12- The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 10, 1996
SPORTS
Bruin coach pleased
despite tough defeat
LOS ANGELES (AP)-- Bob Toledo
wants to get one thing straight - as
pleased as he was with many aspects of
UCLA's performance in his first game
as head coach of the Bruins, a loss is
still a loss.
Playing before a crowd of 106,297
at Neyland Stadium on Saturday night,
the Bruins opened the Toledo Era by
losing a 35-20 decision to No. 2
Tennessee.
The game was televised nationally,
and Terry Donahue, UCLA's head
coach for the last 20 years, provided
the color commentary on CBS-TV.
"We're not satisfied with losing,
there are no moral victories," Toledo
said yesterday. "On the other hand, I
want to say I'm extremely pleased with
the effort and enthusiasm our team
showed the other night.
"The lights came on and (the UCLA
players) played. They laid it on the line
for us and that's all you can ask. I'm
proud of them. I don't want them to
accept losing, but I'm proud of them."
The Bruins, who started just five
seniors, all on defense, totaled 310
yards in offense to 357 for Tennessee.
UCLA trailed, 14-10, with three min-
utes left in the first half, and 28-20
with 10 minutes left in the game.
"1 had an expectation (the Bruins)
would play hard, they've done every-
thing we've asked of them since I got
the job," Toledo said. -
"We played against a super football
team. You'll see as the season goes
how good they are. I felt like the game
was over, we had a chance to win.
(Tennessee) made the plays and they
won it.
"We've got a lot to learn. I think
you'll see our team will improve and
get better as we go. I feel good coming
away from that game."
Next on the docket is UCLA's home
opener, against Northeast Louisiana at
the Rose Bowl on Saturday night.
Then comes a week off before the
Bruins play at No. I1 Michigan, where
another crowd of over 100,000 is like-
ly.
After that, starting on Oct. 5, UCLA
plays eight Pac-10 games in as many
weeks.
If ever the time is ripe for a letdown
by the Bruins, it's now. But Toledo said
he's not going to let that happen.
"That's not part of our deal," Toledo
said. "We're not looking at anyone else.
You all know, sometimes the best team
doesn't win. I'll be very disappointed if
we don't play hard. Kids need to know
you can't just show up and play."
UCLA quarterback Cade McNown,
who completed 16 of 24 passes for 230
yards and one touchdown against
Tennessee, called the upcoming game
really important.
"This could be our first win, that's
why it's important," McNown said.
"Lets' put it this way, (Northeast
Louisiana) is the best team we're going
to play this week. It's been proven,
anybody can beat anybody on a given
day."
McNown said he thought the Bruins
"showed signs of brilliance" at some
points against Tennessee.
"It wasn't as consistent as it needed
to be," he said. "We're going to iron
some things out this week.
"I know we're a good team. A lot of
people have been writing that we're not
going to finish too high in the Pac-10.
The Pac-10 is up for grabs. We want to
start building some momentum."
Blue women's rugby
splits weekend games
By Kevin Kasiborski - Michigan led, 7-5, at the half on a
Daily Sports Witer try by Phillips and conversion by
There was wind, there were clouds Campbell, and held on to that lead
and there was rain. But none of that for most of the second half. But
could take the shine off the perfor- Chicago scored in the closing min-
mance by the Michigan women's utes to take the lead, and held on
rugby team Saturday. the victory.
The Wolverines routed Michigan Despite the loss, Melnycowycz
State, 38-7, in their season opener at was pleased with the way her team
Mitchell Field. played.
"We have only had two practices," "In the past, they used to beat us
Michigan coach Erica Melnycowycz 70-0," she said. "Before this game
said. "But the play was excellent. we had only scored against them
There was excellent support in the once, and Saturday we were leading
back and lot of good work done by until the last two minutes. Their play
the forwards." has gone down a little, but our play
Katie Page, Lorien Wegner and has definitely become more intens
Y
3
t
z
1
5
Y
Y
,
i
Amy Copeland
each had a try
(five points) in
the first half,
and Flannery
Campbell
kicked two con-
versions (two
points), staking
the Wolverines
to a 19-7 half-
time lead.
"The condi-
tions were really
wet and muddy,"
Page said. "But
we looked really
With th
s u cc e ss fu l
Im e lopening week-
end ' behind
encouraged about then,the
the are now
eseasonpreparing for
because of the a road trip to
the Univerity
way we dominated of Winds
next Saturda.
this game. "Windsor is
a new team, s
- Katie Page they are pretty
Michigan rugby player weak," Page
said. "Last
UCLA quarterback Cade McNown's valiant effort fell short against Tennessee on
Saturday, much to coach Bob Toledo's dismay.
good. I'm really encouraged about
the season because of the way we
dominated this game."
After the break the Wolverines con-
tinued to roll, adding 19 more points
while shutting out the Spartans.
Brandi Outwin, Anu Shivargiu and
Campbell had tries, and Angie Phillips
added two conversions.
"We played better in this opener
than we ever have in the past,"
Wenger said. "We have a good
chance to do well in the Midwest
Qualifier and go on to nationals."
Later on Saturday, the Wolverines
dropped a heartbreaker to Chicago
- traditionally a very strong team
- by a score of 10-7.
year we really pasted them. I don't
remember the score, but it was a lot
to nothing. We shouldn't have 'any
problem with them."
Michigan's real focus this season
is to place in the top two at 0
Midwest Qualifier in Madison, start
ing Oct. 19, which would earn them
an invitational to nationals.
"Last year they started taking two
teams to nationals from the Midwest,
which Penn State has always domi-
nated," Page said. "They are kind of
our nemesis, really tough to beat.
Now we don't have to beat Penn
State to advance, we just have to
second. I think it is very possi
that we will go to nationals."
Wildcats dismayed after victorious expectations fail to materialize
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - As Gary
Barnett took his seat yesterday, the
"Expect Victory" slogan he brought
with him to campus was prominently
displayed in a picture that hung over his
left shoulder.
Never did Barnett or his team expect
victory more than in their 1996 season
opener. And never, perhaps, have they
been more disappointed, especially after
coming off a Big Ten title and a trip to
the Rose Bowl.
The dismay and disbelief still lingered
yesterday, less than 48 hours after a
shocking one-point loss at Wake Forest.
The Wildcats find themselves booted
out of the polls and trying to figure how
they could lose to a team that looked
hauntingly familiar to the one
Northwestern used to be. Wake Forest
won only one game last season.
"Our defense didn't respect Wake
before the game," Barnett said yesterday.
"We played totally unlike the defense
that took the field a year ago. ... It's a
tough lesson. Nobody is more disap-
pointed in us than we are."
Northwestern hopes to shake off the
28-27 loss that came when the Deacons
connected on a last-second touchdown
pass and go back to North Carolina's
Tobacco Road this Saturday to play
Duke.
"Our leadership has to take over and
make a move," Barnett said. "We're all
to blame. I'm taking responsibility, too.
So are our coaches."
Last season after beating Notre
Dame, Northwestern suffered one of its
most agonizing defeats ever, a last-sec-
ond loss at home to Miami (Ohio). The
Wildcats responded and won their next
nine games before losing in the Rose
Bowl to Southern California.
Can they do it again?
"No doubt this one hurt more than the
Miami game," linebacker Pat Fitzgerald
said.
"Internally we had high expectations,
and to go out and play the defense we
did is really disappointing. It's a sick
feeling to let down your teammates.
"One game doesn't make a season.
We know that. It didn't last year and
we're not going to let it this year."
The Wildcats played without sus-
pended defensive back Hudhaifa
Ismaeli, who is expected back Saturday,
and could not protect a 24-13 fourth-
quarter lead.
And the Wildcats had four turnovers
after committing 13 all last season.
"We've got to let this one go," said
running back Darnell Autry, who gained
173 yards, his 14th straight 100-plus
game. "We can't keep harping, 'Oh
man, how horrible this is.' We've got to
let it go."
'M' women's rugby schedule
Date
Opponent
Sept. 14
University of Windsor-College
Location
Away
Away
Sept. 21
Kalamazoo-Club
Kalamazoo-College
Northshore-Club
Home
Away
Home
40
Sept. 28
Oct. 5
Oct. 6
Columbus-College and Club
CMU-College and Club
Lansing select tryouts
Midwest Qualifiers
Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
Away
Away
Madison, Wise.
BOOK s
AN D
Oct. 19-21
Oct. 26
Nome
;
PERRY
ELLIS
W E L C 0 M E
EASTERN
Continued from Page 11
atively successful campaign last season,
they are not resting on their laurels this
season.
"We are not taking anything for
granted," Belkin said. "Anything can
happen."
The Wolverines will look to junio
Debbie Flaherty to provide some spark
in the game. Michigan's forwards
should also put in their two offensive
cents' worth, with Belkin looking to
sparkplug is freshman Amber
Berendowsky as a potential sparkplug.
Berendowsky scored her first collegiate
goal Saturday against Wright State.
Do you want the inside
scoop on Colorado?
Do you want the low-down
on Boston College?
Do you want the dirt on the
rest of the Big Ten teams?
For a complete preview of
the Michigan football team's
run for the roses,
et UEM's Legendary
1993 Bsebwl MVP
READ
Kickoff '96"
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