'M' soccer takes first tournament title

By Jacob Wheeler
Daily Sports Writer

Four years ago, Debbie Belkin took over a Michigan soccer team with no history and an uncertain future. But now, with a Big Ten tournament championship under their belts, the Wolverines stand on the threshold of a solid past, a bright future and an even more exciting present.

Michigan claimed its first-ever post season title last fall in Blaine, Minn. with a 1-0, double-overtime victory over Northwestern.

For the Wolverines, who knocked off Ohio State and Penn State on their way to their victory over the Wildcats, the run through the tournament couldn't have been any sweeter.

FILE PHOTO The 1997 season - just Michigan's fourth on the varsity level - was definitely the most successful for the Wolverines, as they won the Big Ten tournament title.

"I've never had a greater moment in my life," said Michigan forward Amber Berendowsky, who netted the game-winning goal in the second overtime. "It's a great feeling."

It was only fitting that Berendowsky, who set the Big Ten record for points in a season with her performance in the tournament, was the deciding factor in the tournament's decisive game. Berendowsky was Michigan's catalyst all season, leading a high-powered offense that blew out opponents in most conference games.

The forward amassed 18 goals and 17 assists for 53 total points this season. She led the Big Ten in each of those categories and was the third-leading goal scorer in the nation by season's end.

After only two season's of college soccer, Berendowsky is tied for Michigan's all-time points record with Debbie Flaherty, a captain and graduating senior on the team this past fall.

How good is Berendowsky?

Just nine games into the year Berendowsky shattered the Michigan single-season points record of 19 - a mark she set the previous year as a freshman. So it should come as no surprise that her middle name is Star.

But amidst Berendowsky's season of records, her feats were overshadowed by those of the team which, in only its fourth year of existence, already won a Big Ten championship and attained the No. 15 ranking in the country.

The Wolverines finished with a 7-1-1 record in Big Ten play, their regular season title hopes thwarted only by one subpar weekend. Michigan lost a 4-3 overtime heartbreaker at Minnesota on Oct. 3 and then battled to a scoreless tie with Penn State two days later.

Belkin's squad more than redeemed itself in November at the Big Ten tournament. Michigan emerged as the favorite to win the fiesta after Northwestern upset the hometown Gophers in the second round.

The Wolverines never got a shot at revenge against Minnesota, but they will this season. And by then, Michigan might be all alone at the top of the conference.

Only two significant seniors depart this record-breaking Michigan squad - Flaherty, who has led the Wolverines as long Belkin has, and Poulin, who provided plenty of extra punch as the team's second-leading point scorer.

Poulin and freshman Kacy Beitel were the benefactors of most Berendowsky passes as they combined to score 28 goals this past season. Flaherty's offensive role shrunk a little with the coming of young stars like Berendowsky and Beitel, but she was still the team's field manager.

Fittingly enough, the last goal Flaherty ever scored for Michigan came in the final minutes of the final game - a 5-1 loss to No. 7 Nebraska in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The loss was humbling, to say the least. But it also represented how far Michigan had come since the beginning of Flaherty's career. In their inaugural season, the Wolverines won only one conference game and didn't approach respectability until finishing 3-3 in 1996.

"This was my goal," said Flaherty after winning the Big Ten tournament. "When I first came to this program, I knew it would start out slowly and hopefully end like this. We've already done a lot of firsts this year, but I wanted to go out with something like this."

09-08-98