Women's volleyball has year of mixed success

To paraphrase an old saying, "It's not how you play, but who you play."

At least that was the story of the 1996 Michigan volleyball team. The Wolverines finished with a 14-17 overall record, and 9-11 in the Big Ten conference, which put them alone in sixth place.

Michigan played 13 matches in 1996 against top-25 opponents, and it lost 12 of them. Six times the Wolverines were victimized by teams in the Top 10. The Wolverines lone win against a ranked team was an upset of No. 9 Wisconsin.

"Last season, the thing that sticks out more than anything else is the schedule," Michigan volleyball coach Greg Giovanazzi said. "We had some good performances by individuals, but I felt we never really played as a cohesive unit until November."

One of the good individual performances was by setter Linnea Mendoza, who will be a senior this fall. Mendoza set the school record for assists in a match, tallying 95 in a win over Illinois on Nov. 29. Last season she also moved into first-place on the career assist list.

Other season highlights from '96 include Jeanine Szczesniak serving 15 straight points in a match against Eastern Michigan, the a 3-1 loss to Ohio State which was the Wolverines' first national TV appearance, and a four-match winning streak to close the season.

In addition to Mendoza, the Wolverines will have four other starters back in 1997. Senior Sarah Jackson, an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in '96, returns at middle blocker. Juniors Karen Chase and Szczesniak are back at the outside hitter spots, and junior defensive specialist Chereena Tennis will again anchor the back row.

Giovanazzi says sophomore Anne Poglits may be the sixth starter. Poglits, a third-year student who played basketball her first two years at Michigan, has now left the basketball team to concentrate on volleyball. '96 was her first season with the volleyball team.

The Wolverines finished spring workouts just before finals, and Giovanazzi was pleased with the way his team practiced. He and his players have high expectations for the upcoming season.

"Our goal is to be in the NCAA playoffs," said Giovanazzi, who is preparing for his sixth season at Michigan. "Whether that means winning the Big Ten, or finishing second or third." With five starters returning, all of whom are upperclassmen, leadership is one area where the Wolverines appear strong. Mendoza, Jackson, and Tennis will serve as tri-captains for next season.

"We have a group of seniors who are very committed," Giovanazzi said. "And our junior class is just ravenous, they are so aggressive."

The experienced roster may make it tough for the Wolverines' newcomers to find playing time. Among the players Giovanazzi has signed for next season: Sarah Behnke, a 5-foot-10 outsider hitter from Baroda, Mich.; Joanna Fielder, a 6-2 middle blocker from Costa Mesa, Calif.; and Annie Maxwell, a 5-11 middle blocker from Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Wolverines enter the summer healthy with the exception of Mendoza, who is still bothered by a right shoulder injury suffered late last season, and junior Jane Stevens, who missed spring practice with a hyperextended elbow. Junior Linsey Ebert is fully recovered from a stress fracture in her leg, and participated fully in spring drills.

The Wolverines begin fall practice on Aug. 10. They open the '97 season on Aug. 29 with a match against Idaho at the Washington Invitational.

09-03-97