.k...

MENS NIT
BASKETBALL
Clemson 78.
RUTGERS 68
COLORADO STATE 86,
Colorado 76
Californa 58,
DEPAUL 57

NHL
Dallas 2,
PITTSBURGH 2 (OT)
Calgary 4,
NASHVILLE 2
ST. LOUIS 5,
Philadelphia 2

NBA
BASKETBALL
Atlanta 85,
INDIANA 79
CLEVELAND 86.
Detroit 82
MIAMI 94,
Washington 85
L.A. Lakers 107,
MINNESOTA 101

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Tracking 'M' tickets
Tickets for this Friday's CCHA semifinal between
Michigan hockey team and Ohio State are available
from any TicketMaster or the Joe Louis Arena box
office. Tickets get you into both Friday games.
Wednesday
March 17, 1999


The other side of the story
Hockey 'U'
CCHA Tourament
Gassoff responds to two-game DQY

By Mark Francescutti
Daily Sports Writer
With two minutes remaining and Michigan
holding an 8-3 lead over Bowling Green on
Saturday night, Michigan defenseman Bob
Gassof fhad to make a decision.
the sophomore saw two orange jerseys primed
to attack his teammates Bobby Hayes and Dave
Huntzicker. Both Falcons had just jumped off the
bench.
Aid his decision to enter the fray and pummel
Falcon's Dennis Williams will cost him a chance
to play in the rest of the CCHA Tournament this
weekend.
Gassoff was suspended for two games, one for
the game disqualification given to him by referee
Steve Piotrowski and extra game as a penalty for
having two disqualifications in a season.
While the fans roared at the sight of a uncom-
mon collegiate hockey fight, Michigan coaches
now have to find a player to fill the sixth defense-
man spot.
"We'll see if we dress an extra forward,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We could
playCrawford, Vancik or Magnuson. It's tough to
put in a guy who hasn't played"
All three defenseman haven't played in a game
for almost a month, and even if one does dress, he
might not get much time.
Berenson chose to stick to five defensemen for
most of the Bowling Green game this past Friday
and might do the same this weekend.
EYven though his absence leaves the team lack-
ing ft both a physical presence and a player who
can give the other defensemen needed rest,
Gassoff stands by his decision to drop the gloves.
"It's one of those times that you can't worry
about the rules of college hockey," Gassoff said.

"You have to do what you are supposed to do
which is protect your teammates and stick up for
each other"
Gassoff has long disagreed with the rules on
fighting in college hockey.
. "You have to deiid yourself," Gassoff said.
"That's where it can be argued.
"Michigan is always the big game on every-
one's schedule and we're going to get every team's
best game. A lot of teams think they can get away
with pushing us around and taking cheap shots at
us. It sends a message 'don't push us around,
we're not going to tolerate it and we're going to
give it back."
Williams has to miss one game at the beginning
of next season. Piotrowski rescinded on the game
disqualification for the other Bowling Green play-
er who jumped the bench - Mike Jones -
because the teams were undergoing a line change.
Bus RIDE: At the Great Lakes Invitational in
December, Michigan State seemed to have the
advantage both on the scoreboard and in the
stands - giving them a special home ice advan-
tage.
To bring more fans to Joe Louis Arena, the
Michigan Ticket OtTice will offer a bus to and
from the CCHA semifinal game on Friday night.
The bus may give fans an added incentive to
travel to the Joe to cheer for the Wolverines, espe-
cially due to the parking constraints in Detroit and
lack of transportation most students deal with.
Tickets for the bus ride are $7.50 and can be
purchased at the Michigan Ticket Office through
Friday at 5 p.m. Everyone, not just students, is
welcome.
The bus leaves from the Crisler Arena tunnel at
the Arena's North Entrance at 6:30 and will drop
off students to the game around 7:15.

MARGARET MYERS/
He said he was trying to protect his teammates ... and because of it. Michigan defenseman Bob
Gassoff (20) will have to sit out the next two games the Wolverines play.


Olson sets sights on national title

By Chris Grandstaff
Daily Sports Writer
"It takes a little
champion," boasts

- 'M' baseball
attem ts to
break even
By Stephen A. Ran
Daily tts WXriter
With the 1999 baseball season off
running, Michigan finds itself belor
.500, with a mark of 5-6. This is surpii
ing for a talented team that is returnun
many of its starters of a year ago.
Nonetheless, the team is very aware
of the fact that it is a lengthy season a
anything can happen.
"I'd rather end the season with a 15
game win-streak than start the seaso
with one," Michigan coach Geoff i
° ~ said
Fresh from a Florida road-trip whe"
they took two of three games in the
homestead Challenge -- a tournament
with teams from most major confer-
ences -- the Wolverines are beginning
to find their way. Aller an eight game
march through California earned thema
losing record, the results of their Florida
trip were quite welcomed.
"We played some tough teams,"
junior out fielder Rob Bobeda said.
Bobeda was referring to No.
Pepperdine and last year's NCAA cham-
pion Southern California. Some might
think it is a bit unfair to throw a team,
especially one with young pitching, to
the wolves to begin a season. But Zahn
knows the importance of having some
quality competition.
"We tell the kids when we recruit
them that we will be playing against the
best teams in the country,' Zahn said
"It's all part of the experience."
Another part of the experience. is
learning when to make adjustments.
(Day This helps when trying to decide if it is
the right time to tinker with a team that
has been having its share of problems.
Although Michigan isn't oT to an ideal
start, there have been many positve
achievements in the past few weeks that
have kept the team inspired, hoping that
the problems will play themselves out
Senior co-captain Bobby Scales hale
continued to hit safely through this
young campaign. The veteran second
baseman, who is normally a rock in the
field, has been so as well at the plate,
pushing his consecutive-game hit streak
to 15.
Many of those hits have comein
clutch situations. In Saturday's victory
over Connecticut, he stroked a two-out
double that scored fellow senior Bria
Bush to add a valuable insurance run.
Besides the work of Michigan's
proven veterans, Zahn knows that he has
to be able to count on his young hurlers
to get the job done as well. This was
seen during the trip to California when
some of the Wolverines' younger players
were worked into the lineup.
"We had some freshmen out there for
the first time" Zahn said. "We're trying
to get our pitching staff going."
He recently received a little reassurw
ance when sophomore starting pitchef1
Bryce Ralston and freshman closer
Bobby Korecky combined for a four-hit
ousting of a strong Connecticut team.
Korecky even showed further domi-
nance by striking out four of the six bat-
ters he faced in the contest.
Just as impressive as the mastery of
KIND/Daiy Ralston and Korecky was the complete-
ship game performance of senior Luke
Bonner - 2-1 on the season. The right
hander's five hit gem in Friday's victory
-over C.W. Post broke a four-game
-, 1 Michigan losing streak, going back to
their three game sweep at the hands of

Pepperdine. This time it was a different
Y story, as Bonner fanned a career-best 11
batters to help put Michigan back on the
winning track.
At this point, the Wolverines are con-
cerned with is preparing for their
upcoming trip to College Station, and
the Texas A&M Tournament. In add*
tion, sights are set on the teams home
M opener, scheduled for March 30 against
Central Michigan. Keeping all this in
mind, Zahn has to decide if this is the
time to tinker with the machine or not.
And after observing this weeks prac-
tices, there doesn't appear to be much
going on in the form of panic.
"Everything is just business as usual,"
Bobeda said.

more to be a
one athletic

apparel company, and truer words
could not be spoken when college
wrestling is the issue.
Wrestling is arguably the most
physically demanding of all colle-
giate sports, with its participants
continuously training at the hardest
level just so that they can make
weight to compete. Wrestlers go to
practice by 6:30 in the morning and
go back again after classes at 3.

To reach the collegiate level of
wrestling, let alone be considered a
challenger for the national champi-
onship, an athlete must have a
tremendous amount of drive, stami-
na, and physical ability.
It's been 13 years since a
Wolverine wrestler held the honor of
being called a national champion.
But Michigan's Erick "Otto" Olson
is looking to change that tomorrow,
when he and six other Wolverines
head to State College for the
National Championships.
Olson has compiled an impressive

35-5 record this season, a record
which earned him a No. I seed earli-
er this month at the Big Ten
Tournament. Perhaps even more
impressive was Olson's perfect 15-0
dual-meet record, and his 11-3 mark
against opponents currently ranked
in Amateur Wrestling News' top 20
poll.
Olson's accolades have not gone
unnoticed by Michigan head coach
Dale Bahr
Otto has "as good of a chance as
anyone in a long time to win a
See OLSON, Page 12

U U

Bepart of
Michigan's biggest
spirit/entertainment/sporting
event ever!

I I

I

DAVID ROCHK
Eric Olson, also known as Otto, is looking to win the first national champion
for the Michigan wrestling team since 1986.

RECYCLE THE OPPORTUNIT

WUfEU GNI(

t

t

MASS MEETING
Tomorrow, March 18
Alumni Center 9 PM

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