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Tournament CONTINUED FROM PAGE AlO a comeback off Carolina errors. The Gamecocks still managed to keep a small lead, though, through good b^ll handling and athletic play. However, the Tide began to overcome its own errors as the game wore on, cutting the lead to 25-24. From there, Bama didn’t and the Tide got out to a 3-0 lead. Carolina started scoring points and stayed in the game through tough effort, but errors by USC kept Bama in the lead. The Gamecock attack continued to be thwarted in the second game by Alabama, who continued to offer up blocks. Carolina was still un deterred; cutting a 16-8 Alabama lead to 21-17. Well-placed hits and strong defense carried the game for the Tide again and Bama pulled away to take game two 30 22. USC entered game three need ing to win the next three games and got things started by putting together an early lead. Alabama didn’t wait long before once again bringing out its tough defense and Bama and USC stayed close though the halfway point. Two Alabama blocks began a 10-3 run by the Tide, putting the team with in three points of winning the game and the match. USC at tempted a small comeback, but Alabama won game three and the match by 30-22. “We have difficulty managing our mistakes, and we have men tal breakdowns,” outside hitter Sarah Morgan said. “Tonight we did not bring our game, we talked _ the talk, but we did not walk the walk.” The home court advantage didn’t seem to be a factor in the match and Alabama head coach Judy Green said that her team does well in front of opposition crowds. “We handled it like rock stars,” Green said. “We have had many oppor tunities during the season to play in front of great crowds. I think my players may feed off of it.” Alabama moved on to lose to No. 2 seed Arkansas, 3-0. The Razorbacks lost to No. 1 seed Florida, who beat No. 8 seed Kentucky and No. 4 seed Tennessee to advance to the tour nament finals. This marks the Gators’ 11th SEC Tournament Championship in 12 years. US6 will finish the season with a losing record, but will play its last match at North Carolina on Nov. 29. Still, there was a bright spot this season in with right-side blocker Lynae Vanden Hull being named SEC Freshman of the Year. VandenHull finished the regular season with a team-leading 308 kills. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com look back, go ing on a 6-0 run through blocks, good hits and USC hitting er rors to win the game 30-25. Alabama’s momentum carried into the second game “We have difficulty managing our mistakes, and we have mental breakdowns” SARAH MORGAN use VOLLEYBALL Cowboys shoot down Panthers IRVING, TEXAS (AP) - They’ve beaten everyone in their division and on Sunday took down the top team in the NFC. Now, even Bill Parcells, then harshest critic, seems ready to proclaim the Dallas Cowboys a team to watch in December — and maybe even January—after the way they beat Carolina 24-20 Sunday. “We have a lot of football left, but we’re going to be in the hunt for a while,” said Parcells, show ing more emotion than he has all season. “I think we’ve got a real shot to do something here.” Quincy Carter threw two touchdown passes to revive a sputtering offense then made his best plays by keeping alive the fi nal drive and running out the clock in an otherwise sloppy, penalty-filled battle for the best record in the NFC. Dallas (8-3) remains tied with Philadelphia for the NFC East lead and moves into a three-way tie with the Eagles and Panthers for the best record in the confer ence. The Eagles play at Carolina next Sunday; Dallas is at Philadelphia the following Sunday. Next up for the Cowboys are the Dolphins on Thursday. Parcells has been saying all sea son that he’d reserve judgment on this team until after that game, but his excitement over this win indicates his expectations are ris ing. “I just thought our guys were really good today,” he said. “They hung in there, fought it out and made some clutch plays.... This was by far the best win I’ve had in Dallas.” The Panthers are the kings of the comeback, having won six times in the final two minutes or overtime. They couldn’t make it seven. Carolina had second-and-goal from the 6 with four minutes left when Todd Steussie was called for a false start. It was the team’s fourth such penalty, the third by Steussie. Pushed back to the 11, the drive stalled there — then went to the 16 on a delay of game before fourth down. Panthers coach John Fox al ready had decided to kick a field goal and hope to get the ball back rather than try for a tying touch down. John Kasay did his part by making a 34-yarder. With 3:47 left, it was up to Carolina’s defense.. On third-and-9 from the 21, Carter ran up the middle for only four yards — but two Panthers were flagged. Dallas declined a 15 yard illegal contact penalty on Deon Grant and took a 15-yard facemasking on Brentson Buckner. “If we didn’t get two penalties on third down, it would’ve been good thinking,” Fox said of his strategy. “When you do that, you deserve to lose.” Dallas got another first down with a 13-yard pass to Jason Witten on third-and-8 with 1:39 left, letting them run out the clock on the Panthers’ second straight road loss. Carolina won its three previous road games with over time field goals. “We can’t always rely on us coming back at the end,” Buckner said. In winning their fifth straight at home, the Cowboys got three touchdowns from an offense that had scored just four the last four games, with two shutouts along the way. , “The sky’s the limit for our team,” linebacker Dexter Coakley said. “If we can get that through our head, we’ll be right where we want to be at the end.” The two most run-oriented teams in the NFL were forced by solid defenses to take it to the air. Carter ended up with the most attempts (44) and completions (29) of his career for 254 yards. He > threw an early 24-yard TD pass to Joey Galloway and a 5-yarder to Jeff Robinson — whose primary job is deep snapping — in the third quarter. Carolina had been answering each Dallas score with one of its own, tying the game at 3,10 and 17. The Cowboys went ahead for | good on a third-and-1 handoff to fullback Richie Anderson that turned into an option pitch to Aveion Cason for a 16-yard score. “Parcells knows when to call plays like that,” Carter said. Carolina’s Jake Delhomme was 9-for-24 for 175 yards. His first two touchdown drives were also aided by long pass interference penalties against Dallas; a third came on the Panthers’ final scor ing drive. Stephen Davis became Carolina’s single-season rushing leader (1,143) and tied the TD mark (seven), but otherwise had a forgettable game. After gaining 32 yards on eight carries, he had just 27 on 18 tries. ---,-, A Congratulations to Managing Editor Adam Beam for winning the 2003 Football Sports Challenge. Look for the basketball sports challenge, coming next semester. Friday (1) Florida lp.m. . ~JpF (8) Kentucky (4) Tennessee --—.-.-... 3 p.m. (5) Georgia (2) Arkansas 8 p.m. (7) LSU (3) Alabama 6 p.m. (6) USC Saturday (1) Florida 3 P.M, SEMIFINAL (4) Tennessee (2) Arkansas 5 P.M. SEMIFINAL (3) Alabama Sunday 2003 SEC Volleyball Tournament Results a (1) Florida 1 P.M. FINALS (2) Arkansas (1) Florida SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPION Come to one of our hypnotic seminars, and do better immediately! For only $100, you can enjoy a review of how to perform at your peak (easily!) and enjoy a hypnosis session (1 hour total) that will improve your test performance. Dates available: Dec 2 @ 7:00 / Dec 3 @ 6:00 / Dec 4 @ 7:00 & Dec 6 @ 1:00 / Groups of 8-10 - half off & schedule your own time! Positive Changes Hypnosis Center 136 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC 29210 (Off l-26/Fernandina Rd. near Piney Grove) -rr a aPositiveChanges* ■miniMUHn ^ IfeSj *t Works. Thanksgiving CONTINUED FROM PAGE A10 I am thankful for the cop who let me off without a speeding tick et on that road trip to Omaha. I will be thankful if after the Monday Night Football game tonight I have defeated my best friend in fantasy football. I am more thankful that regardless of the outcome, we will still be friends. I am thankful that ESPN Gameday made one trip to Columbia and I was there. I am thankful there is no such thing as the BCS in the National Football League. I am thankful for the one day in a semester that every jerk in class remembers to cut off their cell phone or at least to be considerate enough to turn the ring volume off. I am thankful for friendly co workers, both past and present. I am thankful I do not always go to the Russell House to watch a movie. Those of you that waited last Thursday for over two hours to watch less than half of Bragging Rights know exactly what I am talking about. I am thankful for the children that attend Gamecock sporting events. They are the future ath letes I will cheer for and the future fans I will tailgate or talk sports with. I am thankful that no matter how bad the season before, every August I can look at the USC foot ball schedule and rationalize that with a few breaks, the Gamecocks could win 11 or 12 football games in the upcoming season. I am even more thankful for the wisdom to realize that we will most likely win between four and six football games each year. I am thankful for great athletic facilities such as Williams-Brice Stadium, the Carolina (I am not calling it Colonial) Center and Sarge Frye Field. I am thankful for the many sports talks I have had with my dad, uncle and brother. It seems that no matter how long we talk, there is still plenty more to talk about. I have to be thankful for my mom for all the reasons someone should be thankful for their moth er and then some. I am thankful for the family time and feast that awaits me on Thanksgiving Day and the Detroit Lions, who are the real turkeys of the National Football League. I am thankful we eat turkeys and not Gamecocks on Thanksgiving. I am thankful that no matter where Cocky ends up in the National Mascot of the Year Competition, thanks to Clemson fans voting for Auburn and Ohio State, he will still finish ahead of the Clemson mascot. 4 I will be thankful when the semester is over and exams are completed. Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for a strong family, good friends and a great girlfriend. These people provide me with all the reasons in the world to give thanks. Thanks to you, I realize sports are a very small part of the biggest game we all must play— the game of life. Sinclair is a. graduate student in the College of Education.