The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 22, 2005 -13A 'M' welcomes back Boyles By Tim Reid For the Daily Expectations are high for the women's soccer team as it heads into conference play this weekend. The Wolver- ines are looking to improve on last season's third-place Big Ten finish and qualify for their ninth straight NCAA bid. Adding to this season's expectations is the return of senior midfielder and tri-captain Stephanie Boyles, who was redshirted last season after suffering a torn ACL during summer club competition. "It was really hard (sitting out last season) when we were lacking leadership," Boyles said. "It was hard not being able to contribute on the field." Though her presence on the field last season may have been missed, Boyles is taking full advantage of her lead- ership role on this year's squad and has already made a significant impact. "I can be out there and contribute," Boyles said. "I know what (my teammates) are looking for and need. I can lead with more direction." * Although possessing a commanding authority on the field, Boyles approaches her role as a captain with humil- ity, striving to lead by example. Coach Debbie Rademacher praised Boyles's contribu- tions this season. "She's doing great," Rademacher said. "She's a vocal leader for us. She's competitive, and the team respects her." The contagious energy and positive attitude Boyles exudes off the field makes her teammates' respect for her easy to understand. Her ability to recognize the dif- ference between criticism and encouragement comple- ments her ability to be a team leader. The remaining two tri-captains, senior Therese Hea- ton and junior Katelin Spencer, expanded on the benefits of Boyles's redefined role. "She's is a great leader," Spencer said. "I'm a junior, so I'm learning from (Boyles and Heaton) and stepping into the role as well." As a senior team member, Boyles brings motivation and enthusiasm to the team atmosphere. But her techni- cal skills will also pay off tremendously as the season progresses. "It's helpful having that experience and leadership in the middle of the field," Heaton said. "She can play the ball on a dime. She's got deadly set pieces that can make or break a game." Perhaps the greatest benefit Boyles's return will bring to the Wolverines this season is the chemistry she shares with her fellow captains. Together, the tri-captains cre- ate a cohesive leadership unit, and each individual brings something unique to the team. "We all bring a different element," Heaton said. "All three of us balance each other. I'm a competitor, Steph's organized and energetic, and Katelin's nurturing." Rademacher emphasizes the profound influence the tri-captains will ultimately have on the team's success this year. "We expect our captains to lead the team," Radem- acher said. "All three have a lot of energy and are really enthusiastic. They're the pulse of the team. Our team will do as well as their leadership." With Boyles back, this year's squad and its dynamic team leaders may exceed everyone's expectations. Junior Katelin Spencer - one of three captains for the Wolverines - expects the return of Stephanie Boyles to spark the team. As lose ground in playoff race OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Twins man- ager Ron Gardenhire isn't one for team meetings or speeches at this stage. He will send his players out for the final 11 days of this disappointing season and just observe who's still giving their all. And maybe, the skipper hopes, Min- nesota will shake up the playoff picture in the process. Michael Cuddyer homered, hit three doubles and drove in four runs, and the Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 10-4 yesterday to snap a three-game skid. The A's began the day trailing the first- place Los Angeles Angels by 1 1/2 games in the AL West. The Angels played a late game against Texas. "This was a good win for us," said Gardenhire, whose club is already elim- inated from postseason contention after winning the AL Central the past three years. "To come out and score some runs and get a lead, we haven't done that very often. It was fun. The guys got to run the bases." Cuddyer finished with a career-high four hits and homered against Oakland for the fifth time this season. After his solo shot in the second inning, he fol- lowed with three doubles for his third career four-RBI game. He was intention- ally walked in the eighth. Matthew LeCroy added three hits and two RBIs for Minnesota, which had lost five of six. The Twins tagged Joe Ken- nedy in taking a 7-0 lead in the fifth, and avoided a three-game sweep. "Cuddyer killed us all year. He was pretty much a one-man wrecking crew," A's manager Ken Macha said. Scott Baker (2-2) pitched five effective innings to win for the first time in five starts. He retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced, allowing a one-out single to Jay Payton in the second and a leadoff single by Dan Johnson in the third. Bobby Crosby returned to Oakland's lineup after sitting out Tuesday to rest his fractured left ankle. He singled and scored in Oakland's three-run fifth, when Jason Kendall added a two-run double and Nick Swisher hit a sacrifice fly. Mark Ellis homered leading off the A's eighth for his 11th of the year. A's center fielder Mark Kotsay became defensive when someone suggested Oak- land didn't exhibit the kind of energy most would expect in the middle of a late-season pennant race. "We didn't come out flat," Kotsay said. "They came out and swung the bats well. How can a team come out flat when we know what's on the line? It's Sept. 21, and we're 1 1/2 games out. They jumped out on us and never let up. They kept their foot on our neck and never let us breathe." Kennedy (3-4) didn't last long in his sixth start for Oakland. He allowed six runs and five hits in 3 1-3 innings. The lefty, who joined the A's in a trade with Colorado on July 13, began as a reliever with the team and then moved into the rotation Aug. 27. After winning his first start at Baltimore, he has gone 0-4 in five outings - the losing streak is his worst since dropping four in a row last year with the Rockies. Kennedy's poor performance shows just how much the A's miss right-hander Rich Harden, sidelined since Aug. 19 with a strained muscle in the back of his throwing shoulder. Harden began the year as the team's No. 2 starter behind Barry Zito, but he might not pitch again this season. The Twins loaded the bases in the third when Jason Tyner and Jason Bartlett drew consecutive one-out walks, then LeCroy singled. Justin Morneau drove in a run with a grounder, and Cuddyer followed with his sharp double to left. Cuddyer hit a solo homer in the second, his 12th. While he would have liked to .get another chance at the plate to try for five hits, Cuddyer insists he's just deter- mined to help the Twins finish strong. "We've got a lot of things to play for," he said. "We want to finish .500." AP PHOTO Twins third baseman Michael Cuddyer struggled earlier in the season, but he helped lead Minnesota to its 10-4 victory over the A's, going 4-for4 with four RBI. The technologies we create define leading-edge. So do our opportunities. Join Raytheon, one of the world's most admired defense and aerospace systems suppliers, and apply your mind in ways that you've always thought possible. 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