The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 23, 2001- 11 Surprise? Yanks clinch Series berth GAME 1 SATURDAY, OcT. 27, 7:30 P.. NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Yankees made a liar out of Lou Piniella. The American League Champi- onship Series never made it back to Seattle, as the Mariners manager prom- ised, thanks to a 12-3 victory in Game 5 last night that gave the Yankees a chance to win their fourth straight World Series. "I have never been prouder of a. group of men in my life," manager Joe Torre told his team. "Whatever moti- vates us, I know the NY on your cap had a lot to do with it. This ballclub will be remembered by me forever." Most Valuable Player Andy Pettitte took a shutout into the seventh inning, Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill homered and the Yankees put the bum- bling Mariners away early. Next up for New York is Game lof the World Series against aces Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson and the Ari- zona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ball- park on Saturday night. The Yankees jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning - thanks to third baseman David Bell's error and Williams' third homer in as many days. The rest was just a formality as the Yankees brought a swift ending to Seat- tle's record-tying 116-win season and won their 38th pennant. "You need a different hero every night," Derek Jeter said. "Fortunately we have 25 heroes." A team that looked old and tired in 'the first two games in the opening round against Oakland staged an improbable rally. One homerun swing away from being swept, the Yankees showed a resiliency that endeared them more than ever to their fans in this shaken city. "Down 2-0 to one of the best clubs in baseball, you never, never, never doubted yourselves," Torre said in toasting his team. "This city needed something like this. We needed some- thing like this." Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was among the 56,370 fans cheering Torre's Yan- kees so loudly the stadium shook. The celebration was a wonderful distraction from the heartache and devastation endured by this city following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "I think it's as emotional as I've ever heard it at Yankee Stadium," Giuliani said. "This year I have to say the emo- tion adds something extra to it." The Yankees of Derek Jeter, Williams and Pettitte became the first team since their predecessors in 1960- 64 - led by Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Whitey Ford - to win four straight pennants. There was no more tough talk to come from Piniella on this night. All he could do was stare at the field and pop his chewing gum while the Yankees romped around the bases. AP PHOTO Bernie Williams' third-inning homerun helped propel the Yankees into the World Series for the fourth straight year. The series starts in Arizona on Saturday. Blue expects defensive improvement Taylor will lead young Spartans SPARTANS Continued from Page 10 pressure will be on his talented back- court duo of sophonre Marcus Taylor and freshman phenom Kelvin Torbert. Izzo said they need to lead the way in terms of scoring, and on defense by guarding the top players in the confer- ence. Taylor's "got to have a Magic John- son, super sophomore year," Izzo said. "I think he's improved defensively, and his workouts are so much different that it's scary." Izzo said Taylor has stood out more than anyone in practice thus far and is the "best conditioned guy on the team" Such stamina will be needed, as Taylor is expected to do everything, including rebound, where Michigan State has been at its best the past two seasons. Another battle will be keeping junior forward Aloysius Anagonye on the floor and out of foul trouble. Foul trouble "is a worry - that and injuries," Izzo said. "If we get a couple guys with the flu, we're going to have to cancel practice and come in at night and practice." The youthful Spartans- have a chal- lenging nonconference schedule that sends them to tough venues such as Florida and Stanford, along with home contests against Arizona and Seton Hall. "It's going to be tough," Izzo said. "Our team will develop on how we'han- dle the first part of the schedule. "We'll have some bumps in the road early - just as we did in 1997 - but our job is to get more ready for Big Ten and to be best team we.can be at end of year." Critics may not see the Spartans win- ning another conference title, but Izzo doesn't seem that worried, and his con- fidence has spread throughout the team. "You've got to love that he's standing behind us with so much confidence, not making excuses about who's here and who's not," junior forward Adam Ballinger said. "It means a lot to us and hopefully we can prove it on the court." DEFENSEMEN Continued from Page 10 warrior on defense. He was the strongest player on the weekend. I thought he played tremendously." With the Wolverines down 2-1 at the end of the second period, the Broncos held a man-advantage by virtue of a boarding penalty on Michigan junior John Shouneyia. Michigan needed a spark, and Vancik was forthcoming. Western Michigan's Mike Bishai, who assisted on all three of the Broncos' goals Friday night, had control of the puck on the powerplay until Vancik rode him down to the ice. On Vancik's hit, the puck squirted right out onto the stick of Michigan junior Mike Cammalleri who was awarded a cru- cial breakaway opportunity on Bronco goalie Mike Mantua. Cammalleri was unable to convert on the breakaway, but without Vancik's strong defense on Bishai, the opportunity would not have presented itself in the first place. "My role as a defensive defenseman is to play a physical game," Vancik said. "It translates into offense sometimes when you make a big hit."B Vancik's style is much different than that of his former partner, Werner. While Van- cik likes to hang back and provide security for Blackburn, Werner is often found sneaking into the play in the opposing team's zone, trying to provide an offensive spark. "He brings a dimension to our team that we don't have," Pearson said. "He's offen- sive minded. He likes to get up into the offensive rush, and you need that from your defense" "He's been doing a good job so far of picking his opportunities to get up in the offensive play," Vancik said. "We're just trying to work with each other out there. When he's going, I'm staying back, and if I'm going, he's staying back." Werner, one of the Wolverines' four freshman defensemen, is the smallest in stature on the ice, but that doesn't measure his tenacity and desire. "He's a warrior," Berenson said. "He bat- ties. He has good offensive instincts. (Fri- day night) he was a man in the corners, playing against players who probably out- weigh him by 40 or 50 pounds. He gives our team a lot for a freshman defenseman on the small side." USCHO Poll Team Record 1. Michi'gan State (31) 3-0-1 2. Minnesota (7) 3-0-0 3. St. Cloud (1) 4-0-0 4. North Dakota 3-2-0 .5. Colorado College 2-2-0 6. Michigan 2-2-1 7. Maine 2-2-0 8. Denver 2-0-0 9. Boston University 2-0-0 10. New Hampshire 2-1-0 11. Harvard 0-0-0 12. Nebraska-Omaha 3-1-0 13. UMass-Lowell 3-0-0 14. Providence 1-2-0 15. Rensselaer 1-1-0 Junior defenseman Mike Roemensky, one of Michigan's four experienced bluelin- ers, injured his fibula in Saturday's 5-3 vic- tory over Western Michigan. The Wolverines will need more quality shifts from Vancik and Werner in order to make up for the loss. "(Roemensky) is a great defenseman," Vancik said. " He's a solid player back there. He makes good plays with the puck and he's solid defensively. As a whole, everyone's just going to have to pick up the slack and raise our game." BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily Freshman Eric Werner began the season paired with senior Jay Vancik, but is now playing alongside sophomore Andy Burnes. U I Comcast High Speed Internet 'til end of year. ;u =; lml - -Il - dd- molh