The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 24, 2003, Page A10, Image 10
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.