Page 12 - The Michigan Dily - Friday, October 17, 1986 IOWA, MI ESOT A TO PROVIDE STIFF COMPETITION I M' vies for first Big By ERIC MAXXON Imagine this: You are the first-year coach of a young, inexperienced volleyball team in the Big Ten, where all the competition is stiff, and you've lost your first five matches. Coming up, you face two tough opponents on consecutive days, and YOU'RE COMING off a dis - appointing weekend in which you swallowed two bitter defeats. Things look pretty grim, right? Well, not so, at least according to Michigan volleyball coach Joyce Davis. And she should know, because that's the situation she faces as she prepares her team to face Iowa and Minnesota this weekend. One of the team goals for the Wolverines this year was to finish in the top five in the conference. Despite their 0-5 conference record Japanczyz Tzch Centcer (8-8 overall), Davis says, "We have good reason to be optimistic. We're not out of it." THE WEEKEND'S matches will be key to getting back in it. On Friday, they meet surprising Iowa, whose only loss so far has come at the hands of conference favorite Illinois. "They present real problems," says Davis. "But nothing we can't defense." Iowa is led by Ellen Mullarkey, who leads the conference in ace percentage and is eleventh in hitting percentage. Other standouts are Toni Zehr, second in the conference in ace percentage, and Kari Hamel, last week's Big Ten player of the week and second in hitting percentage. MINNESOTA will also be tough, but their performance this season has been more inconsistent. They are led by senior middle hitter Pam Miller. Their principal weapon, however, is sophomore Buenos Aires, Argentina native Andrea Gonzales. Nominated for player of the week honors last week, she was All-Big Ten as a freshman. As Davis says, "She can really sky." The key to success this weekend will be defeating the mental 1 S en win problems that plagued the squad last weekend, according to Davis. Outcome of the matches will be based "solely on what happens on our side of the net," she says. "It's a matter of persistence. Which team lasts longer mentally and physically will win." The players for Michigan that will be most important are co- captains Lisa Vahi and Jane Hickman. These two, says Davis, need to "lead in mental preparation and be competitive." Being at home will also help. Last weekend's matches, at Indiana and Ohio State, were closer than the scores would indicate, according to Davis. There were encouraging signs, notably an improvement in blocking. "We just didn't score," she says. The home crowd should be "a definite edge," as the Wolverines look for their first conference win. "The players are still getting used to me. We have to continue to push hard, and have to go out expecting to get [that first win]." 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(AP) - A cocaine smuggler given immunity from prosecution testified he and four Alberta men plotted to kidnap Wayne Gretzky in 1985, and a spokesman for the firm that handles the NHL star's business affairs said yesterday Gretzky has had extra security since 1982. A 42-year-old cocaine smuggler from Alabama told Court of Queen's Bench Wednesday he and the men met in a motel room in Edmonton in May of 1985 and talked about kidnapping Gretzky. THE WITNESS testified that during the discussion one of the men said: "If we kidnap him with the playoffs coming up they'd pay any amount to get him back." The Gretzky kidnap scheme was revealed during the trial of four men OPEN 8 A.M.-5:30 P.M, MON.-FRI. ASK ABOUT OUR SHUTTLE SERVICE PHONE 761-1661 and light repai r. JapanewcL Tech Center 5179 Jackson Rd. Just 1 BIk. East of Zeeb Rd. charged with conspiring to blow up and rob an armored truck. 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"Where's the loyalty?" shouted McMahon, blasting Coach Mike, Ditka and team management for acquiring the rights to Flutie from the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, moments before the end of the trading deadline. MCMAHON even poked fun Wednesday by wearing a red jersey with the No. 22 on it. Flutie's Boston College No. was 22. "I ignored it," said Ditka of the jersey. But Ditka fired this salvo at his grumbling players: "I frankly don't give a damn. Players don't run the ballclub. They play-football." "Ditka talks about being loyal to the ballplayers who go through training camp," said McMahon. "Tell me where the loyalty is?" FALL FOR. CANOEING AT THE OUTDOOR RECREATION GRIDD CENTER Plymouth Hubbard Fuller w ; vt Recre,,*, 2375 HUBBARD PH. 764-3967 HOURS: (RENTAL & RETURN) MON.-THURS. 3:30 - 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY 12 Noon - 6 P.M. After a lively first-round debate, Gov. James Blanchard and challenger William Lucas both came back swinging at a press conference yesterday. 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