and second and the tying run on
deck in the sixth inning, Hoosier
outfielder Brianna Meyer lined
a shot into the gap in center
field. If the ball fell in, it would
have scored at least one run, but
Christner extinguished that hope
with an acrobatic diving catch
and throw to second base to turn
the double play.
“Honestly, when it was hit,
I didn’t think I had any chance
of getting to it,” Christner said.
“When I caught it, I kind of freaked
out but I was like, ‘Alright, I’ve got
to finish the play.’ I jumped up and
saw the girl was still running back
to second, so I tried to get her out at
second then too.”
Michigan
erupted
in
celebration of Christner’s display
of athleticism. And just when
Indiana got its best chance to come
back, the Wolverines took it away.
In a series condensed into two
days, the play encapsulated the
sweep of the Hoosiers.
Just when Indiana thought it
could sneak by the Wolverines,
Christner delivered the knock-out
blow — squashing any chance of a
comeback.
SOFTBALL
From Page 1B
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsMonday
April 20, 2015 — 3B
SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN
Majoring in collegiate athletics
Y
ou warned me I couldn’t
major in football spec-
tating, but you must
have realized
during one
of the dozens
of surgeries
in Ann Arbor
that nothing
would keep
me from the
University of
Michigan.
We would
walk down
State Street
before doctor’s appointments,
and I would sprint from store
to store pointing at the winged
helmets and block ‘M’s in the
windows. You’d eventually
give an exasperated sigh at
my unbridled enthusiasm and
usher me away to the hospital.
You must have known how
much this place meant to me. On
the worst day of my life, you sang
me to sleep with “The Victors”
as the anesthesia dripped like
shards of ice into my arm.
During the month that
followed, when the discomfort
meant I’d spend entire days in
bed, you watched me struggle
up a flight of stairs to watch
Michigan’s bowl game. The
Wolverines won, and then they
carried Lloyd Carr off on their
shoulders. A
picture of that
moment still
hangs on my
wall.
It was my
freshman year
of high school,
but I knew
then I wanted
to go to school
here. And
I’m not sure
what drew me to Michigan over
Michigan State or anywhere
else, but thank you for helping
make this possible.
* * *
My story begins outside
my grandparents’ tin-roofed
home in Orotina, Costa Rica.
My cousin and I would play
fútbol until abuela called us in
for lunch, and we’d scarf down
our meal and scurry back out
until it became too dark to see
the ball. When we outgrew
the backyard, we’d play on the
streets. The fence would be the
goal, the birds our crowd, our
scrapes and bruises the reward
for a day well spent.
My story wears the red
and white of
Albion High
School. We
cared so much
about fielding
a squad each
year that
several of
us would
host foreign
exchange
students
— on the
condition they joined the team.
Opponents called us the Albion
Internationals, and I was voted
captain twice. Our mix of
Black, white and every color in
between represented the very
best of sports.
My story is a soccer field
in Pader, a city in northern
Uganda which was devastated
by a terrorist group around
the turn of the century. I stood
between the wooden goal posts
that had been erected behind an
elementary school and joined
21 other men as we played odilo.
They didn’t understand my
English, and I couldn’t translate
their Acholi, but we spoke
with our feet. They called me
Alex Andrew, and I was their
goalkeeper.
My story involves the passion
of the Michigan Ultras. One
night during welcome week my
sophomore year, I stood at a
match next to a freshman who
didn’t know any of the cheers.
For the next 90 minutes, I
taught her. Michigan lost, but I
got the girl.
And this story will end next
week at the Big House, where
100,000 people recently came
to watch soccer.
Somehow, that’s fitting.
* * *
Sports provide people the
outlet to reach immortality,
where flesh, blood and tears
may fade — but not the
memories. They offer a place
that fosters extraordinary
moments, where someone
can shatter the conventional
boundaries that restrict us and
achieve the spectacular.
Denard Robinson
demonstrated that when he
lost his shoes and kept running
straight into Michigan lore. So
did Trey Burke with his dagger
3-pointer against Kansas. Their
emotions were my emotions,
their accomplishments mine.
Maybe we all yearn for
that freedom to be a part of
something unforgettable.
There were instances that
transcended the sports realm,
too, like when Austin Hatch
tallied his first point or when
Devin Gardner comforted an
Ohio State player after a season-
ending injury, reminding
everyone how, at the core of
athletic competitions, we’re
all human. In those moments,
the result became secondary
to remarkable displays of
humanity.
But sports have always meant
more to me than a score.
The days I spent with a
tube strapped to my leg helped
me appreciate my ability to
walk, run and play soccer. I’m
appreciative every day for those
opportunities. Thank you, Dr.
Bloom and Dr. Malaeb, for
making me better.
Thank you to Costa Rica
for the 2014 World Cup. You
allowed a nation to believe in
the impossible.
Dad, thank you for your
stories. Thank you for Spanish
and for Costa Rica — for
opening those doors in my
world.
You warned me I couldn’t
major in football spectating,
Mom. But here I am. I’ve
majored in football spectating,
fútbol spectating, basketball
spectating and hockey
spectating. Thank you for
recognizing how happy it
makes me. Thank you for
realizing it makes me feel free.
Thank you, Michigan. You
were my best four years.
Zúñiga would like to thank
everyone who has influenced
his life — especially Greg, Dan,
David and Amrutha, who have
become like family. Saludos a las
tías en Orotina, who are family.
He’ll be covering the Tigers
this season for MLB.com, and
can be reached at ByAZuniga@
gmail.com and on Twitter @
ByAZuniga. Thank you for reading
and supporting The Michigan
Daily. It has meant so much.
COURTESY OF THE ZÚÑIGA FAMILY
Alejandro Zúñiga’s story began in Costa Rica and continued in Ann Arbor.
ALEJANDRO
ZÚÑIGA
Sports provide
people the
outlet to reach
immortality.
‘M’ misses Super Six
By CINDY YU
Daily Sports Writer
Less than two-tenths of a
point separated the Michigan
women’s gymnastics team from
securing a spot on the floor at
Saturday’s Super Six.
Though the Wolverines came
up just a hair short of qualifying
among the top three teams in
the first NCAA semifinal session
Friday, they still have much to
be satisfied with. Not only did
they close out the season as the
only team in the nation to score
at least 49.000 in all 52 rotations,
but they also counted zero falls
in competition.
“I think everyone did their
jobs like they were supposed
to, which ended up not being
enough to make it to the next
day,”
said
sophomore
Talia
Chiarelli. “We’re still really
happy with how we performed.”
Sophomore
Nicole
Artz
was named a first-team All-
American in the all-around with
a score of 39.425, and freshman
Brianna Brown was awarded
second-team honors with her
39.325 total. The team put up
the second-highest team total
in program history at the NCAA
Championships.
At the Fort Worth Convention
Center in Fort Worth, Texas,
No. 6 Michigan (27-6 overall)
scored 197.025 to place fourth
among six teams. No. 2 Florida
and No. 3 Utah tied for first
in the qualifying round with
scores of 197.475, while No. 11
Stanford rounded out the top
three with a total of 197.175.
No. 10 Georgia and No. 7 UCLA
finished in fifth and sixth with
scores of 196.600 and 196.400,
respectively.
For the third consecutive
year, Michigan drew the same
rotation order at the NCAA
Championships.
“Our biggest obstacle was
having to end on a bye,” said
Michigan coach Bev Plocki.
“Hopefully things come in three,
and we’re done with that.”
The Wolverines started the
meet on the uneven bars. Though
the entire lineup performed well,
with each gymnast recording at
least a score of 9.800 and a few
even sticking their dismounts,
leading off on that particular
event may have been to the
team’s disadvantage.
“Typically, the judges will
start out a little conservatively
and then loosen up, so I think
that it really hurt us,” Plocki said.
“We had a great bar rotation, but
as the meet went on, it seemed
like things loosened up over
there, and other teams were able
to take advantage of that.”
Among
all
six
teams,
Michigan had the lowest total on
bars with a 49.225.
On the balance beam, the
Wolverines
matched
their
program record of 49.250 for the
highest total on the event at an
NCAA Championships. Artz and
Chiarelli led the squad in the
anchor positions with wobble-
free routines that each scored
tallies of 9.900. Both gymnasts
qualified to Sunday’s event finals
and were named NCAA All-
Americans on beam.
While their scores ranked
among the highest in the session,
it was challenging to pinpoint
what the judges took off in
Chiarelli’s set.
“I have no idea where they
came up with a tenth of a
deduction because (Chiarelli)
did not have an eyelash out of
place in the routine and she
stuck her dismount,” Plocki
said. “She does a round-off
double back, which is a more
difficult dismount than most
people do.”
The Wolverines finished the
day strong on vault. Chiarelli,
Brown and senior Brooke Parker
stuck their Yurchenko fulls.
Chiarelli performed the best
vault in the lineup, scoring 9.875.
After she stuck her vault cold,
she immediately sprinted off
the podium and was welcomed
by high fives from all of her
teammates.
“That was actually the first
vault I’ve stuck all season,”
Chiarelli said.
Though the vault gave Plocki
chills, the score may not have
warranted its merit.
“Her vault was the best I’ve
ever seen her do, and actually,
there was a good part of the
audience that was kind of booing
when they put up the 9.875,”
Plocki said. “Nevertheless, she
had the meet of her life.”
During
the
event
finals,
Chiarelli, senior Sachi Sugiyama
and Artz represented the Maize
and Blue well. On floor, Chiarelli
and Sugiyama tied for seventh
with identical scores of 9.900.
Both
gymnasts
showed
off
explosive tumbling sets and
expressive dance choreography.
Sugiyama
closed
out
her
season in fashion. The Texas
native performed the last routine
of her collegiate career before a
hometown crowd.
“I
couldn’t
stop
smiling
throughout the whole routine,”
Sugiyama said.
On beam, Chiarelli finished
eighth with a score of 9.825.
and Artz finished 12th with an
impressively improvised routine
that scored 9.8125.
“My heart breaks for these
kids, the work they put in
and everything to not be able
to
compete
at
Super
Six,”
Plocki said. “I think that our
gymnastics should’ve been on
the floor then, but I’m certainly
not disappointed in any way,
shape or form with any of these
young ladies or their efforts.
“I couldn’t be more proud of
everything they’ve done and
accomplished this season.”
While
success
may
be
measured in wins, losses and
championships,
the
personal
development of the Wolverines
this season has been tremendous.
After graduating six seniors
from last year’s team, many
expected Michigan to have a
rebuilding season this year. But
in the end, it proved it belonged
among the rest.
With Artz, Chiarelli and the
majority of their teammates
returning next season, as well
as a strong incoming freshman
class joining the team, the
Wolverines can only improve.
Wolverines clinch sixth
straight conference title
By BETELHEM ASHAME
For the Daily
The Michigan women’s tennis
team has enjoyed an impressive
run in Big Ten play all season
long, and this weekend was the
culmination of the success the
Wolverines have achieved.
Michigan
traveled
to
Columbus on Friday to take on
No. 17 Ohio State (9-1 Big Ten,
17-5 overall) in a must-win match
with a share of the Big Ten
Championship on the line.
And in order to win the
title outright, the 14th-ranked
Wolverines had to earn it at Penn
State (8-3, 12-10) on Sunday.
“We haven’t really thought
about it that much,” said senior
Sarah Lee. “We’re looking at both
as just another match because
we’re focused on each team, like
we’ve been doing all year.”
The Wolverines (11-0, 21-3)
started off on the right foot
Friday against the Buckeyes,
earning the doubles point from
the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. The
No. 1 pair of senior Emina Bektas
and freshman Alex Najarian
went up 3-1 and eventually pulled
out an 8-3 victory.
The No. 3 doubles pair of
Michigan freshman Mira Ruder-
Hook
and
sophomore
Sara
Remynse had a tougher battle in
their match. The two fell behind
by three games early before
rallying to salvage a 4-4 tie. The
back and forth affair reached a
7-7 tie, but Michigan’s duo took
full control over the tiebreaker,
winning 7-1, to secure the doubles
point.
“Mira
was
definitely
the
reason we won that match,”
Remynse said. “She keeps being
positive and making me feel
comfortable. When we’re down,
we play more aggressively, and
when we play within ourselves, it
works out.”
In
the
singles
matches,
Remynse
and
junior
Ronit
Yurovsky
gave
Michigan
a
comfortable 3-0 lead over Ohio
State with straight-set wins at
the No. 2 and No. 6 positions.
Both Yurovsky and Remynse
earned 6-4, 6-2 victories against
their Buckeye counterparts.
At No. 3 singles, Najarian
defeated her opponent, Ohio
State’s Sandy Niehaus, 6-0, 2-6,
7-6 (5) with a 7-5 tiebreaker
win to clinch a share of the Big
Ten title for the Wolverines.
Michigan would go on to finish
the match with a 6-1 victory over
the Buckeyes.
After passing its first test
against Ohio State, only the
Nittany Lions stood in the way of
Michigan’s quest for the Big Ten
Championship.
“We’ve been taking it one match
at a time,” said Michigan coach
Ronni Bernstein. “We haven’t
been looking at it like we needed
two matches to do it because we
don’t overlook anybody.”
The Wolverines got off to
an even brighter start Sunday
in the doubles matches when
Remynse and Ruder-Hook made
quick work of the opposition,
cruising to an 8-0 win. Bektas
and Najarian followed in their
footsteps by securing an 8-3
victory against Penn State’s No.
1 pair of Katia Blik and Victoria
Kisialeva to clinch the doubles
point for Michigan.
In singles play, the Wolverines
needed just three wins to capture
the title.
And they earned all three wins
in impressive fashion.
Both Lee and Remynse quickly
dispatched
their
opponents
with
6-3,
6-1
victories.
In
between, Ruder-Hook sunk her
No. 5 singles opponent Devan
McCluskey and dropped only one
match in the process.
With those performances, the
Wolverines earned a 4-0 victory
over Penn State and the greater
prize of capturing their sixth-
straight Big Ten Championship
with an undefeated record.
“I’m excited for the girls,”
Bernstein said. “The regular
season is long and it’s challenging,
and you have to stay healthy. But
I’m proud of them because they
worked hard. I thought we played
really well. It’s not so much about
how many in a row because every
year is different, but it’s definitely
good to come through.”
With the two victories this
weekend to end the regular
season, Michigan has now won
15 consecutive matches and a Big
Ten Championship to boot. The
Wolverines are in prime position
to
continue
their
dominant
campaign next weekend when the
Big Ten Tournament kicks off.
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
WOMEN’S TENNIS