12A - Th n".chigan Daily - Thursday, January 21, 1999 Inside th Women gymnasts head east FIlLE PHOTO The Michigan hockey team hasn't lost to Notre Dame yet this season, but they haven't blown them out either. The Wolverines beat the Irish at Yost Ice Arena, 1-0, Nov. 21and played them to a 2-2 tie a week earlier in South Bend. Ice formng on Golden Dhombe Notre Dame hockey enjoying a breakthrough season By Vaughn R. Kug Daily Sports Writer Despite the ebb and flow of a young season already marked by an exhilarating victory over then-No. 2 Florida and a devastating defeat at the hands of then-No. 7 Minnesota last Friday, the Michigan women's gymnastics team is as stable as ever. While noting that the loss to the Golden Gophers may have humbled her squad, coach Bev Plocki does not feel the team is dwelling on the recent disappointment. "I reassured the team that Friday had nothing to do with a lack of tal- ent or ability," Plocki said. "While possibly a little embarrassed, the team has not lost their confidence." Seventh-ranked Michigan has a prime opportunity to bounce back in a big way when they journey to face unranked Massachusetts this Saturday. The Wolverines have defeated the Minutewomen in each of their recent meetings, two of which were in Amherst. Massachusetts coach Dave Kuzara is an ex-assistant of Plocki, and she relayed Kuzara's feelings that "his team is really struggling this year."~ "Two of his top athletes are strug- gling with illness," Plocki said. One such gymnast is All- American Jill Fisher, who is hoping to overcome her bout with mono by Saturday. In preparing for Massachusetts, Plocki feels practice is progressing well thanks to the extra efforts of her team this week. "I can see the extra bit of effort this week," Plocki said.' The team is open to the changes that are neces- sary to prevent what happened against Minnesota." Tri-captain Sarah Cain echoed the views of Plocki. "We have had a great week of By T.J. Berka Daily Sports Writer There are many images that come to mind when think- inig about Notre Dame. Knute Rockne. George Gipp. Golden football helmets. Rudy. Maybe the image of little green leprechauns danc- ing about on a football field as the Fighting Irish use luck to deflate hopes of opposing football teams, If you are thinking really hard, you might even wonder why a school with a French name, like Notre Dame, has the Fighting Irish as a mascot. Doesn't seem to make sense. But put those images and thoughts away. While Notre Dame is known for little green creatures, Touchdown Jesus, and successful football teams, the Fighting Irish are adding another thing to their list of well-knowns - good ice hockey. Good ice hockey? In South Bend, Indiana? Although Indiana is better known for rickety basket- ball hoops in corn-filled farmlands, the Notre Dame hockey team has quietly made itself into a national con- tender. The eighth-ranked Fighting Irish passed Ferris State and Ohio State for third place in the CCHA this weekend with a sweep of Alaska-Fairbanks. Notre Dame didn't just beat the Nanooks, it stomped and pulverized them twice, 6-2 and 6-1, in front of its home fans Not that Notre Dame taking care of business on its home ice is unusual. In fact, it has become the norm this season. The Fighting Irish are undefeated at the Joyce Center this season, posting an 8-0-1 mark. A 2-2 tie to No. 5 Michigan is the only blemish on Notre Dame's home mark. With the national ranking and an undefeated home record, the Fighting Irish are closing in on virgin territo- ry. Notre Dame has not made the NCAA regional playoff round since it reinstated its hockey program in 1967. The Fighting Irish haven't had a winning season since 1990-91 - two years before they joined the CCHA. In fact, last year's 18-19-4 record and seventh-place finish was Notre Dame's best since joining the conference. As recent as the 1996-97 season, the Fighting Irish only won nine games. So what the hell has happened in the land of Touchdown Jesus? Notre Dame's rise in the conference didn't start this year; it actually started last March in the CCHA playoffs, when Notre Dame took eventual national champion Michigan to the brink of elimination. The Fighting Irish started off the best-of-three series by whipping the Wolverines, 4-2. Michigan snuck by the Irish in overtime in the second game and was forced to rally from a two-goal deficit to win the third and final game. While Notre Dame fell short last March, the competi- tiveness with which they played has carried over to this season. The Irish started the season 9-1-2, including a tie with preseason-No.1 and last year's runner-up Boston College. A loss to Michigan started a five-game skid, including an 8-1 rout by top-ranked North Dakota. At that point of the season, it looked as if the Irish would fall back to old losing ways. But Notre Dame beat the Fighting Sioux, who still hold the nation's top ranking. The Irish haven't lost since. When talking about the CCHA, Michigan and Michigan State are the teams most mentioned. But both perennial CCHA powers have to make a trip to South Bend before the end of the season. With that being said, overlooking the little leprechauns from Notre Dame could be a fatal mistake. DANA LINNANE/Daily Sarah Cain and the rest of the Michigan women's gymnastics team are doing backflips over the prospect of traveling to Amherst, Mass. this weekend. practice," Cain said. "And we are excited to have a good, solid meet this weekend where we hit 6-for-6 in our events." One event the Wolverines hope to excel in is the floor exercise, which hindered Michigan against Minnesota. "Despite our problems against Minnesota, the floor exercise, is our most consistent event in practice," Plocki said. "We absolutely rock the floor in practice. In fact, I don't think Cain or Lisa Simes have made a mistake with their floor routine in practice since before Christmas." As usual, Plocki is simply hoping that her team takes the upcomin. meet one exercise at a time an achieves high scores instead of focusing solely on winning or losing. "If we hit our routines the wins should follow," Plocki said. "Since the ranking are based upon scorings instead of just wins and losses, if we score well this weekend we can hop back up to the top of the rankings." Women's track stays at home - ii By Joe Michelotti For the Daily The Michigan women's track team continues its recent homestand by host- ing the 18th annual Red Simmons Invitational on Saturday in the Indoor Track Building, their third home contest in as many weeks. Notre Dame, Toledo and Western Michigan, along with a number of other "unattached" athletes, are scheduled to compete this weekend. Unattached athletes are individuals who are not affiliated with any of the participating universities. Often they are alumni of the host school or runners competing in nearby semi-pro leagues. This weekend, former Michigan runners Karen Harvey and Don McClean are registered for appearances in the Red Simmons Invitational. Competing and enjoying success against unattached ath- letes is usually a sign of strength in a track program. "This invitational will provide some good competition for us, with a lot of schools present, and with the unattached athletes," injured distance runner Katy Radkewich said. The women hope to continue the momentum generated from a strong per- formance in last week's Michigan Quadrangle.. "Last week we had a total team effort, everybody contributed," Radkewich said. This week "we would like to see some more (personal records)." If the Wolverines continue to com- DHANI JONES/Daily Olive Ikeh and the Michigan women's track team will be raring to go this weekend at the Red Simmons Invitational to be held in the indoor Track Building. pete at last week's level, personal records may not be the'only records that will fall. At the Quadrangle, Brandi Bentley set a Michigan team and Indoor Track Building record by leaping 20-feet-I inch, eclipsing the old 20-feet-1/2-inch mark set in 1997 by former Wolverine Tania Longe. As upperclassmen such as long jumper Brandi Bentley, distance runner Katie McGregor and high jumper Nicole Forrester continue to lead, the Wolvennes realize that for future success, it is neces*. sary to nurture the young talent. "We have people now like Katy Radkewich," McGregor said in a pre- season Trackwire on-line interview. "She just transferred from Providence, and she was just phenomenal, just awe- some in high school. Now she is injured and hopefully she's going to come back and do great things again." Tennis hosts home opener today ALL SUBJECTS. ALL TITLES. Why waste time reading when you could be playing for the National Championship with NCAA FOOTBALL 99! It's the only video game with the Tostitos*Fiesta Bowl By Nick Felzen Daily Sports Writer Thus far this season, large multi- team tournaments have been the pri- mary obstacles for the Michigan men's tennis team. After succesfully competing in these tournaments, next up for the team is a dual match against William and Mary at 3 p.m. today at the Varsity Tennis Center. This past weekend, the team com- peted in the Big Ten Tournament, which was held in Madison. Six of the eight Michigan players who made the trip to Madison were invit- ed into the main draw, while the remaining two played in the 7- and 8- position draw. This tournament was an extreme- ly competitive one. Five teams in the tournament were ranked in the top 20 nationally. Michigan coach Brian Eisner was pleased with the team's play in the tournament, as all the players won at least two matches. "When we lost, we lost to higher seeds. We did better at the Big Tens than we did at the Rolex Regionals," Eisner said. Jake Raiton and Matt Wright played especially well this past weekend, as Raiton got to the finals of the 7- and 8- position draw, and Wright was coasting through his draw until he met up with the No. 1- seeded player in the tournament from Minnesota. , This will be the team's first dual match of the season, which means it will be the first matchup in which the Wolverines will not be participat- ing in a large tournament, but rather in a head-to-head matchup against one opponent. This will also be the team's first home match of the sea- son. "This will be a new experience for the freshman," Eisner said. In last season's match against William and Mary, "we beat them 6- 1 on the road, but they have everyone back so it should be tougher," Eisner said. To prepare for the match, Eisner has had the team practice doubles primarily because the team did not have a chance to do so in the Big Te* singles championship, which fea- tured only singles play. Falcons swoop into Yost tonight