Page 8-Sunday, January 22, 1978-The Michigan Daily
NoDAK VICTIMIZED, 5-2:
Dekers final
1
By ERROL SHIFMAN
Oh, what a relief it is!
Pummeling the opposing net with
44 shots, the Michigan Wolverines re-
kindled their early season flame and
burned the North Dakota Fighting
Sioux, 5-2:
WITH THE LINE of Dan Lerg, Bill
Thayer and Mike Coffman leading
the way, the Wolverines ended a
month and a- half of agony. The win
snapped a seven-game losing streak
dating back to early December.
A relieved Coach Dan Farrell
conveyed the team's sentiments.
"I'm glad it's all over," said Farrell,
"especially for the kids, considering
what they had to go through."
In a hard checking affair which
saw 18 penalties whistled, the Wol-
verines finally meshed the defense
and offense together. The Blue
defense turned in a good perform-
ance, blocking 19 shots and clearing,
Fighting Sioux attackers away from
the crease.
After playing the first period in a
1-1 tie, Michigan took charge.
LERG PUT THE Wolverines out in
front temporarily at 5:17 of the
second stanza on a superb individual
effort. Starting at the red line, Lerg
skated in by himself on three Sioux
defenders. Streaking down the left
side, Lerg cut in around all three
Sioux and slid the puck past NoDak
goalie Mel Donnelly.
Lerg compiled three goals and
three assists in the weekend series
and received first star honors for last
night's game.
The hard-hitting second period
saw a minor. altercation each time
the puck went to the boards.
AFTER NODAK defenseman Bill
Himmelright tied the game at two
apiece, Thayer notched his second
goal of the evening taking a cross
crease pass from Dave Debol and
Michigan was ahead to stay.
L1Y win
The Fighting Sioux had apparently
tied the game at 16:47 but the goal
was disallowed. The officials ruled
that Nodak forward Rick Meyers had
gloved the puck into the net. The
disappointment was enough to take
all the fight out of the Sioux.
JOHN McCAHILL gave Michigan
its insurance goal just 52 seconds into
the third period, banging in a Doug
Todd rebound. Lerg rounded out the
scoring 34 seconds later and the rest
of the period was left to penalties and
numerous Michigan scoring chances.
It looked as if the Wolverines were
in for another long night as Sioux
forward Meyers scored on a power
play at just 2:00 into the game.
But Michigan, playing with an
intensity they had been lacking, tied
one!
the game at 10:13 with Thayer
getting the score.
The line of Lerg, Thayer and
Coffman provided excitement for the
crowd of 4,651 each time they took the
ice. Coffman picked up three assists
and Thayer notched two goals and an
assist.
IN A STRANGE turn of events, the
Michigan pep band took up the
"Paaaaaalllllll-merrrr" chant usual-
ly used by rival crowds to taunt the
Michigan goalie. The chant seemed
to perk up the Palmer and he turned-
in a solid performance, stopping 33
Sioux shots.
The Wolverine victory moves them
within three points of fifth place
Minnesota. Next week the Blue icers
travel to Denver to battle the first
place Pioneers.
Return to normalcy
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. ND-Myers (Cox, Himmelright) 2:00;
2. M-Thayer (Coffman, Lerg) 10:13.
Penalties: M-Olver (charging) 1:17; M-Lerg
(4:00 minutes roughing) 13:17; ND-Chorney (4:00
minutes roughing) 13:17.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. M-Lerg (Pacholzuk, Coffman) 5:27; 4.
ND-limmelright (Martens. Burggraf) 7:20; 5.
M-Thayer (Debol. Turner) 14:44.
Penalties: ND-Stone (slashing) 1:42; M-Turner
(cross(checking) 2:50; M-Coffman (elbowing) 6:56:
M-Maurer (roughing) 10:02; ND-Marvin (rough-
ing) 10:02; ND-Gliniany (hooking) 13:43.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 6. M-McCahill (Todd, Debol) 0:52; 7.
M-Lerg (Thayer, Coffman) 1:26.
Penalties: ND-Marvin (roughing) 2:05;
M-Hlampson (roughing) 2:05; ND-Smail (cross-
checking) 5:16; M-Hampson (cross-checking) 5:16;
ND-Himmelright (cross-checking) 6:17 M-Turner
(interference) 7:13; ND-Smail (charging) 15:44;
ND-Mihulka (holding) 16:44; M-Coffman (hook-
ing) 18:11.
SAVES
Palmer (M)................13 11 9-33
Donnelly (NI))............... 6 16 17-39
Daily Photo by PETER SERLING
MICHIGAN PLAYERS Dean Turner and Bill Thayer celebrate the scoring
of Thayer's second goal of the game here in the second period. Michigan won
its first conference game in eight tries as the Wolverines defeated North
Dakota, 5-2, last night at Yost.
Dan Lerg-
Game's first star
skiPuckh9
Hard to criticize...
0. icers slump
By BRIAN MILLER
OjNE OF THESE DAYS, I'm going togive Joe Falls a call. "Joe," I'll
say, "tell me how you do it." Tell me how you can cover the Tigers, Red
Wings, Pistons, Lions, Wolverines, Spar - oops, not the Spartans - but
everyone else, and rip them apart in your column. Tell me how you can meet
the players and coaches, travel with them, make friends with them, and then
tell them, in print, how bad they can be. I marvel at that ability of yours,
Mainly because it is a talent I do not possess.
I am now in my second semester of covering Michigan's hockey team.
I have~met the players and coaches, travelled with them, and even made
friends with some of them. But now that they are in the midst of a long
slump, I can't bring myself to cut them down. I take that back - I could, and
would, criticize the team members, if they deserved it, but I don't think they
do.
Two weeks ago, I traveled with the team to Wisconsin to cover my first
road series in the two years I've been here at the Daily. I was very excited
about going to Madison, but after spending a couple of hours there, I couldn't
wait to get home.
Last week, I went with the team to Minnesota, and again, I was very ex-
cited about going. I rationalized my bad time in Madison by convincing
myself that I couldn't really enjoy the trip knowing I was missing the first
day of the new semester. Besides, I had to cover the two games against the
Badgers and therefore, was unable to just sit back and enjoy them.
Better this week?
It would be different this week, I thought. I had already settled into a
routine at school, and I was going to see the team play as a fan, not a repor-
ter. I could yell and cheer now, not hold everything in like you're supposed to
when you sit in a press box.
But again, I found that I was anxious and impatient to get back to Ann
Arbor. I enjoyed my visit of the campus at Minnesota, but for some reason,
I just wanted to be back home.
So what does this have to do with my inability to criticize the team?
Probably less than I think it does. But, after having'travelled with the team
for the last two weeks, I was able to see how tough these guys have it. So me
of the playersare no more than one year older than me, and many are one or
two years younger. I was bothered by the travelling and I was only on the
road with them for two weekends. They had been away from home for
almost two months,
You could make a great case in blaming the road games for the Wol-
verines' problems. Michigan's last three conference opponents - Michigan
Tech, Wisconsin and Minnesota - are 23-0-2 in their last 25 games at home.
But the icers' problems go deeper than playing away. I think the team is
beginning to doubt themselves now. The are finding it harder and harder
to put the puck in the net at the same rate they did earlier in the year.
One reason for that is because other teams are checking the Wolverines'
two top scorers, Dave Debol and Kip Maurer a lot closer than before. They
are unable to cruise up and down the ice looking for the breakaway pass as
they once did.
Need a leader
Another problem is a lack of leadership. The team does not have a well
defined leader who can instill the motivation needed to turn a one goal deficit
into a one goal,win. This team is like a diamond-in-the-rough. The only thing
missing is the jeweler who can take it, smooth it out, polish it up, and make it
sparkle.
This is a good hockey team. They shouldn't be losing like this, but they
are. The players are trying their hardest, but have nothing to show for it
other than fifth place in the conference. Still, I firmly believe it would only
take one win to turn things around.
Thic vear is hPinnin to resemble last year uite a bit - with the team's
BIG TEN ROUNDUP
MSU tops Iowa; Hoosiers nailed
From Wire Service Reports
EAST LANSING - Forwards Ear-
vin "Magic" Johnson and Greg
Kelser each scored 13 points last
night to keep Michigan State alone in
first place in the Big Ten with a 68-58
win over Iowa.
The Spartans remain undefeated in
the Big Ten with a 6-0 record but had
trouble putting away the Hawkeyes.
Iowa led at halftime, 31-30, behind
the outside shooting of sophomore
guard Ronnie Lester, who finished
with 20 points.
Michgan State didn't take control
of the game until past the midway
point of the second half when five
unanswered baskets gave the Spar-
tans a 54-44 lead. Reserve guard
Mike Brkovich hit three 18-footers to
help the Spartans pull away.
Michigan State is now 14-1 overall.
Iowa is 2-4 in the Big Ten and 9-6
overall.
Boilers cruise
WEST LAFAYETTE - Senior
Wayne Walls sparked a second-half
comeback and finished with 20 points
yesterday as Purdue defeated Indi-
ana 77-67.
Indiana put together a 10-point"
streak late to cut a 15-point deficit to
five. Purdue's Jerry Sichting hit two
free throws, opening a 72-63 advan-
tage.
The Hoosiers drew back to 70-65 on
Wayne Radford's basket, but the
senior fouled out moments later.
Sichting made a pair of free throws.
Walter Jordan's free throw and a
two-pointer by Eugene Parker put-
Purdue in command with less than a
minute to play.
The Hoosiers, helped by 14 Purdue
turnovers, led 34-28 at halftime as
sophomore Mike Woodson scored 14
points. But, Purdue started quickly
after the intermission, pulling ahead
.h". . . . . .. ,. . . . . ..i i ?"i::::
For more sports,
see Page 7
44-42 and were never caught.,
Walls led all scorers, while fresh-
man Ray Tolbert was high for the
Hoosiers with 19 points.
* * *
Badgers smoked
MADISON, - Minnesota, led by
Mychal Thompson's 22 points, over-
came a 13-point deficit and downed
Wisconsin 61-51 yesterday.
The Gophers' victory was their 13th
in a row over the Badgers, who lost
for the fifth time in six conference
games and are 5-9 overall. Minnesota
won its fourth straight conference
game, improving its Big Ten mark to'
4-2 and overall record to 8-6.
Wisconsin' jumped to a 25-12 advan-
tage before Minnesota closed the gap
to eight points at 33-25 by halftime.
Thompson, the league's leading
scorer with a 23 point average, was
held to nine points in the first half.
But he and his teammates tied up the
game at 35-35, and Minnesota went
ahead for good when Thompson
scored a three-pointer to make it
46-43.
Arnold "Clyde" Gaines, who led
the Badger scoring with 14 points,
had only one field goal in the second
half. Co-captain Jim Smith scored 12.
'Cats creamed
CHAMPAIGN, - Freshman for-
ward Mark Smith scored a career-
high 18 points and Illinois turned
back a late rally by Northwestern to
earn a 73-64 victory yesterday.
Trailing 60-50 late in the second
half, Northwestern cut Illinois' lead
to two points on two baskets by Rod
Roberson, a pair of free throws by
Mike Campbell and a field goal by
Tony Allen.
But the Illini regained a nine-point
advantage when Audie Matthews
scored a three-point play with three
minutes left and Rob Judson and
Smith followed with baskets to make
the score 67-58.
Big Ten Standings
Conference
W L Pct. GB
WOMEN TANKERS SAIL, 93-36:
Blue tidal wave drowns Spartans
By BOB WARD
Michigan's women swimmers spirit-
ed their way to victory over Michigan
State last night at Matt Mann pool, for
their second Big Ten dual-meet com-
petition win of the season.
The Blue tankers swamped the Spar-
tans 93-36, taking all but two of the
races, while claiming first place in both
diving events. The victory raised Michi-
gan's Big Ten record to 2-0, while push-
ing their season record to 5-0.
"State didn't rest as much as they
have in the past," said coach Stu Isaac,
referring to the usual practice of short-
ening practices before a meet for better
times. "They weren't really as sharp as
they might have been."
Freshwoman Lisa Matheson, who
was sick last week, swam her second
meet for Michigan and claimed both the
500- and 200-yard freestyle. Mary Rish
also cruised to two individual victories
in the 50-yard backstroke and the 100-
yard individual medley.
Joyce Johnson, another freshwoman,
finished the 200-yard medley relay
team to a. national qualifying time of
1:53.20.
"I've never swum on the 'A' relay,
and it was my best, split (50 yards) in
my life," Johnson said after the meet.
"I'm really happy about it, I'm very ex-
cited."
Later in the meet freshwoman Sue
[SCORES
College Basketball
MICHIGAN at Ohio State, ppd., snow
Michigan State 68, Iowa 58
Minnesota 61, Wisconsin 51
Purdue 77, Indiana 67
Illinois 73, Northwestern 64
Kentucky 75, Mississippi State 65
Illinois State 81, Indiana State76
Duke 91, LaSalle 81
North Carolina State 99, Iona 72
North Carolina 85,Maryland 71
Mississippi 84, Auburn 75
Collins set a new varsity record in the
50-yard butterfly, with a time of 26.89.
This time also qualified her for the
national competition, later in the year.
The divers aced with Julie Backman
taking the title to both the one- and
three-meter boards. "I'm satisfied with
what I did considering the shape I'm
in," said Bachman. "I'm not really in
top shape right now."
Team captain Chris Seufert was sec-
ond on both boards, and was pleased
with the team's performance. "The
team is doing a fantastic job, and all of
them are aiming for national competi-
tion."
Diving coach Dick Kimball said after
the meet, "I was really happy with
'them. They all did a good job. They're
just about where I'd like them to be."
Next Friday the women take on In-
diana at Matt Mann pool at 7:30 p.m.
Michigan State.......6
MICHIGAN ........... 4
Purdue ................ 4
Minnesota .............. 4
Illinois ................:3
Ohio State ............. 2.
Indiana...............2
Iowa .................. 2
Wisconsin ............I
Northwestern..........1
0
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2
2
3
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4
4
5
5
1.I f L V" l.Jl L
1.000
.800
.667
.667
.500
.400
.333
.333
.167
.167
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2
2
3
3'2
4.
4
5
5
For last night's results, see SCORES
Monday's game
MICHIGAN at Ohio State (7:35)
_ _ _ _ . :
Grappler gripes
Michigan's walking wounded
had a chance to rest yesterday as
the Wolverines' wrestling meet
with Indiana at Crisler Arena was
cancelled due to bad snow condi-
tions in the Hoosiers' hometown,
Bloomington, Indiana.
While not yet having to resort to
wrestling themselves, the Wolver-
ines' injury situation borders on
the ridiculous. Sophomores Lou
Joseph (142) and Steve Fraser
(177) both joined the injury ranks
last weekend, as Fraser hurt his
knee and Joseph injured a shoul-
der in the meet with Northwest
ern.
Currently the Wolverines are
holding onto a 3-4 season record,
with victories over Colorado,
Massachusetts and Syracuse. The
Michigan setbacks have been at
the hands of Rhode Island, Michi-
gan State, Lehigh, and Northwest-
ern.
This marks the second cancelled
home meet of the season for the
Wolverines, as the Dec. 9 meet
with California Polytechnic was
also cancelled, due to a highly
enmmunicable skin disease eon-
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