The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 28, 2001- 11A

HAWKEYES
Continued from Page 10A
of those games," Pankratz said with a smile. "It is a
very healthy rivalry with two nationally strong
teams."
The Wolverines certainly have momentum on
their side in the Big Ten. As the defending champi-
on and winner of the past two postseason tourna-
ments, Michigan currently has a nine game win
streak in the conference.
After her four-goal performance last weekend
against Massachusetts and Indiana, sophomore
defender Stephanie Johnson earned the honor of
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the sec-
ond time this season.
"I'm certainly flattered to receive the award,"
Johnson said. "But it is just a testament to our
tremendous defense. When one person gets an
honor, it just honors the rest of us as a whole."
Johnson, in addition to having an incredibly pow-
erful shot, also heads a Michigan defense that sur-
rendered just six shots in the team's two victories
last weekend.
The defense has earned Michigan five shutouts
on the year and should play a major role against the
Hawkeyes.
"We try to take it up another notch every game,"
Johnson said. "There's no telling which Iowa team
is going to come out on Friday. We only prepare
or what we can control, so we need to come out
with the confidence that will allow us to put up
another good defensive effort."
The Wolverines will travel to Muncie, Ind. on
Sunday to finish their weekend against Ball State.
Michigan holds a 7-5 advantage in the all time
series, including victories in five of the past six
contests.
The Cardinals are 4-2 this year, with both losses
coming to nationally ranked opponents, including a
tough 1-0 loss to Iowa.
GOLDEN GOPHERS
Continued from Page 10A
7.7 rebounds per game. But Monson isn't as wor-
ried about the actual talent'of his team as he is the
intangibles. In addition to producing numbers on
the court, Monson wants Rychart to step up into a
leadership role which he has not exhibited in the
past.
"I don't think one of our question marks is talent.
think we have the talent to compete at this level. I
hink the question marks are the chemistry, the
leadership and the experience," Monson said. "You
just don't be an elite Big Ten team with those kind
of question marks."
Another key question for the Golden Gophers is
who will bring the ball up the court. There will
likely be a three-way competition between veterans
Kerwin Fleming, Kevin Burelson and freshman
Aaron Robinson. Robinson - who Monson likened
to Michigan's Avery Queen as an undersized but
quick guard - is the only natural point guard on
e team.
"I think between the three of them we'll have
capable point guard play," Monson said. "It's tough
for me to know right now who it's going to be. Let
the kids decide that on the court."

Northwestern faces first true test this weekend

By Eric Chan
For the Daily
The Big Ten conference title could very likely be
decided tomorrow. There are four conference matchups
- two of which are between two teams ranked in the
top 25.
R
No. 23 MICHIGAN STATE (2-0) AT No. 16 NORTH-
WESTERN (2-0), NOON , ABC: This is an important
game for both of these teams. Northwestern and Michi-
gan State are both undefeated, and both are hoping to
capture this year's conference title.
This game looks to be one where we AROUND THE
can focus on a key mismatch - a BIG TEN
mediocre Michigan State run
defense versus arguably the best
running back in the nation.
Last week, Michigan State beat Notre Dame, but
gave up 103 yards on the ground to Irish running back
Tony Fisher. Tony who? Exactly.
The Spartan run defense didn't fare much better
against Central Michigan's running game. They gave
up 140 rushing yards to the Chippewas.
If the Spartans can't stop that running game, then
their stay in the top 25 will be fleeting.
Well, what about Michigan State's pass defense?
Data proves inconclusive on this matter.
Last week, they seemed to contain Irish quarterback
Matt LoVecchio. Then again, that's the same Matt
LoVecchio that we saw throw for a quality 78 yards in
the Notre Dame opener. A better test for the Spartan
pass defense will be the consistent Zak Kustok.
Heisman candidate Damien Anderson should be
Michigan State's main worry tomorrow. In his first two
games, Anderson rushed for 113 and 189 yards, respec-
tively.
Let's do the math here. What does Damien Anderson
plus a questionable Michigan State rush defense equal?
Oh right, a Northwestern victory.
Northwestern 34, Michigan State 27
No. 24 PURDUE (2-0) AT MINNESOTA (1-1), NOON,
ESPN2: The little number preceding their name in the
line above, implies that Purdue is the favorite, but this
game looks like a toss-up.
Neither team has looked very impressive so far. Pur-
due has downed Cincinnati and Akron this year, which
doesn't really say much.
Its big test was supposed to be against Notre Dame,
but that game was postponed due to the events of Sep-
tember I11th.
Minnesota slaughtered Louisiana-Lafayette last
week, but the Gophers could only muster seven points
in their opening week loss to No. 25 Toledo.
A young, inexperienced quarterback leads Purdue
into Minnesota. Brandon Hance could only throw for
117 yards against Cincinnati completing 14-of-25. He
fared better against Akron, throwing for 252 yards and
two touchdowns. Hance hasn't exactly put up impres-
sive numbers, but it has been enough to keep Purdue
undefeated so far.
The Gopher's only semblance of an offensive threat

AP PHOTO
After mauling inferior opponents UNLV and Duke in their its first few games, Northwestern faces a hard-nosed Michigan State
defense on Saturday. Heisman Trophy candidate tailback Damien Anderson will need to exploit a shaky Spartan run defense.

lies in freshman tailback Marion Barber. Barber rushed
for 173 yards and two touchdowns last week against
Louisiana-Lafayette.
The Purdue offense may look to impress its critics.
this week, and Minnesota's Barber may be able to
exploit weaknesses in the Boilermaker's defensive line.
This game could go either way, so I'm going to call the
upset here, and give it to the team with the home-field
advantage.
Minnesota 17, Purdue 14
PENN STATE (0-2) AT IOWA (2-0), NoON, ESPN: Joe
Paterno and the Nittany Lions may have one of the
toughest early season schedules of any college football
team in the nation.
They started off their season with losses to Miami
(Fla.) and Wisconsin. This week they take on the unde-
feated Iowa Iawkeyes, and in the following three
weeks they take on Michigan. Northwestern and Ohio
State. Penn State might come out of its first six games
0-6.
Penn State needs to find its offense - evident in the
13 total points it has scored in games one and two.
Iowa has put up a combined 95 points in games
against Kent State and Miami (Ohio). These aren't
exactly big-time teams, but at least we know Iowa can
put up huge numbers.

The Hawkeyes' backfield rushed for a combined 331
yards in their opener against Kent State. Last week
against Wisconsin, Penn State gave up 320 rushing
yards.
It's hard to compare Wisconsin and Kent State, but if
the Nittany Lions can't contain Iowa on the ground,
then, simply put, they'll lose.
Can Paterno jump start the Penn State offense and
upset Iowa on the road?
Penn State 21, Iowa 19
OHIO STATE (1-1) AT INDIANA (0-2), NOON: Last
week, Ohio State fell to UCLA 13-6 and its main prob-
lem appears to be its quarterback. Last week, Steve
Bellisari completed only 5-of-23 passes for 45 yards.
You can't expect to contend in the Big Ten with a quar-
terback that's putting up numbers like that.
If Bellisari wants to impress his critics.this weekend,
he can't find a better opponent than the Hoosiers. In
Indiana's loss last week, Utah quarterback Lance Rice
threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns, without
throwing an interception.
If Indiana can't stop a Mountain West team, it is
going to have trouble in the Big Ten.
Look fox Bellisari to silence his critics this week
against a less-than-stellar Indiana pass defense.
Ohio State 24, Indiana 10


Former rowers to take on current Wolverines


Blake Fltlion
or the Daily

The Michigan.women's rowing
team will open its Belleville Lake
facility to the general public this Sat-
urday for its formal dedication at the
Boathouse Day Festivities.
The $1.2 million facility was
opened last spring, but was just
recently completed. Pictures of past
rowers now decorate the interior cre-
ing a sense of tradition and a
omising future.
The boathouse will be home to one
of the nation's elite rowing programs.
In just its sixth varsity season, the
rowing team has become a perennial
'M' begins
Daniel Bremmer
the Daily
Winning seven out of nine matches to
end last season and losing no one to
graduation has given the Michigan
men's tennis team a lot to be excited
about for the upcoming season.
After being out of action since losing
to Kentucky in the first round of the
NCAA Tournament last May, the
Wolverines are ready to get back to
ompetition.
Mark Mees is 28-16 under in his three
years as Michigan's coach, including a
12-8 record in Big Ten play. Coming off
a 12-10 campaign (6-4 Big Ten), Mees
expects to see improvement on last sea-
son's mark.
One major benefit of all of the players
returning is an increase in the team's
unity. The players don't have to spend
'me getting to know each other, and as a
suit they've been able to been work
even harder on the court.
Senior Henry Beam, last year's No. I
singles player, praised this year's squad,
calling it "the most talented and most
driven team" that he has seen in his
years at Michigan.
"We have more team unity, everyone

power.
The team is coming off a second
place finish at nationals last year, after
three consecutive fifth place, finishes,
leaving expectations high for Coach
Mark Rothstein's team.
Although he graduated two All-
Americans last year, Rothstein - last
year's Collegiate Rowing Coaches
Association National Coach of the
Year - remains optimistic, claiming
his team still has a "strong senior
class and great depth."
The annual Boathouse Day Festivi-
ties will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude
at 12:30 p.m.. The public is encour-
aged to attend and will be able to row
with the team. Making their return to

Ann Arbor will be 2001 All-Ameri-
cans, Kate Johnson and Bernadette
Marten.
Since leaving the university, John-
son has joined the national team and
excelled at the World Championships
in Lucerne, Switzerland. Johnson -
the first alumni to stroke in the eight
- lead her inexperienced team to a
fourth-place finish, just three seconds
behind world champion Austria.
The crew team will officially begin
its fall campaign a week from Satur-
day at the Head of the Ohio competi-
tion in Pittsburgh, Pa.
After a few weeks off the rowers
will resume competition in Boston at
the Head of the Charles on Oct. 21.

The team's fall season will conclude
on Nov. 10 against Eastern Michigan
at Belleville Lake.
Extensive training and conditioning
will continue through the winter sea-
son and Michigan's defense of its
position as one of the nation's top
rowing programs will begin in the
spring.

volunteer.
to read
services for students with disabilities
volunteer reader program
strauss library, 2nd floor, west quad
phone 764-0182
call or stop by for information

season with high hopes

ALYSSA WOOD/Daily
Senior Ben Cox, the No. 2 singles player last season, returns with the team's top
singles player Henry Beam to give the Wolverines a strong senior punch.

have a good chance to contribute.

is working harder, and
we are all eager to com-
pete this year," said
senior Greg Novak. who

As for this season's goals,
both Beam and Novak agree
that the main goal is winning
the Big Ten title.

other schools.
"We've been working really hard, but
we haven't had the chance to compete
against anyone but ourselves," Mees
said. "Everyone is ready to play against

NOTRE UAME
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