The Cincinnati Post from Cincinnati, Ohio • 21

The Cincinnati Post Wednesday January 28 1998 5B Rios Escude reach Australian semis Associated Press body is playing good I think it will be Rios will face Nicolas Escude who beat Nicolas Kiefer 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-1 6-2 and set a record for most times in a Grand Slam coming back from two sets down Escude did it three times against Magnus Larsson in the first round against Richey Reneberg in the third round and against the No 29-ranked Kiefer Escude also beat French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten in four sets in the second round Escude who has climbed from No 415 in the rankings a year ago to No 81 is the first French man to reach the Australian Open semifinals since Yannick Noah in 1990 Leading 3-1 in the final set Escude had to wait 45 minutes to finish while the Center Court roof was closed because of rain like a dream and like to stay in that Escude said of his advance to the semifinal At the start of the match he was admittedly nervous and played in the first and second sets I was two sets down I said you wake Escude said in the first and third rounds I was two sets down and I said more and I did Kiefer a Wimbledon quarterfinalist last year served 14 aces but had 15 double faults He also had 65 unforced errors to 49 "I say a great said Kiefer 20 part of the German team being trained by Boris Becker had a lot of chances to win this match very disappointed because it was a big chance to get into the semifinals and I know what happened I knew that a good fighter and never gives up a Rios also had a slight delay near the end He called the trainer because of cramps in his left leg just before the last game and told Berasategui he think he could have played a fifth set was too late for Berasategui said I had known (earlier) I could have tried more But he was still running like the first set I also was tired and cramping a Rios later said he recovered but fifth set would have been In the other semifinal the only other remaining seed No 6 Petr Korda plays Karol Kucera who joined Berasategui in giant-killing ranks by ousting defending champion Pete Sampras Reaching the quarterfinals was the best Grand Slam result for Berasategui now ranked 25th since he was runner-up in the 1994 French Open MELBOURNE Australia Alberto Berasategui conqueror of US Open champion Patrick Rafter and a resurgent Andre Agassi lost the magic from his legs and unorthodox forehand today falling to Marcelo Rios Rios the No 9 seed advanced to the Australian Open semifinals with a 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-4 6-0 victory think I have a pretty good of winning the tournament said Rios 22 who reached the quarterfinals in two Grand Slam tournaments last year but is now in his first semifinal "I feel more comfortable than ever But every UC From Page IB XU From Page IB '1 DOLDRUMS WITH THE WINTER GAMES PROGRAM! to how to play defense You have to get to the spot you have to play harder it was a 360-degree change for me Snowden has started the last four games for the Bearcats who have won five of their last seven In that four-game stretch Snowden has recorded 19 assists including nine against Ala-bama-Birmingham while decreasing her turnovers do feel myself getting Snowden said In addition emergence has given the Bearcats a different look offensively While Snowden technically is the shooting guard spot when her and Lewis are on the floor at the same time UC has basically two point guards on the floor which frees up Lewis one of the reasons why I do said Lewis second-leading scorer and top three-point threat a tremendous passer one of the best passers ever played Students and educators alike will appreciate die excitement Newspaper In Education's special Winter Games program brings to the classroom just does things on the floor that the staff have to stress in Pirtle said does things you Unlike Lewis who is really a shooting guard who has been made into a point guard went through the Frankenstein Pirtle quipped Snowden has the instincts and vision a point guard needs After adjusting to college basketball and most importantly learning how to play defense Snowden has seen both her playing time and production increase never really played defense in high Snowden admitted been a huge difference Here you have to guard 30 whole seconds (per possession) and you slack off at all "Here you have specific rules back healthy Senser is out for the season XU has put together a strong season The Musketeers are second in the Atlantic West Division behind Duquesne With 12 wins including seven conference victories XU has already surpassed its overall and league win totals from last year when the Musketeers were 10-17 overall and 5-11 in the conference think (the injuries) almost made us stronger now because we had to pull together Kremer said XU is coming off its 86-59 win over Fordham at Schmidt Field-house The 27-point margin of victory is the Musketeers highest to date both Melanie having good Balcomb Balcomb said having a fantastic year I figure it could be one of the best XU-UC games ever just because both teams are on a positive roll right The special Winter Games educational materials encourage student participation in classroom discussion and activity related to Japan's Winter Game events Held in Nagano the Winter Games provide a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about The Games as well as Japanese history government and culture The Winter Games Nagano 1998 Teachers Guide contains the following: More Sports Page 8B TONIGHT 7:00 PM Cyclones vs Manitoba Moose Early Bird Ticket Special SfcnH Rfrrcl $6 10 tickets half price until 6:30 at The Grown Main Box Office Just mention at The Friday 7:30 PM 111 COLLEGE Cyclones vs Indianapolis Ice 'iiifiiiYi 1 2-price $8 r'rtna US Healthcare MwllT or $10 tickets rmcAS Free with a college ID WwIfcR yIVtAiiRY! Bring your own skates! Balcomb said the key will be defending standout forward and Mt Healthy High School graduate Doris Scott who averages 184 points and 79 rebounds a game While the Musketeers are averaging 721 points a game which is second best in the conference they are allowing 668 points which is second worst in the conference JAN Profiles of all Winter Games A score sheet for students to track medal winners in each sport Facts about Nagano Japan's capital city Background information about Japan's ancient and current culture-food language haiku poetry myths traditions and the Japanese form of government Newspapers delivered to the classroom Feb 9-20 (excluding Feb 16) contain an informative 1 4-page section devoted to coverage of The Winter Games Act now to beat the winter doldrums by ordering the Winter Games Nagano 1998 Teachers Guide and reserving newspapers for your students Winter Game distribution days are February 9-20 excluding Feb 16 Hurry supplies are limited and the games start soon! For more information and to reserve materials call Peggy Wildey NIE Coordinator 768-8130 Papers distributed on a first-come first-served basis WINTER GAMES PROGRAM SPONSORED BY: Anthem aM Cincinnati An independent licensee of The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association 3CIOmll Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Community Insurance Company Registered marks Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Saturday 7:30 PM Cyclones vs Long Beach Ice Dogs As a result Balcomb has moved Phillips and freshman guard Nicole Levandusky into the starting lineup to provide more defense Freshman center Taru Tuuk-kanen who leads XU with 132 points and 62 rebounds per game has been moved to the bench now trying to start our best defensive Balcomb said rather bring offense off the presented by lasHacowboys Tickets on sale at The Crown Main Box Office or any Select-a-Seat outlet or charge by phone: 721-1000 I Group Discounts Available 421 -PUCK or 421-KICK Special Perfomances by the DALLAS Last year UC handily defeated the Musketeers 83-58 in the Shootout and the loss still bothers XU because of how poorly it played was real Kremer said year our heads there We have the chemistry that we have this year just made a world of YOUR MOVING TUNE IN TONIGHT AT 7 AS SPORTSCHANNEL BECOMES FOX SPORTS OHIO OHIO HOME TEAMS fox attitude: mi tawns ow AtirewsH).