SPORTS The Michigan Daily Friday, May 16, 1986 Three Blue netters head to NCAAs Page 15 By PAUL DODD Three members of the men's tennis team hope their season won't end as disappointingly as it did for the rest of the squad at last week's Big Ten Championships in Bloomington. Freshman standout Dan Gold- berg, junior Ed Filer, and senior Jim Sharton will be traveling to Athens, Ga., for the NCAA Cham- pionships tomorrow, while trying. to forget what the Wolverines failed to capture the league title for only the second time in 19 years. TOP-SEEDED Minnesota downed Michigan, 5-1, last Sunday to win the 77th Big Ten men's ten- nis championships. The Wolverines, seeded third going in- to the tournament, had won 17 league crowns in the past 18 seasons, including last year's title. The Gophers went through the league schedule unbeaten in nine matches. Wisconsin, a 5-4 winner over the Wolverines at Madison this spring, went in seeded second, but got its come-uppance from the Michigan team Saturday. The Badgers ended up in seventh place. Sharton, an All-American, and Goldberg were two of the 13 players selected to the All-Big Ten squad by the conference coaches. COACH Brian Eisner, the men- tor for the last 15 titles, was less than thrilled about being the run- ner-up, but was pleased with his team's performance in the final. "(That) was our best match of the whole tournament," said Eisner. "We (Michigan and Min- nesota) are the two powerhouses in this part of the country right now, and two of the best teams this league has had in a long time. "It isn't that we played poorly; we just got beat by a better team. All we can do is take our hats off to them. We played the best we could," added Eisner. ALTHOUGH the Big Tens were a bitter pill to swallow this season, Eisner is optimistic about the prospects for next spring, despite the loss of Sharton to graduation. Ed Nagel, a transfer student. from Pepperdine, could rival Goldberg for the number-one spot and brings still more consistency to the Michigan lineup, which will be well-experienced by next Mar- ch. Battling for next year's top spot will probably be one of the last 4 things on Goldberg's mind this week, however, as the first-year collegiate from Avon, Conn. takes to the court against the best college players in America. "I'M NOT the least bit worried about him," said Eisner, dismissing any concern over possible freshmanitis in post- season play. "A lot depends on the draw at nationals, but Dan has always handled pressure well." Pressure is no stranger to Goldberg, who was the 12th- number one in the Midwest," said Eisner flatly. "Our players could do unbelievably well in the tour- nament. Both are among the best in the country." Eisner attributes Goldberg's It's not like we played success on the court to consisten- poorly ; we just got beat by cy, plain and simple. a better team. All we can "He doesn't make a lot of do is take our hats off to mistakes and he will not beat him- them.' self," Eisner said. "Dan keeps the ball in play and just wears his op- -Michigan tennis coach ponents down. Many become Brian Eisner frustrated because they cannot handle his great consistency." WHILE Goldberg's play this year has been only a mild surprise to Eisner, Sharton has been his usual self - a solid player, day in and day out. ranked junior player in the coun- "This isn't anything new for try before graduating from high Jim," said Eisner about Sharton's school. Playing number-one return to national competition. singles the majority of his fresh- "For four years he has been a man year, Goldberg racked up an coach'a delight, a very mature impressive 9-1 record in Big Ten and consistent player. play during the regular season. "His record wasn't quite good Goldberg will be entering the enough (to make the NCAA's as a NCAAs as the third-ranked player singles player) this year," added in the Midwest, while the Filer- Eisner. "He had some close Sharton duo is rated as the losses, but doesn't have any hard premier doubles team in the Mid- feelings about Dan. He realizes west. that what is good for the team is "I THINK (Goldberg) should be good for Jim Sharton." Tracksters to host Paddock Invitational I After leading the Michigan track team in the Phil Diamond Invitational last Saturday, Omar Davidson and Todd Steverson will attempt to do the same tomorrow in the Paddock Invitational at Ferry Field. Davidson and Steverson teamed with Wiley Boulding and Thomas Wilcher to win the 4x100-meter relay in 41.0 seconds. Steverson (46.22) finished runner-up to Davidson (46.22) in the 400-meter dash. MICHIGAN shop putter J.J. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1432 Washtenaw Ave.. 662-4466 (between S. University and Hill) Sunday 9:30 and 11:00a.m. Coffee Hour - 10:30 Social Hall Adult Education Classes during both services. Campus Group: Coordinator - Jamie Schultz Meets for Bible Study 7 p.m., Wed- nesdays. Dr. William Hillegonds - .Sr. Minister. Grant (53'3"), and Michigan's 4x400-meter relay team (3:07.1) also took seconds. "I was happy with Omar and Todd," said Michigan coach Jack Harvey. "They both ran three races in about two hours, and they ran well. We also got good perfor- mances out of Rollie Hudson in the 1500 (third place, 3:51.29) and J.J. Grant in the shot put. Both had season best outings." While the Diamond Invitational consisted of state men's teams, the Paddock Invitational will in- clude the Michigan women's team as well as a contingent from Pur- due. Both meets, however, are con- sidered warmups for the Big Ten Championships, which take place next weekend in Madison. "Most importantly, we got out of here without any injuries," Harvey said after Saturday's meet. "We just can't afford any this close to Big Tens.' 7 'Badmeni S4& Professional * Experienced NO WAITING! DASCOLA STYLISTS Maple Village ....... 761-2733 Liberty off State ..... 668-9329 Daily Photo by ANDI SCHREIBER Greener days ahead? Michigan's Terry Mage (left), Purdue's Laura Medima (middle), and Wisconsin's Jean Hackbarth tee off at the 15th hole at the University of Michigan Golf Course in the Big Ten Championships Sunday. The Wolverines finished eighth in the nine-team field with a four-round total of 1369, 119 shots behind first- place Indiana. Michigan's struggling men's team may not do much better in the men's Big Ten Cham- pionships at Michigan State this weekend.