The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 11A
Woodford starts
season on bench
Boyles finds new
way to lead Blue
By Ian Herbert
Daily Sports Writer
Two weeks ago, just before the Mich-
igan hockey team started conference
play, coach Red Berenson told senior
Michael Woodford that he wouldn't
be playing because he hasn't been per-
forming up to his potential. Woodford is
perfectly healthy, but for two weeks, he
has been stuck in the stands instead of
getting playing time on the ice.
"It's real disappointing," Woodford
said. "You just don't know what to do.
You lose a lot of confidence, and you get
down on yourself. And that's what I tried
not to do."
Woodford has spent a lot of time on
the ice throughout his career. During
his freshman year, he played in 43 of
the Wolverines' 44 games, and he has
played in at least 37 games every year
since then. With two talented freshman
forwards on this year's squad, it was
clear that someone was going to have
to sit. But for the senior, it's been an
eye-opener.
"It was a real humbling experience,"
Woodford said. "You go from playing
games all the time to sitting up in the
stands, and it's a tough position to be in.
You have to be up there and have a posi-
tive attitude, and you have to root for your
teammates and root for your team to win.
But you just sit up there in the stands, and
you want to be out there so bad."
Berenson said that Woodford was not
taken off of the ice for any one reason.
He said that he rarely makes that decision
because of one bad shift or one mistake.
Rather, he bases his decisions on trends
in play over a period of weeks.
"I want to do what's best for the team,"
Berenson said. "That's what we talk
about: What's best for the team, then
what's best for the individuals involved.
"I want our team to know that there's
some competition here. You can't just
go through the motions and expect to be
playing. Playing is a privilege here. It's
not a right."
Woodford has been working hard
in practice and trying to prove to his
coaches that he deserves to be back
in the lineup. This weekend, he got
another chance to prove himself when
he played in Saturday's 1-0 overtime
loss at Ferris State.
"He played well," senior captain Eric
Nystrom said. "He played hard and he was
JEFF LEHNERT/ Daily
Once a consistent contributor, Michael Woodford has had to deal with not even
dressing in a number of Michigan's games this season.
good defensively. He wasn't a liability out after practice today, but added that if
there and he made some good plays." everything else is equal, he would rather
Nobody knows whether senior Char- play the younger Rohlfs.
lie Henderson, sophomore David Rohlfs "That's the good thing about this
- the two healthy scratches at Ferris team," Nystrom said. "If someone's not
State - or Woodford will play this playing up to their potential, or not play-
weekend against Miami (Ohio). Beren- ing well enough for the team, they can
son said that he won't announce it until be taken out of the lineup."
Reserved Hung boisterous on courts
By Seth Gordon
Daily Sports Writer
Last winter, the Michigan women's soc-
cer team elected Stephanie Boyles to be a
captain. But two weeks before she was set
to return to Ann Arbor for
preseason training with the
team, Boyles tore her ACL ToN
during summer club com-
petition. Forced to sit out the
entire season, Boyles has N 25
become the most spirited T. Tie
leader on the team.
"I watch the game from a B.
different view," Boyles said.
"I look at different things
now - not the technical and
tactical things, (but) playing for fun, being
positive, building self confidence, encour-
aging and working on things other than
soccer skills."
By encouraging her teammates, Boyles
has adapted to her role as captain.
"The team elected her captain because
she has leadership qualities," Michigan
coach Debbie Rademacher said. "She's
vocal, she sets the tone when she trains.
She has good insight, good things to say.
That's what I think draws people to her."
While she has kept her spirits up, stand-
ing on the sidelines has been bittersweet.
"It's really hard (to watch the team
play)," Boyles said. "Fighting adversity is
the hardest thing in any aspect of life. But I
think, especially being a player your whole
life - not really having to step back and
look at the big picture - you really learn
a lot about yourself and a lot about your
character. (You see) the importance of the
game and why you do it."
As an observer, Boyles cannot fully
experience the highs that accompany win-
ning, but she is also less affected by the
lows that come with losing.
In terms of ups and downs, the Wolver-
ines (6-3-1 Big Ten, 10-7-1 overall) have
experienced a stark contrast in their results
from month to month.
During September, the Wolverines went
7-0-1 and rose to No. 13 in the country. In
those eight games, Michigan's offense
often gave its defense a lead to work with,
NOTE
Maguire earns Coach
of the Year award
For the third straight year, women's
cross country coach Mike Maguire
was voted the Big Ten Conference
Coach of the Year. It is his sixth such
making the latter's job a little easier. The
results spoke for themselves as the Wohler-
ines outscored their opponents 18-5.
But, in October, Michigan's bubble
burst. The team struggled to a 3-5-1 record,
including a four-game losing streak. The
losses began to mount dnd
the effect was seen in all
GHT aspects of the game. The
offense struggled to con-
vert scoring chances and
the defense did not hold up.
30 ,.a Michigan was outscored
13-7.
itt t * Michigan is hoping to
' " reverse its fortunes with
the start of a new month.
The Wolverines are the
third seed in the Big Ten Tournament and
will face No. 6 seed Wisconsin tonight in
Columbus. Having fallen out of the nation-
al polls, Michigan needs a strong showing
to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.
Like the team, Boyles has been down at
times, but keeping a positive attitude h4s
helped her through her rehabilitation. in
two weeks, she will progress to short peri-
ods of running. By December, the junior
expects to be able to run as far as three
miles. Boyles aims to be back to 100 per-
cent by February.
"(Rehabilitation is) no different than
how much you put in on the field,' Boyles
said. "You put into it what you want to get
out. So, if you put a lot into it, everythiig
will go a lot better"
Boyles can also look to the example of
teammate Therese Heaton, who missed
much of last season with nagging shoulder
and calf injuries.
"She's like my best friend, so we talk
about it all the time," Boyles said. "That
just goes to show you that somebodyoan
fight for so long and have one thing hap-
pen after the other and come back and be
absolutely remarkable."
Despite the difficulties Boyles has
faced, she feels the new perspective she
has adopted will help in her return.
"It comes with fighting back and (not)
taking things for granted," Boyles said.
"When I do get the opportunity (to play),
I will cherish it a little more."
award in his 13 seasons.
At the Big Ten Championships last
week, Michigan placed three runners in
the top 10, and all five in the top 16 on
its way to its third-straight Big Ten title.
Maguire has led his squad to a Big Ten
title six times in his career. He won three
straight years (1992-94) once before, and
also was declared NCAA regional Coach
of the Year each year during that span:
By Scott Bell
Daily Sports Writer
If you see Michigan men's tennis player Brian Hung
walking down the street or in a classroom, you won't
hear him boasting or bragging about recent results. But
when you watch this quiet, humble and
down-to-earth sophomore on the courts, -"'""""""
you may want to plug your ears. Hung has
brought new life to the Wolverines thisv
fall, and has let his game do the talking.A uTAst s
And, unlike Hung's personality, his game eroe
is not shy. Chr{
Only a week ago, Hung waltzed his ViyTe
way through five straight opponents, mak-
ing the finals of the ITA Regional held in Avv
Ann Arbor. In the process, he dismissed
top-seeded Jakub Praibis of Indiana 6-4,
6-0 - a win that gave him confidence going into today's
ITA National Indoor Championships.
"The tournament last week certainly gave me a
big boost," Hung said. "Knowing I can compete with
some of the nation's best has made me a more confi-
dent player."
Although he fell short in the finals against No.2 ranked
Ryler DeHeart, Hung, who was seeded 12th, exceeded
all expectations most had for him going into the tourna-
ment. But don't expect him to get complacent.
"There's still a big area for me to improve, especially
playing against bigger and stronger players," Hung said.
"I'm getting better and better as the season progresses,
but every stroke of mine still needs improvement."
The dual season isn't until the spring, so Hung treats
these individual tournaments as the preseason.
"I don't set any individual goals for
myself before the year except just to
NDAY improve," Hung said. "Our team didn't
make the NCAA Tournament last year,
though, so anything I can do to help us
't nmake it this year will be my goal."
ship Within Michigan's squad he is a part
r( Center fof another team - the Wolverines' No.
1 doubles team. Along with fellow sopho-
more Ryan Heller, Hung will compete
=---- in the doubles draw of the tournament.
Pulling double duty could be an unenvi-
able task for certain players who just want to emphasize
singles play, but Hung welcomes the opportunity with
open arms.
"Playing doubles is fun - I love it," Hung said.
"It allows me to work on my volleying at the net and
become a better player."
Under the tutelage of first year Michigan coach Bruce
Berque, Hung's game has evolved from a strategy that
primarily focused on playing from the baseline, to an
all-court game that includes playing more at the net.
-Hung led the Wolverines last season with 22 wins, and
with a new philosophy on the court and another year of
experience, who knows how much better he could be.
Hung begins his next challenge today at the ITA
National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships held in
Ann Arbor. As hosts, the Wolverines receive an auto-
matic entry into each draw. Because Hung earned an
automatic bid from regional competition, senior Michael
Rubin will also participate in the singles draw.
BRETT MOUNTAIN/Daily
Brian Hung will compete at Indoor Nationals today.
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