4B - Monday, March 26, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Away from home,
'M' tames Lions
*
By CHRIS MESZAROS
Daily Sports Writer
STATE COLLEGE - When you mix
fire and water you generally get smoke.
But on Friday, a rowdy Penn State
crowd couldn't douse the flames of a
red-hot pair of Wolverines.
After taking an early 1-0 lead, the
Michigan women's tennis team con-
tinued to roll, winning the first three
singles matches to seal the match in a
5-2 win.
The No. 1 doubles team of sophomore
Chisako Sugiyama and senior Jenny
Kuehn faced the majority of the slander.
But the efforts of the Nittany Lions and
company were rendered moot by a 8-4
victory for Michigan
"The crowd made me focus even
more," Kuehn said. "If I let this stuff
bother me I will just go downhill, but
at the end I laughed about it because we
won."
Sugiyama and Kuehn took control of
the match early, breaking Penn State's
Lauren Holzberg and Sasha Abraham.
Kuehn won several Michigan points
with deceptive backhand volleys placed
carefully between the Penn State play-
ers.
The duo has been key to Michigan's
revitalized doubles effort. After start-
ing the season 0-9 in doubles play, the
Wolverines have since gone 4-1. This
coincides with Michigan coach Amanda
Augustus's pairing of the two, who are
now 5-0 in dual match play.
"Jenny and Chisako are very similar
players," Augustus said. "They both are
very solid with volleys and transition
shots; they outsmart and out-move the
opposition."
Michigan was also strong at the No.
2 doubles pairing with senior Kara
Delicata and freshman Tania Mahtani.
Delicata's strong serve and Mahtani's
powerful returns make them a great
fit. The combination of power allowed
Michigan to dominate in a 8-3 win.
"I feel so privileged to play with
Kara," Mahtani said. "She has taughtme
a lot and advises me in what I need to do
and when we're trusting our games we
do really well together."
Mahtani also clinched the match for
Michigan at No. 3 singles, extending
her winning streak to six. Due to sev-
eral unforced errors by Mahtani, Penn
State's Jenny Shular won the first set.
But a rejuvenated Mahtani regained her
focus and pressured Shular with her
powerful return shot to win (4-6, 6-1,
6-0).
"I was struggling at the beginning,
she hit some great shots," Mahtani said.
"But I began to trust my game and put
more pressure on her. It was a great feel-
ing to clinch the win for Michigan/"
Mahtani, a freshman, has been a key
to the Wolverines' success, winning
her past six matches and clinching five
dual-matches for Michigan.
The Wolverines maintained their
focus throughout the match. Their per-
formance in doubles quieted the crowd,
and after Michigan clinched the match,
the disheartened Penn State fans began
to leave. Despite being the loudest
crowd the Wolverines have faced thus
far, Michigan was ready to meet the
challenge.
"The team did a really good job of
just focusing on their game plan and
they really didn't notice (the crowd)
too much after they got going in their
matches," Augustus said. "It really
didn't affect anyone at all."
EUGENE ROBINSON/Daii
Senior Kara Delicata turned in a strong doubles performance over the weekend, helping propel the Michigan women's tennis team to a 8-4 victory over Penn
State this weekend in State College.
6
Arizona not as kind
this time to Blue
0
By MATT JOHNSON
Daily Sports Writer
Dfjavu it wasn't for the Michigan women's
golf team.
Over spring break, the Wolverines trav-
eled to Arizona and finished third at the Red
Rocks Invitational. But they couldn't repli-
cate their past success this weekend, finish-
ing eighth out of 16 teams at the Mountain
View Challenge in Tucson.
Freshman Ashley Bauer led the way for
the Wolverines, shooting 4-under par to fin-
ish in fifth place. She played well throughout
the tournament, finishing under par in every
round. Michigan coach Kathy Teichert didn't
mince words in praise of her effort.
"It was awesome," Teichert said.
Bauer didn't get much help from her
teammates. Seniors Brianna Broderick and
Ali Stinson, Michigan's two lowest scorers
throughout the season, finished 47th and
55th, respectively. Broderick had led the Wol-
verines in six out of their eight tournaments
this season, and her consistency is something
the team counts on every time out.
"It was a little disappointing," Teichert
said. "Obviously you think they're (Broder-
ick and Stinson) going to shoot around par.
But they've been great for us all year and we
look forward to finishing out the year with
them."
Michigan had many opportunities to capi-
talize on during the weekend. The Wolver-
ines were in 10th after the first day, but they
couldn't turn the corner en route to their
mediocre finish.
Teichert seemed disappointed they were
unable to do so.
"Today wehad perfectweather andperfect
scoring opportunities," Teichert said. "It also
wasn't that difficult of a course, which is why
some of our players were disappointed with
the scores they got. "
Nebraska won the tournament,but BigTen
rivals Northwestern and Indiana both fin-
ished above the Wolverines. Michigan hopes
that won't be a sign of things to come when
they compete at the Big Ten championships
in late April. The Wolverines have struggled
as of late, and finished 12th out of 16 teams at
the Lady Gator Invitational two weeks ago.
Still, Teichert doesn't seem too worried.
"I'm looking forward to Big Tens," Tei-
chert said. "I think we're going to do really
well and end the season on a positive note."
0
Senior Brianna Broderick and the rest of the Michigan women's golf team finished eighth out of 16 teams in Tucson, Ariz this weekend.
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V'NOTE
Wolverines keep on
rolling, beat Badgers
The No. 28 Michigan men's ten- Junior Matko Maravic led the
nis team continued its winning way for the Wolverines, securing a
ways on Saturday, defeating Big Ten crucial win at the No.1 singles spot,
foe Wisconsin in Madison, 4-3. defeating Badger junior Nolan Pol-
The victory was the Wolverines' ley, 7-6 (2), 6-4. Senior Brian Hung
third straight and kept them alive clinched the team win at the No. 2
in the race for the conference title. singles position when he recovered
Michigan swept the doubles from a disastrous first set to secure
portion of the meet and won three a comeback victory over Wisconsin
of the first four singles matches to junior Jeremy Sonkin, 0-6, 7-6 (4),
build an insurmountable lead. 6-2.
0
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