12 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 28, 1997
SA R
Continued from Page 10
Despite her season-long scoring spree,
Berendowskv probably isn't keeping track of her
point totals. She probably doesn't know she's reg-
istered a point in all but four games this season, or
that five of her goals were game-winners.
She knows her team's record by heart, however,
and she knows that Michigan is not the regular
season Big Ten champion.
She knows the Wolverines fell out of con-
tention because of one loss-- a 4-3 double-over-
time heartbreaker to conference champion
Minnesota, on Oct. 3. But she knows that their
shot at redemption is rapidly approaching.
Michigan travels to Minneapolis for the Big Ten
tournament in 10 days.
Even if the Wolverines fail to dethrone the
Golden Gophers, it won't take anything away
from their magical season. In only the fourth year
of the program, Michigan has amassed a 15-2-1
record, including winning seven of its nine con-
ference games. The Wolverines won only six Big
'bn matches in the previous three seasons com-
bined.
"All of us came in my freshman year, and we
were all pretty good players," Berendowsky said.
"I just figured it would take time to grow and we
would eventually win.
"Last year I didn't know what to expect. But
this year I thought we did have a shot at the Big
Ten tournament."
Berendowsky is responsible for much of the
success. Michigan's catalyst has accounted for a
quarter of the team's total offense. But unlike
many other high-scoring forwards who use brute
force and booming shots on goal to make their
mark, Berendowsky plays a smoother game.
She's faster than most defenders she's faced -
but she can stop on a dime.
"Amber's all touch and finesse and speed,"
Belkin said. "Amber leads the game differently.
She loves to tap'it by people."
Berendowsky is a complete team player. She
doesn't draw much attention to herself off the
field, and she spreads the wealth around during
the game. The Brighton native probably could be
leading the nation in scoring right now, but pass-
ing is just as much her strength as shooting.
Two other Wolverines have tallied double digits
in goal scoring, due in part to Berendowsky's sil-
lar passing. Senior Ruth Poulin and Beitel have
combined to score 27 goals this year.
It's only fitting that Berendowsky shares the
glory with her teammates. After all, they are as
close as a family. For Amber - who isn't much of
a social butterfly - the close-knit group atmos-
phere is ideal.
"You play better when you feel like a family,"
Beitel said. "You're out there fighting for each
other to play better. We're together a lot, and we all
get along great, hanging out off the field."
Berendowsky has never been one to venture
too far from her close friends for long. She left
the prestige of Detroit Country Day after her
sophomore year in high school and transferred
back home to Brighton for her junior and senior
years.
"I just didn't like Country Day," Berendowsky
said. "It's real competitive, and I just wanted to
come back and be with my old friends."
When it came time to pick a college,
Berendowsky followed in her parents' footsteps.
She chose Michigan because she knew Scott
Forrester - one of Belkin's assistant coaches -
from the Olympic Development Program. She
was close friends with Mari Hoff, a native of near-
by Canton, who also chose Michigan.
The idea of going to college only 20 minutes
from home suited Berendowsky well.
"That's what's nice about being close to
home, is that my parents can come and see
me play," she said. "That's a big reason I
came here."
Berendowsky is very close to her family. Justin,
her older brother by five years - who plays club
soccer at Western Michigan - got her excited
about the sport when she was about five.
Injuries never allowed Justin to take his game to
Amber's level, but that didn't stop Ambers par-
ents from turning into soccer fanatics. Richard
and Jacquelyn Berendowsky come to every home
game to watch their daughter play.
"I always go to my dad for advice,"
Berendowsky said. "When I was under 10 years
old, he was always like an assistant coach; he was
right there for me, telling me what to do."
These days the Berendowskys aren't the only
ones who come to watch Michigan soccer. The
Wolverines have been drawing large cr n)wds all
season long. As many as 400 people flock to the
Michigan Soccer Field on warm nfrday or Sunday
afternoons for the gamnes.
A significant amount of those fans have be .n
younger girls from vanious youth leagues in the
Ann Arbor area. The girls are allowed to walk
onto the field and get autographs from Michigan
players after each game.
Just four years after its inception, the
Wolverines are winning - and putting Michigan
soccer on the map in the process.
Those younger girls on the sidelines see
Berendowsky and the rest of the Wolvcrines play-
ing well, and they realize that women's soccer at
Michigan - and women's sports in general - are
succeeding.
In that respect, Berendowsky is doing much
more than leading her team to a tournament
championship. She is a pioneer.
"I think we are their role models, for sure,:
Berendowsky said. "But I knew the time would
come when women's athletics would draw more
attention. More crowds would come when we
started playing better, year after year
GRADUATION
LA
lV
Sunf ire
$400 Bucks of Incentive*
Hot Looks
Great Performance
Land Big Job
Raises
Summer Home
Some Other Car
Go
Zero Incentive
Drives Like a Shoebox
Looks Like a Shoebox
Interview After Interview
Big Ten
honors
Gannon,
Helber
From Staff Reports
The Michigan field hockey team
rocketed into first place in the Big Ten
last week with impressive victories over
Penn State and Ohio State.
Not surprisingly, the Big Ten awarded
both offensive and defensive player of
the week honors to Wolverines.
Michigan freshman Keli Gannon was
selected as the conference's offensive
player of the week. Gannon scored the
game-winning goals in both victories for
Michigan this weekend.
The goal that sank Penn State came
with 12:35 left in regulation and snapped
a tie game to put the Wolverines up for
good, 2-1. Gannon's game-winner
against Ohio State was even more dra-
matic, which came with 6:42 remaining
in sudden death double-overtime,
putting an end to the icy battle.
On the other side of the ball, Michigan
senior goaltender Amy Helber was
named Big Ten defensive player of the
week. Helber had exceptional perfor-
mances against both opponents this
weekend, playing her best games of the
season. Most impressive was her I1-
save game against the Lady Lions, which
were highlighted by two sprawling stops
against Penn State's Sonje Volla and
Tracey Larson in the second half, as well
as a glove save with 10:36 remaining.
Helber also made four saves in the 3-2
win over the Buckeyes.
Michigan improved to 14-5 on the
season with a Big Ten leading 6-3 con-
ference mark, maintaining a one-half
game lead on Penn State. The
Wolverines can cement at least a share of
the conference crown Sunday when they
host Michigan State in the regular season
finale.
GOLDENBACH
Continued from Page 10
thinking she was comparable to
their "token chick on the field" and
caught three passes for significant
yardage. The offensive front of
Janet "Zach Who?" Adamy, Josh
White, James Goldstein and
Danielle Rumore used its-incompa-
rable lateral speed and hypnotic
demeanor to,pancake block every
State News defender in their way.
When Friedberg hit Arizona Andy
Latack, who somehow in his 6-foot-
3 frame snuck past The State News
secondary, on a 46-yard bomb, The
Daily took a 28-7 lead, the rosy, er,
sweet smell of victory was begin-
ning to waft the Daily's way.
Who's your daddy?
But The Daily started to get a lit-
tle too over-confident. Nose guard
Jodi Cohen was whistled for an
unsportsman ... unlady...like (Oh,
you know what the heck it is) con-
duct penalty and punter Mark
Snyder was flagged for an illegal*
substitution and subsequent exces-
sive use of profanity. The State
News capitalized and cut the deficit
to two touchdowns.
As the sun faded and night set in,
it was becoming increasingly diffi-
cult for either team to see the ball.
When one State News receiver was
asked about turning on the field
lights, he said, "Nobody knows how
to do anything around here," firmly
upholding the Daily's long-standing
perception of the East Lansing cam-
pus.
But Friedberg saw the field like
Superman with X-ray goggles in
spite of the darkness, and on the
game's final series, hit split end
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