MENWSNCAA 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 I I I ; - -t