2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 5, 2004
Bloomington blues hit 'M'
By Seth Gordon
Daily Sports Writer
After conquering Southern Illinois just one
week earlier,. the Michigan women's golf team
was stymied in Hoosier country, finishing a dis-
appointing ninth place at the Indiana Invitational
over the weekend. The Wolverines were again led
by junior Laura Olin, who has now paced the
team in its last nine tournaments.
After an impressive showing last weekend at
the Saluki Invitational, where Michigan won the
team competition and Olin took home medalist
honors with a score of 148, the Wolverines strug-
gled to bring in low numbers.
"It was disappointing," coach Kathy Teichert
said. "You can't shoot 80s and expect to compete
in the Big Ten."
The tournament in Bloomington also offered
stiffer competition for the Wolverines, as they
faced a field that included five other Big Ten
teams. Michigan finished with a team total of
955, which put it fourth among its conference
foes. The Wolverines placed higher than Wiscon-
sin and Minnesota, but fell to Iowa, Indiana and
Michigan State. Missouri took home the team
competition with a 908, catapulted by an even-
par 296 in the final round.
After a slow start on the first day of the tourna-
"(Yesterday) morning it was extremely cold
and windy throughout the day," Teichert said. "I
felt we played better than our score indicated,
but we didn't play our last six or seven holes
very well."
As for Olin, whose success has been closely
linked to that of the team, it was also a matter of
making up ground after a slow start on Saturday.
Sitting in 31st-place after the first two rounds,
Olin fired a three-over-par 77 to finish with a
total of 235 and a tie for 17th-place overall.
"It was cold and windy and we didn't play up
to our personal expectations," Olin said. "We
had goals set and we didn't accomplish those
goals."
The weekend wasn't without bright spots for
the Wolverines as sophomore Brandi Zielinski
fired a career-best 77 in the second round, and
freshman Brianna Broderick carded an opening-
round 74.
Despite the disappointing finish, Teichert is
optimistic about the team and its future.
"There were a lot of signs of good play," she
said. "With a break here or there, or a momentum
change, there may have resulted a totally differ-
ent outcome. We just have to get out and play
right now because we have to figure out a way to
get the ball in the hole."
The Wolverines now head back to Ann Arbor
with two weeks to practice before heading back
out on the road for their next event, the Lady
Boilermaker Invitational on April 17 and 18.
AT HLETE O:F TH E WEEK
Who: Elise Ray SportWomen's gymnastics
Hometown: Columbia, Md. Year: Senior/junior (elig.)
Why: Ray earned the all-around title (39.700) at the Northeast Regional
Championships at Penn State's Rec Hall on Saturday. The junior led the
Wolverines to a second-place finish and their 13th appearance in the NCAA
National meet. Ray won event titles on the uneven bars and the balance beam. Ray
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I
TONY DING/Daily ment put them in ninth place, harsh
Freshman Brianna Broderick opened the Indiana made it difficult for the Wolverines to
Invitational with a team-best, even-par 74. the rest of the field.
CREW
Blue win one of five races
in tough loss to Buckeyes
conditions
catch up to
By Chastity Rolling
Daily Sports Writer
The No. 4 Michigan women's crew team trav-
eled to Scioto River on Saturday and faced stiff
competition against No.1 Ohio State. Though
Michigan lost five out of six races against the
Buckeyes, it still benefited from the regatta.
"Our crews raced well," Michigan head coach
Mark Rothstein said. "But we just came up short
today."
Despite Michigan's efforts, its boats were
just not fast enough to claim an overall victory
over Ohio State. The Wolverines' first varsity
four did win one race against Ohio State with
a time of 7:29, beating Ohio State by a com-
fortable second.
"Our first varsity four performed well," Roth-
stein said.
It was the only Michigan boat that defeated
Ohio State this weekend. The Wolverines now
know where they stand against the best team in
the country.
"Ohio State is a big challenge," senior
Heather Mandoli said. "This year, (the
'Buckeyes) are a very strong team, but they
are beatable."
Mandoli believes that Michigan has
potential to improve by the end of the sea-
son. It has plenty of time to increase speed
and endurance.
"Saturday was a measuring stick," Mandoli
said. "Ohio State is a strong team. We just need
to stay motivated and to get faster."
Heavy concentration on these two things in
practice will help Michigan improve and close
the gap.
"Ohio State is an outstanding team,"
Rothstein said. "They were just the better
team, today."
Mandoli also believes that that her team can
measure up to Ohio State in the future.
"Being the better team now does not nec-
essarily mean Ohio State will be next
month," Mandoli said. "We just need to
improve our race."
Michigan will have a chance to show its
improvement against Ohio State this week-
end when the Wolverines travel to Char-
lottesville,Va., to compete in the ACC/Big
Ten Double Dual against Ohio State, No. 8
Virginia and No. 18 Duke on Lake Michie.
GYM
Continued from Page 1
said. "I had no idea that I would have this opportunity to make
All-American because the competition was real good. I just
happened to hit real well. It's exciting because I'm a freshman."
Bottke also finished the event finals as an All-American.
He put together what he described as his best routine since
he started training to place fifth in the nation on the floor.
Sophomore Justin Laury, one of the favorites on the high
bar, struggled during the finals of his event. But his all-
around score of 54.675 was good enough to earn him fifth
place. It was the second year in a row that Laury was an All-
American in the all-around competition.
"It was a little bit of a disappointment because I thought
that Justin could probably win high bar," Golder said. "But
he did a great job for us overall. He had a great weekend."
When the gymnasts came into Assembly Hall, where the
competition was held, they were greeted by artificial smoke,
bright lights and thousands of screaming Illinois fans. The
arena was deafening the entire night.
"Coming into here is the most amazing thing ever," Laury
said. "As far as gymnastics goes, I have never experienced
anything like this.
"It's so loud, and it's so intense. It really gets your adrena-
line going."
Rakes - who had never been to NCAAs before - agreed.
"The atmosphere was why I was able to perform so well,"
Rakes said. "Emotionally, everyone was excited. And for me,
my excitement overcame my nervousness. It didn't feel like a-
competition with all of the yelling.
"We are just going to work so much harder this summer
and next year. And we're not going to take anything less at
the first meet."
4
DaRy's NHL Power Rkg
2. Tampa Bay 106 pts.
2 Martin St. Louis is listed as 5-
foot-9 but he's much shorter. Inch-
for-inch, he may be the NH's best.
3.~ Bostojn 1O4 pts
* Jo1bhomtn is ot idfltely
With an "upprd hnj{PiIretty
vagueou May st soft.
4. San Jose 104 pts.
'Nobody expected the Sharks to
be this good, themselves included. A
*Ty nd say "Qwen Nolr ten
Plyf sermes gaint the Blmess n exp.
We-.yO n ty
6. Ottawa 102 pts.
* A 6-0 loss to Toronto, your first
round opponent, is not a good way
to finish the regular season.
7. V 101 .
* The C8ukswill isBevui
In the plyoffs WIi hi~m h laes
wolntstand a hnc.
8. New Jersey 100 pts.
* Do the Devils have another
Stanley Cu p run in them? No, no they
don't! But Rafalski will be back.
,slew of allen&s.1es a go u.
10. PhIladelphia 101 pts.
* Desjardin and Pnimeau are back
just in time for their playoff battle
with the Devils. Home ice will help.
~y's NRA Power Rankings
1. Los Angeles 53-24
* Lakers now: Best team in the
league. Lakers next season: No
Kobe, Phil, Payton, Malone or Fox.
3. Minnesota 54-24
*"Don't remind the Wolves that
they've never won a playoff series.
Remind Flip to start Wally.
5. Memphis 49-27
" Wells, Gasol and Swift all went
down with injuries, but Poseyis rosie
and wants a ring around his finger.
4
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7. Detroit 50-27
* A fan threw an octopus on the
Palace court during Wednesday
night's game. This IS HockeyTown.
9. New Jersey 44-31
" Shut up, Richard Jefferson. Nets
are 2-5 without Kidd and Martin.
Ready for Spike and co. at MSG?
*Ta u4rge aon to ae a
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