Page 8 --The Michigan Daily- Thursday, March 12,1992
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'M' women cagers
__ look for last hurrah
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Tough tasks loom at
LSSU, MSU, WMU
by Andy De Korte
Daily Hockey Writer
'The Road To The Joe' goes through Ann Arbor. And through Sault Ste.
Marie; East Lansing and Kalamazoo. While Michigan's campus is abuzz
with the start of the CCHA playoffs, the other first-round series start this
weekend. The favored teams could be in for a surprise.
Michigan's 47 points was the fewest the first-place team has amassed
since the league contained nine teams. Likewise, Bowling Green's 19 points
were the most points for the ninth-place team.
"This is the most competitive I've seen the league," Michigan coach Red
Berenson said. "In these short series you never know who could win."
Miami (0-4 against Michigan, 12-14-6 CCHA, 15-15-6 overall) at
Western Michigan (0-3-1, 14-12-6, 16-12-6): Because Western Michigan
ended its season with four losses and four ties after a strong start, it now
needs to win the CCHA playoffs tQ make the twelve-team NCAA tourney.
"I don't know about our effort in those last games," WMU coach Bill
Wilkinson said. "But, I think we're back to our previous effort level."
The Broncos do have home-ice advantage, and experience on their side.
This will be Miami's fourth trip to the playoffs in 11 years - they have
won only one game. That could be the fire they need.
The playoffs rejuvenate WMU. Western takes the series, two games to
one.
Ferris State (1-3, 11-15-6, 13-16-7) at Michigan State (1-2-1, 18-7-7,
20-9-8): Ferris is one of the hottest teams in the CCHA, charging from
eighth to sixth place in the past few weeks. It could pull off an upset.
"(The Spartans) have the best power play in the league (24.9 percent),"
FSU coach Bob Mancini said. " So we really have to stay out of the box."
Team discipline could be a real key to the series. The Spartans kill penal-
ties better than the Bulldogs - 82.8 to 77.8 percent. MSU's strength this
season has been its consistent play.
MSU 2-0, unless the Bulldogs can win the first game.
Illinois-Chicago (1-2-1, 8-18-6, 10-18-6) at Lake Superior (2-2, 20-8-
4, 22-9-4): This could perhaps be the most lopsided affair this round. UIC
has not been able to maintain the quality of play that allowed it to beat
Michigan, MSU and LSSU in Chicago. Its fortunes will ride on the back of
CCHA all-rookie team goalie Jon Hillebrant.
"They keep the score close because they have good goaltending," LSSU
assistant coach Paul Pooley said. "They are one of the best forechecking
teams in the CCHA, and keep the puck against the boards."
Keeping the puck against the boards could be the Flames only chance.
LSSU has the best goalie in the conference, Darrin Madeley, and four play-
ers with more points than UIC's leading scorer. LSSU, 2-0.
by Ken Davidoff
Daily Basketball Writer
The head coach of any athletic
team must play a multitude of roles.
The spectrum ranges from strategist
to diplomat to disciplinarian to, per-
haps most essential, psychologist.
The man who walks this stage for
the Michigan women's basketball
squad - Bud VanDeWege - must
channel this skill as his players pre-
pare for the final weekend of their
disappointing season.
The Wolverines (3-13 in the Big
Ten, 7-19 overall) end their year on
a two-game road trip, taking on
Illinois tonight and Purdue Saturday.
Both teams defeated Michigan at
Crisler Arena back in January, the
Fighting Illini winning 71-56 and the
y Boilermakers triumphing by a 85-68
tally.
VanDeWege will attempt to in-
spire his squad with the possibility
Michigan senior Char Durand dribbles the ball up the court. Durand and
teammate Leah Wooldridge begin their last week of competition tonight
against Illinois. Their final game will take place Saturday against Purdue.
Spikers take new attitude to Buffalo
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by Dan Linna
Daily Sports Writer
After a sub-par performance for
the Michigan men's volleyball team
last weekend at the Big Ten Champ-
ionships, things will not get any
easier. The team will compete in the
16-team University of Buffalo tour-
nament Saturday.
Michigan will join host Buffalo,
Delaware and Cornell as the top
seeds when pool play begins. The
top two teams from each of four
pools will advance to tournament
play later in the day.
The remaining 12 spots will be
filled by East Coast teams which the
Wolverines have not seen this sea-
son.
"We don't know a lot about
many of these teams, but Buffalo
would have to be considered the fa-
vorite," Michigan coach Tom
Johengen said. "After the disappoint-
ing play last weekend we'd just like
to play our best match and see if we
can come home with a first-place
finish."
The Wolverines had been focus-
ing on the Big Ten Championships
for most of the season and felt that
they may have put too much pres-
sure on themselves. While Michigan
is expecting a high finish in this
weekend's tournament, the team is
entering with a different attitude.
"I think we are very up for this
tournament," middle blocker Tim
Werner said. "I'm feeling much bet-
ter about this -weekend. We're just
going to do as well as we can."
Michigan's focus for this week-
end will not only be on its opponents
but also on the court and facilities at
Buffalo - which will be the site of
the Collegiate Club Nationals one
month from now.
The Wolverines felt part of their
problem at the Big Ten Champ-
ionships was their failure to adjust to
courts that allowed more room for
serving. This made for a different
look and compounded the Wolver-
ines' passing problems.
Michigan has gone as far as its
passing would take it this season,
and it hopes to take advantage of the
opportunity to get to know the courts
at Buffalo.
"It may be just a slight advantage
(when we play at Nationals) - but it
is definitely a benefit," Werner said.
"Passing is the least spectacular part
of the game but it is the most impor-
tant. We need to take advantage of
something that will help us improve
it."
The Wolverines have set lofty
goals for themselves as the season
begins to wind down. Team mem-
bers are hoping Michigan can get
back on track and make a top five
finish at Nationals.
"As always, it's communication
and teamwork that are of primary
importance," Johengen said. "If we
focus on these things then execution
will improve. If we talk out there
and work it, I think things will come
together."
of climbing out of last place of the
Big Ten. Two victories will ensure
at least a tie with Illinois, and a win-
less Illini weekend will vault the
Wolverines into ninth.
"We have something to play for,"
VanDeWege said. "Plus, there's the
satisfaction that you can finish
strong."
Center Michelle Hall's presence
will improve Michigan's chances.
Hall was injured the last time her
team took on the two opponents.
"We'll have a tougher inside
game with Hall," VanDeWege said.
"This changes the picture."
Illinois (4-12, 7-19) has also pro-
gressed since its last meeting with
the Wolverines. Coach Kathy
Lindsey is happy with the develop-
ment of her younger players, most
noticeably first-year forward Lolita
Platt and sophomore guard Tonya
Booker. Although her squad's record
might indicate the contrary, Lindsey
expects no problem in motivating
her players for this final weekend.
"They lost both games last week
(to Indiana and Ohio State), but they
played well," she said. "They feel
good about the way they're playing.
They want to redeem themselves."
Purdue (12-4, 20-6) is headed
into the NCAA tournament, and
there is always the fear of a team
looking past the end of the regular
season toward the tournament.
However, Boilermakers coach Lin
Dunn does not see this as a hurdle
over which her No. 12-ranked team
must leap.
"It's our last home game," she
explained. "Any time it's your senior
game you're motivated."
Among these seniors is the Big
Ten's all-time leading scorer
MaChelle Joseph. An all-American
candidate, Joseph has averaged 22.8
points per game this season.
The games will mark the official
end of the careers of guards Char
Durand and Leah Wooldridge, who
were both honored at halftime of last
Sunday's home game against Penn
State.
GOLFERS
Continued from page 5
have to be careful," Kobane said.
There is an inherent disadvan-
tage, though, which Michigan and
other northern schools cannot over-
come - the weather. While snow is
on the ground in Ann Arbor, Florida
duffers are on hole #36 for the day.
This huge discrepancy in practice
time will do nothing but give the
warm-weather schools a leg up on
everyone who is sprinkling salt on
the sidewalks.
"The northern schools are going
to suffer," Carras said. "We're going
to have play hard to do well, no
question about it - just because the
(southern schools) have all played
(more often than Michigan)."
Kobane, who tied for fourth place
in the overall standings at Fripp Isle,
is expected to lead the team this sea-
son. He was not entirely happy with
his finish last weekend, and hopes to
get things rolling in Florida
"Right now, I'm just trying to get
my game in order," Kobane said.
"I'm just going to try and go down
there and play a solid game of golf."
Michigan is in its warm-up stage
right now and will try to pick up the
tempo this weekend in Tampa.
Kobane summed up the team's
mindset saying, "I'll just try and
play the best that I can and see how
that stacks up with the rest of the
field."
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LIN
Continued from page 5'
while playing the last 11 minutes of
regulation and the entire overtime in;
the Wolverines' 89-79 victory. But
Pelinka's court time since then has
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"His playing time has been like
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"The thing he's done is he's
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