The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, 6ctober 28, 1997 -11
Muckalt draws attention from
opponents while Herr is sidelined
By Fred Unk
Daily Sports Writer
It wasn't supposed to be this way.
As the Wolverines' captain and their leading
returning goal scorer, Matt Herr should be on
the ice leading the team.
Instead, Herr has had to watch from the
stands as the Wolverines lost two home games
for the first time since his freshman year.
Just two periods into the season-opening vic-
tory over Minnesota, Herr tried to accelerate
when he heard his groin pop above the crowd
noise.
Herr suffered a serious groin injury, and has
been unable to skate since.
In their two losses, the Wolverines have had
difficulty scoring, losing 2-1 to Colgate two
weeks ago and 4-2 to Michigan State on
Saturday. In Saturday's loss, Michigan State
shadowed Bill Muckalt, Michigan's only other
proven scorer, hoping to limit his scoring
chances.
"Going to the port-a-potty, they sent some-
one to escort me," Muckalt joked. "Even on the
power play they had someone follow me
around."
With Herr in the lineup, teams would not be
able to concentrate so much on stopping
Muckalt.
"It's a big loss," Muckalt said of Herr's
absence. "With Matt (in the lineup) they have to
concentrate on another guy. Matt's a proven
scorer. He's a guy that if the other team doesn't
pay attention to him he's going to put the puck
in the net in a hurry."
Despite the frustration that comes with not
being able to play, Herr has kept a positive atti-
tude about his time in the stands.
"It's definitely frustrating to see (the losses),"
Herr said. "But on a positive note, you get a
good perspective on what kind of team we have
ocei
this year. I think I'll be a
smarter, better player and
captain when I get back
because I'll have a different
view after watching from
the press box."
Although his return is at
least two weeks away, Herr
has begun the first stage of
his recovery. Last Friday,
Herr skated for the first time
since the injury.
"It's coming along," Herr said. "I'm definite-
ly at a frustrating stage right now but I'm feel-
ing better. I've gone from limping to now I can
skate. It's just something that's going to take
time."
MOTOWN CONNECTION: Against Michigan
State, the line of Bill Trainor, Bobby Hayes and
Dale Rominski was one of Michigan's best
lines, accounting for both of Michigan's goals.
"I liked Bobby Hayes' line the other night,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "I thought
they had a real good game. It's the first time
they've played together with Trainor on their
left side."
For Rominski and Hayes, playing together
isn't a new experience. Before coming to
Michigan, Rominski and Hayes played together
on the Compuware team in the North American
Hockey League.
"I've played with Bobby in juniors,"
Rominski said. "Bobby and I know each other
real well, and Billy Trainor is doing an excellent
job. We're all from Detroit, so I guess it's the
Metro line."
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: Losing games
at home isn't something the Wolverines are
used to.
After practice yesterday, the players huddled
on the ice in a players-only meeting to talk
about what they needed to do to get back on
track.
"It was just getting team morale up,"
Muckalt said. "It's just one game - it doesn't
make a season. As long as we learn from our
mistakes we'll be fine. We just wanted to
emphasize that and make sure everyone is or
the right track."
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Originally, Michigan
was scheduled to play Alaska-Fairbanks in Ann
Arbor, but the schedule was changed over the
summer to accommodate the Nanooks.
Although the change was needed to accom-
modate the Nanooks, it means that the
Wolverines will have fewer home games than
road games against conference foes.
"We agreed to the Alaska change to satisfy
their needs and to let the league off the hook
with their scheduling problems," Berenson
said. "But in the meantime we're facing a diffi-
cult schedule, playing 14 home games and 16
on the road. We're the only team in the league
with an unbalanced schedule."
WARREN ZINN/Daily
With center Matt Herr sidelined with a mysterious groin injury, opponents have been keying in on
Michigan right wing Bill Muckalt. Herr won't be going to Alaska this weekend.
'M'soccei
By Andy Latack
Daily Sports Writer
For the Michigan soccer team,
Sunday's win over Michigan State
was more than just a victory over
their arch rivals.
The game was special for other
-reasons - it was the last home game
0or Michigan's senior class.
Seniors Debbie Flaherty, Ashley
-Marks, Ruth Poulin, Karen
,Montgomery and Alana Peters, who
}were recognized in a pre-game cere-
4mony, make up the first-ever graduat-
ming class from the fourth-year soccer
program.
'They have seen the team grow
6om a shaky first-year program to a
conference powerhouse in this time.
Wjii Wolverines' 15 victories this
yar, compared with 18 combined
w-ffs in the first two years, is evi-
Buckeyes i
ft TJ. Berka
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women's volleyball
team has impressed many teams with
their resurgent play this season. Ohio
State is not one of them.
For. the 20th consecutive time, the
Buckeyes (6-4 Big Ten, 15-7 overall)
defeated the Wolverines, 15-7, 15-13, 13-
15, 159, Sunday night.
The game, which was televised by
Sportschannel/Fox Chicago, saw the
Buckeyes beat Michigan (7-3, 14-7) for
he 7th straight time in Columbus. The
olverines have never won at St. John
Arena.
"Our passing broke down and our out-
side hitters were flat,'junior outside hit-
ter Jane Stevens said. "We weren't very
excited or aggressive."
The Buckeyes, led by Vanessa
Wouters' game-high 24 kills, broke out
of the gates quickly, blitzing the
Wolverines in the first game. Michigan
ought back with a vengeance in the sec-
ond game, forcing a tie at 13. Ohio State
finished the Wolverines off with a couple
of kills.
Michigan built on their near-miss in
the, second game to capture the third.
After falling behind,13-11, junior Linsey
Ebert answered with a couple of kills to*
tie the game at 13.
After trading sideouts, Ebert, who ledl
the Wolverines with 18 kills and a blis-I
tering .517 hitting percentage, served up
an acee to put Michigan ahead. Senior
Sarah Jackson ended the game with one1
of her game-high seven blocks. She also I
added 14 kills in the match.1
The Buckeyes regained control in the i
finalgame, breaking out to a 13-6 lead.l
r graduates
dence of the team's progress. soph
The seniors had plenty to say about when
how the program has advanced since plish
they first arrived. work
"I probably couldn't even put it com
into words," Poulin said. "On the first M
day, everyone was a little scared and was
nervous. Both the players and the coac
coaches didn't know what to expect." then
With lopsided victories over first- Pouli
year programs Illinois and Iowa this the o
year, Flaherty is reminded of the -- ai
growing pains needed to become a "T
contender in the Big Ten. ers ec
Even more so, the senior from no tr
Sutton, Mass., recognizes the diffi- They
culty of the second and third years of were
a newly inducted program. N(
"It's really hard to come in as a care
first-year program, because the con- of th
ference is so competitive," Flaherty That
said. "I think the hardest time was my the s
first 4-year
omore and junior year, though, Wolverines
n we were expected to accom- "When y
things. Then, when it doesn't players, it's
out, that's when the tough times everyone,"
e. " you grow as
ichigan coach Debbie Belkin freshmen to
a rookie herself when she began ed."
hing the new team in 1994. Since Poulin at
she has seen the program grow. first and
in, Flaherty and Montgomery - Michigan's
only seniors to play all four years have obvio
ded that growth tremendously. scoring to
hey were forced to become lead- team.
ary on," Belkin said. "There was Sophomo
radition for them to come into. and freshm
established the tradition, and rently secor
the pioneers of the team." list - certa
ow, as their college soccer records in tl
ers draw to a close, the founders "It just
e program look to pass the torch. going to he
task shouldn't be too tough with next few ye
killed crop of young players the ed in the rig
class
currently boast.
you have talented young
an easier transition for
Flaherty said. "The more
a team, the easier it is for
come in and feel accept-
nd Flaherty are currently
third, respectively, on
career points list. They
usly given their knack for
the youngsters on the
re Amber Berendowsky
an Kacy Beitel are cur-
nd and fourth on the same
in to surpass their elders'
he future.
shows that Michigan is
ave great success for the
ars, and that we are head-
ght direction." Poulin said.
maintain stranglehold on spikers
Michigan got to within four points at 13-
9, but the Buckeyes finished the deal
with two consecutive kills.
"I think the long weekend had a lot to
do with our performance," junior defen-
sive specialist Chereena Tennis said.
"With (the match) being on Sunday, it
really stretched out the weekend."
The Wolverines did have some success
this weekend, sweeping Purdue, 15-8,
15-7, 15-3, Friday night in West
Lafayette. The Boilermakers (0-9, 7-13)
were powerless against the Michigan
attack and remained winless in the con-
ference.
The Boilermakers were flustered all
night by the Wolverines, scoring only 18
points in the entire match. Purdue's
leader in kills during the match, Katie
Gibbons, registered only nine. Overall,
the Boilermakers hit a paltry .150.
"We were pretty dominating all over
the court,' Michigan coach Greg
Giovanazzi said. "Linsey Ebert, Karen
Chase, and Sarah Behnke each had great
hitting nights and Sarah Jackson's serv-
ing kept Purdue out of its offense."
In contrast to the Boilermakers, the
Wolverines had their second-best match
of the year percentage-wise, hitting .352.
Chase led the Michigan attack, register-
ing 14 kills and hitting .478. Ebert and
Behnke also compiled double-figure
kills with 10 each. Ebert also led the way
in the block category with five.
This weekend's action marked the end
of the first half of the season, which saw
the Wolverines get off to their best con-
ference start ever at 7-3. Michigan starts
the second half of the conference sched-
ule tomorrow night in Evanston against
Northwestern.
JOHNKHAT/Daily
Ruth Poulin and four other Michigan seniors played in their last home game for
Michigan on Sunday.
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JOHN KRAFT/Daily
Ohio State took only four sets to bump off the Michigan volleyball team, Sunday.
The Wolverines have not beaten the Buckeyes in 20 tries.
Michigan tennis wilts under hot California sun
A
By Usa Subranianlan
Daily Sports Writer
Sunny California just wasn't that sunny for the
Michigan women's tennis team last week. The team was
ih Pacific Palisades, for the Women's All-American
Tennis Championship, the second leg of the Rolex/ITA
Collegiate Grand Slam.
Because the tournament was an important national
"I didn't play well," Moon said. "I'm still trying to get
back in the swing of it all."
Brooke Hart and Danielle Lund both got past the first
round. Hart defeated No. 5 GeeGee Garvin. Hart was
winning the first set, 6-5, when Garvin retired.
Lund performance was the best of all the Wolverines.
She won her first match against Washington State's
Andrea Reisz, 6-3, 6-4, and her second match against
They will be a good team. It's kind of hard at first see-
ing a different person next to you."
According to Zawacki - though the results may not
show it - the Wolverines put forth a strong effort.
"They played really well," she said. "We felt very pos-
itive overall. It was a very competitive tournament, prob-
ably as competitive as the NCAA's will be.
"The tournament was great experience for the girls,