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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1996)
Mitch Sherman McFadden misses thrill of final year NORMAL, 111. — Five days a week this summer, Jen McFadden awoke at 6 a.m. By 6:30, she was on the volley ball court —jumping, spiking, div ing and preparing for her senior sea son. In mid-July, McFadden was in the best shape of her three-year NU career, which had been nlarred by knee, back and ankle injuries. Then, near the end of July — McFadden doesn’t remember the exact morning — it happened. She felt a twinge of pain in her lower back. "“I was hoping it wasn’t going to be this,” said McFadden, who re covered from back surgery in March 1994. “But J just had to know for myself. I couldn’t handle playing like that again.” ' McFadden returned to her home in Dubuque, Iowa, with a doctor’s order to undergo an MRI on Aug. 2. Five days later, she returned to Lincoln with the news. Bad news. Two herniated disks. One day before fall camp opened, McFadden told Husker Coach Terry Pettit that his team leader—the player whose on-court electric personality sparked a sweep through last fall’s NCAA Touma v ment — would not return. Surgery is not an option. Her volleyball days are over. She said her back is like a jelly doughnut. When she jumps or sits in one place for too long, the liga ments press against the nerves in her lower back. In addition, she said, when she moves too much, the ligament bulges and stretches, causing her near-constant pain. This weekend, she traveled to her former teammates’ first tourna ment of the year in Normal, 111. Friday, before the season’s first match, she visited them in the locker room. I couldn t help but think I should be out there,” she said. “That’s what I should be doing.” Watching was hard. She stayed in her seat Friday for the first game before roaming the concourse of Redbird Arena, watching the Husk ers come from behind to win. On Saturday, Nebraska lost. Bin McFadden was at peace. The young team will survive, and they will do well; they may even win the Big 12, * she said, without her leadership. “I felt like I kind of left a void, and I felt like something was going . to be missing. But they’re fine,” she said with a regretful giggle. “And . that’s comforting.” McFadden is gone, not forgot ten. And, by her teammates, she is missed. Sherman is a senior news-edi torial mqjor and the Daily Ne braskan sports editor. No. 1 Hawaii hammers Nebraska r ' . " s Fifth-ranked NU loses for the first time in 365 days and 33 matches. By Trevor Parks Senior Reporter NORMAL, 111. — The champion ship match of the State Farm/ NACTWAA Volleyball Classic has been a learning experience for Nebraska the past two seasons. A year ago, the Cornhuskers dropped a four-game match to No. 1 Stanford in the first annual Classic at the NU Coliseum. It was the only match NU lost alKseason. That match supplied motivation for a 32-1 season and the school’s first national championship. Saturday night, in front of a crowd of 3,657 fans at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State, Nebraska lost to top-ranked Hawaii 15-12,16-14,15 9. The loss—NU’s first in 365 days— snapped a school-record 32-match winning streak. It was Nebraska’s third defeat in its last 67 matches and the first three-game defeat since Notre Dame beat Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Dec. 5, 1995. Despite season-ending injuries to Jen McFadden and Denise Koziol, the Huskers learned Saturday that this team, with nine freshmen and sopho mores on its 12-player roster, has the potential to live up to its preseason ranking. With the way his team played, Coach Terry Pettit said he can see a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. “The things that Hawaii did better than us was that they were organized better,” Pettit said, “and you have to anticipate that because they are a more experienced team. “But player for player, we were competing here, and another six weeks down the road, I think we have the Please see NACWAA on 17 Matthew Waite/DN SOPHOMORE OUTSIDE HITTER Jaime Krondak digs an Illinois State smash Friday night. Krondak, an all-tournament selection, had 21 kills in the NU four-game win. Osborne: NU still needs more work - By Mike Kluck Senior Reporter A good fall camp doesn’t neces sarily mean the two-timenational champions are ready to defend their title. Nebraska finished its two-a-day practices Saturday with a scrimmage at Memorial Stadium, but Coach Tom Osborne said the Huskers aren’t ready to begin competition. “Overall, I’ve been pleased with what they’ve done, but we’re cer tainly not ready to play a game,” Osborne said. “We’re going to have to be pretty soon.” Despite his concern about the preparation for the Sept. . 7 season opener against Michigan State, Osborne remains optimistic. “1 feel generally good about the team and the effort’s been good,” Osborne said. “At the end of all these two-a-days, you’re not going to be jumping up and down enthusiasti cally. But I think they want to be good, and they want to play well.” Today, die Huskers welcome their nonscholarship athletes and begin practicing once a day. Before Sept. 7, die Huskers have plenty to work on in trying to fill back-up positions, Osborne said. At quarterback, it’s not the backup Osborne is trying to find, but some one to play third team. Junior Scott Frost has emerged as the Huskers top Buffs strive toiifflNU level of success 1 By TRevor Parks Senior Reporter Losing to Nebraska has given Colo rado a pain around the fingers. “Fm sick of losing to them,” CU linebacker Matt Russell said. “The se niors, we have no rings yet. And they’ve got about 15 of them. They are wearing all of our rings. Hopefully, we’ll come out on top this year.” The Comhusker-Buffalo series has been lopsided since Colorado beat NU in 1989 and 1990. Since a 19-19 tie in 1991, Nebraska has blasted die Buffs by a combined score of 141-52 in the Please see CU on 14 . Ryan Soderlin/DN QUARTERBACK Monte Christo tries to elude defenders Chad Kelsay (No. 57) and Mike Rucker during Saturday’s scrimmage. signal caller, and senior Matt Turman will relieve Frost. In Saturday’s scrimmage, Frost completed both of his passing at tempts for 36 yards, while Turman hit 4 of 10 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. The first touch down was a 59-yard strike to split end Jeff Lake. The other touchdown was a four-yard pass to tight end Sheldon Jackson. - Frost rushed for 29 yards on seven carries, and Turman gained five yards on nine rushing attempts. “Right now, we have two quarter backs who appear to be fairly ready to play,” Osborne said. “Scott Frost is very good. Matt Turman will come in there and do a very good job, and we’re still looking for a third.” Although Turman is disappointed that he won’t start, Osborne thinks the former walk-on can get the job done. In the scrimmage, die first offense moved the ball against the defense. Turman said the offense success should give it confidence. “A lot of things looked pretty spo radic, but the No. 1 offense actually looked pretty good,” Turman said. “If we can move the ball on them, I think we can move it on anybody.” Battling for the third spot are redshirt freshmen Jeff Merino and Frankie London, sophomore Monte Christo and true freshman Clint Finley. Osborne said several freshmen could play a key role on this year’s team, if not as starters then as sec ond- and third-team players. “Over the fall camp, we have been pleased with a few young guys,” Osborne said. “Ralph Brown at (right) comer(back) certainly has (tone some good things. And Mike Brown has played well, but he’s had Please see FOOTBALL on 14