Softball vs. Michigan State Today, 3 p.m. Varsity Softball Diamond SPORTS Men's Tennis vs. Notre Dame Today, 2:30 p.m. Track and Tennis Building The Michigan Daily WAdnesday, April 15, 1987 Page 10 Bouncing back: Basle rebounds from injury to become tennis team 's top player 4 ----- I By ROB LEVINE A year ago, tennis player Tina Basle was in pain, suffering from a hamstring injury. After missing 90 percent of last season, today she plays number one singles for the women's tennis team, and has compiled an impressive record of 16-9 for the improving Wolverines. That's a far cry from 1986, when Basle and the rest of the women's tennis team, hit hard by injuries, limped to a tenth-place finish in the Big Ten. "IT WAS the weirdest thing," said Basle of her injury. "I pulled it (the hamstring) against Western (Michigan) the beginning of March and it wasn't that bad - I didn't even realize it. We played them on a Saturday and we didn't have practice on the next Monday. I came back Tuesday and I felt a little strange. I went into the training room and they said, 'Don't practice today'. "I rested it a couple of days, then played again, and it was still bothering me. They didn't think it was serious and I didn't think it was serious either. But it just kept getting worse and worse and worse." Finally, she played against Michigan State, skipped a week, and then played doubles the next time against Michigan State. "That's when I really hurt it," she said. "After that, I was on crutches for about a week." LUCKILY for this year's team, Basle made a more-than-adequate recovery. Paula Reichart, an all-Big Ten standout last season, graduated, leaving a gaping hole at number one singles. Basle was expected to fill the position. Head coach Bitsy Ritt said, "I thought Tina would have to change some things in her game to move up to number one - be a little more patient, add topspin on her strokes, and continue to move the ball around as she had. I think she has made those changes to make her a much better player." Basle has won 11 of her last 13 matches, with nine of them coming in straight sets. Among her biggest wins were over Kelly Mulvihill of nationally ranked Indiana and Linda Pursel, an all-Big Ten performer last season as a freshman at rival Michigan State. "She handles pressure well," said Ritt. "And with each win I think she's gaining more and more confidence." THE SARASOTA, Fla., junior played tennis at the Nick Bolliteri Tennis Academy in Florida, which has turned out pros Jimmy Arias, Carling Bassett, and Grosse Pointe native Aaron Krickstein. There Basle met Kathy Krickstein, Aaron's sister, who worked on getting scholarships for the academy's students. Kathy had gone to Michigan, and recommended the University to Basle. "I came up here to Michigan and I really liked it a lot," said Basle. But unlike the other tennis players mentioned, Basle has her sights set on continuing her education, not on a pro career, which she considers too hard a life for the top players. So what does the future hold for Tina Basle? "I really want to go to graduate school in psych," she said. "Another thing I was I thinking of doing is maybe working for a racquet company or for someone like Nike. "My education is really important to me," she said. "That's first and foremost. I love to play tennis in college - it's fun and everything - but it's too iffy. If I had a secure future in front of me, I'd probably just take that." 4 SPORTS OF THE DAILY Williams named alternate for NCAAs By JULIE HOLLMAN Despite traveling to unfamiliar territory, two sure-footed Wolverines emerged among the ranks of the nation's top gymnasts. Michigan gymnasts Angela Williams and Janne Klepek traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to take part in the Central Region Gymnastics Championships. The two qualified at the Big Ten Championships for Saturday's individual competition. Michigan did not qualify as a team. Williams turned in a fine performance against the toughest field of competitors she has seen this year. "I was kind of surprised by the level of competition. It was very high- national level definitely," she said. Nevertheless, Williams was very pleased with her performance, which earned her fourth place on the vault (9.4), eighth on the balance beam (9.3), eighth on floor (9.3), and a tie for tenth in the all-around with a final score of 36.70. ~ With these scores, Williams was named an alternate for the NCAA national competition. If Williams participates in nationals, she will be fighting for a place on the U.S. Olympic team. Although Klepek did not fare as well as her teammate, she also delivered a fine performance. She copped ninth out of 46 competitors on the beam, with a 9.2 routine. Three teams supplying tough competition were Michigan State, LSU, and host Alabama, all of which will continue on to nationals. The Spartans will be the only Big Ten team at nationals. Blue to face MSU After a disappointing four-game split with Minnesota last weekend, the Michigan softball team returns home for a doubleheader today with Michigan State, and a series with division-leading Indiana this weekend. The Wolverines (15-10, 5-3), have been led throughout the season by the dominant pitching of Vicki Morrow. This past weekend was no exception as Morrow, despite a continued lack of offensive support, earned both victories against the Gophers. She pitched two complete game shutouts, lowering her ERA to 0.50. Michigan's leading hitter, All - American catcher Alicia Seegert, hit .400 in the Minnesota series, while Jenny Allard continued to improve, raising her average to .320. Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins was satisfied with her team's performance at Minnesota, but realizes that it must consistently beat the weaker teams in the division for any chance to win the Big Ten title. "We expected a better outcome at Minnesota," she said. "It was a good series, but I think we're still taking ourselves out of the games with mental mistakes. This is a key week in the Big Ten race. It will really determine what type of team we have." Michigan's Morrow is scheduled to face the Spartan's top pitcher, Colleen Barry (2-3, 0.83 ERA.) -BILL ZOLLA Daily Photo by DANA MENDELSSOHN After missing most of last season due to injury, Tina Basle has returned to play number one singles for the women's tennis team. Men Fetters set to face Fighting Irish THE PROGRAM ON CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES PRESENTS ALFIE KOHN "The Myths of Competition: Why We Lost in Our Race to Win" A scholar, teacher, and journalist who has become a leading critic of America's obsession with competition. Author of the highly praised book, No contest: The Case Against Competition Wednesday, April 15 4:00 P.M. Lorch Hall Auditorium Summer Jo S for the Environment *Work with PIRGIM in Ann Arbor GUS'S PIZZERIA 310 MAYNARD - (INSIDE DOOLEY'S) 665-5800 By JULIE HOLLMAN The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame will have quite a battle on their hands today at 2:30 when they challenge the men's tennis team at the Track and Tennis Building., Michigan (18-2) is coming off a four-match sweep of Big Ten opponents, defeating Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, and 25th-ranked Minnesota. The Wolverines strong lineup will be led by number-one seed Ed Nagel. Nagel, ranked ninth in the country, suffered a major upset last Monday when Purdue's Jim Gray surprised him by taking the match in straight sets. The number one singles could again end unexpectably. Sophomore Brian Kalbas heads the ladder for Notre Dame and boasts a successful career. Kalbas finished his first year of college competition with a 19-9 singles record and an Eastern Collegiate Championship Class A singles title. AT THE number two singles, 30-year Fighting Irish coach Tom Fallon will play Tim Carr. Fallon believes that because Carr is a left- hander he usually has an advantage over opponents. Against Michigan, however, Carr will not be able to capitalize on this characteristic, as his match will be the battle of the left-handers. Wolverine Dan Goldberg, one of the team's most consistent players and ranked 58th in the country, will use his steady baseline play in his attempt to defeat Carr. - X-L ARGE 16' with 3 item AND 2 QUARTS $6.9' OPEN UNTIL 3 A.M. ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS 0 " PIZZA 7s OF POP 19 plus tax 1 exp 6/1/87 If the singles are close, Michigan will probably have an advantage going into the doubles. The Wolverines have not given up more than one doubles match against any one team this season. Nagel and fourth singles player Ed Filer team up at first doubles and bring to the court a No. 36 ranking. Following not far behind in the national standings are Jon Morris and John Royer, who combine to make the number two tandem. If there are any question marks about Michigan's attack against the Fighting Irish, they lie in conditioning. Last night the Wolverines traveled to East Lansing for a late match against Michigan State, from which results were not available by press time. Today they will have to test their endurance and play without a break from the road game. The Office of Major Events presents An Eveninc g with 4 The Roches Tuesday May5 7:30 p.m. Power Center I * Earn * Learn $200/week grass roots lobbying N ll.b4 A 4) 4 Arlo Guthrie Wednesday Join 50 college students from across the country in PIRGIM's campaign for / JO STENS A M ER I C ASCOL L E GE R IN G May 6 7 Is i