Youth amid speed Shelton's troops will need both to overcome the heartbreak of 1 987 By ANDREW PODOLSKY . Assistant Sports Editor '. It has been nine months since the North Carolina field hockey team suffered a bitter 2-1 overtime loss to ; Maryland in the national champion ship final. But still the memory ; lingers, even as the Tar Heels prepare to open the 1988 season. As head coach Karen Shelton wistfully explained, UI really thought we had that game won when it went into overtime. It was disappointing, we were just unlucky." But the memory of that tough loss in the finals is what sticks in people's minds most, not the fact that the Tar Heels are coming off a 19-2 season, and had them pegged at No. 1 for most of the season. The last four years have seen steady improvement in the program, but still no national championship. UNC has been ranked No. 1 at some point in each of the last three years, and have finished the past two seasons as the top team at the end of the regular season. The team keeps getting closer and closer to the title, only to have its hopes dashed in the semifinals or finals of the national tournament, Last year for instance, they spent most of the year as the consensus No. 1-ranked team, but fell just short. This year's national rankings will place UNC in the top five, but it will be the first time in three years that UNC doesn't head into the season holding down the top slot. Unlucky? Yes. But has Shelton sat idly by on her laurels during the offseason? No. The coach has recruited six fresh- men to replace the five senior starters (including two All-Amencans) that graduated last year, and switched a few positions around to try and get the right mix to finally propel the Tar Heels to that elusive national cham pionship. "If we are going to be successful this year, we will need communica tion and leadership from our upper classmen, Shelton said. Specifically, tne team win rely on juniors lracey ACC lournament. In addition to Yurgin (sweeper), Leslie Lyness scoring 2,290 points, he ranks second (midfielder), Julie Blaisse (center), all-time in assists at UNC. and leading returning scorer Jennifer In 1976, he co-captained the gold Anderson (back) to fill the void left winning U.S. Olympic men's basket by recent graduates Lori Bruney, ball team at Montreal. He spent four Betsy Gillespie and Maryellen seasons in the NBA, and he was the Falcone. 1979 rookie of the year with the They were three of the team's top Kansas City. Kings. ,..., four scorers last year w accounting for 46 goals and 33 assists, more than half of the team's total scoring. Thus, the team that will make the run this year can be best described with two words: young and quick. "We will definitly be a little younger this year and we have good overall speed " Shelton said. "I am hoping that we will continually improve as the year goes on. This year's team has no problem with motivation. Our seniors realize that ... . this is their last shot at it, and I am happy with the whole team's hard- working attitude. "They know that they are young, and know that they are going to have to steaaiiy improve as tne year progresses. " With the challenging schedule the team faces early on this year, they will have to start improving early. After the alumni game, and the Sept. 7 home opener against Radford, CHARL0TT HORNETS CHICAGO ULLS Saturday, October 22 7:30 P.M. DEAN E. SMITH CENTER on the University of North Carolina campus RESERVED SEAT TICKETS $13.00 EACH NOW ON SALE Tickets available at Smith Center Ticket Office and all Ticketron outlets or by calling 1-800-233-4050. Tickets also available by sending a cashier's check or money order to the Smith Center Ticket Office, P.O. Box 3000, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27515. Please make cashier's check or money order payable to UNCAA and include $2 per order for postage and handling. Specify ticket order for HornetsBulls game. Please allow six weeks delivery. UNC travels to Boston for a tough three-game weekend series (from September 16-18) against Maine, Northeastern, and the first real tester of the season - New Hamphshire. They won't get a break the follow ing weekend, as they face what Shelton terms "probably our biggest weekend of the season" from Sep tember 22-25. That weekend the Tar Heels play Iowa, Old Dominion, and defending national champions Mary land in quick succession. Shelton pointed out, "these will be especially hard games. Iowa will be in the top five, ODU came within a game of getting into the final four last year, and Maryland is always tough." After that series, Shelton sees West Chester, and Virginia as the toughest opponents. "I feel pretty good about our schedule, it's strong, and the fact that we have three home weekends in a row (in September and October) will help us when we head into the ACC tournament and the national tournament," Shelton said, After the three-week homestand, the Tar Heels will play four away games before the ACC tournament, which will be held in Charlottesville, Va., in the last weekend of October, So let's take a look at the personnel on the 1988 team. The starting lineup will likely include four seniors, three juniors, three sophomores and a freshman. The co-captains are Yurgin and Anderson. Only three players return to the same starting positions they had last year, Tentatively, the front line will include sophomore Peggy Anton on the left wing, Blaisse (15 goals, 4 assists last year), and frosh Cathy Osmers on the right with junior Summer Ford was an All-American in 1976, UNC junior J.R. Reid has made 77 and 78, and he won the John the squad, helping provide much Wooden Award in 78. In 1975, he needed muscle underneath. Thomp became the first freshman to be son made what was no doubt a named most valuable player of the He had recently been named color commentator for the NBA expansion Charlotte Hornets. "IVe talked with the staff here in the past about coaching, but it's a dream come true to coach at my alma mater and a great thrill to work with coach Smith," Ford said. "He has Dlaved a verv important role in mv a life and there is no one better with whom I could begin my career.' Many Tar Heel fans have spent the summer tracking the U.S. Olympic men's basketball squad, for a certain flattopped player is weighing heavily in coach John Thompson's plans for the Seoul, South Korea, event. RECYCLE This Newspaper I Michael Jordan wy m( h .. I L. L. Sharon Ross (4g, la) seeing a lot of action. Laurel Hershey (7g, 2a) moves from forward to midfield this year, and joins Lyness (lg, Oa), and Kathy Staley (4g, 2a). Virtually everyone is back on the devensive squad. Leading returning scorer Anderson (lg, 23a) and senior Michelle Russell return to their positions of last year, with the final spot still up for grabs. Sophomore Evelien Spee will take over the goalkeeping duties after serving as back-up last year, and Yurgin will be the sweeper. Shelton added "I feel pretty good about our recruiting year as well. The freshmen' may be able to bolster our forwards." The most promising of the slew of incoming freshmen are for wards Osmers and Nancy Lang, who hails from Killingsworth, Conn. The rest of class of 1992 includes Jennifer Clark, Mary Hartzell, Alisia Morgan, and Maura Troy. Turning to Spee, Shelton added, "We are simply expecting her to come up with the big saves. She has excellent range, and flexibility. And at 5-10, she is able to cover a lot of ground in the goal. She is a game player, and she is a competitor." So another season begins with UNC ranked in the top five (ho hum). The regular season has never been a problem. The team has been always held steady until the post season, when the team's season-long trend of improvement suddenly disappears. A disappointing loss always seems to appear at the most inopportune time. Shelton hopes that the team's new look will allow the team to stay strong through the year and, for once, to peak at the right time. from page 1B painful cut for him Saturday when he axed Georgetown freshman Alonzo Mourning, and the former high school rival of Reid's was his strongest competition in that role. Of course, the squad has Danny Manning, David Robinson and Charles Smith (of Pittsburgh), but their strengths are more as finesse players . than r physical ones, Reid, however, is at his strongest when dominating a game from the paint, Reid's teammates Jeff Lebo and Scott Williams were also invited to the tryouts back in May. But an ankle injury leftover from the NCAAs kept Lebo from participating, while Wil- liams spent a day at Thompson's camp before returnine home to attend to "family matters." x a GODUOD Build bookshelves, wineracks, desks... the list is endless. CORNER CLIPS A simple way to build something solid. Coiner Clips are a new way to join 34" pieces of shelving, plywood or whatever. With Comer Clips, paneling nails and a hammer, simple overlap and butt joints are made strong enough to support weight, resist flexing and last like complicated joints. With Comer Clips the average handyman (or hemdywoman) can make accent pieces, storage, even furniture at a modest cost. And only modest budding skills are required. With Comer Clips a new world of possiblities opens for young marrieds, apartment dwellers, students, anyone looking for an inexpensive and simple way to build something solid. 309 N. Greensboro St. CarrboroChapel Hill 942-3153 Open Daily 8-5, Saturday till noon :;: :::;::::.:::: i xi r . yyrjii -vr- V, s yy n lift A s fl v: If ?w n J tit ft Junior Julie Blaisse will head Soccer America Poll 1. Harvard 14-1-3 2. Indiana 18-3-0 . 3. Clemson 18-5-1 4. Southern Methodist 13-4-1 5. Duke 13-5-1 6. Virginia 17-3-2 7. Nevada-Las-Vegas 14-5-0 a Seton Hall 14-4-3 9. North Carolina 20-5-0 10 UCLA 14-7-1 11. San Diego State 20-6-0 IZAdelphi 14-4-2 13. George Mason 13-5-3 14. South Carolina 16-2-3 15. St Louis 12-7-4 16. N.C. State 13-6-2 17. Santa Clara 12-6-2 18. Maryland 9-6-5 19. Penn State 12-6-3 20. Akron 12-6-3 0 American Haart D GUP0 OGl ach LmJ iiiiiii i f,.. 3 The Daily Tar X-'S. .;..-:::. up the Tar Heel attack in '88 after HAR0 Mountain Bikes $100 off regular price TREK Mountain Bikes on sale! 300 South Elliott Across from Kroaer Plaza FRESH FROM THE SPRING GARDEN! SUPER SANDWICHES AND AN EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF BEERS A Good Deal &...A Good Deal MORE Free soft drink refills and your choice of one of our tasty side orders with each fresh sandwich; blackeyed peas & com, potato salad, corn chips, cole slaw, pinto beans, or buffalo chips (prepared in all vegetable oil). All prices include the 5 sales tax) All Items available for Take-Out CHIPS & SALSA 1.25 A tangy snack for anytime SPRING GARDEN BURGER 3.75 Half (12) pound of fresh lean ground beef, grilled medium, and served on a toasted natural whole grain roll with lettuce, tomato and Hellmann's mayonnaise CHEDDARBCIRGER 4.00 Our delicious Spring Garden burger with aged New York cheddar cheese DRIVE-IN BURGER 4.00 Homemade chili, slaw, tomato and mayonnaise top our famous burger PHILLY STEAK SANDWICH 5.75 Fresh sliced choice ribeye steak, grilled and served on toasted French bread with aged Swiss cheese and sauteed onions PASTRAMI & SWISS RUBIN 4.25 A delicious grilled sandwich with lean pastrami, sauerkraut, sauteed onions, aged Swiss cheese, and our special sauce on rye WILD TURKEY SANDWICH ..4.50 Turkey breast roasted in our ovens, sliced, served on toasted oat bread with cucumbers and a cream cheese and tarragon dressing WILLIE'S FAMOUS CHILI 3.00 Homemade beef and 3-bean chili in a flour tortilla shell, topped with onions, celery and aged cheddar cheese, served with com chips LEGHORN'S CHICKEN SANDWICH 4.50 Fresh boneless chicken breast, lightly marinated, dipped in a beer batter, cooked crisp and served on a toasted natural whole grain roll with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST SANDWICH 4.25 Our specially marinated chicken breast, grilled and served on toasted oat bread with aged Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise Sun.-Thurs. 11 am-11 pm, Fri. & Sat. 11 am-1 am Corner of Main & Weaver Sts, Carrboro 929-2708 HeelFriday, September 2, 19885B DTH file photo a strong campaign last year Dial 933-RIDE CAJUN GRILL 4.00 New Orleans spices and our fresh chicken breast (a great combination) grilled, served on toasted oat bread with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise HAM&TURKEY 425 Lightly smoked ham, roasted turkey breast with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on toasted oat bread (no hole in the middle) CUBANO 4.25 Roasted pork tenderloin and grilled smoked ham on a toasted natural whole grain roll with aged Swiss cheese, mild horseradish and BBQ sauce NEW YORK FRANKFURTER 2.50 An grilled authentic frankfurter (made by German butchers in New York)with Dusseldorf mustard and our special sauerkraut SOUTHERN STYLE DOG 2.50 Our fabulous frank grilled and served on an Old Salem hot dog bun with your choice of mustard, chili, slaw and onions SPRING GARDEN CHEF'S SALAD 4.25 A tossed green salad of garden fresh vegetables, roasted turkey and lightly smoked ham, aged Swiss and cheddar cheeses with our homemade herb vinaigrette, served in a flour tortilla shell with com chips Vegetables & Cheese only 3.25 GARDEN SALAD 1.50 Carrots, celery, radishes and crisp lettuce tossed with our homemade vinaigrette CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH3.75 Fresh chicken salad made the old fashioned way, with almonds, celery and special seasonings on oat bread A LA CARTE SIDE ORDERS (each) .75 Choose any of our delicious side orders a la carte: blackeyed peas & corn, potato salad, cole slaw, pinto beans, com chips or salsa OUR FAMOUS BUFFALO CHIPS 1.50 A large order of our special fries prepared in all vegetable oil MUD PIE 1.25 Our own mocha chip and chocolate ice cream pie, topped with Hershey's hot fudge 41 2