Weekend warriors For a look at Nichi(an's huy weekend- sports schedule, check (nline. michigandaily.com /sports P0 iTS MARK FRANCESCUTTI Beware ofyourjise , expectations, Michi an f introductory communications and psychology classes teach you anything, it's that you are biased about things right from the start. We're biased about sports - for eimple: "Every team from Northwestern sucks." "\nd we're especially biased about oar rivals. 'no weekend. I travelled with a frind up to Munn Field to seek out f aming couch remains. I went to see Sparty, secretly developing plans to vandalize that ugly block of stone: I went to one of those infamous wild pa r4 ies. I even loitered around at the 7- Eleven for a bit, waiting for Michigan State bas- ketball players. Like aI All along, I scrambled Blue to find those drunken Holmes idiots I hear so much cally se about --the kids who evidenc ditch class, who are at thatA college only for the free , beer and Animal House State is mentality. or green The ones that take cow we allt raising 101 and three- credit figure skating. Like a Maize and Blue Sherlock Holmes, I frantically pursued evi- dence to bring back to Ann Arbor to finally prove Michigan State is the inferior green mess that we all think it is. But my low expectations and my laughable ideas about life in East Lansing didn't exactly equate with reality. As I walked into my friend's dorm, looking in and out of rooms, I didn't receive stuck-up glares and locked doors. I received invitations. "Looking for someone? Can I help ? Come on in and chat.' Huh? Did I miss something? Where was all the beer? Where were all the people having sex in the hall- ways? Oh my god, is that someone ... studying? What's going on here? The point is, East Lansing is home to a university. And a pretty good one, in many areas. Some Detroit columnists even dared say the University to the north is rising up to the Wolverines' level, especially after the Spartans beat Michigan in football and won a bas- ketball national championship in the past year. Michigan State has its wild frater- nities and behavioral problems -- naybe even a few too many - but look in the mirror - so do we. Our northern neighbors seem less stressed and more inviting, some- thing Michigan recruiters and Michigan students might want to look into. But most importantly, my expecta- tions of Michigan State defeated mc. Shannon Melka sets up another spike by Alija Pittenger during Michigan's 3-0 victory over Spikers crush Notre Dame, 3-0 An Spar [H ou Maiz Sherl s, If, arch ce to Michi the mes think nd this weekend, when the tans (0-3 Big Ten) enter the Big se, let's hope that the Wolverines' expecta- tions don't do the e and sane. lock Take every oppo- ranti- nent seriously -- it's ed for that damn clichc we prove don't want to Bear. 'rove Do you really take igan the Clippers seriously? enferL- Did Florida State s that take Duke seriously C it is. this past Saturday'. ______ Rather, it was just a serious opportunity for Chris Weinke to get back in the Heisman hunt, and for the Seminoles to enjoy beating the shit out of the pathetic, battered Blue Devils 63-14. Michigan State football is down from its 10-2 blitz last year. Three less-than-spectacular wins, three less-than-spectacular losses. No Plaxico, several other key players gone and an unproven group of cuar- terbacks. The buzz in Ann Arbor is the Wolverines will "roll em." The betting lines read Michigan by 16. The college football gurus say Wolverines by three touchdowns. 3ut before you celebrate the Wolverines easily obliterating their In-state rivals at home, just rem em- ber - East Lansing can surprise you. And that's one expectation you can count on. - MarA Francescutti ai ,have S011me res.pect fonr Michigan State. hut is still bound ht 'Alaize and Blur law to /redict a 3 1-13 Alichian blowout. He can he reached at nfriza/ncesw(crjuich.c'du. By Richard Haddad rest of the team with her stoic demeanor. Michigan, bubbling Last year, Penn State doubled Daily Spots w itcr with excitement, was reveline in its comeback, but Pittenger Michigan twice in the recular seas refused to celebrate until a victory had been recorded. before the' Wolverines knocked the In the heart ofa brutal Bie Ten schcduie, the Michican vol- Soon enough, it was, as a net penalty gave the Wolverines Nittany Lions out of the Big 'in levball team caught a break last night, hosting a non-confer- a 16-14 win to go up 2-0 in the match. Tournament in a double-overtime ence opponent for the final time this season. "When we're ahead. we have something to lose." Katrina thriller. This vear, the Wolverines wantf That opponent came in the form ofNo. 21 Notre Dame (4- Lehman said. "When we're behind, we push much harder, both the Big Ten regular season atid 0 Big East, 14-5 overall). - because we can only gain" tournament crowns, but to get them But Michigan (3-5 Big Ten, 13-6 overall) M \f 3 Game three played out to a similar script. they have to go through Penn State: made the most of the rare opportunity to beat up Michigan consistently overshot its serves and "In past years they have been our, on a national power outside of its own confer- N D' i't 0 returs to dig itself a 6-0 deficit, tallving side- road block to the Big Ten regular sea- ence, sweeping the Fiehting Irish, 15-6. 16-14, outs but unable to capitalize. son championship," West Chester, 16-14. Freshman Chantel Reedus put the Wolverines on the board native Ashley Thomas said. "It shound "Notre Dame is going to be the Big East champion and with a vicious spike, and that play sparked the squad. Then, be a tough game but I think we'116 they're going to the NCAA tournament," Michigan coach senior captain Sarah Behnke - who came off of the bench fired up. Mark Rosen said, "And beating them is sonmething we need- after recently returning from injury - took over and set the In every Michigan-Penn State con- ed to do to bring ourselves up to that level." tone for Michigan. test emotions and intensity run high: The Wolverines dominated the match at the outset, storm- Alternating between powerful kills and-strategically placed Especially for the five Wolverines ing to an 11-2 lead in the first game en route to a 15-6 victo- touches, Behnke sprayed a dizzying array of balls at the Irish, returning to their home state, the gani ry, recording an amazing .429 attack percentage in the and the vast majority ofthem found their target -evidenced is as personal as it is competitive. process. by her unreal .650 attack percentage. Raising her arms tri- "I always want to beat them fe Michigan's next two game wins were much more difficult. umphantly and jubilantly screaming, every point was accom- most because I know a lot of the irTs Furious back-and-forth exchanges marked the beginning painied by unbridled enthusiasm. "We've been working on and have some pretty inte of game two, but Notre Dame eventually jumped out to a mental strength in practice these last couple days, and it grudges." Lititz, Pa. native JcssW commanding I1-5 lead on a beautiful service ace that grazed showed," Rosen said. "We stayed steady, kept siding out, sid- Rose said. the corner of the court. ing out, staying in the match until we won." "My friends that go to Penn Statt "It isn't always possible to lead wire-to-wire," Rosen said, Such mental strength was personified in sophomore always talk trash about Michigan, but I "especially against a team as good as Notre Dame. Being able Katrina Lehman. Tenaciously patrolling the net before every just laugh because they can't and to come back and get the win shows a lot of character" serve, staring across, daring the Irish to hit it to her, Lehman won't ever beat us at anything because And on this night, character was plentiful for the let it be known that she would annihilate any ball that entered they suck." \Volverines. Senior captain Alija Pittenger started to rain her domain. And to record the match's final three points, she - In Pennsylvania, where field hockey smash ater angrv smash upon the helpless Irish, carrving her did. This time, even Pittenger participated in the ensuing tri- team and providing a stark contrast to the enthusiasm of the umphant celebration. See PENN STATE, Page 12A Senior year brings return to form for Lan eld By Ryan C. Moloney Dai SportsWriter It's been two-and-a-half years since that fateful n i eht in Boston, when an unlikelv freshman made perhaps Michigan hock- cv's areatest wrap- a ro u nd HOCKEY move - good Notebook for the national championship- winning goal in overtime. The goal raised the bar vet again for a prpud hockey program, but for Josh Langfeld, personal expectations alone in the wake of "the goal" became exces- sive. olow do you top a moment like that? You can't, at least not all at once and nowadays the fact isn't lost on the tall left winel. The senior, an after-practice fixture on the Yost ice, does not break from tra- dition on this day. Dutifully, he sets up shop in the slot opposite an up-to-tlle- task Kevin O'MaIllev in goal. "Slap ... slap," the noise of stick leeting ice and the puck bounces off the rafters and empty bleachers. Ironic, considerine Josh Lanefeld's coal-scoringsuccess this season -four goals in as many (ames - is, for the most pal, courtesy of his 6-3, 220- pound presence in ffront of the goal. Coach Red Berenson wants to use Langfeld in a number of spots on the ice, perhaps in light of Langfeld's renewed Midas touch in goal-scorin' and Langfeld does aot disagree. "Anytime you can (et around the net, get open and get good wood on it - some goalies in this lcacue aren't that good so if you can get the puck quick and get it off you can beat a lot of guvs," Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Open House Join faculty, staff and students from the Ford School in discussing degree and career opportunities in public policy and international affairs Friday, October 20, 2000 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Foster Library, 2nd Floor, Lorch Hall The Ford School offers a two year Masters in Public Pnlipv (MPP\ dere as well a snmhined deores with= ®'