The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 15, 2001- 11A
.Wrestlers' momentum
building in final meets
ByRichard Haddad
Daily Sports Writer
With the Big Ten Tournament only two
weeks away, the No. 3 Michigan wrestling
team will receive a much-needed break
from its brutal Big Ten schedule in the
form of No. 21 Penn State (f-5 Big Ten, 7-
11Ioverall) and Northwestern(0-6,2-8-1).
After wrestling such national con-
tenders as Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State,
Michigan State and Wisconsin over the
course of the last few weeks, the team
"seemed a little fatigued last weekend,"
Michigan coach Joe McFarland said.
"This week really gives us time to heal
up, and I gave them a couple days off
from practice."
A visit from Penn State and a trip to
Northwestern provide Michigan with two
rare opportunities to pad its record with
what should be easy wins.
While nine of Michigan's weight
classes boast nationally-ranked wrestlers,
HAWKEYES
Continued from Page 10A
"Where am I going to go? I'm
from Ann Arbor and, you can't leave
your home," Blanchard said.
,EINSTATED: Freshman Maurice
,S aright's suspension has apparent-
ly been lifted. The point guard
tressed in yesterday's game but did
.ot play.
"He was suspended," Ellerbe said.
; He's back on the team. We're not
going to throw him away. He could
possibly play Saturday. Come to the
game and see."
Searight refused comment.
Last night marked the third
straight game that he has not played,
_4god the fourth time this year.
Searight was .suspended for report-
edly skipping-a practice.
Searight did not make the trip to
.Bloomington last weekend for
iVichigan's loss to Indiana.
Freshmen guards Avery Queen
and Bernard Robinson, both of
whom were benched for the first
'half of the Indiana game for show-
ing up late to the same practice,
played and scored 18 and 12 points
last night, respectively.
BUMMING: Iowa has struggled to
adjust to the absence of star guard
Luke Recker.
He broke his knee a couple
weeks ago. The Hawkeyes even lost
Wtq Northwestern, which was ,win-
less in the conference before the
upset.
"We're a different team than we
were two-and-a-half weeks ago,"
Iowa coach Steve Alford said.
Recker transferred to Iowa, after
transferring from Indiana to
" Afizona.
"It's been tough, but there are a
*lot worse things that can happen,"
IRecker said.
Recker transferred from Arizona
because he and his girlfriend were
in- a car accident and he wanted a
change of scenery.
the Nittany Lions and Northwestern
counter with only one each. Accordingly,
the weekend's marquee match-ups
should take place on Friday night
between Penn State's No. 16 Jeff Knupp
and No. 6 Andy Hrovat at 184 pounds
and at heavyweight between
Northwestern's No. 16 Josh Saul and No.
4 Matt Brink on Sunday afternoon.
But in light of Hrovat's and Brink's
performances of late, Knupp and Saul
should not provide any obstacle.
After thoroughly dominating Iowa's
ninth-ranked Jessman Smith 10-1 two
weeks ago, Hrovat lost a hard-fought 6-5
decision to No. 4 Victor Sveda of
Indiana. Two days later against Ohio
State's then-No. 16 Anton Talamantes,
Hrovat refused to be phased by his loss.
In the final and deciding match of the
afternoon, Hrovat earned a 13-5 major
decision to cement a 20-18 Wolverine
victory, and Knupp will be hard-pressed
to fare better than Hrovat's last 16th-
ANN ARBOR, EVANSTON
Who: Friday No. 3 Michigan vs. Penn State;
Saturday vs. Northwestern
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2:00 p.m. Saturday
Latest: Michigan hopes to run its Big Ten dual
record to 82 this weekend.
ranked opponent.
Against Ohio State's top-ranked
Tommy Rowlands, Brink battled into two
overtime periods before suffering his
fourth loss of the season in a 4-3 thriller.
But to Saul's chagrin, the rare loss will
only spur Brink to attack his next oppo-
nent even more ferociously.
To McFarland, the weekend's signifi-
cance lies in the tune-up for the postsea-
son that it provides.
"I really like where we're at right now"
McFarland said of his team's national
standing. "We've had a great year so far,
and now we want to finish the dual meet
season strong with these two matches.
"We really want to get as many guys
through the Big Ten Tournament as pos-
sible," McFarland said. "To see as many
of our guys achieve their potential indi-
vidually as we can."
And, most importantly, as McFarland
said, "Winning these gives us the
momentum we need."
By J. Brady McCollough ing. The team is really excited.
DAIl Sports Writer Freshman goalie Camille Clarendon
--is originally from California, and knows
Every match, every practice and every how much of a challenge the Cardinal
lap in the pool is a new experience for will present.
the members of the Michigan women's "They will be great, and it will proba-
water polo team. bly be kind of shocking for us,"
"Everything is new to us," junior two- Clarendon said. "They're the type of
meter Maribeth .Sitkowski said. team that could be in NCAAs, and that's
"Anytime we get a new t-shirt it's excit- the kind of team we need to play."
ing" In a much anticipated meeting
This weekend, the Wolverines will between the only two Big Ten varsity
encounter another new thrill when they' programs, Michigan will also square off
host the Michigan Invitational - their against Indiana Sunday afternoon.
first home competition as a varsity Drury-Pinto knows how crucial the
team. Indiana match will be for the rest of the
Michigan is hosting five schools, season.
including Stanford, the No. I team in the "We need to face off with them,
country. The Cardinal, who are fresh off Drury-Pinto said. "It should set the tone
a win at the Stanford Invitational, will for us in the Eastern Conference, as well
present a challenge for the inexperienced as in our Midwest rivalry."
Wolverines. Sitkowski, who scored five goals in
"There will be some nervousness, but it Michigan's impressive win over
will be a really good test for us," Princeton last weekend, has a point-to
Michigan coach Amber Drury-Pinto said. prove - not only to the Hoosiers, but
"Anytime there is a No. I team coming to also to the Michigan community.
your home venue it is a little nerve-rack- "We want everyone to come out and
Polo splashing at home Saturday
see us play." Sitkowski said. "Especirlly
after the last two years of playing club,
we have improved so much. We -put in
twenty hours a week, and we're ready to
show it"
Clarendon is expecting the fans to join
in on the enthusiasm of the team's first
varsity home meet.
"I think a lot of people are excited to
come and see it," Clarendon said. "Some
people are saying that they're going to
turn (Canham Natatorium) into Yost"
Jokingly, Clarendon gave extra incen-
tive for students to come suppi t 'the
team.
"It's girls in bathing suits, its a rough
sport - and who knows how long-we'll
stay in those suits ..
eI
CANH AM NATATORIUM
Who: Michigan vs. Stanford, Michigan State,
Indiana, Miami (Ohio), Slippery Rock
When: All day Saturday and Sunday -
Latest: Michigan will face No. 1 Stanford at
6:30 p.m. Saturday and again on Sunday at
11:45 a.m.
YESTERDAY'S GAME
Iowa (85)
FG FT REB
MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS
Worley 29 4-10 3-4 5-5 1 4 11
Evans 31 4-11 8-13 2-9 0 5 16
Slott 19 0-1 0-0 0-2 2 4 0
Boyd 30 8-16 1-1 0-3 0 3 23
Oliver 39 9-15 4-6 1-2 4 5 26
Hogan 9 06 0-0 4-4 1 1 0
Reiner 13 0-1 0-0 0-3. 0 1 0
Henderson 6 0-4 00 1-1 0 1 0
Thompson 8 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Galloway 3 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Smith 1 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 1 0
Sonderleiter 12 2-3 5-6 1-1 0 5 9
Totals 200 2769 213015,33 8 32 85
FG%: .391. FT%: .700. 3-point FG: 10-27, .370
(Boyd 6-13, Oliver 4-7, Worley 0-3, Thompson 0-2
Henderson 0-1, Hogan 0-1). Blocks: 1 (Evans).
Steals: 9 (Evans 3, Oliver 3. Scott 2, Hogan).
Turnovers: 14 (Evens 7, Worley 3, Oliver 2, Boyd,
Hogan). Technical fouls: none.
MICHIGAN (95)
FG FT REB
MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS
Asselin 30 4-7 2.2 4-7. 4 5 10
Blanchard 38 4-9 7-8 0-12 1 4 17
Young 28 2-3 9-10 2-6 1 4 13
Queen 32 5-10 6.8 0-1 4 4 18
Groninger 33 4-10 8-10 0-1 0 0 19
Jpnes 10 1-1 00 0-1 2 1 2
Robinson 21 5-7 2-6 2-6 3 4 12
Moore 8 2-3 0-3 0-1 0 2 4
Totals 200 27-50 344710-39 15 24 95
FG%: .540. FT%: .723. 3-point FG: 7-14, .500
(Groninger 36, Blanchard 2-4, Queen 2-4). Blocks:
5 (Asselin 2, Moore 2, Robinson). Steals: 6
(Robinson 2, Asselin, Blanchard, Queen,
Groninger). Turnovers: 17 (Blanchard 5, Asselin 4,
-Robinson 3, Moore 2, Queen 2, Young). Technical
Fouls: none.
Iowa...............................32 53 - 85
Michigan....... ...50 45 -95
At: Crisier Arena
Attendance: 9.949
BIG TEN STANDINGS
Conference Overall
Team W L W L
Illinois 10 2 20 5
,Michigan State 8 3 19 3
Indiana 7 4 16 9
Ohio State 8 5 17 8
Iowa 6 5 17 7
Wisconsin 6 5 15 7
Penn State 5 6 15 7
AI
4
I
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