Youth, talent side with Huskers By Jay Saunders StaffReporter This fall’s Nebraska men’s and women’s tennis teams have one thing in common. Coaches Kerry McDermott and Scott Jacobsen both have teams filled with young talent. McDermott, the men’s coach, said most of his top six positions remain up in the air. The coach got a good look at his team at the recent Tom Fallon Invi tational in South Bend, Ind. The tournament had four different draws, varying on talent level, and the Comhuskers had success in three of them. In the “A” draw, junior Marcus Bergheim got to the finals of the con solation match. McDermott said Bergheim and sophomore Dinko Verzi will challenge for the top spot. ' ‘‘Those two are in charge right now,” McDermott said. “Dinko is play ing real strong but he hasn’t had a big win to boost his confidence yet.” In the “B” draw, freshman Todd Nicholl got to the semifinals of the main competition and senior Fredrik Reisbeck got to the quarterfinals. Freshman Andrew Weise lost his first match in the “C” draw, then won four straight matches to win the consolation bracket. McDermott said his team is using the fall season to see where it stands and to see what it needs to do before the spring season. “We know we are better than we have been in the last five years,” McDermott said. “The guys don’t know where they fit in because there is a lot of closeness. That should make for a better team.” Jacobsen, the women ’s coach, said his team’s skill level is “as fine as it has ever been.” The Huskers come into the season with only two seniors, Annie Yang and Kristie Bilecky. Despite little experi ence, Jacobsen said, the team’s lead ership is strong. “There are a lot of leaders on this team,” Jacobsen said. The younger players include two freshmen and a sophomore. Freshman Sandra Noetzel is expected to play a vital role this season, Jacobsen said. Upstart Cats aim to break Husker run By Eric Rineer Staff Reporter The Kansas State volleyball team has started off what seems to be a promising year with bigwinsover Iowa and Colorado State. KSU has compiled a 12-1 record, their best start in school history, and hope to take their winning to the next level with a victory over No. 7 Ne braska Saturday night at the NU Coli seum. The Wildcats, who have never beaten Nebraska in 52 attempts, are led by middle blocker Kate DeClerk. This week the 6-foot-2 senior was named the Big 12 player of the week and the AVCA national player of the week. DeClerk hit an NU Coliseum record JMtSwith 16 kilis in a three-game win last Friday over Colorado State in the First Bank Invite. DeClerk and senior Toie Young— from Omaha Burke High School — have been the driving force behind KSU’s hot start. But the main differ ence between this year and last season, in which KSU finished 21-12 and fifth in the Big Eight, is youth, Coach Jim Moore said. “Our improvement this year is due to our freshman recruiting class,’’'said Moore, in his fourth season at Kansas State. “We have fair freshman who are all good players. It gives the team a la more depth. It really helps to have 11 or 12 players that are solid.” While KSU’s depth has helped it get off to a solid start, its tough matches lie ahead. The Wildcats play Colorado in Boulder tonight before heading to Lincoln. A win in both matches would almost certainly earn KSU its first-ever ranking. Developing5 Huskers face KU, K-State VOLLEY from page 9 strong defense. “Our offense is coming along pretty well,” he said. “We’re starting to work more as a team. “We need to start putting more en ergy into the team and less into indi viduality,” Pettit said. “The team phas to have accountability for our mis takes.” Leadership was a question coming into the season, but Krondak said ev eryone is begin to expect more. “The whole team is demanding more of themselves and the team,” Krodak said. Middle blocker Lisa Avery, a reshirt freshman, will not play this weekend —or for the next five weeks —after a stress fracture in her left femur was dis covered last week. Aggie coach hopes to ice NU streak By Peter Marhoefer StaffReporter Texas A&M Soccer Coach G. Guerrieri does not want to hear the weather forecast for Lincoln this weekend — unless it’s going to be warm. “Were real concerned about the weather,” Guerrieri said. “The .lower 70s is cold for us.” After posting a 5-0 win over 1995 NCAA Final Four participant Southern Methodist and 2-1 win over ninth-ranked Florida, No. 6 Texas A&M (8-0) starts a six game road trip with games at Iowa State on Friday, and a Sunday showdown with No. 10 Nebraska. “The Huskers are real physical,” Guerrieri said. “We hope the game won’t turn into a bloodbath.” The Aggies return nine players from a team that beat Nebraska 2-0 last year in College Station, Texas. This fall, A&M added Melanie Wilson, the goalkeeper on the U.S. Youth National Team. Sunday’s game may decide the Big 12 regular-season title, Guerrieri said. “Playing at Nebraska, A&M is definitely the underdogs,” Guerrieri said. “Most people are not going to expect us to win this game.” By the way, Sunday’s forecast calls for a high temperature of 55 to 60 degrees. Coach Dirksen calls next meet most difficult By Gbegg Madsen Staff Reporter The Nebraska cross country team will be jn action Saturday at the Min nesota Inyitationalin Minneapolis. Comhusker Coach Jay Dirksen said the meet will feature s potts 'j&A’i Open At 7:00 A.M. Game Days 5 Giant Screen T.V.’s Deer Garden 72d Q St. 475-UNTD NEBRASKA Nebraska vs. Texas Friday, September 27 @ 7 p.m. VS. A&M Sunday, ' September 29 @ 1 p.m. t Kristen Gay Striker at Abbott Sports Complex located 1 1/2 miles north of Comhusker Highway on 70th Street. *jOQion Tickets: • Adult General Admission - $20 • Youth General Admission -$10 • Team Admission -$5 per person Single Game: • General Admission -$2 • UNL Student with ID -FREE • Children 6 and under -FREE For more information call the Ticket Office at 472-3111. 9