Volleyball looks to solve inconsistency on road trip

With the infrequency of wins since the Big Ten season started, what can be expected from Michigan's volleyball team as it travels to Indiana and Illinois this upcoming weekend?

As the Wolverines approach the end of the first half of the Big Ten season, they have yet to discover exactly what has caused such inconsistent play among them.

The coaches and the players have all said at some point that "the Big Ten is the Big Ten" and that "anyone can win on any given night."

But the Wolverines have not been winning on any given night.

Come to think of it, the only nights that Michigan has won a Big Ten game is when the game takes place at home.

JEREMY MENCHIK/Daily Despite an 11-6 overall record, the Michigan volleyball team has played inconsistently in the Big Ten. The Wolverines will try to come up with some answers when they travel to Indiana and Illinois this weekend.

The Wolverines (3-5 Big Ten, 11-6 overall) have put up decent numbers at home, winning three of five.

By the same token, they have not been as successful while traveling, losing to all three Big Ten teams they have faced on the road.

But that doesn't mean that Michigan is only capable of winning at Cliff Keen Arena.

In fact, Michigan coach Mark Rosen feels that although the support during home games is more than welcome amongst the players, playing at home can sometimes entice unwanted distractions.

"On the road, we don't have to deal with friends or family," Rosen said. "There are fewer diversions. Being on the road is not the worst thing in the world."

But the university itself is, contrary to popular belief, not all about athletics.

The members of the volleyball team are not just here to play. On top of the extensive amount of time that goes into being an athlete, the players have to find some time to be a student, too.

"It's going to be a long couple of weeks," Rosen said. "The hardest part isn't playing or traveling, it's missing school."

When the team travels, there's homework that needs to be taken care of and class time to make up so that each player stays on top of both her game and her education.

"It's a challenge," freshman outside hitter Dana Chapman said. "You need to balance your practice times, studying, going to study table and getting all of your work done, especially on the road. We usually take care of it before we leave."

Chapman, who was rumored to be a possible redshirt for the season, made her debut in the home win over Northwestern last Saturday.

"When he first called my name, I was kind of startled," Chapman said. "I couldn't get my jacket off. We had gone back and forth all season. (Rosen) couldn't decide whether he wanted to redshirt me or not, or if he wanted to keep me for this extra year. He said he'd decide before the first round of the Big Ten. I guess I'm not redshirting anymore."

Rosen said he used Chapman to change the momentum and the pace in the game - something he intends on doing more often depending on the game situation and how the team is competing.

With the season half-over and seven road games left, Rosen is going to do whatever he can to clinch more victories - especially while in somebody else's house.

"As we get into this part of the season, we need to focus more on each game individually and make sure that we play well," Rosen said. "At this point in time, Indiana is the most important game."

And regardless of what happens in that game, Michigan will forget the outcome and concentrate on the most important game on Friday - Illinois.

The Wolverines will only host five more teams this season, but that's later on.

"We've got to take it one game at a time," Rosen said.

And that game is Friday - they'll deal with the rest later.

10-21-99