Spring Break
Playing their fourth game in a span of eight days, the UMKC Kangaroos made short work of the Colorado State University (CSU) Rams, winning 76-62. The face-off was staged on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 17 inside Swinney Recreation Center.
On a clear cool night inside the Municipal Arena in downtown Kansas City, the UMKC men's basketball team fought their way clear of an early season letdown and rolled up an uncomfortably close victory.
What's Happening As the 2007-08 basketball season gets underway, there are a couple opportunities die-hard Kangaroo fans may want to know about and maybe plan for as the weeks pass. Now that the University of Kansas (KU) game has come and gone, there are a few others worth noting heading into the year.
The UMKC men's golf team concluded a successful fall season by taking third place at the Battle of the Bend Intercollegiate in Toledo Bend, La. The Kangaroos earned their third consecutive third-place finish behind the stellar play of senior Stephen Clark, freshman Neil Horsley and sophomore Alex Hogben.
What has seemed a tough second half of the 2007 Summit League season for the UMKC Kangaroos almost came one match closer to ending on Friday night. The Roos took on the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies in a five-match game at Athletics Recreation O'Rena.
The UMKC Kangaroos ended their season with a 3-1 loss at the hands of the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Jaguars Saturday night in Indianapolis. It was the ninth straight defeat for a battle-worn volleyball squad whose health had depleted considerably since what turned out to be its last victory of the season on Oct.
UMKC senior center Alysa Klein offered a lesson to the Air Force Academy Falcons about leadership and the ability to stand tall in the face of pain and irritation. Battling a stingy Air Force defense as well as a likely inability to focus on her right side due to a nasty, teary, blood-red eye irritation, Klein scored 15 points and added eight rebounds along with four blocked shots to lead the Kangaroos past the Falcons 65-59.
UMKC senior forward Marta Waalen understands the struggles of the underprivileged in the inner city firsthand. After graduation she has a plan to ease some of their burdens. "I want to work with inner city kids that need a mentor," Waalen said. As a sociology major, she has her eye set on social work.
Playing against the top team in the Summit League, the Roos recovered from a shaky first half to tie Oakland University's Golden Grizzlies 1-1, and snag a spot in next week's Championship Tournament. Ten minutes into the second half at Bourke Field, junior midfielder Garret Guthrie fought off defenders to serve up the scoring opportunity for junior forward Brian Harris from the top left corner of the penalty box.
They played with hustle, heart, determination and grit. They dove for every ball and stood up to every call. It was a lesson in raw character and an indiscriminate exhibition of sheer will. No, these weren't the vaunted University of Kansas Jayhawks, they were your UMKC Kangaroos, and there would be no apologies offered.
