14 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 14, 1998
Park, teammates seize time off
Women's golf refining skills during three-week tournament layoff
By Michael Kern
For the Daily
The Michigan women's golf team has had
plenty of time to ponder the fall season and pre-
'pare for its final tournament of the fall over the
past few weeks.
The Wolverines haven't participated in a
competition since the weekend of Oct. 3 when
they played at home in the Wolverine
Invitational. They don't play again until Oct. 23,
when they travel to Bonita Springs, Fla., for the
Notre Dame Invitational.
This means that the Wolverines have three
full weeks to work on their games both as a team
and as individuals, in preparation for their final
tournament of the season.
"We have been practicing pressure situations
in which (the players) are placed in a game or
drill in which they have the pressure to succeed,"
Teichert said.
The Wolverines have used this time to prac-
tice aspects of their game that have been lacking
in previous tournaments. For example,
Michigan coach Kathy Teichert named the short
game as the team's biggest problem.
"Right now we are only making about 32 per-
cent of our up-and-downs," Teichert said. "If we
could improve that by about 20 percent, it would
mean significant improvements in scoring."
Whenever a team has as long a break between
competitions as the Wolverines have had, the
tendency is to become lackadaisical and lose
that competitive edge. Players become bored
with the repetition and constant monotony of
practice.
Teichert said she believes that drills and prac-
tice matches help the players to feel like they are
in competition. For example, in practicing their
short game, the Wolverines will practice chip-
ping at the hole from different distances and
angles.
"Ifa player doesn't get a certain percentage of
her chips within a specific range of the hole, she
has to start all over," Teichert said.
On a team made up mostly of freshmen and
sophomores, it has been up to senior Sharon
Park to lead the team by example. A week and
a half ago in the Wolverine Invitational, Park
finished second among individual golfers and
led the Wolverines to a fourth-place team fin-
ish.
Teichert said that Park has "the best short
game and has the most fundamentally sound
swing on the team," and the younger players lis-
ten to what she has to say. Park was modest
about being called a team leader, but said she
tries to share her experience and watch the
swings of the younger players.
Michigan's hope is that these last few weeks
of practice will pay dividends in the Notre Dame
Invitational next week. There are seven Big Ten
teams scheduled to participate and the
Wolverines want to gauge themselves against
the conference.
"This is a chance for us to compare ourselves
to the Big Ten again and see how we have
improved," Teichert said.
The last tournament that Michigan played in
with as many conference opponents was a
month ago in the Lady Northern Invitational in
West Lafayette, Ind.
The Wolverines finished 10th among I I Big
Ten teams in that tournament citing weather and
lack of experience as the main reasons for the
poor performance.
The characteristic most lacking on this sea-
son's team has been experience, and the
Wolverines' hope is that the last month has
helped them gain the experience necessary to
compete with the rest of the conference, Teichert
said.
"We have been struggling healthwise," Park
said. "These last few weeks off have given us the
chance to heal and practice our games."
Park added that she hoped the practice would
pay off, and that the team would be able to com-
pete with the rest of the Big Ten in Florida.
DANAUNNANE/Dal
When she's not lining up putts, Sharon Park is offering sage advice to her fellow Wolverines on the golf
course.
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Wednesday, October 14
from 10am-4pm
On Sale in the Michigan Union and
Pierpont Commons
GET READY TO
DROP THE PUCK
AND THE GLOVES.
TOMORROW, IN
Injuries decimate M'
stable of forwards
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By T.J. Berka
Daily Sports Writer
The regular season may be only one
game old, but it isn't evident by looking
at the Michigan hockey team's injury list.
The Wolverines, smarting from earli-
er injuries to forward Craig Murray and
center Scott Matzka, suffered another
blow yesterday in practice when center
Andrew Merrick went down to the ice
after being checked along the boards.
"Andrew went off with a bit of a hip
pointer," Michigan coach Red Berenson
said. "We will assess his condition
(today)"
While Merrick is day-to-day,
Murray's condition will be better gauged
following a bone scan on his right leg
today to test for a stress fracture.
Murray, who suffered a deep muscle
bruise in his leg Oct. 5, practiced late last
week but was scratched from Sunday's
game against Lake Superior.
"We kept him off the ice (yesterday).
so he felt a little better,' Berenson said.
"He has been feeling pretty constant
soreness, though."
Matzka is probably feeling the best of
the trio, although he is only a few days
removed from a mild concussion suf-
fered against Lake Superior.
Matzka was planted into the boards
late in the third period against the Lakers,
making for a bloody mess.
Matzka "feels good right now,"
Berenson said. "He's a little sore because
of the stitches he has in the back of his
head, but you need to be careful of
injuries, so he won't skate until Friday."
With forwards dropping like flies,
Berenson said he plans to explore many
options, such as moving Bob Gassoff
from defense or giving fourth-line for-
wards more ice time than usual.
No matter what Berenson decides to
do, the players will be ready when the
puck drops against Niagara on Friday
night.
"I'm not sure yet what we are doing,
forward Krikor Arman said. "We are just
getting ready right now so we'll be pre-
pared this weekend."
FABULOUS FROSH: On Sunday, Josh
Blackburn became the first Michigan
freshman goaltender to start in the season
opener since Steve Shields in 1990.
Blackburn also won his first CCHA
rookie of the week award, as he turned
away all 14 Lake Superior shots in the 2-
0 Michigan victory. While Blackburn's
start was pleasing, Berenson is keeping it
all in perspective.
"He did well, but you have to take it
with a grain of salt;' Berenson said.
"Individual awards are nice, but it's a
team sport."
WARREN ZINN/Day
Senior forward Greg Crozier, who scored Michigan's first goal Sunday against Lake
Superior, has thus far avoided the rash of injuries to Michigan's forwards.
-t
REC
SPORTS
INTRAMUJRALS
The University of Michigan
Department of Recreational Sports
INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM
WHAT'S
HAPPENING
II
Forward, halt!
Despite all the smiles around Yost Ice Arena after Michigan's 2-0 victory over
Lake Superior, injuries have dampened the mood slightly. Below are the recent
casualties of war:
. Andrew Merrick, junior center: During yesterday's practice, Merrick took a
rough check into the boards, causing a hip pointer. His status is day-to-day.
Merrick already missed one game this season, sitting out against Guelph with
a stomach virus.
R Scott Matzka, sophomore center: Matzka suffered a concussion on Sunday
and had to be helped off the ice. As a precautionary measure, he won't skate
until Friday.
oerrick
S Craig Murray, freshman forward: Murray suffered a deep muscle bruise in his
right leg during the Oct. 5 practice. He will undergo a bone scan procedure
today due to continued soreness in the leg.
W
POWERBAR
CROSS COUNTRY
RUN
ENTRIES DUE:
Thurs 10/15, 4:30 PM, IMSB
ENTRY FEE:
$25 per team
$5 per individual
RUN DATE:
Sat 10/17
Mitchell Fields/Gallup Park
'Nd
PRE-SEASON
FLAG FOOTBALL
ENTRIES TAKEN:
Mon 10/19 to Weds 10/21
11:00 AM to 4:30 PM, IMSB
ENTRY FEE:
$35 per team
MANAGER'S MEETING:
MANDATORY
Thurs 10/22, 6:00 PM, IMSB
TOURNAMENT BEGINS:
Sat 10/24, Mitchell Fields
;
:4 M A ' . '.L "4t0
i
+
PowERBAR
GOLF SCRAMBLE
TWO-PERSON
ENTRIES DUE:
Thurs 10/22,.4:30 PM, IMSB
ENTRY FEE:
$20 per team plus Course Fees
SCRAMBLE DATE:
Sun 10/25
U of M Golf Course
NOTE: The U of M Course
has a spikeless shoe policy.
0
WALLYBALL
ENTRIES TAKEN:
Monday 10/26 ONLY
11:00 AM to 5:30 PM
ENTRY FEE:
$40 per team
MANAGER'S MEETING:
MANDATORY
Weds 10/28, 7:00 PM, IMSB
PLAY BEGINS:
Thurs 10/29
IMSB
01
GET MONEY FROM YOUR UNCLE INSTEAD.
Your Uncle Sam. Every fees. They even pay a flat rate
vaar Arm ROTC awards for textbooks and sunplies.
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