Page 9 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 17, 1986 'M' TO HOST DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Blue wants RPI to RIP ULNL: L'l i\ Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON Michigan goaltender Tim Makris has been playing well of late, having inherited the starting job full-time. Here, in early season action, he braces to stop a shot against the Canadian National Team. DEPTH AND CONSISTENCY REMAIN KEYS: :Tumblers brace for tough test _P By MARK BOROWSKY Just how good are these RPI Engineers, who roll into town tonight for a two-game non-conference series at Yost Ice Arena? The defending NCAA champions are good, but just how good depends on your perspec- tive. "This is the weakest RPI has been in the last five years," said Engineer coach Mike Addesa, whose squad is nevertheless an impressive 13-3-1. "We have some very good players, and then there's a drop." ON THE other hand ... "I sense thatrtheydhave some dep- th," contended Michigan head coach Red Berenson, his contention based on RPI's 8-3 victory over Michgan in the first round of the Great Lakes In- vitational December 28. "Up front they have a guy like (John) Carter, who is an All-American." Despite Berenson's assessment, RPI is hurting. With a squad that numbers only 24, four of which are goalies, Addesa has been forced to play (horrors!) freshmen and walk- ons. Having lost six players to graduation, three to the pros, and one who transferred, RPI is not favored to repeat as national champions, much less to win the Eastern College Athletic Conference. BUT DON'T let Addesa's bad- mouthing his own squad fool you, either. Only allowing 3.24 goals a game, the Engineers have one of the top defenses in the country. Senior forward Mark Jooris has scored 16 goals and 14 assists including a GLI record five goals and two assists against Michigan. Co-captian and All-American Carter (16 goals, 8 assists, 24 points) has three game- winning goals, and the offense as a whole is explosive - it scored 12 goals agianst Toronto and 10 against Dar- mouth. The offense is not consistent. "Scoring goals is a problem," said Addesa. "(We don't have) as many catalyst type-players as last year. Our forwards have only been fair." Michigan knows what inconsistency is all about, especially on defense. The Wolverines have allowed 124 goals over 24 games a 5.16 average. They will be wihout the services of defenseman Jeff Norton (serving a one game suspension for (slashing) And For Brad McCaughey (shoulder in- jury.) Last weekend against con- ference foe (and number one-ranked) Bowling Green, the Wolverines upset the Falcons, 7-4, Friday, but suffered major lapses Saturday in losing 7-3. The RPI series figures to be a high scoring one, or so it would seem. "WITH OUR team," Berenson said, "you never know. We're capable of scoring a lot of goals, but we have to tighten up defensively." One Wolverine that has tightened up aeiensiveiy is gomeeer ii Makris. Playing well over the past four games, Makris appears to have finally shored up the goaltending, one of the weak spots for most of the season. Makris, forced to play full- time with the departure of Bob Lin- dgren, was often spectacular in the split with Bowling Green, and in the Besides meeting in the GLI, the teams played a two-game series last season at RPI. The two Engineer vic- tories (5-2 and 5-1) were marked by not only rough but often violent play. The game at the GLI was relatively mild, but this is not a pair of teams who like each other. 'There's a little revenge in playing against RPI. Last year, we just felt we were abused, and let's face it, they're still the national champs.' - Red Berenson UafanciIVatI3 s W Urpptjw.. .T im a e gintTc. two games the week before with Ferris State. "He's playing at a level with the best goalies in the league," Berenson said. "In the past he was inconsistent. I sense that he's over that." AND DESPITE RPI's 8-3 pasting in the GLI, both coaches agree that the score was not indictative of the game. "The game could have been 4-3 either way," Addesa said. "Michigan could have scored a lot of goals." Berenson readily agreed. "Coming off Christmas break we were off the ice for eight days. I just felt that we were a better team (in the consolation So despite the fact each team has a tough conference schedule ahead - Michigan faces arch-rival Michigan State next weekend - neither squad needs motivation. Espescially Michigan. Having suffered three straight losses to RPI, having beaten the number-one ranked team in the country, and now facing the defending national champions, the Wolverines should be hungry. "There's a little revenge playing against RPI," Berenson said. Last year, we just felt we were abused, and let's face it, they're still the national champs." By GREG MOLZON The bright lights of Crisler Arena will be shining on the floor tomorrow 9s some top rate Big Ten competition -comes to town, but it won't be for a basketball game. The men's gym- .Aastics team will host Minnesota and Illinois in the Wolverines' home ppener tomorrow, 2 p.m. Michigan hasn't started strong, but *e team is getting healthier and head coach Bob Darden believes this meet will be a good chance to see im- provement and compare his club to the Big Ten competition. Darden said, a' It'll give us an indication of where we stand in the Big Ten and how much work we have to do." DARDEN thinks the team is ready for a good showing, but it won't be easy against Illinois and Minnesota. Tracks ter for Michii By EMILY BRIDGHAM "You have to be a real horse to place in the NCAA," said assistant track coach Ron Warhurst, whose 1986 Wolverine squad has more then its share of thoroughbreds. With three All-Americans among its ranks in the past year and several more bonafide All-America candidates, Michigan will compete tomorrow, the Michigan Relays, in its first official meet of the season at the Track and Mennis Building. TOne of the premier events will be the two-mile, with University alum- nus and former All-American Gerard Donakowski competing along with sophomore John Scherer. All- 'American distancer Chris Brewster will not run in the meet but should be back in next weeks Western Michigan meet. FILLING OUT the middle distance will be senior Todd Steverson, who notched the 600-meter indoor and the 400-meter outdoor events in the Big Ten last year. Running alongside Steverson will be sensation Omar Davidson who grabbed All-American honors as a freshman in the 400-meter indoor event and should play a big role in the mile relay along with Steverson. All-American Thomas Wilcher will cover the hurdles for the Wolverines. Wilcher placed third in the NCAA last year in the 110 high hurdles and lowered his own varsity time record from 13.74 to 13.52. Wilcher, a tailback on the football team, is joined by freshman gridder f.J. Grant. Grant heaved the shot 67'3 in high school and has been throwing well according to Warhurst. ALSO REVIVING Michigan in the field events will be Butch Starmack 'Who triple jumped 50'9%" last year and will break 50 this week according Twins trade "They're both always historically strong. Of course, any team in the Big Ten is strong, so it's going to be a tough meet," he added. The Wolverines main problem so far this year has been a lack of depth, but that should improve as the young freshmen gain valuable college ex- perience. In the meantime, Michigan isn't lacking strong individual per- formances. The highlights of the season have included excellent performances from Scott Moore, Brock Orwig, Mit- ch Rose, and Steve Yuan. Each of the- se gymnasts has placed high in their respective events and should continue to place as the season progresses. For now, Darden is most concerned about team improvement and hopes the Wolverines can do well this s gear up ran Relays to Warhurst. This years question mark lies in the sprints. Highly touted freshman Philip Ferguson, a 10.3 100m runner from Jamaica, Alex Polakowski, 10.6 from Ann Arbor and Wiley Boulding, 10.6 from Kalamazoo, will be counted on to fill out the team. "Everyone will be throwing their marbles into the ring and around 10 we will know who's got them back," said Warhurst. "This is going to be a low key thing. We're just trying to get everyone back on their feet." weekend against the Big Ten com- petition. "I think, teamwise, everything comes down to the Big Ten Championships in March," he said. If Darden can continue to get good showings from his standouts and also develop some depth and consistency from the rest of the squad, the team should be peaking in time for the im- portant Big Ten Championships. Women ubtlers face illinois Coming off Saturday's victory over Western Michigan in its season opener, the women's gymnastics team flying high. "Having the win under our belt built up our confidence for the new season," said coach Dana Kem- pthorn. "Now we could work on specifics and executions." The Wolverines will indeed have to work, for Illinois (tomorrow, 2 p.m.) is their next opponent, and quite a for- midable one. "Illinois has always been a real tough competitor for us," said Kempthorn. "I was pleased with the girl's performances in the last meet, but we sure can't slack off against Illinois." Illinois-Michigan figures to be a close match. Last season, these two teams were neck and neck in the Big Ten standings, with Michigan finishing fourth, and Illinois breathing right down their backs in fifth. Even last years meet was close with Michigan winning a tight one, 175.4 to 174.35. Angela Williams, who placed first for the Wolverines in the WMU meet, was injured in that meet and will only compete in two of the four events this Saturday. Williams' absence will give freshman Janne Klepek a chance to show what she can do in the all- around. Also competing in the all- around will be Heidi Cohen (second place in WMU meet), and another freshman, Amy Meyer. Illinois will be competing in its first meet of the season, prompting their coach, Bev Mackes, to comment: "This will be a feeler out type of com- petition, a whole new experience for us." Mackes expects big performan- ces from senior, Lu-ann Roberts, and sophomore, Laura Hicks. - DOUG VOLAN WANTED S I RS I For Major Even ts Concerts MASS MEETING Tuesday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m. Anderson Room Michigan Union 4 VETERAN USHER - Those who have ushered Major Events concerts in the past. NEW USHERS - Those who would like to usher Major Events concerts. U A 7 pY ION S Feb a Donakowski ... a two-mile alum . e 9 ITALIAN BUFFET ALL YOU CAN EAT! * Pizza, Lasagna, Spaghetti, etc. I SUNDAYS from 4:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. 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