Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Sept. 30, 2003, edition 1 / Page 6
Part of Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
6 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2003 For Tomecka, it’s a head game BY BRIAN MACPHERSON SPORTS EDITOR Time and time again in her career, midfielder Maggie Tomecka has come up big for the North Carolina women’s soccer team. Literally. Tomecka at 5 feet 11 inches the tallest member of the undefeated Tar Heels has controlled the air A, COMPETITOR’S COUPONS Valid on comparable sizes and products. Not valid with any other offer. Carrhoro ITNC Look for the NEW PHILLY CHEESESTEAK PIZZA coming soon! CAMPUS RECREATION UPDATE TESBMMEI I SQUASH Club Sport Clubs TREK n TROT Tar Heel Squash is a club that seeks to introduce the fun, fast-paced game Event day: Oct. 11,10 am A of squash to the University community, and to organize players so that they [5-mile leisurely jog through NC Botanical Gardens fe, \ are able to compete against other players of like ability To that end, we run followed by a 12-mile bike ride They are non- W \ beginner lessons at the start of each semester, followed by a series of competitive (untimed) and you can do either or both.) V* • ] clinics for more experienced players. It is our goal to teach all interested 29 ■ players the correct way to play the game, so that they can enjoy the SOCCER v competition and exercise that this life-long sport affords. 9 Players • Sign up: Oct. 6-14 \ Uni I CVPAII Practices are on Mondays at 8:00 pm and there is VULLIYqALL aymnjM opportunity for additional matches throughout the week. 6 Players • Entries CLOSE: today ▼ For more information on the UNC Squash Club, please contact Julia at schlaflv@email.unc.edu pr SIGN UP in 203 WOOLLEN GYM: V www.unc.edu/student/orqs/squash, ' * z*&SEEE jt toudenWecnation Center * jJtl mjmmmywmmpim * 1 1 ‘SE^■ FR / BEGINNER Climbina Niaht 8 the WALL T®" 1 ?°I r " n !j‘ te f /"' l ? ss ?T ta^°Jl s f* 3 Learn the ropes in a relaxed atmosphere 0m Get|ind ,v| andd u al |Z ed (nstmction to tbe Cybe x 'th Oth ’d''d I tth PERSONAL TRAINING 1 ' BeginnerClimhingHoure: Mi , dj, '' ' j*.* Has your exercise program that was once 'L. ■ Every Friday, 4-6 pm I" BWI exciting and invigorating become a .\| _„ . U‘L‘ Dl/ PI" L' Promotional Support, I afSh B f BUM & Product Discounts for North Carolina for four years. Her latest highlight came Sunday, when she headed home two goals in the first 18 minutes of play against Villanova. The Tar Heels cruised to a 3-0 win. “I recruited her because of her heading presence,” said UNC coach Anson Dorrance. “I told her that we needed someone to domi Sports nate the air. She’s always a threat on set pieces and comer kicks." Tomecka’s first goal Sunday came less than eight minutes into the game. “Her first goal was an absolute ly spectacular header," Dorrance said. “It was so forceful it was dra matic, like a dunk in basketball.” Tomecka’s second goal also came on a well-placed header and effectively put Villanova away. “Not only does she have the advantage of her height, but she’s very, very strong,” said senior Alyssa Ramsey. “In practice, the two of us do attacking and defensive heading drills, and I can tell you, she’s very hard to beat in the air.” Ironically, Tomecka’s most important goal of the season did n’t come on a header. On Sept 12 against Texas, a team ranked fifth nationally at the time, Tomecka broke a scoreless tie in the game's second overtime when she scored an unassisted goal from the top of the Longhorn penalty box. Most of the time, though, Tomecka’s role is on the defensive end of the field. “Her job is to be a front sweep er in front of the back three (defenders),” Dorrance said. “She’s like a windshield wiper in front of the back line of the defense." Tomecka’s height plays a role in the Tar Heels’ battle to control the midfield in every game. “You want to win the midfield, and that’s the way you do it: in the air,” she said. “It’s intimidating to other teams if you can win all of the 50-50 balls.” Tomecka broke in as a starter upon joining the team in 2000 and was named to the ACC All- Freshman team after scoring four goals and registering nine assists. A year later, she scored a career high eight goals, including one against Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “Maggie has become a dominant force in the midfield, both defen sively and offensively,” Ramsey said. Asa senior, though, Tomecka’s primary role has been to take charge of the Tar Heel defenders. “I’m a defensive player, so real ly, my role is organizing the defense,” she said. “And helping out the team any way I can.” Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu. UNC’s Usher takes sth in kayak surfing event BY BEN COUCH SPORTSATURDAY EDITOR Everyone, at some point in their lives, has messed around and invented anew sport. But not everyone manages to compete in it internationally. Lindsay Usher, a North Carolina senior from Durham, recently returned from the Kayak Surfing World Championship at Easky, Ireland, where she placed fifth in international-class competition. Usher’s ascent had its begin nings in her 12th summer. “A family friend brought her kayak down to our beach house one time,” Usher said. “And I start ed surfing it because my dad board-surfs. We just started trying to ride it into waves, and then we found out other people do it, too. So we were like, ‘Oh, cool!’” Kayak surfing is exactly what it sounds like surfing, except that instead of standing on a board, the competitor is inside a kayak. “Paddlers” compete in two class es: high-performance and interna tional. High-performance class is more trick-oriented than interna tional class, where the focus is on the fluidity and grace of the ride. International-class competition is Usher’s strong suit. “Lindsay has a smooth, flowing style that accommodates itself to the shape of the wave,” said U.S. East team coach Bruce Watkins in an e-mail. The world championships took place between Sept. 12 and Sept. 20, and it was in the individual international competition that Usher advanced to the semifinals. “I was up against two other women who I had actually com peted against before,” she said. “They were two former world champions. One of those women was from the East Coast, and she actually ended up winning world champion in international.... I was happy that I had made it that far.” Usher didn’t make it past the first round in individual high-per formance, but her two runs in international class during the team competition helped the U.S. East team finish sixth overall. Usher was the only woman to • ' 7S-’* ’ ‘ V* A .V. >wmE H - 3 i ' Bh gt# / ,J lG B* i A • PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDSAY USHER North Carolina senior Lindsay Usher placed fifth in international-class competition at the Kayak Surfing World Championship in Easky, Ireland. pre-qualify for the team after a successful 2001-02 season that was highlighted by a second-place finish at nationals. Once she was named to the team, Usher began a 42-week training program to get her in shape for the competition. Usher has managed to extend her passion for paddling into her curriculum at UNC, where she is double majoring in recreational administration and drama. Her interest in pursuing a career in recreation led to an internship with Paddle Sports of QJljp Both} (Ear BM Santa Barbara in California this past summer. This allowed her to train in aquatic conditions similar to those she would see in Ireland at the world championship. Usher is satisfied with her results in Ireland but is looking forward to getting another crack at the title. “I was definitely happy with my placement,” she said. “But they’re talking about the next location (being) in Costa Rica, so I’m like, ‘Yeah, I want to go to Costa Rica!’” Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 30, 2003, edition 1
6
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75