The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 23, 1997 -1
Spartans last hurdle for 'M' soccer
5A
By Andy Latack
and Jacob R. Wheeler
Daily Sports Writers
Only one puzzle piece remains unplaced in the
Michigan soccer team's phenomenal regular sea-
son.
The Wolverines (6-1-1 Big Ten, 14-2-1 over-
fhave-ne Big Ten match remaining. With a
victory over cross-state rival Michigan State (3-
4, 6-7-1) on Sunday at the Michigan Soccer
Field Michigan will clinch sole possession of
second place in the conference.
Not only is that an impressive feat for a fourth-
year program - a second-place finish will be a
big deal come conference tournament time. A
victory Sunday guarantees the Wolverines a No.
2 seed 21. the Big Ten tournament, two weeks
from now in Minneapolis.
s the No. 2 seed, Michigan would face the
No. 7 seed in the opening round. Fittingly, the
Spartans currently sit in seventh place in the con-
ference. The Wolverines will be battling their
rivals for the right to meet them again 12 days
later, in Minneapolis.
"Obviously, we want the second seed, because
we'd rather play the seventh seed than the sixth,"
Michigan coach Debbie Belkin said, referring to
Michigan's opponent if it were to lose Sunday.
More important with a No. 2 seed, Michigan
wouldn't face conference champion Minnesota
until the championship game, assuming the
Wolverines advance that far.
Beating the Golden Gophers has been the for-
bidden fruit all season for Big Ten opponents.
Minnesota 9-0 in conference play - won the
BigTen outright, after a pair of 4-3, overtime vic-
tories over the Wolverines and Nittany Lions.
Minnesota has also enjoyed a season-long
home field advantage in big games. In addition
to hosting the Big Ten tournament Nov. 7-9, the
Gophers were the home team in their narrow vic-
tories over both Michigan and Penn State - the
second- and third- best teams in the conference.
Those two games eventually determined the reg-
ular season conference champion.
Since then, Penn State's loss to Ohio State, on
Oct. 10, enabled Michigan to jump ahead in the
race for second place.
The ramifications of that match could be huge
for the Wolverines, but only if they dispose of the
underdog Spartans.
Michigan State, which finished winless in the
conference last year and 3-17 overall, has clearly
improved this season. The Spartans have beaten
Big Ten opponents Northwestern, Iowa and
Illinois in their attempt to solidify a reservation
in Minneapolis.
Michigan is coming off yesterday's 6-0 victo-
ry over Detroit. The Wolverines hope their suc-
cess against in-state teams continues into the
weekend.
On the cusp of a three-game winning streak,
Michigan State plays Friday at Toledo, a team the
Wolverines handily defeated a week ago. Like
Michigan, the Spartans have also beaten non-
conference foes Eastern Michigan and Detroit.
The Big Ten tournament picture will look crystal
clear after the Wolverines conclude their confer-
ence schedule.
KEVIN KRUPITZER/Daily
Forward Jessica Umauro and the Michigan women's soccer team hope to leave conference nemesis
Michigan State crying in the dirt Sunday at the Michigan Soccer Field.
Volleyball gets first look on TV
By Tracy Sandler
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan volleyball team will be
traveling to Purdue and Ohio State for a
couple of interesting experiences this
weekend, after of which has anything to
do with the teams that they are playing.
The Wolverines (6-2 Big Ten, 13-6
overall) will play the Buckeyes (4-4,
13-7) Sunday, a game that will be tele-
vised live on Fox Sports Chicago.
Michigan made its first television
appearance last season against Ohio
State, but things are a little different this
year.
Last season, the audience saw a
match that contained three eight-minute
games, as opposed to the normal format
up to 15 points. Then, the teams played
two "normal" games. The only differ-
ences the Wolverines will see Sunday
are a mandatory timeout at eight points,
accompanied by longer timeouts alto-
gether.
"They've had this television package
going for three years now, and we're
the team that's been on the fewest num-
ber of times," Michigan coach Greg
Giovanazzi said. "By some, that might
be seen as a disadvantage. It's not a dis-
advantage. We just wonder why. If any-
thing, it's a recruiting disadvantage."
At the moment, the Wolverines are
not ranked in the (USA Today) AVCA
Top 25 poll, but they would be 26th
according to the number of votes. This
weekend gives Michigan a chance to
prove that it's worthy of a ranking.
"We're 26th only if you read between
the lines,' Giovanazzi said. "I would
imagine if we have a good weekend
this weekend, we'd break in.'
One player that will try to help the
Wolverines break into the top 25 is
junior outside hitter Jeanine
Szczesniak. Over the past four match-
es, she has a .396 attack percentage and
45 kills.
"Jeanine is now playing at the level I
believe she should be playing at,"
Giovanazzi said. "I think she started
very slow for someone who is as much
of a veteran and as solid as she is. Until
she went on this four-game tear, she
was hitting below .200, an there's no
way she should be hitting below .200.
"She's also one of our better passers,
and she wasn't passing the ball well. I
didn't really know what was going on,
and it seems like now she's just steady-
ing out."
Getting into the matches themselves,
the Wolverines have historically strug-
gled against the Boilermakers (0-8, 7-
12). Michigan trails in the series, 8-26,
According to Giovanazzi, Purdue's
gym is different than any of the others
in the Big Ten. It is reminiscent of Cliff
Keen in size, but the old gold-colored
floor makes it hard to pick up the ball,
because almost everything in the gym
is the same color.
"That was the same complaint teans
had when our floor was yellow, :so
we're painting the floor yellow again,"
Giovanazzi said.
Even though Purdue's record doek
not make it seem daunting, looks can
be deceiving.
"They're a team that's 0-8, so you'd
assume that a team that's third inf th'
conference would go in and beat up on
them, but I don't think that's the case,"
Giovanazzi said.
"We saw them play. They were at
North Carolina and Duke when we
were, and they're a big, strong tean
that's very young. They make errors,
and that's why they haven't won."'-,
In terms of Ohio State, the Buckey
will not exactly be a cakewalk either
"Ohio State is down, but they're
down to being 28th in the count,
Giovanazzi said. "They've been a f
four team in this decade."
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Jeanine Szczesniak is ready to hit television for this weekend's battle against Ohio State. The matches will be televised live
on Fox Sports Chicago. The Wolverines will also challenge Purdue in another Big Ten matchup.
4' tankers ready to battle State
By David DenHerder
For the Daily
As thdtailgaters start rolling into East
Lansing n Saturday morning to party
and cheer on their football team, the
Michigan women's swimming and div-
i eam will be hard at work.
TfehWolverines open their season this
weekend at Michigan State, and will
take onthe Spartans at McAfree Pool
three hours before their football counter-
parts do the same at Spartan Stadium.
Michigan has won 1 I straight against
their in-state rivals, including a 150-101
victory-last year en route to an 11th
straight Big Ten title.
Despite Michigan's dominance in
y rs past, Saturday's meet promises to
a vcas ome interesting races.
"W bught to match up fairly well
with=MI Nigan State," head coach Jim
Richardson said.
One particular matchup to watch will
be the- 100-yard backstroke, in which
Michigan senior Linda Riker will go up
against-defending Big Ten champion
Jani Arthambault (55.93). "That should
Schedule
Today
Women's tennis at All-American Champs, Pacific
Paisades, CalrfL all day.
Friday
klidockey vs. Penn State, Ocker Field, 3 p.m.
leyba at Purdue, West Lafayette, 8:33 p.m.
Men's crosscountry at Eastern Michigan Invitational,
Yptant,A pim
Women's cross country at Eastern Michigan Classic.
~Ypstanti. 6 pi.
Saturday
Po*.ialat Michigan State, Spartan Stadium
(ESPN) 12:30 pirn.
sf ng and gaMichg State, East
Ice hockey'vs. Mchigan State, Yost Ice Arena, 7 p.m.
W te nnis at AlAmercan Champs, Pacific
Pkae, Clif_ all day.
Sunday
Fied hocimy vs. Ohio State noon.
Sp;W.vs. Michian State. 2 pin:
be a good race," Richardson said.
Michigan backstroker Jen Crisman is
also expected to be a threat in the
Wolverine lineup, but is currently recov-
ering from mononucleosis.
The breast-stroke events should also
be interesting depending on the condi-
tion of senior Rachel Gustin, who is
recovering from arthroscopic shoulder
surgery.
"Her rehabilitation from the shoulder
surgery is not 100 percent," Richardson
said.
"She has days when she is very good,
and then she has days when the pain
doesn't allow her to do much of any-
thing."
Michigan may be able to get away
with an injured Gustin on Saturday, but.
her health will be a huge factor later in
the season.
The Wolverines look very strong in
the freestyle events, as well as the indi-
vidual medley and the butterfly, where
freshman Kasey Harris will be a key to
Michigan's depth.
Whereas the Wolverines graduated a
"We ought to
match up fairly
well with
Michigan State.
- Jim Richardson
Michigan women's swimming and
diving coach
very talented class last year, Michigan
State returns 19 letterwinners from last
season's 5-3 Big Ten team, and hopes the
experience will equate to success.
Michigan State's tankers have only
beaten Michigan twice in school history,
trailing the all-time series with a 2-20,
mark.
All the same, Richardson won't be
taking any chances with the lineup.
"You don't want to give away a meet
by goofing around in the first half ...
putting your back against the wall in
back half," Richardson said. "We will
swim pretty straight up."
MALLORY S.E. FLOYDA
They might be laughing here, but Michigan's women swimmers will be hard at work this Saturday when they begin their s4
son against Michigan State.
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