The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 30, 1997 - 9A Spartans stand in way of field hockey Big Ten title By Kurt New For 'The Daily When the Michigan field hockey sea- son began two months ago, few of the so-called field hockey experts expected this Sunday's game between Michigan and Michigan State to potentially deter- mine the Big Ten championship. And those who did most likely thought highly regarded Michigan State would still be in contention for the con- ference title. But this Sunday, it will be the Wolverines - who have spent the entire season proving the experts wrong - who will enter the game trying to clinch their first-ever Big Ten title. Yet, this game will be about more than just winning a championship. It will also be the final home game for Michigan's six seniors. It is only fitting that their final home game could coincide with a championship, since their leadership and play have been indispensible parts of the Wolverines' title run. The seniors - Sandra Cabrera, Julie Flachs, Amy Helber, Shelley Johnson, Aimee Remigio and Meredith Weinstein - have displayed textbook leadership all season long, on and off the field. "The seniors believe we can win and are carrying the team on their shoul- ders,' Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said. "Our young kids feed off that." While the impact the seniors have on the field is indisputable - all six start and play most of each game -their biggest contributions have been made off the field. The Wolverines have developed the characteristics that are commonly asso- ciated with veteran teams. After taking their lumps in the Big Ten for three seasons, the seniors have learned firsthand that mental toughness is a key to consistency. This season they have displayed that toughness in abun- dance. Five of their six Big Ten victories have been by one goal, and the Wolverines have frequently scored the game-winning goal late in the game. "Our mental toughness gets us back in the game and before, we hadn't had that," Flachs said. Michigan has also shown a remark- able ability to stay focused for each game, even when it seems ripe for a let- down. Nowhere was this more evident than in the moments immediately fol- lowing the Wolverines' win over No.4,. Penn State. "We will celebrate this win for 12 hours and then look forward to Ohio State" Helber said. "This win means nothing if we don't beat them." While Michigan has clearly had a successful season regardless of . Sunday's outcome, a conference title would be the ultimate accomplish- ment, marking a program that has completely turned around since the day the seniors arrived. A fact that is. not lost on the Michigan seniors. "We've been looking forward to a Big" Ten championship since freshman year and had never come close" Helber said "We set goals at the beginning of the year, and one was to win the Big Ten. "Our team has worked really hard to get here, and I think we deserve i Flachs said. The Wolverines have succeeded when no one expected them to. And while the future of the program looks bright, this Sunday will be the seniors' moment as four years of hard work could result in proving the experts wrong. I FILE PHOTO Senior midfieider Julie Flachs and the Michigan field hockey team are looking to swing past Michigan State this weekend for th' Wolverines' first-ever Big Ten title. Blue soccer hopes to take fight out of Irish I SUNDAY SPECIAL .. ... By Jacob R. Wheeler Daily Sports Writer ,*Forget everything you've heard about the Michigan women's soccer team this year. Forget that the Wolverines (7-1-1 Big Ten, 15-2-1 overall) are breaking every school record imaginable. It,, won't mean anything tomorrow when Michigan travels to South Bend for its regular sea- son finale against No. 2 Notre Dame. The 12th-ranked Wolverines amassed a school- high 15 wins against average and mediocre oppo- nents this season. But Notre Dame (10-0 Big East, 16-0-1 overall) is not an average team. The Fighting Irish are capping off a near-perfect season, running stride for stride with No. I North Carolina since August. Notre Dame's only blemish was a tie, when it hosted the Tarheels. Tough competition hasn't deterred the Irish. Theyve beaten some of the nation's best oppo- nents and dominated the Big East in the process, winning their second-consecutive conference title. Th6i1rish recently rolled over Seton Hall, 7-1, and beal No. 5 Connecticut, 1-0. T' Wolverines are heavy underdogs in this *atchup. But Michigan's defense might just be strong enough to make it a close game. The fullbacks and goalkeepers have been as permeable as a brick wad!,ll season, allowing an average of just 0.83 Niedia dayTheG This is1 * 1 women " KS:,icess, tI 19in he ason or ce r «^ cessor, N Guev Cagers lines. A Michige By G.J.Luria DaitSports Writer interim Eor once, a Michigan basketball 9 Guev *dm conference was held and the the Woh wdids "Ed Martin" and "impropri- eties" were not mentioned. Then again, this was a women's basketball press conference, a team thgt has had the same coach for over a yer, Eni Michigan coach Sue Guevara wel- coned the media to C risler Arena yesterday to kick off her second sea- a 6,k. Michigan's coach. W'Guevara was hired on an interim basis- during the summer of 1996. Then-athletic director Joe Roberson hired Guevara in July, wiith the understanding that a national search for 4,coach would be conducted at the did of the season. Guvara surpassed all expecta- tionand Roberson had little choice but thhire her on a permanent basis. h terim label was removed on ebl ary11. R LIer their new coach, the Worines began a remarkable turn- aromud from the '95-96 season in which See GUEVARA, Page UA goals per game. Michigan goalies Carissa Stewart and Jessica Jones have recorded nine total shutouts.4 "On any given day, any team can beat any other team," Michigan coach Debbie Belkin said. "We definitely have our minds set on winning it, but it's going to be our toughest game yet. That's good for us going into the Big Ten tournament." Michigan won seven of nine conference games this year, thereby nailing down the No. 2 seed in the tournament. Notre Dame hasn't had any trouble with Big Ten opponents either. The Irish enter with a 30-game winning streak against Big Ten foes, including victories over Michigan State, Indiana and Wisconsin by a combined score of 24-0. Notre Dame boasts seven of the top 15 scorers in the Big East. Its defense is rock solid, too. Goalie LaKeysia Beene is the nation's best. She has only allowed an average of 0.3 goals per game, far better than the closest competitor. "They're very deep at every position," Michigan midfielder Kacy Beitel said. "It's going to be a really big game for us. "Notre Dame and North Carolina are definitely just the best two teams in the nation. It will take awhile for schools like Michigan to catch up. That might be another two or three years." Both teams are on the verge of big winning streaks. The Wolverines have won six in a row and have only lost once since Sept. 5. But no one has had Notre Dame's number this season. The pressure will fall on Michigan's defense. Belkin is switching to a 4-4-2 lineup against the Irish, pulling one forward back on defense to com- pensate for Notre Dame's scoring ability. The Wolverines played with a 3-4-3 lineup the entire season, except during the 4-3 loss to Big Ten champion Minnesota. "With that caliber offense, they won't change their strategy," Belkin said. "We would be stupid not to adjust ours. It's not going to be a complete- ly defensive game. We're just looking to play sen- sible." The Wolverines have never faced Notre Dame in the regular season. But the Irish demolished Michigan in a scrimmage last year, in which Belkin also played four on defense. But Michigan forward Amber Berendowsky said things weren't as bad as they seemed. "Actually, we didn't play that badly once we just relaxed and settled down," said the Big Ten's lead- ing scorer. This is an important matchup for Michigan. The. score might not be pretty, but - at the least - the Wolverines will learn how they match up with the nation's elite. In a couple years, Michigan may be filling those shoes. Wolverines Score- You Sae 5% off for every touchdown p t 25% off on all University of Michigan items Home Game Hours: M-F 9-6 Sat 9-7 Sun 11.5 Corner of State and N. University 317 S. STATE 665.4990 Guevara file: Sue Guevara's second year at the helm of the Michigan 's basketball team, If she can expound on last year's suc- he Wolverines should have a lot to look forward to: r first season, Guevara led the Wolverines to a 7-9 confer- cord, winning more games in one season than her prede- Trish Roberts, won in four. ara came to Michigan by crossing traditionally forbidden fter serving as ar assistant coach at in-state rival an State for nine years, Guevara left the Spartans for the job at Michigan. ara was named Michigan's permanent coach after leading verines to their best-ever start of 11-3. Y I I I I I I U 1 ( p65,738,487,000 A. THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF UZBEKISTAN. B. THE PAYROLL OF THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION. C. THE AMOUNT OF EQUITY CAPITAL RAISED FOR COMPANIES I.-, BY MONTGOMERY IN THE 1990's*. Sure, basketball salaries are soaring, but the correct answer is "C". In fact, between 1990 and 1997 Montgomery Securities worked with more growth com- panies than any other firm on Wail Street and has contributed to many of the great business success stories of the past 25 years. This environment has created a firm culture that is highly entrepreneurial and rich with growth opportunities. In fact, Montgomery has continued to expand its growth opportunities by team- ing up with NationsBank to form NationsBanc Montgomery Securities, Inc. So, if you are looking for an entrepreneurial career in investment banking, please con- tact: Stephanie Porcaro, Recruiting Coordinator, NationsBanc Montgomery Securities, Inc., 600 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111.