Seeking Vengeance
Frogs set to take on Northwestern

By Danny Horne
sports editor

Of the 10 remaining games on the Horned Frogs’ football schedule this season, Saturday’s game with Northwestern is one they have been looking forward to for a long time.

Head coach Dennis Franchione said this game is one the team has circled on its calendar.

“We know we didn’t play real well against them last season,” Franchione said of TCU’s 17-7 loss on Sept. 11, 1999. “That doesn’t discredit their win, but I just don’t think we were well-prepared.”

Franchione said being prepared shouldn’t be a problem this season.

“They look like they’ve got a better ball club overall than last year,” he said. “One thing that probably won’t happen this week is the defensive line taking over like it did last week (against Nevada).

“The Big Ten typically has big, physical offensive lines, so it should be a game of technique rather than power for our defensive line.”

Northwestern is looking for its first 3-0 start since 1962. The Wildcats are coming off convincing victories against Northern Illinois (35-17) and Duke (38-5). Both games were played at Northwestern’s home stadium, Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill.

The Wildcats are led offensively by junior tailback Damien Anderson. Last weekend against Duke, Anderson ran for 187 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns.

“They’re a little different than last season (on offense),” Franchione said. “Last year they were more of a two-back power offense. This year they are still running the ball well with Anderson, but they’re spreading the field more.”

Senior middle linebacker Shannon Brazzell said the Frogs’ defense should expect to be tested.

“We can’t expect to get 15 sacks, and we can’t expect to hold them (to 11 yards rushing),” Brazzell said. “We talked about last week’s game and what we need to improve. We know we’ve got to play better this week.”

TCU beat Nevada 41-10 last weekend. The Frogs recorded 15 sacks — 12 in the first half. Through three quarters, Nevada had gained just 139 net yards.

Offensively, the Frogs were led by senior tailback LaDainian Tomlinson’s 176 yards and three touchdowns.

But the passing attack was not as successful. Sophomore quarterback Casey Printers completed only three passes for 53 yards. He also threw two interceptions.

Franchione said he expects more production from Printers.

“Casey knows he didn’t have a good game,” Franchione said. “Last week was an odd game for him because it almost seemed like he had too much time to throw the ball. He needs to feel more of a pass rush. It’s a weird situation, but it’s true.”

Senior punt returner and reserve free safety LaVar Veale and senior defensive end Aaron Schobel, who both sat out parts of last week’s game with minor injuries, are expected to be healthy by game time Saturday.

Danny Horne
bravestcu3116@mindspring.com

Men’s tennis seeks 11th straight NCAA bid

By Chris Ray
skiff staff

The TCU men’s tennis team, coming off one of its most successful seasons in school history, takes the court to kick off the 2000-01 season today at the River Oaks Invitational in Houston.

Newly arrived head coach Joey Rive takes over for the Frogs after former head coach Michael Center took the head coaching job at the University of Texas at Austin. Rive said he is excited about taking over a solid Frogs team.

Athletics Director Eric Hyman said TCU was elated to get such a talented new coach.

“Attracting a national-caliber coach, such as Joey Rive, is a reflection on the respect people in the tennis world have toward the TCU tennis program,” Hyman said in press release.

Senior Esteban Carril said the team will have to adjust to the change, which could be hard at first.

“We, as a team, are glad to have Coach Rive (here),” Carril said. “It was a bad deal when Coach Center left for UT, but we’ve gotten over it, and now we are ready to start a new chapter in men’s tennis.”

TCU made the “Great Eight” in the NCAA Championships before being knocked off by the eventual national champions, the Stanford Cardinal. The Frogs bring back a strong core of seniors to the roster including Carril, a two-time All American and last season’s Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. The rest of the seniors consist of Scott Eddins, Trace Fielding, Sebastian Iannariello, Petr Koula and Justin Gagnon.

Rive said the first weekend is a time to determine team weaknesses and assess the team’s physical condition.

“This begins everything that you work for in the summer,” Rive said. “The first match is a way to tell where we are and what we need to get an advantage,” Rive said.

Rive said he believes he can take this team back to where it was last year and beyond.

“The experience is there and the team chemistry is there,” Rive said. “All (we) have to do is back it up with solid play. These (seniors) know all about each others’ games, and they’re just like a family.

“That’s the main ingredient to a winning team — that closeness of the players.”

The Frogs’ 2000-01 home schedule includes No. 5 Duke, No. 7 Baylor, No. 9 Virginia Commonwealth, No. 11 Pepperdine, No. 13 Southern Methodist, No. 16 Texas, No. 25 South Alabama, No. 36 California and No. 42 Tulane.

The Frogs only ranked opponent away from home will be No. 8-ranked Texas A&M in College Station.
“I think the teams you play reflect the quality of your team,” Rive said. “If you play the best, then you become the best.”

TCU lost just once last season in matches played at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center, and has strung together 10 straight NCAA appearances.

“TCU has set itself up as a national powerhouse in men’s tennis,” Rive said. “The record shows that and the schedule also reflects that.”

Chris Ray
j.c.ray@delta.is.tcu.edu

By Doug Sharkey
skiff staff

The women’s soccer team barely had time to catch its breath from last weekend’s exhausting road trip before having to once again prepare for the next challengers — the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Oklahoma Sooners.

Assistant coach Blake Amos said both games this weekend have strong chances of being Horned Frog victories, but the team should not take the two teams lightly.

“Both games are winnable games,” Amos said. “Neither team is phenomenally better than the teams we’ve just previously faced, but basically, we need to come out and just play well at home.”

The Crimson Tide began their 2000 season with a string of victories, beating Louisiana-Monroe 4-1, Southern Mississippi 3-0 and Jacksonville State 3-1, but they have since lost their last three games by narrow margins to higher-quality teams like the Miami Hurricanes 0-1, Oklahoma State Cowboys 0-1 and Oklahoma 1-2.

Alabama finished 6-14 last season and had depth problems which greatly inhibited the progress of the team, said head coach Don Staley in the team’s media guide.

“In looking back at last season, we’ve pinpointed our major problem, and that was depth,” Staley said.
To fix the problem, Staley recruited 13 freshmen, the largest class ever to fill the Crimson Tide roster.

labama hopes these former prep standouts will offset the loss of last season’s key players, which included goalkeeper Rachel Brown, midfielder Laura Reddin and forward Kathleen Foudy.

The Frogs will have their hands full today at home as Alabama, which returns six starters and relies on a strong defensive front, will be looking for a much needed win on the road, Amos said.

“(The Tide’s) been on the road for a week now, and they’ve lost some close games,” Amos said. “They’re going to try and take their frustration out on us.”

On Sunday, the Frogs hit the road to face the surging Sooners at their new soccer facility in Norman, Okla.
In only his second season as head coach for Oklahoma, Randy Evans has helped the Sooners rebound from a disappointing 4-13-1 finish last season. Oklahoma is now 5-3, and has added speed and strength to the team. Two-time 400-meter dash state champion Jessica Talton and freshman Logan Womack, who is ranked fifth nationally in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, are the key newcomers for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s attack has also received a boost from sophomore forward Heather Martinelli and junior forward Jonette Coquat, the Sooners’ leading scorer this year with 29 shots and three goals.

The Frogs do not plan to take the Sooners lightly, Amos said.

“They’re a good team and they’ve had some good results,” Amos said. “They beat Alabama (1-0) and played very well against SMU.”

Doug Sharkey
d.h.sharkey@student.tcu.edu

By Kelly Morris
skiff staff

After claiming the Ridges/Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate Invitational title last weekend, men’s head golf coach Bill Montigel said the team is already having a better season than last year.

“We didn’t win any tournaments last year, but we peaked at the end of the year and ended the season on a positive note by finishing 11th in the 2000 NCAA Men’s Championships,” Montigel said.

The team’s second tournament of the fall season will be the Inverness Intercollegiate Invitational hosted by Toledo on Sept. 18 and 19 in Toledo, Ohio. Four of the 13 teams in attendance are nationally ranked. It is here, Montigel said, that his team will have the opportunity to play on one of the country’s best golf courses.

“The Inverness Country Club is regarded as one of the top golf courses in the United States.” Montigel said. “If we go to the tournament with the same attitude as we had last week and hit one shot at a time, we will have another great tournament.”

The Inverness Country Club has been the site for four U.S. Opens, one U.S. Amateur Open, and two PGA Championships. It will host the U.S. Senior Open in 2003.

On Tuesday, the team played the first round of a three-round qualifier at Mira Vista Country Club to determine the final two spots of the five-man team for the Inverness Tournament. With their third place finishes at the Ridges Intercollegiate, sophomore Adam Rubinson and senior Scott Volpitto automatically qualified for the next two tournaments. After placing 11th, senior Aaron Hickman was exempt from this week’s qualifying rounds.

“(With Coach Montigel’s selection process), the best players are always going to the tournaments,” Hickman said. “It’s real fair because the same five guys aren’t playing every week. It gives everyone a shot.”

Although Volpitto is excited about playing the challenging Inverness Country Club course, he is not letting the course’s history affect his preparation.

“This is the first time for all of us to play this course,” Volpitto said. “During Sunday’s practice round, we will familiarize ourselves with the rough and the bent greens, which are like putting on marble. I can only do my best, but I know if we keep doing what we’ve been doing; we will do great.”

Kelly Morris
k.l.morris@student.tcu.edu

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