The Michigan Daily-Friday, February 3, 1978-Page 9


No magic for JV

:

INJURIES PLAGUE ND OFFENSE:
Irish test icer defense

MSU nips 'M', 69-67
By BRIAN MlARTIN
Special to The Daily
EAST LANSING - The Michigan varsity reserves travelled to East
Lansing yesterday seeking their third straight win, but instead returned
with a heartbreaking 69-67 loss.
"I hate to lose to Michigan State," coach Dan Fife grimaced. "I hate
losing to State worse than losing to Ohio State."
NEITHER TEAM DISPLAYED a desire to lose as the lead changed
hands throughout the entire contest, without either team building a lead in
excess of six points.
It became a question of hustle late in the game as the smaller Wol-
verines had to compensate for their lack of'board strength.
Sharpshooting forward John Wangler headed the Michigan scoring with
22, including ten of the Wolverines first 18 points.
MICHIGAN HAD A CHANCE to tie the game twice in the last minute.
Trailing 68-67, the Wolverines worked the ball around looking for a good shot.
They opened up an eight-foot jumper, but it fell short off the rim.
State came right up the floor and was fouled. They made the first end of
a one-and-one, but missed the-second, giving Michigan a chance to tie.
However, a carrying the ball call against Michigan gave State possession
with only five seconds remaining in the game, securing the Spartan victory.
State's zone defense pressed Michigan into a perimeter shooting game,
and in the process forced bad passes and the inevitable turnovers.
"Our guards and small forwards were hesitant to penetrate at the
wings," Fife said, "and they forced us into pressure situations and got the
turnovers.-
The JV's do not have time on their side for the first time this year. They
must play four games in the next nine days, the first coming Monday night at
Eastern Michigan.

By ERROL SHIFMAN
Yesterday was Ground Hog Day and along with
six more weeks of winter, Phil (the ground hog)
predicted five more tough WCHA weeks for the
Michigan icers.
Last year at this time, Michigan stood in sixth
place with a 12-10 record (10-12 this year) and re-
sponded to Phil's prediction by winning eight of
their last ten and compiling a twelve-game winning
streak which led them to the NCAA finals.
THE BRUISED FIGHTING IRISH of Notre
Dame come to Ann Arbor this weekend in what
could be the start of another Wolverine win streak.
Despite the Wolverine defensive holes that have
been abused by rivals of late, the Irish are in no
shape to continue the battering.
Notre Dame owns the most impotent offense in
the WCHA averaging only 3.75 goals per league con-
test and have lost two key players for the rest of the
season due to injuries.
SENIOR CENTER Don Fairholm, the leading
scorer for the Irish (6-23-29), injured his knee again-
st Bowling Green last week. The injury ended his
college hockey career., Fairholm picked up five
assists against Michigan when the two teams met

earlier in the season and was always dangerous
around the net.
Notre Dame also lost the services of winger Ted
Weltzin, out with a shoulder separation. Weltzin and
Fairholm composed two thirds of Notre Dame's fir-
st line.
Irish Coach "Lefty" Smith has been forced to re-
arrange his lines because of the injuries and without
Don Fairholm the rest of the Irish scoring is low but
balanced. "When we've played well, we've had bal-
anced scoring," said Smith. "There are no super-
stars." Seven Irish skaters are bunched between
nine and twelve points.
THE TOUGHEST LINE the Wolverines will
have to face is the line of Brian Burke, Terry Fair-
holm and Kevin Nugent. Nugent and Fairholm
(Don's brother) share the team leadain goals with
eleven each. The pair accounted for two goals and
three assists in the team's first meeting with the
Blue.
Michigan will try to shore up its leaky defense by
inserting freshman walk-on John Blum into the line-
up. Blum will be paired with Ben Kawa.
"Blum handles the puck well and skates pretty
well," said Coach Dan Farrell. Farrell hopes that
his defense can start getting the puck out of its zone,

something they have not been doing of late. Prac
tice this week was pointed to improving individua
and team defense.
THE IRISH DEFENSE will be "trying to sto
Michigan's great forwards," according to Coac
Smith. Leading that blue line corps is senior Do
Jackson (6-12-18). Notre Dame's defensivegrou
has been allowing just under five tallies per game.
Netminding chores for the Irish will be handle
by seniors Len Moher and John Peterson.
Moher will start in the nets tonight and is cur-
rentlytenth in the conference with a 4.89 goals
against average. Peterson is eighth in the WCHA
with a 4.70 average.
The Irish should be well rested for this week-
end's series. The Notre Dame-North Dakota series
scheduled for last weekend was cancelled because
of the snow.
Game time for tonight and Saturday's contests
will be 7:30 p.m. at Yost.
ICER ICINGS: Michigan won the earlier season
series with the Irish, 5-3 and 7-5 .. Notre Dame
holds the series edge 23-13-0 ... John Peterson was
last year's second team all-star goalie in the WCHA
coaches poll.


Gymnasts Ohio-bound

Men head for OSU

Women visit Kent St.

By DIANE SILVER
While last week's blizzard may have
caused the cancellation of classes and
the men's gymnastics meet with Indi-
ana, it did not cancel the Wolverine's
spirit as the tumblers are more fired up
than ever, according to Michigan coach
Newt Loken.
The tumblers will have their chance
to get back on the winning side of the
season tomorrow when they face Ohio
State and' Eastern Kentucky in a,
double-dual meet in Columbus.
The gymnasts had a rest from inter-
collegiate competition but sthey didn't
rest entirely. The tumblers held a full
dress meet among themselves last
weekend, complete with judges and
scores. "The guys had a marvelous atti-
tude," said Loken. "They were very
professional."
"It gave everyone a chance to run
through their routines," said Nigel

Rothwell, all-arounder and co-captain
of the team. "The meet also was helpful
in that it took place in the relaxed atmo-
sphere of Michigan's own gym," ex-
plained Rothwell
"Everyone's up in h4igh gear," said
Rothwell, returning to competition this
week after a six-week bout with mono.
"The key is for everyone to hit their
routines."
"We're going for the grand slam,"
said Loken. But no matter how ready
the team is, meets are always tougher
on the road, according to Loken.
And Michigan should be up against
some stiff competition.
The Buckeye roster includes Steve
Willard who placed first and second in
vault and floor exercise respectively, in
the Big Ten Invitational held here last
mnonth. OSU also took a first place in
that meet with Mark Lee on rings.

By PETE LEININGER
The Michigan womens' gymnastics
team, hoping to get things rolling
again, travels to Kent, Ohio this
weekend for a double-dual meet with
Kent State and Wisconsin.
The women tumblers have been
absent from competition, due to
adverse weather conditions, since
their meet with Michigan State two
weeks ago.
"What we have to look back on is
the Michigan State meet [which the
Wolverines performed quite poorly
in]," says Michigan coach Anne
Cornell. "Psychologically and phys-
ically .we don't have the momentum
the Indiana meet [scheduled for last
week]-would have produced."
While some feel a two-week layoff
would have an adverse effect on a
gymnasts' performance, others feel
the layoff could prove beneficial.
"I think it helped because everyone
was getting hurt and tired," com-
ments sophomore all-arounder Mia
Axon. "Now there's new enthusiasm
on the team."
"I'm pretty sure it [the layoff]
worked to our benefit," contends
assistant coach Don McElreath. "It's

tough to say, sometimes it helps and
sometimes it doesn't, it depends on
their [the gymnasts] attitudes."
Whether the layoff helps or hinders
the Wolverines, they'll have to be at
their best against both Kent State
and Wisconsin this weekend.
The Lady Flashes of Kent,State
have compiled an 18-year record of
128-14, participating inthe AIAW
Nationals eight times. "Kent State
was very tough last year, scoring in
the 140's and scoring 126 and 133 this
year," informs Cornell.
Possessingtwo all-aroundper-
formers, Melissa Stach and Sharon
Ledger, Kent State hopes to capture
an unprecedented fourth straight
state title.
The Badgers, who placed third in
the Big Tens last year, should be
even tougher this year with the
addition of freshwomen all-around-
ers Laurie Walker and Judy Michal-
zic.
"Wisconsin last; year edged us out
by four-tenths of a point," says
Cornell. "This melt is very import-'
ant for us because the Big Tens are
coming up

Tough Rutgers faces
spirited tankers

PABST '
EXTR i LIGHT
ISNO~j _ _-


'i
<.
o
e

By BOB WARD
Michigan's women swimmers become
airborne today as they catch a plane
for New Jersey, their first stop in this
weekend's triple header against
Rutgers, Princeton and Penn State.
The tankers plunge into the weekend
with a three-and-one-half year winning
streak, while sporting an 11th place
national ranking and a 5-0 season
record.
TONIGHT'S MEET against Rutgers
should prove to be the toughest this
season. The Scarlet Knights boast a
five-year winning streak and a 12th
place national ranking. "They are
definitely the best team in the East,"
said Wolverine coach Stu Isaac.
Michigna's Lori Hughs and Lisa
Matheson will see some tough com-
petition in Rutgers' Ellen Wallace in
the distance freestyle event.
Wallace specializes in the distance
freestyle and backstroke. She also
competed on last year's U.S. cham-
pionship team.
ALL-AMERICAN free-stylist Katy

McCully and teammate Linda Kendall
should plunge into a tight race against
Rutgers' own All-American Maureen
Mortell. Mortell defeated McCully last
year in the 200-yard freestyle during
national competition.
"The girls really look sharp," Isaac
said yesterday. "They're really looking
forward to going. They're not scared,
they're anxious."
REPRESENTING Michigan's diving
team will be captain Chris Seufert,
Julie Bachman and Liz Higgins.
"They're (Rutgers) very weak in
diving,"- said Isaac. "I don't really
foresee any competition for our
divers."
The Wolverines enjoyed a short break
this week, after the Indiana meet was
cancelled because of the blizzard.
On Saturday the women travel to
Princeton for the double-dual meet
against the host and Penn State.
"They're both good teams," Isaac said,
"better than Wisconsin or Michigan
State." The swimmers defeated the
Badgers and Spartans earlier this mon-
th.

1011h Anniversay
Sale

on ALL LEATHER GOODS
vests
buckles


bags
cases
hats
wallets

I---

_:
%,
/i
';


THIS FALL
MOVE UP
In addition to completely furnished
apartments with weekly maid service
r and a convenient location, UNIVERSITY
TOWERS offers you an atmosphere con-
ducive to your college life-whether it
be studying or partying or somewhere
in between. If you enjoy meeting people
and socializing we have FREE MOVIES and
PARTIES throughout the school year. If
you prefer privacy for studying (or
whatever) our one and two bedroom
apartments are what you are looking for.
-- Stop by or call for rental information.
Models are open.
UNIVERSITY
TOWERS

Sheepskin Coats
for Men and Women
Save 1O%*40%
Look for the familiar Rhino
just of f the ding

536 South Forest-

761-2680

I I dl ?Au g-IVf-- /VI IV V

mm k
-.ddlr4-*,4v w I wvv