The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 15, 1998 - 15A
M' volleyball hopes to
spike two Big Ten rivals
y Michael Shafrir
Sports Writer
nconsistency has plagued the
Michigan volleyball team this season.
The Wolverines haven't been able to
mount any sort of a significant win-
ning streak. It seems as though every
time they win, they lose the next
match.
This pattern has been especially
evident as of late, as the Wolverines
have gone 2-2 in their past four
matches, sandwiching two losses
Seen wins over Northwestern and
innesota.
This weekend the team travels to
Penn State and Ohio State, and they
look to build on last week's three
game drubbing of Minnesota.
Happy Valley is going to be a tough
place to start.
The second-ranked Nitanny Lions
have been dominating all their com-
pators this season.
e Lions recently defeated sixth
ranked Wisconsin in a four game
malch, 13-15, 15-9, 15-4, 15-3. That
ran their record to 6-0 in the Big Ten,
16-0 overall.
The win also upped their home-
match win streak to a gaudy 46 match-
es.
Penn State is led by junior middle
setter Lauren Cacciamani, who aver-
ages 3.71 kills and 1.88 blocks per
game.
Cacciamani awarded Big Ten player
of the week honors for her perfor-
mances against Iowa and Wisconsin.
Junior Carrie Schonveld averages
2.9 digs, also a team high.
The Nittany Lions have dominated
this season both offensively and
defensively. Penn State has main-
tained a .362 hitting percentage, while
holding opponents to only .074.
It won't get much easier for the
Wolverines on Saturday when they
play Ohio State in Columbus. Ohio
State comes into the match ranked
21st in the country with a 2-4 Big Ten
record and a 9-6 record overall. Four
of those losses have come against
teams ranked in the top 25.
Ohio State's biggest win was an
early-season conquest of then No. 6
Florida.
The Buckeyes' offensive leader is
junior outside hitter Rosie Snow, aver-
aging 4.4 kills per game. She is
buoyed by junior setter Jen Flynn,
who averages a team high 2.06 digs
and 9.04 assists per game.
Defensively, sophomore middle
blocker Dana Stearns has registered
41 blocks this season.
Michigan has not fared well in
Columbus, historically. In fact, the
Wolverines are 0-17 at Ohio State and
only 4-35 overall.
But this is of no consequence to this
year's team. Michigan won 15-9, 5-
15, '15-12, 15-13 last year in Ann
Arbor, and look to draw upon that
experience.
The Wolverines have been ranked
just outside the top 25 all season. This
weekend would go a long way toward
moving them into the rankings.
That is, if they can get that winning
streak going.
The Michigan
volleyball team
must take to the
road for a battle
against two Big
Ten rivals. The
Wolverines need
two wins for the
chance of break-
Ing into the
top 25.
DAVID R0CHKIND/Saiiy
Women's tennis hosts first tournament
With spanking-new outdoor courts ready, Hart and Lund look to improve
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Writer
Assistant coach Terry Ann
Zawacki began her post with the
Michigan women's tennis squad last
year, at the same time the outdoor
courts at the Varsity Tennis Center
did. The Wolverines welcomed both
with open arms.
"The whole Michigan Athletic
Department really helped me out
when I first got here," Zawacki said.
"Everyone here is really great."
But Michigan will welcome the
new courts in a different way.
The outdoor courts were named
after Michigan alumnus, and Detroit
Lions owner and president, William
Clay Ford, who started a fund-raising
program for them.
This weekend, the new courts will
be given a proper inauguration by
hosting the first annual Wolverine
Invitational.
The Wolverines have already
attended one individual tournament,
earlier in the season.
The team sent two experienced
players to the National Clay Court
Championships, where they were
upset in the first round.
Juniors Brooke Hart and Danielle
Lund, the eighth-ranked doubles
team in the preseason polls, were
defeated by South Alabama which
was ranked 47th.
And this will be the Wolverines'
second team tournament.
The team sent six players to the
Eck classic at Notre Dame earlier in
the year.
Michigan graduated just one play-
er, Sora Moon, last year, but still had
several new players to send to the
Classic. Included in the six they sent
were three newcomers, freshman
Jennifer Vaughn and walk-on sopho-
mores Maya Canfield and Marya
Farah.
"The Eck Classic really gave the
team a good start," Zawacki said.
"The freshmen did really well and
will be competing again this week-
end."
Notre Dame, which has defeated
the Wolverines the two times they've
met in the Classic, will be one of the
teams to travel to Ann Arbor this
weekend. The othet two will be
North Carolina and Texas A&M.
There are no preseason rankings
out at this point, so it is not deter-
mined yet where these teams stand
against each other.
"All the teams ended up in the top
50 last year, so the tournament
should be pretty close," Zawacki
said.
The new Varsity Center courts
were finished around the time school
started, and are already being used
by the Wolverines for tournament
preparation.
"Right now we are just working on
getting ready for each individual
game," Zawacki said.
This is just the second tournament
of the year, but the Wolverines are
already looking toward the Big Ten
Championships.
Michigan, an underdog in last sea-
son's tournament, was able to make it
to the finals, but is hoping for a title
this spring.
"I really think we have a great shot
at winning the Big Tens," Zawacki
said.
FILE PHOTO
T~le Michigan women's tennis team christens its new outdoor courts this weekend
in the first annual Wolverine Invitational. Brooke Hart, pictured above in action
last season, and her partner Danielle Lund were beaten by South Alabama in dou-
bles play, earlier in the fall.