing solid tennis," he said. Sampras, who also beat Philip- poussis last year in the Open in four very tough sets, could virtually pencil his name in the slot for the men's semifinal. He goes next in the quarters Thursday against a much less intimidating opponent in Spain's Alex Corretja, who beat Guy Forget of France 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (75).

Stefan Edberg, meanwhile, is conjuring up the magic of Jimmy Connors. In his own quiet, yet fiery way, Edberg surged into the quarterfinals with a fist-pumping 6-7 (7-2), 76 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Britain's Tim Henman. Not since Connors' amazing run to the 1991 semifinals here at age 39 the year Edberg won for the first time has a player been such a sentimental favorite with the crowd. He's only 30, but he's playing in his 54th consecutive and final Grand Slam event. They roar for him on each winning point, cJap for him when he's down.

They've been doing it all tournament, and they can be expected to do it Thursday when he plays No. 4 Goran Ivanisevic. "The crowd was behind me once again," said Edberg, a Lttle surprised because he never heard such cheers here in his prime when he was respected but not quite so revered. "It does help, but at the same time you need to play good tennis in the match to get them behind you. As long as you win the last one, that's what counts." Edberg had the crowd screaming for him at the end against Henman by sweeping the final 12 points.

Edberg, who hadn't gone this far at the Open since winning it for the second straight time in 1992, now must find a way to cope with the brutal serves of Ivanisevic. The Croatian served 20 aces one at 130 mph to reach the Open quarters for the first time with a 64, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) victory over unseeded Andrei Medvedev of the Ukraine. There was nothing tough about Monica Seles' 48-minute, 6-0, 6-3 crushing of Amanda Coetzer in the women's quarters. Coetzer didn't even come within a point of winning a game until she finally won one to make it 3-1 in the second set. Coetzer won only five points in the first set.

Seles, No. 2, next goes to the semifinals Friday against the player she beat in last year's semis No. 4 Conchita Martinez. Phillips faces lawsuit in KG Ex-girlfriend says he beat, threatened and sexually assaulted her By JOE LAMBE The Kansas City Star KANSAS CITY, Mo. St.

Louis Rams running back Lawrence Phillips beat, threatened and once sexually assaulted a Topeka woman during their two-year relationship at the University of Nebraska, a lawsuit stated. Katherine McEwen filed the lawsuit Aug. 16 in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City, and it remained sealed until Tuesday. Before the lawsuit, Phillips, a former Nebraska football star, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor trespassing and assault for a Sept. 10, 1995, attack on McEwen, a former Nebraska basketball player who is still a student at the school.

Phillips was not charged with any sex crimes at the time. The lawsuit said McEwen did not tell Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne about the alleged PHILLIPS sexual assault. There was no explanation why she did not tell Osborne about the sexual assault. Osborne suspended Phillips for six games for the September attack, and a Nebraska judge placed Phillips on probation for a year punishments that drew nationwide criticism. Some women's groups wanted more severe retribution.

McEwen's civil lawsuit alleges a broader pattern of abuse than the September 1995 incident. The lawsuit also states that Phillips also beat, threatened her and reconciled with her repeatedly after the two started dating in August 1993. Her lawsuit asks for unspecified actual and punitive damages for sexual assault, battery, kidnapping, assault, false imprisonment, emotional distress and the violation of her rights. McEwen contends Phillips started cursing her, controlling her movements and threatening her shortly after they began dating. Other allegations contained in the lawsuit: October 1994.

Phillips shoved her head into a wall so hard it broke through the wall, then choked her and would not allow her to leave his apartment. April 1995. Phillips asked her whether she was dating anyone else and threatened her, saying: "I'm going to shoot you in the kneecaps and then shoot you in the elbows. This is Los Angeles gang style of dealing with people." May 10, 1995. Phillips slashed her car tires and threatened to kill her.

That came after he demanded a glass of water and McEwen told him to get it himself. Aug. 24,1995. McEwen agreed to drive Phillips, who was drunk, home to his apartment. He forced her to stay there and sexually assaulted her.

Sept. 10. Phillips beat her and kicked her while she was at a friend's house. contends he then grabbed her hair "caveman style," pulled her down three flights of steps and slammed her head into a wall. BASKETBALL New contract would keep Stewart until 2001 By The Kansas City Star COLUMBIA, Mo.

Norm Stewart will be Missouri's basketball coach at least through spring 2001 if he and school officials reach agreement on a contract extension that has been under discussion for two months. Both Stewart and Athletic Director Joe Castiglione confirmed discussions on the extension, which would add on to the current contract that has Stewart coaching the Tigers the next two seasons. "It'll all get done," Stewart said Tuesday. "It's just a matter of putting it together and really getting it signed." As for when all the t's are crossed, the i's dotted and the STEWART names affixed to the bottom line, Stewart joked about the already lengthy talks. "I figure we've got two years on this contract," he said.

"Hopefully we'll have it done before then. "Some of this is kind of difficult because there has been a change in chancellors. We just haven't been able, for some reason, to put it all together. "It really isn't all that complicated. I still get to coach." Castiglione said: "The dialogue is continuing.

He has responded. But it is not signed." To which Stewart joked: "If it gets any lengthier I will be God's age." The contract talks represent one part pf a fluid athletic-department picture that included football coach Larry Smith accepting a similar contract extension last week and continuing expansion and improvement of facilities. WBA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON PAY PER VIEW Saturday, Sept. 7 Order Early Save if you call by midnight, September 5 800-653-7760 Call Sept. 6 7 800-653-7781 Receive Regular Price $44.95 Set.

TCI of Kansas, Inc. jtetr Ukiiy television Into lomorrtm. Glen Elder Park office to reduce its hours The Department of Wildlife and Parks office at Glen Elder State Park will reduce its hours, effective Sept. 7. The office will be open weekdays from 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

No office services will be available on weekends. The office mky be closed at any time without prior notice. Daily vehicle and camping permits will continue to be available 24 hours a day at park self-pay stations. Annual vehicle permits may be purchased at Glen Elder's Pump Shop. Salina South golf team takes sixth at Hays HAYS The Salina South girls golf squad opened the season Tuesday at the Hays Invitational Tournament, placing last in the six-team event.

Dodge City won the nine-hole tourney at Smoky Hill Country Club with a team score of 196, four strokes ahead of Hays in second. South's team total was 284. South junior Sara Mitchell, winner of last month's Saline County Junior Tournament, led the Cougars with a 55. "This is the first tournament five of these girls have ever played in," South coach Jim Scheffer said. "Sara has some experience but she didn't have a very good day.

Over the next month we should see a lot of improvement." South will compete in the Salina Central Invitational at 3 p.m. Thursday at Salina Municipal. Sacred Heart Booster Club meeting tonight The Sacred Heart Booster Club will meet tonight at 7:30 in the school library. SHHS coaches are scheduled to attend to discuss the upcoming seasons in fall sports. Baseball labor talks resume; no progress NEW YORK Baseball's long- running labor talks appeared to generate little'progress when they resumed Tuesday night after a week-long break.

Union head Donald Fehr and management negotiator Randy Levine met for about 90 minutes in their first session since Aug. 26. While both said after the meeting that they remained optimistic, it appeared the next move was up to acting commissioner Bud Selig. "I continue to believe we're making progress," Fehr said. "I hope we can get it wrapped it up this week." Owners meet in Seattle during the middle of next week, and Levine would like to present them with an agreement to vote on.

However, Selig has not allowed him to offer all players service time for the 75 regular- season days wiped out by the 1994-95 strike. A bloc of owners, led by H. Wayne Huizenga of Florida and Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox, has limited Levine to offering service time to all but the 18 or 19 players who need it to become eligible for free agency following this season. The sides probably will meet again Thursday in Baltimore. From Staff and Wire Reports Kansas State Fair Specials Save $100 to $200 on State Fair Packages Now thru CALL FOR DETAILS The Bad News: You won't see us ut the Kan bus Slate Fan this yeai The Good News: We aie passing the savings on yoii in the fonn ol bettei specials than evei before! FUTU INC.

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