10 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 3, 1994 Wrestlers find time for Mott's children By TIM SMITH Daily Sports Writer With the start of the wrestling sea- son approaching at the same time that academic schedules are tightening, one would think the Michigan wres- fling team would have little time to concentrate on anything else. The Wolverines, however, were able to make a little room in their busy schedules last night to pay a visit to the sick kids at Mott Children's Hospital. "I think (visiting the kids) is ex- cellent because so many athletes take their abilities for granted," sopho- more heavyweightAirron Richardson said. "It not only helps cheer up the kid but it humbles the athlete." The team came with its hands full of Michigan wrestling bumper stick- ers and tee-shirts to pass out to the waiting kids. The Wolverines then split up into two groups to ensure that nobody would be missed. While some of the kids were able to walk around and interact with the team, most were confined to their beds, either attached to machines or too sick to move. All, though, were happy once the vvrestlers stopped in their rooms. "It's nice to see them smile," senior Kalev Freeman said of the kids. "A lot of them have been in here so long that it's nice to see them cheered up. "As student athletes, we're all in good shape and we're all students, so (seeing the kids) really makes you thankful for what you've got." Freeman also debunked the myth of the self-absorbed jock, pointing out the achievements of the team on and off the mats. "Four of us are pre-med and we have a lot of top scholars," he said. "People expect us to perform on the field, but what they don't realize is that we perform to the fullest in school and in the community." The wrestlers definitely weren't just going through the motions at the hospital, either. They interacted with sincerity toward the patients and seemed to be more aware and appre- ciative of how lucky they really are. Men kickers gear up JOE WESTRAIW/aify Michigan's club soccer squad heads to Columbus to compete in the regional club tournament. 0 High hopes ful en netters Tennis takes on1 best of Big TFen at Madison invite for postseas By JOHN LEROI Daily Sports Writer This is what it all comes down to. The regular season is over for the Michigan men's soccer team and the Wolverines are preparing for the play- offs. For Michigan (12-6-4), the post season begins Saturday in Columbus at the regional club tournament. The tournament concludes Sunday with the final match at 1 p.m. The Wolver- ines said they will not be satisfied with merely a strong showing this weekend; they expect to win the tour- nament. "We're superior to most club teams," head coach Steve Burns con- fidently stated. And why shouldn't Michigan carry a trophy out of Columbus Sunday afternoon? The Wolverines are the number one seed from the Big Ten in the six-team tourney. Indiana is seeded second and Illinois grabbed the num- ber three seed. The top three teams from the Big Ten will tackle the three best from the Ohio Valley Conference - top seed, Miami (Ohio), second-seeded, Ohio State, and No. three Dayton. Tradi- tionally, the Big Ten has been the better of the two midwest confer- ences. Following tournament format, the Wolverines will face the triumvirate from Ohio, but not the other Big Ten teams. Likewise, the Hoosiers and the Illini will not square off against each other. Michigan will face Dayton and Miami Saturday and Ohio State Sun- day. Each game, teams will be scored on a 10-point scale. Six points are awarded for a win, three for a tie, and no points for a loss. Additionally, teams are awarded one point for each goal they score, up to three goals, and an additional point for a shut out. The top two finishers in the regional tour- nament will advance to the national tournament in Phoenix, held Nov. 16 -19. Although the Wolverines are com- ing in as the tournament favorite, no one is handing the regional crown to Michigan just yet. The Wolverines don't exactly light up the scoreboard. Most of Michigan's goals have been scored by the midfielders and on tourney defensemen, while the front line just can't seem to get the ball in the net. "Our forwards didn't have much confidence," Burns said, referring to most of the regular season. "But now * they're being more selfish and taking shots. They're not content tojust dump the ball off to the midfielders any- more. We're trying to get down in the mud and score the tough goals," The Wolverine defense has re- mained a rock of consistency for the entire season, but an injury to starting goalkeeperMikeMilman may weaken Michigan's back line. Milman, who is having an outstanding season, suf-@ fered a strained posterior cruciate liga- ment in his left knee during a collision with a Western Michigan player dur- ing last Sunday's match. As of yesterday afternoon, Milman's status was upgraded from doubtful to questionable. He did not practice with the team yesterday, though he may practice today and will travel with the team to Colum- bus. However, Burns said yesterday that sophomore Andy Germak will get the start in goal for the Wolver- ines, though Milman might play if he is needed. Germak has seen plenty of action this season and has started a few games for the Wolverines. Burns said he feels confident that Germak will fill in well, and does not think Milman will be needed. Another problem for Michigan is that it fields a fairly young squad, with only two seniors on the active roster. However, the team is playing better with each match and the play- ers seem more comfortable with each other than they did at the beginning of the season. The Wolverines also have the benefit of a full week of practice to prepare for the regional tournament. Not many club teams have been able to play with Michigan for 90 minutes this season and while the Wolverines are certainly not looking past this weekend's tournament, the team expects to move on to the na- tionals. "Everything's going well,". defenseman Ryan Carriere said. "We're playing better every game. and we should be peaking about the_ time (the national tournament) in Phoenix rolls around." By BRETT KRASNOVE For the Daily The Michigan men's tennis team heads to Wisconsin tomorrow and the Wolverines are taking their high expec- tations along with them. After faring well at the Georgia Tech Fall Classic early last month - winning 20 of 27 matches-they have good reason to be so confident. "We really performed well down at Georgia Tech," assistant coach Dan Goldberg said. "I'm really looking forward to this tournament." "I have very high expectations," coach Brian Eisner said. "I feel as though the level of competition at Atlanta was equal (to the field at Madison)." The upcoming Intercollegiate Ten- nis Association (ITA) Rolex Qualifier, held at Nielsen Tennis Stadium, runs from tomorrow through Monday. The top doubles team and the top two singles finishers receive automatic bids to the 1995 National Indoor Championships, held Feb. 3 through 5 at Southern Meth- odist. There will be 128 singles players in this tournament, eight from Michi- gan, and 64 doubles teams, four of whom will be Wolverines. One might think the importance of a tournament of individual compe- tition as opposed to team competition would be minimal for a coach. How- ever, Eisner is of a different mindset. "This particular tournament is set up to identify the top two singles play- ers and top doubles team," Eisner said. Players said they feel the tourna- ment is a good opportunity to break out of their usual team role. "It's good for the team. When people get stuck in a position, you start to think you're that number," junior John Constanzo said. "We have so much depth. Our five man can play one or two." The tournaments are also an ef- fective way of measuring up the tal- ent on other teams. "It's a nice way to judge the players in this part of the country." Eisner said. Also sending players to Wiscon- sin are the rest of the Big Ten, Notre Dame, many Mid-Atlantic Confer- ence schools, as well as other small colleges in the area. "This will give us an idea of how we stack up against the Big Ten," Goldberg said. Coming off impressive showings in Atlanta are Constanzo, Peter Pusztai, Grady Burnett and David Paradzik. Paradzik, a freshman, won the B bracket of the tournament, con- sisting of seeds five through eight in singles. Constanzo reached the quarterfinals of the A bracket, which consists of seeds one through four. Pustzai reached the third round of the A tournament while Burnett fought his way to the quarterfinals of the B bracket. Can we expect a repeat per- formance? "Expect them to do very well. It wouldn't surprise me to see them in the later rounds," Goldberg said. THERE'S A NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP IN MICHIGAN. ': I 337 East Liberty St. Brin gin ten (or more) cans of Ann Arbor, MI 48104 food to participating KAPLAN Centers and save $50 on the 220 M.A.C. Ave.-Ste. 200 world's best test preparation.* East Lansing. MI 48823 Through November 1994, you rossroads Office Centre have a chance to help others 16250 Northland Dr.-Ste.007 and a chance to raise your Southfield, MI 48075 score on the big exam.. 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