Across the Big Ten The Micaigan footbhal teami dofesn't play this weekend (next game at a.rthwest..n, Nov. 4 at 3:3 p.m.). 'heck out some of the other Big Ten S:t,). online. michigandaily.con /sports PORTS FRIDAY OCTOBER 27, 2000 10 ..I- Run for it BRANDON SEDLOFF/Daily Michigan coach Red Berenson said he wants better production on special teams. The Wolverines are only plus-1this season. Against Miami, icers need convincing wins Sy Ryan C. Moloney bads Sports Writer The Michigan hockey tear; took two rom Bowling Green last weekend, but The serious demeanor of the team in the piactices following might suggest oth- rwise. The Wolvennes nearly succumbed to a mid-game slumber last Sunday as the ialconsecame back from a 3-I deficit to ven the score with a little over five iinutes left in the third period. Scott Matzka saved the bacon with a late nal, but the team did not feign relief fterward, just disgust. Michigan's focus going into their -weekend home series with Miami isn't just winning - but winning convinc- ingly. "We can't play passive (with the lead)," senior forward Josh Langfeld said. "It's like the NFL - teams go into a prevent defense and they always seem to give up all the points." In a team meeting Monday, coach Red Berenson stressed the importance of hammering on teams even when a multiple goal lead has been established. ala the trademark of the 1996 national champion team. "We've got a lot of guys who can score goals here, we should have the mentality of Brendan Morrison's class where five guys scored 20 goals," Langfeld said. "When we get some- THIS WEEKEND YOST ICE ARENA Who: No. 3 Michigan (40&2) vs. Miami (1-2-0) When: 7:30 p.m. tonight, 7:00 p.m. tomorrow Injries: Captain Geoff Koch (ankle), defenseman Brad Fraser (knee) - both out for weekend. Tickets: Plenty of tickets still available. body down we need to keep them down and dig them deeper in the hole." That opportunity should present itself this weekend, as the RedHawks were picked by the CCHA coach and media polls to finish in the lower half of the conference. Second-year coach Enrico Blasi's team boasts an intact defense from last season as well as three proven CCHA scorers - Pat Leahy, Gregor Krajnc and Jason Deskins. Leahy led the team in scoring last season with 38 points in 36 games while Krajnc and Deskins sat out near- ly all of last season with injuries. Deskins led the CCHA in goals two See REDHAWKS, Page 11 BIG TEN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS SUNDAY, 11:45 A.M. MADISON Women hope to upset Badgers By Rhonda Gilmer Daily Sports Writer This weekend the Michigan women's cross country team will battle it out at the Big Ten's annual war. The five-kilometer matchup begins this Sunday at 10:45 a.m. at the Yahara Hills Golf Course in Madison, Wis. The fight for the Big Ten team title may be between the Wolverines and Badgers since both teams are ranked higher than the rest of the competition. Wisconsin is ranked No. 3 while Michigan is currently : ranked 12th. "There is a lot of competition in the Big 28 Ten as always "Wisconsin is our main competitor and we just have to be ready to race as best we can,"" senior Katie Jazwinski said. The Wolverines are sending nine harriers to represent the Michigan squad. Jazwinski is looking to repeat her past success with a big finish. "My expectation is to win - I want to win every race that I run," Jazwinski said. The Wolverines have one advantage. Going into the lineup are seniors Julie Froud, Lisa Ouellet, Katy >< Radkewich, Katie Ryan, and Erin White. "We've got some people that have been to the war before - in the Big Ten War," coach Mike McGuire said. Sophomores Katie Easton and Jane Martineau are also looking to run their share at Big Tens. Both run- ners have experience running competitively at past meets this season. Preparing for Big Tens meant a change up in the usual practice session. We're tapering a little bit-cutting back our work- out volume," Jazwinski said. "We're just trying to fine- . tune ourselves - and come together as a team." Keeping with this team spirit, McGuire viewed the BRENDAN ODONNELL/Daly upcoming meet with some high hopes for teamwork Katie Jazwinski has a shot at winning Sunday. Three of her and effort. times thus far this season are in the top 10 of the conference. Pilja fore to take No.1title 0 0 Swimmers open season at home By Steve Jackson Daily Sports Writer Now that NBC has completed its delayed coverage of the Olympics, live swimming returns tomorrow at the Canham Natatorium. The Michigan women s swimming team and its freshman gold Medalist, Samantha Arsenault, open the new sea- son with a home meet against Iowa and Wisconsin tonight. The biggest race of the day will feature a rematch of the U.S. Olympic Trials between Arsenault and Ellen Stonebraker of Wisconsin. The two will faceoff in the 200 meter freestvle. Arsenault took third place in this event at TODAY _ CANHAM NATATORIUM Who: Michigan vs. Iowa and Wisconsin When: 3 p.m. Latest: The Wolverines have a 4-1 record versus Iowa. Michigan (8-4 overall last sea- son) finished second in the Big Ten and 14th at NCAAs. the trials en route to a gold lecting a second-place finish in the Big Ten last year. Iowa and Wisconsin finished eighth and fifth respectively in the conference. But, the Wolverines are certainly not looking past these two. The Badgers ( Ith) actually finished ahead of Michigan (13th) at the 2000 NCAA Championships. The Hawkeves are also fielding a much-improved squad under the direction of new coach Garland O'Keeffe. Iowa's All-Big-Ten selection, Melissa Loehndorf, will head the Hawkeyes' charge. In addition to Stonebraker, the Badgers will field a very tough group of backstrokers. "There is definitely some excitement starting off the year at home against Big Ten opponents,, Michigan coach Jim Richardson said. "In some of these races, we will need a good showing just to stay competitive." The Wolverines are lead by their two All-American seniors captains, Missy Sugar and Jennifer Crisman, as well as fifth-year senior Jennifer Arndt, who has returned this year after shoulder surgery. "Leadership is not an issue on this team," Richardson said. "We have some great girls. This team is physically See OPENER, Page 11 medal in the 800 relav. Stonebraker finished eighth and was sent home. But she does boast five All-American hon- ors and the Wisconsin school record for the event. Michigan is looking to open the season strong after col- By Shawn Kemp D.Ily Sports Water After running for 153 consecutive days leading up to the meet, junior Mark Pilja will lead the men's cross country team to the Bit Ten Championships Sunday in Madison. Pilja dedicated himselfto being a bet- ter runner after his unsatisfactorv track season last year. His hard work has paid off, with three individual invitational titles already this season. Michigan coach Ron Warhurst dis- cussed the relationship between Pilja and Mike Wisniewski, who was an All- American last year but is red-shirting this season. Wisniewski trains with the team every day, and, he and Pilja push each other in workouts. "It takes the right combination of per- sonalities for this success" Warhurst said. Within the past five years, Michigan has thrived off such All-American pairs as Kevin Sullivan and John Mortimer (1997) and Jay Cantin and Steve Lawrence (1999) training together and, consequently, running faster to benefit the team. With Pilja at the forefront, the Wolverines will field a very youngteam at the conference meet. Freshmen Tom. Greenless, Dave Sage, Mason. Ward, John Hughes, Ryan Hesselink and Andy Martin, along with sophomore Dave Cook and junior Nate Hoffman, should provide depth for Michigan. Warhurst knows that Michigan is heading into the meet as an underdog with No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 16 Michigan State, No. 18 Penn State and No. 24 Indiana all nationally ranked - which the Wolverines are not. "Pilja will probably win the meet," Warhurst said. "There's no pressure on the freshmen. Nobody expects anything out of them but themselves and I." "Wisconsin's definitely the favorite" Greenless said. "But we've been run- junning for victory. Since Kevin Sullivan did it in 1997, no Michigan runner has won four consecutive meets Mark Pilja can match that mark this weekend. Pilja has run the three fastest times for the -- Wolverines this season and hopestto lead them to victory Pilja I. i ning hard all the way, and now we're starting to relax and peak for Big Tens.' Michigan will have to finish in the top three at either Big Tens or the NCAA Regional to go to the NCAA Championships. With that in mind, Warhurst expects the harriers to run their best race all year. And for Pilja, his 154th consecu- tive day of running may bring him his fourth invitational title of the season. iI l1 % t NO liftlies spun AIL 'Coh U - - " - : - An