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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2002)
NEI r °ni pa^i ^ 0n fcai)ji unne l Vision" lues related | 0 ; , was cited hj invest] J ' >Se 35 a ptllEi 8 an environ ' s c °nstnKtJ nnquestio^] •nie studei i 1,lre . racism j]|| Lin °f thatc^ ropolog) mjy son atteii >c ar when ^ r ffall.ar.icj, nan y : ortliii : since Btaj. f’oen less dn °f a "goodii to the school Sports The Battalion Page 7 • Monday, November 18, 2002 occer team advances in thriller over SMU ■IIP" JOHN C. I.IVAS • THE BATTALION b captain Andrea Sams celebrates after kicking the game winning goal Ithe final penalty kick against SMU in Sunday’s second round action. By Troy Miller THE BATTALION Aggie freshman goal keeper Kati Jo Spisak came up big, saving three penalty kicks to lift Texas A&M to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the fourth consecutive season. After battling to a 1-1 tie after two over time periods with Southern Methodist University, Spisak saved three consecutive penalty kicks to give the Aggies a 3-2 edge. “I was just thinking that if I save one, we’ll win,” Spisak said. “I ended up saving three.” A&M head coach G. Guerrieri could not say enough about the outstanding efforts of his freshman keeper. “For Kati Jo Spisak to save three penalty kicks is almost unheard of at this level of play,” Guerrieri said. “She’s a clutch kid. As an old goalkeeper and as someone who has been recruiting goalkeepers all the time, as I’ve gone around the country one of the things that really stood out to me about Kati Jo is that she is brilliant at penalty kicks.” Laura Probst and Becky Olson, both fresh men as well, stepped up to keep the Aggie hopes alive after A&M had its first two penal ty shots blocked. Probst and Olson buried their shots while Spisak denied the Mustangs. With the penalty kicks tied 2-2, senior captain Andrea Starns buried the shot to give the Aggies the win. “I’m very mentally focused,” Starns said. “I eat that kind of stuff up. (Guerrieri) asked who could take a PK and I said I would, and he said ‘you ok with being fifth?’ and I said bring it on.” The first 80 minutes of the match were a stalemate as both teams were fighting through a 0-0 draw. The Aggie offense posed prob lems for SMU, but could not find the net. Play increased physically as Aggie sopho more Amanda Burke and senior Juli Coin were helped off the field with injuries. Junior Martha Moore also left after being shaken up in the 77th minute. Then the game turned interesting as the Aggies scored the first goal of the match in the 83rd minute. Starns fed sophomore Emma Smith on the right flank. Smith crossed to a wide-open Ragsdale who was perched eight yards in front of the goal. Ragsdale’s header hit the crossbar, then bounced down across the goal line. Four minutes later. Mustang sophomore Jill Heinemann shot from 20 yards out. The shot hit the crossbar and bounced in front of Spisak. “You don’t see that happen usually more than two times a year,” Guerrieri said. “They happened twice in the same 45 minutes.” The game went into overtime and both teams played a scoreless twenty minutes before going to the penalty kick shootout. “I don’t think anyone has ever come in the same weekend and beat Texas and Texas A&M,” said SMU head coach George Van Linder whose team advanced to the second round by beating No. 8 UT 2-1. “It was a tough bracket.” This is third straight overtime game between A&M and SMU. A&M won the pre vious two matches, 2-1. The Aggies will now travel to Los Angeles to play the seventh-seeded UCLA Bruins, who beat Southern California 1-0 in double overtime to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Slocum deserves blame for Aggies 5 flat start, loss to Missouri flirt ome of the x n safety is strong eitotj the heave ity could'.' ive than m: aid. an amai: lid. “A&Mw without it. Hi tot Bonfire aid the Ab when BoA /ay torewi! back. ars to mid vas," heal sonn® tatter as the© t first hep 1 should bt Is its images; /hat it ms to studei; ct is a gr«f 1 ng a smalls i ie Bonfire pt to keeptl* itil the tradi to campii; Cheatham. 11 ■ering major, uiant aspect | mtire now it ts still l®» aspects ft nge. such as Cheat!®! milt safely ; bad things good thing-' 1 emphastrf surpass Iaiking Points -Li Kevin Espenlaub ■The 2002 Texas A&M football son has seen everything impossi- l| finding a way to become reality. A week after beating the No. 1 im in the nation for the first time in school history, the Aggies pped their fourth home game of the season to a 4-6 team and every one who still considers themselves an Aggie fan should still be won- pring what actually happened. I For his part, head coach R.C. Slocum said everyone could C’draw their own conclusions” as to what happened. [ So, here are my conclusions. || The Aggies came out flat against Missouri because they believed after beating Oklahoma they would easily be able to domi nate a Missouri team that had only recorded one Big 12 victory, which came over lowly Kansas. For what it matters, wide receivers Greg Porter, Bethel Johnson and linebacker Brian Gamble all seemed to agree. “We weren’t ready to play like we should have been,” Porter said. “I think we were a little dead.” But, of course, Slocum didn’t think that was the problem at all. That would make sense because it is his job to motivate the team. Nobody who watched any of the first half of Saturday’s game could say with a straight face that the Aggies were motivated. If the football team and Slocum can’t get up for a game where nearly 80,000 fans are cheering for them, there seems to be a problem at the top. Whatever happens in Austin (and the way this season has been, there’s no telling what will hap pen), should not have any impact on R.C. staying at A&M. He has failed the team, the fans and the school and it is time for a change. Losing four games at Kyle Field, which used to be one of the most challenging venues for an opposing team to come to, is absurd and unacceptable. With Mack Brown in Texas and Bob Stoops in Oklahoma try ing to recruit the same players as A&M, a 7-5 or 6-6 season will destroy A&M’s hopes of compet ing for serious players. A change must be made and a real coach must take over the reins and keep A&M from becoming another Baylor or Kansas. Slocum has always said that half the teams in the nation lose every week. Sorry coach, but A&M should not be in that half of the teams. This school and its fans have given exceptional support for your program, and it seems to be a poor investment from where I sit. When a company fails to get a return on investments, the heat falls on the CEO. Slocum is the leader of this football program and is without a doubt failing to return on all of our investments. As Gamble said following Saturday’s game, “It’s been a frus trating and wacky year.” Yes it has and hopefully Gates and his new athletic director will make a change to get this team back on track and make it a national power once again. ALISSA HOLLIMON • THE BATTALION A&M head coach R.C. Slocum reacts to questions after the game. siutf ampus/j s remain anizati^ npus. to have a ythingl^ 1 on sa ^' everyone hey h’v^' m exped ience tW iave s suspe 11 ' Repla 111 ed AH' 1 in ^ liter ane ,id ! |,e vents atf tight tfi at a to e* 0 - bout H ■ ecsparts. fj mu. urn/ ever Fitness & Classes 1 American Aerobic Association International (AAAI) Yoga Instructor Certification November 23—24 at the Rec Center. $125 For more information, please contact DeAun Woosley at 862-3995 or the national line at 609-397-7683. * MASSAGE THERAPY AT THE REC CENTER—Spend an hour in total relaxation with a Rec Center Massage Therapist. Massages are performed by licensed therapists at unbeatable prices. Sian up at Member Services to make an a PP 0 ' n ^ n [j’® n |/ * DON'T LET THOSE HOLIDAY POUNDS SNEAK UP ON YOU! Stay in shape with the motivaton of a Personal Trainer. On your own or with a friend, ifs the best way to stay fit and trim. Visit the Member Services Desk for more information. 1 DO YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING EARLY—Buy Rec Sports Gift Certificates. Available for massage, personal training, group aerobics, climbing/equipment and outdoor trips. Get yours today at the Member Services Desk. k THANKSGIVING FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE: Wed, Nov. 27 Cardio Party in 301 last class® 1:45 p.m. Sat, Nov. 30 FREE Cardio Party in 301 1 2:00 p.m. NO classes Thursday or Friday!! Sunday, Dec. 1, Classes resume as normal A Great Deal @ the Golf Course It's a great time to play! So many changes are under way at your A&M Golf course-paved cart paths, ful practice facilities, improved course conditions. Student and twilight rates available, along with a full line of golfing apparel in the Pro Shop. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Call 845-1 723 for tee times. Intramurals Intramural participants please remember that registration ends at 6:00 p.m. Please visit the Member Services Desk to sign up for your favorite Intramural sport. Program Registration Price College Football Bowl Challenge Dec. 9—17 FREE Walk of Champions Aggies get your discounted Walk of Champions brick for $100 before you leave Aggieland. For more information on ordering your personalized brick, visit our web site at http://recsports. tamu.edu. Order forms are available. The holidays are coming fast-Walk of Champions bricks make fantastic gifts. Join us in the Great Outdoors Program Registration Event Dat< Bouldering Extravaganza Nov. 4-Dec. 7 Dec. 7 • One-day bouldering competition for local fanatics. Don't miss out on tne fun! $10 guarantees your spot in the competition, an event t-shirt and your name in the drawing for door prizes. • Rec Center Rock Wall—Now is the time to renew your Rock Wall pass. Classes are held at 3:00 p.m. and at 7:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday and at 3:00 p.m. on Friday for only $5. Sports Club Events ► W. Soccer, Nationals, Nov. 20—23, TBA @ Bakersfield, CA •M. Soccer, Nationals, Nov. 20—23, TBA @ Bakersfield, CA >Handball, Aggieland Classic, Nov. 22—23, all day @ Read »M. Rugby vs. Rice, Nov. 23 @ Rugby Pitch *W. Volleyball, Texas A&M Classic, Nov. 23, all day @ Read * Sailing, Aggie Fall Regatta, Nov. 23, all day @ Lake Bryan reesports. te/n//. e/fu Student Rec Center etc, Division of Student Affairs Information Center—Located in the lobby of the Student Rec Center, visitors can obtain infor mation about the departments within the Division. Brochures are available. The Information Center hours are Sun.-Thurs., 3:00—9:00p.m. & Friday, 3:00—7:00p.m. JOIN THE STUDENT REC CENTER STAFF—Now accept ing applications for facility receptionists/attendants. Apply in Office 202 of the Rec Center. Interviews will take place Dec.2—Dec 4. Rec Sports Medics—Medics needed to work the Depart ment's facilities. Apply in room 158 or call 862-4145 for infor mation. THANKSGIVING HOURS Rec Center Read Nov. 26 6:00a.m.-midnight closed Nov. 27 6:00a.m.-9:00p.m. closed Nov. 28 closed closed Nov. 29 3:00p.m.—8:00p.m. closed Nov. 30 noon—9:00p.m. closed Dec. 1 noon—midnight closed