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LOUIS BROWN/Daily
The Michigan field hockey team was unable to overcome a 2-
0 deficit, losing to Penn State 341 in the Big Ten finals.
Vield hockey
drops to Penn
State in finals
Stephane Offen
Ddiy Sports Writer
EAST LANSING - Dominating. The only word to
describe Penn State's performance in the Big Ten field hock-
ey tournament for the past four years. As Michigan lost to
Penn State yesterday in the Big Ten finals, it was only the
most recent victory in a long history of Nittany Lion domi-
nance.
Take this situation, for instance: With just over six min-
es left in the first half, three all-Big Ten first team players
mbined to score Penn State's first goal. Tracy Anselmo
scored off a penalty corner with assists from Heather
Gorlaski and Dawn Lammey.
The next would come less then a minute later. This time
it was Lammey, the offensive player of the year, who would
score on a penalty shot.
So, at the end of the first half, things were not looking
good for the Wolverines.
It was looking as though that would be the way things
would end until senior Amy Philbrook gave Michigan hope
when she scored the team's first goal with 10 minutes left in
second half.
But Lammey would come through for the Lions once
again, sealing the victory a few minutes later on yet another
penalty-corner play.
And Penn State would beat Michigan for the third
straight time this season and capture its fourth Big Ten title
and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Even though Penn State boasted the coach of the year
and six of the ten first team Big Ten players, Michigan coach
Marcia Pankratz didn't come into this game feeling over-
*"I think we can play with them any day and we even did
today," Pankratz said. "Certainly they have strong players
that finished for them today and their goalkeepers are excel-
lent, but I think when we're playing well we can play right
with them."
Michigan has come a long way to be able to play with
teams such as Penn State. Last year's regular season title
proved to be a breakthrough for the team.
This season was supposed to be the year of NCAA suc-
cess, and even though it turned out not to be, the season was
not a complete disappointment.
"We've come from a program that wasn't known at all
Od now just two years later, we're ninth or 10th in the
nation," Pankratz said.
There is definitely something to be said for Michigan
making it to the finals. This year the team had been ranked
higher than ever in the program's history, and was able to
make it to the finals once again with an impressive win in
the semifinals against Ohio State.
Michigan's impressive regular season record led to a first
round bye, and a second round matchup against Ohio State,
who the Wolverines had already beaten twice this year.
The Buckeyes proved once again to be no match for the
tlverines, and Michigan came up the victor with a 2-0
win.
Both Michigan goals came in the first half. Senior Big
Ten first teamer Loveita Wilkinson scored the first goal
with assists by sophomore Courtney Reid and senior
See BIG TENS, Page 78
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Sam Sword and the Wolverines stood up Penn State Saturday, handing the Nittany ions their first shutout loss in 11 years.
Mic higan,
sisoon as the final whistle s
AnSaturday, Michigan Stad
c address announcer How&
did what he always does after a Mi
home game - he announced the s
This time, unlike the last time M
played a ranked team
at home (Syracuse),
his call was sweet to
the ears of Michigan
fans.
"The final score:
Michigan 27, Penn
State - nothing.'
And there, in a MARK
word, King said all SNYDI
that was necessary. MarkM
Penn State entered Words
the Big House early
Saturday under the
cloud of suspicion. No one knew hi
ented this Nittany Lion outfit actu
or if that group would even show u
In the game of chance that we ca
tions, this one was a crapshoot. Bo
played their games running backwa
ing on their defenses to carry the d
But when the dust settled, it was
salvages season b
ounded Michigan, ranked No. 22 in the nation, that
ium pub-- dominated Penn State, pegged as the
ard King nation's eighth-best team, by the whopping
chigan 27-point margin.
core. What's to say these people know what
Michigan they're talking about? Nothing. But for the
Wolverines, 'nothing' was the focus from
the beginning and predictions only further
fueled their fire.
From the opening coin flip when senior
Daydrion Taylor joined Michigan captains
Jon Jansen and Juaquin Feazell at midfield,
the spotlight belonged to Michigan.
The second-largest crowd ever to witness
a football game in the United States planned
ER all week for the dreaded winter game. Long
johns were requested, gloves were sought
y and visitors feared the shivers.
On Saturday - Michigan's day - 'noth-
ing' like that occurred.
low tal- Michigan took the field with an unex-
ally was, pected fire and a determination to overcome
ip. any obstacles - rankings be damned.
all predic- From the first kickoff, the renewed inten-
th teams sity of these Wolverines spouted from all
ard, rely- angles. Ian Gold, the little linebacker with
ay. the huge heart, led the coverage team with
reckless abandon, flailing his arms to incite
y denying Nittany Lions
the monstrous crowd.
But the fans had seen this before. An
intense Wolverine team for the first quarter
or so, a group of players preparing not to
lose instead of trying to harness their amaz-
ing talents as a unit to win.
And, as a fan, there was every reason to
believe the disappointment rest in the next
penalty-driven whistle or fumble by a
Wolverine tailback. But James Hall, a phys-
ical linebacker itching to make the differ-
ence, took the Lions to task.
In a Lawrence Taylor-style drag and strip,
Michigan's No. 56 smacked Penn State
quarterback Kevin Thompson in the back-
field while stripping the ball loose. Before
anyone else could react, Hall swooped the
pigskin into teammate Josh Williams' mas-
sive arms and Michigan gained the initial
advantage, securing the first turnover of the
game.
But Hall's pressure defense wasn't
restricted to forcing fumbles and levying
crushing hits on Nittany Lions.
He wanted to play scoreboard operator.
Using his teammates' backs as a step-
stool, Hall and his left arm played Dikembe
Mutumbo, swatting away Penn State's first
quarter chip-shot field goal attempt.
Sure there were others - such as the first
play of the second quarter in which Sam
Sword made a self-proclaimed "unbelievable
play" stuffing Aaron Harris at the goal line
and Thompson flushed appearance whenev-
er he felt the heat of Michigan's D-line.
Those were just examples of Penn State's
atrocious day - a day without positives.
For the Lions to take anything away from
this game is impossible. They turned the
ball over three times through the air and
once on the ground. Thompson was sacked
four times and ate more grass than the
Michigan Stadium lawnmower.
Oh, did I mention that Penn State, which
entered averaging 28 points per game, did-
n't tally any points, either?
The masses in the Big House were ecstat-
ic with the results. Fans echoed their
approval as Dhani Jones and Sword urged
them on. Even the sun peeked out from
behind the clouds to see this one.
King, reporting the game score as profes-
sionally as possible, hit the nail on the head.
Michigan left the Lions with nothing.
-Mark Snyder can be reached via
e-mail at msnyder@umich.edu.
Soccer quietly exits Big Ten tournament
' Vaughn R. Kug
Daily Sports Writer
STATE COLLEGE - Revenge was the theme of
the Big Ten tournament this weekend for the
Michigan soccer team.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, however, they
not only issued but endured revenge, falling victim
to a Penn State squad bent on redeeming last sea-
son's Big Ten tournament championship loss to
Michigan.
"Last season was brutal for us," Penn State co-
ptain Carole Dutchka said. "This year we did the
same to Michigan."
After ousting Northwestern from the single elim-
ination tournament on Friday, fifth-seeded Michigan
advanced to face top-seeded Penn State on its own
Jeffrey Field.
Saturday's semifinal matchup was played in the
Kelly Convey headed a corner kick past Michigan
goalkeeper Carissa Stewart at the 10:21 mark.
"The early goal gave us a much-needed breath of
confidence;" Penn State coach Pat Farmer said.
"Until then I had no good reason to feel confident of
victory against this talented Michigan squad."
The 1-0 lead lasted over 60 minutes until Penn
State found the back of the net on a second corner
kick opportunity capitalized upon by Convey. Just
10 minutes later, Penn State went up 3-0 on a virtu-
ally unearned goal.
Attempting to combat a Penn State direct kick,
Michigan erected a defensive wall intended to deny
the Nittany Lions a clear path to the goal. The
Wolverines' defense erred when co-captain Jessica
Limauro stepped away from the three-man wall to
avoid contact with an approaching blast from Bonnie
Belkin said. "And we paid for it."
The 3-0 deficit took what little drive the
Michigan team exhibited in the second half with it.
"We just did not have the motivation in the sec-
ond half," Belkin said. "And the third goal really
took the wind out of our sails."
Minutes later, Limauro saved the Wolverines
some face, as well as denying Penn State a shutout
by scoring an unassisted goal from short range.
Ultimately, Penn State's offensive vigor paved the
way for the Nittany Lions' second consecutive tour-
nament championship berth.
"We did not connect on our passes and we did not
make things happen," Belkin said. "Penn State clear-
ly played a better game."
As for Michigan's 1-0 defeat of fourth-seeded
Northwestern on Friday, the Wolverines avenged the
DANA UNNANE
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