6B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 5, 1999
Rowers
edged by
Virginia
By Emily Achenbaum
Daily Sports Writer
While No. 2 Virginia prevailed over
the Michigan rowing team at Saturday's
regatta, the Cavaliers probably shouldn't
get too excited about their win. The
Wolverines made a strong showing with
their second varsity eight boat finishing
a n'ere three seconds behind the
Cavaliers, a notable improvement from
one week before, when the same boat
tailed Virginia by 13 seconds at the noto-
riously competitive San Diego Crew
Classic.
"I think we scared them," senior
Heather Uhring said.
Michigan spent the past week eagerly
awaiting their rematch with Virginia.
The Wolverines came to Scioto River's
Griggs Reservoir in Columbus, Ohio,
wib.ha specific goal: surprise perennial
0, house Virginia.
"We were so mentally focused against
Yjlgnia" Uhring said. "We wanted to
shcoweveryone what happened in San
was not typical of Michigan
erew,
the sixth-ranked had several goals
fr hir race against the Cavaliers, all of
which but one - beating them - was
achieved.
"If we couldn't beat them, we wanted
tat least cut the margin of time by
mhc they won in half," Uhring said.
The Wolverines finished the day in
C td place behind Virginia in four
varsity events and defeated No. 14 Ohio
S t.and No. 17 North Carolina in three
vasity races. After being on the water
to ether for just three weeks, the team
l. len steadily improving.
Zbur learning curve right now is
idicdible. I think we will peak at
atnals - which is exactly what you
want" Uhring said.
Establishing themselves as one of the
most formidable competitors in the mid-
west he Wolverines have already been
through the meat of their schedule. They
won't face the nation's top competitors
until nationals in May.
t.-The most challenging upcoming
regatta is over a month away - the cen-
tral regionals.
"We need to win that," Uhring said.
Team morale is up, despite dropping
to No. 6 in the first biweekly United
States Rowing coaches' poll of'the sea-
son, slipping three spots from their pre-
season No. 3 ranking. The ranking
comes after last week's fifth-place finish
in-the Jessop-Whittier Cup at the San
Diego Crew Classic, one of the most
comp titive races in the country. All six
teams in the Cup's Grand Final were
ranked in this week's top 10.
Uhring said that the extraordinary
effort demonstrated by the Wolverines at
last weekend's regatta is an exciting pre-
view of what the team is capable of
achieving this season.
"We moved up;' Uhring said. "The
team and coaches are all very excited"
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What rest? Tr
off week to tr
By Ryan C. Moloney
Daily Sports Writer
After a tiring and injury-riddled indoor sea-
son, one might think that the Michigan
women's track team would welcome an off-
weekend with open arms.
With relay meets nearly every weekend until
the NCAA finals, this past week was a good
time to take it easy, maybe throw a frisbee
around on the diag, right?
Wrong.
"This was more of a week for hard training,"
high-jumper Nicole Forrester said. "This was a
week for harder work because when you get
into the bigger meets, you don't always have
the time to train hard."
A strict strategy, but also an effective one.
A considerable amount of the success
achieved by the team during the indoor season
came via the sprint and distance medley relays.
When the delicate combination of sprinters and
middle and long distance runners translates
into good results, there is one element which
binds their varied training styles together -
dedication.
"There are just so many people who have
improved over the course of the indoor sea-
son," Forrester said. "Our relays look really
good."
What
Wolverine
left standi
ly those tI
"We ha
event," as
"Our mar
lesser kno
"It's a t
Besides
and the N
a pair ofI
Relays an
Both m
media exi
More it
meets pr
pressure
NCAA m
Penn
Forrester
"In thos
who are
ranks," Fi
ment that
al and int
If the V
of the ind
pay off in
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Tiffany Hodge and the rest of the Michigan women's track team didn't lolly-gag during its week off. The
Wolverines used the opportunity to train hard, preparing for the rest of the outdoor season.
Michigans Panmwae'
cutsdownPennState
By Raphael Goodstein
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men's tennis team is getting
revved up, literally. Led by junior John Long's abil-
ity to fire up the team, the Wolverines came out and
improved their record to 11-1 with a 6-1 win over
Penn State.
And it was one moment in particular that got the
team excited. After hitting a winner in a 9-8 (7-4)
doubles loss to Mike Griesser - and Marc
McCallister, Long got down on one knee and pulled
an imaginary string, as if starting a lawnmower. Not
surprisingly, he calls it "The Lawnmower."
"We're a fiery team and I like to do my best;"
Long said. "Unfortunately, it didn't work too well,
cause we didn't win a point after that. We were up
4-1 in the tiebreaker and we lost 7-4"
The rest of the team disagreed.
"Of all our players, John is the most enthusiastic,"
Michigan coach Brian Eisner said. "As long as that
type of thing is done in a positive manner, then you
like to see those types of things. It really gets the
rest of team excited. He can really energize the rest
of the team."
After Long and doubles partner Jake Raiton lost
their first dual match of the year, he regrouped to
beat Eric McDitz 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
"When we lost, it was~a reality check," Long said.
"We were undefeated, and losing just made me take
them more seriously. It really ticked me off. I was
hoping to go the whole year undefeated but that was
Wolverines lose,..
SOUTH FLORIDA
Continued from Page 1B
close to giving the Wolverines the one win nee
ensure victory.
Fighting hard and sending the match into an ex
Sinclair and Fuzesi got nipped, 7-9.
The Wolverines went on to lose four of six
matches.
Brooke Hart and Jen Boylan earned their secc
tories of the day, at the No. 2 and No. 4 single;
respectively.
Michigan travels to Chapel Hill to face North C
to complete its non-conference schedule today.
The Wolverines hope for a strong performance,
thing to ignite the team before the home stretch4
ference play begins.
Michigan, 3-2 in Big Ten play, can look 1:
Saturday's match for inspiration.
Ritt's new lineup nearly swept the doubles mi
barely falling short in an extra set. Also, Daniell
almost pulled out a victory, sending her singles
into the third game.
not that realistic."
One player that has gone the whole match season
undefeated is freshman Ben Cox. Cox leads the
team with an I1-0 record.
"I think that the lawnmower thing really got peo-
ple going" Cox said. "It got everyone laughing"
Fellow freshman Henry Beam, who snapped a
three match losing streak with a 6-2, 6-4 win over
Marc McCallister, is hoping to see more of "The
Lawnmower."
"Next time, I hope to see him start hopping
around like he's riding it," Beam said.
The Wolverines will travel Tuesday to East
Lansing to prepare for their Wednesday meet with
Michigan State.
"It should be fun," Beam said. "We know a lot of
the players at Michigan State and their will be a lot
of fans from both teams there"
The Wolverines will have to play well if they are
to add to their 80-17 all-time advantage over the
Spartans.
"I think playing on the road is a lot of fun" Cox
said. "Spending all of that time together, and play-
ing in front of their fans, especially since they have
such a good crowd, it should be kind of a rush."
The Michigan State meet will be the first of four
consecutive road meets over the span of one week.
If the Wolverines are to continue their eight-meet
winning streak they will need to continue playing
with a high level of intensity. Look for "The
Lawnmower" to make a few more appearances.
ack uses
ain hard
bodes especially well for the
s is their balanced attack. The teams
ng at the end of the season are usual-
hat can compete in every event.
ve a legitimate shot to score in evy
ssistant coach Mike McGuire said.
quce kids pick up big points but our
)wn can also score in their events.
cam effort across the board."
the obvious big meets, the Big Tens
CAAs, the team is looking forward to
high profile meets - the Mount Sac
d the Penn Relays.
eets are huge in terms of entries and
posure.
nportantly, the competition these o
ovide will prepare the team for e
cookers that are the Big Ten and
eets.
Relays high-jump record-holder
is looking forward to the challenge.
se meets there are a lot of competitors
professional outside the college
orrester said, referring to the excite-
goes with competing against nation.
ernational caliber athletes.
Wolverines can duplicate the forn
loor season, all the hard work should
the big meets.
Matt Wright went
4-0 for Michi
this weekend,
winning a singlet
and doubles
match against
Ohio State on
Saturday and
doing the same
against Penn .
State yesterday.'
DHANI JONESDaly.
s eams .
in Big Ten
"We are definitely capable of
being Big Ten contenders."
The team has proved itself Big Ten.
worthy, climbing up the
Intercollegiate Tennis Associatn
national team rankings.
The Wolverines began the spring
at 59th and have moved to number
43 and then again to number 39 after
posting two victories between rank-,
ings.
"We all have a lot of heart and a
lot of fight," senior co-captain Will
Farah said. "The guys hate to lose;
and that's something that every team
needs." a
Michigan's big test will be agaitst
Michigan State this Wednesday.
The Wolverines have a four-match
road trip ahead of them, starting in
East Lansing and passing through
Bloomington and West Lafayette.
They have one more match at
home before they face the number
two team in the country, Illinois, an
April 24.
Men's tenni
undefeated
TENNIS
Continued from Page 11B
the best of their ability.
"It's not just winning," Michigan
coach Brian Eisner said. "You have
to make sure that you are improving
as a team.
"Winning is great, it definitely
builds confidence, but if you are
going to be the best, you have to play
at the highest level."
The team has a 4-0 edge in Big
Ten games, and its expectations are
high.
"We should continue to go on
undefeated," said Cox, who is an
undefeated 11-0 for the season.
"With our talent, we have no reason
not to."
The perpetual winning has the
team pumped up, high in confidence
and ready to give 100 percent.
"We are a very close-knit team;'
junior Brad McFarlane said. "That's
part of the reason we're doing so
well.
ADRIANA YUGOVICH/Daily
The Michigan women's tennis team fell just a little short this'
weekend against South Florida, losing 54.
r
Mic igan Bas all
At The Fish"
Wednesday, April 7th
Eastern Michigan University
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