Snow says no to men netters

Tennis can be played on a number of different court surfaces. Unfortunately for the Michigan men's tennis team, ice and snow is not one of them.

Just like the sun the past week, the tennis team did not show up. Scheduled to compete in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic this past weekend, the team decided to stay home in Ann Arbor, rather then risking life and limb on slippery highways.

"We were supposed to drive and we felt that is was not worth the risk for us to try to get to Milwaukee," Michigan coach Brian Eisner said.

To stay in tennis shape with the surprise week off, the team had two-a-day practices and organized an informal intrasquad singles tournament.

"It was important for us to get our strokes back after the long holiday break and the intrasquad tournament helped us accomplish that," freshman Ben Cox said "It was also real good to get our competive juices flowing because we have Big Ten Indoors next week."

Despite weather problems and the absence of the Wolverines, the "Classic" was still held.

Set up in NCAA Tournament style one-loss format, the Milwaukee event usually makes for exciting tennis.

"We were dissappointed we were not able to make it," Cox said.

The Wolverines will need get over their disappointment quickly, because one of the most important events of the tennis season, the Big Ten Indoor Championsips, is this weekend at Wisconsin.

The singles championship provides the players their last look at the individual tournament frame for the season.

Aloha-bound: "We're going to Hawai'i," said Jennifer Vaughn.

While the men toil in the winter wonderland that is Madison, the Michigan women's tennis team will make the journey across the country to the famous vacation paradise. Aloha Hawai'i, aloha snow.

01-11-99