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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 2000)
Wednesday Best Bet MLB: N.Y. Mets at San Francisco, Game 1 ESPN, 1:07 p.m. SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com Ferreira's Ducks aim to end Pac-10 skid The volleyball squad looks to ‘take care of business’ against the Arizona schools this weekend Now, when you look in the mirror, you say ‘eek’ and realize that you might not accomplish the things you want. But we are still in reach of accom plishing some of the things we want And winning is our goal. Carl Ferreira volleyball coach _n By Adam Jude Oregon Daily Emerald Losing consecutive match es on consecutive nights to two of the best teams in the nation could be devastating for many clubs. But the Oregon volleyball team is forgetting last week end’s disappointing trip to Los Angeles, as well as the league games before those. Instead, the Ducks are try ing to look ahead and disregard their 0-5 start to the Pacific-10 Confer ence season. “Now, when you look in the mirror, you say ‘eek’ and realize that you might not ac complish the things you want,” said first-year head coach Carl Ferreira, who has led the Ducks to a 7-6 overall start this season. “But we are still in reach of accomplish ing some of the things we want. And winning is our first goal.” After a four-match home stand, in which the team went 1-3, Oregon headed into its meetings in Southern California knowing it had to be nearly perfect to beat No. 1USC and No. 5 UCLA. “Those teams have a high level of intensity and put pressure on your execution, which increases the difficul ty of play,” Ferreira said. “And that just makes you even more irritated that you let [matches against Stan ford, California and Oregon State] slip away at home.” In their quest for their first conference win of the sea son, the Ducks must contend with Arizona State and No. 6 Arizona this weekend at VOLLEYBALL McArthur Court. “At home, we need to take care of business,” Ferreira said. Set me up Junior Julie Gerlach and sophomore Sydney Chute are leading the complex Ore gon 4-2 Flex offensive scheme. The two setters are the cornerstone of the sys tem, leading the squad with a combined 521 assists (near ly 10.5 per game). Additionally, the duo ac counts for one-fourth of the Ducks’ overall attacks. Thus far, Gerlach and Chute have combined for 465 attacks, compared with last year’s total of just 201 at tacks. Ferreira compares the set ters to the quarterback of a football team or the point guard of a basketball squad. “Julie and Sydney are key components and critical to our success,” he said. “Teams with the best quar terbacks are hard to beat. They [Gerlach and Chute] are doing a great job.” A bench killer Sophomore middle block er Amanda Porter is proving to be a solid addition to the Ducks’ lineup and is usually the first to be called off the bench. The Idaho transfer, who came to Eugene with coach Ferreira, has recorded 69 kills this season and is third on the team with a .258 at tack percentage and third in total blocks with 34. A chemical reaction Despite zero conference wins, the Ducks still have confidence in their abilities and in each other. “I really like our chem Turn to Voileybali, page 6 1 Kevin Calame Emerald Senior Amy Banducci (11) and her teammates have been playing with a new found sense of purpose and have recorded sev en wins compared to six losses. However, the Ducks are 0-5 in Pac-10 play—a record the Ducks expect to improve. Ice, ice baby: Its time to fire up the 2000NHL season I am Dick Vitale. Right now I am the Philly Phanatic, the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders and Barrelman all rolled into one. It’s hockey time, babeeeee! Yes sir, today marks a very im portant date on my calendar. To day, the Dallas Stars and the Col orado Avalanche will start a nine-month marathon of hockey when they drop the puck on ESPN. Nine months of bliss. So why should you watch this game tonight, you ask? Why shouldn’t you watch, say, the Yan kees play the A’s? The answer is: Watch those teams, but flip over to ESPN every once in a while. You’ll see a more exciting game. Yeah, I called hockey exciting. Why not? Name an NFL player that can hit as hard as the Stars’ Darien Hatcher. Name someone in sports with as many ooh-ahh moves as Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek. If you think hockey isn’t tough, ask Anaheim forward Paul Kariya what it feels like to have more con cussions than Steve Young and Troy Aikman combined — and still be playing. Ask ex-Bruin Marty McSorley what it feels like to go on trial for assault and battery after an almost routine hockey play. Ask Dallas’ Mike Modano what it feels like to go face-first into the boards on na tional television. More global than basketball, faster than football and less pre dictable than baseball, hockey is ... where it’s at. And I’ve got two turntables and a microphone. So I guess it’s time to make some fearless predictions for the 82 game season. Fearless. Western Conference — Central Division 1. St. Louis Blues. The tide has turned in the Western Conference. The speed and sleekness of Detroit has given way to the toughness and playmaking of the Blues and the Dallas Stars. St. Louis has all the makings of a dynasty: the vet eran leadership of Al Maclnnis, the hard-hitting play of Chris Pronger and the goalkeeping of Ro man Turek. Look for the Blues to make it further than last year’s dis appointing first-round loss to San Jose. 2. Detroit Red Wings. 3. Nashville Predators. 4. Columbus Blue Jackets. 5. Chicago Black hawks. Northwest Division 1. Colorado Avalanche. Where did Ray Borque, one of the best de fensemen in the game, go when he wanted to win a championship? Colorado, of course. The Avalanche are a no-brainer to win the Division, and maybe the Con ference. Colorado has dominating forwards like Peter Forsberg, one of the best centers in the game, and big-name players up and down the roster. The Avalanche have a goalie, Patrick Roy, who is four wins away from breaking the all time NHL record. Colorado, meet Lord Stanley. 2. Vancouver Canucks. 3. Cal gary Flames. 4. Edmonton Oilers. 5. Minnesota Wild. Pacific Division 1. Dallas Stars. The Stars are still one of the best teams in the NHL, despite being embarrassed in a few playoff games last year. But if Dal las is going to win a Stanley Cup, this is the year to do it. Ed Belfour and Brett Hull are 35 and 36 years old, respectively, while Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk and Sergei Zubov are all in their 30s. The Stars proved all their doubters wrong last year by making it to the finals despite their creakiness, and could easily do it again in 2000-01. 2. San Jose Sharks. 3. Phoenix Coyotes. 4. Anaheim Mighty Ducks. 5. Los Angeles Kings. Eastern Conference-Atlantic Division 1. New Jersey Devils. The Devils will use their superstar firepower to win the division title this sea son. Forwards Claude Lemieux and Patrick Elias, defenders Scott Turn to Ice, baby, page 6
