Walker uses spring
to refresh lineup
Loss of seniors forces changes
By Jay Saunders
Assignment Reporter
In the four years the Nebraska
soccer program has existed, the
team has lost a few games, but it has
never had to
deal with the
loss of key
players.
But coming
off a successful
season, NU is
having to
regroup this
spring without
the services of
its first graduating class. The
Huskers lost five seniors, including
former All-American Kari
Uppinghouse and goalkeeper
Rebecca Hombacher, after last fall’s
18-4 season.
“This is a different kind of year,”
NU Coach John Walker said. “The
dynamics of the team has changed a
little bit.”
The Huskers lost the most play
ers on defense. NU needs to fill
voids in three starting spots in the
backfield. For three years,
Hombacher was the starting goal
keeper and set almost all of
Nebraska’s goalkeeping records.
Sophomore Karina LeBlanc will fill
Hombacher’s spot. LeBlanc played
in 11 games last season, but has yet
to start a game in goal.
Walker said he is not as sure
what to do about replacing
Stephanie Vacek at sweeper.
NU started its spring schedule,
which consists of six exhibition
games, Sunday with a last-minute 5
4 win at Florida. The Gators, who
have 11 seniors, finished last season
ranked No. 14.
Against the Gators, junior
Sharolta Nonen played central
defender, which is a change from
the outside defender position she
played last fall.
The Huskers revolve their
offense around the position of cen
tral midfielder, which is where
Uppinghouse played since coming
to NU. Junior Amy Walsh moved
from forward to central midfielder
against Florida.
“We are certainly trying things
to see how they work,” Walker said.
“Being versatile makes them better
players. It is important to under
stand the roles of everyone on the
team.”
Against Florida, the changes
didn’t stop at just sweeper and cen
tral midfielder. Walker used a lot of
players at several different posi
tions. Juniors Jenny Benson and
Isabelle Momeau, who usually play
offense, played part of the Florida
game in the backfield.
Benson, who was fourth on the
team in scoring last season, said she
doesn’t mind being moved around.
“We are getting used to playing
without the four starters we lost,”
Benson said. “It is big that people
know how to play two or even three
positions. You never know when an
injury is going to happen.”
Walker said his philosophy in
the spring is to experiment against
the best teams in the country.
This year is no exception.
NU plays the top three teams in
the country on consecutive week
ends in April. The Huskers play at
No. 3 Notre Dame, which beat NU
in the second round of last year’s
NCAA Tournament, No. 1 North
Carolina and No. 2 Connecticut.
The Huskers were scheduled to
play No. 4 Santa Clara, but the
Broncos were taken off the schedule
so NU could play the U.S. Under-20
National Team.
“I can say with quite a lot of con
fidence that there is no one that has
a tougher spring schedule than us,”
Walker said. “This i$4£g§ rime for i
each player to make large strides.
We will have a realistic picture of
our team in the spring.”
Walker said the win over Florida
was a good start after replacing the
five seniors. He said all the work
this spring will help when the
Huskers open up the season Sept. 1
against Iowa State.
“It is a nice, natural evolution,”
Walker said. “We obviously have a
lot iof talented players, but we
haven’t dropped off any on creating
a positive environment.”
Swimmers
place 2nd
in Texas
SWIM from page 10
team captain Keith Ebbert were
able to achieve that goal.
Kalmikovs claimed the confer
ence title in the 200-yard breast
stroke, improving his time by .79
seconds. Ebbert finished second
in the 200-yard individual medley
with a career-best time of 1:50.12.
“That was a really nice sur
prise,” Ebbert said. “Overall, I had
all best times, and the times will
probably qualify me for NCAAs.”
Nebraska’s swimming success
carried over into the diving com
petition. All-American Danny
Bergman won the one-meter,
posting a score of 563.37 - a Big
12 record. Bergman defeated
defending meet champion Mark
Naftanel of Texas A&M to grasp
his first conference title.
“I think the thing that we
found was that the conference was
much faster, this year than it was
last year,” Bentz said. “I see we’re
going to have a very high-quality
conference.”
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NU men’s gymnasts top poll
after victory over Oklahoma
GYM from page 10
bests in the all-around - Hardabura
(57.975), Letter (57.60) and Nelson
(57.(150).
Hardabura recorded career-best
efforts in five of the six events. A
little hop on his horizontal bar land
ing was all that kept him from
recording a career high in that
event.
Nelson won the floor exercise
and parallel bars. His 9.925 on the
parallel bars was his second hest
score ever - the other coming when
he won tie 1997 NCAA
Championship.
Leiter provided the other win for
the Huskers on the vault with a 9.80.
Oh Friday against No. 15
Minnesota, NU finished one, two
and three in the all-around. Leiter
won with a score of 57.60, Nelson
finished second at 56.975 and Bill
Mulholland was third with 56.900.
With the recent success and
improvement, Allen said he was
worried his team might peak too
early.
“You don’t like to see the horse
run too well too soon,” Allen said.
“It is an old team, so they know how
to hold it for a while.”
But Hardabura said he is not
worried;
“We have so much more in us,”
Hardabura said. “We aren’t even
close to peaking.”
One reason the Huskers still
have room to improve, Allen said, is
because Bill Mulholland has strug
gled this year.
Allen said he is still waiting for
Mulholland, the lone senior on the
team, to come through in the all
around, but Allen is not too worried.
“He will be there,” Allen said. “I
don’t want to bring him out too
soon.”
The No. 1 Huskers will take on
No. 7 Ohio State Sunday at the Bob
Devaney Sports Center in what
Allen called the dual meet of the
year.
Hardabura said NU is ready to
show Ohio State the win in
Oklahoma was a fluke.
“We have something to prove,”
Hardabura said. “It’s time for pay
back.”
Loaches call tourney 2nd season
BIG 12 from page 10
start off the tournament today at
noon at Municipal Auditorium. The
Buffaloes won last year’s inaugural
Big 12 tournament, defeating Kansas
State, and must win again to return to
the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma State and Missouri
then will play the second game at
2:20 p.m. today, and the winner of
that game will face Nebraska
Wednesday at 2:20 p.m.
Oklahoma State Coach Dick
Halterman said his Cowgirls, who
are 17-9 overall and 10-6 in the con
ference, could receive an NCAA bid
with a few wins in the tournament.
Oklahoma State players are look
ing to get an opportunity to go back
to die NCAA Tournament.
“I think we belong (in the NCAA
Tournament),” Oklahoma State
senior Renee Roberts said. “We need
to win at least a couple games. I think
we definitely belong,-and we can
play with anyone if we play well.”
Missouri Coach Joann
Rutherford said she hopes her Tigers
can make the game with the
I n i.
Cowgirls a little more memorable
than the 86-54 loss to OSU in
January.
“The players have put it very well
- it’s a new season,” Rutherford said.
“No one comes in with a home court
advantage. I’ve seen many teams that
come off a conference championship
and come in the tournament and lose
the first round.
“It’s tournament time, folks. It’s
exciting. It’s who shows up, who gets
excited about it, who puts together 4C
minutes and who wants to win. That’s
what it’s all about.” /*
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