The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, February 7, 1994 - 7
*Volleyball
just misses
against
Spartans
By MELINDA ROCO
and LAUREN ROSENFIELD
DAILY SPORTS WRITERS
What began as a day of confi-
dence and control turned into a men-
tal nightmare for the Michigan men's
volleyball team at the Collegiate Clas-
Vic Tournament Saturday at the
fCRB.
The Wolverines finished 5-3 in
pool play, making quick work of
Morehead College and Calvin Col-
lege, splitting a pair with Wisconsin,
and dropping two games to Graceland
lJowa), the eventual tournament run-
ner-ups.
Coach Pam Griffin said she was
initially pleased with her team's level
play.
he way the tournament was
structured, we were able to play the
easier teams first," Griffin said. "I
was a little disappointed in the second
game against Graceland. We could
4ave played stronger, but overall we
played consistently."
However, after earning a spot in
Lthe playoffs, Michigan unexpectedly
bit a mental and emotional brick wall.
Michganwas matched against Big
en nemesis Michigan State in the
first round of the playoffs. The Spar-
tans took a quick 9-5 lead in the first
game, but the Wolverines quickly
grased the deficit. Led by outside hit-
ter Chad Engel, Michigan came back
with a rally of kills and defensive digs
to win the game 15-11.
The intensity of the first game
arried over into the second game.
etter Stan Lee and defensive spe-
cialist Sammy Lopez led the Wolver-
pies to an 11-5 lead.
Then Spartan coach Sante Perelli
called a timeout.
Outside hitter Bill Seeley said that
was the turning point of the match.
"We always hit this mental block
when it comes to MSU," Seeley said.
"We've been waiting so long to beat
Ohem, and once we have a win in our
grasp, we start to play conservatively
which translates into poor passing
and lack of aggressiveness.
"After that timeout, we broke
down."
A slew of poor passes and hitting
4rrors by Michigan allowed Michi-
gan State to tie the game 14-14. An
illegal service called on the Wolver-
jnes gave the Spartans the sideout and
game point. This error proved to be
fatal, as the Wolverines dropped the
game 17-15 and went on to lose the
third game 15-7.
Griffin said consistency was lack-
ing in the playoff match.
"Against Michigan State, momen-
tum switches were a problem," she
said. "We need to work on being more
consistent through the peaks and val-
*eys of the game."
However, Griffin felt that the team
put in a gritty effort, especially Lee
and Seeley.
"We played strong all the way
through," she said. "Stan was able to
mhaintain control of the offense. Bill
also played consistently well."
Graceland, the tournament's four-
time champion, defeated Michigan
*tate in the quarterfinals and Illinois
in the semifinals. Graceland was de-
feated by number-one ranked Park
College in the finals.
Swimming wraps up duals
After perfect campaign, 'M' ready for Big Tens
The men's swimming and diving team won twice to finish undefeated in the nference.
Brakus forced to pull out of
Rolex National Indoors
By BRETT JOHNSON
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
The dual meet season came to a
close for the Michigan men's swim-
ming and diving team this weekend.
As expected, the Wolverines swept
Michigan State and Ohio State to go
undefeated during the conference sea-
son for the third year in a row.
Friday, Michigan (5-0 Big Ten, 9-
3 overall) was victorious in all but
two events en route to a 149-91 vic-
tory over the Spartans. The Wolver-
ines used a solid performance by the
200-yard medley relay team (Royce
Sharp, Marcel Wouda, Tom Hay and
Gustavo Borges) in the opening event
to gain the lead, one which they never
lost.
"It was a good way to wind down
the home season," Michigan coach
Jon Urbanchek said."It was an easy
meet, but we didn't want to run up the
score. We have a lot of respect for
Michigan State, and we wanted to
make it a fui meet."
The meet marked the final home
competition for five seniors - Hay,
Brice Kopas, Eric Lesser, Kent
Tschannen and Rodney VanTassell.
Hay finished his home career with a
win in the 100-yard butterfly.
"Tom Hay stood out tonight,"
Urbanchek said. "(The 100 butterfly)
was his season's best."
Both VanTassell and Lesser won
individual events as well.
VanTassell won the 100-yard
freestyle and Lesser topped his com-
petition in three-meter diving. Kopas
and Tschannen took third places in
the 500 freestyle and 200-yard indi-
vidual medley (IM), respectively.
"I felt real good today," Lesser
said. "It was my best dual meet per-
formance on both boards, in one day,
this season. Afterbthis meet, I defi-
nitely feel ready for the Big Ten
(Championships)."
John Piersma was the Wolverines
only double-winner of the night. He
touched the wall first in both the 200
and 500 freestyles.
Other Michigan winners included
Borges in the 50 freestyle, Sharp in
the 200-yard backstroke, Steve West
in the 200-yard breaststroke and the
200 freestlye relay team of
VanTassell, Dan Abruzzi, Courtney
Faller and Borges.
"It was a pretty good night," West
said. "We bounced back from our
slump last week at Indiana, and to-
night, I was pleased with my perfor-
mance. My 200 breast was my second
best unshaved (time) all-time."
Michigan State recorded two firsts.
John Maxson and Uwe Volk were
victorious in the one-meter diving and
200 IM, respectively.
Saturday, the Wolverines closed
out the dual meet season with a 132-
111 victory over the Buckeyes. Ohio
State provided a tougher challenge for
Michigan.
In fact, the Buckeyes held a 86-84
edge after the 100 freestyle. However,
the Wolverines pulled away as they
took first in the final four events.
The Michigan victory showed the
team's superior depth with six differ-
ent swimmers winning six individual
events. Highlighting these six wins
were two Peppe Aquatic Center
records.
Sharp's time of 1:47.08 in the 200
backstroke and Tom Dolan's 3:52.54
in the 400 IM were good enough to
IF YOU WANT TO GET FROM
STUDENT
PARKING
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break pool marks.
Other Wolverine victories in-
cluded VanTassell in the 200
freestyle, Borges in the 50 freestyle,
Wouda in the 500 freestyle and West
in the 200 breaststroke.
Michigan also won both relays
- the 400 medley and the 400
freestyle.
For Ohio State, Yoshi Sakata led
the way by winning both the one- and
three-meter diving competitions.
Andy Gerken, Jason Cottrell and Jay
Hladish were the other Buckeye win-
ners.
With the dual meet season now
over, Michigan is preparing for the
Big Ten Championships the last
weekend of February.
"We're right on target for the Big
Tens," Urbanchek said. "Right now;
we have one illness (freshman Chris
Rumley has the flu), but if we stay
healthy, we are ready for the Big
Tens and NCAAs."
TO
FACULTY
PARKING
I
By JOSH KAPLAN
FOR THE DAILY
Dan Brakus's dreams of glory at
the Rolex National Indoors Intercol-
legiate Tennis Championships were
abruptly cut short in his second-round
loss to Mississippi State's Laurent
Orsini.
After nearly winning the first set,
the Wolverine star aggravated a groin
pull suffered in his first round vic-
tory. He retired during the second set,
behind 6-7 (7-3), 0-4.
"I didn't think it would be that
bad," said Brakus ofhis injury, "(But)
it was just too painful. It got worse
and worse."
Brakus sustained the injury dur-
ing the third set of his victory over Ian
Williams of Texas. While serving out
the match, Brakus reached too far to
return a shot.
"I just felt it rip," the Ontario na-
tive said.
While the injury is not thought to
be extremely serious, the extent of it
will not beknown until later this week
when Brakus meets with team train-
ers.
The Michigan senior was very dis-
appointed with the timing of his injury.
"I really couldn't play my game,"
Brakus said. "I couldn't serve and
volley at all, I couldn't move at all. I
still almost won the first set."
The Wolverines' No. 1 player
hopes to be ready for Michigan's next
match, February 20 at Texas, where
he will battle one of the nation's best
players, sophomore Chad Clark.
Clark may be the top-ranked player
in the country when the new rankings
are settled. Currently ranked second,
Clark should slide past Orsini, the
current number one, who lost his
quarterfinal match to Brandon Coupe
of San Jose State, 4-6, 3-6.
The men's singles title was
claimed by Arizona State's Sargis
Sargisan. The fourth seeded Sargisan,
a native of Yerevan, Armenia, de-
feated unseeded Paul Robinson of
Texas Christian, 6-3, 6-3.
On the women's side, top seed
Lucie Ludvigova of Texas grabbed
the singles title, defeating second seed
Angela Lettiere from the University
of Georgia.
0
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