4 - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, September 19, 1994 Women's soccer starts up New coach leads team into first season of varsity play By DAVID ROTH BART FOR THE DAILY For the first-year women's varsity soccer program, breaking even is a victory in itself. Five games into their fall season, head coach Debbie Belkin said her Wol- verine squad is exactly where she'dlikethem to be. SOCCER coming together as a team and improv- ing each game," Belkin said. "I didn't expect us to be playing at this level so soon." The Wolverines are 2-2-1 in the early going, including a dramatic over- time win against Detroit-Mercy. Their other victory came against Northern Illinois. The Wolverines have suffered two close losses to conference foes Indiana and Ohio State. The defense has shown signs of improvement. Michigan yielded only two goals to Ohio State and shut out Detroit-Mercy. Sophomore goaltender Jory Welchans has been outstanding, according to teammate Carrie Povilaitis. "We definitely have a lot of confi- dence in her," Povilaitis said. "The (Ohio State) goals were tough, but she's doing a great job." The Wolverines' offense has scored just two goals in their last three games. "We have to capitalize on our scor- ing chances," sophomore midfielder Whitney Ricketts said. "We just have to find a way to score," freshman forward Ruth Poulin said. "The most important thing is to get the ball in the net." To improve their offensive capa- bilities, Belkin has been working with her team on careful passing and main- taining possession of the ball. Belkin has also stressed the need for her play- ers to come out strong at the beginning of games and fight for loose balls. Povilaitis, a freshman defender, credited her coach with the team's early success. She said that Belkin gives her players the individual attention they need to improve at their positions. "We have the utmost respect for (Coach Belkin)," added Ricketts. "It's got to be tough to start a brand-new program with so many new players. She's pulled us together." Belkin was hired last December after starting a women's soccer pro- gram at Fairfield University (Conn.) and leading them to an undefeated record in the Metro Atlantic Confer- ence in just their second season. Michigan promoted women's soc- cer to a varsity sport this year as part of an attempt to create gender equity among its athletic teams. Belkin said recruiting is tough when there is no history behind the varsity squad. This year's team is comprised mostly of freshmen, though transfers Welchans, Ricketts, forward Clare Loftus, and sweeper Kim Phillips have all made great contributions. The squad also includes a few older players, car- ried over from last year's club team. Although the team's lack of experi- ence is a disadvantage, the coach re- mained optimistic. "We'll have these women for three or four years," Belkin said. "We're building right now, but we will be a very competitive team for years to come. The kickers' season continues with the final three games of a five-game home stand this week, against Tiffin (Ohio) on Wednesday, Minnesota on Friday, and Valparaiso (Ind.) on Sun- day. "We're starting to develop a bond with each other. Everyone is more anx- ious to play," Poulin said. "We want to represent Michigan, we want to fight for the team and we want to win." "We've played great so far," said Ricketts, an Ann Arbor native. "Breaking even would be very good for a first-year team. If we can win eight or nine games (of 17), I'll be happy." /' f VC-! ,. MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily The women's soccer team has gotten off to a 2-2-1 record in their inaugural season of varsity play. The Wolverines join Northwestern and Penn State as new additions to the Big Ten conference. Field hockey hopes for coiitinued success By MARC DILLER DAILY SPORTS WRITER What happens to a top-flight field hockey team when it loses its starting goalie and five of its leading scorers? Most teams would take a year to rebuild, but not Michigan. It has higher aspirations than that. After finishing the finest season in team history and achieving their highest final national ranking ever (No. 16), the Wolverine field hockey team has reloaded and is poised for another successful season FIELD in the Big Ten Conference. "This team has a lot of talent with limited playing UocKEY experience," Michigan coach Patti Smith said. "It's just going to take time." Smith enters her seventh year with the Wolver- ines. She has compiled a 50-40-4 record since joining the Wolverines in 1987 and she hopes to improve upon her record season in 1994. "We have a lot of talented and skillful players on the field and I think together, we should be a great team," Smith said. The Wolverines need to fill the void in the offense created by the graduation of leading scorers Kalli Hose (22 points), a second team All-Big Ten pick, and Keely Libby (19 points). Juniors Aaleya Koreishi, the team's top returning scorer (13 points), Sherene Smith, Gia Biagi and senior team captain Nancy Irvine inherit the team leadership positions up front. "The juniors and seniors from this year have to start to pick it up and lead this team," Patti Smith said. The Wolverines add eight of the nation's top freshmen to their roster. Among the freshmen who look to make an impact on the team this year are defender Julie Flachs and forward Carolyn Schwarz, who have started all six games so far this season. Brenda Beaudry, Sandra Cabrera, Meredith Weinstein, Aimee Remigio, Jaime Robbins and Amy Herber all will challenge for playing time as well. "On paperwe have a young team," Irvine said. "We'll surprise people because we are definitely one of the best teams in the nation again." The early season acts as preparation for Michigan's Big Ten season, which starts this Friday at Northwestern. The Wolverines finished fourth in the Big Ten last year behind Penn State, Iowa and the Wildcats. So far, Michigan (4-2) has shown impressive ballhandling ability. Their main weakness has been their inability to capitalize on penalty corners and scoring opportunities. "We look really strong at passing," Irvine said. "We've had trouble finishing things off though and putting the ball in the net." The Wolverines' biggest adjustment will be on defense. In the backfield, Jennifer Dimascio and Lelli Hose, both second team All-Big Ten selections, graduated last spring. Together they helped Michigan limit their opponents to only 184 shots on goals and 57 penalty corners. Sophomores Michelle Smulders, Bree Derr and Selina Harris will play key roles in keeping the defense together. Flachs has also proven to be a key role player in the backfield. "I think our defense is doing a lot better than before," Flachs said. "We're still trying to find that good, strong defense." One player who will be dependent on the defensive help will be junior goalkeeper Rachel Geisthardt. Geisthardt started the first nine games of '93 and displayed the potential to be a top goalie, but she suffered a knee injury which kept her sidelined for the remainder of the season. "Rachel is still getting her timing back," coach Smith said. "She keeps getting better and better."~ Michigan hopes to improve upon last year's mark now that they will be a feared opponent. "I think we have an enormous amount of potential, even better than last year." Hams said. "We're starting to jell now and the momentum from last year is ctartino toea morinr _n f reat 'M' harriers look to defend Big Ten title By DOUG STEVENS DAILY SPORTS WRITER The1994 version of the men's Cross Country team promises to be one of the most talented and exciting teams to run for the Wolverines in years. After capturing its first Big Ten title in 13 years in 1993, a repeat is a distinct possibility, Coach Ron Warhurst, who is returning for his 21st season at the Wolverine helm is expecting big things M EN ' from this year's team. "We hope to repeat as Big Ten champions and finish CROSS in the top eight at the NCAA meet," Warhurst said. Last year's team finished 10th at the NCAA Championships. COUNTRY Michigan returns many of its top runners from its championship squad including All-American Kevin Sullivan and All-Big Ten runner Scott MacDonald. Sullivan, who despite being only a sophomore already has a resume complete with impressive accolades. This includes a fourth-place finish at last year's NCAA nationals, first-place perf - mances in both the Big Ten and NCAA District IV meets, and a second-pl. showing in the 1500 meters at the Commonwealth Games this summer where he represented his native Canada. MacDonald, who is returning for his junioryear, has earned All-Big Ten status in each of his first two seasons, in addition to being an All-American as a freshman. MacDonald, like Sullivan, competed for his native Canada in the Commonwealth Games. Due to the fact that they trained for the Commonwealth Games all summer, neither Sullivan nor MacDonald will race until October. "This (not competing) will help them get back into the swing of things," Warhurst said. "They will still be practicing and this is going to help them be reg for the major meets later in the season. "Kevin and Scott are both bright, have speed, desire, and competitiveness. They've got the whole package." One runner who should provide the Wolverines with leadership is team captain Ian Forsyth. Forsyth has consistently scored (placed in Michigan's top five runners) in the past three years and should be an influential part of the team's bid to repeat as Big-Ten champs. "I hope to finish in the top two or three on the team at every meet, make All- Big Ten, and finish at least top 40 at nationals," Forsyth said. "I am looking forward to seeing Ian compete with Scott and Kevin later in season," Warhurst said. Other runners who could crack into the top five on the team include fourth- year Kris Eggle, third-year sophomore David Barnett, junior Theo Molla, and freshman Don McLaughlin. In the team's first competition, an open meet held on the U of M golf course, Forsyth and McLaughlin were both pleasant surprises, according to Warhurst. In addition, Michigan finished second out of a field of nine at an Eastern Michigan invitational on September 16, although they ran without Sullivan, MacDonald, and Molla. Although Michigan will be competing in at least six more meets this season, its main focus will be on the Big Ten meet, the NCAA District IV Championsll and the NCAA National Championship. In addition, the team is preparing for t Wolverine Interregional on October 16, where the competition will include Stanford, Air Force, and Tennessee. MOLLY STEVENS/Daily its sights set on a second The Michigan men's cross country has consecutive Big Ten championship. Crew team thrives on hard work and sense of adventure By MICHAEL JOSHUA FOR THE DAILY It is 6 am, do you know where you are? If you are a regular student at the University of ty1 EX $ seMichigan, ruOMEN Smost likely you are in a iiREW warm, cozy bed sound asleep. But if you are of the rare type striving for adventure and a little some- thing more, you could be beginning practice with the women's crew team. Most people do not have a very good understanding of the sport of turns seniors Lauri Tuschen, Pam Carroll and Katherine Kraner. The team is always looking for new members. The only qualifications that are required are that you are an athlete and love to compete, according to coach Mark Rothstein. While he is still recruiting mem- bers, his recruiting style differs slightly from that of Steve Fisher or Gary Moeller. Being a club sport, crew members are not given the big time scholarships. Therefore, coach Rothstein looks for physical athletic bodies in dormitories, the diag and other places where students are to be found. "Ninety-nine percent of our people Women's Voll Sept. 23 at N Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. 8 11 14 15 19 at Michigan St. - *** *