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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1989)
Runner still searching for some competition By Darran Fow ler Staff Reporter Nebraska's Yvonne van der Kolk came into the Frank Sevigne-Husker Invitational expecting to find some competition. But alter the conclusion of ihc meet Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the freshman from Hilversum, Netherlands, was still looking. Van der Kolk. w ho was competing in her first mile this season, finished nearly seven seconds ahead ol the closest competitor w hile establishing a meet and a sports center record with a NCAA qualifying time of 4:38.91 minutes. She also qualified for nationals in the 800-meter run earlier this season w ith a margin of victory that w as just as w ide. Van der Kolk's achievements were part of a two-day meet that recorded 45 NCAA qualilying marks, set 13 meet records, nine sports center records and one colle giate record. Nebraska track coacn uary repm said ihe level of competition was up compared to past years. “I thought it was a great meet," Pepin said. “I thought it was one of the best we’ve ever had.” Van der Kolk said with all the quality athletes participating in the meet, she expected her first challenge of the season from one of the 13 entrants in her heat. But after pulling away from the rest of the pack, she said she was surprised no one challenged her. “I’m still looking for competi tion,” van der Kolk said. “There was no competition at all.” Van der Kolk said she ux>k the lead because the start and finish have always been her strengths. She said the smaller size of an indoor track also makes it difficult to maneuver around other runners. “I like to take leads,” van dcr Kolk said. “But it’s nice if there’s someone there to push you.” Van der Kolk, who is used to large international competitions, said it was exciting to compete in her first Husker Invitational. Two other Cornhuskers also sur passed NCAA qualifying marks as Regis Humphrey set a meet record w hile w inning the 800 with a lime of 1:49.68. Linetta Wilson also quali fied when she linished 3rd in the 400 w ith a time of 53.45. Humphrey was voted the meet's most.valuable male performer. Mis souri's Natasha Kaiser, who set a collegiate record in the 400. was awarded the women's MVP. Kaiser's record of 52.39 beat Wilson's collegiate mark of 52.52. That mark w as'set last year w hen Wilson defeated Kaiser at the tinish. 7 just thank God for my strength and no injuries.’ —Wilson The .women’s 4(X) featured six runners, all of whom finished under the national qualifying time of 54.08. Wilson said her competition may have had an advantage because she began the staggered start in the sixth lane. But, she said, she doesn’t make excuses, she just has to run the best race she can run no matter what the circumstances are. “I’ve seen people run in the first lane and w in and people run in the sixth lane and win,” Wilson said. “You get out there and run a good race and you win or lose. That’s all that matters.” Wilson said she should have used a different strategy so she would have conserved more energy for her final kick. “I think I got out a little loo hard, ” she said. “If I would have relaxed and let someone come up with me and then just ran with them I would have had a better chance.” Wilson said the race did not cost her any faith. “I’m running OK. I'm just gonna stick with it,” she said. "I just thank God for my strength and no in juries.” Nebraska freshman Angela Ed wards earned her first collegiate vic tory by winning the shot put with a throw of 47-feet. 8 1/2-inches. All America teammate Toyia Barnes finished 2nd w ith a throw' of 47-6 1/2. Edwards said she didn't expect to w in. She said her victory can lead to better things. “I'm working toward qualifying for NCAAs,” Edwards said. “It'll be tough indixtrs, but this w ill be a big lift.” Nebraska's Jacques van Rcnsburg placed 3rd in the mile, while Dale Burrage also finished 3rd in the 400. Bobby Jelks and Mark Perry finished 2nd and 3rd place in the 200. James Morris placed 2nd in the long jump and 3rd in the triple jump, while freshman Kevin Coleman placed 3rd in the shot put. Susan Hedrick placed 2nd in the 600. Ne braska’s Mark Jackson, Ken Waller, Humphrey and Burrage teamed for 1_i —i__ .u.. i <laa -.I.... .7 I VI I'lJWV. Ill HIV. I I VIIIJ. Pepin said Nebraska covered all ranges of performance. He credited Humphrey, Burrage and van der Kolk for their strong performances. “We had some people who did well and some that did better than expected,” Pepin said. “Some people ran some really good marks, but some also had sub-par perform ances and yet there was some who didn’t run very good at all.” Pepin said Nebraska is still look ing forward to the conference meet. He said he needs to restore the confi dence of those performers who had bad weekends. Pepin said both teams have legiti mate chances at defending their con ference titles. But he said he is not as confident about the women’s title as in past years. “I say normally I’ve gone into the women’s meet with a little more confidence than maybe I have right now,” he said. ofnntwfrn William Lauar/Daily Nebraskan Nebraska’s Maureen Dunn competes in the triple jump. Guard tandem leads KSU past Nebraska By Mark Derow itsch Senior Reporter and Steve Sipple Staff Reporter MANHATTAN, Kan. - Junior guards Steve Henson and LaKeith Humphrey were down right rude to Nebraska in its first visit to Bramlagc Coliseum. Henson and Humphrey scored 25 points apiece to lift the Kansas State men’s basketball team to an 80-66 Big Eight win against Nebraska be fore a crowd of 12,891 in the Wild cats’ new arena. “I thought the key to the game was Steve and LaKcith,” Nebraska coach Danny Nee said. ”1 thought those two guards were domineering in their play at both ends of the court.” Kansas State coach Lon Kruger agreed. “I thought they had an outstand ing game,” said Kruger, whose learn raised its record to 14-7 overall Sind 5-4.in the Big Eight. * ‘This might be the best game they played. Both of them stepped it up today.” Henson scored 16 of his points in the second half. That was the time the Wildcats needed him, though, as Nebraska led 32-31 at halftime. .He hit four second-half, three point baskets to help hold off Ne braska, which dropped to 13-11 overall and 1-7 in the Big Eight. Humphrey added seven issists and seven steals. He said hc\ been taking advantage of opponents' emphasis on stopping Kansas Slate’s other guards, especially Henson. “Other teams look to stop Steve,” Humphrey said. “Coach (Kruger) wanted me to step up when they try to shut Steve down.” Nebraska contributed to its own woes, as it allowed Kansas State to complete a four-point play with 6:21 remaining. Kansas State’s Tony Massup made the front end of a onc-and-‘onc opportunity, then missed the second free throw, but the Wildcats’ Mark Dobbins snagged the rebound. Lance Simmons then got a bucket and was fouled by Nebraska's Rich King. Simmons’ free throw gave Kansas Slate a 62-56 lead, complet ing the four-point swing. “That’s when Kansas State look over,” Nee said. Nebraska never got closer than five points the rest of the way. The loss was the Huskers ninth-straight road setback in Big Eight games. Nee said Nebraska played well -- except during the game’s final sevr. minutes. The Huskers trailed 58-56 with 7:06 left, but Kansas Stale outscored the Huskers 22-10 the rest of the way. “I’m not disappointed in our play ers,” Nee said. “We played as hard as we could and as well as we could for 33 minutes.” The Huskers, who made nine free throws compared to Kansas Slate’s 23, were led by Ray Richardson, who scored 15 points, including three three-point goals. King added 13 points and eight rebounds. Kelly Lively, a redshirt freshman from lorringion, Wyo., started his first game for the Huskers. He re placed Richard van Poclgcest, who is recovering from a bruised shoulder he suffered during Nebraska’s 83-80 loss to Cok)rado last Wednesday. Lively scored two points and blocked one shot in 15 minutes of action. ‘‘1 thought for the first time out, that he did a nice job,” Nee said. Nebraska’s next game is on Tues day, when the Huskers face the Okla homa State Cowboys. The game begins at 7:35 p.m. at the Bob Dcva ncy Sports Center.. Kansas State’s next game is on Wednesday, when the Wildcats face the Colorado Buffaloes. That contest begins at 7:35 p.m. at the Conference/ Events Center in Boulder, Colo. Borrowed theory helps NU bag Wildcats By Nick Hodge Son tor Reporter Nebraska women’s basketball coach Angela Beck’s bags are packed. Beck used a motivational theory employed by North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano to build confidence in her Corn buskers prior to their 68-56 win against Kansas State Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Beck said Valvano’s father told the North Carolina State coach that he believed in the Wolfpack and that his bags were packed for the Final Four after they Finished 4th in the 1983 Atlantic Coast Conference standings. That strategy paid off, as North Carolina State d£* feated Houston to win the national champion ship. Beck said she wanted her team to know that she still has faith in them. “1 told them that I believe in them and my bags are packed,” Beck said. ‘‘We can go as far as you want to go. My bags are packed and we’re still in the conference race. Secohd place is still a viable place for us to go. We just have to get our act together. With the win, the Huskers improved to 13 10 overall and 4-5 in the Big Eight. Kansas State fell to 16-7 and 6-4. The Huskers, last w’s conference champions, entered Salur 9Ps game in 6th place. Beck said Nebraska struggled through l« I ' 111 H <i. * much of the first half against the Wildcats, but came together in the second half. The Huskers made 23 of 52 field goal at tempts for 44.2 percent, while Kansas Stale made 21 of 60 attempts for 35 percent. Ne braska made 45.8 percent of its second half shots compared to Kansas State’s 35 percent. Nebraska guard Amy Stephens led the Huskers by scoring 34 points - 22 of which came in the first half. Her scoring rampage was aided by six, three-point shots - a sports center record. Stephens gave Nebraska a 33-32 lead at halftime when she scored the Huskers’ final eight points of the half. Nebraska then overcame almost live mm utes of cold shooting to start the second half before pulling away. Beck said Nebraska’s defensive pressure did an excellent job of shutting down Kansas State in the second half. “They had the fire in their eyes,” Beck said. “We looked at the lead and attacked it down the stretch.” In the game’s final eight minutes, the Wild cats scored 10 points - six on free throws. In the meantime, Nebraska was building its lead. In addition to Stephens, center Kim Harris scored in double figures by tallying 10 points. Harris also hauled in a game-high 10 rebounds. Kansas Slate was led by guard Nadira Hazim’s 24 points and forward Diana Miller’s 12 points.