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Pabe 10-The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition-Sports - Thursday, September 9, 1993
Women spikers thrive
under new regime
by Rich Mitvalsky
Daily Sports Writer
Head coach Greg Giovanazzi's entrance into the Michigan women's volley-
ball program marked yet another change in the routine for the Wolverines.
Giovanazzi'sinstallmentasthe thirdheadcoach in four yearsforMichigan proved
a change for the better, and for the future.
The Wolverines posted a 15-7 record overall, 7-4 in the Big Ten, which
includedcapturing athird consecutive State PrideBannerin a dual series with rival
Michigan State. They also recorded a fifth-place finish in the conference and two
ernotion-laden victories over perennial favorites Minnesota and Wisconsin.
'We went into the match for the first time since I have been at Michigan
thinking we could beat Wisconsin," Hayley Lorenzen said following Michigan's
five-game victory against the Badgers. The game extended the Wolverines'
unbeaten conference mark to 4-0 in the early going.
Michigan's strong suit on the court was its aggressive play at the net. With
upfront standouts in Lorenzen, Aimee Smith, Fiona Davidson, JoAnna Collias
and Michelle Horrigan -each of whom ranked among the conference's elite in
kill and block categories - opponents often found themselves helpless on the
other end of blistering Wolverine shots.
But the Wolverines, who forcefully contended for a birth into the post-season
tournament, fell just short as they split a pair of doubleheaders over the final two
weeks of the season.
"Ihere simply won't be a post-season if we don't play well in these last games,"
GiovanazzisaidfollowinganeznotionalhomevictoryoverfavoredMinnesota."Ithink
we are inaposition whereif weplaywell, we deserve to continue, and if not, we don't"
Giovanazzi's matter-of-fact assessment of his team on the bubble was re-
flected weeks later by the selection committee, as Michigan was denied partici-
pation in the tourney.
But the groundwork has been laid for next season. Despite the loss of four
seniors, including standouts Tarnisha Thompson and Lorenzen, a talented and
veteran clubremains. Andaccording to sophomore Julie Scherer, this group looks
for bigger and better things to come under Giovanazzi, who served as assistant
coach for America's women's Olympic volleyball team that won the bronze
medal.
"Greg has tremendous connections in the volleyball world, and we are going
to play some teams next year of the caliber which we have never befpre played,"
Scherer said. "That should make us abetter team in the long run, and attract better
players to the program."
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Cagers fa
Women suffer throi
by Rich Mitvalsky
Daily Basketball Writer
Frustration.
Indeed, a bit of an understatement.
More like the knotted lump embedded
firmly in your throat as the clock ticks
away at the final seconds of yet another
loss.
"Now, it's just a feeling of numb-
ness," senior co-captain Nikki Beaudry
said following Michigan's82-62loss at
Illinois. And at the head of the frustra-
tion, bitterness and numbness was first-
year head coach Trish Roberts.
Roberts entered the season sporting
an enviable .719 winning percentage
over a four-year span at Maine. She
readily discarded her past accomplish-
ments, zeroing in on the task at hand-
making Michigan a winner. She set her
sights high.
'Our goalrightnow is to have a win-
ning record at the end of this season,"
RobertssaidbeforeMichigan'sfirstgame.
Paced by All-American candidate
Trish Andrew - who set Michigan
career marks in rebounding and shot-
blocking last season - and anew run-
ning attack, Roberts hoped to bring her
team into the middle of the conference
standings last season.
The Wolverines finished the season
2-24 overall, 1-17 in the Big Ten.
A bit too high.
"Right now, we just want to win one
game. Just one, that's all," she sighed
after a mid-season loss.
The transition between coaches and
hter
ugh tough year
their respective styles stymied
Michigan's performance.
"Any time there is a change, the
transition period is either going to be
short or long," Roberts said. "Our's has
been long, and I don't feel our kids
adjustedtothedemandsweputonthem."
"After the first week of practices,
we all said to each other that we felt
like freshmen again," sophomore for-
ward Shimmy Gray said. "We have
had to change so many things about
our game, both inside and out."
Although having executedavastly
up-paced offense over previous years,
the Wolverines were hampered by a
flurry of season-ending injuries, leav-
ing those healthy with little opportu-
nity for reprieve from action. And as
eachgameprogressedfatigue-more
than anything - took its toll.
"Coach pulls us in after the game
and congratulates us on the fact that
we are executing the plays," Nuanes
said. "It seems as though we are learn-
ing. I think she sees the progress. We
see the progress. Right now, we're
still really frustrated we're not getting
a win."
The Wolverines recorded their sole
BigTenwinoftheseasonindramatic
fashion, upsetting Indiana on theroad,
67-54.
"The players decided that the last
two games of tie year, we're going to
getawin,"an emotional Roberts com-
mented after the groundbreaking vic-
tory.
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FILE PHOTO
Carrie Stewart goes up for a shot during one of Michigan's worst seasons
ever. The Wolverines finished 2-24 overall and 1-17 in the Big Ten.
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