The Daily Collegian
Lady booters secure home game in NCAA Tournament
By JOHN GIBLIN
Collegian Staff Writer
Only hours after winning its first Big
Ten Tournament in school history Sunday,
the Penn State women's soccer team
secured a first-round bye and a seventh
seed in this year's NCAA Tournament.
"I wasn't sure if we'd make the top eight,
but I'm psyched that we did," midfielder
Jeannine Verdrager said. "I can speak for
the whole team we're all excited."
The Lady Lions (19-3-1, 10-1-1 Big Ten)
will be at home for their first matchup at 1
p.m. Sunday against the winner of tomor
row's game between Wright State and Big
Ten foe Indiana. If Penn State advances to
Field hockey fates in
hands of committee
With only a 16-team
field and four seeds
going to four regions of
the country, NCAA
tourney bids are hard
to come by.
By MARK FITZGERALD
Collegian Staff Writer
Tomorrow the Penn State
Lady Lion field hockey team
will learn its fate.
After a season of bumps,
bruises, cuts and broken col
larbones, the Lions and coach
Char Morett leave the future
of the season in the hands of
the NCAA Tournament Selec
tion Committee.
"This year it is going to be
very difficult to predict who
goes where," Morett said.
"Parity, upsets and everything
that has gone on all season is
really going to make it inter
esting."
Interesting is an understate
ment. Selecting 12 teams to
compete for a national champi
onship is downright mind bog
gling. Unlike the NCAA bas
ketball Tournament, where the
selection of 64 teams appears
more clear-cut, the selection of
only 12 women's field hockey
teams can be a crap shoot.
"The important thing is get
ting in," Morett said. "In our
case and in the case of all the
top teams, the most important
thing is placing the top four
teams."
The most daring prognosti
cators would have sleepless
nights preparing the four
seeds and four regions. To
understand the total complexi
ty of this tournament, it is time
for an introductory course on
NCAA Tournament selection,
often a death wish for the field
hockey committee.
"There are so many automat
ic bids, making it even more
difficult to select the few at
large bids," NCAA committee
member and Penn State Assis
tant Athletic Director Sue
Sheetz said. "The committee
will spend hours and hours on
this; it is not easy."
The bare-bone deciding
begins with five basic regions:
the Northeast, Mideast, Mid-
Journeyman wrestler Leykikh takes fantastic voyage to mats of Penn State
By CHRIS ANTONACCI
Collegian Staff Writer
Alex Leykikh was born a ramblin' man.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound wrestler finally
has reached his destination, but it was a
long way in the making. Before he could
step onto the mat at Penn State's varsity
wrestle-offs Saturday in Rec Hall, he had
to take the road less traveled.
Leykikh turned heads at wrestle-offs,
especially the head of Penn State coach
Troy Sunderland.
"Alex had a great day," Sunderland said.
"We weren't sure what we would have (at
165 pounds), but we're more at ease with
Leykikh's performance. His performance
was a pleasant surprise."
His performance included a fall on red
shirt sophomore Jon Long, a decision on
Dana Weber (8-3) and a decision on Brad
Krushinski (7-5).
But perhaps Sunderland has not seen all
that Leykikh has to offer.
the third round, it will once again have
home field advantage against its opponent.
The Lions defeated the Hoosiers at home
earlier this season, 2-1, in the Big Ten
opener for both squads. Although the
selection committee tries to match teams
in the first round, later rounds may breed
long-distance matchups.
"There's somebody that we've just seen
and have a familiarity with, so that's nice,"
Farmer said of potentially playing Indiana.
"Some of the long-distance ones you have
problems getting scouting done. No matter
what happens if we win our first game
someone from the south has to come up
here. I hope it snows a foot."
Another advantage Penn State may have
l‘ver
*tory
Atlantic, South and West. At
least one team per region must
be represented in the 12-team
championship. Usually, most
representatives come from the
Northeast, Mideast and Mid-
Atlantic regions. The additions
of the South and especially the
West have helped prevent
extensive regionalism.
Two things are certain
before tomorrow. One, Kent
State will be the lone represen
tative from the West region.
Its performance in the Mid-
American Conference Tourna
ment earned it an automatic
bid to the tournament. Two,
Old Dominion and Connecticut
are the only teams that will
sleep well tonight. The Mon
archs continue to be ranked
No. 1 in the STX/NFHCA
national poll while the Huskies
ran through the Big East Tour
nament without much trouble.
No. 1 seeds are likely to be on
tap for both schools.
After that, uncertainties
abound. Who will the other top
seeds be? As the dust settles
on a weekend full of confer
ence championships, three
teams are vying for two spots.
Ivy League champion Prince
ton, ACC runner-up Virginia
and Penn State are all laying
claim to the remaining two No.
1 seeds.
"We didn't really have a bad
game all season," Morett said.
"We've played a lot of teams
while Princeton really has a
soft schedule within their
league."
It is natural to hear coaches
stake their teams' claim, espe
cially at this time of year. The
significance of a top seed in
some cases means a ticket to
Philadelphia for the final four.
The top seeds get a bye and
then a game on their turf. The
unlucky No. 5 through 12 seeds
must travel to the higher-seed
ed team's home, if they are
fortunate enough to win an
opening -round game first.
For some teams, though, it is
just the experience of getting
in. Boston College, a team on
the sunny side of the tourna
ment bubble, hasn't experi-
Please see NCAA, Page 16.
Penn State 165 pounder Alex Leykikh pins Jon Long during varsity wrestle-offs
Saturday at Rec Hall.
"I was nervous," Leykikh said, "I was
very cautious. I didn't open up as much as
I could have."
Still, Leykikh wrestled well enough Sat
urday to qualify for the finals at 165
pounds a position he will have to fight to
besides the extra time off and playing
its first game at home will be the time
of the game. The Lions' early Sunday game
follows Saturday's Penn State-Northwest
ern football game. Due to both games
being played in State College, Farmer
hopes it will create a Jeffrey Field crowd
unlike any seen this season.
"We'll do a lot of wandering around Sat
urday trying to get people to come Sun
day," Farmer said. "The more people in
town, the better. There can't be a bad thing
about that."
The Big Ten's dominance was once again
reaffirmed in the NCAA selection process.
Along with the Southeastern Conference,
the Big Ten garnered six selections tops
Michigan running back Clarence Williams leaps for a pass against Penn State Saturday. The Wolverines won the game 27-0, pushing their record
to 7-2. The win, coupled with Ohio State's loss to Michigan State, gave Michigan a share of the conference lead with Wisconsin.
Wolverines rise and shine in win
By CHRIS MASSE
Collegian Staff Writer
No team is more dangerous in sports than a
wounded one.
After starting the year 0-2 and struggling to
beat Indiana and Minnesota, No. 15 Michigan
had more cuts and scars than a man who just
lost a fight to a porcupine.
Against No. 19 Penn State, though, the
Wolverines reminded the entire nation why
they are the defending national champions,
annihilating the Nittany Lions 27-0. The win not
only helped Michigan rejoin the top 20 but also
solidified its Big Ten title hopes. With wins
against Wisconsin and Ohio State the next two
weekends, it once again will establish confer
ence supremacy.
Not bad for a team written off after dropping
its first two games to Notre Dame and Syracuse
by a combined score of 74-48.
Michigan could do no wrong against Penn
State, outgaining its conference rival 360-200 in
total yardage. The Wolverines dominated from
the game's outset, scoring on their first posses
sion and building a 10-0 lead 6:16 into the first
quarter.
"Nobody expected us to come in and play the
way we did," defensive end Juaquin Feazell
the finish for with Weber in practice.
"He's a good wrestler," Leykikh said of
Weber. "He's quick and flexible. I jus ,
have to do what I did in the first match
against him."
While that road has yet to be taken, he
said. "Nobody believed in us except ourselves."
Especially after it barely defeated a 4-5 Min
nesota team two weeks ago 15-10. Although the
defense played well in the nail biter, the team
that had built a reputation through the years of
playing smash-mouth football ran for an atro
cious minus-23 yards on the ground.
The performance earned the Wolverines the
wrath of critics nationwide who said the
defending national champions were nothing but
a shell of their former selves. Despite six
straight wins heading into the Penn State game,
the Wolverines were only perceived to be the
22nd best team in the nation.
Hurt and angry by the lack of respect, Michi
gan went out Saturday and earned it, dominat
ing the Lions in every facet of the game. The
defense resembled the one that led the nation
last year, while the offense finally awoke from
its season-long slumber. After falling on its face
against Minnesota, the running game came
alive and produced 136 yards.
"We were sick of people saying we couldn't
do things," quarterback Tom Brady said. "When
you keep hearing you can't do things, that chal
lenges you. We have a lot of guys who know
what it takes to be a champion."
No series of plays better showcased that than
a two-play sequence at the end of the first quar-
Collegian Photo/Shawn Knapp
among all conferences. Besides the Lions
and Hoosiers, conference foes Michigan,
Minnesota, Northwestern and Wisconsin
all received berths to the tournament.
"There's as many teams from our con
ference as from any other," Farmer said.
"This is a hell of a conference, and I think
this demonstrates that."
The main reason for Penn State's high
seed, besides its recent success in the con
ference tournament, may be the strength
of the Lions' schedule. Of Penn State's 23
opponents this season, 10 received berths
to the NCAA Tournament.
"We played a really good schedule, and a
really tough schedule on the road," Farmer
said. "That's part of the (ratings points
already has left behind a gloomy path on
his way to Happy Valley. During the sum
mer hiatus, he declared Penn State would
be his new home as he transferred from
Virginia.
"It was a big decision for me," Leykikh
said. "To accomplish some of my goals, I
discovered I had to move on."
Leykikh was a two-year starter for the
Cavaliers and the 1998 ACC champion at
167 pounds, but he was unhappy at Vir
ginia due to turbulence in the coaching
ranks. And when former Penn State coach
John Fritz and assistant coach Hachiro
Oishi showed interest in bringing him to
Penn State. Apparently it was warranted.
"He has a very good attitude," Oishi
said. "He's working very hard and he's a
real gumby wrestler."
But he was thrown a curve ball when
"ritz resigned as coach and accepted an
administrative position. Still, he believed
in the program and made his way to Penn
State.
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1998
index) that people don't understand."
During the selection show, something
other than Penn State's seeding in the tour
nament brought liveliness to the room
Danielle Fotopoulos and the Florida
Gators. The Lions lost their last regular
season game 3-1 to the Gators in
Gainesville, Fla. The squad has used that
loss as n. ,tivation and is looking for anoth
er chance at beating the tournament's No.
2 seed.
"If we do our job, then maybe we'll play
Florida again this time under different
circumstances," Verdrager said. "They're
a good team, and they outplayed us last
time, but I don't think that we played on
the top of our game."
ter and beginning of the second quarter. Trail
ing 10-0, the Lions appeared ready to cut the
deficit to three with a third-and-goal from the
Michigan 2-yard line.
Eric McCoo, though, was stopped for a 1-yard
gain on the next play, bringing up a fourth-and
goal from the 1-yard line. Rather than put three
points on the board, Penn State elected to try its
luck with Aaron Harris.
The Wolverine defense did not even let the
burly 230-pound fullback get a glimpse of the
end zone, stuffing him for no gain. Linebacker
Sam Sword made the initial hit and was helped
by a host of other swarming defenders led by
lan Gold and Tommy Hendricks. The stop killed
Penn State's momentum and paved the way for
another Michigan rout.
"It was a personal challenge," linebacker
James Hall said of the goal-line stand. "We just
lined up and played football. It was on us to
make the play and we came up big."
As a result, while teams like Penn State and
previously unbeaten Ohio State are scrambling
for bowl positions, the Wolverines suddenly are
smelling like roses.
"We wanted to show everyone that Michigan
is for real," Sword said. "If we play four quar
ters of Michigan football, we're going to be a
force down the stretch."
Leykikh's road has been a long one
He wrestled at Central Connecticut
State for two seasons, one as a redshirt
freshman, then transferred to Virginia
after the Blue Devils cut wrestling.
At Central Connecticut, he was a local
talent from Hall High School, where he
was an all-state wrestler, won the Con
necticut State Open Championship as a
senior and finished third at New England
Championships. However, he was anything
but local.
When Leykikh was in eighth grade, he
and his family moved to the United States
from the Ukraine to escape the pressures
of discrimination. As time progressed, he
and the other Jewish members of his
hometown were having a tough time.
"We weren't being diForiminated direct
ly against, but it was staining to pick up,'
Leykikh said.
And, in spite of all his journeys, it just
might be time for Leykikh to settle into his
new home.