oreboar l
NBA ORLANDO 110,
Detroit 110, Philadelphia 1OS
BOSTON 92 LA Lakers 89,
Seattle 109, HOUSTON HA
WASHINGTON 9 Atlanta at
CHARLOTTE 117, VANCOUVER, Inc.
Milwaukee 111 San Antonio at
Phoenix 104, LA CLIPPERS, Inc
NEW JERSEY 89 L
BUFFALO 6,
Boston 2
Ottawa ,
NY RANGERS 3
PITTSBURGH 5,
Montreal 4
NY Islanders 2,
CAROLINA o
FLORIDA4,
Atlanta 1
Tracking 'M' roadtrips
Going to Penn State this weekend but can't get a foo-,
ball tiCket? Head over to McCoy Natatorium for the W
next best thing - men's swimming and diving meet
between Michigan and Penn State at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Thursday
November 11,1999
Arrin gon's
goal: beat the
mystique
By'Rick Freeman
Daily Spants Editar
-Every snap he watches, every hit he makes, every play
of Saturday's game, LaVar Arrington will know that he has
never beaten Michigan. Neither have most of his team-
mstys. Arrington was a freshman the last time Penn State
evptn scored on Michigan.
"Michigan has beaten us pretty good since I've been
her,'' Arrington said. "And I think it weighs on you a lit-
tle,,hit." In the junior linebacker's two games against
Michigan, which the Lions have lost 34-8 and 27-0,
Arrington has just seven tackles.
Which might just be part of Michigan's mystique. So far
this Season, Michigan's defense has made bad things hap-
pen to good players. They've also done just the opposite,
but that's another story.
Ron Dayne? Zero yards in the second half Drew Brees?
Hisreceivers dropped nearly everything. Rocky Harvey?
1dm, next question.
,Which should be: Is he that ?_
Good? Fantastic? Deadly? Astonishing? Sick? Mean?
Bleeping unbelievable? Ridiculous?
o~oesn't matter what word you use to fill in the blank,
that question has been asked about Arringon too many
times to count.
,5And each time, it's valid. Usually accompanied by a
very valid 'yes - and then some' as the answer.
The junior Butkus Award semifinalist has an uncanny
ability to create big plays. His coach, Joe Paterno said
before the season that Arrington wasn't the best line-
backer on the team, but he was the best athlete.
Brandon Short gets that nod from Paterno, but Elmer
Hickman might disagree.
The Illinois tailback, who might forever be Vie Wertz to
Arrington's Willie Maya, was on the business end of
Arrington's biggest play last year.
It unfolded like this: Illinois faced fourth-and-one at
Beaver Stadium. The Illini decided to go for it. As the
quarterback turned to his right to hand off to Hickman, he
appears to have felt something brush his left shoulder. He
spun his htead around quickly, for a full view of Arrington,
horizontal and at waist level.
He already had his hands on Hickman. It wasn't the
hardest hit Arrington even delivered. Hickman has proba-
bly been tackled harder in practice. But at that point in the
play, Arrington simply was not supposed to be there. He
had timed the snapeount perfectly, accelerated, and leapt
over an offensive lineman to reach his target..
Not the best linebacker? Well it's tough to argue with
Paterno, but the Wolverines' are still concerned with stop-
ping Arrington.
"I don't. think you can do that," Michigan captain and
left tackle Steve Hutchinson said. "I know you can get on
him and block him - he's not very big - but he's one of
the quickest guys I've seen at the linebacker position."
See, all those other guys Michigan's defense made look
so bad (and good), they played offense. This will be the
first time Michigan's offense will have to stop a good
defensive player.
Arrington knows be's been shut down before. He
explained that Michigan Stadium's slippery grass may
have helped last year.
"They come with a certain attitude when they play us,
and ig seems like eventually it overwhlms us' he said. "I
think at some point, we expected to lose to them when we
were playing them. Certain things happen that are dead
gveaways as to how certain people feel about the game"
Which means more work for Arrington. Now that he's a
leader, he has to make sure that his teammates know they
can beat Michigan. Only the seniors know what beating
Michigan is like. Only the fifth-year seniors can tell oth-
ers what it's like so beat Michigan in Beaver Stadium. But
Arrington still thinks it's his job to make sure it happens
Hoops win in waning minutes'
By Jacob Wheeler minutes on the game clock. Meanwhile a free throw with 2:05 to go, but it was
Daily Sports Writer the All-Stars - who took the court for the last time the independent team from
Practicing what they've preached all the third night in a row because they fit California would score.
fall, the Michigan men's basketball the majority of their schedule into the The Wolverines closed the scrim-
team ran the ball last night in the sea- college preseason - sputtered down mage with 10 unanswered points,
son's first scrimmage against the the stretch thanks to three-pointers and two con-
California Double Pump All-Stars. The comeback run began with a dunk verted free throws from both Jamal
Though sporadic chaos struck the by popular Ann Arbor native LaVell Crawford and Leon Jones.
young Wolverines, who turned the ball Blanchard with 3:19 to go. After sopho- Jones played a key role in last nigh'
over repeatedly throughout the game, more Leon Jones' three-pointer nar- win. In an unexpected move by Ellerb,
Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe stuck to rowed the deficit to within six, the sophomore started the game in the
the season's plan, and his talent-laden Blanchard tipped in a basket before backeourt and didn't disappoint. He
team came back to win, 84-79. fouling out only 18 seconds later. He finished the game with 18 points on six
"One thing's for sure, they're going left the court to loud applause from his of eight free throw shooting and played
to make it exciting," said Michigan hometown fans. a key role in Michigan's comeback run.
coach Brian Ellerbe. "They're such a "I really appreciate the crowd sup- "I try to be calm when everybody
young basketball team in so many dif- porting us the way it did all the way else is nervous and a little rattled,"
ferent ways. One thing we found out through the end," said Blanchard, who Jones said. "I'm an older sophomore
about our team is they are not going to led the Wolverines with 19 points in 24 since I went to prep-school, so I'm a lit
fold their tent." minutes. "Without the crowd I don't tle bit more mature. I try to lead
Michigan's backcourt ignited an know if we could have made that last example"
exciting finish as the Wolverines erased run." Down the stretch, free throws played
an 11-point deficit with less than four The All-Stars' Chivo Anderson sank See CALIFORNIA, Page 23A
Gavin Groninger wins the battle of 23s in his first outing in a
Michigan Jersey. Groninger scored three points on the night.
RouvN ONE: Michigan 5, Wright State 0
t sta ergh
Abby Tompkins muscles her way to the bail against a Wright State opponent during Michigan's 50 victory over the Raiders in yesterday's NCAA
Tournament first-round matchup at the Michigan Soccer Fld.
Veteran forward duo sparks 'M' offense
By Dan Williams
Daily Sports Writer
For a once successful player to recover from
an injury and return to the team, only to be a
reserve can be a difficult predictament.
Michigan soccer seniors Amber
Berendowsky and Marie Spaccarotella have
experience this during their careers. But against
Wright State, the two players got a chance to lead
the team again in a very important game.
"The way our team played today, it was easy
for us to connect, Spaccarotella said..
Berendowsky scored a goal and had two
assists, and Spaccarotella netted two goals. They
demonstrated how deep Michigan is at the for-
ward position, and how they could have been
starting for many other teams.
"Coming off the bench, I want to go out and
prove myself more," Berendowsky said.
Berendowsky looked like a wizard against
the Raiders, showing the passing vision and fin-
ishing touch that yesterday made her the Big
Ten's all-time assist leader.
Her lone goal came off a long clear.
Berendowsky collected the ball around half
field, carried it all the way to the box, and slipped
it by Wright State goalie Randi Freeman.
"It's just like reaction most of the time,'
Berendowsky said. "You just have to shoot it
where the goalie's not."
Her confidence seemed to rise after she gave
Michigan the lead, and she became involved in
every Michigan scoring chance. When she col-
lected the ball in the Wright State zone, she
showed the creativity that made her a star at
Michigan.
Berendowsky's most spectacular play of the
day won't show up in stat books. On Michigan's
second goal, she had a chance to try a tough shot
with a defender right in front of her. Instead, she
faked a shot but let the cross run through her
legs, fooling the Wright State defense and allow-
ing Beitel to score.
Spaccarotella's two goals both came off
assists from Berendowsky. She was able to
accept the passes behind the Wright State
defense, and beat Freeman one-on-one.
"I really don't think about anything but being
relaxed," Spaccarotella said. "I don't want to get
too excited in that situation"
With yesterday's effort, the two forwards
reminded fans of past successes in a year where
they have often been overshadowed.
Both players have come off the bench this
year at the forward position behind junior Kacy
Beitel and freshman Abby Crumpton. They've
seen substantial playing time in every game, but
there was a time when Spaccarotella and
Berendowsky were thought to be the future at the
Michigan forward position.
Spaccarotella had an excellent freshman
campaign, but a knee injury caused her to sit out
her sophomore season. Berendowsky came into
this season holding many of Michigan's offen-
sive records, but a summer ankle injury opened
the door for Crumpton to start.
"The beginning of the season didn't start off
like I wanted it to," Berendowsky said, "but I'm
definitely not going to look back"
Blue holds
on to ball,'
Tourney
hopes
By Dan Williams
Daily Sprts Writer
There's no way to keep track of
time of possession in soccer, but if
there was, it would clearly demon-
strate why Michigan handled Wriht
State in yesterday's first-ro4
NCAA Tournament game.
In the 5-0 victory, Michigan spent
nearly the whole game with the ball
on the Raiders' side of the field,
allowing no real scoring opportuni-
ties for Wright State.
"We knew it was going to be tough
to get out of the back," Wright State
coach Scott Rodgers said. "They've
got some great players and they co
at you quickly." '
Michigan (17-5-1) wasted no time
creating chances, with two early head
ball shots from both junior Kay
Beitel and sophomore Laurie
Peterson coming off corner kicks and
crosses. The offense put constifnt
pressure on Wright State's sfar
goalie, Randi Freeman. I-z
Despite the effectiveness :of
Michigan's methodical offense, the
Wolverines didn't get their first g0 I
until an odd bounce led to a 'i
breakaway for senior Amber
Berendowsky, beating Freeman.
After that, Michigan wore down a
tired Wright State team with their
possession game. For most of the day,
Wright State was chasing the ball
around its side of the field.
"They possess the ball and really
keep it moving," Rodgers said. "That
was something we had hoped to
more of today."
Possession has been Michigan's
strategy all season, and the team exe-
cutes it effectively down the stretch.
After riding the passing game to a
Big Ten tournament title, the same
style of play was too much for the
Raiders.
"Our game plan was to pass the
ball around and not to get into a run-
ning and dribbling game," Michigan
coach Debbie Belkin said. "W
they don't have the ball, they cat
get into their game plan."
Two more goals were scored off of
Michigan free kicks. Emily Schmitt's
quick restart in the first half lead-to
Beitel's sixth goal in four games. n
the second half, Mari Hoff scored the
Wolverines' final goal on a free kick
just outside the box.s "
"We like to have someone runlg
(on free kicks)," Schmitt said, "
can catch them off guard with: a
speedy outside player."
Michigan's depth was also a prob-
lem for Wright State. Once Michigan
got an early lead, Belkin subbed her
players liberally. Since both teams
were coming off tough weekend con-
ference tournaments, Michigan's
depth helped them cruise to victory.
"They wear you out physically
when they can keep bringing in lots
of players," Rodgers said. 0
With 32 teams left in the tytrna-
ment, Michigan moves on to play
Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Demon Deacons got a byein the
first round. Wake Forest was anfinal
ist in'the Atlantic Coast Conference
Tournament, and is another posses-
sion team.
See WRIGHT, Page 23A
Therd s a ti
between something that's
thats Simpl *
e thave
"''C hat line.
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