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NU ready for rematch
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GYM from page 7
know me and it’s an advantage.
“Everyone there is a seasoned
competitor and everyone knows what
it takes.”
Nelson said he had a legitimate
shot to capture West Regional titles in
the pommel horse, parallel bars and
horizontal bars. Allen said he thought
Nelson may have a chance to claim
the floor exercise, vault and all
around titles as well.
NU’s Derek Leiter and Jason
Hardabura should compete for the
all-around title. Jim Koziol may
place high in the still rings, and Leiter
has a shot at taking the floor exercise
and vault individual crowns.
If NU performs to its capability in
those events, Allen said, its rematch
with California should produce a dif
ferent outcome. i
“I’d like to see us stay at the 230
mark. We just need to stay in there
and not get hurt right now.”
Linebackers ready to lead 1
DEFENSE from page 7
Foreman.
The Rockford, 111. native to came to
Nebraska not expecting to play right
away, and thought he would just have to
wait his turn to play.
“I knew I wasn’t going to start when
I came here, and I’m glad I didn’t” Polk
said. “I wouldn’t want to have that pres
sure to come in here as a freshman and
start right away.”
The 6-foot-3,245-pounder came to
Nebraska after racking up an Illinois
state-record 453 tackles at Guilford
High, before choosing NU over
Wisconsin, and Arizona State.
Polk said it was easy to get comfort
able in Lincoln thanks in part to the
camaraderie that exists amongst the
Husker linebackers.
“Everybody was real friendly, the
players know how to welcome guys in
here and make you feel a part of team as
soon as you get here,” Polk said.
Assuming a greater leadership role
this season at linebacker is Foreman, '
someone Polk credits for his first year
success.
“I suppose I am the team leader on
defense,” Foreman said. “I call out the
defense so it’s a job that I have to accept
being a senior.”
Bohl said Foreman has all of the
tools to lead a linebacking corps that
Bohl says goes two-deep at all three
positions. -
“Jay has a great understanding of
our defense, and is dog gone thorough
on the field,” Bohl said.
With the focus last year on Wistrom
and Peter, NU’s linebackers didn’t
receive as much attention as the
Huskers front four, but Polk expects that
to change.
“We lost two All-Americans, but we
are more experienced at linebacker, and
in the secondary,” Polk said. “I think
this year’s defense could be better than
last year’s.”
NU off to quick start
By Shannon Heffelfinger
Senior Reporter
Success has come almost too easily
for the Nebraska softball team this sea
son.
The Comhuskers have been blow
ing out teams. Only five teams have
come within one run of NU in the last
20 games. Nebraska ended seven of
those 20 games early because it run
ruled opponents. During that period, the
Huskers have outscored teams 104-45.
Nebraska is off to its best start in
Rhonda Revelle’s six years as head
coach. The Huskers’ victory total is
high, and their confidence level is even
higher, Revelle said
“We are playing with a lot of intent
right now, and that breeds confidence,”
Revelle said “It’s easy to get the wins in
that situation.”
Nebraska’s next victim could be
Iowa State. The Huskers (26-8 overall
and 4-0 in the Big 12 Conference) play
host to ISU (5-12 and 1-2) Saturday at
noon and 2 p.m. at the Nebraska
Softball Complex.
Winners of 10 of their last 11
games, the No. 8 Huskers cracked the
top 10 this week for the first time since
1990.
Unranked Iowa State has struggled
this season, posting a. 194 team batting
average. The Huskers are batting .276.
Senior Christie McCoy leads NU at
the plate, hitting .343 with a .647 slug
ging percentage. Catcher Jenny Smith
is hitting .431 with four home runs and
16 runs batted in during the last 24
games.
“Good hitting is definitely conta
gious,” Revelle said. “Generally at the
start of the season, the pitchers domi
nate. But the issue is relaxing. The hit
ters get used to seeing the hard ball and
begin to relax and do well.”
But Revelle said the Huskers have
not prematurely reached their peak.
“We’re still working on ways to get
better.”
Huskers healthy for matches
By Jay Saunders
Assignment Reporter
For the first time in two months, the
No. 68 Nebraska men’s tennis team has
all of its top six players healthy. NU
Coach Kerry McDermott said it could
n’t come at a better time.
The Huskers (11-5 overall and 1-3
in the Big 12 Conference) take to the
road this weekend for two matches
against ranked teams. Today at 1:30
p.m. Nebraska plays at No. 38 Colorado
(5-9) and then travels Sunday to Little
Rock, Ark., to face No. 59 Arkansas
Little Rock at 10 a.m.
McDermott said the Colorado
match is important because it is not only
a conference matchup but a pivotal
regional match as well.
McDermott said one of the team’s
main goals is to earn a spot in the
NCAA West Regional Tournament.
The Buffaloes are ahead of NU in the
region right now, but CU is coming off
ofa 1 -2 record last weekend in a tourna
ment in Santa Barbara, Calif.
“(Colorado) looks like they have
been up and down,” McDermott said.
“We hope we can catch them off guard a
little bit and play up to our ability.”
The Buffaloes have had their way
with NU for the past couple of yehrs.
CU has beaten the Huskers the last three
times the two teams have met
McDermott said the doubles play
could be the deciding factor in the
match. NU seniors Dinko Verzi and
Markus Bergerheim have compiled a 9
4 record at No. 1 doubles this season.
The Huskers will be given a boost in
both singles and doubles with the return
of senior co-captain Magnus Grahn.
This is the first time NU will be at full
strength since February. Grahn came
back in limited action from a leg injury
last weekend at the UCI-Sheraton
Newport Beach Classic.
Grahn and freshman Jorge Abos
Sanchez each went undefeated in sin
gles at the UCI tournament Grahn and
Abos-Sanchez will play No. 2 doubles
against Colorado and Arkansas Little
Rock.
“(Grahn) seems fully recovered,”
McDermott said. “This is a big week
end for him. Hopefully his play will
ignite the team so they can play and
beyond what is expected.”
I
