6B - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - September 23, 1996 Blue women's soccer ties a pair By Jacob Wholer Daily Sports Writer This weekend, the Michigan women's soccer team battled to a couple of excit- ing 2-2 ties against top-ranked teams California and Kentucky. But the Wolverines were not terribly pleased with either result. "I'm disappointed," coach Debbie Belkin said. "We played hard, but we had our opportunities to win." Friday, California kept coming back and the Wolverines were unable to slam the door in the seesaw affair. Michigan came out strong in the ,beginning. "We knew they were going to hit hard, so we had to hit hard in return,' junior -Ruth Poulin said. . Freshman Mari Hoff scored to open the game, but the Golden Bears answered by halftime. Another fresh- man, Marie Spaccarotella, put Michigan ahead in the second half, but California came back again to send the game into overtime. With 30 seconds left in the second 15- minute overtime, Poulin scored a contro- versial goal that was taken away. "There were about five people in the (penalty) box all going for the ball when it hit the hands of a California player. For some reason the sideline referee called the handball on us," Poulin said. Many players in the box were signal- ing for the handball before the goal was scored. The question was which team committed the penalty "We watched the tape later and it con- firmed that it should have been a goal;' said Belkin. The goal would have given the Wolverines a huge upset victory over the ranked California squad. There was little time to rest, or feel discouraged, however, in preparing for yesterday's game against No. 16 Kentucky. Once again, the Wolverines almost won in the game's closing seconds, but once again they had to settle for a tie. With under 10 seconds left in the sec- ond overtime, freshman Emily Schmitt took a long shot that hit the crossbar, leaving Michigan with another tie. Down 2-0 at halftime in yesterday's game, the Wolverines showed what a difference a half can make. "We were playing pretty nervous in the first half," Belkin said. "We were treating the ball like a hot potato." But with the wind on its side in the second half, Michigan evened the score behind tallies from Mari Hoff and Amber Berendowsky. But once again, Michigan could not put the game away. Belkin pointed to fatigue as a factor in yesterday's game. "This was only the second overtime game of the season for us,"Belkin said. "All in the course of three days, so we were tired.' FOR YOUR EYE EXAMS & EYEGLASSES Giorgio Aman* STUDENT DISCOUNTS jeft ard so a optical 320 S. State St. (located in the lower level of Decker Drugs) Hours: M, T, TH, F 9 am-6 pm Wed & Sat 9 am-i pm Sophomore defender Vanessa Lewis and the Michigan women's soccer team were unable to hold a lead against California on Friday, settling for a 2-2 tie. On Sunday, the unranked Wolverines came back from a two-goal deficit to tie No. 16 Kentucky. Attacker Flachs' hat trick powers 'M' field hockey over Ball State L J OUTFITTERS 333 S. MAIN - ANN ARBOR, MI 48104 STORMING THE TOWER with Todd Skinner We invite you to experience Todd Skinner's breathtaking slide presentation of the first ascent of the East Face of Nameless Tower in the Himalayas. This climb was featured in the April '96 issue of National Geographic. Date: September 23, 1996 Hosted by: Wilderness Outfitters Time: 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7:00 PM) Place: Iussey Room at the Michigan y. League Sponsors: Sierra Designs and Thinsulate' Lite Loft" Insulation ' (313) 761-8515 800-778-3636 By Devon Phelan For the Daily The failure by some fans to sing "The Victors" characterized the initial feelings at Michigan's field hockey game against Ball State on Saturday. Not until the last minutes of the game did spirits start to rise and cheers start to be heard. The Wolverines managed to pull the game off, winning 3-2, but it was a little too close for comfort for Michigan's home fans. Ball State led, 2-0, in the middle of the second half before the Wolverines mounted a comeback. The Cardinals' first goal came with 7:25 left in the first half, and the next arrived early in the sec- ond half. Michigan was not playing up to coach Marcia Pankratz's standards, and the large parents' weekend crowd was noticeably silent. Pankratz, visibly discouraged, said it wasn't the score that was bothering her. "I think more so than the score was the way we were playing," Pankratz said. "I wasn't very happy with the way we were playing in the first half and the start of the second?' The players, however, would not let the deficit discourage them. "Our team is great, we weren't even down when they scored the first goal," junior attacker Julie Flachs said. "That's what keeps us together." It was Flachs who started the ball rolling, scoring the Wolverines' first goal of the day. After the tally, the team became more aggressive. "It picked up a little after the first goal" Pankratz said, "but then we still weren't quite there." Some changes were made and then the playing improved. "(The players) stepped up hard and played very aggressive, but they need to do it all game;' she said. Flachs said a domino effect hit the team. "When one person gets fired up, then they all get fired up," Flachs said. "We hate losing on home turf." With only five minutes left on the clock, the mood became increasingly fervent, and the players were more visi- bly passionate. Then Flachs scored a second time, tying the score with two minutes left. No one broke the stalemate during regulation time, forcing overtime. Michigan didn't win the game until only 2:35 remained in the extra session. And it was Flachs working her magic again, netting the hat trick and a Michigan victory. Flachs' initial shot didn't make it into the net, hitting a Cardinal player on the foot. "She was down (and) ... hurt," Flachs said, "so I got another chance to make sure it went in?' After the score,- the overjoyed Wolverines rushed the fieki, smothering Flachs and celebrating Michigan' win. Although the Wolverines did pull off an impressive comeback, Pankratz believes her charges need to play all 70 minutes of each game the way they played the last 10 of the win. "A win like this really shows that if we stick with the game plan ... and have that killer instinct, at the end good things will happen," she said. With the non-conference part of the schedule past them, the Wolverines now focus their attention on the Big Ten. Michigan begins its conference cam- paign Oct. 27, hosting Ohio State.- U ' INTRAMURAL SPORTS PRO GRAM stulff L.Roerblade. RUNNING adidasRUNNING Frosh make debut for men s tennis, By Andy Latack For the Daily The Michigan men's tennis team expects its promising recruiting class to contribute this year. Last weekend, the freshmen took a big step toward proving they can do just that. John Long, Brad McFarlane and Matt Wright each turned in a solid pe formance at the Tom Fallon Invitation in South Bend, Ind. Their success helped answer some important ques- tions about the upcoming season as the Wolverines attempt to defend their Big Ten title. "The freshmen will be a crucial part of this team;' said assistant coach Dan Goldberg, who accompanied the play- ers to South Bend. "They will be asked to carry their weight, and I fully expect them to do so.". All three Wolverines cruised to easy first round victories. McFarlane, after struggling early, di- patched of Baylor's Previn Waas 4-6, 6- 3, 6-0. Wright defeated Dave Abelson, Miami of Ohio's top player, in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Long dropped the first set to Greg Anderson of Butler University before winning handily, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. The second round would prove to more difficult for the Wolverine . McFarlane's opponent, senior Rya Simmie of Notre Dame, was the set- ond-seeded player in the tournamev and the Irish's No. 2 player last yea McFarlane played well and test Simmie in the second set before lostn Wright also found himself up apaisS a formidable Irish opponent in his s ond match. Brian Patterson, the No. 4 player on last year's team, was ranked the top five in the nation coming out or high school. In what Goldberg called "the best match in the tournament," Wright and Patterson battled to a split after two sets. Wright jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the third set, but could not pull out a victo- ry, falling 6-3,6-7,6-4. Wright said he is anxious for another shot at the Notre Dame sophomore. - "I'd like to play him again Wrig4 said, "because I think I could have and should have won. I had my chances, but I couldn't close out the match.? Long had less difficulty advancing to Saturday's third round, posting a 7-5, 6- 2 victory over Western Michigan's Kyle Gernhofer. Long was one game away from the semifinals of the tournament before succumbing to Nebraska's Todd Nicholl 4-6, 6-3, 7-6. The invitational also gave Wright ang McFarlane a chance to play doubles together, which Goldberg said is likely during the upcoming season. In the first match, the tandem destroyed the Iowa duo of Ulf Jentler and Ryan Johnstone, 8-0. They again had trouble advancing to the third round, though, and lost 9-7 to Colorado's Martel Bufford and Dony Papadia. "They have the potential to develop iito an outstanding doubles team* Goldberg said. "Their styles and per- sonalities match very well." The Wolverines' impressive showing in the invitational was not due to subpar competition. The tournament was orga- nized into four flights of A, B, C, and D, and McFarlane and Wrioht naved in the UPCOMING ACTIVITIES ICE HOCKEY TRACK & FIELD MEET SOFTBALL TENNIS Entries Taken: Weds 10/23 11am - 4:30pm IMSB (Main+ Entry Fee: $130.00 per team Manager's Meeting (Mandatory): Thurs 10/24 6pm IMi Play Begins: Sunday 10/27 at Yost Ice Arena (state street) Ofc SB r CL ERTS T Entries Taken: until Tues 10/1 4:30pm IMSB (Main Office) Entry Fee: $5 for individuals/$25 for teams Manager's Meeting (Mandatory): Tues 10/1 6pm IMSB Meet Date/Time/Location: Thurs 10/3 4:45pm UM Track Entries Taken: until Weds 10/2 4:30pm IMSB (Main Ofc) Entry Fee: $45.00 per team Manager's Meeting (Mandatory): Weds 10/2 6pm IMSB Play Begins: Friday 10/4 at Mitchell Field (Fuller Road) Entries Taken: until Thurs 10/3 4:30pm IMSB"(MainOf c) Entry Fee: $5 for Singles/$9 for Doubles Tournament Format: Double Elimination (depending on # of teams) Tournament Dates: Sat & Sun 10/5 & 10/6 (Palmer Courts @ CCRB) al 2SPORiTS SOCCER £ "-LAMP POST PLAZA 414 E. STADIUM 973-9960 IUNNIN rr IN BIVOUAC 761-7615 Ai 123 E. LIBERTY (AT 4TH AVE.) 769-5016 great scores... .aw chool Business School Graduate School Medical School The deadline for TEAM TENNIS entries is Thursday 10/10 while GOLF (Two Person Team Scramble) entries are due la4A ftolt I .n ~ ith