Michigan State's Kri the IM Building. MSU By ER This one hurts. The Michigan State Arbor last night and 1 .,thankful after downing 15-11. The WOLVERII victory. They led 11-? ready to waltz on to when the roof fell in. The Spartans took match, and it was all b Michigan was look the Spartans coasted meeting in East Lansi the strategy worked, e Wolverines were play starters. "WE WERE V coach Ginger Mayson sync. Joyce did a nice The Wolverines ca first game with strong winning handily. State started stron 13-6, but Michigan s points before losing. at one game each, the FREI THURSDAY, 10 BETWEEN 9 P.M. & PO PCC 1 OZ. LIMIT TO THE FIRST 50 CUST The Michigan Daily, Thursday, October 30, 1986 - Page 11 ILLINI WIDEOUT SPARKS OFFENSE Pierce deftes opponents Doily rnoto by S "O'"LI^ Uf-r s Durst (13) goes up in an attempt to block Wendy Raber's return in action last night at sets down spikers By DAN GARVEY The Daily Illini Special to the Daily CHAMPAIGN - When he steps on the football field, Illinois wide receiver Stephen Pierce knows exactly what his job is. "The number one priority for a receiver is catching the ball," Pierce said. "You don't have to get open, just catch the ball. If the quarterback puts the ball in the air I don't care if I'm around nine defenders. My first priority is to catch the ball." COMING FROM Pierce this is no idle chatter. He seems to attract large crowds of defenders who know that Pierce is head coach Mike White's main receiver. "I would throw to Pierce on every play and he would find some way to do it," White said after Pierce had caught 12 passes for 177 yards in his first two games. "He's our big play guy." Pierce's ability to hang on to the ball after taking hard hits makes him successful. "YOU MIGHT as well catch the ball," Pierce said. "You're going to get hit anyway if you don't catch it. So you might as well catch it." Last year Pierce ran his patterns in the shadows of All-American David Williams. And although Pierce caught 49 passes for 614 yards in 1985, it was Williams who received the glory. HOURS kinko',s® 540 E. LIBERTY Across From The Michigan Theater 761-4539 "Last year it was Dave, and this year it's me," Pierce said. "Now it's up to me to step into Dave's shoes and get the job done." GETTING THE job done is something Pierce has done all his life, whether it was on the football or baseball field. As a junior at San Diego's Lincoln high school, the same school Marcus Allen attended, Pierce was drafted by the Chicago White Sox as a third baseman. His senior year he was drafted again, this time by the Cincinnati Reds. Pierce enrolled in Southwestern Junior College in California to sort out his priorities. "The decision between football and baseball was difficult," Pierce said. "It took me two years in junior college to decide. I really didn't know what I wanted to do." AFTER SOME impressive junior college games like the South Bay Kiwanas Bowl - 13 catches for 263 yards - Pierce chose football. "That was a good game for me," Pierce said. "But I didn't feel that was my best game. My best game even if I don't catch a pass is when I feel I've done well. I don't have to catch a pass in a game to feel good about myself." Some people will remember Pierce as one of the players suspended by White in the offseason. Pierce didn't spend that time feeling sorry for himself. He worked out on his own and waited. "I WAS VERY determined," he said. "The suspension made me strong mentally and it really helped me out physically too. I learned that you really can't trust anybody. You've always got to lean on yourself. You can't lean on anybody else. "My family was the most influential part of my football career," Pierce said. "They live out in San Deigo, but they are here for every game." It's not easy being the number one receiver in a passing offense. Pierce's 36 receptions for 477 yards, an average of 13.3 yards, has forced him to face double-coverages. But Pierce has found ways around it, and has provided leadership while doing it. "Basically I'm a team player. Whatever the coaches call for I try to execute it and make things happen." IC MAXSON e volleyball team came to Ann eft one victory richer and very g Michigan, 7-15, 15-11, 15-12, NES HAD appeared close to 3 in the third game and looked win the game and the match 21 of the next 22 points of the but over. ing to catch MSU napping after to victory in the teams' first ing earlier this month. At first ven though coach Joyce Davis' ing without two of their regular ERY surprised," said MSU . "We thought they'd be out of job of preparing them." ame out on fire, dominating the serving and a total team effort, g in the second game, leading tormed back with five straight Though the match was knotted Blue seemed to be in command. IN THE PIVOTAL third game, Michigan raced out ahead, 7-0. With the home team leadingi1-3, State called a time out, and brought in freshman Maureen McLaughlin. Mayson credited her with making the difference. "Sometimes you need somebody to come off the bench and spark you," said Mayson. The Spartans then outscored Michigan 12-1ito take the game. The fourth game started as a continuation of the third as State went up, 9-0. The Wolverines mounted a comeback, getting as close as 13-11, but it was too late. "We let it slip by. We began playing scared," said Michigan assistant coach Jennifer Hickman. "It was absolutely inexcusable." THE WOLVERINES were disadvantaged from the outset without starters Carla Hunter and Lisa Vahi. Hunter is injured indefinitely. Junior setter and co-captain Vahi was benched for the match after missing a practice. Also hurting the Wolverine offense was the absence at key times of outside hitter Heather Olsen. Hickman said she was pulled in certain situations because she is in a "little slump." Olsen had an extra workout after the match was over. Davis obviously wasn't pleased with the rest of the team, either, holding a team meeting on the court long after play had ended. Special Student / Youth Fares to EUROPE* from New York on Scheduled Airlines! 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