The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 13, 1995 - 11
The Michigan men's lacrosse team has its eyes set on another Big Ten title. Wisconsin, Purdue and Illinois are
the other top contenders for the conference crown.
Laxers battle for Big Ten title
" Wolverines look to capture sixth straight championship
By Amber Uyesato
For the Daily
The maize and blue writing is on
the wall and it says "Repeat."
The Michigan men's lacrosse
team has captured the Big Ten title
five years in a row. This weekend,
the Wolverines hope to take home
their sixth.
However, Michigan's domination
in the previous championships has
put pressure on the 1995 team to live
up to the past.
"Since we've won itso many times
in a row, nobody wants to be a part of
the team that ends up losing it for the
first time," senior midfielder John
Kolakowski said. "If we don't win it,
we're going to have to face the guys
* who graduated.
"You're not just playing for your
team. You're playing for teams three
and four years ago that won it."
The Wolverines' past perfor-
mances have made them the team to
beat. During Michigan's reign as
Big Ten champions, the competition
has been improving and working hard
to break the Wolverines' streak.
"Everyone is really gunning for
us because we've won it (five) years
in a row," midfielder Paul Dreyer
said. "So, we ought to be really care-
ful going in that we don't relax and
think it's going to be easy.
"I think the competition definitely
over the last couple of years has
stepped up," Dreyer said. "The teams
- mostly Wisconsin, Purdue and
Illinois - have definitely improved
(their level of play). Those will be
our biggest threats this weekend."
Still, Michigan is a strong con-
tender to win the title again.
Goaltender Anil Arora has been solid
in net, allowing only 77 goals on 196
shots. The defense, led by tri-captain
Marc DeCristofaro, and the offense,
led by attackmen Tony DiGiovanni
(29 goals and 12 assists) and Doug
Henke (27 and 11) has been out-
standing in tournament play.
The Wolverines' only real con-
cern for the championships is not
their scoring or defense, but team-
work, especially after last weekend's
11-10 overtime loss to Wheaton.
"We really have to play as a team,"
Dreyer said. "Everyone has got to
work together, which I don't think
we did very well in the Wheaton
game."
"There needs to be a little more
support from everyone on the team
for everyone on the team,"
Kolakowski said.
And for the first time in the last
few contests, the entire team will be
present for this weekend's games.
"We have a couple of injuries but
everyone is making the trip to Illi-
nois," said Dreyer, who is recovering
from a hamstring injury. "I think with
everyone together we'll play really
well."
ILLi FOffTL5E
Daily Sports is cooL. That's why you should write for it this
summer. Come to the mass meeting Monday, April 17 at 7 p.m.
in the Student Publications Building at 420 Maynard.
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