The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 18, 1995 - 23
'Blue waits for seeding
Michigan women prepare for Big Ten tourney
By Alan Goldenbach
Daily Sports Writer
Now the waiting game begins for the Michi-
gan women's tennis team.
The Wolverines will have to wait out an off-
weekend Saturday and Sunday to see what seed
hey will receive in the conference tournament
:o be held April 27-30 in Champaign.
It looks as if Michigan will be the No. 3
seed, behind an undefeated Indiana team and a
Northwestern squad that has lost only once.
The Hoosiers and Wildcats handed the Wol-
verines theironly conference defeats this sea-
son.
The only way Michigan can finish higher
than third is if Northwestern has a catastrophic
final weekend. The Wildcats have only one
conference loss and they need to drop two this
weekend to give the Wolverines a chance to
catch them in the conference race. Michigan is
not counting on that to happen.
Nevertheless, the Wolverines (8-2 Big Ten,
14-6 overall) closed out their regular season
schedule in style last weekend, with victories
over Illinois (7-5,11-7) and Purdue (5-3,12-7),
6-3 and 7-2, respectively.
"I thought we played really well and had
solid performances in all three doubles
matches," Michigan coach Bitsy Ritt said.
The Wolverines' No. 1 player, Sarah
Cyganiak, won twice last weekend, putting
capping a perfect Big Ten season. Cyganiak
won all 10 of her conference singles matches.
She also finished the season leading Michi-
gan in wins with 31, while suffering only 12
defeats.
"Sarah has played just great all season
long," Ritt said.
Cyganiak is also in contention to be se-
lected to compete in the National Individual
Championships.
Four players are selected from the Midwest
region and Cyganiak did nothing last weekend
to hurt her chances of being chosen.
The Wolverines also haven't shown any
decline in the caliber of their play since losing
their No. 3 singles player, Angie Popek, three
weeks ago to a season-ending knee injury.
The new No.3, Sora Moon, won both of her
matches in straight sets this weekend. She has
won five in a row and has lost only once since
moving up to the third spot.
Ritt is especially confident in the Wol-
verines' trio of doubles teams despite the
absence of Popek.
In fact, Popek's doubles partner, Liz
Cyganiak, has won five straight matches
with her new partner, Bojana Jankovic, at
No. 3 doubles.
This weekend the pair defeated the Illini
tandem of Jessica Klapper and Sara
Marshack, 6-4, 7-6, and Rachel Fiset and
Hally Cohen of Purdue, 6-4, 6-44.
"I'm really happy with the way Bojana
(Jankovic) and Liz Cyganiak have played the
last few weeks," Ritt said. "They have made
our doubles team a lot stronger."
Simone Lacher, paired with Jaimie Fielding at No. 2 doubles, won in straight sets against
Illinois and Purdue last weekend
27~ ~7i~j Sof tb alllookiigfor thrd
Sapionsp infour yearsZ
'M' track
captures
third in
Kentucky:
By Rebecca Moatz
Daily Sports Writer
The Wolverines' attempt to take
revenge on Indiana at last weekend's
men's track and field meet proved
to be unsuccessful.
Indiana outscored Michigan,
173-154, to claim second. The Wol-
verines had to settle for third, while
Kentucky placed fitt.
The Hoosiers beat Michigan in
the rivals' first meeting of the sea-
son - and Michigan was hoping to
prove that the encounter was simply
a fluke.
Themeet, held in Lexington, Ky.,
pitted the Wolverines against the
WildcatsIndiana and Southern Illi-
nois.
Kentucky, the host team, walked
away with honors, totaling 175
points. The Salukis followed Michi-
gan with 141.
Saturday's meet was the Wol-
verines' third consecutive on the
road this season.
The team's fatigue was evident
in its performance, with only three
Wolverines taking first-place titles.
Junior Trinity Townsend won the
400-meter dash (47.30), while two-
time 1995 indoor NCAA champion
Kevin Sullivan won the 800 rui
(1:49.20) and sophomore Neil
Gardner won the 400 and 110
hurdles (51.87, 14.33).
Senior Tyrone Wheatley, who
was preparing for the April 22 Na-
tional Football League draft, was
missing from the Michigan roster.
In his absence, Gardner won the 110
hurdles.
This absence, coupled with the
pressure of upcoming exams and a
tiresome road schedule, led to the
team's third-place finish.
But the meet was not a complete
disappointment for the team.
Several non-first-place finishes
provided the team with important
points.
This included second-place fin-
ishes by Scott Faculak and Ben
Ludka in the javelin and high jump
and a third- and fourth-place fin-
ishes by Dave Barnett and Don
McLaughlin (9:21.73, 9:46.22) in
the 3000 steeplechase that provided
the team with I1 points.
These finishes along with a sev-
enth-place showing by Brian
Tewaldi in the 400 race (49.29) and
a-five-six finish by Alex Langemann
and Brian Smith in the long jump
(6.18, 6.11).
Smith's fourth place in the 40h
hurdles (54.50) pushed the Wolver
ines into third place.
With the completion of examS:
before the team's next competition
the Wolverines should be able to
enter their next meet with clear heads
and few distractions.
Wheatley should return as well.
"Ilk
By Doug Stevens
Daily Softball Writer
This past weekend, the Michi-
gan softball team swept a four-game
set from Minnesota. The wins ex-
tended the No. 9 Wolverines' record
to 15-3 in the Big Ten and 33-7
overall.
With over half the Big Ten sea-
son completed, Michigan is cur-
rently atop the conference race. If
the Wolverines can hold on for the
title, they will grab their third regu-
lar season championship in the last
four years.
However, before it can capture
the Big Ten title, Michigan still has
to deal with second-place North-
western, intra-state rival Michigan
State and Ohio State.
"Northwestern is the next Big
Ten team we play," co-captain Kelly
Kovach said. "They are always a
good team. Every year they are in
the top three or four (in the Big
Ten). Michigan State always plays
its best against us."
A Big Ten Championship would
be a sweet way for Wolverine se-
niors Lesa Arvia, Michelle Silver
and Kovach to wrap up their colle-
giate careers. The trio has already
won two Big Ten titles and is focus-
ing on a third.
Winning the regular season pen-
nant race would enable the seniors
to play their final Big Ten games at
home. The winner of the Big Ten
regular season championship will
host the Big Ten Conference Tour-
DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
Michigan blocked out Wisconsin to win the Big Ten Championship.
a
i crosse ins Bi~g
Tens in overtime
Northwestern
is the next Big Ten
team we play. They
are always a good
team. Every year,
they are in the top
three or four (in
the Big Ten)."
- Kelly Kovach
Michigan softball player
nament May 12-13.
In terms of long-range hopes,
Michigan is shooting for a win in
the conference tournament which
would provide it with a good seed in
the NCAA Regional Tournament.
A win there would grant the Wol-
verines their ultimate goal - a first
ever appearance at the NCAA World
Series in Oklahoma City.
"Our goal for every year is to
win the Big Ten (regular season
title)," Kovach said.
"It is hard to think that far down
the road to Oklahoma. It would be
like a dream. I would say our main
goal right now is just to win (the Big
Ten)."
WE HAVE TO STUDY: The Wol-
verines will get their only weekend
off from this Saturday and Sunday
as they prepare for final exams.
Following Michigan's double-
header against Central Michigan to-
morrow at Alumni Field. The Wol-
verines will take a nine-day break
from competition.
The team will return to action
April 29-30 when it hosts North-
western in an important four-game
series.
ON A ROLL AGAIN: After winning
19 consecutive games, the Wolver-
ines began to struggle, dropping four
of six to Toledo and Iowa from April
6-9. However, Michigan has re-
cently found its winning ways.
It upended conference opponent
Penn State in a doubleheader by
scores of 10-2 and 14-0 April 12.
With the recent victories over the
Golden Gophers, the Wolverines are
riding a six-game winning streak
heading into its doubleheader with
the Chippewas.
CHASING THE RECORD BOOK: In
her complete game win over Min-
nesota last Saturday, Kovach
claimed her 66th career victory and
pitched her 707th inning.
Both achievements broke long-
standing school records held by
former Wolverine Vicki Morrow.
In addition to these two marks,
Kovach is also chasing Morrow's
career strikeout and shutout records.
Silver is quickly approaching Patti
Benedict's career record for hits
.(224) and Kari Kunnen's career
mark for runs scored (121).
By Chris Carr
Daily Sports Writer
Can you say "six-peat?"
The Michigan men's lacrosse team
can.
This weekend, the Wolverines
continued their dominance of the
Big Ten by capturing a sixth-con-
secutive conference title in
Champaign.
But the road to glory was rough as
Michigan came very close to being
dethroned.
With 27 seconds left in the final
against Wisconsin Sunday, the Wol-
verines trailed by a goal and the Big
Ten was less than half a minute away
from seeing a new champion.
This was the
most difficult time
we've ever had
' winning the
championship, but
it was also the
best. It took real
champions to win
this game"
- Bob DiGiovanni
Michigan lacrosse coach
As the Badgers were celebrating
on their sideline, Michigan midfielder
Lyle Shirley caught a pass from
my senior year by losing Big Tens."
The Wolverines didn't waste any
time at the start of the sudden-death
overtime. Michigan won the faceoff
and Tauber brought the ball from be-
hind the cage and took a shot while
being hit by several Wisconsin de-
fenders. Attackman Doug Henke
scooped up the rebound and netted
the game-winner to finish off the Bad-
gers.
"This was the most difficult time
we've ever had winning the champi-
onship, but it was also the best," Michi-
gan coach Bob DiGiovanni said. "It
took real champions to win this game."
Part of the reason why Wisconsin
gave the Wolverines so much trouble
was because the championship game
took place shortly after Michigan
squeaked by Illinois, 12-10, in the
semifinals.
"Wisconsin had an advantage be-
cause they unfairly played their semi-
final game Saturday," Kolakowski
said. "The score was so close in the
finals because we came out flat due to
fatigue."
After manhandling Western Illi-
nois, 23-0, Saturday, the Wolverines
overcame a three-goal deficit in the
final quarter to beat the Illini Sunday.
"I'd have to say that this was one
of the best comebacks in the history
of Michigan lacrosse," DiGiovanni
said.
The Wolverines ended the season
with an 6-0 record in Big Ten play and
a 12-5 mark overall.
"It was a great season,"
DiGiovanni said. "We lost three one-
SOFTBALL
Continued from page 21
in the bottom of the seventh which
scored the game-tying RBI.
Arvia has been able to lend a hand
to her teammates from the bench.
"It was her attitude that was going
to decide how we were going to react
to it," Kovach said of her co-captain.
"Her positive attitude has really helped
us deal with it and we really appreci-
ate that."
"She leads by example,"
thirdbaseman Tracy Carr said. "We're
recovering pretty good and we're all
sticking together."
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