O’Connor makes big difference

Kelly O’Connor’s impact on Arkansas’ soccer team last season was ob vious.

Despite being lost after 12 games because of a torn knee ligament, O’Connor ended the season as the team leader in points (15 ) while sharing the lead in goals (6 ). With Arkansas set to open the 2008 season Friday at Missouri State, though, O’Connor appears to be helping this year’s team in tangible and intangible ways.

“She’s having a blast right now because she knows she’s playing well,” Arkansas Coach Gordon Henderson said of O’Connor, a sophomore from Bentonville. “What that does is other players feed off that. They feed off that energy. They feed off that passion.”

Henderson’s future at Arkansas could benefit from such inspired play. The Razorbacks are just 30-41-5 — 9-30-5 in SEC play — in four previous seasons under Henderson and have not advanced to the eight-team conference tournament during that time. Henderson said this year’s squad is intent on reversing those trends. “I think that’s the sentiment on the team this year, that they have something to prove,” Henderson said. That appears to be true of O’Connor, too, despite her impressive — if abbreviated — freshman campaign. “She is an incredibly intense young lady and you’ll hear her out on the field,” Henderson said. “She has no problems giving directions to the younger players, and older players. “ The fact that she gets that kind of respect is because she earns it. She plays at a high level. She’s not big-headed about it. She just gets out every day, in every training session, and gets it done.”

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Ready to go Coach Gordon Henderson smiled when describing the scene earlier this week as Arkansas players kept a countdown on Friday’s season opener at Missouri State. “They were like giddy kids, jumping up and down and saying, ‘Three days ! Three days ! Three days !’” Henderson said. Henderson also revealed what is expected to be Arkansas’ starting lineup, including sophomore goalkeeper Britni Williams. Along the back line, seniors Sarah Gwisdala and Megan Fawley are expected to start with junior Rachel Smith and sophomore transfer Lauren Hallauer. Senior Abbey Wilburn, junior Kathleen Paulsen, sophomore Beth McVean and freshman Kailey Anders are the expected starters at midfield, with junior Sophie Wentz and sophomore Kelly O’Connor at the forward spots. Wentz could shift to midfield if Henderson decides to start freshman Nikki Crocco alongside O’Connor.

VOLLEYBALL Pulliza prepared Robert Pulliza was announced as Arkansas’ volleyball coach July 11. Less than a month later, Pulliza gathered his new team for the opening of preseason camp. Now, with Arkansas’ season opener barely more than a week away, Pulliza is getting down to the nitty-gritty. “Get a lineup together,” Pulliza said with a smile when asked what’s left to do before the opener. “We’ve got to put a lineup together and go, just work on our systems, work on our serve-receive patterns, get comfortable on the defensive end.” Pulliza said he has been pleased with effort of his players throughout the grind of preseason workouts, and that it’s time to play official matches to help determine what can be expected of this year’s team. Arkansas opens its season Aug. 29-30 at a tournament hosted by Colorado State that includes Denver and Eastern Washington. “They’ve done a really, really good job of staying on task and giving it all they’ve got even though they’re playing each other,” Pulliza said, “but I know deep down inside they’re just ready to have some different faces across the net.” On tap SPORT COMMENT Soccer Opens season Friday Volleyball Juggling lineup By the numbers 29 Players on Arkansas’ soccer team this season 18 Combined freshmen and sophomores on the soccer team 7-2-0 Arkansas’ series record vs. Missouri State, its first opponent