Stickers have minds set on conference nemesis

All senior field hockey player Aimee Remigio wants to do is get Michigan's game against Iowa over with.

That's the only way the defender will get the Hawkeyes off her mind.

"This week, the game is always on your mind," Remigio said. "We watched them on screen, and I wanted them to be here right now so we can get the game out of the way."

So how does Remigio and her teammates keep such a sharp focus with the demand of school a constant distraction?

"We work a lot with imagery and mental preparation," she said. "A sports psychologist is also working with us to focus on the game. We always have one word that stands for our season. Focus is our word of the year."

FILE PHOTO The Michigan field hockey team faces Iowa this weekend - a team the Wolverines haven't had success against. Michigan hasn't beaten Iowa in 31 attempts.

It isn't likely that No. 15 Michigan needs someone to paint that word on Ocker Field for them as they open conference play this weekend at home. The Wolverines will face the Hawkeyes on Friday at 4 p.m. and Northwestern noon Sunday.

For the Wolverines (7-2), there is a glaring opportunity in Friday's game against Iowa. Michigan has never beaten the defending Big Ten champions in 31 meetings, including 14 in Ann Arbor.

But this year is different. For the first time since the NCAA recognized women's athletics in 1982, the Hawkeyes (3-3) are not ranked in the NCAA top 20. In fact, of the six Big Ten schools with field hockey programs, Northwestern is the only other unranked team.

But Michigan knows that Iowa will come to play despite what any poll says. The Hawkeyes have only lost 19 matches in the conference history.

Both teams seem to be coming into the game with the same momentum.

While Iowa, has a .500 record, two of their three losses came against Ball State and North Carolina - the same two teams that handed Michigan its two losses.

Probably the most interesting aspect of the match up will be that the game features the Big Ten's leading scorers.

Michigan senior Julie Flachs leads the conference with 15 goals and 32 points. Iowa junior Kerry Lessard is close behind her with 12 goals and 26 points.

Northwestern will probably present Michigan with much less of a challenge, but Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said the Wolverines have to work on many dimensions of their game.

"Our game between the 25-yard mark is outstanding," Pankratz said. "We are just not finishing our plays and converting our penalty corners."

09-25-97