PAGE 12
SCOREBOARD
m
BRIAN MACPHERSON
NOT IN CHARGE
Golf world
not alone
in suffering
Between the business cards
and dollar bills in my wal
let, I keep a small card
depicting a cross, an eagle and an
“In Memoriam” plaque.
When I heard about Bruce
Edwards’ death on Thursday, I
once again pulled out that card to
read my uncle’s name inscribed
on the back and the psalm under
neath.
I knew, in the slightest way,
how Tom Watson felt.
Hours before his first-round tee
time at The Masters on Thursday,
Watson found out that Edwards,
his caddie for 30 years, had died
at 49 due to amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Just months removed from a
diagnosis of a disease that has no
known cure, Edwards inspired
the nation at the U.S. Open in
June when he walked up the 18th
fairway with Watson, a scene
incomparable in its poignancy.
“If I go in a year or less, I’ve
had a wonderfiil life,” Edwards
said at the time. “I’ve been lucky.
I had one of the greatest golfers
in the world. I’ve had a wonderful
ride, a lot of wins, a lot of great
moments.”
When I first heard about
Bruce Edwards, I couldn’t help
but think about Uncle Mark.
I never really knew him as the
lanky lifeguard my dad’s sister
married years ago. Mark
Malconian was diagnosed with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in
1985 his son wasn’t yet six
months old.
Doctors gave Uncle Mark five
years to five, and he survived for
17- He died seven months shy of
his son’s high school graduation.
ALS is a horrific disease, caus
ing the body of the victim to fall
apart excruciatingly slowly.
In tha case of Uncle Mark, I
can barely even remember when
he had use of his arms I can
only picture him shuffling from
his bedroom to his living room,
his arms dangling at bis sides,
courageously emerging to face
the world for another day.
He learned to use a computer
with his feet, and he kept in touch
with the rest of the world even
when he couldn’t leave home.
My aunt turned the pages for
him as he read my newspaper
articles in high school, and she
took a camcorder to record
videos of his son dominating the
New England prep school water
polo league.
He loved Drew Bledsoe, and
he never forgave Bill Belichick for
the trade with Buffalo.
Uncle Mark even kept his
sense of humor to the end. When
a doctor conceded in November
2002 that he had little time left,
he pointed out that if he died
soon enough, “At least I won’t
have to spend Thanksgiving with
the MacPhersons again.”
I’ll never forget the phone call
from my father that Monday
afternoon three days before
Thanksgiving. Uncle Mark had
passed away peacefully in the
night.
He was taken away from us far,
far too soon.
More than 5,000 Americans
are diagnosed with the disease
every year. Only half of those
diagnosed survive more than
three years beyond their diagno
sis, and 10 percent live for 10
more years.
There is no cure for amy
otrophic lateral sclerosis, but
organizations around the country
are working to find one.
Contributions to the ALS
Association can be made at
www.alsa.org.
Bruce Edwards and Uncle
Mark lived full lives, and even
though their time was cut short,
they both profoundly impacted
the world around them.
In that way, each person who
knew them was the luckiest on
the face of the earth.
Contact Brian MacPherson
at brimac@email.unc.edu.
Sports Monday
MEN'S TENNIS UNC 5 Florida State 2
Softball bounces back after loss
Seniors provide leadership, hats for Tar Heels'wins
BY BRANDON COWARD
STAFF WRITER
With three wins and a contro
versial loss this weekend, the North
Carolina softball team left the field
feeling confident going into the
season’s home stretch.
The Tar Heels defeated
Maryland twice on Sunday, 1-0
and 5-3. On Friday, they faced N.C.
State, losing the first game 5-2 and
winning the second 3-2.
“It really meant getting back on
track and readjusted,” said senior
Dionne Streete. “It meant a lot to
bounce back and win after losing
the first game. This weekend gives
us a firm base going into the tough
est conference games against
NORTH CAROLINA 11 \ IRGi SI \ <)
n* * a —> - jgi
Pii „ 1
■lfe. X3P?/ M dßm
H R ' • . Ja|gS|Bßlg&L
DTH/JESSICA RUSSELL
Virginia attacker Eric Pittard (right) checks North Carolina defender Ronnie Staines during UNC's 11 -9 win against the defending
champion Cavaliers on Saturday at Fetzer Field. The Tar Heels improved to 2-1 in ACC competition this season with the victory.
UNC EARNS WIN
WITH LATE RALLY
BY RANDY WELLINGTON
STAFF WRITER
At halftime of its ACC clash with Virginia on Saturday, the
North Carolina men% lacrosse team trailed by a goal, and
every Tar Heel knew why goalie Paul Spellman’s game was
off.
In response, his coaches used a hodge-podge of pressure and advice
that erased Spellman’s traumatic first-half memories.
The goalie, with his newly spotless mind, stifled the defending cham
pions in the second half of an 11-9 Tar Heel win at Fetzer Field.
“Everybody else was blowing it out,” Spellman said. “They were giv
ing the best effort they could possibly give, and I wasn’t in that first half.”
He had allowed six goals on 15 shots
and had just four saves. But Virginia’s
lead was only 6-5, and UNC would have
been ahead if not for several great saves
by UVa. goalie Tillman Johnson.
In the first half, the No, 5 Tar Heels (6-
3,2-1 in the ACC) took more shots, won
more faceofls, completed more clears and
committed less turnovers than No. 15
Virginia (3-6,0-2).
At intermission, UNC coach John
Haus switched the defense from zone to
man-to-man. In front of the team, he told
his goalie he had to play better. Then
assistant coach Pat Olmert, as he warmed
up Spellman during halftime, offered
some advice.
wwmdailytafheehcQxtt
Georgia Tech and Florida State.”
Despite leadoff hits in every
inning, the Tar Heels (35-15,5-1 in
the ACC) were unable to score in
Sunday’s first game until Streete
slapped a home
run over the
left-field fence
for her eighth
home run of
the season.
Coach
SOFTBALL
Maryland 0
UNC 1
Maryland 3
UNC 5
Donna Papa
credited Streete and fellow seniors
Emily Price, Jessica Graziano and
Natashalyn Snipes with providing
the leadership and poise that were
crucial to a successful weekend.
“(Streete), Jessica Graziano,
“Coach Olmert got in my head a lot at
halftime,” Spellman said. “He said, ‘lime
it out. Him everything else off. Just worry
about yourself.’ So I ... just zoned in as
best as I could. Asa captain and three
year starter, you don’t want to let anybody
down.”
The only players let down in the sec
ond half were the UVa. attackmen and
midfielders. After a goal with 9 minutes,
6 seconds left in the third quarter to give
them a 7-6 lead, the Cavaliers were score
less until 2:25 remained in the entire
game, a 21-minute, 41-second drought
during which Spellman made nine saves.
SEE MEN'S LACROSSE, PAGE 7
WOMEN'S LACROSSE Vanderbilt 12 UNC S
Emily Price and ’Tash (on Sunday)
have really stepped up,” Papa said.
“As seniors, they’ve been there
before, they know the pressure,
they know what’s on the line.
They’ve all come through for us.”
In the second game against the
Wolfpack, Snipes gunned down a
runner at home plate from center
field. Against the Terrapins, she
tripled in the sixth to start a rally
that won the second game against
Maryland (21-17,1-3).
“’Tash had a clutch hit,” Papa
said. “We talked about if we scored
that run in the sixth inning, then
Crystal would come in and shut
SEE SOFTBALL, PAGE 7
Cavaliers
shut down
Prossner
BY BRIANA GORMAN
STAFF WRITER
North Carolina attackman Jed
Prossner would spin left and find him
self face-to-face with Virginia’s Michael
Culver. He would then spin right, but
once again Culver would be there, get
ting in his way.
This constant battle continued the
entire game, and Prossner never could
find an opening against his opponent.
The Tar Heels’ leading scorer was held
scoreless on Saturday against the
Cavaliers.
In fact, Culver was Prossner’s shad
ow, following his every move to prevent
the Tar Heels’ top attackman from
touching the ball. The only job for the
sophomore defenseman the entire
game was to guard Prossner and make
SEE PROSSNER, PAGE 7
BASEBALL Georgia Tech 13 UNC 8
OTH/JOHN DUDLEY
North Carolina pitcher Crystal Cox struck out 10 Maryland batters in 8.2
innings of work Sunday. The Tar Heels swept the Terps, 1 -0 and 5-3.
(The Irnly (Uar Heri
APRIL 12, 2004
Clemson
takes ACC
win from
Tar Heels
Mojzis shuts down
two ranked opponents
BY ANDY WALES
STAFF WRITER
After every point won by North
Carolina’s Lee Bairos, she listened to most
of her teammates and fans cheer “Let’s go!”
Upon winning her own points, Bairos’
opponent, Clemson’s Daniela Alvarez,
heard her teammates screaming the
Spanish equivalent: “Vamos!”
Alvarez was just one of three Spanish-
speaking players on
Clemson’s women’s
tennis team. In fact, of
the nine players on the
team, only one hailed
from the United States.
Despite its foreign
contingent, Clemson
felt right at home at the
WOMEN'S
TENNIS
Clemson 6
UNC 1
Ga. Tech 2
UNC 5
Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, defeating
UNC 6-1. The defeat came on the heels of a
5-2 victory against Georgia Tech on Friday.
No. 28 Aniela Mojzis cruised to victo
ry in both matches by defeating No. 57
Lindsay Shosho of Georgia Tech 6-2,6-0
and No. 8 Julie Coin 6-1,6-3.
With the wins Mojzis has won six of her
last seven after losing five straight. She
attributed her recent play to a surge in
confidence.
“My head’s coming together,” she said.
“I love the ACC Tournament and this time
of year when the weather’s warm. Today
was the first time I felt my game come
together.”
Saturday was Senior Day for Bairos and
Kendrick Bunn, but Bairos lost both of her
matches in three sets, and Bunn lost to
Clemson’s Karen Rombouts in straight sets.
There was a bit of controversy about the
seeding of Rombouts. Clemson head
coach Nancy Harris placed Rombouts in
the sixth position, a position she hadn’t
played all season.
Some thought she had been under
seeded, a rules violation. Tar Heel coach
Brian Kalbas originally questioned the
seeding, but then thought that perhaps
those ahead of her had been playing well
in practice.
Kalbas found no need to pursue the
matter further. Bunn said she had also
heard the rumor, but wasn’t certain it was
true either.
The weekend was also eventful for
freshman Sara Anundsen. She gutted out
a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Georgia Tech’s
SEE WOMEN'S TENNIS, PAGE 7
INSIDE
MEN'S GOLF
The Tar Heels finish in ninth place at The
Intercollegiate in Cary PAGE 10
SOFTBALL
UNC's Dionne Streete emerges as a
leader, hitting .348 this season PAGE 9
TRACK
Tar Heels win 14 events at the Carolina
Fast Times meet on Friday PAGE 7