Wanted: team leader for 'M' spikers

Giovanazzi looking for 'that person' to step up, take play to next level

Michigan volleyball coach Greg Giovanazzi issued a challenge to his team Saturday night.

The challenge was for a team member to step up and make this her team.

"I'm really waiting for that person to step up," Giovanazzi said.

"Right now I don't know who it's going to be. But I think by the end of this weekend somebody is going to make a move. They're going to change their world a little bit, even if it's just one. That's all it takes."

WARREN ZINN/Daily Jane Stevens and the rest of the Michigan volleyball team will need to step up their play if they are to climb out of an 0-2 Big Ten hole.

One is all it would take. One is all the Wolverines needed on Friday and Saturday to avoid embarrassing losses to upstart Purdue and No. 29 Illinois.

Instead, Michigan's spikers (0-2 Big Ten, 8-4 overall) looked lost and confused at times against both teams.

Against Purdue, Michigan came out strong in the first game, but after that it fell apart, dropping the next three games.

No one stepped up to lead the team vocally, or more importantly, make plays in order to pick up the rest of the team's performance.

The match against Illinois was much worse, as the Wolverines dropped a close first game, 17-15.

Michigan never regained what little poise it had.

The last two matches were a rag-tag conglomerate of unorganized chaos.

Finding the team leader shouldn't be this challenging.

In fact, finding the team leader is something that should have been solved in the first or second match.

Instead, it has turned into a major problem that has gotten a very talented and hardworking team off to a terrible start in the conference.

There are five seniors on this year's team. Two of them are in their fifth year.

But not one of them has stepped forward to make this her team.

Once that happens, not only will Michigan be back to its winning ways, as it was during the nonconference part of the schedule, but the team will also have its playmaker - which is essential to

Volleyball

Commentary

Michigan statistical leaders

Kills

Karen Chase 207; Anne Poglits 124

Aces

Lindsey Ebert 17; Jenny Szczesniak 13

Assists

Alija Pittenger 305; Shannon Melka 252

Digs

Alija Pittenger 118; Jane Stevens 105

Blocks

Lindsey Ebert 39; Joanna Fielder 36

09-28-98