10 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 9, 1994 Kickers embark on first-ever road trip By MARC DILLER Daily Sports Writer Everything is a fresh, new experi- ence for the Michigan women's soccer team. Last Saturday, the Wolverines played their first varsity home match, scored their first varsity goal (by Debbie Flaherty) and tied their first varsity C game (against Wisconsin-Green Bay). Michigan won its first varsity match over Northern Illinois Monday, and this Sunday will mark the team's first ever road game and its initial match in Big Ten conference play. The Wolverines bring their unde- feated record to Bloomington Sunday against conference foe Indiana. "This game makes history in terms ofsocceratMichigan given it's the first time we compete as a varsity team in the Big Ten," first-year coach Debbie Belkin said. Indianawill try to suppress the Wol- verines' chances for back-to-back wins with a strong outing comparable to that of last Saturday's when the Hoosiers downed Xavier, 1-0. "The skill level is going to be up a lot," freshman forward Betsy Axle said. "It's going to be a more physical and a more psychologically demand- ing game." Indiana finished 1993 with an ad- mirable 12-6 record. Goalkeeper Merit Elzey returns to backbone the Hoosiers in the net. Indiana looks to equal or better that mark with one year's expe- rience under its belt. "They have ayear's experience over us and it'll be agood challenge for us as a team," Belkin said. "I think this game is very important Women's cross country opens 1994 . season with Miami Invitational By BARRY SOLLENBERGER Daily Sports Writer Although the Michigan women's cross country team begins its season tomorrow at the Miami University In- vitational, it need not actually worry about losing for another couple of weeks, according to coach Mike McGuire. "This meet is just a stepping stone for what we want to be doing late in the season." McGuire said. "Quite hon- estly, we shouldn't have trouble win- ning the meet." He has good reason to be confi- dent. The Wolverines are two-time de- fending conference champions and have finished in the top 10 nation- ally both years. McGuire was hon- ored with back-to-back Big Ten and NCAA District IV Coach of the Year awards. However, Miami of Ohio and East- ern Kentucky do pose a threat to the Wolverines, according to McGuire, in the 5,000-meter race scheduled to be- gin at 10:30 am. While Michigan lost All-American Molly McClimon and All-Big Ten se- lection Chris Szabo to graduation, it does have experienced personnel re- turning. Senior Karen Harvey, one of the Wolverines' two returning All- Americans, leads the nine-person squad at the meet in Oxford, Ohio. She finished eighth in the confer- ence and performed admirably at the NCAAs a year ago. "We'rejustbasically using this meet for training," Harvey said. "It is, how- ever, a good opportunity for the fresh- men and younger runners to see live competition." Tomorrow marks the return of jun- ior Kelly Chard to the lineup and the collegiate debut of freshman Eileen Fleck. Chard, a 1992 All-Big Ten per- former, was forced to take a medical redshirt a year ago due to abroken foot. "We're not expecting anything overwhelming from Kelly because she is coming off foot surgery," McGuire said. "We are just working her back into our training." Fleck, a heavily recruited freshman from East Lansing, was the 1993 Class A state cross country champion and the 1994 3,200-meter state champion. "Eileen will benefit from the low- key setting of the meet," Harvey said. * "She's a strong runner who will get a chance to compete equally with the other runners on the course." Juniors Heather Grigg, Molly Lori, Katy Hollbacher and Michelle Spannagel, and sophomores Jennifer Barber and Tanya Manson fill out Michigan's squad tomorrow. All-American Courtney Babcock, veteran runner Heather Grigg and Deanna Arnill, a highly touted fresh- man from Elora, Ont., will not make the trip today to Oxford. All three saw significant action over the summer and will stay home this weekend to rest. "These early meets are impor- tant for training, but in the grand scheme of things, they are not as important as the (championship) meets, at the end of the season," McGuire said. "We're going to use (the meet) as a barometer to see where the kids are compared to last year at this time." JONATHAN LURIE/Daily This weekend, the Wolverines journey to Bloomington to play their first-ever road game as a varsity team. Michigan emerged 1-0-1 after its first two games, tying Wisconsin-Green Bay, 1-1, and defeating Northern Illinois, 3-1. to setting a tone for the future of this team," Axley said. "It gives us an op- portunity to show that we're strong now and we'll continue to be strong later on in the league as well." However exciting and new the whole experience is, Belkin has been through it all before. Prior to her ap- pointment at Michigan, Belkin suc- cessfully started a Division I program at Fairfield University in Connecticut. An array of talented youth head the charge for Michigan. Sophomore sweeper Kim Phillips and junior goaltender Alicia Smith captain a cast of eight freshman recruits, four sopho- more transfer students and nine return- ingmembers from lastyear's club team. However, coach Belkin is not just counting on Smith and Phillips in order to repeat last weekend's success. She says she also needs strong individual performances from her freshmen. "I think Axley stepped her game up last weekend and (freshman defender) Carrie Povilaitis did a good job in the back field," Belkin said. "I hope they can perform as well this weekend." Senior captain Rick Willis will lead the Wolverines on their quest for a second straight CCHA title and a trip to the NCAA Final Four in Providence, R.l. Michigan opens its season with an exhibition against York University, Oct. 14. Hockey tickets on sale Monday in Union From Staff Reports Orders for the 1994-95 Michigan student season hockey tickets will be accepted Monday, Sept. 12 from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Michigan Union. Season tickets, which include 13 home games, one exhibition game and three CCHA first round playoff games, will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are 1,200 season tickets on sale at $75.00 with proof of student identification. Students may pay for their order with cash or check, but no credit cards with be accepted. The tickets will be distributed at the Athletic Ticket Office, October 14, 1994. The season ticket package does not include the Wolverines' Feb.14 game against Ferris State due to Michigan's student break. Students can order tickets for this game individually at the same time as ordering season tickets. Michigan opens its hockey schedule with an exhibition game against York University on Oct. 14, and then kicks off the home stand of the regular season in a weekend dual with Colorado College, Oct 21-22. November showcases the Wolverines when they play five games at Yost Ice Arena, facing conference foes Ohio State, Lake Superior State, Michigan State and Miami of Ohio. In the event that 1200 season tickets are not sold on Monday, students can purchase season packages at the Athletic Ticket Office from 8:00 a.m. until 5 p.m., until they are sold out. You've Picked Out New Classes. You've Picked Out New Books. Now Pick Out A New Opportunity! You have everything you need for another school year, andArbor Drugs has a great way to help you pay for it! 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