10 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 2, 1993
Fired-up men's volleyball
reaches semis at MSU
By MELINDA ROCO
FOR THE DAILY
The Michigan men's volleyball
team found the missing ingredient this
weekend at Michigan State's tourna-
ment Saturday.
It wasn't necessarily a different
strategy orany particularplayer, though.
The Wolverines advanced to the semi-
finals before falling to Texas because
of a much simpler reason.
"One reason we did so well was
because we were having fun," sopho-
more middle hitter Andy Spitser. "
Usually, everyone's so mellow, but the
enthusiasm really contributes to the
game."
In the 30-team tournamentthe fired-
up Wolverines won their pool and five
straight matches before losing in the
semifinals to Texas, 15-9, 15-11.
"It's easier to play well when ev-
eryone is cheering," junior setter Stan
Lee said. "Along with the squad, we
only had five enthusiastic fans, but it
was like having a 1,000. It kept us
going to the very end."
Though the Wolverines werehalted
shy of the finals, they were not dis-
mayed with their performance coming
off of last week's third-place tie at last
week's preseason Big Ten tournament
at Ohio State.
"We definitely played better than
we've played all year," Spitser said.
"We're becoming more comfortable in
the middle. Starting the day with a
good hitting and blocking game is such
a rush and sets the attitude for the rest
of the tournament."
Spitser played akey role in getting
Michigan off to its fast start in its first
match of pool play against Western
Illinois. His solo blocks won several
duels at the net in the Wolverines' 15-
8, 15-9 victory.
After weeks of trouble with
Michigan's middle offense, freshman
middle hitter Brad Yeager connected
with Lee for a rally of kills on the
quick-set plays.
"Therehasbeenanamazingamount
of improvement since last week's Big
Tens," Michigan coach Pam Griffin
said. "Brad began by stepping in the
lineup because of an injury (to senior
middle hitter Chad Steilstra). We
weren't sure if he would be able to fill
the spot. He has, and he's done an
excellent job."
Michigan went on to defeat Ohio
State B, 15-10, 15-9, and Michigan
Tech, 17-16, 15-10. The team's one
loss in pool play was to Tri-State, but
the Wolverines came back to trounce
the Momentum in the second game,
14-16, 15-6.
"Stan was really able to keep the
offense under control," Griffin said.
"Stan played very consistently, and
that was important in getting back on
track after a string of bad plays."
Michigan met Macomb Commu-
nity College in the quarterfinals. Junior
ChadEngelandsophomoreGunUnluer
provided nail passes on the serve re-
ceive and killer swings on the outside
to lead the team to a 15-13, 15-13
victory before losing to Texas in the
semis.
Wolverines hope to
salvage dismal season
By ANDY DE KORTE
DAILY FOOTBALL WRITER
If it were a horse, you could shoot it.
Unfortunately for Wolverine fans, the Michigan football season isnotahorse,
and there is no mercy rule like little league.
After dropping to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, Michigan has fallen in
the eyes of its fans. While some of the Wolverine backers may be jumping off the
football team's bandwagon in the wake of its first two-game losing streak since
1990, Michigan coach Gary Moeller is not going anywhere.
"We're playing for ourselves," Moeller said. "It's not in any selfish way, but
we need to see who we are and what we're doing."
Winning is the obvious thing Michigan is not doing. Since most of the
Wolverines come from successful high school programs, they do not have much
experience in losing. Moeller hopes they have learned a lesson.
"Hopefully, (the players) hurt like everybody else, the coaches, the staff," he
said. "We need to keep learning from what we're doing and doing better."
If the squad is to do more, it will have to do it with less.
Linebacker Steve Morrison, who returned from a foot injury to play Saturday,
left Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium on crutches. His chances for Saturday
are less than 50150.
Fellow inside linebacker Bobby Powers reinjured his stomach while tackling
a Badger. Linebacker Marcus Walker has started practicing but is still doubtful
to play against Purdue this Saturday.
Lineman Ninef Aghakhan will not return to his starting role.
Defensive back Shonte Peoples injured his shoulder against the Badgers.
Although he returned to the game, he may not play against the Boilermakers.
However, Peoples' backup, Deollo Anderson, suffered a calf injury and will not
be available Saturday.
Running back Tyrone Wheatley is still abig question mark. Fellow backfield
mate Jon Ritchie may be out as well.
Wisconsin also banged up center Marc Milia. Rod Payne is a 90-percent
favorite to start in his place. Payne has impressed the staff in his understudy role.
"Rod will be a very good player," Moeller said. "It's important to him. He
watches a lot of tape. He'd watch tapes with coaches for 12 hours."
If going toa bowl game is still important to Moeller, he's not tipping his hand.
The possibility of missing a bowl for the first time since 1974, when Michigan
went 10-1, did not faze the coach.
"Going toabowl game isaprivilege that every team must earn," Moeller said.
"That is a sign of success and you're to reward success."
Success or no, a 6-5 record would probably get Michigan into a bowl game.
The Hall ofFame Bowl is allowed to select the Big Ten team of its choice besides
the top three conference finishers. Because Michigan is such abig draw, it could
still receive a Hall of Fame bid even with a6-5 record.
EVAN PETRIE/DaIly
A strong finish could yield Steve King and Michigan a Hall of Fame Bowl bid.
FIELD HociYr NOTEBOOK:
Stickers have chance to earn NCAA tournament berth
By BRENT McINTOSH
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
Two more wins, and the Michigan field hockey
team is a lock to qualify for the NCAA regional
tournament in two weeks.
The only obstacles facing the Wolverines are
Penn State and Northwestern - which seem to be
rather large hurdles, considering that the Lady Lions
are the nation's top team, and the Wildcats are No.2.
Michigan dropped out of the NCAA poll last
week after losses to Northwestern and No. 11 Ball
State, but itishighly probable that back-to-back wins
this Friday and Saturday over the nation's top two
teams will earn the Wolverines a playoff spot, espe-
cially with the games being played in Evanston.
So the Wolverines' backs are against the wall, but
they seem as confident as can be expected.
"We're going to give Northwestern and Penn
State a run for their money," Kalli Hose said. "We
have a lot of confidence going into the weekend."
While the Wolverines have never beaten either
the Lady Lions or the Wildcats, they have made this
season's games close: Michigan dropped its first
Penn State game, 1-0, and Northwestern squeaked by
Michigan a week ago, 4-3.
SENIORS LEAVE OOSERBAAN FOR GOOD: Sunday
was the final game at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse for the
six Wolverine seniors, but Jen DiMascio, Nicole
Hoover, Kalli and Lelli Hose, Keely Libby, and
Shay Perry had more important things to think about
than the sentimentality of never playing a Michigan
home field hockey game again.
"I haven't really thought about it," outgoing co-
captain Libby said. "We still want to have a lot of the
season left. We want to have two or three weekends
to play, not just one."
The seniors finished their last home contest ap-
propriately. They scored all three Wolverine goals
andthree ofthe fourassists. Kalli Hosehad agoal and
an assist, Perry and DiMascio scored goals, and
Libby and LelliHosenotched assists. The lone senior
whodidn'tgainasinglepointwas the one who wasn't
expected to: goalkeeper Nicole Hoover stopped the
Black Bears with her fifth shutout of the season.
I HATE THis STATE: "I really don't want to remem-
ber much of this trip," Maine coach Terry Kix
complained after the game.
Besides losing to both Michigan and Michi-
gan State, Kix was hit by a car while jogging
prior to last Sunday's game. She arrived at
Oosterbaan Fieldhouse at 1 p.m., the scheduled
game time, wearing a full-length leg brace and
leaning on a crutch.
A NEW sPECIES: Sunday marked the first encoun-
tereverbetween the Wolverines and the Black Bears,
and Maine seemed to have received quite a heavy
dose of Big Ten field hockey.
"They're a very tough team, but I think we gained
some valuable experience," Kix said.
WAS THAT A BODY CHECK?: The contest against
the Black Bears was as physical as any game the
Wolverines have played this season, but fortunately
Kix's was the only major injury of the weekend.
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