The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 11, 2001- 9A
Kickers eye
crucial game
vs. Spartans
By Chris Burke
Daily Sports Writer
Women focus on defense as
they prepare for Big Ten
'M' tries to avenge loss and contend for conference
The Michigan men's soccer team will take
the field on Sunday afternoon in East Lansing
against archrival Michigan State with more on
the line than meets the eye.
First and foremost, the Wolverines will be
attempting to even their Big Ten record at 2-2
on the year, as they try to improve their posi-
tion for the Big Ten Tournament to be held
Nov. 8-10 in Madison. In addition to that, there
is the battle for control of the state, as Michi-
gan hopes to convince all potential in-state
recruits that the true local soccer power resides
in Ann Arbor.
"Every recruit looks at the score of this
game," Michigan coach Steve Burns said. "We
want to make sure that we bring in the very
best and brightest athletes from our state, and a
win in this game would help us say that we are
the better team."
The two teams boast a combined total of 33
players from the state of Michigan - 19 on
Michigan State's roster and 14 for Michigan.
Along with the general rivalry between the two
schools, it took no time for this game to
become an important one on both team's
schedule.
Last year's meeting -- the first matchup
since Michigan's soccer team gained varsity
status - was an epic battle. In front of a
Michigan record crowd of 2,173, the two
teams traded blows all game until the Spartans
A LYSSA WOOD/ Daily
Freshman Knox Cameron (10) and the rest of the Wolverines eye a big game with Spartans.
But before Michigan takes on its archrival, it has to avenge last year's loss to Bowling Green.
By Jim Weber
Daily Sports Writer
Last Friday, the Michigan women's soc-
cer team set a team record with its fourth
consecutive shutout in a 4-0 victory over
Ohio State.
But the team is back to practicing
defense this week after Sunday's loss to
eighth-ranked Penn State.
The Nittany Lions defeated the Wolver-
ines 6-2 in State College as two-time Big
Ten Player-of-the-Year and All-American
Christie Welsh scored four goals and assist-
ed on two others.
"I'm trying to think of a good reason, but
there is no possible reason for why we got
scored on so many times," goalie Suzie
Grech said.
This weekend's opponents, Indiana (3-1-
1, 6-2-1) and Purdue (2-2-1, 6-4-1), don't
have a player like Welsh. But her individual
performance left the Wolverines with much
to work on.
Head coach Debbie Rademacher said
Welsh was allowed too much room during
the game and has made adjustments accord-
ingly.
Captain Andrea Kayal said the team is
currently working on "tighter team defense
and making sure your player doesn't get the
ball and turn with it."
The mental lapses that have plagued the
team all season also reappeared against
Penn State as Michigan allowed two goals
to be scored within a minute on separate
occasions.
"We had some weaknesses in recovering '
after being scored on - staying into the
game" Grech said.
Grech and Kayal both said that the team
might have been intimidated by the. Nittany
Lions, - the highest ranked team the
Wolverines have faced all season.
Michigan might face Penn State again in
VARSITY SOCCER FIELD
Who: Michigan (4-2 Big Ten, 6-4 overall) vs. No. 23 Indiana
(3-1-1, 6-2-1) and Purdue (2-2-1, 64-1)
When: 4 p.m. tomorrow,1 p.m. Sunday
Latest: coming off of last Sunday's loss to Penn State, the
Wolverines need to win both conference games to contend
for the Big Ten Title. The Wolverines are playing two teams
that are neck-to-neck with them in the conference stand-
ings, making these two games vital down the stretch run. If
they can get past Indiana and Purdue, the schedule may be
in Michigan's favor to run the table.
the Big Ten Tournament, which starts in a
month.
Kayal said that if there is a next time,
they will be ready for the challenge and
won't be intimated by Penn State.
"You know who they are and accept that.
We just have to play hard and capitalize on
their weaknesses," she said.
Though the Wolverines remain confident
they will win the Big Ten Tournament
championship, odds of a regular season
conference title now seem bleak. With a
win at Penn State, the Wolverines would
have taken the Big Ten lead.
Now Michigan (4-2, 6-5) is a point
behind Penn State (4-0-1) in the confer-
ence, and Penn State has played one less
game.
"It will be very difficult for us to win
because we have two losses in the Big Ten,"
Grech said. "The most we can do right now
is win each and every game." -
After playing Indiana and Purdue this
weekend, Michigan's remaining games in
the conference are Minnesota (2-4) and
Michigan State (2-3-1). In the Big Ten
standings, they place eighth and tied for
sixth, respectively, leaving Michigan confi-
dent they can win the rest of their games in
the Big Ten.
"No doubt, we certainly can," Rademach-
er said.
ELBEL FIELD
Who: Michigan (1-2 Big Ten, 7-2-1 overall) vs. Bowling
Green (1-3 MAC, 341 overall)
When: 7:30 p.m. tonight
Latest: With a huge game against Michigan State in
East Lansing looming on Sunday, the Wolverines will
have to work hard to avoid looking past Bowling Green.
I
notched the game-winner on an own goal -
meaning a Wolverine player inadvertently
knocked the ball into the Michigan net - in
the 106th minute of play to record the 2-1,
double-overtime triumph. Michigan State thus
became the first owner of the traveling trophy
given to the winner of the in-state game.
"I had the idea for the traveling trophy
because it really gave us something to play for
against Michigan State right out of the gate,"
Burns said. "The rivalry is 100 percent intact
- we know the significance of this game."
Burns' biggest worry for this week, though,
was trying to force his players to avoid looking
past tonight's home game against Bowling
Green. The Falcons shut out Michigan 2-0 in
the 2000 campaign, and will be looking to
repeat the feat. Add in the fact that Michigan
will play without leading defender Kevin Tay-
lor, who was red-carded late in last Sunday's
loss to Indiana, and the Wolverines have a dif-
ficult task waiting.
"One of the goals is to get our players to
know that this Bowling Green team wants to
beat us," Burns said. "They beat us badly last
year, and we really need to focus."
As important as a win against Bowling
Green would be for this year's Michigan team,
there is little doubt that a win over Michigan
State would help the future of the program
more.
"Right now, Michigan State has more kids
on their team that opted to play there because
we weren't able to make a good enough offer
to them for whatever reason," Burns said.
"But for their bunch of guys and'for the few
on our team that State couldn't bring in, there's
always that drive to play well so you can sort
of say to the other team 'You made a mistake
letting me go."'
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