20A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 30, 2000
tennis falls to Irish, 8-1.
Golfer earns
Big Ten honors
Michigan men's golfer Michael
Harris was named as the Big Ten men's
golfer of the week for his win at the
Doctor Pepper Tanglewood
Intercollegiate on March 25-26. Harris
notched a 10-under-par total of 206.
His finish was the best individual per-
formance for the Wolverines. under
coach Jim Carras.
The Tanglewood victory was Harris'
fourth title in eight tournaments this
season, and the eighth of his college
career. This season he also has won
individual titles at Falcon-Cross Creek
Invitational, Stan Sheriff Invitational,
and Mauna Kea Collegiate.r
- From staff and wire reports
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan women's tennis coach Bitsy
Ritt said just one player can make a big
difference in a tennis match, even one as
lopsided as the Wolverines' 8-1 loss to
Notre Dame last night - their worst loss
of the season.
If this was the case, then how much of
an effect could three players have'?
Michigan (1-3 Big Ten, 6-6 overall)
found out the hard way as they not only
had to battle No. 13 Notre Dame (14-5),
but also three key absences at the end of
their lineup. These missing players could
have had an effect on five of the eight
points the Wolverines lost - in two sin-
gles and three doubles slots.
Missing in action were freshman Jen
Duprez (illness), sophomore Jen Vaughn
(hip injury) and senior Erryn
Weggenman (with family in Portland
after brother's death). These Wolverines
have been key components to Michigan's
success this year by giving them added
depth at the No. 4, 5 and 6 slots in the sin-
gles lineup.
But that's not all. The trio are also con-
sistent contributors in doubles competi-
tion and their absences forced Ritt to jug-
gle her lineup quite a bit in an attempt to
find players who could step up and jump-
start their bid for an upset.
Juniors Alison Sinclair and Marya
Farah teamed up for only the second time
this season at No. 3 doubles, and fresh-
man Joanne Musgrove took Duprez's
place at No. 2 doubles, teaming up with
senior co-captain Brooke Hart.
Even if the Wolverines were fully
healthy, they might not have beaten the
streaking Fighting Irish - who have won
six out of their last seven matches.
But things could have been interesting.
"I knew going in that Notre Dame was
strong team," Ritt said. "They've been
one of the strongest teams in the Midwest
for years, but I felt we would be compet-
itive."
At some spots the Wolverines were
competitive, with Hart coming up short
in a hard-fought, three set war with Notre
Dame's No. I 1 Michelle Dasso.
Her fellow senior co-captain, Danielle
Lund, displayed her mental toughness in
a thrilling comeback victory against
Becky Varnum. Lund had lost the first set
and fell behind 4-1 in the second.
"I still felt like I had a chance, Lund
said. "I played her last year and was also
down 4-I. I came back in that match, so I
had confidence I could do it again."
And she did.
Lund wouldn't say die as she fought
back to take the second set in a tiebreak-
er, and then wore Varnum down to win
the third and decisive set.
But these two bright spots weren't
enough to hang with the talented
Fighting Irish, who took a resounding 5-
I lead after singles play.
"We had our normal lineup competing
at the first four slots, Ritt said. "But they
outplayed us in most positions. So you
have to give them a lot of credit.'
With the nine-point dual match techimi
cally already over at that point, the dou-
bles competition served another purposD#
The doubles "were a great opportunity
for every team to get experience and
compare where they are to higher level
teams," Lund said.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, one
of those higher level teams includeid the
No. 20 tandem in the nation, which set
the tone by winning at No. I doubles.
But Michigan will not have a lot- of
time to dwell on its loss, with two more
matches at home - Southern Floridavn
Friday and Marquette on Sunday.
"We need to do well this week," Ritt
said. "We need some wins over ranked
opponents so that we can get a good s4d
in the Big Ten Championships, along
with an invite to the NCAAs."
HARTBREAKER: Yesterday, senior co-
captain Brooke Hart was named Big Ten
Player of the Month for her outstanding
performances. Hart is 4-0 in the confer-
ence and leads the team with 17 victore,.
She also has an impressive 11-4 mark
against Midwest Regional opponents and
consistently gives the Wolverines a
strong force at the No. I singles slot.
Sanders returns
bonus to Lions
DETROIT (AP) - Barry Sanders
has repaid the Detroit Lions $83,333,
the balance of his prorated 1999 sign-
ing bonus, his agent said yesterday.
Sanders received an $11 million
signing bonus when he signed a six-
year contract in 1997. He played two
years before startling the NFL by leav-
ing football on the eve of last summer's
training camp, just 1,458 yards shy of
breaking Walter Payton's NFL career
record of 16,726 yards.
Arbitrator Sam Kagel ruled Feb. 15
that Sanders must repay one-sixth of
the'bonus for each year he fails to play
under terms of the 1997 contract, or
$1.833 million per year.
Chuck Schmidt, the Lions' chief
operating officer, said at the time of
Kagel's ruling that the club already had
withheld $1.75 million of the signing
bonus from the check they sent Sanders
for last season. The $83,333 payment
Sanders made means the issue of the
1999 bonus has been settled, said his
agent, David Ware.
Sanders would owe the Lions $1.833
million this year if he does not report to
training camp in July, something Ware
said would not happen.
"I don't know how they could fit
him in. They've got a running back,'
Ware said, referring to former
Jacksonville running back James
Stewart, signed Feb. 14.
Messages were left yesterday at the
home and office of Lions spokesman
Bill Keenist.
KIMITSU YOGACHI/Daily
Senior co-captain Danielle Lund's impressive comeback victory represented
the Wolverines lone bright spot in their 8-1 loss to No. 13 Notre Dame.
M women head to Regionals
By Sarah Ensor
Daily Sports Wnter
After opening postseason competition
with a record-setting win, the No. I
Michigan women's gymnastics team
returns to the site of that glory this week-
end to compete in the last stepping stone
before the NCAA Championships.
The Wolverines travel to Penn State on
Saturday to compete in the Region V
Championships. The top two teams from
each of six regions nationwide will qual-
ify for the promised land of collegiate
women's gymnastics - the NCAA
Championships in Boise on April 13-15.
Michigan is looking for its second
consecutive regional crown and the
fourth such title in team history. The
Wolverines won last season's Region Ill
meet in Lincoln, Nebraska en route to a
runner-up finish at NCAAs behind even-
tual champion Georgia.
"We're really looking forward to get-
ting going with the rest of the postsea-
son," Michigan coach Bev Plocki said.
"The kids are confident, they're feeling
excited that it's payoff time, and we have
had a great deal of success, which has
increased our level of confidence.
Joining Michigan in Region V compe-
tition will be No. 12 Florida, No. 18 Penn
State, New Hampshire, Pittsburgh and
Rutgers. The Wolverines have already
experienced success against their two
ranked opponents, defeating Florida
twice and Penn State once earlier in the
season. Assuming all goes as planned,
there should be few obstacles in the
Wolverines' path to Boise.
"Basically I think we're in a very good
position as far as what region we're in,
junior tri-captain Bridget Knaeble said.
"That's our attitude going in. I think if we
keep competing like we have been, we're
definitely into nationals."
Adding to this propensity for success
is the fact that the Wolverines are no
stranger to Penn State's Rec Hall. Two
weeks ago at the Big Ten
Championships, the Wolverines lit up the
arena with a score of 197.85, the highest
in team historv. The milestone perfor-
mance included five individual champi-
onships, a sweep of the Big Ten's post-
season awards and a record eight
Michigan gymnasts named to the All-Big
Ten Team.
Ready to dominate
how overmatched is the competition
when it faces off against the Michigan
women's gymnastics team? The
Wolverines lowest score in the past
six meets is a 196.8. That's higher
than the best time all season for any of
Michigan's opponents this weekend.
Team
Penn State
Florida
New Hampshire
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Best season score
196.575
196.025
195.375
195.275
193.9
Returning to a venue in which they
have experienced so much recent success
boosts the self-assurance of the already
confident Wolverines. There will be no
need to accustom themselves to the facil-
ity, the equipment, or the surroundings,
as all will be as they left it two weeks ago
after their record-setting win.
"I think that returning is going to be an
advantage," Plocki said. "Having just
been there, we're used to the arena and the
equipment. We were successful, and
therefore we feel good about going back."
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
The No. 1 Michigan women's gymnastics team will see familiar surroundings this
\weekend, when it returns to Penn State for NCAA Regionals.
Results as of 11 p.m. - Home team in CAPS.
MLB Scores
Yesterday's results:
01140 AT NY MES. LAT (sOM
i'e. TowOM O.,t N JAPAN)
NBA Standings
E.AunANIC
Miami
New York
Philadelphia
Orlando
New Jersey
Boston
Washington
EcENTRAL
Indiana
Toronto
Charlotte
Dtroit
Mnlwaukee
Cleveland
Atlanta
Chicago
WWDWEST
Utah
San Antonio
Minnesota
Dallas
Denver
Houston
Vancouver
W L PCT
4426.629
4327.614
42 28.600
3636.500
3040 .429
3041,423
2546.352
die
1 .
2
9
14
14
19
W L PCT G8
4724.662 -
40 30.571 6
3831 .551 8.5
3633.522 10.5
3337 .471 14
27 43.386 19.
26 44 .371 20
14 55.203 32.5
W L PCT 08
47 22 .681 -
4625.648 2
43 27 .614 4
3140.437 17.
28 43 .394 20
27 44 .380 21
19 50 .203 32.5
HOME AWAY STK
26-7 18-19 Won 1
298 14.19 Lost i
25411 17-17 Won 7
22-13 14-23 Won 5
2115 9-25 Won 1
22-12 8-29 Lost 5
15-20 1026 Won 2
HOME AWAY STK
31-5 16-19 Lost 3
23-13 17-17 Won 1
25-10 13-21 Won 3
24-11 12-22 Won 1
. 19-17 14-20 Won 1
19-16 $27 Lost 2
19-17 7-27 Won 1
10-24 4-31 Lost 1
SCOOP
Continued from Page 9A
The radio contract Martin was refer-
ring to was Michigan's deal with
Total Sports Network, which report-
edly was cancelled because TSN was
insolvent and couldn't make its
scheduled payments to the athletic
department.
Michigan State recently signed a
deal similar to Michigan's with TSN,
prompting one to wonder if TSN
would be able to make the remain-
ing payments to Michigan, given
that it appears to have enough finan-
cial stability to sign a new contract
with Michigan State.
"Frankly, I don't think" Michigan
would be able to collect, Martin
said. "I believe that contract was
with a separate limited liability
company. Usually you sign with dif-
ferent entities so if one goes bank-
rupt, it doesn't bring down the
whole house."
- Chris Duprev can be reached-via
e-mail at cduprev@umich.edu.
i
t
HOME AWAY
26-9 21-13
27-8 19-17
23-13 20-14
16-19 15-21
21-14 7-29
1917 8-27.
10-24 4-31
STK
Lost 1
Won 4
Lost 1
Won 2
Lost 1
Won 2
Lost 1
- 'A -
\fr shmyea
A
W4ACIFIC W L PCT 081
LA Lakers 59 12 .831 -
Portland 5119 .729 7
Phoenix 45 25 .643 13
Sacramento 4129 .586 17
Seattle 40 30 .571 18.5;
Golden State 17 54 .239 42
LA Clippers 14 58 .194 45
Yesterday's results: P
DAvA 101. Washngton 93 C
Charlotte Ai Dawt. t '
New York 47 Stit. OtI
LA lakers a VAcoveL, t
HOME AWAY
31-4 28-8 V
25-9 26.10 L
30-6 15-19 L
28-7 13-22 V
21-14 19-16 L
10-24 7-30 L
10-25 4-33 L
"ladephia i UTAHE T
Wcago A CaiVA. tAZE
sTK
Won 6
ost 2
Lost 1
Won 1
ost 4
ost 6
ost 8
sophomo
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,
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5
g
NHL Standings
w.W4RAL.
St. Louis
Detroit
Chicago
Nashville
W L T
48 17 10
46 22 9
29 38 9
27 43 7
WNCMOMr W L TI
Colorado 37 29 11
Edmonton 29 31 16
Vancouver 28 34 14
Calgary 30 37 9
WPACFIC
Dallas
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose'
Anaheim
E-#ORnIET
Toronto
Ottawa
Buffalo
Montreal
Boston
W .L T1
42 26 8
36 30.10
35 33 7
32 35 9
32 33 12
W L T1
41 27 7
38 2611
32 34 10
32 35 9
23 34 18
RY PTS HOME AWAY
0 106 22-86 26-94
2 103 26.9-3 20-136
2 69 13-19-5 16-194
7 68 14-22-3 13-214
RT PTS HOME AWAY
1 86 22-12-4 15-17-7
8 82 17-12-9 12-19-7
8 78 16-19412-15-10
5 .74 19-12-6 11-25-3
RT PTS HOME AWAY
5 97 21-15-3 21-11-5
4 86 19-154 17-156.
3 80 20-16-2 15-17-5
7 80 20-163 12-19-6
2 78 1&14-7 14-19-5
RT PTS HOME AWAY
3 92 2311-51&16-2
2 89 22-11-5 1615.6
3 77 20-13-5 12-21-5
3 76 16-16-5 16-194
6 70 11-17-1012-17-8
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