SportsMonday - December 6, 1999 - The Michigan Daily - 98 9p ikers leave hearts on the court OLLEYBALL ontinued from Page 18 me in the program's history the team nded in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines did as well as they all season against the other con- ce's champions, as they swept irfield - a team with a 30-3 cord. Michigan proved once again at, even though it was a maturing ig Ten team, it had grown stronger an most other teams in the nation. "There's definitely a difference in ie level of athlete, the level of play airfield is used to," Michigan coach lark Rosen said. "I thought they did a nice job, but could just tell as the match devel- that, physically, we outmatched tem a lot. No matter how hard they layed, they couldn't compete against s. But the real test for the Wolverines as Pacific the next night: the match tat would show how much they had eveloped as a team during their bru- 1 Big Ten schedule. Rosen had said 1 year that his team was becoming a r volleyball team with every h, but it was hard to see improve- ent in the best volleyball conference in the nation. Pacific had done very well at the beginning of the year, spending most of its time at No. 1 and finishing No. 5 by season's end. Pacific was the top-seeded team in its bracket. But the Tigers looked ahead of Michigan. "What played into our favor was that we were in the training room before, and the players from Pacific were already talking to us about play- ing next weekend," Junior outside hit- ter Nicole Kacor said. "They were totally overlooking us." Michigan was peaking. The Wolverines were playing the best vol- leyball they had ever played going into the game, and it showed, as they came out firing in game one and won it easily. "Early in game one I though they were flat," Rosen said. "They kind of got behind a little bit and it was an eye-opener for them, a little wake-up call." Michigan let the second game slip away, serving five game points but never capitalizing on any of them, as Pacific came back to win, 16-14. After a quick 15-3 win in the third game, Pacific had all the momentum. But then Michigan's resilience which had showed all year, came through yet again in the fourth game. as the Wolverines came back from an 11-1 deficit to win, 15-12. And, again in the fifth game, Michigan staved with Pacific every step of the way. The Wolverines had three tries at game point again for the upset, but they never seemed to get past. Pacific's front line of seniors. "We played great," Rosen said. "Even at the end we had three swings at the match point and made great aggressive swings, made great choic- es and didn't come up with it. At one point Fielder made a great attack for which one of their seniors made an all-out, diving, out of control effort to keep it alive. They just kept doing things like that." It was little things like those that allowed Pacific's senior-led team to beat Michigan's young and heart-dri- ven team. Pacific served the 19th and deciding game point, ending Michigan's season for good. "The Pacific girls came right up to our coach after the game and said, 'You guys took eighth in your confer- ence."' Kacor said. "'I am so glad we don't play in the Big Ten."' 'M' improves to 7-0 with road victories TOURNEY Continued from Page 1 not good enough to fill that position. It may mean that there are too many good players to choose from. One bench player, freshman Lee Ann Bies, showed that she could be a future starter by winning the tournament's most valuable player award. "Bies does things in her own little, quiet way," Guevara said. "She's strong, she puts it in the basket ... she has a big presence in there." Bies recorded. a double-double on Saturday, scoring a career-high 18 points and grabbing 10 boards. The MVP also scored 13 points on Friday and recorded a team-high six blocks in the 84-55 win over New Mexico State. Bies' six blocks led the way for Michigan, which broke a 20 year-old team record with 16 blocks. Sophomore Alayne Ingram joined Bies on the all- Tournament team. Ingram led the Wolverines in scoring, sinking 19 of the starters' 31 points against Rice. It was a season-high for Ingram, who also chipped in 15 against New Mexico State. The all-tournament players were joined in double-digits Friday night by, back-up guard Infini Robinson and senior forward Stacey Thomas. Robinson scored a season-high 10 points in her 18 min- utes on the floor and Thomas recorded a season-high 18 points and eight steals Friday night. But Thomas wasn't nearly as successful on Saturday night, scoring a meager four points in only 25 minutes of playing time - less than her usual 30 minutes. It may have been an off night for some as far as scoring, but the bench's presence on the court made up for that. "There was a lot of contribution from a lot of people,' Guevara said. "It was definitely a team effort and that's what's so pleasing." Guevara believes that this team has the skill to continue this success during the conference schedule. "I always thought this team had the ability," Guevara said. "This team can make history - we can do some things." Bowden eats words awaiting bowl L NF-W ORLEANS (AP) -- Way ick in October, Florida State coach obby 'Bowden said that just one am had stepped forward and d like a No. I program - irginia Tech. Now he's hoping he can prove mself wrong in the Sugar Bowl. Top-ranked Florida State (11-0) id No. 2 Virginia Tech (11-0) play n. 4 to determine the national ampionship and Bowden said he w the matchup coming a long time o. In mid-October, Florida State had a messy game and somebody ked Bowden if the Seminoles were aying like the top team in the ition. "And I said, 'Well, we're not play- g like it, but neither is Penn State, :ither is Nebraska, neither is so- id-so, or so-and-so,"' Bowden said. End I made the statement that the ily team that I'd seen so far that oks like they're playing like No. I ginia Tech. And it was." Bowden isn't surprised to see irginia Tech in the national title ie, there are people who are. Even Virginia Tech boosters are having a hard time believing they have a chance to truly proclaim they're No. 1. "I don't know that very many peo- ple that supported Virginia Tech in the greatest fashion would have ever told you that they thought we'd have a chance to play for the national championship," coach Frank Beamer said. "We're well aware of the challenge that is ahead of us in Florida State, but I would think this has got to be one of the great, great days in Tech history." When Beamer was introduced as the new Tech coach two days before Christmas 1986, there were snickers when he predicted he'd lead the Hokies to a national title. "I might have been telling a story back in '86," he said. Maybe, but Beamer and Bowden both believe either team could walk away with the championship. 'There's no question in this ball- game, they're ranked No. I and we're ranked No. 2," Beamer said. "They've been there many times and we haven't. But I don't think it makes all that much difference. I think it's two teams that have played well, played hard all year long." Virginia Tech is in line for the title for the first time ever and Beamer said he believes his team is moving away from its upstart status. "We've been underdogs around here for so long that was kind of our rallying cry," Beamer said. "Then more times than not this year we became the favorite and to be quite honest with you, I like that role." Florida State, which won the national championship in 1993, is playing for the title for the second consecutive season and the third time in four years. But Bowden is still hoping for a first. If he beats Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl it will let him join sons Terry and Tommy with an undefeated season. "I've been very jealous of them, naturally," Bowden said. "When Terry goes undefeated at Auburn and then Tommy goes undefeated at Tulane and I've been coaching 46 years and have never had a perfect season. So we've got a lot riding on this thing too, you know." SAM HOLLENSHEAD/DLaly Alison Miller and the Michigan women's basketball team has bolted to a 7-0 start, the program's best ever. LOWEST PRICES! HIGHEST QUALITY! FASTEST SERVICE! " * 1002 PONTIAC TR. M ® 334-1367? 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