sports Gymmen hungry for NCAA title By MEGAN CULHANE Collegian Sports Writer It came as no surprise Tuesday when the men's gymnastics team received a bid to the national championships at UCLA (April 23-25) its ninth in Head Coach Karl Schier's 10 years at the helm. At this point on the national scene in gymnastics, the NCAA title is anyone's for the asking. The question is how badly does Penn State want to walk away with the hardware? "It's not fun anymore," senior captain Chris Laux said of his hunger for a national title. "It's a quest." After all, a trophy is not just another piece of hardware, it's a tribute to years of hard work and dedication; it's a legal ppy-off for a job well done. A national championship? Well, that speaks for itself. The quest began in April 1985 when Penn State, with one of its most potent squads, went into the NCAA Championships holding the No. 1 spot after accumulat ing a score of 285.32 on the season. After the first day of competition, it seemed that all the Lions had to do was show up for the meet in order to walk away with the title, but fate didn't have the same game plan. As it worked out the team settled for third place, posting a Softball team faces another road trip By STEVE SAMPSELL Collegian Sports Writer On the Road Again Do you remember that song? Well, •it could work as a theme song for the softball team. After a short two-game homestand on Tuesday (the only two home games the team has played all season), the Lady Lions (14-16, 0-2 in the Atlantic 10) are once again travel-• ing, this time on an four-day, eight game road trip to New England. This road trip may prove to be the most important of the year as the team will play six conference games against Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachussets. The Lady Lions need to finish at least fourth in the Atlantic 10 regular-season standings to qualify for the conference tourna ment which they will host May 7-9. Today the team is in Rhode Island for a doubleheader against the Rhode Island Wrams (4-19, 1-1), scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Both teams were in action Tuesday, the Lady Lions dropped a pair to Temple and Rhode Island split a doubleheader with No. 20 UConn. Although the teams were both at the Lady Lion Invite last weekend, they did not meet, so today's games mark their first meeting of the year. Penn State leads the overall series 8- 6. , Looking at records only, it would seem a certainty that the Lady Lions will get their first A-10 victories of the year. Records, however, do not tell the whole story with this team. On paper the Lions look strong, it's on the field that they've been having their problems. Aside from Nan Sichler who leads the team at the plate with a .451 average and sophomore Tammy Ir vin and freshman Dena Tauriello, the hitting seems to disappear when it's most needed. A prime example would be the Lady Lions' second game with Temple on Tuesday. They loaded the bases in both the first and seventh innings, but didn't capitalize on these oportunities and eventually lost the game, 2-1. "We've really been hitting the ball well, it just seems that we're hitting it right at people and especially when we really need it," Head Coach Sue Rankin said. The pitching too has been strong featuring freshman Cathy Kaminski (7-6, 2.86 ERA) and senior Aileen Polanis (6-8, 3.21). On Tuesday Polanis lost her game on an error in the seventh and Kaminski gave up only one earned run in her 6-4 loss to Temple Tuesday. Assistant Coach Beth Perine has been pleased with the staff though. f * ~~ ~` i r ~ . Flyers goalie Ron Hextall helps celebrate their 3.1 playoff win over the Rangers Tuesday. "It's not a game," Schier explained. "All the prepa ration goes on months before. The guys are quite Please see GYMMEN, Page 13. Flyers trying finesse to beat Rangers PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Philadel phia Flyers have suddenly disdovered they can win hockey games by doing what comes naturally speed and defense instead of fighting. Even Rick Tocchet, who has led the Flyers in penalty minutes the last three years, discarded the "goon" tactics in the Flyers' 3- 1 victory over the New York Rangers Tues day night. The win gave the Flyers a 3-2 edge in their first-round, best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series. Another performanCe like that tonight in Madison Square Garden, where the Flyers have won 10 of their last 12 times, and the series will be history. Tocchet, who had two goals in the fifth game and is the series' leading scorer with score of 283.05 behind Ohio State (285.35) and Nebraska (284.55). "Basically, we had the worst meet of our lives at the most inopportune time of our lives," Terry Bartlett said after the meet. After seeing a sure thing slip through their fingers, it's a given that there will be strong feelings connected with the heartbreaking loss. "I think Coach has abad taste in his mouth," Spider Maxwell explained. "But as bad as it seemed, we knew we were the best in the country. Everyone knew that, but we just didn't win it. That's just bad opportunity." Instead of licking open wounds, Schier turned the unpleasant loss into a learning experience. He learned never again to count on statistics as an indicator of team performance and he learned that the meet is "never over until it's over." Schier said that his philosophies have not really changed from past to present, and that he's counting on hard work, determination and skill to pull the team through this year. The veteran squad is looking to rectify the disappointment. five, goes a game without a penalty about as often as Flyers Coach Mike Keenan and Rangers Coach Phil Esposito say something nice about each other. He almost reached that milestone, incurring an elbowing infrac 7 tion as the game ended. Tocchet's behavior wasn't by accident. It was part of a plan. "We had already played them four times, so there is no point in trying to establish anything by fighting," the winger said. "I mean we have to stay aggressive, but there is no point in dropping the gloves now. We want to line up, play hockey and intim idate them with our speed and toughness. "We didn't want a lot of stoppages in play, because that's what they want so they can Senior gymnasts (left to right) Spider Maxwell, Chris Laux, lan Shelley, Tony Griffiths, and Mario Gonzalez will compete in the NCAA Championships April 23.25 at UCLA. rest. This way we can wear them down." Tocchet wasn't the only Flyer to turn the other cheek. "We want to play as good as we can, stay away from stupid penalties," said de fenseman Mark Howe. "We didn't want to get behind the eight ball." Defenseman Brad Marsh said the Flyers "wanted to play good, disciplined hockey . . . We played a smart hockey game tonight.", Even the Rangers' Dan Maloney realized the Flyers became aware they were a divi sion champion struggling against a team that finished fourth, 24 points behind. "The Flyers played a smart game," said Maloney. "They took it to us good in the third period (17-5 shot edge)." The Daily Collegia Thursday, April 16, 1987 Lady taxers out for revenge Will face Maryland if weather permits By DAVE SOTTILE Collegian Sports Writer Look out the window. Is it raining? If the answer is yes, then one• of the top sporting events of the , spring semester won't be played on campus today. If the answer is no, then the Lady Lion laciosse team will seek revenge on the University of Maryland at Lady Lion Field at 3 p.m. Here's the scenario: As of late yestei•day, the game between last year's NCAA finalists was scheduled for this afternoon, however with the threat of rain looming large over Happy Valley, a decision as to wheth er or not to play the game will be made early this morning. If 'Mother Nature cooperates, the second-ranked Lady Lions will tangle with the fourth-ranked Terps in a rematch of last year's national championship game (won by Maryland, 11-10). If the weather is nasty as expected then the contest will be tentatively resched uled for Sunday May 3, at 1 p.m. While the game's playing date is still up in the air, one thing is certain: whenever it's played, it will mean a lot more to the players than any other regular-season game to date. More than just a national ranking is at stake here sports fans; pride is involved, just ask Penn State attack er Anna Marie Vesco. "I'm still holding a grudge against them," Vesco said yesterday. "I want to see us win big. "I really want to play and I hope everybody can play with high inten sity," the junior from Pine Brook, N.J. said. "It would be great to see everyone play well together." The Lady Lions (10-2) have rolled up 81 goals in their last five games for an average of over 16 goals per con test, while surrendering just 29 in the same span. Penn State's margin of victory has averaged close . to 10 goals, but that doesn't figure to hap pen against the Terps. Maryland leads the all-time series 10-9-1, but six of those games including last year's NCAA title game (at College Park, Md.) and the 1985 NCAA semifinal (a 12-11 Maryland win in triple overtime) have been decided by a single goal. "This will be a very exciting game," Penn State Head Coach Sue Scheetz said after her troops downed Lafayette, 13-8 on Tuesday. "Both teams will put on a fine exhibition. This will be one, of the finest lacrosse games played all season." "I think we'll have to concentrate on this game," defensive wing Mary McCarthy said. "We might have a tendency to get caught up in thinking about losing to them in the finals last year. We have too focus on this year." The Maryland / Penn State match up is one of the top athletic rivalries on the East Coast, with football being the most obvious. McCarthy says that it's carried over to lacrosse as well "It has definitely been a rivalry," she explained, "because a lot of their players play both lacrosse and field hockey "We also know a lot of their players off the field, so it's a friendly ri- valry," she said. "Some of us went to high school with a few of their play- ers, so it's the same players over and over again. They have a lot of talent and I think they know how to play us Last year they matched up their best defensive players with our best offen- sive players." • While that strategy proved success ful a year ago, it might not work again. One thing that can't be defend- ed is attitude, and Vesco says the Terps should beware kiLt _ w _ local schedule Women's lacrosse vs. Maryland, 3 p.m. at Lady Lion Field Men's tennis vs. Millersville, 2:30 p.m. at Penn State indoor Tennis Club Softball at Rhode Island, 2, 4 p.m. pro schedule Pirates (Kipper 0-1) at Chicago (Lynch 1-0) New York (Aguilera 0.0) at Phillies (Cowley 0-1) Flyers at N.Y. Rangers, 8:35 p.m. Volleyball isn't just for the West. anymore A few years back; no one from the years certainly got it noticed. East Coast would dare challenge the This year, the Lions are gaining heavyweights from California in a even more attention by not being simple game of volleyball. Not even exactly modest about what they plan for fun, because the knew they would to do. They want the gold cup, the get demolished. silver platter and the brass ring all Let's face it: volleyball is a beach compressed into one object with the sport that tall, tanned, blonde guys logo, "Penn State 1987 NCAA play 20 hours-a-day on Mission Beach Men's Volleyball Champions" print in San Diego. There aren't any ed across it. beaches around here, and don't say . If the award were based strictly on "What about New Jersey?" because player quality, the Lions would have those pathetic few miles of coastline no problem in staking claim to, it. don't count. A Jersey beach is so Head Coach Tom Tait has assembled second-rate they don't even call it a an arsenal of talent that would make beach; they call it a "shore." But any California coach give up his that's beside the point. condo on Catalina Island to get in on the action. Get a load of this: • Chris Chase This sophomore middle-hitter was pretty much first team everything last year. As a fresh man no less. This year he is even better. At 6-10, 230 pounds, he is the biggest and probably most powerful hitter in collegiate volleyball. And when he goes up above the net, the opposing blockers • aren't expecting daffodils. Chase goes up for the kill about a The point is that volleyball is natu- week before the ball is set, arches his rally a California-oriented sport ) I back, extends his right arm and mean, you go to the beach to do three clinches his fist. He's gonna rifle it. things: get a tan, watch women (or He knows it. The team knows it. The guys if you happen to be a woman) guys on the other side of the net sure and play volleyball. Unless you're in know it, because they are running for Jersey, that is, where there's no sun, cover. Chase also has a serve that I or volleyball nets. wouldn't mind having on the tennis So when Penn State dared to enter court. The only problem he has is that the forbidden zone, the upper-crust of sometimes he goes up a week and a collegiate men's volleyball where day early and ends up practically UCLA, USC and Pepperdine reside, it swatting a whole bunch of atoms into was like they were committing some a, nuclear explosion. kind of felony. The team didn't quite • Javier Gaspar Tait has called assert itself as the second-coming of his 6-0 junior setter "one of the most Pepperdine, but stepping out as the exciting players to play NCAA volley team to beat in the East and making ball" and for good reason. Gaspar four trips to the Final Four in six revolutionized the job of the setter by Come Celebrate Spring At .11.) 11.) COFFEEHOUSE TONIGHT with John-n-Eric qt guitar & vocals 4 HUB Cellar 7:30-8:30 pm wij Free admission 'l-'') Free refreshments C/A 140 `t.o tt.o' 4 *, f j ") Ll tt‘O‘ ts,", In the bicentennial year of the United States Constitution, Bill Moydrs takes the pulse of the nation's celebration in the weekly series, MOYERS IN SEARCH OF THE CONSTITUTION. Ten one-hour programs present one of America's most respected journalists with Supreme Court Justices, historians, educators, scholars, and citizens who have taken petitions of their constitutional rights all the way to the high est court in the land. "The series is about ideas:' Moyers says. "The people you will meet have spent their lives wrestling with interpretations of the Constitution They remind us this document is alive in our times...requiring us to make up our minds about what happens if we ignore or misuse it:' C tX\ tiZc \)e t ,, a .,,,a ,, .. .. . . . • . . .... ... .. • • . • • ....• • ' WArt Aret/Wet:4' ,. • o....,lA•AVO:Wtill