2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsWednesday - January 5, 2005
CLUBSPORTSWEEKLY
Lacrosse eager for redemption
By Sara Livingston
Daily Sports Writer
Coming into the 2005 season, the Michigan
women's club varsity lacrosse team has just one
goal in mind: winning the U.S. Lacrosse Wom-
en's Division Intercollegiate Associates national
tournament.
With eight returning seniors - including the
preseason player of the year in senior goalie
Jackie Fu - and a No. 1 ranking, the Wolverines
are confident that their goal will soon become a
reality, and the only thing standing in their way
is simply themselves.
After losing in the quarterfinals of the WDIA
tournament last year and ending the season
ranked No. 3 in the country, the Wolverines all
have a bitter taste in their mouths and are more
than eager to uphold their preseason ranking.
"We lost to ourselves in that game," Fu said.
"It wasn't like we gave up. It was just one of those
things where everyone wants it so bad that every-
one tries to play their part, but the parts don't go.
We just didn't have that mindset, and we got ner-
vous, and we didn't perform up to our ability."
But after seeing the team come together both
on and off the field, Fu hopes the Wolverines
won't cut their own season short again.
"The only people we lose to are ourselves," Fu
said. "I am so confident when I say that because
this team, when we play together, it's just the
most amazing thing ever. The ball just flows,
and we think as just one single mind, and we
can get any job done."
Michigan rolled to a 21-2 regular season record
last season. According to the players, the strong
bond of the team led Michigan to that mark, and
is a defining element of this year's squad as well.
The seniors' desire to win a national champion-
ship in their final year has motivated the team
during their preseason practices to work harder
and achieving their goal.
"There are eight of us (seniors), and I have
never been with such a great group of girls,"
senior Alana Rubin said. "All of us have the
same mentality that we all want this so bad, and
we are all working toward this now for three
years."
The unity of the team and its overall cohesive-
ness is evident to the players, who feel as though
this is truly their year.
"When you walk into practice, you are with 23
of your best friends," Rubin said. "I have never
been in an environment where I can just throw
the ball and I know someone is always going to
be there to catch it.
"We are all working towards the same goal,
and we all really want it. And I think it's defi-
nitely obtainable this year."
In addition to the strong senior core, the fresh
faces on this year's squad may add that extra
spark the team needs to go all the way.
"We definitely have some outstanding fresh-
men who came into tryouts and basically blew
us away," senior Stephanie Betts said. "And it
really looks like we are more of a cohesive unit
and it's not going to take us as long to get work-
ing as a team as it may have in the past.
"Communication is always a big thing, espe-
cially when you are playing against top-ranked
teams who seem to click. And we need that click
- and I think we really have that this year."
Athlete of the Week
Name: Ryan Churella Team: Wrestling
Hometown: Northville Class: Junior
Why: With No. 5 Michigan trailing No. 14 Central
Michigan 9-0 on Sunday, Churella turned the Wolverines'
fortunes around. Churella -No. 4 in the 165-pound
weight class - scored a major decision 9-0 over No. 2
David Bolyard to lead Michigan to a come-from-behind
victory, 24-15, in front of 1,236 fans at Cliff Keen Arena.
'M' SCHEDULE
Date Event
Location
1/5
1/6
1/7
1/7
1/7
1/7
1/8
1/8
1/8
1/8
1/8
1/8
1/8
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M Basketball at Iowa
W Basketball at Northwestern
M Swim/Diving at Stanford
W Gymnastics vs. Nebraska
Ice Hockey vs. Western Michigan
W Tennis
at Michigan Invitational
W Track/Field
at Jack Harvey Invitational
M Track/Field
at Jack Harvey Invitational
Wrestling vs. Nebraska
Wrestling vs. Army
Wrestling vs. Stanford
at Lone Star Duals
M Swim/Diving at California
M Gymnastics
at Windy City Invitational
Ice Hockey at Western Michigan
M Basketball vs. Fairfield
W Tennis
at Michigan Invitational
Iowa City
Evanston
Palo Alto, Calif.
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Dallas
Dallas
Dallas
Berkeley, Calif.
Chicago
Kalamazoo
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Time
9 p.m.
8 p.m.
4 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:35 p.m.
TBA
9 a.m.
9 a.m.
Boggs,
NEW YORK (AP) - Wade Boggs
was overwhelmingly elected to the
Hall of Fame in his first year of eli-
gibility yesterday, and Ryne Sand-
berg made it with just six votes to
spare on his third try.
Boggs, a five-time American
League batting champion for the
Boston Red Sox, was selected by 474
of the record 516 voters who are 10-
year members of the Baseball Writ-
ers' Association of America.
The 91.86 percent of ballots he
received was the 19th-highest percent-
age in Hall history, and he became the
41st player elected on his first chance.
andberg elected to Hall
11 a.m.
1 p.m.
4 p.m.
7 p.m.
7:35 p.m.
8 p.m.
TBA
In total votes, Boggs trailed only
Nolan Ryan (491) and George Brett
(488).
"It's mind-boggling to be put in
the same category," said Boggs, who
credited his success to his 79-year-
old father, Winfield.
"He coached me in Little League
and sort of nurtured me along - was
there every phone call in the minor
leagues," Boggs said.
Sandberg, the 1984 Nation-
al League MVP for the Chicago
Cubs, was picked by 393 voters. He
appeared on 76.2 percent of ballots,
just above the 75 percent cutoff (387).
Sandberg received 49.2 percent of
votes in 2003 and got 61.1 percent
last year, falling 71 votes short.
"There's been some tremendous,
tremendous players who waited lon-
ger than I had to wait to get into the
Hall of Fame," Sandberg said.
Reliever Bruce Sutter, appear-
ing on the ballot for the 12th time,
received 344 votes (66.7 percent), up
from 301 last year but 43 shy of what
was needed this time.
He was followed by Jim Rice (307),
Rich Gossage (285) and Andre Daw-
son (270).
"I'm not going to say I'm disap-
pointed," Dawson said.
Willie McGee, also on the ballot
for the first time, received 26 votes,
exactly at the 5 percent cutoff to
avoid being dropped in future years.
Darryl Strawberry got six votes in
his first bid.
Pete Rose, ineligible for the bal-
lot because of his lifetime ban from
baseball, received nine write-in
votes, six fewer than last year and
his lowest total. Rose, who admitted
last year that he bet on the Cincin-
nati Reds while managing them in
the late 1980s, has been written in
on 239 of 6,687 ballots (3.6 percent)
over 14 years.
He must be reinstated by late Novem-
ber to appear on the ballot in 2006, the
final year he would be eligible.
Boggs, known for his array of pre-
and post-game rituals, was a 12-time
All-Star during an 18-year career,
finishing with 3,010 hits.
He won batting titles in 1983 and
from 1985-88, becoming the first
player to win the AL batting cham-
pionship in four straight years since
Rod Carew from 1972-75. Boggs,
who hit .300 or higher 15 times, fin-
ished with a .328 career average and
was the only player in the 20th cen-
tury with seven straight 200-hit sea-
sons. He also became the first player
to get 200 hits and 100 walks in four
consecutive seasons.
A two-time Gold Glove winner at
third base, Boggs played for the Red
Sox from 1982-92, then spent five
seasons with the New York Yan-
kees, helping the team win the 1996
World Series and riding a police
horse around Yankee Stadium after
the final victory.
His final two seasons were with his
hometown Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
On Aug. 7, 1999, Boggs became
the 23rd member of the 3,000-hit
club, connecting off Cleveland's
Chris Haney to become the first
player to get No. 3,000 with a home
run. After circling the bases, Boggs
kissed home plate.
Sandberg was a nine-time Gold
Glove second baseman and a 10-
time All-Star. He hit 277 homers,
the most by a second baseman at
the time of his retirement, and led
the NL with 40 in 1990. His .989
fielding percentage is the highest at
the position.
"I think defense had everything
to do with me getting into the Hall
of Fame," Sandberg said.
Boggs and Sandberg will increase
the Hall of Fame's membership to
260, of which 102 were selected by
the BBWAA. Induction ceremonies
are July 31 in Cooperstown.
Results of voting by the Veterans
Committee will be released March
2. Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva and Ron
Santo were among the 25 candidates
on that ballot.
Among the players eligible for the
first time on next year's BWAA bal-
lot are Orel Hershiser, Will Clark
and Dwight Gooden.
Dail s NBA Power Ba is NF16 Power
It Rankings ills Rankings
2. Miami (25-8)
As promised, Shaq is dominating
the East, and the Heat have won nine
of 10.
2. New England (14-2)
" The road to the Super Bowl still
goes through Brady's bunch.
4. Seattle (23-6) 4. Indianapolis (12-4)
" Consistency has helped this * Peyton eclipsed Marino, but can he
surprise team stay near the top. finally come through in the playoffs?
Wade Boggs nabbed 474 votes and gained entry to baseball's Hall of Fame.
6. Sacramento (19-9)
0 The Kings areroiling, blah blah blah.
Playoff collapse, here we come.
6. San Diego (12-4)
*The Chargers are probably glad
they didn't draft Eli Manning now.
I
Very
We p
I eHOfficials
flexible scheduling
rovide all training -
Y
Y
Uniforms provided and y
r Earn $7.00 an hour
Meet new friends
Training clinics
begin on Wed,
January 5th at
7:00 PM at the
Intramural Sports
Building.
3ickey
Needed.
:eH okey???
first time officials welcome
ours to keep!
Please contact
David Siegle at
763-3562 for
further
information.
versity of Michigan I
8. L.A. Lakers (16-12)
* Kobe's last-second shot against
the Heat fell short, but he should still
carry them to the playoffs.
10. Minnesota (16-12)
e The Wolves have struggled as of
late, winning only four of 10.
10. Minnesota (8-8)
* Backingintothe postseason is such
a fashionable thing to do now.
0o
8. Green Bay (10-6)
# The Pack have at least one game at
Lambeau, which should mean at least
one win.
I-
The Uni