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USC Schedule ■ Women’s soccer at Clemson, Friday ■ Volleyball vs. Mississippi State, Friday Wednesday, October 6,1999 Women's I soccer wins sixth straight contest, 6-0 by Shannon Rooke Staff Writer Continuing its longest winning streak ever, the Lady Gamecock soccer team rolled over visiting College of Charleston 6-0 on Monday. Getting USC off to a solid scoring start was junior Charlotte Moore in the fifth minute. Controlling a cross from Mindy Sanders, Moore tallied her sec ond goal of the season. Leslie Lamb added to the score two minutes later, receiv ing a perfectly placed pass from team mate Lydia Bienias and one-touehing it past two defenders and a startled Cougar goalkeeper. Sophomore Morgan McIntyre put the final cap on the first half when she and teammate Jennie On do combined for a goal, putting the Game cocks up, 3-0. The scoring continued just six min utes into the second half, when Ondo re ceived a ball from Sanders behind the de fense and placed it in the back of the net. The match took a more physical turn when Lady Gamecock freshman Kanika McAlpine was tripped inside the Cougar box, resulting in the issue of a penalty kick. Sophomore Melinda Carter was chosen to take the shot, and she placed it neatly in the goal, giving USC a 5-0 lead. Lamb got her name on the board again when she overpowered the Cougar keep er with a long shot from outside the box. Lamb tallied her sixth goal for the sea son. With so many injuries plaguing the Gamecock team before the game, key players have been switched or moved out Grades see page 2 by Michael Haney Staff Writer rturo Freeman knows what it's like to be on top. Entering the 1998 football season, the 1995 All-SEC fresh man free safety had everything going for him. Freeman had been named to the Playboy All-American team and various other preseason All-American checklists. He had led the team in tackles in 1996 and 1997 and was expected to spearhead another Game cock defensive attack with his experience and leadership. Then, during the second week of fall drills while the team was running its special teams, Freeman was hit in the knee with a team mate’s helmet. Every major ligament in his knee was tom, and a once-promising senior year was lost. “Last year was tough for me in the beginning, especially the first few months, as was the whole season,” Freeman said. “But af ter that, it helped me with my faith, my beliefs, and made me a stronger person and a better Christian. Overall, it has helped me as a total athlete.” After spending nine months in rehabilitation for his knee, Free man used a medical redshirt and was back with the team in March for spring drills. With a successful spring and more preseason All American accolades, the stage was set for his return. Then, an all-too-familiar scene unfolded at the Carolina prac tice field. On a freak play, Freeman was kicked in the stomach, rup turing his spleen. He spent two days in a Charlotte-area hospital to have it removed. “It’s the damdest thing I've ever seen,” head coach Lou Holtz said. “I don't think I've ever seen anything like what happened.” Freeman ended up missing the first two games of the 1999 season.. “This year, coming back was a little test, and I beat it, so I'm happy about that and happy to be back out there playing,” Freeman said. “It's kind of frustrating being 04, but not as frustrating as last year, losing all those games. I know that we have made a lot of progress, and I think we can get better. When this thing breaks, it’s going to be great.” Freeman saw his first action in the East Carolina game Sept. 18, playing comeiback. His first start came against Mississippi State the next week. There, he started at free safety, his natural position. “Arturo helps us not only as a great leader, but also because he is a great defensive back,” Holtz said. Freeman said, “One of my fevorite moments was getting to walk back on to the field in frontof our home fens after not being able to do so for so long. It was great to make my first tackle and to hea all of the fans cheer. It was just an overall great feeling.” The former Orangebuig-Wiikinson High School standout has hai his share of ups and downs. One perk for Freeman this year is that, al though he still has some classes, he has already been graduated. “It’s great,” Freeman said. “I've got a couple of classes to go to. LJ—_J Special to The Gamecock USC free safety Arturo Freeman was graduated in May, but is still playing football thanks to an extra year of eligibility. The preseason All-American has come back from devastating injuries twice in his collegiate career. It is still frustrating because we haven't won yet. I feel like I maybe need to change some things, but the extra time has allowed me to work I out and get more treatment.” Freeman said he believes this season is a blessing in disguise, though. With new defensive coordinator Charlie Strong's defensive scheme, Freeman said playing defense has become more enjoyable. “The defense is definitely more fim,” Freeman said. “It's more fun because we don't have to make as many tackles in the secondary as we did before. “We say we don't have to tackle as much,” he said. “I may have four or five tackles all season, and that's fine because we concen trate more on the pass.” Freeman is also looking forward to taking his game to the next level. “I'm definitely looking forward to moving up with all of the years I've put into this, and I wouldn't do it unless I felt that I had a chance,” Freeman said. In high school, Freeman was a standout on the offensive side of the ball, as well. He was named South Carolina 4-A offensive back of the year his senior year, leading the stale in receptions (103), yards receiving (1,318) and touchdown catches (16). In spite of all he’s gone through physically and mentally, Freeman said this year, and Carolina’s record, will get better. “It's a test of our faith and a test of ourselves as individuals,” Freeman said. “The seniors, we want to leave here with this taste gone from our mouths and actually win some games.” Freeman's career stats: [1996: 99 tackles 8 passes broken up 3 interceptions ^ 0 fumble recoveries 1998: Out for season V Brad Walters Graphics editor David Cloninger Who Else? Baseball’s season-end honors Well, it's playoff time again, time for those October heroes to step up and take their places in baseball history. The Fall Classic has been mysteri ously lacking in big plays and dynamic performances the past few years, but this year's matchup of eight teams should erase that memory. My favorite team, the Atlanta Braves, overcame season-ending in juries to four major players and a start ing pitching staff that didn't live up to its reputation as the best in baseball to win their eighth consecutive division title. Fighting a tough race against the New York Muggers for most of the season, the Braves conquered the East and compiled a 103-59 record in the process, which just happens to be the best in the majors. I'm really not at liberty to say who’s going to win the World Series, because 1 honestly don't know. The Braves have the talent and drive, but their lack of emotion in October has been a huge hurdle in years past. The Yankees, winners of two of the past three series, are looking good, but their lackadaisical attitude toward playing has kept them from winning close games. The Indians won their division al most a month before the end of the sea son, but most of those wins were against a division containing four teams with sub-.500 winning percentages. The Diamondbacks, a second-year club, won 100 games, but don’t perform as well away from their home turf. The Mets and Red Sox can also challenge, but will have to draw from overextend ed pitching staffs and no rest. Although I’d dearly like to give all of you in Readerland my opinion on the winners, I won't. Instead, Til give you my choices for the postseason awards, those players who did the most for then teams. N.L. MVP Chipper Jones, Braves. Jones has been the sole source of offense for At lanta at times this season, and almost single-handedly beat the Mets five times out of six near the end of the year. Sporting a .319 average with 45 dingers and 110 RBIs, he's far and away the most productive player in the league. Plus, Jones didn't have Andres Galarraga hitting behind him this year, just the often-injured Brian Jordan. Wflo gives a damn how many homers McGwire hit? The Cards fin ished 10th. A.L. MVP Although it's hard to pick a player from the Junior Circuit since they're all inferior to the National League anyway, I'm going to have to say Manny Ramirez of the Indians. A .333 average, 44 homers and an incredible 165 RBIs is hard to beat. Ramirez, the cleanup man on a club loaded with hitters, has helped Cleveland get the runs across in tight situations. The Indians clinched by a whopping 25 games over the second place Chisox, and Ramirez's stick was the main reason. He'll squeak by the Rangers' Rafael Palmeiro, who beats Ramirez in homers but nothing else. N.L Cy Young This might, and I stress might, be the third time in the ‘90s a Brave hasn't won the award. (Big deal. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.) Houston is the only team in the National League with a 20-game winner, and if that's not enough, the As tros have two of them. Jose Lima and MikeHampton are tops in wins with 20 and 22, respectively, but their ERAs of 3.58 and 2.90 aren’t the best. Arizona's Randy Johnson leads the majors with 364 strikeouts and has a 2.38 ERA to boot. His record (17-9) is indicative of horrid run support, but the D-backs are in the playoffs. Atlanta's Kevin Millwood has been the dominat ing force on a club stacked with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, going 18-7 with a 2.68 ERA. He's my choice, but the devils in the front office seem to like sticking it to the Braves (remember Nomo over Jones in 1995?), so Hampton wins. A.L Cy Young Duh. Boston's Pedro Martinez will win this hands down, leading the league in wins (23), strikeouts (313) and ERA (2.07). Only thing is, he plays for Boston, which will blow away like an errant leaf at the first sign of fall. (Don't worry, there are still some fans who believe trading Babe Ruth was good; of course, they're all in mental in stitutions.) Pedro's closest competition is Cleveland's Bartolo Colon, with 18 wins, and they usually don’t give awards to guys with a body part for a last name. N.L. Rookie of the Year Florida has two candidates for this award, both of whom provide the only bright spots on the Miserable Marlins. Outfielder Preston Wilson was selected to the All-Star Game and has hit .280 with 26 homers and 71 RBIs. Team mate Alex Gonzalez, meanwhile, has hit .277 with 14 dingers and 59 runs batted in. Since the award usually goes to a hitter, not a pitcher, look for Wil son to take this one. Reds reliever Scott Williamson has done well, compiling a 12-7 record with 107 strikeouts, but a rookie award doesn’t go to a middle reliever. Even though the Reds got farther than Florida before having the Heimlich maneuver done to them, it’s not going to help. A.L. Rookie of the Year Seattle pitcher Freddy Garcia was 17-8 this year with a 4.07 ERA and 170 strikeouts. But the Mariners still fared no better than third out of four teams in the A.L. West. The award, which appar ently isn’t given to pitchers, should go to Chris Singleton of the White Sox. Singleton has hit .300 with 17 HRs and 72 RBIs, but still needed a telescope to look at the first-place Indians, 211-2 games ahead of his team. The A.L. is peppered with fire balling relievers, but none have played every game and as well as Singleton. N.L. Manager of the Year Every publication in America is calling for Atlanta's Bobby Cox to win, since he steered his team to a title with out Javy Lopez and Galarraga. Never mind the 10 ejections throughout the year or the fact that he’s sitting on the bench in the same position in every camera shot. The Braves are proven winners, with or without Cox, though, The Slate (final standings) National League Eastern Division W L Pet GB L10 Str * Atlanta-x 103 59 .636 - 8-2 W-l New York-z 97 66 .593 7 4-6 W-3 Philadelphia 77 85 .475 26 6-4 W-l Montreal 68 *94 .420 35 4-6 L-l Florida 64 98 .395 39 4-6 L-l Central Division Houston-x 97 65 .599 - 5-5 W-2 Cincinnati 96 67 .593 1 6-4 L-l Pittsburgh 78 83 .484 18.5 3-7 L-3 St. Louis 75 86 .466 21.5 3-7 W-l Milwaukee 74 87 .460 22.5 6-4 L-l Chicago 67 95 .414 30 6-4 W-2 West Division Arizona-x 100 62 .617 - 8-2 W-2 San Francisco 86 76 .531 14 3-7 L-l Los Angeles 77 85 .475 23 6-4 L-2 San Diego 74 88 .457 26 2-8 L-2 Colorado 72 90 .444 28 4-6 W-l x-clinched divisional title z-clinched wild-card spot American League Eastern Division W L Pet GB L10 Str New York-x 98 64 .605 - 5-5 L-l Boston-z 94 68 .580 4 6-4 W-3 Toronto 84 78 .518 14 6-4 W-3 Baltimore 78 84 .481 20 3-7 L-4 Tampa Bay 69 93 .426 29 4-6 W-l Central Division Cleveland-x 97 65 .599 - 5-5 L-3 Chicago 75 86 .466 21.5 7-3 W-4 Detroit 69 92 .429 27.5 8-2 W-l Kansas City 64 97 .398 32.5 4-6 L-l Minnesota 63 97 .394 33 2-8 L-8 West Division Texas-x 95 67 .586 - 6-4 L-3 Oakland 87 75 .537 8 3-7 W-l Seattle ' 79 83 .488 16 4-6 L-l Anaheim 70 92 .432 25 7-3 W-5 T TUESDAY’S TOP NEWS • MLB: Mets whip Reds 5-0 to win N.L wild card spot; Astros beat Braves in first game of divisional playoffs • Broncos RB Terrell Davis out for season with tom knee ligaments • NBA: Charlotte Hornets picked by Sporting News to win Eastern Confer ence • Bobby Bowden’s contract at Florida State extended through 2004 • Former Browns running back Jim Brown given 36 months probation for battering his wife CLONINQER seepage 11