68 - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - February 21, 2000
Women hit straight-
away with big bang
By David Edelman
Daly Sports Writer
The atmosphere at the Indoor Track
Building remained unchanged this
weekend despite the Big Ten
Championships looming just a week
away.,This Saturday, Michigan hosted
the Silverston Invitational, which
marked the women's track team's last
iidoor meet of the season.
"We had some great performances,
sonic.seasonal and lifetime bests"assis-
tzfntoach Mike McGregor said. "We
are well prepared for the Big Tens. The
invitational was a good final tune up."
vlfichigan's success has exemplified
its well-rounded showing in all events.
With 10 first-place finishes this week-
end the Wolverines dominated nearly
every event in which they competed.
Superstar Lisa Ouellet has shown an
icedble push these past few weeks.
After qualifying for the NCAA
Championships in the mile run she took
second in the 800 meters this past
Saturday. She shaved two seconds off
her previous standing qualifying time to
top her personal best.
Senior Maria Brown camepaway with
two impressive wins in the 60-and 200-
meter dashes and also ran anchor for the
team's victorious 4x200-meter relay.
Stellar senior performances were
accompanied by many freshman victo-
ries. On the track Tanisha Williams cap-
tured the 60-meter hurdles. Success con-
tinued into the field. Teyonna Simpson
won the triple jump and Michigan came
away with both throwing events at the
meet. April Phillips placed first in the
shot put and senior athlete Julie Presley
won the weight throw.
It is impossible to gauge Michigan's
odds at Big Tens.
"There is more balance in the league
than there has ever been," commented
McGregor. "Alongside the two-time
defending champion Wolverines, lay
strong top contenders. Wisconsin,
Purdue and the favorite, Indiana, which
upset Michigan this season 84-77, are
amongst the stiff competition.
"We are pointing in the right direction
though we are going to need to run faster
for the Big Ten," said McGregor. "To
win we must compete well in all areas
and take the events we can dominate"
This , philosophy proved successful
last season as Michigan came home with
the championship after scoring in every
event except one.
"You cannot expect to win by placing
well in few specific events," said
McGregor. "Points here and there in
every event are necessary."
The invitational was a final confi-
dence booster for the team before going
up against some of the best teams in the
sport. Michigan has little left except rest-
ing up for the challenge. Michigan is
sure to put up a fight this weekend.
Netting the victories
With Friday's vict or}, over Eastern
Michigan, the 5-0 Michigan men's ten-
nis team is off to its best start since the
1978-79 season, when the team went
19-3 (9-0 Big Ten) and won the Big
Ten Championship.
Date: Opponent: Score:
Jan. 23 Western Michigan 6-1
Jan. 29 DePaul 7-0
*F7eb 11 Tulsa 6-1
*Feb. 12 at Washington 43
Feb. 18 Eastern Mchigan 70
* denotes meets played in
the Great Ncrihwest Shootout
in Seattle, Wash.
Michigan leaders
Playert Dual meet record:
The Michigan men's tennis team
gave the crowd at the Varsity Tennis
Center a sneak preview of the future
against Eastern Michigan on Friday.
Michigan coach Mark Mees opted to
give freshmen Chris Rolf, Chris
Shaya and Zach Held an opportunity
to play in their first dual match since
high school.
"It-was a good chance for the
young guys to get some experience,"
Mees said. "It is a much different
feeling when you are out there play-
ing for your team than it is in prac-
tice."
Showing no signs of butterflies,
the freshmen did not disappoint. The
young Wolverines helped lead
Michigan to a 7-0 victory and a
sweep of Eastern Michigan.
"I think that all three of the them
have to the potential to become very
good tennis players," Mees said.
"Getting them playing together
now is important because they can
start feeling comfortable with each
other."
By Jeff Phillips
Daily Sports Writer
Mees rested seniors Matt Wright
and John Long from singles play, and
moved the remaining singles up two
positions in order to make room for
the newcomers.
At No. 6 singles, Shaya dominated
the Eagles' Adam Williams. Shaya
dropped just one game to Williams in
a two-set victory.
Held took a little bit longer to win,
but produced a similar result. At No.
5 singles, Held battled Hunter
Stenzel and prevailed 6-1, 6-1.
Sophomore Henry Beam remained
undefeated in dual match play. Beam
cruised to victory, but not before
hearing some words from Eastern
Michigan's Rob Harrigan. Perhaps
distraught from an earlier loss at No.
I doubles, Harrigan voiced his opin-
ion about his own play during the
match against Beam, verbally berat-
ing himself on court.
"That kind of stuff isn't appreciat-
ed," Beam said. "Especially when
you are down 6-2, 5-1."
The other Wolverines produced
similar results. Sophomore Danny
McCain notched a victory at No. 1
singles, and doubles partners Ben
Young guns lead tennis to sweep
Cox and Ron Nano won at No. 3 and
No. 4 singles, respectively.
In doubles, Held teamed with Rolf
at No. 3 doubles and beat Williams
and Kory Gernhofer 8-1.
"We played pretty well," Rolf said.
"We were a little nervous in the
beginning. It helps when you pl
doubles, you are a little mo
relaxed."
The pair took the place normally
reserved for Cox and Nano.
Co-captains Long and Brad
McFarlane were victorious in their
only action of the day, defeating
Eastern Michigan's Stenzel and Mike
Adanti at No. 2 doubles.
At No. I doubles, McCain and
Wright improved their dual match
record to 4-I, overcoming a sluggi
start and defeating the Eagle
Harrigan and Jason Yue. The pair is
currently ranked No. 36 in the nation.
At 5-0, the Wolverines are off-to
their best start in 21 years. Up next
for Michigan is a trip out west,
where they will face San Diego State
on Mar. 1, and compete in the
Pacific Coast Doubles Tournament
on Mar. 2-5.
Singles:
Matt Wright
Danny McCain
John Lang
Henry Beame
Ben Cox
4-0
4-1
3-1
5-0
1-0
4-1
4-1
1-0
1-0
1-2
Doubles
McCain-Wright
Brad McFarlane-Long
Beam-Ron Nano
Zach Held-Chris Rolf
Cox-Nano
0-* 4
Netters' loss provides learming experience
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Writer
Sometimes a loss can actually be val-
ued just as much as a win. This was the
case yesterday when the Michigan
women's tennis team came up short in
their match against No. 21 Kentucky, 6-
3.
The final score is not indicative of
how the dual match was played on the
courts. Things could have been a lot dif-
ferent if the ball would have bounced the
Wolverines' way in certain situations.
This non-conference dual was played
in a nine-point format, beginning with
the six singles matches played simulta-
neously. Those matches are then fol-
lowed by three doubles matches - each
counting for one point.
The Wildcats (4-1) jumped out to a 3-
0 lead, with straight set victories in the
three, five and six slots, not an ideal start
for the previously undefeated
Wolverines (4-1).
But Michigan wouldn't say die, as
freshman phenom Joanne Musgrove net-
ted her I1th victory of the season -
putting her second on the team.
After winning her first set,
Musgrove's second set went to a tic
breaker. Things weren't going her way
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as she fell behind 6-2 in the extra ses-
sion. But the freshman kept her compo-
sure and came back to win 9-7.
"It was an impressive victory for her,"
Michigan coach Bitsy Ritt said.
"Especially for a freshman in that situa-
tion - even when her serves were
breaking down and things weren't going
her way, the bottom line is that she over-
came it and won a match we needed."
Senior co-captain Danielle Lund then
followed suit with a successful return to
her regular spot at No. 2 singles -
bringing the Wolverines to within 3-2.
In her straight set victory, there were no
signs of discomfort from her previous
stomach muscle injury which put her out
of action for three months.
"I felt really good, although I was a lit-
tle nervous in the beginning," Lund said.
"I started to grind out some points from
the baseline and wait for my opponent to
make mistakes - I don't usually like to
play like that because I like to be more
aggressive and attack the net. But once I
play more matches and get more com-
fortable, I can go back to my regular
style of play"
This regular style of play has led to 69
career singles victories, and her impact
on the team is noticed by all.
"Her presence strengthens our lineup
so much and we need her in .there at the
No. 2 singles slot," Ritt said.
Those two victories set the stage for
the No. I singles match, in which senior
co-captain Brooke Hart had lost the first
set in a tie breaker and came back to win
the second set. The highly competitive
third set was sent into yet another tie
breaker. After pulling ahead 5-2 in the
extra session, victory just slipped out of
Hart's grasp as Kentucky's Carolina
Mayorga came back to win, 8-6, crush-
ing the Wolverines hopes of tying up the
dual match.
*interested in
LALES OR MARKETING*?
Freshman netter Joanne Musgrove started1
straight-set victory at No. 4 singles.
-This was the first really close match
I have competed in this year," Hart said.
"She might have been a little more men-
tally prepared going into tie breakers"
This heartbreaking loss made the
score 4-2 in favor of Kentucky. It made
a huge difference going into the three
doubles matches becausp the Wolverines
had to sweep in order to win.
"Michigan's doubles teams are good
enough that if it was 3-3, things could
have gotten very interesting" Kentucky
coach Mark Guilbeau said.
Having played No. 2 Florida and No.
KIMITSU YOGAcHI/Day
the Wolverines' brief comeback with *
27 North Carolina, Guilbeau said he
thinks that the Wolverines can stack up
with the best in the country. "Michigan to
me is a top 30 team, no doubt about it."
This was a good test going into the
Big Ten season, which starts this
Saturday against Northwestern at the
Varsity Tennis Center.
"We went against the highest level ,
competition and the matches were closer
than they showed," Lund said. "If we
played the same team tomorrow, things
could be different. It is a good start
going into the Big Ten season.
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