88 - The Michigan Daily -- SPORTSMonday - September 29, 1997
0
Spikers claim Iowa,
Minnesota as first
weekend victims
So far, so good for
men's golf team
By T.JBerka
Daily Sports Writer
It is often said that the ultimate judge
of a task is not how it is started, but how
it is finished.
While things are almost always
judged on the basis of the final product,
the Michigan women's volleyball team
could argue that a good start makes
everything after that a lot easier.
The Wolverines (2-0 Big Ten, 9-4
overall) started their Big Ten season this
weekend by going on the road and
sweeping Minnesota and Iowa.
The Wolverines got their fourth-ever
conference opening victory against the
Gophers (0-1, 10-2) on Friday, winning
a hard-fought five-game match, 6-15,
15-11, 16-18, 15-11, 15-12. Michigan
also toughed out a five-game victory
over the Hawkeyes (0-2, 7-6) Saturday,
prevailing, 15-6, 15-9, 14-16, 8-15, 15-
10.
The 2-0 record is the best start under
coach Greg Giovanazzi and offers a
change of pace from past beginnings, as
,Michigan owned a 3-12 record in con-
ference openers before this weekend.
"We are feeling pretty good about
ourselves" Giovanazzi said. "We are a
veteran team who has really come
'together the past couple of weeks.'
Michigan can attribute much of its
success this weekend to the play of
junior outside hitter Jane Stevens.
-Stevens led the way against Iowa with a
match-high 23 kills and a .296 hitting
percentage. She also added a then-
career high 15 kills against Minnesota,
second on the team behind freshman
Sarah Behnke's 16.
"Jane has done a really good job at all
aspect of the game this season except
for attacking, until the matches this
weekend," Giovanazzi said.
Behnke and Stevens weren't the only
Wolverines who excelled against the
Gophers, as two other Wolverines
recorded double-digit kills. Senior mid-
dle blocker Sarah Jackson and sopho-
more outside hitter Anna Poglits record-
ed 13 and 11 kills, respectively.
Poglits "was on fire for us and in her
limited court time she hit .390 with 11
kills." Giovanazzi said. "She took
advantage of the Minnesota defense
camping on our middle blockers."
Jackson, a native of Alexandria,
Minn., had a successful homecoming,
adding eight block assists and nine
blocks to go with her kills. The
Minnesota match also saw senior setter
Linnea Mendoza become the first
Wolverine to surpass 4,000 assists.
Michigan needed every one of those
assists Friday, as the Gophers came out
of the gates swinging, blitzing the
Wolverines, 15-6. Sonja Posthume
paced Minnesota, leading all players
with 26 kills on the evening.
"We made a couple of strategic
changes after the first game,"
By Kevin Rosenfield
For the Daily
In a solid effort that appeared to
answer many of the questions facing
the inexperienced Wolverines, the
Michigan men's golf team finished
sixth overall this weekend at the 18-
team Northern Intercollegiate in East
Lansing. Led by top finishers Kevin
Vernick (72-72-73) and Mike Harris
(73-71-74), Michigan placed second
behind Minnesota among the nine Big
Ten finishers and 20 strokes behind the
tournament champion, Kent State.
Michigan coach Jim Carras was pleas-
antly surprised with his team's perfor-
mance..
"I'm delighted that we're among the
top teams in the Big Ten," Carras said.
"I really didn't know what to expect,
but this puts us in good position (in dis-
trict play). We've got a few uncertain-
ties in our lineup and significant room
for improvement, but we're headed in
the right direction."
Vernick continued his solid play, fol-
lowing up his 15th-place performance
of two weeks ago in the competitive
ReliaStar Collegiate Invitational with a
seventh-place finish in East Lansing
(72-72-73). Harris finished tied for
I l th place at 220 (75-71-74) while
Keith Hinton tied for 15th in the 54-
hole tournament at 221 (72-73-76).
"I thought I played three solid and
consistent rounds of golf," said Vernick,
who made nine straight pars to open
Sunday's front nine. "My putter was
working for me and I really kept myself
within my game (by not going fore
much)."
"I couldn't be more pleased with
him," Carras said of Vernick. "He's
worked so hard and come along so
much as a first-year player."
Despite the team's high finish,
Carras indicated the five-member
squad is still not settled. While Vernick,
Harris and Hinton are locks, the
remaining two spots are still up for
grabs. Scott Hayes, Kevin Hinton, a
Kevin Harris have all played in the t
positions this season. Hayes posted a
235 (75-80-80) this weekend, while
Hinton finished at 236 (78-81-77).
"The fourth and fifth men haven't
been getting it done," Carras said. "It's
hopefully due to a lack of experience,
but I may make a few changes. I hope
to have my lineup settled by Tuesday."
The Wolverines continue their fall
season on October 13-14 in Mempl*
Tenn., amid newfound optimism.
"We're still trying to figure out what
we can do," Vernick said. "But we
showed some good things this weekend
and proved that we can play with. any-
one."
fuses---"-'---------
FLE PHOTO
Sara Jackson and Jeanine Sczcesniak led the Wolverines to wins in each of their
first two Big Ten matches this weekend.
Giovanazzi said. "We switched Jane
(Stevens) and Sarah (Behnke), putting
Jane closer to the center because she
was hitting better this weekend."
The Wolverines regained their com-
posure, taking the next set. After losing
a hard-fought third game, Michigan
pulled out the match with victories in
the final two games.
Michigan took a different approach
in the Iowa match, bolting out to a two-
game lead. The Hawkeyes, paced by
Julie Williams' 21 kills and Jennifer
Bell's 17 kills, outfought the Wolverines
in the third game and smacked
Michigan in the fourth game to knot the
match.
Michigan had five players record
double-digit kills against Iowa. After
Stevens, Behnke recorded 15 kills.
Jackson also compiled 14 kills and
juniors Linsey Ebert and Jeanine
Szczesniak helped out the Michigan
cause with 13 and 10 kills, respectively.
The Wolverines, in a welcome
change from previous years, start their
home Big Ten schedule in first place.
Northwestern, who also beat the
Hawkeyes this weekend, comes calling
on Wednesday.
Vitale stops at Union
I
Congregation
Seed of Abraham Zera Avraham
_____- Mesa eshCaa,
I
"Belleving that
Yeshua (Jesus)
is The
Promised Messiah"
Services
Sabbath - Saturdays at 10 am
Rosh Hashama-Wed.10/1,7:30pm
Thurs.10/2, 10am
Yom Kippur- Fri. 10/10,7:30 pm
Sat.10/1 1,10 am
Meeting at University Reformed Church
1001 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor
Dr. Mark Kinzer, Congregational Leader
For more information contact:
Congregation Zera Avraham
PO Box 2025, Ann Arbor, M1 48106 313-663-3573
A
By Chris Duprey
For the Daily
Dick Vitale, one of college basket-+
ball's most recognizable voices, made a
guest appearance at the Michigan
Union on Friday afternoon to sign auto-
graphs and talk basketball with all com-
ers.
Vitale has earned a solid reputation
for his enthusiastic broadcasts of col-
lege games on both ESPN and ABC.
He stopped for an hour to promote
excitement for the upcoming basketball
season as well as to sign copies of his
most recent book, "Holding Court:
Reflections on the Game I Love?' The
book was published in 1995, co-
authored by Vitale and Dick Weiss.
Vitale and Weiss also teamed up in
1991 to write "Time Out, Baby!"
"Ann Arbor's a great town. I'm glad I
was able to stop by today to answer
some questions and sign some auto-
graphs," Vitale said. "It was a thrill."
"Holding Court" takes college bas-
ketball issue by issue, with Vitale's
enthusiastic tint narrating each one. Thd
well-known commentator gives his
opinion on players leaving school early
for the NBA and the agents and busi-
ness aspects of college basketball,
among other topics.
Vitale eagerly gave his thoughts on
the investigation-plagued Wolverine,
men's basketball squad.
"It's so sad to see such a great school
damaged by something that is out of
their control,"Vitale said. "Steve Fisher
is a man of integrity, and I know he
would never intentionally cheat."
Vitale also said that, despite a lack of
depth, the Wolverines will enjoy greater
success in '97-'98.
"Robbie Reid is a great competitor.
He's a winner who can play, a great
team player also," Vitale said. "He'll
real well in replacing (departed guard
Brandun) Hughes:'
Salomon
Brothers
4
cordially invites
University of Michigan
Seniors
to discuss
4
W
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN INVESTMENT BANKING
Tuesday, September 30th, 1997
4:30 P.M.
Business School
Paton Accounting Center, Room 1018
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