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BASKETBALL
(4) CONNECTICUT 72,
Providence 65
Indiana State 65,
ILLINOIS STATE 64
Morgan State 81,
DELAWARE STATE 75
WOMEN'S NCAA
BASKETBALL
CAMPBELL 63,
Samford 55
Coppin State 75,
MD.-E. SHORE 68
CREIGHTON 62,
Evansville 57
NBA BASKETBALL
CHICAGO 77,
Atlanta 68
PHILADELPHIA 106,
Cleveland 97
Orlando 107,
SACRAMENTO 96
Denver 117,
LA LAKERS 113 (OT)
uaecl dign tilg
Tracking 'M' boxers
Mic higan club boxing team members Jay Dallo (175 9
Ibs) and Theron Tingstadt (144 Ibs) both won unani-
mous decisions over opponents Saturday in Reno, Nev.
at the Western invitationals.
Tuesday
February 23, 1999
10
Freshman pitcher
earns first victory
By Rick freeman
Daily Sports Editor
Everywhere Kate Eiland went last
week; she was nervous. In class, walk-
ing -around campus, studying.
Everywhere.
Her first time on the mound for the
Michigan softball team loomed more
than a thousand miles away, but sec-
onds'closer each time she thought of it.
On the ride to Florida Stadium in
Gainesville, Fla. for a season-opening
doubleheader against No. 4
Washington it was a lot closer. And she
felt it.
"'Ohmigod, I was just a wreck,"
Eiland s id.
There was no guarantee she'd start
in either of the two games, but halfway
thrcugh 4he first game, "when we were
getting, rocked," Eiland said, she got
the call..
1lil4nsl pitched six and one-third
innings in the loss, allowing eight hits
and all six runs in the Wolverines' 6-3
loss. Marie Barda mopped up the final
two outs of the game.
1i kiland's first victory, which was
also Michigan's first victory of the
season, on Saturday against Virginia
Tech ,tle freshman struck out six
Ho eiesd p
"She did pretty well," this weekend,
Michigan assistant coach Bonnie Tholl
said.
"She did what we hoped," Tholl
said. She "kept hitters off-balance."
In the early stages of the fifth-
ranked Wolverines' season, things like
batting order and pitching' rotation
change often, as coaches tinker until
something clicks.
The way Eiland and sophomore
catcher Kim Bugel might
Although Eiland said she rarely
threw to Bugel in practice the week
before the game, Bugel caught her
first game. And the calls, Eiland said,
were right on.
"I would be thinking a certain pitch,
and then she'd call it," Eiland said.
"She blocked everything, too."
Third baseman Pam Kosanke, too,
helped out Eiland.
"She's a great motivator. She's like
loud and really into the game," Eiland
said.
"She's a really inspiring player."
PUTTIN' ON TE HITS: Michigan's
hits leaders are a freshman, Kelsey
Kollen, and a senior, Cathy Davie, who
also leads the Wolverines in batting
with a .400 average.
Both Kollen and Davie have six hits
each this season, Kollen on 19 at-bats
and Davie on 15.
FILE PHOTO
The Michigan softball team earned its first victory of the season along with freshman pitcher Kate
Eiland this past weekend in Gainesville, Fla.
Cain brings out
best in women's
gymnastics team
By Stephen A. Rom
Daily Sports Writer
An old adage in sports claims there is no "I" in the
word "team." Observing some of the collective efforts1-
that have led to championship teams throughout the
years, most would tend to concur.
There is, however, an "1" in "believe." As long as the
Michigan women's gymnastics team suits up junior
Sarah Cain in the maize and blue, the Wolverines believ
they can win every time out.
In fact, they just about have.
Michigan's three losses this season have been by a -
combined 1.350 points. The closest came on Feb. 6 in tl'w'
State of Michigan Classic, where only .025 points sepa-
rated them from victory.
The following week, Michigan made no bones about
their resilience by posting a season-best score of 195.525
to top No. 21 Kentucky. The Wolverines continued that
current tear by repeating the feat last weekend. In that
event, the Wolverines tallied 196.375 -- again a season
best - to nearly edge No. 2 Georgia, coming up jus
.875 points short.
The common bond between these meets is the that in
each of them, Cain has been the all-around champion.
The Wolverines' back-to-back Big Ten athlete of the
week (as of Feb. 17) has produced performances worthy
of all-around champion for the last four meets -- most
recently scoring a 39.600 against Georgia to tie her sea-
son best outing.
"I just try to do the best I can," she said after the close
loss in the Michigan Classic.
Cain's performance has earned her not only the admi
ration of her teammates but also of her coach.
"I am so proud of her. Sarah is getting into her zone
and is truly competing with confidence lately," Michigan
coach Bev Plocki said.
Coming off a stellar '98 individual season which
helped vault the Wolverines to the top of the Big Ten -
winning it outright Cain has continued to perform to
capability and expectations.
And in a season that has left the Wolverines short
because of injuries, this has been a needed asset.
Cain's performance has been an anchor for a some*
times drifting ship. As a result, Cain has proved to be-a
steady foundation that younger gymnasts have been able
to build on.
More importantly, she has been a source of stability
that the entire team can also count on as well.
Three weeks ago at that same Michigan Classic, Cain
was called upon to execute a perfect routine on the floor
exercise, which would have meant victory for Michigan.
She approached this challenge like it was an exhibition
rather than a make-or-break ordeal.
"I just wanted to finish strong," she said. "I had n*
idea it was that big."
It is irrelevant what score Cain received on this rou-
tine. The fact is, she was trusted with the responsibility
of representing her team at a championship level -- but
in case you're interested, she received a 9.500.
On countless other occasions throughout the season,
Cain has been looked upon to pick up the slack during
times of disarray for Michigan. In one particular meet
when teammates -- on two events - fell just before
Cain's routine, it was up her to stop the trend and get the
team back on track.
While chalking up for those routines, not only fellow
Wolverines but also her coach walked up to Cain and
whispered something in her ear.
The result? What else?
Cain gave a slight nod, and proceeded to execute the
routines with all the conviction of a winner.
The great thing about Cain is, she doesn't even have t
be told to do so.
Women buzzing over NCAA Championships
By Ryan C. Moloney
Daily Sports NWiter
After an action-packed weekend which saw
the Michigan women's swimming and diving
team surrender their first Big Ten title in 12
years to Minnesota, it's only naturally to expect
a certain amount of emotional, as well as physi-
cal, drain.
But there is a cure for this ailment the
NCAA Championships on March 18-20 in
Athens, Ga.
The Wolverines will send seven athletes to the
meet - all seven of their all-conference per-
formers - -and will use the upcoming weeks to
both recover and prepare with a good old-fash-
ioned concept-rest.
"It will take a couple days to recover the mus-
cles and we'll bring them back gradually,"
Coach Jim Richardson said.
"They'll have a few days of hot-tub and mas-
sage therapy and we'll see who recovers
fastest."
Additionally, the team can expect to stay
holedup in their rooms and an early bedtime for
the next few weeks-Richardson takes no
chances.
"They need to look both ways and wash their
hands a little more often," Richardson said. "A
few of them seem to have a gene which makes
them accident prone -- we look out for them
especially.
"When they walk they aren't allowed to chew
gum."
What's more, the team is careful not to get too
caught up in the magnitude of the Big Ten meet.
"We knew it wouldn't come easy, if it came at
all," Jen Crisman said. "We definitely did better
WOMEN'S NCAA QUALIFIERS
Jenme Eberwein 0 free
shannon Shakespeare 20 M
100, 200 Qree
100 hack
Jern Crsman
Lindsay Carlberg, Emly cooks.,
Crisman, MissySugar
Eberwein, Crsmar
Sugar, Shakespeore
400 me:ey relay
200, 400 free relay
than we expected."
The swimming season can prove to be an
emotional roller coaster and, Richardson said, a
team must not get caught up in the highs and
lows.
"We're careful about Big Tens," Richardson
said. "You can't make it into such a big experi-
ence because it cuts into the NCAAs. The Big
Tens are important but it's a long season and you
need to handle it emotionally"
The greatest chance for All-American finish-
es lies in the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays.
At least three of the four swimmers on the
relays "could swim for any team," Richardson
said, and if all four heighten their split times "by
a notch" a national title in one or more is likely.
"We're not shaved or tapered yet," Shannon
Shakespeare said. "We'll definitely improve for
NCAAs."
If the team is to excel in every relay, the key
may lie in the result of the 200 medley relay.
"If we can get hot with that, we'll do well in
the other relays," Richardson said. "The dynam-
ics on those relays are great and there is a real
sense of team among each of the four members.
"I'm excited about our potential"
KRISTIN GOBLE/Daily
After a productive weekend at the Big Ten Championships, the Michigan women's
swimming team is looking toward the NCAAs from March 18-20.
If you know exactly what the
next year of your life willbe like
DO0N'T RE%0-AD THIS I
If, on the other hand, you might be
interested in doing something
edibdye
Malchow to be used sparingly at Big Tense
By Jon Zemke
Daily Sports Writer
Everyone must meet their moment of
truth. There is one defining moment in
the lives of most people where every-
thing is decided in one act. Some rise to
the occasion while others falter.
The Michigan men's swimming and
diving team will face that moment of
truth when they travel to Bloomington
for the Big Ten Championships, but not
in perfect health.
"Malchow is having a relapse with
the flu bug," Michigan coach Jon
Urbanchek said..
Last night Urbanchek updated
Malchow's condition.
"he'll go and we'll use him sparing-
ly," Urbanchek said.
As Michigan's top swimmer,
Malchow has already qualified for
NCAAs this season and Big 'ens are at
the early end of his taper.
Most of the team is tapering off of its
heaviest workouts by having floating
sessions where the team has light work-
outs that consist of swimming about a
mile in the pool just to maintain the feel
of the water.
Malchow would be finishing off the
end of his taper just before NCAAs
being the high caliber swimmer he is.
" 00mpelYca3e1'
"total;y Israel
Ieepl. perso
But, he is taking as little time in the
pool as permissible in order to recuper-
ate in time.
But for most of the Wolverines, Big
Tens will be the culmination of the fall
and winter seasons, and their last
chance to qualify for NCAAs.
"I feel very confident in our team,"
Urbanchek said.
Urbanchek has reason to feel confi-
dent in his team. The Wolverines'
swimming and diving program is
regarded as one of the best in the
nation. Michigan won a national cham-
pionship in 1995 and has won the Big
Ten title 11 of the last 13 seasons. And
the Wolverines have several Olympic
medalists to boot.
But, in the past three seasons,
Michigan has only won one Big Ten
crown. This season alone the
Wolverines suffered their first Big Ten
dual-meet loss of the 1990's at Indiana.
There has been a Blue plague of
sickness that has ravaged the ranks of
Michigan's swimmers all season that
co-captain Tom Malchow out of two
consecutive meets, including the loss eo
Indiana, and kept him to limited action
in the final dual meet of the season -
against Michigan State two weeks ago.
Injuries have also taken away two of
the Wolverines' best freshmen for the
rest of the season. Jon Arndt was lost
major shoulder reconstruction halfw
through the winter season, while Jason
Mallory had major knee surgery a week
later.
On paper, Malchow's appearance at
Big Tens will not make much of a dif,
ference in the Wolverines' finish. .
Urbanchek predicted them to finish
second to arch-rival Minnesota. -,
"It would take some help from other
teams in order for us to finnish first
Urbanchek said.
Penn State and Wisconsin could eat
away some of Minnesota's points, but .if
Malchow isn't healthy, there is a chance
Penn State could outscore Michiptt,
too.
Michigan found out earlier this sea-
NOW is the time to
decide if you want to
spend a year in Israel
P'ROJECT OTZMA
the ultimate
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