LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Last year, Kansas pulled off the upset of the NCAA volleyball tournament by knocking out top-seeded Southern Cal to advance to the final four. This year, it was the Jayhawks turn to feel the weight of expectations, and that ended up being their undoing.The fifth-seeded Jayhawks, who won the Big 12 title for the first time in program history this season, were upset in the NCAA tournament second round Friday by Creighton, 3-2.The match ended with an amazing, nerve-racking 20-18 fifth set that the Bluejays initially thought they had won at 18-16 on a ball that Kansas hit out. But with Creighton celebrating, the officials conferred and said that the ball had been touched by a Bluejays player, making it 17-17.That could have really rattled Creighton, but the Bluejays didnt let it happen.We did touch it; Im not going to lie, said Creighton junior setter Lydia Dimke. Weve been saying all year long this team is really mature. So to [have] such a high like We just won! and then get brought back down, we just really stuck together. We knew we were going to win it again.Thats what Creighton did, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second season in a row. Last year, the Bluejays beat North Carolina on the Tar Heels home court in the second round.Creighton was led by sophomore outside hitter Jaali Winters with 23 kills. Big 12 Player of the Year Kelsie Payne led Kansas with 26 kills.Creighton had lost 3-2 to Kansas in Omaha, Nebraska, on Sept. 8. The Jayhawks had gone 8-0 in five-set matches this season until Friday.Hats off to them on a phenomenal season, Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth said of the Jayhawks, who finish 27-3. To some degree, were playing with house money, and I think the pressure is tough. It was surreal. We made our first Sweet 16 last year, and that was pretty incredible. But this one is even bigger.Creighton, which went five sets in beating Northern Iowa in the first round, will face No. 12 seed Michigan in the regional semifinals. Also advancing to the Sweet 16 on Friday were No. 3 seed Wisconsin and No. 15 seed Missouri; the other 12 spots in the regional semifinals will be decided Saturday. Vegas Golden Knights Shirts .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Golden Knights Jerseys China . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. https://www.cheapgoldenknights.com/ . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Wholesale Golden Knights Jerseys . PAUL, Minn. Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. EUGENE, Ore. -- American Jenn Suhr has been paying more attention to pole vaulting than politics lately.Now that shes in the Olympics, the defending champion says that, sure, shed like to see her biggest rival there, too.Id like to compete against the best, Suhr said Sunday at U.S. Track and Field Trials, when asked about the prospect of facing Russian world-record holder Yelena Isinbayeva. I was told that I was misinformed on some things when I made my comment before. Maybe people know a little more than I do, I dont know. If everything is honest, then yes.Isinbayeva is part of the Russian team thats been banned by tracks governing body, the IAAF, from competing in Rio de Janeiro because of a doping scandal in her home country. She is among the 68 Russians who have petitioned the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compete. A decision is due July 21.Asked a similar question about Isinbayeva in May, Suhr shared similar thoughts: that she would like to see Isinbayeva competing in Rio.In a subsequent interview with The Associated Press, USA Track and Field president Stephanie Hightower said Suhr was misguided. Hightower, a member of the IAAF council that voted to ban the Russians, said Isinnbayevas comments protesting the IAAFs action were a sign the Russian is condoning the corrupt system over there.ddddddddddddince that, Suhr put the doping scandal on the back burner to focus on making the U.S. team. In prelims at trials, she went conservative, taking fewer steps in her approach to make sure she would clear a height and advance. She was cautious in the final, too, winning with a height of 15 feet, 9 inches (4.80 meters).A relief, honestly, she said. I just want to get out of here. I want to go home. I havent enjoyed life in a while.The Suhr-Isinbayeva matchup stands as one of the handful of truly compelling rivalries in track and field. Isinbayeva beat out Suhr in 2008 for her second straight Olympic gold, before taking bronze in the London Games that Suhr won.They await word on whether there will be an Olympic rematch.I always said I wanted to compete against the best, Suhr said. If everything is on the up and up -- and the people who know more than I do say, `Yeah, shes in, shes in. Right now, I have no control over it. Im happy that Im in. ' ' '
